3/23 Fort Campbell Life by Creative ink

A look inside...

Editor

Alex Zapetis

Contributors

Dave Marshall

Susanne Block

Publisher

Creative ink

Creative Director

Sears Hallett

Advertising Kristi Williams 270-484-0463

kristi@creativeinktn.com

Photography http://www.mixthatdrink.com

Dreamstime Photo pg: Cover, 5, 12, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29 onecreativemommy.com

Hello everyone!

Can you believe that it is time for Spring? Winter really blew by. If you felt the same way, and Spring has creeped up on you, then this is the issue for you.

We have some great spring break spots for some last minute trip planning, ways to get started on your summer body, great cold drink spots, and so much more.

We also start a new series this month with “Spouse’s Stories”. Helpful advice from and for military spouses.

Alex Zapetis, Editor alex@creativeinktn.com

Like us and share on Facebook facebook.com/fort-campbell-life-70573806215846 5 Irish Food Recipes Last Minute Spring Break Ideas 12 21 Best Cold Drinks in the Area 22 Spouse’s Stories 25 International Women’s Day 3

Spring break is a week that every family looks forward to. The kids are out of school, the Soldier or service member can take leave, and it is time to break out the suitcases. So many families hit the road this time of year, so we reached out to a few local military spouse to see what they had on their agenda!

The Georgia Aquarium houses more than a hundred thousand animals inside its walls! They represent several thousand species. The aquarium has 10 million US gallons of marine and saltwater!

225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 404-581-4000 georgiaaquarium.org

The World of Coca-Cola is a museum that shares the history of The Coca-Cola Company. The gigantic 20-acre complex opened its doors to the public on May 24, 2007. Guests are allowed to taste all of the different sodas that Coca-Cola makes all over the world.

121 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313 404-676- 5151 worldofcoca-cola.com

Pennyrile Park offers championship golf courses, marinas, multi-use trails, horseback riding, tennis courts, and swimming pools. The park also has vast lakes, mountaintops, caves, and wildlife viewing.

20781 Pennyrile Forest State Park Rd, Dawson Springs, KY 270-797-3421

parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/pennyrile-forest

The Dollywood theme park spans 150 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dollywood has more than 40 world-class rides, high-energy entertainment, and award-winning dining for their guests to enjoy! It is the perfect family vacation spot.

2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN (800) 365-5996 dollywood.com

The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is a great attraction to check out when visiting Louisville. It is a museum and factory tour attraction. The museum showcases the story of Louisville Slugger baseball bats in baseball and in American history.

800 W Main St, Louisville, KY 877-775-8443 sluggermuseum.com

Need something to do in Nashville? Check out The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum! It is one of the world’s largest museums! It is also dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music.

222 5th Ave S, Nashville, TN 615-416-2001

countrymusichalloffame.org

Searching for some family fun at the beach? Family Kingdom Amusement Park is a seaside amusement park! It is located on Ocean Boulevard, in the heart of Myrtle Beach. The park has 37 rides that everyone in the family will love.

300 Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 843-626-3447

familykingdomfun.com

Panama City Beach is a waterfront town and vacation destination in northwest Florida. It's known for miles of white-sand beaches fronting the calm, clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. St. Andrews State Park, one of 2 protected nature preserves nearby, is bordered by the Gulf and has hiking trails and fishing piers. Pier Park is the main shopping hub and a venue for major events.

Visitor Center

17001 Panama City Beach Pkwy Panama City Beach, FL 800-722-3224

visitpanamacitybeach.com

If you are wanting the ultimate family-friendly vacation spot, Branson is full of theaters, a Marvel Cave, the Wild West-style Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and Silver Dollar City, and an 1800s-themed amusement park with live music. You will not run out of things to do here.

Visitor Center

4100 Gretna Road, Branson, MO 800-296-0463

explorebranson.com

If you find yourself stuck in the house during Spring Break or a rainy day, then turning toward crafts to keep your child entertained is the best. Are you on the hunt for a new idea to add to your rotation? Give one of these cute crafts by OneCreativeMommy.com a try.

Flower Headband

Materials:

Old T-shirts • Felt Materials • Elastic

Directions

1. Using fabric scissors, cut an 18-by 4-inch piece of T-shirt fabric, and fold it in half so that the short ends meet. Trace the headband template onto the fabric and cut it out.

2. Trace the flower and circle templates (find templates at onecreativemommy.com) onto the scraps of felt. Cut out the shapes and pin them onto the headband inwhatever pattern you like!

3. Sew the pieces in place with X-stitches. Attach the elastic (3-inches long) with two X-stitches on each end.

Mosaic Turtle Craft

Materials:

Paper bowl •Scissors •Hexagon shapes •Glue •Green cardstock White cardstock •Paint markers •Wiggly eyes

Instructions:

1. Cut out small hexagon shapes and paint or color the shapes. Depending on how close together you want your mosaic pieces, you will need around 40.

2. Trim off the lip of the paper bowl.

3. Glue the hexagons to the bowl

4. When you get to where the bowl slopes to the sides, after applying the glue, press the shape firmly over the curve with your fingers for a few seconds.

5. Print and cut out the turtle body part shapes available at onecreativemommy.com or draw and cut out your own.

6. Apply a small bead of glue to the bottom edge of each body part, and glue them to the underside of the bowl. Allow the glue to dry for a few minutes.

7. Flip the bowl right-side-up (shell up) and crimp the body parts by folding them up toward the top of the bowl and them back down.

8. Add details to your turtle's face, legs, and tail.

Guinness® Corned Beef

**recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar • 4 pounds corned beef brisket

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer (e.g. Guinness®)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Rinse the beef completely and pat dry. 2. Place the brisket on rack in a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Rub the brown sugar on the corned beef to coat entire piece, including the bottom. Pour the bottle of stout beer around and gently over the beef to wet the sugar. 3. Cover and place in preheated oven. Bake for 2 1⁄2 hours. 4. Optional: Add vegetables in the last hour. Try cabbage, carrots, onion, and new potatoes. Add additional beer if you add veggies. 5. Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Old Irish Scalloped Potatoes

**recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients

6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced • 1⁄2 cup butter, cut into thin slices Salt and ground black pepper to taste • 1 pint half-and-half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 2. Arrange thinly sliced potatoes in a 9x13-inch baking dish. 3. Layer butter slices on top of potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper.

4. Pour half-and-half evenly over potato mixture. 5. Bake in preheated oven until sauce has thickened and potatoes are tender, 45 to 60 minutes.

Brown Soda Bread

**recipe courtesy of epicurious.com

Ingredients

1 3⁄4 cups all purpose flour • 1 3⁄4 cups whole wheat flour • 3 tablespoons toasted wheat bran • 3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats • 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt • 2 cups (about) buttermilk

2 tablespoons (1⁄4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. 2. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Stir in enough buttermilk to form soft dough.

3. Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan. Bake until bread is dark brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. 4. Turn bread out onto rack. Turn right side up and cool on rack.

The Fort Campbell Spouses Club is ecstatic to host the 40th annual V.I.C.E night. The Spouses Club is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping others. V.I.C.E night, which stands for Very Important Charity Event is a huge extravaganza every year. It is a night many look forward to all year round and one you won’t forget.

It will take place on Friday, April 1st from 5:30pm-1am at The Bruce, located at 303 Conference Center Drive, Hopkinsville, KY.

The money raised at V.I.C.E night goes towards scholarships and grants for the Fort Campbell area.

If you would like to be a part of this special night, tickets are will be on their website FtCampbellSpousesClub.com. More information can be found on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ fortcampbellspousesclub Be sure to mark your calendars, this is a night you don't want to miss!

For more information about the FCSC, you can visit their website at https://www.fortcampbellspousesclub.org

Nashville Lawn & Garden Show

Nashville Fairgrounds

nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com

Gear up for spring during this immersive experience featuring a variety of vendors in exhibit booths showcasing indoor garden spaces, patios, pergolas, water features, landscapes, flowers, lawn equipment, farmhouse crafts, presentations, workshops, and more.

Simply be-YOU-tiful Dress Giveaway

Liberty Point Church, 187 Old Dover Rd , Cadiz sites.google.com/view/prom-dress-giveaway/home

Ball dresses are expensive, but we are here to help! We have collected hundreds of beautiful dresses (some new with tags) and once a year give them away for any sized donation – even free! Check out our selection prior to spending hundreds at a store! There is no income, school district or grade requirement. Sign ups in advance are required.

Guided Hike, Blue Bird Trail

Wade Bourne Nature Center Clarksville 9am mcgtn.org/parks/wade-bourne-nature-center

This guided hike will take you on the Blue Bird Trail. Please dress for the weather, this trail is rated moderate. Please meet at the Nature Center. Additional hikes will be held, check website for days and times.

Ashland City Half Marathon

Riverbluff Park

175 Old Cumberland St, Ashland City 7:30am runsignup.com/Race/Donate/TN/AshlandCity/AshlandCityHalfMarathon

This event will raise funds for the upkeep of the Ashland City Bicentennial Greenway Trail, a beautiful car-free thoroughfare beside the Cumberland River which comprises approximately a third of the course.

Go Green for Africa Run

2853 Dunlop Ln, Clarksville 2pm raceentry.com/go-green-for-africarun/race-information

Come out, show us your inner leprechaun and support Project Yesu at our 5th annual Go Green for Africa St.

Patrick’s Day 10K, 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run! Family fun event for runners/walkers of ALL ages and levels! This year bring your little ones for the Leprechaun Loop a short course for littles 1 year - 4 years old! The 10K and 5K will be chip-timed by Clarksville Running Club.

Nashville St.

Paddy’s 5K & Half Marathon

2320 2 Rivers Parkway, Nashville 8am

nashvillestpaddysrun

Get your green on and start training by chasing rainbows and leprechauns at the Nashville St. Paddy’s Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Dash Run/Walk.

Pastels with Jeannie White

Jeffers Bend Environmental Center, Hopkinsville hopkinsvilleartguild.org

Jeannie will lead participants through the process of creating a landscape scene using pastels. Non-members pay $35 on day of workshop.

Fort Campbell Job Fair

Cole Park Commons 11am success.recruitmilitary.com/events/fortcampbell-hiring-event-march-15-2023

The career fair connects military veterans and spouses with employers seeking talent for hundreds of open jobs. Up to 50 companies will be on hand to recruit and interview prospects for job openings.

3 10 11 2-5 4 17 15

Music City Irish Fest

Grand Ole Opry House

Nashville

musiccityirishfest.com

The Music City Irish Fest will include food, drinks, dancing, shopping, and more! There will be performances featuring special Irish guests at the Grand Ole Opry on both evenings. Tickets to the Irish Fest are free but tickets to the Grand Ole Opry performances vary are $45and up.

From Nashville with Strings

Alhambra Theatre Hopkinsville 7pm pennyroyalarts.org

Award-winning songwriters Lee Thomas Miller and Wendell Mobley are “the most famous people you’ve never heard of”. Join these Music City

Hit-makers: From Nashville with Strings songwriters perform the songs they’ve penned for Nashville’s most notable stars including Randy Houser’s “How Country Feels”, Rascal Flatts’, “Take Me There” and Kenny Chesney’s “There Goes My Life and “How Forever Feels”.

Spring Hike

Dunbar Cave State Park 9:30am facebook.com/DunbarCaveStatePark

Celebrate the arrival of Spring! Come hike with us while learning about the rich cultural history at Dunbar Cave. Join Ranger Adam for a 2.75 mile loop hike to discover how the landscape has been altered by the various cultures that have utilized it throughout the centuries. Please wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. This is a free program.

61st Annual Irish Celebration

Erin TN 8am

houstoncochamber.com/

The 61st Annual Irish Celebration and Parade in Erin features food and craft vendors, a carnival, and a grand parade. The celebration has been named one of the top 10 Irish Celebrations in the United States.

St. Patrick’s Music City Half Marathon

Shelby Park Nashville 8am runsignup.com/Race/TN/Nashville/ MusicCityHalfMarathon10kand5k

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Shelby Park, an oasis of green space on the banks of the Cumberland River. Athletes of all levels love the out and back on this scenic, historical greenway.

ClarksvilleCon

Quality Inn Clarksville• 10am clarksvillecon.com

ClarksvilleCon is a collectors' mecca convention located in the beautiful City of Clarksville, Tennessee. Striving to be Tennessee's best and truest comic convention featuring fandoms of multiple genres. As a long-time collector of comics and pop culture items the promoter brings Tennessee an event that will satisfy any fandom!

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival

Various venues and times

tinpansouth.com

Nashville’s renowned songwriters’ festival is the ultimate place to catch your favorite songwriters. Performances will take place throughout the city at Nashville’s premier songwriter-friendly venues, including The Bluebird, Hard Rock Cafe, The Listening Room Cafe, Station Inn, 3rd and Lindsley, City Winery, and more.

28-1 17-18

Evergreen Cocktail

1 ounce tequila

1 ounce green creme de menthe

1⁄2 ounce Midori

2 ounces white grapefruit juice

2 ounces pineapple juice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain the mixture into a highball glass.

Drink recipes and photos courtesy of mixthatdrink.com

Irish Flag

1⁄3 Green Creme de Menthe

1⁄3 Baileys Irish Cream

1⁄3 Grand Marnier

Pour a shot glass 1/3 full with Green Creme de Menthe. Pouring very slowly over the back of a spoon, add a layer of Baileys Irish Cream Again pouring very slowly over the back of a spoon, add a layer of Grand Marnier.

Irish Cola Drink

1 ounce Irish whiskey (Jameson)

1 ounce Bailey's

4 ounces cola

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the Irish whiskey and Bailey’s. Shake until chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass. Fill the glass the rest of the way very slowly with cola. (pouring slowly should prevent curdling)

Shamrock Juice Cocktail

1⁄2 ounces gin

1⁄2 ounces white tequila

1⁄2 ounces light rum

1⁄2 ounces vodka

1 ounce Blue Curacao

4 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice

Fill a hurricane or parfait glass with ice. Pour in the liquors and top off with the orange juice.

Garnish with an orange wheel and cherries..

Did you know that March 8th is dedicated to celebrating International Woman’s Day? Internation Woman's Day is a day set aside to celebrate the many achievements of women, as well as a rally for equality for women. There is no better way to shed some light on this day than by sharing some of the amazing and groundbreaking achievements made by women in the US Military.

Pvt. Cathay Willams

Pvt. Cathay Williams was in a support role during the Civil War. She was forced to serve due to her status as a captured slave, After the war ended, Williams became the first Black woman to enlist when she joined the Army under a male pseudonym, William Cathay.

Dr. Mary Walker served as an assistant surgeon in the Army. She went on to be captured by Confederate forces, held as a prisoner of war and suffered a long line of abuses due to her status as a woman. Later, she was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865. The award was taken back in 1917 due to her status as a civilian, but President Jimmy Carter restored the award in 1977. Dr. Mary Walker remains the only woman to have received the Medal of Honor in U.S. history.

Col. Mary Hallaren

Col. Mary Hallaren became a member of the first training class of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps. It was the largest all-female unit to serve overseas. She went on to serve as WAC’s director and advocated for women to be permanent regular members of the military beyond just wartime.

Capt. Linda Bray participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. There, she became the first woman to command American soldiers in battle. This role truly launched a reflection on women in the military. Bray's role in combat forced the military to rethink their ban on women in the role, which led to the ban being lifted.

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody

In 2008, Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody was the first woman to reach a four-star officer rank in the history of the military. She then went on to lead the Army Materiel Command before her retirement in 2012. Another great notable achievement of Dunwoody was that she was the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division during the First Gulf War.

Mary Walker Captain Linda Bray

If you are reading this, chances are you understand the struggles of being a military spouse. There are many things that come with being a military spouse and they are a lot more difficult than one might think. Thankfully, there are veteran spouses out there that are open to sharing tips and tricks on how to navigate this crazy life.

In this series, we are going to explore some of the issues that these spouses face every single day. This month, we would like to discuss making friends at a new duty station.

My husband was in the military for six years, and we went to two different duty stations. Every single move I was always afraid that I would feel very alone. Having to pack up your whole life and leave all of your loved ones and friends behind is not an easy task. It sort of feels like being a new kid at school and having to start fresh. If the spouse does not work, it can feel very difficult to meet people. After a few weeks of sitting at home alone, you can start feeling a little stir-crazy. Some people thrive on trips to the store alone and can keep themselves entertained. Others crave that human interaction.

One cool thing about being a military spouse is that there are a lot of options out there to meet people at your new duty station. One super easy way to meet new people is through social media. I found that there are so many spouse groups on Facebook that are open and welcoming to new members. Upon joining the group, you will see many spouses wanting to make some friends. Just making a simple post about yourself and setting up a meet-up at a local coffee shop is a great way to start meeting new friends.

I also met some great people through my husband’s company. Many companies hold family events for their soldiers. It is a great way to get out of the house and make friends with other spouses and your Soldier’s company. There always seems to be something going on, you just have to put yourself out there.

There are also great clubs and organizations at Fort Campbell that you can get involved in. For example, the Spouses Club and the USO are always open to new people. Everyone there wants the same thing as you. They all want to feel included and stay busy. Even though joining a new group can seem daunting, you will quickly fall right into place.

I will say that I met some of the kindest friends, while my husband was in the Army. Military friends quickly become like family, because many of us have no family around. We tend to all step up and help fill some of those roles. I had friends bringing me medicine while I was stuck at home sick, surprising me with donuts on Mother’s Day because my husband was out at training, and helping me chase down toddlers at busy events because my husband was deployed. The people you meet while traveling, the country is like no other, and you will not regret putting yourself out there and making some friends.

If you are looking for a new place to explore in the Fort Campbell area, then be sure to add The Wade Bourne Nature Center to your to-do list. It is a museum and event space located at 2308 Rotary Park Drive. It’s a non-profit organization providing support for the educational outreach of the facility. Their mission is “The Wade Bourne Nature Center at Rotary Park serves to promote conservation and nature education for all ages while connecting visitors with the environment.”

At the museum, you can learn about Clarksville native Wade Bourne. Wade Bourne dedicated his life to hunting, fishing, and all things outdoors. They also have an amazing nature discovery area where children can learn about the world around them.

A few of the permanent exhibits on display are the Wade Bourne Tribute, Geography and Geology, Living Things at Rotary Park, Earth Systems, Ecology, and the Children's Corner.

Construction is underway on a 450 gallon aquarium that will be home to many local species of fish. There will be educational panels about all the different species of native fish that you would find in the Cumberland River. Plans are in place to install the tank in a central location where visitors can see the fish during and after hours. The aquarium is scheduled to be completed in the spring of this year.

Other cool features that the museum has to offer around it are pollinator and butterfly gardens, over six miles of hiking/biking trails, a large ADA-accessible playground, ADA accessible trail and amphitheater, 25 acres of open space, an 18-hole disc golf course, and three pavilions.

If you would like to visit the center, it is open Tuesdays to Fridays 10am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-3pm. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Government Holidays.

mcgtn.org/parks/wade-bourne-nature-center

If you are already planning on getting your body ready for summer, then you know you have to start now. It can take 3 months to see changes, and summer is exactly that many months away. But, thankfully, March is National Nutrition Month, so it makes it the perfect month to kick start your fitness journey.

National Nutrition Month is sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It focuses attention on the importance of making smart food choices and developing healthy eating as well as great physical activity habits.

Choosing nutritious foods and getting enough physical activity can make a tremendous difference in your life. You will feel better, look better, and act better!

One quick tip that the Academy shares is to base your diet around having a mix of lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits to enjoy a healthful meal. It is important to cut back on the overly processed foods, and instead replace them with healthy alternatives. The Academy also recommends balancing a nutritious diet with physical activity multiple days a week. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services physical activity guidelines, adults should participate in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, including at least two days of strength exercises. Some great exercises to get you started are walking on an incline on the treadmill,

jumping on the stationary bike, or doing some weighted squats with a set of dumbells. Another great tip that the Academy wants to share is to try to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. A great way to do this is to take a walk during your lunch hour. You could also do something physical during the weekend, such as going on a hike, going swimming with the family, or chasing your children around the playground.

With some healthy food swaps and the right amount of exercise, you will be feeling more confident in those pair of shorts in no time.

Springtime is the best time to ditch the hot coffees and cocoas and instead stop by your favorite cold drink joint. When the weather rises, do you prefer smoothies, iced coffee, boba, or milkshakes? What about all four?

No matter your preference, the great businesses here in the Fort Campbell area have you covered.

Boba

Tita Boba

2201 Fort Campbell Blvd #700, and 100 Main St, Clarksville • facebook.com/TitaBobaTn/

No matter your flavor preference, Tita will have you covered. Whether you want fruity or creamy, they will have the boba flavor for you.

Nora’s Filipino Market 2201 Fort Campbell Blvd #400, Clarksville facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100067293900884

Delicious boba that you can grab to wash down some delicious Filipino food. You can not go wrong at this location.

Milkshakes

Golly G’s 2622 Madison St Ste Clarksville • gollygs.com

From flavors like cake batter to cotton candy, these milkshakes are so thick and rich that you will keep coming back for more.

Cook Out

804 N 2nd St and 2892 Wilma Rudolph Blvd Clarksville cookout.com

These milkshakes have their own fan club and for good reason. The endless amount of flavors and great prices will have you swinging by their drive-through all the time.

Cold Stone Creamery

1780 Tiny Town Rd Ste C and 1839 Madison St Clarksville coldstonecreamery.com

You can't go wrong with a classic. This ice cream store staple will gladly blend up some of its iconic flavors into a rich drink for you.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers 2100 Wilma Rudolph Blvd and 920 TN-76, Clarksville freddys.com

Have you ever tried frozen custard? What about frozen custard in milkshake form? If not, you're missing out on some delectable dessert.