What would fall be without apples and cider? (Thanks to Alice Stillwell of the Pines' staff for the arrangement)
Election Day is over and now we can get on with regular activities such as the celebration of Veteran’s Day tomorrow. Meanwhile we are enjoying beautiful Indian summer weather with just a hint of frost on windshields in the morning. What a perfect time to travel to the North Carolina mountains and get apples and cider.
This week Around Davidson visited a group at The Pines making their own apple cider. We also checked in with Boo Hess whose college roommate visited Davidson for the first time. In addition we all congratulate Ashley Pickerel and A.J. Thomas who married last month.
Congratulations to the newlyweds: The Reverends Ashley and A.J. Thomas
WEDDING BELLS
Happy wedding bells rang out in Davidson on the afternoon of Saturday, October 8, when Ashley Pickerel and A.J. Thomas married in the sanctuary of the Davidson United Methodist Church (DUMC). Officiating at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony was the Rev. Glenn Kinken, Executive Pastor at DUMC. Acolytes were Nathaniel Allen and Josiah Allen, nephews of the groom. Dr. Katie Ann McCarty provided the organ music. Communion during the service was presided over by the bride and groom, both ordained Methodist clergy.
Coming from Cashiers, N.C., were the parents of the bride, Jeanne and David Pickerel. Parents of the groom are Rusty Thomas, now lives in Hickory having moved from Niagara Falls, N.Y., this past May, and the late Julie Thomas. Maternal grandparents of the bride, Doris and Garland Lee Atkinson, came from Virginia while the groom’s maternal grandparents, Julia and Bill Breese came from Pennsylvania. Bridesmaids included Kristi Blankenship, a college roommate of Ashley’s, and four friends from seminary, Kathryn Broyles, Noelle Bonnel, Rachel Hoyle and Erin Walley. Groomsmen were David Thomas, A.J.’s brother, and friends, Jonathan Allen, Nate Laborie and Ken Loyer. In addition A.J.’s sisters, Christel Allen and Megan Sharpe and their families were in Davidson for the occasion.
Barbados made a perfect honeymoon setting for Ashley and A.J.
With a multitude of aunts and uncles on both side and an enthusiastic group of friends, the church was filled with over 500 guests. Knowing the many talents of the ladies at DUMC, it was no wonder that so many donated their time and energy to making Ashley’s wedding day a memorable occasion. Judy Henry handmade Ashley’s beautiful wedding gown; flowers were courtesy of Betsy Seymour with help from Melinda Shackelford and multiple Davidson gardens; Maggie Kessler kept everyone on time as the wedding coordinator; and Mary Sherrill made the wedding cake for the reception at the Charles Mack Citizen’s Center in Mooresville. Photography was done by Jerry Bridges. Refreshments and food at the reception was prepared by DUMC and St. Paul UMC in Charlotte with Nancy Young (Davidson) and Sara Kidd (St. Paul) organizing. The rehearsal dinner was hosted by Betsy and Jody Seymour, Frieda and Tom Brown, Liz and Mike Thomason and Linda and Tom Beatty at a home on the lake. Ashley summed it up with the following comment: “It was the most incredible gift to have so many family, friends, and church family gathered in one place and for each piece of the wedding to have the personal touch, talents, and love that it did. What a blessing we were given to begin our marriage with that much love.”
The wedding cake was surrounded with photos of Ashley and A.J.'s parents and grandparents
Following the wedding festivities, this delightful young couple got away for a wonderful honeymoon in the Barbados. They loved the beautiful Caribbean beaches, snorkeling with sea turtles, visiting Harrison’s Cave, enjoying local fish fries, perusing pottery shops and touring the town of Bathsheba on the eastern shore with its huge rock formations in the ocean.
And getting back to what was mentioned in the first paragraph, these young people are both ordained clergy. Ashley serves DUMC and A.J. serves St. Paul UMC in the Sedgefield neighborhood of Charlotte. You will no doubt be seeing them often in Davidson as they frequently go for walks in our town and love all the local restaurants. Be sure to congratulate them as newlyweds: Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Thomas or the Reverend Ashley and the Reverend A.J. Thomas! Best wishes to you both.
Herman Speece (l) and Anderson Sherrill of Statesville chipped and pressed 18 bushels of apples
A FRESH CIDER TREAT
A tradition has been born at The Pines Retirement Community in Davidson. Jack Sherrill of Statesville pressed apples into cider for 25 years before moving to The Pines a few years ago. Jack and his brother, Anderson Sherrill, both Davidson College graduates, had the pieces for an apple chipper and press and utilized the good knowledge of employees at Sherrill Lumber Co. in Statesville to fashion a press. With a motor, pulley, belt and basket in hand, they built the frame which Jack used annually to make cider in his back patio or front driveway. He even took it to various fall festivals in the Statesville area to show others the ole-timey way to make cider.
Taking juice home to enjoy with lunch is Bob Butt
With Jack’s health not improving, Anderson brought the press to The Pines last fall and made cider in Jack’s honor and donated the press to the retirement community. This year following Jack’s death in June, Anderson and a friend of Jack’s, Herman Speece, brought 18 bushels of apples to press into cider for the residents and staff of The Pines in memory of Jack. The apples, Golden Delicious, Gala and Rustico, came from Deal’s orchards on N.C. 16 between Taylorsville and Wilkesboro. They were washed, chipped and pressed into juice for appreciative residents. There was even enough extra juice to serve with lunch in the dining room.
Lots of good fun and good humor, with a few yellow jackets thrown in, were shared by the hard working group this past Tuesday. Thanks to Herman and Anderson and The Pines staff for a most enjoyable morning. We all look forward to the fall of 2012 when the sweet cider flows once more in memory of Jack Sherrill.
Liz Roe (l) was Boo Hess' roommate in college
ROOMMATES VISIT
College roommates were sometimes a good match and other times not such a good assignment. For Davidson resident Boo Calsibet Hess, her freshman and sophomore years at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., were that much better because of her roommate, Liz Benedict Roe, from Skaneateles, N.Y. (we won’t even pretend we know how to pronounce that…). Since Boo came east from Michigan for college to New England and did not travel home for Thanksgiving, she became part of the Benedict family during many holidays. The friendship of Boo and Liz has continued over the decades. They roomed together at their 25th reunion and look forward to repeating for their 40th coming up in 2012.
What a pleasure for Boo to welcome Liz to town recently for a two-day visit. Liz had heard often about Davidson but never visited. Boo packed in a lot of local activities during her short visit taking her to two lectures at the college, a walking tour of the town and the Book Club Tea at The Pines. Liz particularly enjoyed listening to the gentle southern accents of our residents and the gracious social gatherings of friends and neighbors while here. Come back and visit again soon, Liz.
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