Find the hidden dingbat!

From the letters and emails we’ve received, it looks like our younger readers may have had the sharpest eyes when it came to searching for last month’s dingbat. Our sneaky page designer placed the baseball on the fingernail of Maddie Cutts on Page 22. So it was no surprise that some of correct guesses came from young ladies like Amelia Moon, age 11, of Wetumpka, who wrote us: “On her left hand, middle finger, if you look closely the baseball is right in front of your eyes.” You’re right, Amelia! Chad Stewart of Cullman EC wrote us that his daughter, Liana, who loves to paint her nails, found the hidden baseball. “The rest of the family never found it,” he wrote. Zoanna Elmer tells us that she got her whole family involved in the search, which went on for three days until they found it in the online version of the magazine. “My mom’s eyes hurt from looking so hard for that baseball!” she writes. Brenda Smothers of Marshall-DeKalb EC was especially excited to find the baseball with her grandchildren (Elijah, 7, Emery, 5, and Ellisyn, 2) since two of them play ball. “We were excited to see this month was a baseball, how convenient! We love this fun activity each month!”

Thanks also to Marjorie Wynn of Millry, a member of Clarke-Washington EMC for 50 years, who wrote us some poetry:

The baseball dingbat is right on the end of the bat

How about that!

What a hit it could be,

It might just be a home run for me.

Sorry you didn’t win this time, Mrs. Wynn, but congratulations to our randomly drawn winner Keith Toft of Midland City, who wins a gift card from Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union, a division of Alabama One. We love to hear from our readers, so let us know how your search goes this month. We’ve hidden a vinyl record, in honor of National Vinyl Record Day Aug. 12. Put an LP on the turntable (young folks, ask your parents or grandparents what that is) and start hunting!

By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124

By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.com

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Letters to the editor

Crossword clue check

Montgomery, AL 36124

I always enjoy doing your crossword puzzle each month as well as reading the interesting articles. But one question on the July issue’s puzzle was: “Battleship which sailed into Tokyo for the formal surrender ceremonies at the end of WWll” (13 down).

I immediately tried to fit in “Missouri” but it was one space short. Of course the surrender was signed on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945, but after reading some of the USS Alabama war history, she was apparently in Tokyo Bay at the time of the surrender? Ok, Alabama for 13 down is technically correct I suppose, but it sent me to the encyclopedia. Yes, I still have a set!

John Shaw, Magnolia Springs

Ed. note: Yes, indeed, the USS Alabama led the fleet of ships into Toyko Harbor for the formal surrender ceremonies, a proud moment for all Alabamians.

Liked Hardy Jackson's ice cream column

What a great story for the Fourth, Hardy. God sure blessed you to write. I believe your best penmanship so far! You took me straight back to the hot summer days in Foley, turning that handle. Thank you.

Tom Byrne, Evergreen P.S. Perfect for an electric co-op magazine, too.

I loved this month’s article. When I was a child my daddy would make me sit on the ice cream crank! He’d pack it down and put old newspapers on top; then I’d have to sit on it to keep it from popping up out of the ice and water. (Since you didn’t mention that I figured he was trying to avoid going back to the ice house.)

Keep up the reminiscences. I always enjoy your stories.

Brenda Kerwin, Deatsville

This month’s column brought back a lot of memories from my childhood and early teens. I’m old enough that we had to go to the ice house in Clanton and get a block of ice, then go home, and chip it into chunks for the hand-cranked ice cream machine. Fresh Chilton County peaches in vanilla ice cream. So many memories. Thanks again.

Jimmy Wilson, Falkville

Whereville, AL

Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the September issue.

Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Do you like finding interesting or unusual landmarks? Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Remember, all readers whose photos are chosen also win $25!

July’s answer: This funny looking fellow is an advertising sign for Creekstand Catfish Farm in the Salem community, off U.S. Highway 80 in Lee County. (Photo by Jim Plott) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Jennifer Johnson Dudley of Tallapoosa River EC.