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Thebee’s knees

A SMALL HOBBY TURNS INTO A BUZZING BUSINESS FOR K&B HONEYBEES

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN An inspirational story

of one girl’s journey

CARVING ARTIST

Rokky England creates

art out of the ordinary

55 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS

When it’s too hot to play outside

JULY 2014

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8 contents

33 26

July ......... CONNECTION

JULY 2014

The beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knees

Proud to be an American

Balanced independence

Looking for a way to improve your health?

Shenandoah reflects national and local history

55 things to do with your kids

Good old time religion at Log Church

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PUBLISHER Jacob Brower EDITOR Sherry Tucker thorntonlives@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Veronica Zucca connection@monett-times.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Lisa Craft community@monett-times.com ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Sheila Harris Marion Chrysler Caleb Chrysler CONTRIBUTORS Murray Bishoff Meagan Ruffing Nancy Ridgley Darlene Wierman Sheila Harris Susan Funkhouser Pam Wormington Amanda Reese Anne Angle Steve Chapman Layne Sleeth Dori Thomas Kerry Hays PHOTOGRAPHERS Chuck Nickle Jeff Terry DISTRIBUTION Greg Gilliam Kevin Funcannon

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TO ADVERTISE 417-847-2610 - Cassville 417-235-3135 - Monett Send e-mail inquiries to thorntonlives@gmail.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 486, Cassville, MO 65625 Connection is published monthly and distributed free in Cassville, Monett, Exeter, Washburn, Pierce City, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Verona, Roaring River, Eagle Rock, Shell Knob, Purdy, Wheaton, Freistatt, Marionville, Seligman, Golden and other surrounding areas. Connection is a publication of the Cassville Democrat, The Monett Times and Rust Communications.

JULY 2014

editor’s note Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits. -- Thomas Jefferson

am happy to be an American living with the freedoms that our brave and wise forefathers fought for. That freedom is still something worth fighting for, and certainly something to celebrate. I hope that we, and the future generations of our country, will rise up above any infectious apathy and retain the security that freedom offers, and that we have been fortunate to inherit. Most of us have been blessed by being born in this great country. I know I take that for granted, and honestly, I can’t imagine what kind of perspective I would have if I weren’t living in the USA. But, even though I do take my freedoms for granted, I do know that I live in the most amazing country in the world. A country full of men and women who are strong, smart and willing to step-up when needed. A country that continues to be a hopeful destination to the tired, poor and huddled masses, the wretched refuse, homeless and tempest-tost – as it states on the Ellis Island monument. In the July Connection, contributor, Susan Funkhouser, shares an emotional story, a family’s journey to become American. Another regular contributor, Sheila Harris, examines and celebrates the intricacies of personal independence. I hope that both of these stories inspire reflection on what the gift of independence means to us. I hope you all get a chance to enjoy our beautiful Ozark summer and take time to bask in the sun, eat a vine ripened tomato and hunt crawdads in a cold, running creek. Shoot off fireworks and watch the kids write their names in the sky with sparklers. Heat up the grill and char those hamburgers and hotdogs. Make s’mores and sit in lawn chairs in the yard till the dew makes you wet and the mosquitoes drive you indoors. Happy July and happy summer to all our readers. Take care now,

Sherry Tucker JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 7

The bee’s knees STORY AND PHOTOS BY LAYNE SLEETH

THE MAIN HONEY CROP IN THIS AREA IS WHITE CLOVER.

8 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

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Imagine, thousands of workers that want to help you out on the farm -- for free! That’s exactly the service that honey bees offer, as they pollinate about one-third of the food that we eat. We have long enjoyed the beneficial company of bees, though these little workers are often taken for granted.

JULY 2014

For Kevin Young and Bonita Smith, beekeeping started out as a small hobby, but as their two hives grew and doubled to four, honey bees gradually became a passion and a way of life. “It started out as a joke” said Kevin. “When I got two hives and split them into four, Bonita said that was enough. I said ‘well since you said that now I’m going to eight.’” The next year it was 16, and that’s when Bonita decided not to say a word. Now, 10 years later, Kevin has an estimated 60 hives around the area. When the honey flow starts in the summer, Bonita helps harvest the honey. The process involves scraping the comb with a hot knife and putting it into an extracting machine that spins and knocks the honey out without damaging the comb. Then the honey is filtered twice and bottled. Last year, they had about 800 quarts of honey, and in May this year it was just about gone. They sell honey from home and at the Garden Sass Farmers Market. Bonita also incorporates their honey into other handmade products such as soap and lip balm. Both Kevin and Bonita are a wealth of information on all things honey bee. Kevin raises queen bees, which is in itself an intricate science. It takes exactly 16 days for a queen to hatch. Once the queens are ready to go into a hive, he will put them with a miniature hive called a “nuc” or a nucleus, and sell them to a hopeful beekeeper. Queen rearing is his favorite part of the bee keeping process. In May, Kevin taught a ‘queen grafting’ class (beekeeper terminology for moving larvae into queen cells and raising queens), which brought out about 40 people. Most were from the Southern Missouri Beekeepers of Monett club, but sometimes members of the Joplin Area Beekeeper’s Association and the Southwest Missouri Beekeeper’s Association of Neosho have joined together for these events. Anyone, experienced or not, is welcome to attend, and the classes are free. For the past few years, one of the area beekeeping clubs has asked Kevin to teach queen grafting as well as occasionally speak on other topics during monthly meet-ups.

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A B Th H

In addition to tending to all of his hives and being active in the apiculture community, Kevin also builds and sells hives and other bee equipment out of his home workshop. His workshop is stacked full of handmade cypress boxes and other beekeeping paraphernalia that will likely awaken your inner beekeeper. Unfortunately, within the past decade, bee populations have seen a significant decline due to pesticide use, habitat loss, and harmful pathogens or parasites. “People need bees to help the bee population come back,” says Bonita. The technical term for this phenomena is colony collapse disorder, and recently a study by Harvard University has confirmed the link between CCD and a certain class of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Many crops in the U.S. are treated with this pesticide. Luckily, according to Kevin, CCD hasn’t been a huge problem in this area, however, bees are very susceptible to disease. Without bee pollination, we wouldn’t enjoy the same foods or way of life. These fascinating creatures are normally pretty docile, focused on their 10 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

IN A HIVE OF ABOUT 80,000 BEES, THERE IS ONLY ONE QUEEN. SHE HAS A LENGTHENED ABDOMEN, AND HER SOLE JOB IS TO LAY 1,200 TO 1,500 EGGS A DAY.

JULY 2014

the buzz about Bees: Bees have a fuzzy body with an electrostatic charge that easily picks up pollen from flower to flower. During the winter months, the hive will huddle around the queen and regulate the core temperature to stay at exactly 92 degrees by rotating from the outside of the huddle to the inside. Worker bees are all female and do all of the work for the hive, hence their title. After drones (male bees) mate with the queen, they die blissfully shortly thereafter. When winter approaches, the worker bees will kick the drones out because they no longer serve a purpose for the hive. Bees are very hygienic, as they dispose of dead bodies and clean up other debris in the hive. If you get stung by a bee, don’t pull the stinger out because the poison will go into you. Instead, grab something close by and use it to flick the stinger off of your skin sideways.

tasks in the larger context of their efficient hive society. As Kevin opens one hive cover, he smokes the hive, and the bees all become preoccupied. The rhythmic buzzing of the hive is mesmerizing. “The smoke kind of makes them think their house is on fire, so they go gorge on honey,” explains Bonita. “Some people spray them with sugar water, and then they’re busy grooming themselves.” Though it does require a little time, careful effort, and an initial investment, the rewards of beekeeping are sweet in more ways than one. Kevin’s advice for anybody wanting to tryout keeping some bees of their own: “Get into a bee club or find a beekeeper to mentor you with problems and questions.” If you’d like to buy some delicious honey and honeycomb from Kevin and Bonita, they are located on the way to Haven of the Ozarks on Farm Road 1090 just southwest of Cassville off of Highway 37. Or you can swing by the Garden Sass Farmers Market in Cassville. “Like” K & B Honeybees on Facebook to see what’s going on with Kevin and Bonita, as well as catch up on some invaluable honey bee wisdom! n JULY 2014

Honey Lavender Ice Cream TRY THIS ICE CREAM RECIPE FOR A DOSE OF SUMMERTIME GOODNESS! (Adapted from the National Honey Board) 4 1/2 cups milk 3/4 cup local K & B honey 2 tablespoons dried edible lavender flowers 3/4 cup sugar 12 egg yolks 41/2 cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon vanilla 1. In a saucepan, heat milk, honey, sugar, and lavender over medium heat. Stir while warming to prevent curdling and take off of heat when tiny bubbles appear around the edges (don’t boil). Let steep for 20 minutes. Pour through fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the lavender. 2. In bowl, whisk egg yolks for 2 minutes, or until lightened in color. Whisk in cream. 3. Add a little cream mixture to yolks while whisking to warm them. Stir mixture back into saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously for 15 minutes, or until mixture is thickened to coat the back of spoon. 4. Pour into bowl and stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the mixture’s surface. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 5. Freeze according to ice cream machine manufacturer’s instructions. Put in airtight container and freeze for several hours for best results. Yields 2 quarts. CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 11

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PROUD to be an AMERICAN BY SUSAN FUNKHOUSER

I do hereby declare, upon oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic . . . and that I take this obligation freely without mental reservation or purpose of evasion. So help me God! Forty-three people from 25 nations raised their right hand and repeated this Oath of Allegiance to become United States Citizens on Friday, June 6, 2014, at the United States District Courthouse in Springfield. It was a powerful scene. Tears coursed down my cheeks and a sense of awe flowed through my entire being as I watched those men and women forsake allegiance to their countries of origin to claim what I was given at birth. I filled out no application, paid no fee, made no

promises; I simply drew a breath in the right place, and citizenship was mine. These people paid dearly for the right to call themselves Americans. Why did they do it? Several of them came from impoverished nations such as Romania, Honduras and India. Others hailed from countries like China that offer limited freedoms. Two were born in Ukraine. I can only guess at their motives. Although I don’t know the stories behind 42 of those raised hands, I do know one.

Rocio Rodriguez began her journey to United States citizenship in the Rio Grande, on the shoulders of a Coyote, a guide paid to escort her and her mother across the border to the United States. Yes, they entered the country illegally, but please hear their story before you judge. As you read, please put yourself in the place of Enedilia Rodriguez, Rocio’s mother. Ask yourself, “How far would I go to give my child a better life?” Walk a mile in her shoes and shiver. Enedilia says the water was very, very cold.

COMING TO AMERICA Rocio was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, where the average household earns less than $13,000 per year (www. oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/mexico). Shortly after welcoming his new daughter into the world, Rocio’s father, Antonio, traveled to the United States to find work. He secured a work permit and spent the next eight months earning a salary he couldn’t dream of achieving in Mexico. He returned to Mexico to persuade his wife to come to the United States with Rocio, but Enedilia resisted at first, not wanting to risk her life and the life of her daughter. However, she didn’t want to spend another eight months 14 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

separated from her husband, and she wanted three-year-old Rocio to experience the opportunities awaiting in the United States. “I decided to risk everything and come across.” Tears form their own rivers down Enedilia’s face as she reflects, “We waited in a run-down motel in Juarez until the Coyote decided it was safe for us to try to cross. When the time was right, we crossed the Rio Grande at night. The Coyote carried Rocio on his shoulders, and I had to grab onto him so we wouldn’t slip and be carried away by the water. It was freezing cold.” Immigration officials were waiting when the group reached the JULY 2014

other side of the river. “When they saw Rocio lying on the ground they looked at me and pointed back across the river. We had to go back the way we came. Rocio was shaking and crying because of the cold. When we got back to the other side they lit a fire, and one of the Coyotes took off his jacket and put it on her.” After two days the group tried again. “I was so afraid of losing Rocio.” After making it across the river, they had to slide down one side of a large canal and climb up the other side. Upon reaching the top, the Coyote holding Rocio took off in a dead run. Enedilia ran as hard as she could to keep up with the man carrying her beloved daughter. “We ran to an abandoned house with a corral, where we hid until someone came to take us to a motel.” The group remained at the motel for a couple of days until their next escort arrived to transport them to El Paso, Texas. Enedilia explains, “They are like a network of carriers. Each one is responsible for a section of the trip, and they always travel at night, when it’s safer.” It was a long and dangerous process, filled with delays. “I was so worried. We were supposed to be there already. Antonio was in Juarez, waiting for word that we had arrived safely.” Although Enedilia called Antonio to tell him about the delay, there was nothing he could do. Once a Coyote and his system of escorts are hired, they are in complete control of the journey. Antonio had no idea where his family was or how they would get to their final destination.

One escort led the group on a two-hour hike around a large, hilly area in order to avoid a dangerous checkpoint. They waited in a trailer until dark. When night fell the group boarded a van driven by their final escort. He hid several of the group members under the van seats and then explained the contingency plan to Enedilia in case they were detained. “He told me if we got stopped that I was to say I was his wife and another lady was our aunt.” The group avoided detainment and passed through the final checkpoint with no problems. From there, they traveled to Ft. Worth, Texas, with one of Antonio’s sisters. Antonio, who passed over the border without issue because of his visa, joined his family there and paid the Coyote who arranged the trip for Enedilia and Rocio. Their harrowing journey cost $2,500, a small fortune for the family.

THE PERILS OF PAPERWORK The Rodriguez family remained with Antonio’s sister for a week. She tried to convince him to stay in Texas and make a new life, but he wanted to continue their journey. They took a bus to Joplin, Missouri, where they waited overnight for a ride to Purdy, where Antonio had already found work. Rocio recalls, “We lived with my dad’s brother when we first got here.” The family eventually moved into a home of their own. Upon arriving in the area, a friend and co-worker of Antonio’s advised him to apply for permanent residency cards for his wife and daughter, but in addition to a difficult language barrier and JULY 2014

limited financial resources, Antonio didn’t know how to drive, and the immigration lawyer who handled the process was located in Rogers, Arkansas. Antonio’s friend volunteered to drive the family and get them started. Enedilia notes, “Without him, we would still be waiting.” Rocio adds, “It’s like the world was closed for my dad. He didn’t have a way to go on. He wanted to, but he couldn’t.” Antonio applied for resident cards for his wife and daughter. After paying the application fee of $600, the family was informed that the approval process would take approximately six to eight years. Several years into the waiting process, a woman told Enedilia about a new CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 15

immigration policy that had been implemented, allowing applicants for residency cards who had waited at least three years to apply for work permits. “I had to apply for that too. It took eight months to receive my work permit.” Enedilia and Rocio had to undergo fingerprinting and physical examinations via an official immigration doctor in Fayetteville, Arkansas, but finally the Rodriguez ladies had official paperwork allowing them to work and live in the United States. Three years later they received their resident cards. The total cost to the family reached approximately $1,200. Enedilia describes daily life during their wait for paperwork. “Waiting was a life of fear. Rocio and I often hid in the floor of the car when we saw a police car.” Life for Rocio during this time was painful, as well. “School days back then were some of the worst of my life. Some of the kids were so mean. It hurt so much when they said, ‘Go back where you came from.’”

Enedilia recalls, “Rocio would come home and ask, ‘Is it true that we don’t have papers?’ You feel so bad when people tell you things like that. I didn’t want her to be an outcast. I remember thinking, ‘Someday she will grow up and have papers, and then she will become a citizen.’” Rocio declares, “And I made it!” In the spring of 2014 Rocio applied for United States Citizenship and paid a processing fee of $680. She had to travel to Ft. Smith, Arkansas, for fingerprinting and then to Kansas City to take a United States government test, which she passed with flying colors. Finally, she repeated the Oath of Allegiance at the Naturalization Ceremony to make it official. Rocio’s dad, Antonio, beamed as his daughter repeated her oath. He plans to be the next Rodriguez family member to seek official citizenship. When asked what her United States Citizenship means to her, Rocio replies with tears in her eyes, “Everything.”

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN United States Citizenship is far from Rocio’s only accomplishment. During her years at Purdy High School she helped found and operate the Purdy Recycling Project, the only student-operated community recycling center in the country. She also accrued countless volunteer hours in the Purdy Summer Gardening Project, which grows organic fruits and vegetables, which are distributed to area families. Her work earned her one of eight coveted Community Service Scholarships given each year by the Missouri Community Service Commission. A 2014 Purdy High School graduate, Rocio plans to further her education this fall at Crowder College, thus fulfilling her mother’s goal in making the perilous trip to the United States. “I want Rocio to be something. I want her to keep studying and going to school. That’s why I do what I do – for my kids. I want them to be something in life. I hope they won’t take for granted what they have.” Rocio fully understands the sacrifices made by her parents and the gifts she has been given because of them. “If we were still in Mexico, I would probably already be married. In Zacatecas you only attend school through sixth grade. If you want to go on with your education you have to do it far away, in the city, and that is very expensive. I am so glad I am here.” In her final reflections on her journey to the United States Enedilia notes, “It’s hard to explain. There is a lot 16 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JULY 2014

of suffering. You have to do a lot to be here.” I don’t have to ask the question, but I do. “Was it worth it?” I see the answer before I hear it. The beautiful soul who sacrificed much gazes upon her beloved daughter who is so proud to be an American and whispers, “Yes.” n

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Sheila is an avid reader, compulsive gardener and a regular contributor to Connection Magazine. She lives in Purdy with her fat cat, Mr. Perkins.

I’M FINDING THAT DEPENDENCE AND independence both have a place in our lives, and both are necessary for growth. This lesson was reinforced after my impulsive purchase of two new Clematis a few months ago, hardy plants with vines fragile in appearance, yet strong enough to support a profusion of enormous flowers throughout the spring. Because the price was right and they promised to bloom in colors I had never seen before, I bore them home triumphantly. Spring was still a ways off, so I placed them in my sunny upstairs window, watered them regularly and expected them to flourish until it was time to plant them. They did flourish, for a while. But, after overgrowing the small trellises provided with their pots, they seemed to become dormant. Research revealed that, yes, Clematis do indeed quit growing if not provided with a support structure to climb up. I was dismayed! After some thought, I realized the growth patterns of vining plants represent the balance between dependence and independence that our own lives should reflect. In independence, a vine courageously reaches upward beyond its trellis in search of new horizons, partaking in solitude of the air on a higher plane. After each new ascension in growth, however, the vine again, this time in dependence, wraps its fragile tendrils around its support structure, trusting that it will be there, and makes contact on a higher level. It rests only for a moment, though, while renewing its strength for yet another upward foray. The circle of light, which we bring into this world is meant to increase with our years, flowing outward to those around us. It seems to me that questioning is the key to this growth. It’s only by questioning that we learn more about ourselves and others, and the world we share. There was a time in my life when I never questioned, fearing questioning could lead me out on a limb, where God himself would refuse to support me. So, like the Clematis vine with no trellis available, dormancy of spirit prevailed. JULY 2014

connection living

Balanced Independence Although dependence, with fear as its However, independence became basis, can be cloistering, independence, real for me many years ago on the Fourth though beautiful in concept, is not always of July, the day I realized that God loves all it’s cracked up to be. Hard work is even me, and that His support is available required and deprivation is necessary. on a much wider scale than I had always When first given liberty, much as the believed. To some, this may seem simplistic. exuberant dog, we tend to run as far as To me, it was revolutionary, an epiphany we can from the chain fundamental to my which held us, sometimes liberty. I became fearless unappreciative of the … free to question and value of those things free to grow. we leave behind. We Independence, I have forget that, just as with found, is intoxicating. the Clematis vine, the Like a dog loosed from support structures of a long-binding chain, I Ecclesiastes 3:1 our past have enabled us bolted ecstatically into to climb to new heights, uncharted territory with even though they seemed a bit rigid or my new-found liberty, trusting that if God rickety. As an unbound dog will eventually were for me, none could be against me. need to rest and search for a hand to Fear, the nemesis of faith, I no longer knew. feed it, we, too, sometimes discover that Just as the Clematis vine reaches up self-sustenance wears thin, and a warm in faith, we, too, in order to grow, must doghouse is preferable to a cold pedestal. have the freedom from fear which allows God doesn’t dwell in temples made of us to reach out and question. Without it, brick and mortar. Rather, he’s here, in the we may never discover that God is not hearts of those around us. Look for him a respecter of persons, and that there there. In independence, do let go and reach is, in fact, something to be learned from everyone around us, even those we may not out, but in dependence, be willing to rest your head when you need to. Life is not respect. Knowledge bridges great chasms, a perpetual tango, but neither is it a solo and paves the way for respect between performance. The timing is tricky and the individuals and nations. As Ishmael, from steps are intricate, but the dance between Moby Dick, so eloquently stated, “See how dependence and independence is well-worth elastic our stiff prejudices grow when love learning, for it’s in learning, we grow. n comes to bend them.”

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 19

Bal By

TERRY BURGESS Barry County Presiding Commissioner

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Sunday Morning Bible Study - 9:30 a.m. Worship - 10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Worship - 6 p.m. Wednesday Evening Bible Study - 7 p.m. JULY 2014

Looking for a way to improve your health? BY NANCY RIDGLEY

S A DIETITIAN, I WORK IN THE CENTER FOR HEALTH IMPROVEMENT for Cox Monett Hospital. The majority of my days are spent teaching others how to improve the course of their health. In America, we are a “pain-avoiding, pleasure-seeking society.” This truism leads to a lifestyle of little activity and too much food. Most of us know basics of what we should do to be healthy, but never quite put all the pieces together. This year, we are offering some new and different programs to help people in Monett and surrounding areas learn ways to become successful in managing their disease, weight, nutrition or stress. Improving your health just got easier. Take advantage of these free classes and begin the journey to get your life back on track.

connection living

Feel Better Now is a six-week course on living a healthy life with a chronic condition. The next class will be offered from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tuesday, September 2 in Conference Room A at Cox Monett Hospital. Diabetes Self-Management Education is a one-day class taught by our caring, experienced staff of dietitians, diabetes educators and registered nurses. We will help you learn to control your diabetes by eating healthy, exercising and taking medicines the right way. A physician referral is required. Medicare and insurance is accepted. Grant money is available for those with Medicaid or self-insured. Classes are offered monthly. Explain Pain will teach you how the brain interprets pain, how the body copes and self-management techniques for pain. The next class will be held from 121:30 p.m., Thursday, September 25. Beyond Coping will be offered in three (two hour sessions). Individuals will receive counseling for coping skills and stress reduction. Please register for the above classes (except Diabetes Education) by calling 417-269-INFO. For specific questions regarding the programs, feel free to call me at 417-354-1280. I wish you a summer filled with great fruits and veggies, good times with family friends, long (brisk) walks and breathtaking sunsets. n

NUTRITION ANALYSIS: One giant cookie Calories: 186 Carbohydrates: 31 grams Protein: 4.6 grams Fat: 3 grams

Roxie’s Giant Breakfast Cookies

½ cup Canola Oil ½ cup applesauce + 6 tablespoons applesauce 1 cup packed Splenda brown sugar sweetener MAKES 36 GIANT COOKIES ½ cup Splenda regular 3 large eggs Optional ingredients: 1 cup of your choice of the following or make up your own: 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract ¼ cup angel flake coconut 1 cup Milled Flaxseed ¼ cup chopped English walnuts or pecans 1 cup Stone ground Whole Wheat Flour ¼ cup cran-raisins or plain raisins or dried prunes 1 cup of mixed chopped dried fruit ¼ cup dried apricots 2 cups All-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together with electric mixer, oil, 1 teaspoon salt applesauce, and sugar susbstitutes. Add eggs, vanilla, then beat again. Combine the flours, 1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon baking soda, salt and spices. Mix these ingredients with the wet mixture. Stir in oatmeal. 1 teaspoon cloves Fold in raisins and any other optional ingredients. Place dough on ungreased cookie sheets. 5 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal Use 1/8 to 1/4 cup scoop for the giant cookie size. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove 1 cup raisins cookies from sheet immediately and let cool. Nancy Ridgley, RD, LD, CDE, is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator for the CoxHealth Center for Health Improvement. She is also a Mad Dogg certified spinning instructor and holds certifications in adult weight management and childhood and adolescent weight management. The mother of three enjoys spinning, reading, Mizzou football, travel, spending time with her children and grandchildren and having coffee with friends. For more information about wellness and living a healthy lifestyle, check out Cox Monett Hospital’s webpage at www.coxhealth.com.

JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 21

Shenandoah reflects national and local history STORY BY KATHY TEEL

MANY PEOPLE KNOW SCOTT GEORGE, OF MT. VERNON, as a highly regarded businessman, but not everyone knows that on weekends he dons an authentic Civil War uniform and engages in re-enactments of some of the most costly battles of the Civil War. But now George, CEO of Mid-America Dental and Hearing Center, will put on a third hat.

Sniper. Or rather, an actor playing a sniper in the Civil War musical Shenandoah, playing in Mt. Vernon July 24-27. “Scott actually called me before auditions,” says director Matt Teel. “He told me he wanted to be in our show, he came with his own costume, and he wanted to play the sniper. I don’t usually take requests when I’m casting, but in this case it was a good fit.” It was a good fit in more ways than one. George doesn’t just show up to play his part; he knows it inside and out. It wasn’t long before Teel made him the production’s official historian. “A show doesn’t just mimic its historical era,” Teel explains. “It’s trying to tell a powerful story. But in a historical play, every character is shaped by historical details, and those are the things Scott is helping us get right.” George doesn’t usually participate in community theatre, but he’s no stranger to performing. He comes from a musically talented family, sings in the Mt. Vernon Celebration Choir, and he’s even been in films as a Civil War reenactor. The most recent one was August Light: Wilson’s Creek and the Battle for Missouri, which won an Emmy for Best Historical. “I guess I’m a ringer for General Sterling Price, who commanded Missouri troops,” George laughs. “No relation, though.” George does Civil War reenactments with the 4th Missouri Infantry, who fought through the war as part of a larger battalion. “There are also artillery and cavalry regiments,” George says, “but we’re infantry. That means we walk everywhere. Reenactment weekends can be pretty exhausting!” The 4th Missouri Infantry is helping the Mt. Vernon theatre groups with costumes, weapons and props, but there is a deeper connection as well. The musical Shenandoah centers around Charlie Anderson, a widower with six sons and a daughter, who tries to keep his family out of the war to keep them safe and together, but it’s not easy. “Even though Shenandoah takes place in Virginia, the same

Shenandoah is a new kind of venture in Mt. Vernon. It’s being co-produced by Mt. Vernon’s two theatre companies, Mt. Vernon Community Theatre and Rebel’s Bluff Troupe. Rebel’s Bluff Troupe is in their 9th year of putting on plays in Mt. Vernon. They excel at comedy, offer hospitality through their dinner theatres, and donate a large percentage of their earnings to local charities. They recently put on such plays as The Odd Couple, The Foreigner, and Arsenic and Old Lace. Their president, Sam Logan, plays Mr. Carol, the purchasing agent, in Shenandoah. Mt. Vernon Community Theatre is in its 2nd season and has already gained a reputation for high quality productions, especially musicals. Their first season featured last summer’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, as well as Steel Magnolias, and this fall will see their production of 12 Angry Men. Their president, Matt Teel, is the director of Shenandoah. wBoth groups can be found on Facebook, where they disseminate most of their information. 22 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JULY 2014

things happened all the time in Missouri—more, because we were a border state,” George says. “There were purchasing agents who came to buy your horses or cattle, and if you didn’t want to sell, they took them anyway. Raiders from both sides would ride through, run off your livestock, kill the men and assault the women. There were marauders taking advantage of all the chaos for their own gain, and troops accidentally being shot by their own snipers. Women and children were left to defend their homes and farms, and if a group of armed men came to burn the land, there wasn’t much they could do.”

Shenandoah the musical “Shenandoah isn’t one of the betterknown musicals,” admits Teel. “But once you get to know it, it’s hard to see why. It’s very American, from its music to its themes. Everyone can connect to something in it.” Shenandoah is based on the 1965 movie with Jimmy Stewart, which was a Civil War era drama, but not a musical. A decade later, in 1975, it premiered on Broadway as a musical, using the same

storyline, but with songs added. “The songs really add to the story,” says music director Michael Fox, band director at Nevada High School. “There’s a lot of humor in it—I mean, there would be in any family with six sons and a daughter. But the songs really bring it out. The songs give the audience a deeper emotional connection to the characters’ inner thoughts. It’s different from what I’m used to—I don’t usually have much call for

harmonicas, Jew’s harps, or banjos—but I love the sound.” Teel agrees. “Some of the songs are very poignant. Charlie has regular conversations with his late wife through his songs. He articulates his views on war and you see his intense commitment to his family. The world is in chaos and Charlie’s trying to hang on to the one thing that matters, and that’s expressed most clearly in the show’s songs.”

Drawing from all over Some readers may remember Matt Teel from his onstage performances in previous Mt. Vernon productions; he played Harold Hill in The Music Man and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. But this time, he’s heading up the production from off-stage, which makes room for other talented actors to bring their gifts to the community. “Karl Wendt plays Charlie, and he drives all the way in from Joplin for rehearsals,” says Teel. “Our music director and several orchestra members come all the way from Dunnegan, and our choreographer is from Webb City. We have cast and crew not just from Mt. Vernon, but from Miller, Greenfield, Golden City, Aurora, Monett, Marionville, Pierce City, and all over. It’s really a very regional production in that sense.” Why does he think that’s the case? “I think part of it is that we have a reputation for doing good shows,” Teel says. “But JULY 2014

there’s something about Shenandoah that speaks to people. Especially around here, where we live with this history every day.” Scott George agrees. “This is why we do the re-enactments. We can’t forget what it was like. But even in a time of war, with all its fear and stress and strain, we’re all still human beings, we still care for each other. The human spirit rises above all of it.” Shenandoah runs July 24-27 at the Mt. Vernon Arts and Recreation Center, 800 W. Mt. Vernon Blvd. in Mt. Vernon. For more information call house manager Angela Statton-Hunt at 417-496-4060, email mtvernoncommunitytheatre@gmail. com, or contact Mt. Vernon Community Theatre or Rebel’s Bluff Troupe through Facebook. For more information about the 4th Missouri Infantry Civil War reenactors, go to http://4moinf.com/. n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 23

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proud connection’s cutest kid parent < < < < < < Email your child’s photo to connection@ monett-times.com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your child’s name, parent’s name, age, city and your contact information. The contest is open to children ages 10 and under. The photos submitted will be used for the sole purpose of this contest.

JULY 2014

Ava Dunlap is the three-year-old daughter of Amanda and Doug Dunlap, of Joplin. She is the granddaughter of Michael and Sherry Allen, of Joplin, and Charlie and Michell Dunlap, of Carthage. This picture was taken last month during our vacation to Destin, Florida.

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<<<<<< If so, take this opportunity to Are you a proud parent?

show off that cute kid of yours. We invite you to share a photo of your child to be featured in Connection’s very own proud parent cutest kid contest.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 25

55 things to do with your kids

Legos

when it’s too hot to play outside

BY MEGAN RUFFING

UMMER IS THE EPITOME OF FUN. The kids are out of school and their days are filled with hours upon hours of outdoor entertainment. Neighborhood kids come by on their bikes to see if your children can play while you sit back and watch the memories being made. There is an endless amount of ideas when it comes to playing outside but what if it’s too hot? And by too hot, I mean, heat wave. No matter where you live there is bound to be one sultry, summer day where you have to keep the kids inside for their own safety. Look over this list of 68 things to do to keep them happy and busy until it’s nice enough for them to go back outside. Coloring/drawing

Board games

Pet rocks (paint rocks that your child has picked up from outside and decorate)

Skype with long distance family

Play in the bathtub with your swimsuits on

Race cars on the floor using painter’s tape to make the roads

Have a tea party

Lincoln Logs

Learn a new song

Play dress up

Indoor picnic

Play kitchen

Read books or...

Water the plants in the house

Finger paint

Shadow puppets on the wall

Puzzles

Plant an herb garden using indoor starter pots

... bookstore for story time Have a friend over

Dance

Obstacle course

Make handprints using washable ink pads

Rock out using your kids’ toy instruments and create your own song

Molding clay

Take a nap

Sticker collage (have kids put stickers on paper any way they want)

Watercolors

Make brownies, cookies or cupcakes 26 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JULY 2014

Start potty training

Rice bin (Hide small toys in a large bin filled with rice. Have your child try and find things).

Go to a friend’s house and play

Puppet show Take silly pictures (Use your camera to capture special moments or have your kids make silly faces into the camera).

Look through baby books with your children and tell them stories of when they were born

Dust the house (make a game of it)

Aquarium

Switch-a-Roo (Change around your kids’ toys from room to room. Kids always love to see ‘old’ toys in new places. This activity keeps them busy for a long time.)

Grocery store (Let kids ‘shop’ for items around the house and have them ‘checkout’ using fake money). Shaving cream fun in a bin (Let your child make ‘drawings’ using shaving cream in a plastic bin).

Indoor sports complex with a pool

Hide & Seek

connection living Guess what? Put an object in a brown paper bag and have your child close his eyes while trying to guess what the object is just by feeling it.

Craft basket (Anything and everything having to do with crafts goes in one basket. Kids can use their imagination to make up all sorts of things).

Balloon toss (Hit a balloon back and forth while trying to keep it off the ground).

Card games (Old Maid, Go Fish)

Fill kitchen sink with water and bubbles. Let kids play around with their toys in sink.

Play dough (store bought or homemade)

Tool set (kids can ‘fix’ things around the house)

Set up a tent and pretend to camp out

Yoga

Scavenger Hunt

Push kids around in the laundry basket

Bowling (with small plastic bowling set)

Build a fort

Meagan Ruffing is a freelance parenting writer and stay-athome mom to Dylan, Hannah and Elinor. She is always looking for new ways to keep her kids busy when the weather forces them inside on a (too) hot and sunny day.

JULY 2014

No matter what age your children are, there is bound to be something on this list that you can do with your kids to beat the summertime heat. You never know, your kids just might come up with their own ideas that you can add to this list year after year! n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 27

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JULY 2014

DIRT ROADS AND RAILROADS

When the cooks are ready to serve the noon meal, they ring the dinner bell. The same dinner bell has been used for several generations now.

Gimme some of that old time religion at Log Church STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHERRY TUCKER ARCHIVED PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ANITA ABRAMOVITZ

JULY 2014

THE BARRY COUNTY CAMP MEETING will be holding its 125th gathering this July at Log Church in Butterfield. The old-time camp meeting was a precursor to the tent-revival, and to the more modern evening revivals held by many of our local churches. The name, “camp meeting,” can be traced back to the Restoration Movement of the 1830s when it became a frontier event. The occasion originated from Christian religious practice that was popular in Great Britain. Many camp meetings were being established as a yearly event in the late 1800s throughout the country. People would travel from near and far to hear preachers share the Word throughout the day and into the night for

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 29

“Erval Nickle kept the old

gas lanterns going before there was electricity. If one got dim during service, he got up from his seat, took it down, pumped it up and hung it back up. The preacher just kept preaching.

“Camp started on Thursday

morning,

Wednesday,

workers from the three churches came to put up the tents, clean the seats, wash dishes and partition off rooms in the church for people to sleep, and fill the ticks with straw for beds. Everyone up to 10 days. Attendees would campout in tents, wagons or simple shelters during the course of the event. In Barry County, the camp meeting that has been held every July since 1889 is celebrating their 125th year this month. The event, which has been held consistently at the Log Church location east of Butterfield, since the ‘30s, is sponsored by Church of God Holiness. Throughout the local history of this event, are many fond memories; not only of spiritual awakenings, and heartfelt preaching, but of friendships made, romances fostered, stories told and good food shared. It is an amazement in itself that in our modern day and time that this tradition has remained. Though attendees no longer “campout” on the grounds of the event, it is still held in the open air tabernacle, which was built from 1952-53, and is still always held in July. The revival moved around to several communities before ending up in Butterfield, and ultimately finding a permanent location at Log Church. It was held at communities such as Horner, Traverse, Hungry Hollow, Mineral Springs and Cassville (at Rocky Edmonson Park, or the Reunion grounds), and then the Log Church location during the 30s. The Ozarks Mountaineer article, published in

30 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

2004 states that, “In 1948, it was voted to make Log Church the permanent campground. And in 1949, the group voted to build a kitchen and dining room on the campground. The construction of a permanent tabernacle followed in 1953.” Meals are still prepared in the original kitchen or “cookshack”, and the old bell is still rang when the meal is ready to serve at noon each day. Butterfield native, Nadine Allred, who has attended the camp meeting since birth with her family, served as cook, along with her sister, Doris Ash, for many years. Nadine and her husband, Everett (who is a Monett native, and started attending the meeting early in their relationship), have many memories of the event and have seen many transitions through the years. Everett recalls, “In the ‘40s, they were still using the tent for a tabernacle. They would go to Joplin and rent a bunch of tents.” Nadine said, “It started out with no cabins (which were built later), and the churchhouse was divided in sections so each family had a place to sleep.” Everett said, “And, if there wasn’t enough room in the church, the men would sleep outside under the tabernacle.” Nadine also explained a little more about the accommodations, “They would fill up the hay-tick with hay, and that’s what they

brought

something

for lunch on the work day, and Emma Moudy always brought her green tomato mincemeat cake. The first cabin was built by Frank McCarter. Loren Ash sawed out the lumber for the tabernacle that is standing now. Lavern Moudy was helping him and was nearly killed when a log fell on him.” Jewell Moudy

would sleep on.” The sections were made by hanging large canvas sheets, and the hay-tick cushions were like large pillows that were filled with fresh hay each year. Everett said, “worshipers would come from Carthage, Joplin, Ava, Oklahoma and Arkansas.”

JULY 2014

Everett also recalls that Nadine and Doris would feed up to 75-100 people present during the noon meal. Nadine said, “My sister and I would dress chickens that people would bring with them. They would bring chickens and even turkeys. It was a lot of work, and Hershel Ash started taking them to his farm, and the men would dress out the chickens and turkeys.” Nadine was known for her chicken and noodles. Everett recalls a Carthage man, named Ed Sherrel saying, “I’d like to see someone try to starve me to death on chicken and noodles.” Everett said, “On Friday and Saturday nights it was announced for everyone to bring cakes and desserts for Sunday dinner.” Sunday dinner is still a well-attended event, Anita Abramovitz said, “There’s fewer people during the week now, but there is still a large crowd on Sunday, and they still announce on Fridays and Saturdays for the ladies to bring desserts for Sunday dinner.” Nadine added, “People would bring green beans, potatoes...and anything they brought, we tried to cook it. I would plant green beans in the spring so that they would be ready to pick for the camp meeting.” In a written memoir by Tom Bennett, grandfather of Log Church preacher,

Carolyn McNabb, he shares this camp history: “There have been many cooks over the years. Cooking was done outside, sometimes under a tent, later the cookshack was built. The Philip Riddle family brought their cows with them and furnished milk for the camp, according to Ed Koch. Limbs were broken off the trees, and waved over the tables to shoo the flies away. Granville Moore is one of the first

names written down that cooked, Herman and Millie Koch cooked at Horner for two years. Loren and Vonnie Ash cooked about 1938. Jewell and Laverne Moudy, Jewell and Cleora Terry cooked in maybe the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. Irene Weber Jackson, Betty Ash Smith, Nadine Allred and Doris Ash cooked for the most years.” Though preaching is held on evenings and throughout the weekends now,

The foundation of the tabernacle is built on home-made concrete blocks made from rock fragments taken from local mining operations, and the structure itself was built from locally harvested timber and built by church members.

JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 31

during the earlier years, preaching was throughout the day, even on weekdays. Everett explained, “They would have a prayer meeting before breakfast for those camping out, then a morning service, a 2 o’clock speaker, then and evening preacher at 7 o’clock. Back then there were three churches involved, and there was always someone willing to preach. Sometimes, they would even have two preachers in one night – and that would make for a long evening.” Member, Anita Abramovitz, and current Log Church pastor, Carolyn McNabb, both have memories of the summer camp meeting. “There were two summer events that we looked forward to each year, and that was the camp meeting and the reunion in Cassville,” shared Anita. The youth looked forward to meeting other kids from outside the community during the event that usually spanned 10 days. Anita recalled that as a youngster, “The ladies outhouse was at the front of the tabernacle, and if you had to go to the bathroom, you had to walk in front of everyone to get there, but the boys outhouse was in the back and they could sneak out without being seen, and I didn’t think that was fair,” she shared with a grin. The Log Church members remodeled the kitchen and fellowship hall in 2012. The kitchen is still in its original structure, and the fellowship hall, which went from an open air addition, to an attached structure with screened windows, to a fully enclosed, air conditioned building with modern kitchen appliances and tables and chairs.

Daughters of Doris Ash (and the nieces of Nadine); Beverly Myers and Helen Jones, now tend to the task of feeding the congregation. The tabernacle grandstand, which was originally built from wood, was replaced last year with a permanent concrete platform. Some of the original pews from the 1950s construction are still used, as well as the dinner bell that is rang when the noon meal is ready. But, no longer necessary is the task of filling barrels with spring water, and hauling ice from Butterfield to keep parishioners hydrated during the summer event. They also no longer need the gas lamps that were constantly tended to keep lit during the evening services. Though the nostalgia is

EVENT DETAILS 125th Barry County Camp Meeting will be held July 12 – 20. Service each evening starting at 7 p.m. with special music, and preaching by Garald Pugh, evangelist. Saturday, July 12, there will be an outdoor concert with New Road starting at 7 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs. Sunday, July 13 at 2 p.m. there will be a concert by the Wolf Family. Missionary, Larry Doyle will be speaking Sunday afternoon, July 20, about his family’s mission experiences in Papua, New Guinea. All services held at Log Church, 4 miles east of Butterfield on Hwy U, then 1/2 mile south on FR 1115.

32 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

present, modern convenience has made the event a little less labor intensive. Ron Allred, of Moberly, and was the evangelist of the ‘04 meeting, was quoted in The Ozarks Mountaineer article, “‘What impressed me as a kid was the tabernacle was full. People drove up and sat in their cars listening to the service.’ Allred also remember the July heat during the camp meeting. ‘It was hot!’ he says. And the preachers were on fire. In one of McCollough’s (Wayne McCollough, a former evangelist) sermons, he said, ‘I’m proud of the old preachers. They preached a hell hot, heaven glorious, and life everlasting.’” Pastor Carolyn McNabb explains, “Barry County Camp Meeting has been a social event and a gathering place that is looked forward to each year by young and old alike. It is also remembered as a time of great spiritual revival. Many of the oldtimers remember hearing people praying in the woods between services. There were also people baptized during camp meeting. On July 27, 1924, Tom Bennett baptized several new converts in Gunter Creek near Gunter Church. Many souls have been saved, and their Christian walk began at Barry County Camp Meeting.” The Barry County Camp invites the public to all of their services, and to this year’s anniversary celebration. n

JULY 2014

carving artist

Every block

of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.

- Michelangelo This sentiment holds tr ue to artist Rokky England and the sculptures he discovers inside wood. STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVE CHAPMAN

JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 33

Chances are if you walk through the woods and spot a large tree branch or a log, you will see, well, a large tree branch or a log. Show it to Rokky England, however, and he will probably see a dragon, a human face, or maybe a catfish! “Sounds crazy to think,” Rokky says, “but (the wood) kind of tells you what you want to carve. You’ll see a face or you’ll see an animal or something in it a lot of the times, depending on the way the grain lays.” A billing clerk at George’s by trade, Rokky has been carving wood sculptures as a hobby for 16 years. He states his interest in it began as a boy when he encountered a man doing a similar type of art work. “I actually saw a gentleman in Springfield at Bass-Pro that did a lot of antler artwork, he did more sculpture stuff, but he also did a little bit of carving…so I thought I’d turn that into something on the side.”

When he makes his carvings, Rokky begins by first drawing out the image he wants to carve. Often he will go online first to view images similar to what he wants to carve to make certain essential details are captured in the carving. “I do a lot of reference checking on the Internet, make sure everything’s right, then I’ll get a scene in my head, I’ll draw it out and then I carve it.” 34 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JULY 2014

Once he has mapped out what he wants to carve, Rokky will use hand tools such as chisels and rotary tools to begin carving details in the wood (he uses a chain saw to rough out larger pieces). When

JULY 2014

finished, he will put a protective coat of varnish on the work. When it comes to the wood to be carved on, Rokky’s favorites are walnut, wild cherry and cedar. He also likes to use

wood knots for especially detailed carving. “They deteriorate at a slower rate so they’re a really, really, tough solid wood to carve so you can really put a lot of detail in it,” he says. Rokky often finds the wood he uses when he and his family are out in the woods either camping or hunting. Sometimes, friends help. “We go to the lake and creeks stuff and…if we’re just out hiking around or camping, take walks, we find some things. A lot of it, friends and other people I’ve become acquainted with give me materials. They know I carve so if they think I need it they say ‘Hey, I’m going to hold this piece back for you.’” Rokky often gifts his sculptures to family and friends, though he also sells his work as well. In some cases, he will get a request to create something special. “I put some of my work on eBay so a lot of people see it, and they’ll call me or email me, asking if I can do a custom piece, and of course, I’ll do a custom piece depending on what they want.”

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 35

The work can be time consuming, depending on the size of the piece and how much detail goes into it. Rokky estimates a larger piece, such as the wood sculpture of a catfish he keeps in his living room, can take over 200 hours to complete while smaller ones, such as a facial expression piece he calls his “king” sculpture, can be finished in 15 to 20 hours. Though it does require large amounts of time, the work can also be lucrative. Rokky once sold a highly detailed relief (he estimated it took between 300 and 400 hours to create) depicting a wolf scene to a buyer for $8,000! The same buyer purchased two more reliefs from him for $4,500.

“(The wood) kind of tells you what you want to carve. You’ll see a face or you’ll see an animal or something in it a lot of the times, depending on the way the grain lays.” Rokky England

Despite the amount of money to be made in creating wood sculptures, Rokky has chosen to keep his carving a hobby for now so he can spend more time with his family. He feels fast-paced tradeshows he would need to go to, not to mention the traveling involved, would take up too much time and also take the enjoyment out of wood carving. One day, however, he believes he might pursue his hobby full-time. “I could see myself doing these little things as a hobby and maybe when I get a little bit older, I’ll do it for a job and enjoy myself a little more.” n

Want Rokky to make a sculpture for you? Rokky can be contacted on his cell phone, 417-342-3859; he prefers to be called in the evenings. He can also be reached via e-mail at rokky@centurytel.net. If you would like to view more of his work, he has pictures posted at Pinterest and on his Facebook page.

36 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JULY 2014

The area’s most often chosen funeral home.

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JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 37

where customers are family STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVE CHAPMAN

If you are looking for Doyle or Lisa Ferguson at Aurora Greenhouse Floral and Gifts, chances are you will find Lisa putting together a floral arrangement, while Doyle will probably be in the greenhouse, tending the many plants they grow. Both, however, are happy to stop whatever they are doing to help anyone coming through their door.

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Doyle and Lisa have been the owners Aurora Greenhouse Floral and Gifts for almost nine years. The business was actually started by Otto Warden in 1889, and remained in the Warden family until Doyle and Lisa purchased it from them. According to Doyle, they chose to purchase Aurora Greenhouse and Floral due to what he calls “a hobby gone mad.” “We had had a greenhouse at our home for a couple of years and really enjoyed it and the more we tinkered with it as a hobby, the more we liked it and we wound up with quite a following. We found ourselves at a point where Lisa and I were both unhappy in our jobs and began to look and explore and long story short, here we are.” Creativity and education are at the heart of the floral arrangements found in Doyle and Lisa’s store. According to Doyle, each of the designers they employ attend 40 to 50 hours of educational design shows a year in which they will learn the latest design techniques. Traditional floral arrangements still have a place in their store, but new ideas are always encouraged.

“At any given time we’ll have a traditional rose vase in our cooler; we’ll have a traditional dozen roses in our cooler,” Doyle says, “and at the same time, will have a variety of creative-type pieces in our cooler so that that creative spirit is always flowing in our design room and a lot of that comes from education and feeding off each other. Once one designer does a piece, another designer will look at that and go, ‘Oh, I know what else we could try’ and then try it just little bit different. And we just focus on that education and keeping that creative spirit alive.” Lisa employs the same type of creative spirit when she designs her own floral arrangements. She draws inspiration from multiple sources, such as nature or the weather, but primarily credits a Higher Power for her work, especially when it comes to funeral arrangements. “It comes from God,” she says. “That’s a gift and I believe that was given to me so that I can minister some compassion to people that are grieving. This is something that you are to possess or don’t possess. JULY 2014

Otherwise, you’re just looking at pictures and copying it.” Doyle and Lisa also sell plants for those who like to garden and Doyle uses a creative sense similar to Lisa’s when he works with customers who need help deciding what they want their garden to look like. By merely having a conversation with the customers, he can actually design a garden for them right in the greenhouse. “People are always amazed that I’ll begin to ask questions about what size and what shape is it in and the next thing they know, I’ll have their flowerbeds laid out in our greenhouse. I’ll literally lay it out in the floor and all begin to bring plants from this part of the greenhouse or that part of the greenhouse and all put their flower bed together for them in the middle of our floor so they can see what it looks like and they know what it’s going to look like and the joy comes when I get it just right. Just right. I’ll see a sparkle happen in their eyes and I know I’ve hit it and that’s invigorating to me.” Doyle says they will provide this level of service to anyone who comes through their doors, even if the only reward they receive is gratitude. “We want to take care of people. We have a lot of people come here that we help that we don’t sell them anything. But they come here with questions and they just need help.” Besides flowers, Doyle and Lisa sell a number of gift items, many made by local artists, including jewelry, memorial stones, and wooden wagons. Lisa says they try to support local artists when possible. “I’ve got people that come to me, frequently, and ask if were interested in carrying something that they’ve made, and we just have to look at it and evaluate it and look at the costs and see if that is something we feel like we can sell in our area, or that we JULY 2014

use or feel like we need. The little stands that are on a rock, our memorial stones, are not actually from right here, but they are from Missouri. The stands are from a gentleman that lives here in town. We just try to foster that because that’s a good thing.” Doyle and Lisa also offer landscaping services, which according to Lisa, arose out of a need their customers had when other landscapers weren’t able to help them.

“Doyle has a lot more knowledge on plants and their care than a lot of landscapers do. A lot of landscapers just know certain varieties, and they come out and they install them and then they walk away from the site. Then, the homeowner is stuck trying to figure out ‘A: what’s the plant’s name? and B: how do you take care of it? And, also – when can I trim it, and what do I do with it, and how do I divide it?’ So, they will come here and start asking those kinds of questions and then they’ll say ‘Can you just do that for us?’ So that’s kind of how all that got started.” Being self-employed, Doyle and Lisa face a number of challenges in running their business, including being able to take time off or finding quality employees, but they also find a number of joys in selfemployment as well, including interaction with their customers. Doyle explains that one of his favorite aspects of the job is being able to meet with customers. “Just like it’s difficult for me to take time off because I know tomorrow is Ms. So-andSo’s birthday. By the same token, I know

tomorrow is Ms. So-and-So’s birthday. And normally, I see her on her birthday. And that’s wonderful. We love our customers; they become part of our family. We just love them.” For Doyle and Lisa, customer service sometimes goes beyond business at the store. Lisa remembers one story of an elderly customer who would come in to buy gifts for her family who lived in St. Louis; they would likewise call in orders for flowers for her. One day, as Lisa tells it, the lady came in and bought several items for family members; an hour later, she was back, buying the same things. Concerned for the lady’s safety, Lisa contacted her family. It turned out she had Alzheimer’s, so one of her daughters stayed with her for the remaining year she was alive. “That daughter calls me now; even though she does not have anyone here to send flowers to, she calls me occasionally and asks me how things are going,” Lisa says. Doyle says the relationship he and Lisa have with their customers sets them apart from big box floral stores. “When someone walks in our door here, they become part of our family. And it’s just a very special relationship; just a very special way that we feel about the people that walk through our doors.” n

WANT TO GO? Aurora Greenhouse Floral and Gifts is located at 428 E. Church Street in Aurora, and the store is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays; closed Sundays. Orders can be placed in the store, or over the phone locally at 417-678-4149 or long distance at (888)678-9495. Orders can also be placed online through the store’s website at http://www. auroragreenhousefloralandgift.com CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 39

library connections BY BARRY-LAWRENCE REGIONAL LIBRARY IN CASSVILLE

THE BARRY-LAWRENCE REGIONAL LIBRARY WAS FORTUNATE TO receive a LSTA (library services and technology act) grant from the Missouri State Library to help finance the 2014 summer reading programs. The funds from the grant have enabled BLRL to offer programs from the Dickerson Park Zoo, the Discovery Center and the Mad Science Lab at all ten branches. These programs are in addition to the ones provided by your local branch. The 2014 summer reading program was designed to encourage everyone to read, especially as a family. As added motivation each branch is giving participants incentives and prizes. Six lucky grand prize winners will receive Kindle Fire HD tablets. It is not too late to participate, sign up at your local branch or online at http://tlc.library.net/bll/. The following recommended reads may be found on the shelves of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library or as ebooks from Missouri Libraries 2 Go.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (ﬁction)

Don Tillman has decided it is time to find a wife. He has been told that he is good husband material. He has many qualities working in his favor; he looks like a buff Atticus Finch, highly educated, great job, a black belt in Aikido and can cook. He also has Asperger syndrome. Needless to say, he is baffled by human behavior, especially females. He develops a 16-page questionnaire to aid in his search for a perfect partner. Then along comes Rosie. This was a fun, laugh-out-loud quick read. C.W.

The Cassville Branch library staff consists of Verna Fry, youth services; Jane Severson, library clerk; Angie Judd, library clerk; Amanda Miller, adult services; and Cheryl Williams, supervisor.

The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub by Susan Katz (youth poetry)

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The 4th of July is all about patriotism, picnics and, of course, pyrotechnics. This year, why not procure some presidential poetry, too? In Susan Katz’s The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub you can pore over particular facts about each of America’s 44 leaders. Andrew Jackson’s own funeral was interrupted by his parrot’s prodigious profanity. Discover which “person upstairs” was a poor speller, who FDR took with him on private pow wows, and the president who nearly wasn’t at all, but for a prepaid postage stamp. From White House pillow fights to Potomac skinny-dipping, this is the prime of presidential peculiarities your family will appreciate. Number 29, Warren G. Harding, prattled prose most people couldn’t understand. He’d love this review, though: he admired all alliteration. V.F. JULY 2014

White Fire by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (mystery)

The latest Pendergast novel is a great one. I have found Special Agent Pendergast to be a fascinating character for years. Enigmatic, and sometimes supernatural seeming in his abilities, his adventures always satisfy. In this latest book, set in a very exclusive resort in the Colorado mountains, the mystery and mayhem spans 100 plus years, with some very shady, underhanded dealings with serious repercussions. Murder and insanity are always intriguing don’t you think? Near misses, evil intentions and unexpected events kept me turning the pages late into the night. J.S.

connection living A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey (young adult ﬁction)

Another fantastic read by Alyxandra Harvey. From vampires, ghosts, fairies, and now witches, Alyxandra always keeps a reader on the edge of their seat. In a Breath of Frost, the Lovegrove cousins learn that they come from a long line of powerful witches. Emma, Gretchen and Penelope must learn to harness their abilities in order to stop the Greymalkin sisters. The Greymalkin sisters have returned from the underworld and are murdering young debutantes to gain back their power. Will the cousins find the power within or will they end up as the Greymalkins’ next victims? Filled with romance, mystery, and suspense this is a definite must read. A.M.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (biography)

Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American mother of five living in Virginia in 1951, sought treatment at the colored ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital for what she said was a painful knob on her womb. She was soon diagnosed with cervical cancer. Before beginning treatment, the tending doctor cut small samples of cervical tissue from her, without her knowledge or consent, and gave it to a scientist, thus establishing the cell line know as HeLa. Since then, HeLa has contributed to the scientific and medical communities in an astounding number of ways and continues to do so today. However, an ethical question is raised about informed consent of tissue research and what, if anything, the family is owed for Henrietta’s “contribution” to the world. I could not put this book down—it was informative, interesting, and one that definitely makes you think. This is a book that I think everyone should, and would, enjoy reading. A.J. n JULY 2014

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Old Fashioned foods like grandma used to make! $5.49 Daily Lunch Special! Call on us for birthdays, weddings or ANY occasion!

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• Pies • Cakes • Breads • Cookies • Cupcakes • Brownies. ALSO Shakes • Sundaes • Root beer Floats & Smoothies Chicken • Tenderloin • Hamburgers Full Breakfast menu available!

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Wine and Beer Served Mon. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. Sunday Brunch 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

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510 E. Hwy. 32 • Stockton 42 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Se Habla Español

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“The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements”

JULY 2014

Smart Home Starter Kit Only $99.00 Installed (with 36 month agreement)

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Authorized dealer

Family owned and operated since 1971 Race Brothers carries a complete line of farm and home supplies including clothing, lawn and garden, outdoor power equipment, pet supplies, tack and livestock supplies and much more!You will find our service outstanding whether your needs are for home or acreage in the country.

Big Store with a lot of Stuff! 235-7739

210 Hwy 37, Monett JULY 2014

862-4378

2310 W Kearney, Springfield

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2309 Fairlawn Dr., Carthage CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 43

made local bakery’s story is sure to with love melt your heart STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHEILA HARRIS

WO HEARTS CAFÉ & BAKERY at 107 Third Street in Monett has been open for only a few weeks, but the response to Terry Taffner’s oversized sticky buns and cinnamon rolls has been phenomenal. Nearly two inches in height and eight inches in diameter, oozing cinnamon and sugar, and with a crackly layer of gooey-sweetness coating their bottoms, the freshly-baked pastries have become such a hot item in Monett that Terry purchased another oven for her bakery in an attempt to keep up with the demand. Her husband, Duain, suggested that she make the cinnamon rolls smaller, but she declared that they wouldn’t taste the same. “When you roll them loosely, the bread has more room to rise, and the rolls are larger and ﬂuffier,” declared Terry, knowledgeably. “Duain did convince me to start making Junior Colossal Cinnamon Rolls, too, though. So now I can offer people a choice of two sizes.” For Terry and Duain, the opening of the bakery represents a dream come true, a dream Duain calls a “God Thing,” just one among many. Terry and Duain, who have only been married for about a year, first walked down the aisle together as friends at their graduation from Jasper High School in 1982, where 44 44 || CONNECTION CONNECTION MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

they had been classmates for 12 years. After graduation, they each went their separate ways, marrying and raising families, then found themselves single again later in life. “I didn’t see Duain for 31 years after our high school graduation,” said Terry. “But I saw that he was a friend of a friend on Facebook, and sent him a friend request. I chose to stay anonymous, though. I had a different last name than I did in high school, so as far as he was concerned, I was just a random stranger who had befriended him.” “Terry became my encourager on Facebook,” Duain added. “When I was going through some difficult times, she could always say something to pick me up, but I didn’t realize who she was.” After several months of Facebook communication, Duain gave Terry his phone number and asked her to call him, if she was interested. Terry was. “When I heard Terry on the telephone, I immediately recognized her voice,” Duain said, his face lighting up as he relived the moment. “I hadn’t spoken to her for 31 years, but I had instant recall. When I realized that the Terry I once knew, was the same woman who had become my confidante on Facebook, I was overwhelmed. All of that time, I had been

speaking to someone who had already shared a large portion of my life.” “We decided to reunite face-to-face,” Duain continued, “so I drove from Jasper down to Eureka Springs, where Terry lived. On the way, I passed a sign outside of Eagle Rock pointing to ‘Promised Land,’ and I knew I was on the right track.” Because time has a way of changing even the most beautiful of forms, Terry was a bit apprehensive about the reunion, fearing that Duain might be put off by the few extra pounds she had gained over the years. He wasn’t. The reunion proved to be a joyful one and the couple married within a year, with Terry opting to move to Jasper, where Duain’s businesses were located. In November, after accepting a foreman position with Clark Industries, Duain closed his machine and mechanic shops in Jasper and the couple relocated to Monett, where Terry soon found herself at loose ends. “I’m not used to sitting still,” stated Terry. “I grew up on a farm and have been cooking and baking all of my life. It’s what I like to do.” Terry related memories of standing on a step stool helping cook bacon and eggs when she was 5 years old, then, when she was about 9, calling her neighbor lady, who gave her bread-making instructions over the telephone. JULY JULY 2014 2014

connection food

“I literally learned how to make bread on the party-line,” Terry laughed. In Eureka Springs, Terry had owned and operated TLC Country Bakery, where she sold between 150 and 300 of her colossal cinnamon rolls every day. “I wanted to operate another bakery in Monett, this time in conjunction with a café,” said Terry, “but for a while, we couldn’t find an ideal location. We first looked at a very small building, which had originally been used as a bakery. I told Duain I could make it work, but he wouldn’t hear to it. He said, ‘Terry, because you’ve been faithful in a little, God’s going to bless you with a lot.’” “I will have to tell you, my bakery in Eureka Springs was very small,” Terry continued, “but I built the business up. I started on a shoe string, even trading some of my baked goods for tables and chairs for the seating area. I left a lot of loyal customers behind when I moved away.” One evening just before dark, Duain and Terry went out for ice cream cones, dressed in shorts and with bare feet. They drove around Monett as they ate, looking for possible locations for a café/bakery. When they saw the For Rent sign outside the former Third Street Bar & Grill, they were intrigued, but because there was JULY 2014 2014 JULY

another car parked out front, they drove on past. After circling the block and seeing that the other vehicle was gone, they got out of their car and peeked in the windows. While they were peering in, the same car pulled up beside them. It happened to contain the owners of the building, Harlan and Lilly Petersen, who asked them if they’d like to look inside. “It was just one more God thing,” said Duain. “We went inside, bare feet and all, and were immediately intrigued with the possibilities. Plus, it was huge, compared to Terry’s bakery in Eureka Springs.” The Petersens offered to lease them not only the downstairs, but the upstairs as well, which contained three apartments, plus a banquet room. The Taffners eagerly accepted their offer and

soon settled comfortably into their new upstairs living quarters. Terry is no longer at loose ends. Now she gets up at two o’clock every morning to begin making bread for the day, including cinnamon rolls and sticky buns, plus all of the hamburger buns, hoagies and French bread used in the café. “People eat so much processed food these days,” declared Terry, “that I like to be able to offer them homemade bread for their sandwiches. I just feel like it’s so much healthier.” In addition to the breads, Terry bakes a variety of cookies, layer cakes and pies with homemade crusts. For Terry, it’s a labor of love, and the public is responding in kind. “The people in Monett are very good to us,” Terry said, humbly. n

Two Hearts Café & Bakery is open Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 6 a.m. - 8 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They offer daily specials for $5.49, which continue through the evening on weekends. Their Café menu includes Steak and Chicken Dinners, the ever-popular Pork Tenderloin, a variety of burgers and sandwiches, pasta dishes and a selection of dinner salads. The Bakery offers a large variety of cakes and pies, which may be purchased either whole or by the slice, as well as cookies, sweet breads and cinnamon rolls, which may be purchased either individually, or by the dozen. Special orders are always welcome. Please call 417-635-2050. CONNECTION MAGAZINE MAGAZINE || 45 45 CONNECTION

Hearty sandwiches • Hand-dipped ice cream • Homemade desserts

We’ll fill your picnic basket!

THE JANE STORE A unique Ozarks experience

2980 Rains Rd., Jane, Mo. • 417-226-1234

Refresh yourself! Visit the Purdy Festival Saturday, July 19th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Breakfast and lunch served Monday through Saturday.

Would you like a salad with that?

WE’VE GOT THEM!

• Hearty sandwiches • Specialty coffees • Fresh bakery treats • Delicious homemade soups

FRESH CHOICE SALADS with grilled or crispy chicken

200 Washington • Purdy, Mo.

• Garden Green • Asian Chicken • Chicken BLT

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Tuesday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Have a Utopian day!

1000 N. Central • Monett, Mo. • 417-235-7188

Mocha Jo’s

180 W. Third Street • Verona 417-498-6487

Good for breakfast, lunch and supper... or just come in for coffee and dessert

404 EAST BROADWAY • MONETT

635-1107

Celebrating our 5 year anniversary with specials all month long.

Monday - Friday • 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mon. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Fri. 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Tues. - Thurs. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Fri. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sat. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. CLOSED Sunday and Mondays

Monday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Tuesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Sunday - Closed Gift Cards, Mugs, Sweatshirts, and Consignment Items.

46 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

600 Dairy Street Suite H Monett

417-635-1112 JULY 2014

connection’s cutest pet

just hangin’ out Meet Precious, Kathy Nutt’s rescue kitten. Kathy rescued Precious two years ago and she is now a healthy, happy and spoiled cat.

If you think your furry or feathered friend is the cutest in the area, let us know! We invite you to share a photo of your pet to be featured in Connection’s very own Connection’s Cutest Pet contest. Email your pet’s photo to connection@monett-times.com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your pet’s name, city you reside in and your contact information.

JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 47

BY CHRISTY O’NEAL

BY ESTHER HIGHTOWER

BY CHRIS TEXIDOR

48 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

BY CHRISTY O’NEAL

JULY 2014

BY CHRIS TEXIDOR

sunrises and sunsets

CONTRIBUTED BY CONNECTION READERS

BY CHRIS TEXIDOR

BY DAVID BRITTENHAM

JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 49

connection food

from the recipe box BY DARLENE WIERMAN

oven fried chicken 10 chicken breasts 2 cups sour cream 1/4 cup lemon juice 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp. celery salt 2 tsp. paprika 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder) 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 tsp. poultry seasoning 2 tsp. parsley 1/2 cup melted margarine Cornflake crumbs Cut chicken breasts in half. Wipe dry; remove skin and excess fat. In large bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT margarine and cornflakes; stir well. Add chicken, making sure each piece is covered well. Let stand overnight in refrigerator. Remove chicken pieces from mixture; blot off excess with dry towel. Dip each piece in melted margarine, then roll in cornflake crumbs. Place chicken in single layer on shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with additional parsley. Bake at 375Ë&#x161; for 2530 minutes or until chicken tests done. 50 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

german chocolate cake 1/2 cup water 4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 egg yolks 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 4 egg whites 1 cup white sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup butter 3 egg yolks, beaten 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup chopped pecans 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. shortening 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350Ë&#x161;. Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour into the three pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto wire rack. To make the filling: In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. In a small saucepan, melt shortening and 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until smooth and drizzle down the sides of the cake. JULY 2014

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STACY TOMLIN

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cornbread salad

Lawrence County

JUDGE

4 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix 3 green onions 8 Roma tomatoes 1 big bag bacon bits 2-3 cups Miracle Whip Make as directed, tear up cornbread and completely cool. Chop tomatoes, removing the insides. Blend all with Miracle Whip slowly. (Or you could use one package Mexican cornbread mix, mix, bake, cool and break into pieces.) Add: 1 cup green or red onion red bell pepper celery 1 tomato 4 boiled eggs 1 cup Miracle Whip 1 lb. crisp bacon, crumbled. Mix and chill.

pea salad 4 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained and cool 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed and drained 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped 3 tbsp. mayonnaise 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste In a medium sized serving bowl, combine the bacon, peas, cheese, and eggs. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. JULY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 51

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