Ann Rogers at Otter Creek Gardens had an interesting experience last week. She has been running an advertisement on the internet for a new line of hydrangeas called “Invincible Spirit,” so named for breast cancer survivors. A woman from Tallahassee, Fla., called and placed an order for several. Ann carefully shipped them by Fed-Ex but with all the hot, hot, weather, some of them just didn’t make it. The woman in Florida called Ann for replacements but Ann told her she just didn’t think it would be wise to send them again because of the heat. The woman said she planned a trip to Pennsylvania to a family reunion and she would see if it would be convenient to come through Washington-Wilkes on the way home to Tallahassee. She came on August 11. Her name is Candy Strand, and she is the granddaughter of H.D. Rees, founder of the Rees Candy Company -- the one that makes Rees’ Peanut Butter Cups, and other sweet goodies. . . . Ann says she thinks Otter Creek Gardens might be the only nursery in Georgia that has the new hydrangeas because she has been getting orders from Georgia and South Carolina. You can see the beauties at the Gardens on the Tignall Road.

ƒ

An 18-wheeler truck carrying Bi- Lo products went off the road about a mile and a half from the Tignall City limits Monday, spilling food and other products all over the road and adjacent grassy area. When my deadline for this column arrived, I had not been able to find out what they did with all the food and other contents of the truck.

ƒ

In a called conference Sunday morning, the First Baptist Church named Rev. Kevin Madden as interim pastor of the church. First Baptist has been without a pastor since the resignation of Rev. Klay Aspinwall in February. . . . Kevin is a native of Washington-Wilkes, a graduate of Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School, Shorter College, and Southwestern Baptist Seminary. As a student in Washington-Wilkes, he won many awards, and was very active in community service. For the past 14 years, he and his wife Alicia have been North American Baptist Missionaries in Canada. They have two sons, Noah, who is 15, and Taylor, who is eight. They are living in the Jerry Stover house on South Alexander Avenue. Kevin is the son of Nancy and Wayne Madden of Washington-Wilkes.

ƒ

Bill Fair, a Washington-Wilkes businessman, found himself in a dilemma. He is owner of Total AG Consultants Inc., on Depot Street, and had all of his business records and data stored in his computer. But he forgot the password and had no access to the information. He was desperate and needed the information. He tried everything he knew to do but still, no luck. He says he “called all the hackers” he knew but they said, “There’s no way. You’ve lost it.” His 15-year-old son Joel, said, “Dad, let me try.” He did. He got in, and all the data was intact. I’m sure the password has been put in a safe place now. Joel is a junior at Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School this year.

ƒ

I read an article in the newspaper about dozens of pianos being placed around New York City as an art project. Anybody who wanted to was invited to sit down and play whatever they wanted to and the first day the pianos were available many people took advantage of the opportunity. They played tunes from Bach’s Minuet in G to Elton John’s Rocket Man. The pianos were placed at New York landmarks such as Times Square, East Village, the Statue of Liberty, and others. Many people stopped to listen as one young man played Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, and Vince Guaraldi’s Linus, better known as the Peanuts theme. One observer commented, “It’s amazing how a piano, in the middle of total urban chaos, will make everyone stop to hear the notes.” . . . Being an old piano teacher, I especially enjoyed reading the article.

ƒ

Charlie Weser, husband of Rose Weser, who was one of the swimmers in last week’s “Dixie Swim Club” performance at the Bolton Lunceford Playhouse, arrived at one of the performances accompanied by 13 ladies. They were friends and relatives who came from coast to coast. At the conclusion of the performance, they stood and cheered, and held up cards which on one side read “Rose’s Fan Club” and on the other side, “Charlie’s Angels.”

ƒ

Barbara Wolters says she was shopping in a jewelry store in Dallas, Texas. When the clerk found out Barbara was from Wilkes County, she said she was Patricia Bailey who grew up in Metasville. More than one Patricia Bailey grew up in Metasville, so we’re not sure which family of Baileys this was.

ƒ

A friend sent me several observations she has made in her research on buying American made products instead of foreign made ones. I will be using some of them from time to time in this column. . . . She says that her grandson likes Hershey's candy (who doesn't?.) However, she noticed that it is marked "Made in Mexico" so she doesn't buy it any more. . . . She says that her favorite toothpaste is Colgate but she found that it also is made in Mexico. So now she has switched to Crest. "You have to read the labels on everything," she says.