Hi everyone,

I had an email the other day from someone telling me about a collector of Waltons memorabilia, John Olvey, who is supposed to have the largest Waltons memorabilia collection in the USA. Apparently he displays his collection at the museum quite often. Has anyone seen it? I would be very interested to know just what he has.

Hope everyone has a great week and enjoy reading this week's mail. Karen.

From Lee:

A Winter Mountain

by Ben Walton

Our mountain in winter is something to see,

At times it is just like a person to me.

A giant in white, all covered with snow,

It changes each day as the heavy winds blow

And when I am alone and I go for a walk,

It is almost as if that old mountain can talk.

And seems to say welcome my wintry friend.

I was here at the beginning.

I'll be here at the end.

Ben was the first one published. This is from The Chicken Thief.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for Ben's poem. I would say that his sentiments haven't changed as he seems as though he will stay on the mountain permanently doesn't he?

From Lisa:

Please tell me if you know if any Hamner members ever appeared on the Waltons. Except for the Special "Decade of the Waltons."

KAREN'S COMMENT: Well I don't think so but I'm not sure...does anyone know for certain?

From Shirley:

I know that Earl Hamner did appear in one, and I am not sure, but I think one of his sister's did.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks Shirley. Does anyone have any further information on this. Marie had told me that she had thought that Earl appeared in The Journey in the flashback sequences but I have no idea whether his sisters have been in the show as well.

From Brenda:

I was in a used bookstore in Parkersburg, West Virginia this past Saturday and I found a hard-cover copy of THE HOMECOMING. It had a dust jacket and was in very good condition, and it only cost $4.95. I was so excited!

To Lee: I think I have an answer to one of your trivia questions. Ben sold 'Grit' magazine. Am I right?

To Laura: The mother's name in both THE HOMECOMING and SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN was Olivia. That's probably where they got it for the TV series. It's interesting that they didn't keep any of the other original names. I always thought Pattie Cake was interesting, as well as the names for the boys: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for all this Brenda. I don't think that Grit was the magazine that Lee had in mind but, being the business man he was, he may have sold that one at some stage too. :-) Lucky you to have found a copy of The Homecoming. What year was it published and what is on the cover? The names in Spencer's Mountain certainly were interesting. Can you imagine going through life being known as Pattie Cake?