The Pierian Study Club held their annual end of year guest evening at the beautiful home of Donna and Larry Baker in Sloan Community on May 12, 2010 with Barbara and David Gilger, Linda and Bill Sloan, Patty and Jarvis Shaw, Kay and Larry Nettleship, Martine and Joe Miller, and Loy Nell and Tommy Behrens serving as co-hostesses. Vickie Stephenson also served as a co-hostess but was unable to attend. Other members and guests present were: Gray Leigh and Charlie Peeler, guests of Martine and Joe Miller, Connie and Buddy Adams, Ann and Al Allison, Bebe Bagley, Paula Barrier and her grandson, Gail and Lester Bruner, Sharon and Johnny Clawson, Kathleen and Ray Hawkins and their guests, Kathleen’s sister Judy Dunnegan and her husband Cliff Dunnegan, Jeri and Jimmy Jones, Zolly and Lewis Jones, Sandy and Lovell Kuykendal l and their guest Bernice Sloan, Ann and Don McElroy, Joycelyn and John R. McRorey, Anita Miles and Will Adams and their guests Carol Martin and Wynne Lou and Wayne Ferguson, Elsie Millican and her guest her daughter, Kay Thompson, Susie Nettleship, Clione Rochat, Sandy and Larry Smith and their guests Larry’s brother, Terry Smith, and son, Donny Smith, and their niece and her husband, Brook and Adam Bagley, Geanne and Jack Taylor, Trish Warren, Betty Jo Miller and her guests her granddaughters, Katherine and Caroline Whitten, Martha Leigh and Bob Whitten, and Louis Williams and her guest her son, David Williams.

When the guests arrived they were greeted by the hostesses and served grape cooler, iced tea, water, and a beautiful array of hors d’oeuvres, including brushetta, firecracker crackers, veggie pizza, bacon waterchestnuts, tamale balls, and barbeque meatballs.

To begin the activity, Donna Baker gave a talk on the restoration of the old Tom Sloan house, which has quite a history, the scene of the gala. Donna and Larry Baker moved to San Saba several years ago and have become a vital part of our community. They bought this property and began their quest of restoring the beautiful historic ranch home that sits in front of a spring that was known in earlier days as ‘The Ditch.’ This beautiful spring is abundant with water plants and crystal clear water. A small bridge spans the spring, as pictured with this article. The Bakers did their best to keep in place much of the original home by using the hard wood flooring, many of the windows, and heaters. They kept a fireplace in it’s original place but restoring it magnificently. When the Bakers began to remodel the Jim Sloan house, Tom Sloan’s father lived there, for a guest house, they discovered old bottles in the walls with messages from years ago. A historic treasure! Donna is now in the process of compiling a history of the house for a book and I am sure would appreciate any input you might have. Larry Baker has been in the construction business and it certainly shows in this beautiful rendition of the estate. You enter the home through the original architect of the three rock arches and you are immediately greeted by full window views of the spring and pasture and the beauty of the land with the high ceilings giving an even more impressive feeling of serenity.

The seating for the fried fish dinner was on the upper deck porch which spans the entire length of the home and looks out on the immaculate lawn and gardens and the spring. Each table was decorated with a kaleidoscope deep red Penta Plant wrapped in red bandannas, which made a welcoming colorful sight.

Guest, Wayne Ferguson, gave the invocation after which the hostesses served the guests with the salads, hushpuppies, beans, and all the relishes to complete a real fish fry. The dinner was catered by Betty Ann Johnson and her son, Tommy Johnson, from Sloan Community and it was delicious and so appropriate for a spring night for friends to meet and have such a delightful fellowship.