Locals Visit New England with Round Top Travel Company

ARMINE News

A group of 46 persons travelling with Round Top Travel enjoyed a vacation to the New England states featuring rails and sails. They flew from Houston to Boston, Massachusetts on Oct. 5, where the next day they took a bus and walking tour of Boston which included the Freedom Trail, a statue of Paul Revere, the USS Constitution, and a Boston Tea Party ship. Warehouses along the harbor have been converted to condos. Then in Kennebunkport, Maine, there were large homes including the George Bush home.A full moon was present while photographs were taken of the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine. We dined on lobster, clam chowder, boiled red potatoes, boiled onion, cornon- the-cob, clams, and blueberry cake at Foster’s in York.

On the third day, the group rode the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad along the eastern promenade of Casco Bay in Portland. A cruise on the Casco Bay ferry service included the boat delivering mail and packages to several of the Calendar Islands including Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long Island, Chandler’s Cove at Great Chebeaque, and Cliff. Some residents of the islands were returning home, along with their dogs. The boat also picked up recycling products. There were many beautiful homes on these islands. The next day, they rode the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire. The fall foliage was beautiful, with red, yellow, orange, and green trees along the way. We were told that the foliage was at its peak. There were so many cars on the road, viewing the gorgeous fall colors, that it took us about 3.5 hours to travel 30 miles. The road was called the Kancamagus Scenic Byway, and it was a Sunday. On day five, we rode the Cog Railway to the top of Mount Washington. It started snowing on the ride up. When the train reached the top, we experienced a blizzard with 47 mph winds, temperature of 24 degrees, and a wind chill of -6. After the ride, our tour manager’s son brought us some delicious freshly-picked apples. We entered Vermont and stopped at Quechee Gorge. We also saw some covered bridges and the home of Calvin Coolidge.

On October 10, our tour took us through Massachusetts and on to Connecticut. The group enjoyed a meal riding in a dining car of the Essex Train, which is operated by The Valley Railroad Company. Then, from the Deep River Landing, we took a ride upstream and back on the Connecticut River riding the Riverboat Becky Thatcher. The next stop was the Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Connecticut, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The next day, some of the group took a tour of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Many of his paintings are on display, as well as all of his paintings for the Saturday Evening Post. His studio was moved to a beautiful countryside location, surrounded by lovely trees.

On day eight, we travelled through Rhode Island on the way to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where we saw Plymouth Rock, also spelled Plimouth, and a replica of The Mayflower. The Captain John Boats whale watching tour took us from Cape Cod Bay into the Atlantic Ocean. There were many Humpback Whales that came very close to the boat. There was also a group of dolphins (called a pod) that swam by. They were a little farther from the boat. Some on the boat saw a young whale nursing on its mother. Great experience.

The next day the group travelled home with wonderful memories of good times, new friends, and seeing six states with beautiful fall colors. Included in the tour were LaVerne Albers, Patricia Royal, Sheila Bain, Jeanette Hancock, Lori Granum, and Pam Schoenst from Round Top; Chick and Barbara Hohensee, Wayne and Grace Fruge, and Ernest and Jane Fruge-Fayetteville; Walter and Diane Winkelmann-New Braunfels; Ronnie and Judy Haevischer, Larry and Beverly Koehler, Steve and Nancy Rogers, Birdie Sommerfeld, and Darrell Winkelmann-Brenham; Andra Latham, Eleanor Floeck, Teresa Kinsfather, and Christine Gersch-Giddings; Charlene Hedkte-Lincoln; Lori Krchnak and Cynthia Kuehn-Industry; Stephen and Sheron Citzler and Atlan and Jeanette Citzler-La Grange; Kay Von Minden-Buffalo; Barbara Hargis and Debbie Horvath-Bastrop; Kelly Coffee and Sheila Delhomme-Smithville; Reanette Smith and Suzanne Weihausen-Groesbeck; Weldon and Cedalia Kurtz and Robert and Dorothy Marwitz-Holland; and Wade and Nancy Eilers-Carmine.

RT-C School News RT-C High School varsity volleyball team will go to the playoffs. Congratulations to both RT-C Jr. High volleyball teams who are district champions.

The next FFA meeting of the RT-C chapter is Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. The meetings are open to junior FFA and FFA members, as well as their parents.

Condolences Sympathy is extended to the family of J. C. Pohl who passed away on Oct. 16. He was very active in the community, some of which include the volunteer fire department, church, school, and city. His funeral was Oct. 19 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church with burial at the Carmine Cemetery.

Carmine VFD Carmine Volunteer Fire Department regular meeting night was Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. The burn ban is in effect for Fayette County. For emergency vehicles to reach calls promptly, please make sure your house numbers are visible from the road, even at night.

Turkey and Dressing Meal Martin Luther Lutheran Church Women of the ELCA will sponsor their turkey and dressing meal on Nov. 13 as a drive-through only from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with pick up at the Mission and Ministry Building located across the street from the church. Advance only tickets of $15 are available from the church office, Carmine State Bank, or Leonita Sanders. Church office number is (979) 278-3388.

Mayer Cemetery Association The Mayer Cemetery Association will have their annual meeting on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. at the home of Lenora Voelkel near Shelby.

Officers will be elected and reports given on cemetery needs like funds for mowing and upkeep. All are welcome to attend. Call Tom Menn at (281) 4853719 before Nov. 13 for directions.

Donations may be sent to Monty Mayer, treasurer, P.O. Box 232, Carmine, TX 78932.

Rebekah Group Meets The Rebekah Group of Martin Luther Lutheran Church met Oct. 13. Joys Baird led the Group Bible Study with the theme Jesus and Nature: Teachers of Faith-Session Two, Soil. The soils are described in one of Jesus’s parables. Four soils are namedthe soil of the path, the rocky ground, the thorny soil, and the good soil Susan Ray called the meeting to order. The Purpose and Mission Statements were recited by the 9 members attending: Dianna Gerland, Diana Wunderlich, Joann Ullrich, Susan Ray, Sedalia Ullrich, Carol Carmean, Jocie Braun, Leonita Sanders, and Joys Baird. The minutes and treasurer’s reports of the Sept. 8 meeting were approved as read. For the Thankoffering service, the Praise Team will lead the music. Carolyn Bennetson will present the program on quilts. Diana W. will select the bulletin covers and prepare offering envelopes. Leonita will prepare sign-up sheets for ladies to help with the service; bake cookies for the Thankoffering meal; and helpers serving the meal, including filling plates, and working the drive-through line at the Mission and Ministry Building. Meal tickets will be $15. Lutheran World Relief kits and quilts will be dedicated on Oct. 23. Jason Schroeder and Tim Sanders will deliver the LWR donations to Zionsville on Nov. 5. Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. is the date to finalize packing LWR items for shipment. Mission Community discussed members in nursing homes and taking gifts to nursing home residents at Christmas. LaVerne Kunkel is at Bec’s Blessing in Giddings and Gladys Roemer is at Argent Court in Brenham. For Mission Growth, Nancy Eilers and Joys Baird continue to gather and update information for the 2023 WELCA Yearbooks. They will be finalized, printed, and distributed in December, 2022. Collection for LWR Personal Care Kits is during October.

Dianna Gerland read correspondence from Fayette County Sheriff’s Department for a donation to the Deputy Santa Christmas project. Contributions will be discussed at the November meeting. The group approved sending $50 to Katie’s Fund. For the Offering meditation, Dianna Gerland led the group with reciting the song: Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil. Hostesses were Jocie Braun and Carol Carmean. Birthday celebrant was Nancy Eilers.

The meeting closed with the Lord’s Prayer and the group sang the Table Prayer.

Dumpster for Residents The City of Carmine will have a dumpster for Carmine residents Nov. 12-13 from 8-4 p.m. at Carmine City Hall, 260 Luther Lane. Truck loads will be charged $15 and trailer loads will be $25. Accepted are larger household items. Prohibited items include tires, household hazardous waste such as paint, oil, chemicals, and pesticides, refrigerators, and E-waste such as computers, monitors, and household electronic items with internal components like mercury and other heavy metals.

You must bring proof of residency. For more information call City Hall at (979) 278-3273.

Senior Bingo The next Bingo for Seniors will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Ledbetter Community Center from 2-4 p.m. Come enjoy the fun.

MLLC News Worship Committee meets Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Saturday worship with Holy Communion is at 6 p.m. Sunday School meets Sunday at 8:30 or 9 a.m. to begin Sunday School Christmas Program practice.

Worship with Holy Communion observing All Saints Sunday is at 10 a.m. The service will be on the mllccarmine.com website. The Rev. David Tinker is the pastor.

Recycling Trailer The recycling trailer is at the Carmine Hall on Thursdays from noon until 4 p.m. Attendants are available to help unload dry newspapers, telephone books, magazines, cardboard, paper, junk mail, clean no. 1 and no. 2 food grade plastics (milk cartons should be separated from other plastic), all colors glass, steel food cans, and aluminum cans. The trailer is in Ledbetter from 8:30-11 a.m., also on Thursdays, behind the Ledbetter Fireman’s Hall.

Visitors’ Center Carmine Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center at the restored Train Depot is open on the second and fourth Fridays and Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Birthdays Birthday wishes are extended to Kamryn Hinze-Nov. 1; Candice Gorden and Faith Meinholdt-5; and Levi Carmean, Darrell Kelley, Tina Mikeska, Jessica Clark, Buck Williams, and Randall Zwernemann- 7.

Have News?

If you have news for the Carmine column, you may email me at w5ten@industryinet.com or call (979) 278-3645, or send it to P.O. Box 95, Carmine, TX 78932.