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Hello
again! It’s that wonderful time of year when the bird  feeders
are full of birds and flowers are poking their heads up for that
breath of fresh spring air. Some of our birds are preparing to
journey north for the summer and others are returning to spend
their summer with us. Beautiful gold, purple, gray, red, blue
and rust hues vibrate against the still bleak background of
trees that have not yet begun to regain their spring colors. The
jonquils are starting to peek through the leaf cover in
preparation for their grand entrance. They are almost like
actors that peek around the stage curtain before the show starts
to be sure the house is full and they will soon have an
audience. We’re looking forward to the return of the beautiful
wood roses that delight us with their quiet beauty each year.
Before too long the ferns will start unfurling their long green
stalks and the trees will take on that fuzzy look that makes you
wonder if you need to have your glasses changed. Grass will turn
from brown to green, the forsythia will send out its yellow
clothed branches and the robins will return to scavenger the
yard for worms and bugs.
 Those
are a few of the indicators that spring is at least well on it’s
way if it hasn’t already arrived. Another indication that
spring is here is the re-opening of the restaurant and fishing
at “The Crosseyed Cricket”. That event takes place on
March 1st each year and the time is rapidly approaching. Even
now we are preparing for your return and anticipating it as
joyfully as we welcome the coming of nature’s harbingers of
the season. The grounds are being raked, mulched, and planted in
expectation of your return. We will soon be stocking the Trout
lake for your fishing pleasure and the restaurant is being
improved and polished for your arrival. Each year we plant over
1,000 pansies to welcome you on your you on your return ( at our
age that’s no easy task for the old back)! Combined with the
return of the trailing vinca, wood roses, white nancy and
forsythia we hope that their display in your honor makes you
feel as special as you are. We eagerly look forward to your
return on March 1.
As always, winter has
been a busy time for us. As soon as we closed down for the
season, it was time to decorate and open the Christmas Tree
Plantation. Christmas is a very special time for us and we
always enjoy celebrating the season with you, our friends.
Christmas decorations, music, hayrides, hot chocolate, cookies
and a fire to warm your hands around —– what better way to
make memories for you , your family and for us. In March of this
year, we will extend our Christmas Tree plantation with the
addition of some Fraser Firs. These will be pampered, mowed, and
trimmed for the next 6 years just for your enjoyment. They make
a lovely Christmas tree and will be a grand addition to our tree
selection.
 When
the holidays were over it was time to get down to the serious
business of repairs. Bill, Anthony, Tyler and Jim got to work.
The kitchen floor had to be sanded down and a new coat of floor
covering applied. The next job to be tackled was to take up a
part of the old porch at the cabin and replace the front post,
rails and floor . The replacements look a little new right  now,
but they will soon weather and the results of our handiwork will
blend with the old. There have been a few changes in the kitchen
and servers area. These are all designed to be able to better
serve you and enhance your memory making time with us.
We have
some great news we want you to help us broadcast! Most of you
know Michelle Minton. She came to work with us in 1991 as a
kitchen worker. She soon mastered every station in the kitchen
from plate maker to fry cook to grill cook. The opportunity to
become a server arose quickly and as you know if you’ve ever
had her as your server, she became one of the very best!
Over the
past 13 years she has done just about everything here at “The
Cricket” — and I do mean everything! She drives the tractor
for the Pumpkin Patch hayrides, works at the fishing lakes when
the need arises, registers campers, acts as hostess at the mill,
cooks, serves and is a whiz on the computer! Most of the last 13
years she has been with us full-time, but the few years she has
been away she has always returned to help us at some point
during the season. This year she is taking over the restaurant
for us, and we couldn’t be more delighted. She knows “The
Cricket” way of doing everything, so there won’t be many
changes except in the number of hours we have to work.
The two
changes Michelle is making are going to be very popular.
First, the restaurant hours on Friday and Saturday will be
extended. On those days, the restaurant will open at 4:00 P.M.
and close at 10:00 P.M. The hours for Monday thru Thursday will
remain 5:00 P.M. till 9:00 P.M. Second, Michelle will be
accepting credit cards at the restaurant (Have patience though
— it may take a week or two after we open for this to be in
place). See, we knew you’d like the changes! .
Along
with us, Michelle and her staff are looking forward to seeing
you. again — and they are busy getting everything ready for
your arrival.
 Speaking
of staff — Michelle has a great one! Many of her kitchen staff
have been with us for several years — some off and on, some
straight through. Returning with her will be Ryan Childs (Ryan
will be starting his 7th year at “The Cricket”), Toby Minton
(Toby started the same year as Michelle, so this will also be
his 13th year as a valuable part of “The Cricket”), Michael
Minton (Michael has worked with our outside crew as well as with
the kitchen staff for about 5 years total), Tracey Cooper
(Tracey started in the kitchen and moved on to server making
this her 4th year), Christine Burwinkle (she too has been with
us for three years and we are delighted to have her back as a
server for her 4th year) and Maggie Qualkenbush and Andrea
McPeek (last year was their first year with us and we are
delighted to have them return as servers.)
One new
addition to the staff will be Chris Everett (no, not the tennis
player). Chris has trained as a chef at Johnson-Wells Culinary
Inst. in Richmond, Va. Having been a part of the restaurant
business for the past 8 years, he brings not only  experience
but a new perspective to our business. Two other new faces will
be Sara Blair and Jeff Daniel. Both have worked with Michelle in
the restaurant business previously. When you see them around be
sure to say hello and welcome them to the “Cricket” family.
Along with us, Michelle and her staff are looking forward to
your return
Spring
brings the birds, flowers and leaves back, and it also bring the
yellow school buses into our parking lot again. Starting in
April, the mornings will be filled with the sight of the big
yellow buses bringing their loads of excited children to “The
Cricket”. Jo Ann, Nancy and Bob will again be our co-workers
as we fulfill hundreds of kids dreams of catching a fish. To
hear “I can’t do that” turn into “Look! I caught a fish
all by myself!” is one of the pleasures of our work.
 Speaking
of fishing — the hours from March 1st until school is out in
May will be Monday thru Friday from 4:00 P.M. until dark and
Saturday 9:00 A.M. until dark. During the summer months we will
of course be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 A.M. until
dark. If you would like some information we don’t have in our
letter, you’ll find all sorts of good stuff on our website at
www.crosseyedcricket.com or you can call us at 865-986-5435.
Can you
believe this year will be our 34th year in business? It’s hard
to believe, because, in my mind at least, I’m only 29. We have
been and are so blest by the Lord. We have such a beautiful
place to live and work. The Lord has sent us some wonderful
people to work with and we are healthy enough to be able to do
the work.
Spring
brings the birds, flowers and leaves back , and it also brings
the yellow school buses into our parking lot again. Starting in
April, the mornings will be filled with the sight of the big
yellow buses bringing their loads of excited children to “The
Cricket”. Jo Ann, Nancy and Bob will again be our co-workers
as we fulfill hundreds of kids dreams of catching a fish. To
hear “I can’t do that” turn into “Look! I caught a fish
all by myself!” is one of the great benefits of our
occupation. Then there is the added excitement of getting to
feed the fish at the hatchery and grind corn at the mill —
what a day!
Some
wonderful people to work with and we are healthy enough to be
able to do the work. You, our guests have become our friends and
extended family. Many of you have cried with us over our losses
and rejoiced with us over our triumphs. All of these things
working together make ours a truly wonderful world and we praise
the Lord.
Now, we’ve
shared our news with you and written to you about our
winter. We look forward to seeing you and hearing about what is
going on in your life and how you spent your
winter. That means you need to come see us. Remember, you’re
the reason we’ve been here 34 years .Come see us ——–
anytime after March 1st that is. If you come before then
we just might put you to work!
“Being
confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
We hope
you enjoyed reading our “Cricket Note” before, during or
after dinner. If you would like to receive our “Notes”,
please fill out a form asking to be placed on our mailing list
and we’ll be glad to send you our “Notes” in the mail. You
can ask your server for the form; or, there is a display at both
the cabin and the mill.
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