Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     It's easy to have a great attitude when things are going our way...It's when difficult challenges rise before us...that attitude becomes the difference maker. If you don't love where you are right now, you won't love where you are going. Here is what I know: People who are passionate about what they do every day and love where they are in life are the fortunate ones. They have discovered their purpose. They are the difference makers who fully understand the gift of adding value, and yes, they can't help but love where they are going on their journey.

~John C. Maxwell~

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

     What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead. Let the efforts of us all, prove that he [Martin Luther King] was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold.

~Nelson Mandela~

     Blessings these days often come in unexpected forms and characteristics. To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, the  beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. Blessed to travel to Port St Lucie Florida for a Mother's Day weekend, I decided to make a phone call to a genuine brother to all, Alvin Howlett. Having discovered he lived only an additional hour drive South, we made plans to connect on Saturday. Upon arriving at his home, our conversation turned to reminiscing about the "good ole days". The infamous car wreck, Glenview Heights and deceased classmates to mention a few. Names were dropped and fortunately, I had their phone numbers. Tommie McKinnie, happened to be one of the names and he and Estella used to visit Alvin daily when he was hospitalized. I made the call and we further enjoyed the comradery. Totally unexpected, Tommie was also in Florida, about another hour South, so they made plans for lunch on Tuesday. 
     Oftentimes we take for granted the routine episodes of daily life and fail to express gratitude for the simple unexpected blessings sent our way. Alvin and I determined that it's been thirteen years since our paths last crossed. When folks say "it's good to see you", my reply is "it's better to be seen than viewed". I'm grateful that I was blessed to make the roundtrip to Florida, and even more so, to see Alvin. Grateful to have been the conduit for the successful visit between Alvin and Tommie. I didn't have the opportunity to stop in Jacksonville to visit Carolyn and Gerald Harris, but they're doing well and sends joyous greetings to the class. Let us always be mindful that "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead. Let the efforts of us all, prove that he [Martin Luther King] was not a mere dreamer when he spoke of the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace being more precious than diamonds or silver or gold".

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Do you remember Downtown Memphis when traffic was on Main Street? The Peanut Shop?

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     Listening is the key to everything good in music. Jazz is an idea that is more powerful than the details of its history. Jazz demands that you bring to it things that are valuable to you, that are personal to you. People sometimes say it takes a long time to become a Jazz fan, but for me it took about five seconds.
     I have to admit that more and more lately, the whole idea of jazz as an idiom is one that I've completely rejected. I just don't see it as an idiomatic thing any more...To me, if jazz is anything, it's a process, and maybe a verb, but it's not a thing. It's a form that demands that you bring to it things that are valuable to you, that are personal to you. That, for me, is a pretty serious distinction that doesn't have anything to do with blues, or swing, or any of these other things that tend to be listed as essentials in order for music to be jazz with a capital J.

~Pat Metheny~
 
WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Jimmie Powell

When is the picnic? And who do the money go to.

Jimmie Powell

When is the picnic? And who do the money go to.

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

The pinic will be held Saturday, May 27 from 12 noon until 5 p.m. at Martin Luther King Park. Bonnie Pippin is collecting the money.

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne~

Cucumbers - Green Beans - Swiss Chard - Cherry Tomatoes

Gardening Know How - https://www.gardeningknowhow.com

Bugs In The Garden: The Most Common Garden Pests To Look Out For

     There are probably hundreds of insects that plague our gardens daily but the most common plant pests seem to do the most damage. Once you recognize these bugs in the garden, you can start taking steps to protect your plants with effective control. Here is a rundown of the more common problem garden insects to get you started.

Common Plant Pests to Look Out for

     The flying, crawling pests are out and bugging your veggies, ornamentals, and flowers. Holes in your leaves, sooty mold, tunnels in soil, yellow and dying turf, damaged fruit, mounds in the lawn… these are just a few of the signs that your garden is under attack by some of the most common garden pests. The type in your landscape will depend upon the area in which you live, but the majority of these are found across North America.

Flying Insect Pests

     We all love to see the honeybees flitting about and doing their good work, but there are other fliers that are not so beneficial in the garden. Some of the most damaging of the common plant pests are:

⦁ Spotted Wing Drosophila – Looks like an orange fly. The fly damages cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries as well as some pomes.

⦁  Cabbage Moth – It isn’t the moth that does the damage but its larvae. You will observe these small white moths on kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and other brassicas where they lay eggs. The subsequent cabbageworms will then make quick work of these plants as they feed on the foliage.

⦁  Grasshoppers – Although most grasshoppers “hop” long distances, many fly too. These thick-bodied insects are responsible for some of the worst crop damage ever recorded.

⦁ Whiteflies – Tiny, white, flying, moth-like insects, whiteflies are difficult to control in large numbers. They also excrete honeydew, which attracts ants and upon which sooty mold may develop.

Crawlers

     Many of the crawling insects that do the most damage are larvae. They may be from flying, burrowing, or crawling insects but their damage is usually severe. Consider that one adult insect might lay hundreds of eggs on a plant and each one hatches. That amounts to hordes of voracious juveniles that will attack that plant. Some of the more common bugs in the garden that creep are:

⦁ Aphids – Coming in many colors and often found clinging to leaves and stems of plants of en masse, aphids not only suck the sap from plants but leave behind honeydew which leads to sooty mold fungus.

⦁  Scale – Some types of scale are stationary, but there are a few species may fly. They look just as the name suggests, hugging plant stems closely as they suck sap juices.

⦁  Sawfly larvae – Small, caterpillar-like larvae with one simple eye on each side of the head and one leg on each segment of the abdomen, these pests leave holes or notches in leaves, and may also skeletonize the plants in large numbers.

⦁ Snails and Slugs – Ask almost anyone if these slimy monopods aren’t the bane of their existence. Both snails and slugs commonly make large holes in leaves, and seedlings can be eaten down to the ground.

⦁  Ants – Armies of ants can swarm fruit and flower buds. While most often attracted to honeydew or plant nectar, they don’t specifically damage the plants but can signal the presence of sap-sucking insects like aphids.

⦁  Earwigs – These are a mixture of good and bad as they also feed on aphids and other problem garden insects. But earwigs also damage flowers and vegetables with their feeding.

⦁  Borers – Borers of all kinds, especially squash borers and peach borers, burrow into plant tissue. They attack vegetables, ornamentals, and even trees.

⦁ Spider Mites – The adults fly but the juveniles get around on wind and the fine nets they spin. Spider mites cause similar damage to aphids with extensive leaf stippling.

Controlling Common Garden Pests

     Many pests of the garden hide in plant debris. Cleaning up refuse around the property limits the hiding spaces for many insects. Borax sprinkled around ant hills kills the colony, while diatomaceous earth rips the soft bellies of slugs and snails. Flying insects and those that live on plants will succumb to frequent sprays of horticultural oils and soaps. There are also many listed chemical formulas for most common bugs if you prefer to go that route. The key to preventing major infestations is vigilance. Look at plants daily and start treatments immediately.

Kenneth Davis

Welcome Patricia Dennis Manning!

 to the

Official BTW Class of 1970 website!!!

     We're grateful that you've joined us! Estella, Joycelyn and I are your website administrators. This website is easy to navigate, however should you require any assistance with directions, or need questions answered, please don't hesitate to ask us. Send your questions via the "Contact Us" menu, or through the "Message Center".

     We hope that you will be informed, encouraged and entertained by the contents of the website and we look forward to any contributions or comments that you'd like to offer. There's a lot of reading to catch up on for now, so enjoy yourself and let your classmates hear from you. 

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

It is time for Saturday Blues!

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     Every growth of spiritual life, from the first tender shoot until now, has been the work of the Holy Spirit.... The only way to more life is the Holy Spirit. You will not even know that you want more unless He works in you to desire it.... The Spirit of God must come and make the letter alive, transfer it to your heart, set it on fire, and make it burn within you, or else its divine force and majesty will be hid from your eyes... Prayer is the creation of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do without prayer, and we cannot pray without the Holy Spirit. 

~Charles Spurgeon~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

TO

BETTY BRIGHAM JAMES

&

JULIA HARRIS DAVIS

     Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. Your preciousness lies in your essence; it cannot be lost by anything that happens.

~Zhuangzi~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     Elegance is like manners. You can’t be polite only on Wednesday or Thursday. If you are elegant, you should be every day of the week. If you are not, then it’s another matter.

~Aldo Gucci~

IT'S TIME FOR
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

     When my brother began his psychiatric practice, his first patient was a particularly good-looking young woman. My brother motioned for her to lie down on the couch, but the woman hesitated until he reassured her that it was part of the therapy procedure. Once on the couch, she smoothed her dress around her legs and began to relax a bit. “Now then,” he asked, “how did your trouble begin?” “Just like this,” she said.

~Don Singer, True~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     If we observe ourselves truthfully and non-judgmentally, seeing the mechanisms of our personality in action, we can wake up, and our lives can be a miraculous unfolding of beauty and joy. The testimony of the greatest humans who have ever lived is that the way to make the most of ourselves is by transcending ourselves. We must learn to move beyond self-centeredness to make room within ourselves for others. When you transcend yourself, the fact will be confirmed by the quality of your life. We will attain - even if only momentarily - a transparency and a radiance of being, which results from living both within and beyond yourself. This is the promise and the excitement of self-understanding.

~Don Richard Riso~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Good health! Whenever you go out of doors, draw the chin in, carry the crown of your head high, and fill the lungs to the utmost; drink in sunshine; greet your friends with a smile, and put soul into every handclasp. Do not fear being misunderstood and never waste a minute thinking about your enemies. If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want.

~Elbert Hubbard~

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

‍The #1 Best Fruit For a Sharper Brain, New Research Says
Story by Clara Olshansky https://www.eatthis.com/

     You probably know that the foods you eat can have an impact on your brain over time. In fact, some foods can actually impair your memory and increase your risk of neurodegenerative disorders, while others can help stave off cognitive decline. Now, a new study finds that eating cranberries could help keep you sharp as you age.
     In the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers examined a group of 60 adults ages 50-80 for a period of 12 weeks, supplementing some of their diets with freeze-dried cranberry powder. Based on cognitive assessments before and after those 12 weeks, those who had been given the powder had better episodic memory and neural functioning.
      Study author Dr. David Vauzour, senior research fellow in Molecular Nutrition at the University of East Anglia's Norwich Medical School, tells Eat This, Not That! that, while the results of this study are promising, it is unclear whether the fruit can help protect from serious neurological conditions. "The findings of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short 12-week cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function," Vazour says. "However, whether these effects are observed in people with mild cognitive decline or neurodegenerative disorders is still to be investigated."
     Additionally, while cranberries can be beneficial for your mind, the best change you can make to keep you sharp, as far as your food choices are concerned, is to take a look at your diet overall. "It is safe to recommend including a couple of servings of fruit per day in your diet, especially berries, as a way to prevent cognitive changes associated with aging," Dr. Paul Goodman, board-certified physician, and chief medical officer of Fresh N Lean, explains. "The real winners in this space, however, have been studies examining the effect of complete dietary changes on brain health and dementia."
     He recommends the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean diet with those of the hypertension-fighting DASH diet. Of course, it may be unrealistic to imagine you'll completely overhaul your diet all at once. Julie Andrews, MS, RDN, CD, FAND, owner of The Healthy Epicurean, recommends taking it one step at a time.
     "Focus on making one or two small changes in your diet to incorporate more of these brain-friendly foods," she says. "You could swap out a serving of salty snacks for a handful of berries and nuts once a week, plus add a few cups of spinach to your next batch of soup." She adds that, once you've got that down, you can swap out processed bread for whole-grain bread and add fatty fish to your diet one meal a week.

This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     In Tennessee where I grew up, there were animals, farms, wagons, mules. My parents separated when I was younger. When my parents went off to Knoxville to work, I lived with my father's mother. She was strict - the kind who starched and ironed dresses. I had to sit more than I played. Oh, I was miserable. I liked being out with the animals. I'd come in the house with my hair pulled out, sash off the dress, dirty as heck. I was always getting spanked.
     The older you get, the more you realize it's not what happens, but how you deal with it. But I believe we have a higher level of mentality within us, but we have to use the power in the right way. Sometimes you have to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything - whatever is bringing you down - get rid of it. Because you will find that when you are free, your true creativity, your true self comes out. My legacy is that I stayed on course...from the beginning to the end, because I believed in something inside of me.

~Tina Turner~
 
IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

     Now that the Memphis In May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest has come to an end, it's time to make a bee-line to the BTW High School All Classes Annual Picnic. Coordinated by the leadership of  Willie Taylor, Cloyd Nightingale, Bonnie Pippin Mills and Kenneth Davis, final preparations are nearly completed. However, there has been a change of locations within the park. Instead of the South Pavillion, closest to the duck pond, festivities will be at the North Pavillion. Access may still be gained by using the West Mallory Avenue entrance, next to the Valero Refinery. Take the first right turn towards the boat ramp and then take the first left. There will probably be signs posted, so beware.
     Bring your appetites and food pallets to consume smoked ribs, chicken, smoke sausages, burgers, hot dogs, baked beans and other picnic particulars. Contributions are still welcome, but don't let that prevent you from coming to enjoy the festivities. Thanks to those who've donated, we will have sufficient food-stuffs for everyone, so hunger won't be tolerated. Here's looking forward to a wonderful communion of friends, willing to exchange greetings, express encouragement and to enjoy the camaraderie of the gift of presence.....12PM til 5PM...

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     Jazz is smooth and cool. Jazz is rage. Jazz flows like water. Jazz never seems to begin or end. Jazz isn't methodical, but jazz isn't messy either. Jazz is a conversation, a give and take. Jazz is the connection and communication between musicians. Jazz is abandon. I have learned a lot from jazz. I compare good acting to jazz music. The more you study and prepare as an actor, the more equipped you are to live in the moment. Just like the gifted musicians in my dad's quartet, it takes a courageous actor to be free.

~Nat Wolff~

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS 

Margie McRae (Reed)

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 

     In the world at large, people are rewarded or punished in ways that are often utterly random. In the garden, cause and effect, labor and reward, are re-coupled. Gardening makes sense in a senseless world. By extension, then, the more gardens in the world, the more justice, the more sense is created. Gardening is not trivial. If you believe that it is, closely examine why you feel that way. You may discover that this attitude has been forced upon you by mass media and the crass culture it creates and maintains. The fact is, gardening is just the opposite - it is, or should be, a central, basic expression of human life.

~Andrew Weil~

How to attract bees to your garden – 5 ways to entice more of these beneficial pollinators - Published - 14 May 2023 - Homes & Gardens

Picking the right plants and adapting your gardening ethos can help to see more bees in your backyard - By Drew Swainston

     Bees are invaluable to a garden as they help to pollinate plants and without them there would be significantly less flowers, fruits and vegetables in the garden. There are some key ways you can help to entice and support bees into your garden, including providing them with a rich bounty of nectar and pollen that they are seeking. 

     By growing flowers that attract bees and picking a diverse range of plants it can help to get more bees into the garden. You can also help bees and other pollinators by changing your gardening mindset. Not using chemicals, letting the lawn grow long, and adding places for water and shelter specifically for bees can help increase their presence in your yard. 

     If you are wanting to discover how to attract bees to your garden, then we take a look at some key ways in which you can make a difference. Whether you are planning new borders or simply looking to make changes in the yard that can help attract bees, then there are simple ways to make your garden a haven for these valuable insects.

WHAT WILL ATTRACT BEES TO MY GARDEN?

1. INTRODUCE DIVERSE PLANTS

     Choose plants with lots of different colors and also different shapes. There are thought to be 4,000 species of bees in the United States and they come in many different sizes and with different lengths of tongues. They also feed on different shapes of flowers, so filling a yard with a good mix can attract the widest range of bees possible. Try to pick as many single flowers as possible, such as many staple old cottage garden plants, as many double or multi-petalled flowers are difficult to access for lots of species of bees.

2. PLANT IN GROUPS

     When considering ways of attracting bees to your garden, plant your flowers in clumps to make it an ideal garden for pollinators. Bees will be attracted more to plants that are together in groupings rather than planted individually throughout a backyard.

3. GO FOR SEASONAL BLOOMS

     Bees require nectar and pollen year-round so, when picking plants for pollinators to add to your backyard, you want to have a long season of blooms. Making sure to have many different species flowering in succession over a long period of time can help support many bee species. This is primarily because different bee species are active at different times of the year. 

4. DON’T USE PESTICIDES

     To put it simply, common insecticides and pesticides kill bees and other beneficial insects that can do so much good in your backyard. Too often the first thought in many gardeners' minds is to reach for the pesticides to deal with common pests and diseases. However, while they may easily solve many problems, they are not kind to bees, who are very sensitive to such chemicals. Even products such as insecticidal soap and diatomaceous earth can be dangerous to use around bees.

     It is more environmentally friendly to try organic approaches to dealing with pests and diseases. You can use beneficial predators for pests or make homemade bug sprays as part of more sustainable gardening ideas. While sprays made from the likes of neem oil or copper can be safe, they still need to be used with consideration as they must be dry or dissolved before bees are actively feeding. Consider using organic or permaculture gardening techniques like companion planting in the backyard, as utilizing beneficial plants can be a natural way to repel pests and combat diseases.

5. PROVIDE SAFE WATER

     Bees and all pollinators need access to water and providing a safe place for them to land near to water sources can help attract more bees to your garden. Bees need water to regulate their temperatures and putting in a bee watering station can give bees a clean, safe, and easy-to-access place to get water. Bees cannot swim so they need a space where they can land and access water without the risk of drowning. 

Kenneth Davis

     Mr. Willie Armstrong, the husband of Delores Booth Armstrong, has been hospitalized and all "Prayer Warriors" are requested to extend prayers for his recovery. Keep Delores uplifted in prayer as well, while she endures this life changing event.

     Extending condolences to Tommie McKinney and family. Notification was received yesterday regarding the Mother of his son-in-law transitioning. Please keep Tommie and family uplifted in prayer. 

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

It is time for Saturday Blues. Margie, this is for you. Enjoy!

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   

     If broken lives and souls are to be healed, it must begin with teaching the practice of the presence... To abide in the presence of the Lord is to begin to hear Him. To follow through on that hearing is to find healing, self-acceptance, and growth into psychological and spiritual balance and maturity. The acknowledgment that God is always with us - even when we are least aware of it in our sensory being - requires discipline. To acknowledge the Unseen Real requires a concerted effort of our will at first. This is why the term practicing the presence is so useful.

     It is only by remembering that 'Another lives in me' that we can die daily to that old, false, usurping self, and that we can continue to be drawn further in and higher up into the life of God. To 'practice the presence' is to continually call to mind this great reality.

~Leanne Payne~

Kenneth Davis

     With  a saddened of heart, I announce the transition of Mr. Jeffrey K. Arnold, the brother of our own William Arnold Sr. 

Visitation
R. S. Lewis Funera; Home 
2944 Walnut Grove Road
Memphis, TN
Thursday June 1, 2023
4PM - 6PM
(901) 235-6169

Funeral Services
New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church
2532 Warren Road
Memphis, TN 38106
Friday June 2, 2023
12 Noon
(901) 947-1331

     Let us keep the entire Arnold Family uplifted in prayer. Cards of sympathy nay be sent to William at 4089 Kenosha Road, Memphis, TN 38118...

Kenneth Davis

     Here's a few adjectives to describe yesterdays "All Classes Picnic".  Preeminent, prestigious, distinguished, paramount, noteworthy, monumental, outstanding, colosal, awesome, magnificent, tremendous, successful and beautiful. First of the seventies and the first class to arrive at the park. We wish you were there. More images to follow soon....

Front Row L-R  Claudia Grant, Marsha McMillian, Margie McRae, Patricia White, Cherlyn Harris, Faye Milligan, Lillian Marshall, Bonnie Pippin, Willie Taylor

Back Row L-R  Maurice Hunt, William Arnold, Joe Steele, Larry Milligan, Jimmie Powell, Cloyd Nightingale, Kenneth Davis  (Honorable Mention - Estella Wright, Tyrone Mosley)