Two young brothers are starting early to learn about the business world. Mil is the 12-year-old son of Betsy and Rodney Shedd of Rayle; and Matt is his nine-year-old brother. They heard family talk about the Farmers Market in Washington. They also knew that they had helped with the family garden and that there were lots of vegetables available that they could sell. At first, Betsy and Rodney tried to discourage them in their plan, but decided that they might as well try. The boys gathered squash, cucumbers, beans, and other vegetables and began to talk about how to price them. They needed to weigh and package them and, wouldn't you know! Grandpa W.C. Bentley showed up with great-grandpa Joe Bentley's scales that he had used. So the pricing was on. With their parents providing transportation, Mil and Matt set up business Saturday morning, along with about 10 other vendors, at the Farmers Market behind the Courthouse. They also had some blackberries which they packaged for sale. Four-year-old brother Morgan helped pick some of the blackberries and is in training to become a business partner. They sold almost $200 worth of vegetables and plan to be back Saturday! . . . Saturday was the largest number of vendors thus far to be available at the Farmers Market. I plan to be there early Saturday morning to see what I can buy.

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Have you noticed that the big, big, man at the bottom of the hill on East Robert Toombs Avenue is being spruced up? I'm sure you've seen him. He's in front of the building diagonally across from the entrance to the Washington-Wilkes Elementary School. His clothes have a fresh coat of paint and his hand and some other features have been repaired. He's a landmark.

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A note from Laurie Sargent who used to live in Washington-Wilkes says, "We are still enjoying The News-Reporter way down here in Harlem. Keep up the good work so we know what is happening there." Laurie was employed at Wills Memorial Hospital and lived in the Campbell-Lindsey-Griggs-Aiken house on Liberty Street next to the Mary Willis Library.

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Norris says he got .35 of an inch of rain last week and Tignall got none. . . . Sonny Johnson says he got not one drop. Norris says his total for the month is 1.9 inch which is pretty good.

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Gas prices keep climbing. The highest I saw in town Monday was $2.59 per gallon.

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Here at The News-Reporter we received in the mail a little booklet from the Arbor Day Foundation which is both interesting and handy to have around. It's titled What Tree Is That? and is a guide to the more common trees found in the Eastern and Central United States. The booklet shows a picture of the leaf of a tree and in some cases the fruit, and then gives a brief description of the leaf and tree. It's in full color and you can get one by sending your name and address and $5 to What Tree Is That?, Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410. If you want to see one, come by and see ours.

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The Reville sisters - Debbie Jackson, Sandra Brown, and Jeana Worley - will be opening a new store in downtown Athens. The sisters are owners and managers of Tena's Jewelry and Gift Stores in Washington, Elberton, and Hartwell. They have bought the former family-owned Foster's Jewelers building on East Clayton Street in Athens and will be open for business as Tena's Fine Diamonds and Jewelry on August 3. The Athens store will sell only jewelry and gems. Debbie says they had not planned to open a business in Athens but the idea surfaced as they talked to the owners of Foster's during that store's going-out-of-business sale in February. They had gone to see if there were any supplies or equipment they might be able to use. . . . Tena's in Washington was founded in 1965 by the late Gene and Tena Corry. They subsequently sold the business to Amy Reville, mother of the sisters, in February 1977. The Elberton store was opened in 1981; and the Hartwell store in 2001. The sisters became active in the business and following her death were able to continue the fine management and service that Amy had begun. The sisters also own Hendricks Florist here in Washington.

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Wayne Madden's tale in last week's column about the snake prompted Cornelia Johnson to call and tell me that she had been frightened by a snake in her bedroom - upstairs. She says there was a long mirror on the back of the bathroom door and she saw its head on one side of the mirror and its tail on the other. She immediately called son-in-law Bob Guin who came to the rescue - but he wouldn't kill the black snake. The next day at lunch they saw the snake - or its brother - in the yard.

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Native Wilkes Countian Ben Wheatley is the pastry chef for the Five and Ten restaurant in Athens. One of his recipes is featured in the current issue of Plate, a magazine for restaurants and creative chefs. His recipe is for a Campfire Tart and it is pictured along with his recipe and other information. The article says that Ben was inspired by his fondness for a summer camp favorite, s'mores, but he wanted to find a way to eat it without getting messy. The tart is listed at $7 on the restaurant menu. If you are familiar with s'mores, you know that they contain marshmallows. Ben makes his own marshmallows! And the recipe is included with the article. . . . Ben is the son of Butch and Marie Wheatley and the grandson of Stanley and Katherine Wheatley of Metasville. He is a graduate of the prestigious Cordon Bleu Chef School in Atlanta.

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Don't forget that we have early deadlines for the July 9 News- Reporter. We hope you will check them out and help us by getting your news and advertisements to us very early. . . . Remember, too that the Fourth of July Fireworks Show will be on Friday Night, July 3, instead of the Fourth. It costs less that way. . . . The annual Fourth of July Parade is set for Saturday, July 4, 8 a.m., in Fort Washington Park. Be getting out your red, white, and blue.

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