Joyce Godwin

In response to that report, Denison resident Felma Holliday shared with us a story about a mysterious circle of yellow daffodils that pop up each spring in a vacant area in the 1600 block of South Maurice. Felma thought our readers might like to know how the circle of flowers came to be, so I will share that with you.

She said, at least 35 years ago a man noticed a small salt cedar tree trying to grow and decided to help it along. As the years passed, he trimmed and pampered and nurtured the tree. "It grew into a fine looking tree," Felma wrote. "Birds enjoyed sitting on its branches and an expectant cardinal made its nest.

"One year the man planted daffodils around the base of the tree." Neighbors and passers-by have been rewarded each spring by the view of the beautiful yellow flowers "that looked like they were dancing around the salt cedar tree."

One Christmas season, the man she called "our neighbor and friend, Al Chick," adorned the tree with "colored baubles and garlands."

A few days later, she said, the neighbors awoke to find the tree they had watched grow up, missing. Someone during the dark of the night had come, cut down the tree and carried it away.

Years have passed and the neighborhood has changed, but passers-by are still greeted each spring by the bright yellow flowers planted so many years ago.

The circle of yellow daffodils, she wrote, will always remind her of her friend and neighbor Al Chick.

Thank you, Felma, for sharing this story.

Happy birthday Thursday to Danielle Trisler and her mother, Christy Reding, Carrel Clinton, Kiara Walker, Lacy Jones, Teresa Bryant, Jordan Fagan and Leah Flippo, all of Denison; Cindy Buck, April Adams, Johnnye Cordell, Sharla Johnson, Thia´lae Franklin and Jennifer Jones, all of Sherman; Tim Arrington of Gunter; Charles Vick of Pampa; Leah Frith and M.D. Pinkston and his son, Steve Pinkston, all of Whitesboro; John Hodge of Pottsboro; LeAndra Beckemeyer of Howe.

Happy anniversary Thursday to John and Yana Bullard of Sherman, 32 years; Tony and Michelle Prutch of Bells, 20 years; Jimmy Don and Debbie Neely of Whitesboro, 15 years; John and Kirsten Watt of Denison, 4 years.