Big or small - homegrown tomatoes are the best!

The last week of June already?  Where has the month gone?  This week is but a prelude to the Fourth of July activities which begin this Sunday, July 1, with a parade and Concert on The Green and of course, a run through the sprinkler or a splash in the pool.

Many of our backyard gardens are almost finished with squash and cucumbers but beginning to supply us with the real reason for digging in the dirt:  tomatoes!  Send us a photo of your biggest and best.  Yum!

Today Around Davidson catches up with a Hudson road trip for the Bullock family, a granddaughter’s graduation for the Woodmansees, and a wedding for the Ortmayers.

Newlyweds Owen and Amanda Ortmayer

WEDDING BELLS – Owen Ortmayer and Amanda Fite

Congratulations to Owen Ortmayer and Amanda Fite who were married in Frisco on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks on Saturday, May 5, 2012.  Owen is the son of Carolyn and Lou Ortmayer of Davidson.  Amanda is the daughter of Andrea and Jeff Fite of Charlotte.  Rob Johnson, who grew up in Davidson, was best man and Scott Ortmayer, brother of the groom, was the groomsman.  Matron of honor was Megan Hinson and the bridesmaid was Kelly Lee, both friends of the bride.

Lou and Carolyn Ortmayer posed with newlyweds, Owen and Amanda

The 4 p.m. ceremony was performed by a Frisco pastor, Bonnie Williams, in the yard of the bay side home the families had rented for the occasion.  The large home, named “The Love Boat” by the owners, had accommodations for 14 guests and was the center of the weekend’s activities.  Lou and Carolyn Ortmayer hosted a “Welcome Dinner” around the Love Boat’s pool on Friday evening before the wedding.  The wedding and reception were held at the same location with a Frisco caterer providing a dinner buffet and a local DJ the music. Then on Sunday morning, Andrea and Jeff Fite entertained with a “Recovery Breakfast.”  Where?  At the Love Boat, of course.

It was a beautiful, relaxed weekend for family and friends who came from all over the United States to attend the wedding, including Amanda’s maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Mary Carriker of Charlotte.

Happy smiles for the Ortmayer family: Lou and Carolyn, Owen and Amanda, Scott and Kim with their children, Ben and Caroline

Owen graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a degree in computer science and worked in this field for a while before pursuing his interest in medicine.  He worked first for MEDIC, then received paramedic training and currently is employed as an Emergency Room Scribe at Presbyterian (which means he follows the ER doctor and enters his “dictation” on a computer).  Amanda is a graduate of the Mercy School of Nursing in Charlotte.  This young couple is currently living in Charlotte but soon will be moving to Washington, DC, where Owen will be attending medical school at George Washington University and Amanda will be working as an emergency room nurse.  Best wishes to the Ortmayer and Fite families.

(And just a note for those of us who knew Betty and Bob Johnson of Pine Road and their older child, Rob.  Rob, like Owen, is a graduate of UNC-G and recently finished a two-year training program resulting in employment in Charlotte as a radiation technologist.  His mother, Betty, and sister, Tara, both live in this area and both also are employed in health care related fields.  Nice to catch up with the family.)

Happy smiles for grad Michaela Woodmansee, greeted by her brother, Arlo.

MICHAELA WILL BE A TAR HEEL

Congratulations to Scott and Pris Woodmansee of Cabin Creek in Davidson who spent the weekend in Durham at the beginning of June to join in celebrating the graduation of their oldest grandchild, Michaela Woodmansee.  The daughter of John and Julie Woodmansee, Michaela graduated from Jordan High School in Durham and will begin college close by in August when she joins the Class of 2016 at UNC-Chapel Hill with thoughts of a major in psychology.  Younger brother, Arlo, a rising sophomore at Jordan High School, will be delighted to be an “only child” (most of the time) next fall!  Best wishes to all the family.

Standing next to the vintage Hudson are (from left) David, son Peter, Allison and Thomas Bullock of Statesville, Minerva Bullock, and daughter Karen holding the booklet she made recounting the history of their family with the 1929 Hudson

TRAVELS WITH THE BULLOCKS

Imagine having a car for more than 50 years – and keeping it in pristine condition.  That is just what the late David Bullock of Dogwood Lane in Davidson did.  His widow, Minerva, and her family took the beautifully restored 1929 Hudson to Roanoke, Va., the weekend of June 8-10 for the Eastern Regional Meet of the HET (Hudson Essex Terraplane) Club.

David Bullock's 1929 Hudson outside the Roanoke Transportation Museum

During this meet, the memory of David Bullock was honored by placing an image of his special 1929 Hudson on the plaque that everyone at the meet received.  His car also was featured at the entrance of the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.  In addition to Minerva, her daughter, Karen, of Davidson, and son, David of Statesville and his family attended the club’s meeting.  David transported the car to Roanoke on a trailer and Karen put together a booklet reflecting on the 50 years her father had belonged to the club, the various antique cars he had owned and how the Bullock family traveled all over the country in their Hudson to attend car meets .

The plaque given to all who attended the HET club meeting

It was a wonderful weekend for the Bullock family to visit with longtime friends in the HET Club and reminisce about the good times they had with David.  David and Minerva had been members of the HET Club for 50 years so the booklet Karen assembled was particularly meaningful.  Regrettably the other Bullock sons, Richard in New Jersey, and Gary in Alaska, were unable to attend but we imagine they will hear all the stories of the weekend in Roanoke.

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Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.