ABOUT | October 2019

GEARHEAD

October 2019 • www.aboutrvmag.com

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley

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BOSOM BUDDIES

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MAKE YOUR MARK

SHOW YOUR CYCLONE PRIDE! Russellville Board of Education & the

Russellville School District are allowing RSD students FREE ADMISSION to all 2019-2020 athletic events!

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An adult must accompany all students from PreK to 7th Grade to all events.

Dropping off students is prohibited.

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Students must sit in the stands, and are not allowed to leave and re-enter Cyclone Stadium.

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No backpacks or large bags are allowed in Cyclone Stadium.

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The adult must stay at the event with the student as long as the student is in the stadium.

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Free admission is exempt from benefit games.

Russellville School District educates, equips, and empowers our students to be productive, contributing members of their school, community, and world, by preparing them to be college and career ready.

220 West 10th Street  Russellville AR 72801  479.968.1306  www.rsdk12.net

October 2019 TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

8 Gearhead

The Tacoma skidded to a stop in loose gravel that might generously be called a parking lot as the two young men laughed about the lack of amenities in this podunk town. The tall, sunkissed-blond man jumped from the driver’s seat and strode to the door of Lee Roy’s Garage.

12 Cryptozoology files: The catarachnid

14 Bosom Buddies

In 2012, Sharon Lloyd of Dardanelle received an email from a friend in Rogers, Arkansas, who had undergone a lumpectomy to remove cancer from her breast. During recovery, her friend found a knitting pattern for a breast prosthesis. Yes, a knitted breast prosthesis.

8 14

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18 The tasteeist burger 20 Cast Iron Goodness 24 Make Your Mark

From comic books, to college, to cutting art from a block of wood, Neal Harrington’s life has revolved around his creative drive.

34 Yard remedies 36 Water tables 38 10 things ABOUT...

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

The Scarlet Locke Hair Lounge

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ABOUT THIS MONTH’S COVER Artist and ATU art instructor Neal Harrington collaborated with me for this October’s fiction piece. Neal’s gritty and intense style of art, along with his interest in rural subjects, made for a smooth work flow even through some revisions. The story of Gearhead truly comes to life thanks to Neal’s talent. ~JCS

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

5

EDITOR’S LETTER

Mechanical failure I’ve never been mechanically inclined.

I’ve tinkered a bit. Back in high school, a more knowledgable buddy showed me how to tweak the four-barrel Quadrajet carburetor sitting atop the 400 small block in my old Chevy pickup. I put headers on that truck and did a few other minor upgrades and repairs, but minor work was the extent of my knowledge and talents.

Those fellows who could fix almost anything — who could tell you what was wrong just by listening to the exhaust notes, who could tear down an engine and build it back even stronger — amazed me. Their skills seemed to be some sort of dark magic or perhaps some connection to the machines that I could not understand.

Did they have a little 10W30 pulsing through their veins? Did a swig or two of 93 octane give them the edge?

Did I really think those thoughts?

I had a rather large imagination that often ran buck wild, twisting down so many trails that I sometimes forgot where I started. We often tell ourselves marvelous, delusional stories to make the uncomfortable less so.

It’s a form of cognitive dissonance, and it made me feel better about myself as a fairly smart kid (I thought) who got his tail kicked repeatedly by that mechanic stuff.

By the way, mechanic work still kicks my tail. And I still wonder how the masters do it.

That imagination and a long-held awe for the geniuses who can breathe life into a dead motor were components of the inspiration for this month’s cover story. When you throw in an appreciation for Mary Shelley’s work, a summer road trip to the edge of civilization in a car of questionable dependability, and an incredible artist offering plenty of guidance for characters and setting, the road to Gearhead’s creation was smooth paved.

But this October issue is more than just Gearhead. We also have an interview with that incredible artist who helped bring Gearhead to life along with a heartwarming story about women doing good for other women, helping to make the best of a tough situation in an unexpected way.

Throw in the regular columns with subjects ranging from healthcare growing in your yard, to the connection of water tables and our sense of place, to the funniest crypto-critter you’ve never heard of, to what could be the best cheeseburger in the River Valley, and you’ve got an issue ready for some front-porch reads in the cool October air.

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley since 2006 A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. XIV, Issue 9 – October 2019

DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY CARROL SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com LIZ CHRISMAN | photography editor lizchrismanphoto@gmail.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | freelance meredith@aboutrvmag.com JILL MCSHEEHY | freelance jill@aboutrvmag.com SARAH CLOWER | freelance sarah@aboutrvmag.com LYDIA ZIMMERMAN | columnist lydia@aboutrvmag.com CHRIS ZIMMERMAN | layout/design chris@aboutrvmag.com CLIFF THOMAS | illustrator maddsigntist@aboutrvmag.com

ABOUT… the River Valley is locally owned and published for distribution by direct mail and targeted delivery to those interested in the Arkansas River Valley.

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 2019 6th

— River Valley Arts Center Gallery Opening Doyle Young from 1 p.m.3 p.m. 479-968-2452 or rvartscenter@ gmail.com.

9th — Mandisa’s Girls Night Live at the Center for the Arts in Russellville. Show starts at 7 p.m. Mandisa brings her tour to The Center for the Arts on Wednesday, October 9th at 7pm! Featuring Blanca and Riley Clemmons. For more information contact 479-968-6600.

10th — St. John Harvest Fest Bazaar noon - 9 p.m. a St. John’s Catholic Church 1912 West Main Street Russellville.

11th — 2019 Chamber Classic Golf Tournament at the Russellville Country Club from noon - 6 p.m. Three-man scramble with a team entry of $300. For more information contact 479-968-2530 or mlumpkins@russellvillechamber.com.

12th

— 12th Annual Fall Fest at Zion Lutheran Church in Augsburg, Arkansas.

The festival begins at 10 a.m. and will run through the day. Zion Lutheran Church is located at the intersection of Arkansas Highway 333 and Augsburg Road, north of

Find up-to-date information and future events @

www.aboutrvmag.com/events London and northwest of Dover.

12th

— Night of Hope: Building the Path presented by the River Valley Child Advocacy with special guest First Lady of Arkansas Susan Hutchinson. From 5-9 p.m. at the Dardanelle Community Center. For more information contact Marilyn Sanders 479-414-9584 or Rashad Woods 479-453-1410.

26th

— 2019 Fall Festival and Chili Cookoff from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Depot Park and throughout downtown Russellville.

Admission is free. Vendors, art, music, food, children’s costume contest, 5K, Tour de Pumpkin, chili cookoff, and more. For more information contact 479-967-1437 or mainstreetrussellvillear@gmail.com.

31st — Happy Halloween! Kid’s are welcome at several locations for community events this evening including: the Hughes Center in Russellville

Nov. 9th — On a Winter’s Night: The Music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This fundraiser for Arkansas Center for Music Education will be presented at 7 p.m. at the Center for the Arts on the Russell-

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27 28 29 30 31 1 2 29 30 1 2 *Unless otherwise indicated,3 4 5 all area codes are 479. To have your event included in the ABOUT Calendar of Events, email: editor@aboutrvmag.com or fax to (479) 219-5031. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.

ville High School campus. The show will feature Music from the Christmas Attic along with TSO favorites. Tickets can be ordered in advance at www.itickets.com or purchased at the door on the evening of the show. Reserved seating is $35 for orchestra, $30 for mezzanine, and $20 for balcony. All proceeds go to Arkansas Center for Music Education, a 501c3 Music Education non-profit. Doors open at 6:15.

fsbmybank.com OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

7

Gearhead

The Tacoma skidded to a stop in loose gravel that might generously be called a parking lot as the two young men laughed about the lack of amenities in this podunk town. The tall, sun-kissed-blond man jumped from the driver’s seat and strode to the door of Lee Roy’s Garage.

They were outsiders. From their styled hair to the Chacos on their manicured feet to the shiny new mall-crawling Toyota 4X4 —lifted and swaggering on meaty mud tires tasting their first dirt road just today — it was easy to tell the men weren’t from around these parts. They had travelled here from the big city for a little adventure. The head of one of the more challenging trails twisting through the Ozark National Forest was nearby. It wound through a vast, rugged, and lonely wilderness that the locals hardly visited.

These woods had a reputation.

For a few hikers and hunters, Chigger Hollow had been the last adventure. Folks had a tendency to disappear here. It wasn’t a lot of people and it wasn’t frequent, but over the last two decades, more than a handful of boys and young men had simply vanished. The most recent disappearance was an 18-year-old deer hunter a couple of Octobers ago. He was also the oldest to evaporate somewhere in there among the hickories and cedar thickets.

The blond man twisted the old brass knob and flung the door open. The little bell above the door tinkled for seconds afterward.

“Hey, can you show us where Chigger Hollow is on this map?” the pretty boy yelled across the garage.

Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN | Illustrated by NEAL HARRINGTON Gearhead looked up from under the Nova’s hood, his bright, unblinking eyes gazed out like head beams from the shadows of the cap’s curved bill that seemed bolted tight to his skull. A mixture of sweat and motor oil dripped down his nose and pooled on the radiator, the liquids swirling together, a melding that defied physical laws.

The question ran through his sprocketed mind as his lanky, wiry form hovered over the 350 small block engine. He knew the firing sequence for this motor like he knew the backs of his scraped knuckles, like he knew the acid smell of a corroded car 8

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

battery. But the location of a wooded trail barely a couple miles from his home eluded him.

Lee Roy rolled out from under the Chevy’s chassis a split second later. He groaned and stood, straightening his back. A brown string of tobacco juice streamed from his pursed lips and splattered on the concrete floor.

“Yep, I know right whar yer talkin’ about,” Lee Roy said. “But that holler gets mighty perilous around dark. Hear tell, they saw a panther up the creek just last week.” The blond man guffawed, mumbling something about hicks and simple minds. Lee Roy just

smiled and proceeded to lead the blond man, and his dark-haired friend who had just walked in, back outside. After much pointing, finger tracing on the map, head shaking, and finally nods, the two men climbed into their mini-monster truck. The Toyota’s oversized rubber spit pebbles toward the garage as they sped toward their hiking destination.

“Dang city folk,” mumbled Uncle Lee Roy. “You don’t worry bout em, Gearhead. Jest stick to makin’ that mouse roar.”

Gearhead’s focus returned to the motor as he deftly twirled the screwdriver, tweaking the Holley four-barrel carburetor, open-

ing the airways just a bit more so that when the accelerator was floored those last few ponies could gallop.

His real name was forgotten. He’d gone by Gearhead ever since his Uncle Lee Roy had christened him with it when the boy fixed a heretofore unfixable tiller at the tender age of 4. That was the story according to Uncle Lee Roy’s recollections. Lee Roy’s memories were Gearhead’s memories.

And Gearhead’s memories were an endless parade of engine repairs — go-carts, three-wheelers, lawn mowers, even those little gasoline powered remote-control airplanes came his way. >> OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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“Spark plugs, manifolds, pistons, the tight tolerances of a well-machined

cam shaft, these were the components of Gearhead’s life.”

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

A lot of folks can barely jump-start a vehicle. The tangled mess of wires, hoses, and belts whirring in unison, pumping out carbon monoxide and horsepower, was a mystery to them. But something about the direct nature of an internal combustion engine made the most perfect and wonderful sense to Gearhead. Bolt it all up right and tight, add some lubrication, add some fuel, and a roaring beast of burden came to life under your complete control.

Spark plugs, manifolds, pistons, the tight tolerances of a well-machined cam shaft, these were the components of Gearhead’s life.

He became a local legend in this backwoods community at the edge of civilization, even though the locals caught only a glimpse of him when they brought a piece of broken machinery to Lee Roy’s garage.

They knew Gearhead was odd. Within his savant brilliance, his precise and tireless work, his single-minded focus on the mechanical issues at hand, the boundaries between man and machine blurred. Adding to the ambiguity were the curious symmetrical growths protruding from under each ear, the smell of grease and gasoline that always surrounded him, the rhythmically slow stuttering — near puttering — monotone of his words on the rare occasions that he spoke. He never left the garage, living in the yellow light of an 80 watt bulb screwed into a socket, plugged into an extension cord and always hanging from the metal hood of some make and model of automobile.

No one even knew how old Gearhead was, but Lee Roy said he was somewhere around 21.

Gearhead wore a homemade fanny pack fashioned from the upholstery of a 1962 Chevy Impala, the flashy red color now faded and grease smeared. A red wire and a black wire ran from either side of the pack and up under his shirt, which was one of a small rotation of faux-pearl snap-button Western shirts. He wore the shirts buttoned tight to his arms and neck. The only skin anyone ever saw were the grease covered, scarred hands with curious stitches, always appearing pink and fresh, that circled his wrist. Sometimes a glimpse of cheek or chin caught in the light of the yellow bulb.

And then there were those eyes. Bright. Too bright.

Glowing. Seemingly illuminated from within.

Lee Roy had told the story countless times, that Gearhead had miraculously survived the auto accident that killed Lee Roy’s brother and sister-in-law. That the “big city doctors” had patched the boy together with some unconventional methods. “But who am I to find fault with them college-educated folks,” was Lee Roy’s reply to any questions.

Return visits to those “big-city doctors” was the reason for Gearhead’s fresh stitches Lee Roy claimed. But no one besides Lee Roy ever got a good look at Gearhead.

And, after a time, the locals grew accustomed to Gearhead’s bizarre presence. Rural folks don’t tend to ask many

“The only skin anyone ever saw were the grease covered, scarred hands with curious stitches, always appearing pink and fresh, that circled his wrist.” questions about matters that, on the surface, are none of their business. And no one cared how weird Gearhead was anyway, not when he could fix anything they put in front of him.

The truth is that no one knew Gearhead as a person. No one even really thought of him as such. The utilitarian nature of local culture, predicated on a hand-to-mouth existence for most, considered him simply a wondrous tool of incredible complexity at their disposal.

None held this view with more conviction than Lee Roy. But this dead Chevy V-8 was beating Gearhead. Even his genius couldn’t crack the code. He felt worn down.

Gearhead was tired. He was also thirsty. Only rarely did he drink water. He craved something with more bite, something high-octane.

Lee Roy came from outside carrying an aluminum water bottle. Fumes twisted out from the metal straw, distorting the bulb’s light in waves. The smell of petrol made Gearhead’s mouth water. Gearhead pulled the straw into his mouth and sipped.

After one gulp, his heart rate revved higher. His brain, firing through electrical impulses in a steady rhythm, ratcheted through every possible solution to the engine problem.

Gearhead grabbed a handful of wrenches, tweaking here, tightening there. He paused. Putting the wrenches down, Gearhead used his thumb to create a circuit between the starter’s contacts. Blue sparks leapt from the contacts, pulsing through Gearhead’s thumb, through his body. The musty Motown muscle car sputtered, gasping and wheezing.

“It’s alive!” chuckled Lee Roy. “But we might oughtta just tear the whole thang down and start over. I suspect you might be due an overhaul, too.”

Lee Roy motioned for Gearhead to sit. “You rest, boy.”

As Gearhead’s rear end touched the metal folding chair, Lee Roy reached into the fanny pack and unhooked the wires from the lawnmower battery. Gearhead’s eyes dimmed. His head slumped gently onto his chest.

“I reckon all you need is a few newer parts and you’ll be back to your ol’ self. Lucky for us that Chigger Hollow is a mighty perilous place ‘round sundown, what with that panther and all.”

Lee Roy shifted the wad of tobacco in his mouth.

“Mighty perilous…”

The fall colors were just peeking through. The hills and hollows would be full of hikers and hunters for the next month or so. A few year’s supply of spare parts should be easy to come by.

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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E V E R Y D AY L I F E

Cryptozoology files: The catarachnid Story by SARAH CLOWER Illustration by CLIFF THOMAS

OCTOBER IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, MY FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR. The leaves turning every shade of autumn and falling in plenitudes, swirling at your feet on those brisk morning walks we all tell ourselves we will take. There is just something about October that gives even the most negative Nancy a warm and snuggly disposition.

The other aspect of fall, that I quite enjoy, is the variety of all things pumpkin spice. Sometimes it is quite amusing to see all of the ways this smell and flavor can be infused into beauty products, household items, coffee creamers, home decor, hair color, candle scents, and even treats for cats and dogs — really, just about everything that’s marketable for fall.

But my most favorite thing about this month is definitely Halloween. I love any excuse to put on a costume and eat candy. I also love seeing children dressed in costumes. Now that my son Raff is getting older, he loves to pick out his own costume for Halloween. But when he was younger, I took great delight in choosing creative get ups for him. He was usually a pretty good sport about it.

Now that Raff doesn’t even appreciate my costume suggestions, I’ve had to find

other sources of amusement for my costume endeavors.

Like my cat.

I have a large Siamese cat with big blue eyes that Raff affectionately named Skye.

Although Skye is a cat, he behaves much more like a dog. He does tricks, fetches, walks on a leash, and responds to my whistle. And he indulges me by allowing me to dress him up in costumes. He doesn’t fully enjoy it, it’s more about putting up with my antics.

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

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Last Halloween, when I had taken Raff shopping to pick out his costume, I decided I would pick one out for Skye as well. While Raff was perusing through the hordes of Halloween garb, I went one aisle over to check out the options for my furry friend.

I soon found the cutest spider costume for Skye. The part that went over his body was black with little prickles of hair here and there. Creepy googly eyes danced on the hood for his head while the legs dangled from the sides, which would create the illusion of a spider crawling when Skye would run about. It was perfect!

On our way back home, I could barely contain my excitement to see Skye in his new spider outfit.

A few days later, Raff and I were invited to a Halloween event at a local church. The event was mostly outside, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring Skye in his costume. When we arrived, everyone went wild over my pet “spider.” He was quite the star of the show.

After walking him around for a bit on his harnessed leash, I decided it was best for him to go back in the car. There were some other four-legged, costumed marauders running about, and Skye kept working furiously to get out of his harness. Anytime I take Skye somewhere I take his cat house with his food and water that has a section in the back for a

small litter box. He is usually quite content lounging around in my SUV while he awaits our return.

This particular evening, Raff had met up with a few friends he knew from school.

He ran up to me at one point and asked me for my car keys. After asking him why he needed them, he told me he and his friends wanted to get the folding chair that I always keep in the back. Without thinking about Skye being in the car, I handed them to him, instructing him to bring them right back to me.

Just moments after Raff ran outside with my keys, I heard quite the commotion. And I immediately knew what the issue was: Raff had forgotten that Skye was in the Yukon and Skye had probably escaped.

Sure enough, when I walked out to the parking lot into the melee, my assumption was correct.

There was a chaotic cacophony of costumed dogs barking while chasing an enormous spider, a gaggle of children running after the dogs, and women screaming and jumping into and onto vehicles with terror at the sight of a huge spider running loose!

“Skye! Stop running! Everyone! He’s not a real spider! He’s just a cat!” Raff was calling.

Several other children were echoing his calls or shouting at the dogs. The screaming was making my ears ring.

I caught Raff by the arm as he ran by.

“Where are my keys?” I demanded. He pulled them from his jacket pocket.

I rushed to my vehicle and opened the back hatch. I whistled for Skye as loud as I could, and suddenly the giant “spider” changed direction and started running toward me. Skye jumped right into the back of the SUV, and I quickly closed the hatch. Within moments I was surrounded by a cheerleader, a pumpkin, and a dinosaur, all barking and jumping around wildly. The owners of the dogs quickly rushed over and collected their pets, gushing apologies. I insisted there was no need to apologize, that dogs will always chase cats, and it was just an accident that Raff let him out.

Raff jogged over to me after seeing that, perhaps, I wasn’t as furious as he expected me to be.

“I completely forgot Skye was in the car and as soon as —“ “I know.” I interrupted. “It’s ok. I actually didn’t think about it either.”

“But Mom, next year, I think we need to get Skye something less scary. There are still some of the women locked in their cars, refusing to get out, until they know the big spider is gone.”

“Oh my. Ok, I’ll handle it.” I told him.

“Maybe next year I’ll dress him up like that Starbucks pumpkin spice latte costume that I saw at Walmart.”

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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Bosom Buddies Story by DANIELLE HOUSENICK | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

Many of you may have a scratchy wool sweater, hand-knit and gifted to you by an aunt, stowed away in the back of your closet. It’s an afterthought. A relic.

But knitting is in style again. And knitters still love to share and gift their creations. This goes beyond knitting for family and friends and extends to knitting for strangers. Charitable knitting has deep roots in history. For many, knitting was a necessary skill.

Today it’s more of a passion or an art, which makes charitable knitting even more meaningful.

During World War II, the American Red Cross urged women at home to “knit their bit” or knit for victory. In November 1941, Life Magazine published photos and instructions for knitting helmet liners, socks, sweaters, and even gloves. One poster emphasized the importance of knitting to the troops with a drawing of a soldier with the words, “I wonder who is knitting for me?” Elea14

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

nor Roosevelt was shown knitting at meetings or while traveling, nurses held knitting lessons while women and children bunked down in bomb shelters, even wounded male soldiers were taught to knit while they recovered. It was one of the most patriotic things those back home could do while they waited on good news from abroad. Of course, these items kept soldiers warm, but they also brought love and comfort from home.

Today, even though mass production and globalization provide cheap, plentiful goods to keep us cozy, there are many groups of knitters right here in the River Valley that still choose to dedicate time and talent, creating knitted comfort for themselves and others. Charitable knitting comes in many shapes and forms including prayer shawls, hats, or blankets to provide solace for adults or children who may be sick or recovering from trauma. Some knit to raise awareness of issues, such as suicide prevention, that are close to their heart. There are even groups that knit soft nests for orphaned baby birds or sweaters for penguins affected by oil spills or other environmental disasters. I’m a proud member of an astounding charitable knitting group myself. But our cause is somewhat more specific.

In 2012, Sharon Lloyd of Dardanelle received an email from a

friend in Rogers, Arkansas, who had undergone a lumpectomy to remove cancer from her breast. During recovery, her friend found a knitting pattern for a breast prosthesis.

Yes, a knitted breast prosthesis.

Already familiar with charitable knitting, this unusual cause piqued her interest. So Sharon and her fellow knitters tested the pattern, adjusted it, selected yarn, and needles began to click.

Sharon remains the lead organizer of the group known affectionately as the “Bosom Buddies.” Since 2012, the group of six knitters have crafted and delivered more than 1,000 knitted forms to women around the world. Like most missions, there is much behind the scenes.

Stephanie Bates, proprietor of Knit 2 Together, a yarn shop for fiber artists in Russellville supports the group in many invaluable ways. Tuesday nights are known as Knit Night at the shop and many fiber artists (not just the Bosom Buddies) gather to share experience, camaraderie, and coffee. The knitted breast forms are crafted from a very specific yarn which contains cotton and acrylic fiber — no wool. Stephanie places special bulk orders of this yarn in a variety of colors and allows Knit 2 Together to be a sort of home base for the group, even receiving mail addressed to the Bosom Buddies at the shop. She is far from the only supporter of the group. Many other knitters have made items bearing the group’s name, helped design promotional materials, or even donated funds to help defray the cost of yarn, fiber fill, and postage.

Like Eleanor Roosevelt knitting for soldiers, members of the Bosom Buddies make a point to knit prostheses in public to start

a conversation with those around them. When asked why she chooses to create these prosthesis, Cecelia Jaffe of Clarksville says that creating the breast forms shows women that “someone cares.” Cecelia also points out that the forms are created by women for women. Unlike silicone forms, many of which are designed by men, the knitted breasts are light, washable, and more comfortable for women who have undergone a mastectomy.

All of the members of the Bosom Buddies, like Sharon, know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Caroline Hargus notes that she chooses to give back to women because breast cancer runs in her family. Lynn McEntire shares a similar outlook when it comes to charitable knitting. “I enjoy knitting and being able to help others through knitting is a wonderful gift,” Lynn says.

Many of the Bosom Buddies have provided knitted breast forms to family or friends, but most of the prosthesis are distributed through medical providers in Arkansas including St. Vincent’s and Baptist Health Center among others. The word about knitted breasts has spread throughout the medical community. Dr. Melanie Prince learned about them from a patient who was awaiting reconstruction. Dr. Prince commented that the patient had a great self-image in the face of challenging circumstances: “I commonly see the difficult emotional struggle that women go through after mastectomy and during the process of reconstruction.”

The breast prosthesis are not only sent to providers and patients in Arkansas. Upon request, they are sent from coast to coast across the country to states such as Ohio, Minnesota, California, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, and Illinois. >> OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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In fact, some knitted breast forms have been sent all over the world. Bosom Buddies has sent knitted breasts to patients in Honduras and Malaysia.

Each prostheses is customized based on the patient’s request. There are a variety of sizes and colors available. Most women opt for a neutral or skin tone, but the group has received requests for brighter colors such as purple, pink, blue, and even Razorback red. This is often dependent on where the patient is at in the recovery process. Each knitted breast is mailed to the patient (or healthcare provider if they prefer) with care instructions, fiber fill in the prosthesis along with extra to allow for adjustments, and a small weight to provide a comfortable fit.

Most importantly, the knitted breast prostheses from Bosom Buddies are provided free of charge. In the words of Bosom Buddy Corlene Hogg we are “women helping women.” Many recipients of the breasts donate to the cause, but this is completely optional. Many insurance plans either do not cover the full cost of a silicone or foam breast form, or they only pay for one every two to three years. And while a silicone breast prosthesis can cost around $500, each knitted breast form costs $5 to $8 to make (including postage) depending on the size.

After asking my fellow knitters why they choose to knit for this cause, I reflected on my reasons for knitting the prosthesis. While I would most definitely concur with all the comments made by the other Bosom Buddies, there are other factors to be considered.

Privacy is one. Hospital gowns and exam rooms with doctors, nurses, and technicians constantly checking your breasts is bound to make patients feel exposed. Women can adjust the knitted prosthesis in the privacy of their own home. There is no paperwork required, no pain or embarrassment of undergoing a fitting.

These women have been through a difficult and painful journey. We refer to them as survivors because their body and spirit have survived a trauma. As breast cancer patients, women have so many procedures done to them, this is something that can be done for them. These women experience many unknowns and face un-

fathomable decisions. So much is out of their control and requires waiting either on test results, appointments, surgery, treatment, and follow-up. The knitted breast forms can be worn much sooner after surgery than silicone forms and provided to most patients within a few days to a week. There is no waiting period. It’s one small thing we can do for these survivors.

The women that receive the prosthesis often take time to share updates and appreciation. Among the comments women often say that they are not as self-conscious about hugging people. Many say that they feel like themselves again or like a new person: “It is the first time I have felt put together.”

“I grinned like an idiot when I looked in the mirror… your thoughtfulness sent my self-confidence way over the top.”

“The comfort I am experiencing after wearing a hot, heavy prosthesis for 10 years is unbelievable.”

Bosom Buddies is an independent group of local knitters.

Though we are not a 501©3 organization, we rely on kind donations. You can find more information, as well as a knitting pattern for a breast prosthesis on our Facebook page or our website www. arbosombuddies.com. Or stop by the yarn shop, Knit 2 Together in Russellville. There are also resources available through a national organization and their website, www.knittedknockers.org.

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

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*October’s crisp temps make for the perfect sport climbing weather.

One of my favorite places? Fern, just north of Mulberry.

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

17

Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN

MIZE’S TASTEE BURGER (479) 880-3065 801 N CHURCH ST ATKINS

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

The tasteeist burger Not that long ago, or at least it doesn’t seem so long ago, if you wanted a cheeseburger in Atkins there was one option — Bewley’s Tastee Burger.

Besides hefty and delicious cheeseburgers, Bewley’s Tastee Burger offered other options like taco burgers, pizza burgers, burritos, taco salads and various dinners.

Through the teenage years, I sampled nearly every item on the menu and had nary a complaint. I’d wager that the entire town of Atkins from that time period would agree with my assessment.

All good things must come to an end, though, and Bewley’s closed up several years ago. But sometimes those good things come back. Sometimes they come back even better Now there’s a new Tastee Burger in Atkins under the direction Jerry and Shelly Mize. And guess where Shelly worked through high school. You don’t have to

guess. You can take a look at the Mize’s Tastee Burger To Go menu listing many of the old favorites.

We travelled to Mize’s Tastee Burger To Go for a country classic — the fried bologna sandwich. And it was scrumptious.

We paired it with a side of pickle fries, which were an incredible eating experience on their own.

But then Shelly dropped the cheeseburgers on us, and suddenly, not much else mattered. I don’t know what she’s doing to those burgers, but the result is a rich, savory umami explosion like nothing I’ve ever experienced between two buns.

After two bites, Liz agreed, and a proclamation was made: Here in the River Valley — this land of iconic cheeseburgers, legends known beyond our state’s borders — the Tastee-Burger is, in fact, the tastiest burger we’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

19

C O U N T E R T O P C R E AT I O N S

Cast Iron Goodness Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

R

Cast Iron Faux Sourdough Bread

CAST IRON FAUX SOURDOUGH BREAD ABOUT Magazine Featured Recipe ~ October 2019

1 c plain yogurt, room temperature 1 c sour cream, room temperature 1 pkg yeast 1/4 c warm water

1 tsp granulated sugar 1 T honey 2 tsp salt 1 T oil 4 - 5 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set yogurt and sour cream out to warm to room temperature. Dissolve yeast in warm water (approx 110-120 degrees) and 1 tsp granulated sugar. Let set for 10 minutes to assure that yeast is good, it will foam up).

While waiting on yeast to foam, sift 4 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer). Add salt, and stir.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

Stir yogurt, honey, salt, and oil into yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Add yogurt mixture to the “well” of the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mixed well.

20

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

ecently, I was cleaning out my cabinets and discovered two cast-iron skillets that my sweet Aunt Hilda had given me as a wedding gift more than 24 years ago.

The skillets brought back memories of growing up with my mother cooking everything from breakfast, dinner, and even no-bake cookies in her cast-iron skillets.

I recently heard someone say that they had purchased some very old, rusty cast-iron skillets from a secondhand store. This person took them home, scrubbed them and seasoned them back to life.

If only more things in life could be so easily restored.

To commemorate my recent cabinet find, I’ve collected some delicious recipes that I hope you will enjoy trying in your cast-iron skillets. And if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, maybe it’s time to buy one.

As always, enjoy!

Place your dough hook for your KitchenAid stand mixer on the mixer and start on low to medium speed to knead your dough. Let knead 5-7 minutes. You might have to add little more flour to get the dough smooth and elastic but not sticky.

While the dough is kneading, grease a large glass or ceramic bowl. Place in your preheated oven to warm.

After the kneading process is complete, remove bowl from oven and place the dough in the warm bowl. Flip dough into greased bowl to coat dough with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and place on top of the stove to double in size (approx. 45-55 minutes).

During the last 20 minutes of the dough rising, spray your cast iron skillet with cooking spray and place in the oven to heat.

When dough has doubled in size punch it down and place it in the heated skillet. Cover again with a clean dish towel and place on top of stove to rise again.

Turn oven temperature to 400 degrees.

After the dough has doubled in size, place the skillet in the oven and bake for approx 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Spritz the top of the bread with water in a spray bottle every 10 minutes to make crust chewy. Your bread is done when the top is golden brown and when you tap on the top it sounds hollow.

CHIPPED BEEF DIP 2 c sour cream 2 (8 oz) pkg softened cream cheese 1- 2.25 oz jar of Armour dried beef, sliced into long thin strips and diced 1- bunch of green onions and 1/2 of the green tops 2 T chopped jalapeno peppers 2 tsp chopped black olives 1 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredient except the cheddar cheese, mix well.

Place mixture in a 7 or 8 in cast iron skillet and sprinkle cheddar cheese on the top.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve this dip warm with chips, fresh vegetables or crackers.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROASTED CHICKEN AND POTATOES 4 to 4 1/2 lb whole chicken Kosher salt Olive oil Freshly ground black pepper 1 onion any flavor will do, sliced 1 russet potato very thinly sliced (no need to peel the skin) 1/2 sweet potato very thinly sliced (no need to peel the skin) 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt in-

Chipped Beef Dip

side and out. Let the chicken sit for 1 hour, or in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and set a 12inch cast iron skillet inside on the middle rack. Tie the legs of the chicken together with string or twine and pat dry with paper towels again. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly rub or brush the skin to cover it evenly. Season with a bit more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a medium bowl, toss the vegetables with half of the thyme leaves and a drizzle of olive oil and set aside.

Once the oven comes to temperature,

drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Very carefully place the chicken in the hot pan and quickly move out of the way in case the oil pops.

Carefully add the potatoes, onion, and thyme around the chicken and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone reads 155 to 160°F and the juices run clear.

Transfer from the oven and loosely tent with foil for about 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe courtesy of foodiecrush.com

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

21

ditional oil.

Using a sharp knife, score the phyllo into six wedges. Bake the spanakopita for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top crust is golden brown.

Let cool until just warm. Cut along the score marks to serve.

Recipe courtesy of ediblecommunitities. com

CAST IRON SPANAKOPITA 3 c frozen spinach defrosted and coarsely chopped 2 eggs lightly beaten ¼ c pine nuts or walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped ¼ c minced sun-dried tomatoes 2 c crumbled feta cheese ½ c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ c minced fresh dill ¼ tsp ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper 1⁄3 c olive oil 1 package phyllo dough sheets thawed in the refrigerator Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the spinach.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, dill, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stir in the spinach and season generously with pepper.

Using a pastry brush and working quickly, lightly oil one side of a phyllo sheet and lay it, oiled side down, in a 10-inch skillet so it comes up the sides. Repeat with three more sheets of phyllo, making sure to lay them in different directions and leaving quite a bit of overhang.

Spread the filling on the phyllo. Top with three more sheets of phyllo that have been trimmed to fit the skillet. Fold the overhanging phyllo on top, and brush with ad-

CAST IRON SANTA FE CHICKEN WITH RICE 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves salt for seasoning 1 T olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 tsp minced garlic 1 1/2 c low sodium chicken broth 1 c mild salsa 1 c white rice 1/2 c shredded colby jack cheese 1 avocado, sliced 1 medium tomato, chopped Sprinkle the chicken generously on each side with salt and then set aside.

Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet over med/low heat. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking process. Add onions and cook for 4 minutes and then stir in garlic. Cook for an additional minute. Pour in the chicken broth and salsa and bring skillet to a boil. Stir in the rice and arrange chicken over the rice. Cover tightly and simmer for 24-28 minutes or until chicken

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

is throughly cooked. Remove from heat.

Let it stand covered for another 5 minutes to ensure all liquid has been absorbed.

Sprinkle with cheese and then top it off with tomatoes and avocado.

Recipe courtesy of azestybite.com IRON SKILLET CAMPFIRE PEACH COBBLER For the fruit layer: 6 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and sliced 2/3 c brown sugar 2 T all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla extract For the biscuit topping: 1 c all-purpose flour 1/3 c brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c cold buttermilk 1 stick of chilled butter (8 T), cubed Preheat the center of your grill to medium-high heat (400 degrees Fahrenheit).

Toss the sliced peaches, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla extract together and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.

Add in the buttermilk and cubed butter.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the wet ingredients until the biscuit dough forms. Be sure not to overwork the mixture.

Transfer the peaches (with all of their juices) to a lightly greased nine-inch castiron skillet and divide the biscuit dough into eight equal rounds. Carefully dollop the rounds over the peach layer (I like to use an ice cream scoop for this step).

Uncover the lid and carefully place the skillet over the center grates of the grill.

Cover the lid and allow the cobbler to cook for 20-25 minutes or until the biscuit topping is deeply golden and the peaches are bubbly. Keep an eye on the grill thermometer (usually found on the lid) and make sure the temp remains at 400 degrees the entire time; adjust the dials as needed.

Once the cobbler is cooked through, very carefully remove the pan using a heavy duty oven mitt and allow the cobbler to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

(I like to keep the oven mitt or kitchen towel draped over the handle of the skillet to remind myself and others that it’s still PIPING hot.)

Recipe courtesy of brit.co KETO CHOCOLATE SKILLET COOKIE 6 T almond flour 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder 1 large egg 2 T butter 2 T unsweetened almond milk 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp grated orange, lemon peel or use cinnamon oil 2 T erythritol

Options: sugar-free chocolate chips 1 cup pinch of salt Place all ingredients in a food processor except the chocolate chips.

Mix until just combined.

Fold in the chips.

Place the ingredients from your food processor to 8-inch cast-iron skillet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 for around 25 minutes and use the toothpick method to check the middle. If not set continue baking for 2 more minutes.

Cool around 5 minutes, lift the parchment paper cake onto a large plate.

Top with sugar-free fruits, unsweetened whipped cream or whatever you like.

Recipe courtesy of whatscookingitalianstylecuisine.com CAST IRON STEAK WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE 4 (8- to 10-oz) beef tenderloin filets, cut 2 1⁄2 in thick 1 T vegetable oil 1 tsp kosher salt, divided 3⁄4 tsp ground black pepper, divided 1 T butter 1 1⁄2 c quartered white button mushrooms 1 1⁄2 c quartered baby portobello mushrooms 1 c quartered shiitake mushrooms 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T all-purpose flour

1 1⁄4 c beef broth 1⁄4 c dry red wine (optional) 2 tsp tomato paste 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme Remove filets from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking; pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 375°.

In a 12-in cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season both sides of steaks with 3⁄4 tsp salt and 1⁄2 tsp pepper.

Add steaks to skillet. Cook until steaks are browned and can be easily turned, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn steaks.

Place skillet in oven, and bake until a meat thermometer reads 125°, 12 to 15 minutes for medium-rare, or until desired degree of doneness. (Turn steaks once during cooking.) Remove steaks from skillet; cover loosely with foil.

In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk flour into beef broth. Add broth mixture, wine, tomato paste, thyme, and remaining 1⁄4 tsp each salt and pepper to skillet.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until lightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return steaks to skillet; cook 1 minute.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of the South Magazine, December 2015

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

23

Story by KENZIE SAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

I FOLLOW NEAL HARRINGTON DOWN THE STEPS and into his studio. The room is cluttered, but it’s a good clutter, an artist’s clutter. A massive printing press looms in the back corner. Large finished prints hang on one wall and the other wall sports a Bob Dylan poster and street signs. Below the poster and signs, rests a rack of six-stringed axes that Neal rotates through in sessions with his band Black Sabbatical, a metal group composed entirely of college instructors.

We sit in the middle of this room filled with tools of the creative. Neal sips coffee and runs his fingers through long whiskers as he speaks about his journey.

He talks about his boyhood, about how he would tag along with his mother to the grocery store and she would leave him at the magazine racks while she shopped. The magazine rack became his art museum.

“When I was a kid the only art I saw was in advertisements or whatever was on television or comic books,” Neal explains. He’s an animated talker, a person whose passion and energy is manifest in physical movement.

And it’s clear that he’s passionate about his craft. “I would copy comic books. I just copied them and it never got old to me. I just always wanted to draw.”

Neal grew up in a blue-collar home in Rapid City, South Dakota. He says, as a kid, it was hard for him to imagine art as a career. He often worked with his grandparents who were house painters. As soon as he was old enough

24

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

to help out, he was on the clean up crew. His grandfather also taught him how to cut in the trim, which quickly became his favorite part of the job.

After high school, Neal decided to attend college at the University of South Dakota as an art major, but he quickly realized that it would be very difficult to make decent money as an artist. He considered the house painting business as a safe career to fall back on if nothing else worked out. Then, he thought he would want to be a police officer and switched his major to criminal justice. But it wasn’t a good fit. “After doing that for a semester I thought, well this isn’t going anywhere.”

Because he had always enjoyed reading, he thought maybe he would go into English and try creative writing. But, by his own admission, mastering grammar was a challenge. So he changed his major, once again, to art.

Then, as the college years rolled along, Neal noticed that his professors seemed to have a nice set up.

“I remember it distinctly,” Neal says. “I wondered, ‘how did they get that job? That looks like a good job.’” After inquiring about it, his professors told him that he would have to go to graduate school in order to become a professor.

Neal kept this idea tucked away as he finished his undergraduate career with a BFA in painting and drawing. Even after graduating, he still considered becoming a police officer or a fireman. “But fate intervened,” Neal says, “and I was accepted to graduate school as a painter.”

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

25

“The best part of painting is you can paint over anything,” Neal says. “And the worst part is you can paint over anything.”

Neal met his wife, Tammy, at USD and they applied to graduate school together at Wichita State University. She was accepted as a printmaker and he was accepted as a painter. Starting his graduate career, Neal had doubts about his decisions. “I was kind of painted out,” Neal says. “I went all in my senior year of college, and I lived in the studio trying to get better. By the time I got to grad school I thought, ‘this is a mistake.’ I was sick of painting.” He found himself struggling.

“The best part of painting is you can paint over anything,” Neal says. “And the worst part is you can paint over anything.” Tammy would come back from the printmaking studio and think that he had finished one painting and started another when he’d really just painted over the first one. “I was always a little bit envious, too, because painting is a very solitary thing,” Neal says. “Printmakers all print around the same press and they’re chit chatting.”

Neal’s extroversion seemed to fit the profile of a printmaker. And so, after a couple of years, he decided to become a printmaker.

The only real problem -- it was the same field as his wife.

“That was a total idiot move because Tammy was a print maker and I thought, wow, we both have the same degree and we’re competing with each other.” But Neal stuck with it anyway and

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

learned printmaking in one semester with Tammy as his main teacher. He taught printmaking to a class the following semester.

After grad school, Neal and Tammy had some tough decisions to make. “Everyone told us that one of us should go K-12 teaching and the other one could try for college because it’s that hard to get those jobs,” Neal says. “But we rolled the dice and the stars lined up. I was able to get a job at Tech and my wife is a professor of art at the University of the Ozarks. We both have college teaching jobs and we’ve both been at them since 2001.”

Neal started at Arkansas Tech University with a one-year position and Tammy was an adjunct professor at Tech and at the University of the Ozarks. Once that year was up, Tammy took a full-time position at the U of O and Neal worked as an adjunct.

Now, 20 years later, Neal is a full-time tenured professor at Arkansas Tech.

Besides teaching art, Neal is a working artist. His style is grungy

and detailed and the contrast in his woodcuts is dramatic. “I started doing these kinda bluegrass, blues, backwoods, moonshiney, all that mixed,” Neal says. His best selling series, “Bootlegger’s Ballads,” came about after some experimentation with woodcut.

Woodcut is actually the oldest printmaking technique known. The artist starts by drawing their design on a piece of wood. Then they carve the blank wood away with a gouge. The next step inking the the uncarved parts of the image with an ink roller and the image is printed on a medium either by hand or with a printing press.

Tammy first suggested that he start doing woodcuts because he enjoys drawing so much. “I just have a tendency to carve out too much because I’m kind of a hyper person,” Neal says. To fix the pieces when he gets carried away with the gouge, Tammy told him to try ink washes. To do this, he puts water in the reservoirs of an ice cube tray and puts different amounts of India in each pool to create a greyscale. He then uses the different shades where he thinks they look best. There’s no formula. “I do it randomly,” Neal says. “I am not a methodical person.”

Neal likes to leave the meaning of each piece up to the interpretation of the viewer. “People are gonna bring their own baggage and their own thoughts to things anyway,” Neal says. “And that’s the fun thing. Its hard because I kind of look like the character,

but if people don’t know its me, and you can hear people talking about your work, that’s fun. They’ll just be raw. Either they’ll hate it or they’ll be saying crazy things or they’ll say ‘oh, I never thought of that.’” Neal’s influences include Kathe Kollwitz, Jose Jiminez, Thomas Hart Benton, and Lind Ward. His portfolio highlights these influences.

Neal hopes to continue creating new content and taking his art in different directions. He’s always sketching out thumbnails for new ideas as they come to him, compiling a list of options to work with. To deal with creative blocks, Neal switches up his routine. “I come from the school of thought, though, that you have to work to make art,” Neal says. “I don’t wait for inspiration. I’ll change my routine, but I’ll still draw and read and do things I normally do but maybe just change the times of things. But I don’t sit around waiting for the image to happen.”

Students often come to Neal complaining of creative block. His advice is simple and direct. It’s wisdom that can be applied to almost any challenge. It’s wisdom that has guided Neal as he created a life blending his profession with his passions.

“Just start making marks and react to them,” Neal says. “You make a mark and you either react by doing something else, or erasing it or something. But you can’t work with nothing.”

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

27

COMMUNITY

Zion (Augsburg) Celebrates 12th Annual Fall Fest Zion Lutheran Church at Augsburg will host its 12th Annual Fall Fest on Saturday, October 12. The festival begins at 10 a.m. and will continue all day.

Founded in 1883, the congregation was looking for ways to reach out to the community as it celebrated its 125th Anniversary. The members were surprised at the success of that first festival, and it has grown each year since then.

One reason for this phenomenal growth has been the community-wide investment in both in time and money. The Fall Fest planning committee begins meeting each year in March or April to prepare for that year’s festival. About 60 volunteers help with preparation, set-up, and working wherever they are needed the day of the festival. Each year, volunteers come from as far away as Iowa, Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii.

This year’s festival will feature a bike ride, free kids’ games, bump and jumps, pony rides, petting zoo, cake walk, silent auction, country store, Daisy BB gun shoot, drawing for a locally grown farm-raised hog (processed and ready to be picked up the day of the festival), drawing for a 40-gun Can-

non gun safe, antique farm equipment display, bingo, climbing wall, crafts and educational booths, all day musical entertainment, and delicious German food featuring handmade bratwursts with sauerkraut or grilled peppers and onions served on a homemade roll and homemade desserts.

All proceeds from the festival are equally divided between Zion’s two social outreach ministries: the River Valley Christian Clinic in Dardanelle, which provides free healthcare (medical, dental and vision) and spiritual guidance to anyone in the River Valley who cannot afford access to traditional medical care, and the Augsburg Food Pantry, which provides food to more than 800 people each month. In 2018, the Augsburg Food Pantry helped than 7,000 people, distributing more than 100,000 pounds of food. More than 70 volunteers willingly gave their time to assist with the

food distribution.

Last year, Augsburg Fall Fest raised $24,378 for these two mission efforts.

The church hopes to exceed that amount this year.

Admission to the festival is free. Zion Lutheran Church is located at the intersection of Arkansas Highway 333 and Augsburg Road, north of London and northwest of Dover.

On a Winter’s Night: The Music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra This fundraiser for Arkansas Center for Music Education will be presented at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, at the Center for the Arts on the Russellville High School campus. The show will feature Music from the Christmas Attic along with TSO favorites.

Dr. Brian Faulkner will direct 15 of Ar-

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

Save the Date ENGAGEMENTS

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT…the River Valley are available at no charge. They may be mailed to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@ aboutrvmag.com. (A phone number must be included for verification.)

OCTOBER Leslie Hudgeons & Parker Witt (12th) Keeli Matchett & Ryan Rooke (12th) Shelby Burns & Colby McConnell (19th) Alahna Martin & Derrick James (19th) Brittney Baskin & Nathan Henderson (26th) Sydney Matayo & Brayden Collins (26th)

NOVEMBER Lexi Culwell & Garrett Crosby (2nd)

kansas’ best musicians and singers along with special guest artist Chris Rodriguez.

The Community Festival Chorale, River Valley Treble Chorus, along with Heartstrings and Lubilate will accompany.

Tickets can be ordered in advance at www.itickets.com or purchased at the door on the evening of the show. Reserved seating is $35 for orchestra, $30 for mezzanine, and $20 for balcony. All proceeds go to Arkansas Center for Music Education, a 501c3 Music Education non-profit. Doors open at 6:15.

A Night Of Hope: Building The Path: Raising Awareness for child abuse victims!

On October 12th, 2019 the River Valley Child Advocacy Center (RVCAC) will host “A Night Of Hope: Building the

Path” at 5:30p.m. in the Dardanelle Community Center. This event will include an honored guest — the First Lady of Arkansas, Susan Hutchinson — and the first annual Crabaugh Award of Excellence.

With this fundraising dinner, RVCAC hopes to raise awareness of the need for child abuse prevention and services for child abuse victims and their non-offending family members. As Nelson Mandela said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats children.”

Why should you support such a cause?

Because since RVCAC opened its doors in 2018 the organization has served more than 330 child victims of abuse from Pope, Johnson and Yell counties, and more children are sexually and physically abused every day. >>

Kassidy Simpson & Tanner Jones (2nd) Anna Maria Walker & Jeremy Greene (8th) Hunter Eshnaur & Rance Ellis (9th) Dr. Meghan Kerin & Dr. Aaron Bratton (16th) Lizzy Tripp & Brandon Grice (23rd) Kassie Walker & Jace Powers (23rd) Sarah Arnold & Alex Madden (24th) Ashton Sitkowski & Josh Ferrell (29th) Sarah Beth Ham & Hunter McHam (30th) Elizabeth Chronister & Lonnie Newton (tbd)

DECEMBER Hannah Bowden & Clay Singleton (7th) Dixie Worrell & Joshua Sayger (14th) Jennifer Duffel & Bo Hamilton (27th)

JANUARY 2020 Anna Grace Hughes & Tyler Calavitta (11th)

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

29

RVCAC wants child abuse victims to know that they have the support and help to heal physically and emotionally. RVCAC wants children to know they are not alone.

If you would like to become a sponsor for the event and or purchase tickets, please contact Marilyn Sanders at 494-414-9584 or at Marilyn@rivervalleycac.com or contact Rashad Woods at 479-453-1410. Tickets are $25 a person. Sponsorships will vary.

All Saints’ Episcopal Church Blessing of the Animals Submitted by ASEC People all over the world will be celebrating the feast day of the Patron Saint of Animals, Saint Francis of Assisi. It’s customary that in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures, animals are led to churches for a special ceremony called the “Blessing of the Animals.”

All Saints’ Episcopal Church invites the public to attend Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 5 at 2 p.m. at 501 S Phoenix Ave in Russellville. All animals are welcome and include whatever you

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

wish to bring like your dog, cat, horse, hedgehogs, pet snakes or goldfish. We just ask that animals be kept on a leash or in a secure transport.

The blessing will be conducted by The Rev. Teri Daily, our Rector at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, under the shade of our gorgeous trees in our park.

Needy Paws Animal Shelter out of Clarksville will be on site to perform micro-chipping of your pet for $15, which covers the lifetime fee.

The City of Russellville Animal Control will also be attending and offering adoptions of dogs from their shelter at low cost.

At this time, their shelter is getting full and we need to find our furry friends a loving permanent home.

Our Episcopal Youth are also going to be on hand with a lemonade stand raising money to help support local shelters.

If you have a pet friendly business that is interested in being present during this event or would like more information, please email Melissa Simpson at 479-9683622 or mleasimpson@gmail.com.

Russellville Animal Shelters Featured Friend Sadie is a super-sweet and calm twoyear-old Corgi mix. She is also very playful. She likes to play so much that it was difficult to get her to sit still for photos.

Sadie needs a kid or two to romp with her, and she loves being petted, too.

You can meet Sadie and other loving pets in need of a forever home at the Russellville Animal Shelter 3115 S. Mobile Ave. Russellville. Or give them a call at 479-968-1944 and ask about Sadie.

November

December

Open House

Jingle & Mingle

14/15th

6th

More information to come about these fun events!

Mike & Margie Smith, Owners

Mark your calendars!

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Central Arkansas Surgical Center (CASC) is a 7,500 square foot state-of-the-art multi-specialty facility. It is specifically designed for outpatient procedures with two well-equipped operating rooms and one procedure room. Outpatient surgery requires less time, allowing patients to return to their home, families and work schedules faster. CASC is a safe and effective alternative to a hospital with the added benefits of convenient parking, expedited registration, and a dedicated staff of knowledgeable health care professionals. Patients experience all of this in an environment designed for efficiency, comfort, safety, and privacy.

SPECIALTIES & PROCEDURES

CASC provides outpatient procedures in the following specialties: Dr. Brent Lawrence - Orthopedics ACL, Shoulder and Knee Arthroscopy, Rotator Cuff Repair, Carpal Tunnel, etc.

Danny Aquilar, DPM and Vafa Ferdowsian, DPM - Podiatry Bunion, Hammertoe, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendon Repair, etc.

Dr. Ezechiel Nehus and Dr. Stephen Killingsworth - ENT Ear Tubes, Tonsillectomy, Adenoidectomy, Sinus Surgery, etc.

Dr. George Nawar - GI EGD/Colonoscopy Dr. Justin Lieblong - Ophthalmology Cataract Surgery, YAG/SLT Laser Therapy

Dr. Carlos Roman - Pain Management Back and Neck Injections, Radio Frequency Ablation

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

31

COMMUNITY COMMERCE

The Scarlet Locke Hair Lounge Story and photo by HANNAH BUTLER

SCARLET LOCKE IS ONE OF THOSE CUTE AND COMFY salon in 2013, but decided she wanted a different space in downSALONS The walls are purple, and with October closing in fast, town.

Sarah Clower has almost finished decorating it for Halloween. “I did theater in college, and I always enjoyed hair and makeSarah has owned Scarlet Locke, at 317 West B Street, for nearly up,” she says. “I was always really into it; I kind of always knew I three and a half years. would go to beauty school after that.”

“I’ve always strived to create a place that was really comfort- So that’s what Sarah did. After competing a degree in English at able for me to be in,” Sarah says, “and I Arkansas Tech University, she went straight think, hopefully, that has come across to my to beauty school in Little Rock.

The Scarlet Locke Hair Lounge clients.”

Sarah originally wanted to do hair and (479) 747-3111 Sarah’s been in the hairstyling business makeup on movie sets, though, she ended 317 West B Street for 13 years, so she knows her clientele and up coming back to the River Valley for her Russellville, AR 72801 how to tailor to them. She opened her first family. Plus, she realized that one-on-one

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

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hair care was her true dream.

“I absolutely love people,” Sarah says. “My favorite part of my job is the connections. I’ve always felt like if you develop a relationship with your clients, and you make their services more affordable, you’re able to make a much stronger relationship.”

Sarah’s passion for hair is passed on to her clients, which she says has made her business thrive.

“If you honestly and genuinely care about all of your customers, then you will succeed in any business as long as you put the effort in,” she says. “It’s not just about having compassion, it’s showing it and doing it.”

Sarah’s care shows. She is often at the Scarlet Locke from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. She also works one weekend out of the month.

Of course, the Scarlet Locke offers everything from haircuts and colors to lash services. The only services the business does not offer are massages and nail care.

Prices are set online at the Scarlet Locke website, though Sarah makes it clear that prices are always flexible depending on what a client wants.

Sarah books by appointment only.

“I try to take time with each of my clients and make sure they never feel like I’m in a rush,” she said. “I don’t feel like I buckle under pressure, but I always book plenty of time.

I genuinely try to have a connection with all of my clients.”

Because she works by appointment only, she does not have set hours.

The Scarlet Locke also has two part-time cosmetologists, Liberty Chism and Tyler Richards.

To book an appointment with Sarah, Liberty, or Tyler, call 479-747-3111.

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

33

Yard remedies Story & Photo by JILL MCSHEEHY

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” My 11-year-old nephew appeared behind my shoulder. Kneeling to the ground, my attention alternated between my task and my daughter and niece’s softball practice.

I turned and looked up at his inquisitive eyes and held out my hand to reveal the contents in my palm.

“I’m picking plantain. You want to help?”

Perhaps scavenging the field for weeds sounded more fun than watching his sister and cousin practice batting and fielding. That, or maybe my sweet nephew felt sorry for me, picking weeds all alone. I’m sure I was a strange sight among the other “normal” parents sitting in lawn chairs.

He smiled and shrugged.

“Sure.”

The velvety, clustered leaves dotted the field. In my pre-gardening days, I probably would have thought someone needed to mow. Or spray some herbicide.

But now, I saw the treasure in what most people view an eyesore. And to my eyes, this unkempt field was full of gold.

Do a quick internet search for “health benefits of plantain weed” and you’ll find a host of ailments this

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

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plant supposedly aids. Indeed, its use as a medicinal herb dates back centuries, if not millennia. Yet in the modern age, we look right past it without a second thought.

Personally, I was most interested in the purported skin benefits of plantain -- specifically with minor wounds, bites, and stings. What Arkansan who spends any time outdoors would be caught without some kind of cream or balm in the summertime?

Having dabbled in homemade skincare last winter, I felt confident enough to try a new recipe I found called, “Itchy Bite and Sting Balm.” After weeks of waiting for plantain, chickweed, and lavender to infuse its microbial properties into an olive oil base, I crafted the balm and eagerly awaited our first insect bite. (Funny to think about that now.)

The immediate relief exceeded even my expectations and won over the most skeptical members of my family. Indeed, this soothing salve became my family’s go-to ointment for all kinds of itches, bites, and stings over the summer.

While the itch balm surpassed my expectations, my daughter and I also experienced first-hand the healing properties of plantain. Early in the summer, before I had made the balm, each of us experienced wasp stings.

Having never been stung by anything in my life (true story), the sharp burning pain shocked me when I stuck my hand in a bucket of weeds in which a wasp hid.

My husband begged me to go inside and get ice, but true to my stubborn nature, he found me walking the yard, hunting for plantain, flapping my hand in pain. Finally, I found some, crushed it, added it to aloe from our aloe plant, and covered the wound. Within minutes the pain decreased and the swelling subsided. Back to work in the garden I went.

A couple of weeks later, a wasp stung my daughter at a ball field. I applied the same poultice at home and she experienced similar relief.* I reflect back on that day when my nephew and I harvested plantain in the field.

It was a turning point for me -- not only

learning and experiencing the benefits of plantain but also opening my eyes to a world of healing at our fingertips.

Just a few generations ago, what modern society now deems crazy, our ancestors knew as well as we know our ABCs. What I love about the age we live in, though, is that we do not have to choose between modern medicine and natural remedies. Nor should we. We can enjoy and appreciate both. With proper research and discernment to know when to seek medical assistance, we can learn what the flowers, herbs, and yes, weeds around us can provide.

And maybe if more of us would explore the world around us and all the gifts it offers, it wouldn’t look so crazy to pick weeds during softball practice.

*It should be noted that my family does not have any major allergy to insect stings, which can constitute a medical emergency.

If that were the case, we would definitely have skipped the plantain and sought medical care immediately.

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

35

Story by MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS

A JOURNAL of our RURAL & NATURAL HERITAGE

Water tables I’VE GOTTEN INTO THIS HABIT of listening to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unite while I garden. I love to sing along with lines like “old women harmonizing with the wind,” and “Jack and Coke in your mama’s car; you were reading the Bell Jar.” But there is one song I usually just listen to, never singing a word.

“Live Oak,” was released back in 2013 on the album Southeastern. But the song’s murder ballad roots, minor key, and sparse instrumentation make it feel older. If you don’t know what a murder ballad is, it’s basically an old folk song about somebody killing somebody else. Old folk songs are

full of killing and burying, and sometimes it’s men killing women, as is in “Live Oak.” So know that before you keep reading.

This song is about a man who ran away from his hometown at 17. Maybe he was in trouble or maybe he was looking for trouble. He becomes a womanizer, falls in with a group of outlaw types, and they kill a few

men on a train. He tries to run away from this past. He moves to a new town to start again where he takes up something akin to tenant farming. He falls in love. But the word gets back to this new town, and, to the woman he loves.

When he admits his past deeds, her eyes “flicker like the sharp end of the sword.”

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

He knows that she’s suspected something about him all along. She may or may not hate him for what he’s done. In fact, it’s possible she finds him even more intriguing because of this past. But he wants to be a new man. He really doesn’t want her to confuse the old man with this new man he’s become. So… he kills her.

Or, maybe, he just kills the relationship.

Or he kills the memory or he kills their connection. It’s hard to tell. Like any good folk song, the lyrics could be read a number of ways. But, long story short, it’s a nod to murder ballads of old, and it’s brilliant at capturing timeless ghosts.

The misogyny of old murder ballad songs is the stuff of much valid critique.

But if you know Isbell, you know he routinely takes on sexism, racism, addiction, and injustice in his songs. His audience will be quick to realize he’s drawing on the song tradition for a reason. It’s a morbid nod to former selves, to the ways we all tend to run from rather than face our fears.

Given Isbell’s body of work, I’d say it’s a take on masculinity, his past addictions, and, ultimately, a song about how wounded humans have a knack for turning on the people who see through to our core.

But this is all a really long way to tell you that this column isn’t about the song per se. It’s about these few lines that haunt me in a way I find hard to name: Well I carved her cross from live oak and her box from short-leaf pine And buried her so deep, she’d touch the water table line And picked up what I needed and I headed south again

To myself, I wondered, “Would I ever find another friend.”

Obviously, it’s haunting because of everything I mentioned above. In a different context it would be disgusting. But the way Isbell uses the phrase “water table line” strikes me as pure genius. It always makes me pause, no matter what I’m doing, and look up at the tree-covered mountains in the distance.

I have a strong attachment to the idea of water table lines. You do, too, even if you don’t think about it. What can be more magical than water that comes deep from the ground?

According to National Geographic: “The water table is an underground boundary between the soil surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between sediments and cracks in rock. Water pressure and atmospheric pressure are equal at this boundary.”

Just think of the ways water tables weave into our conversations and our songs. How many Christian and traditional folk songs do you know about drinking from the well?

When the going gets rough, what are we often told to do? To dig deep, which is, of course, a well reference; a place where water and stone come together. A well is nothing more than human access to a water table line. If there is no water table then, well, there are no humans.

Our culture doesn’t have a good name for sacred spaces. Maybe we think of church as one. But what about the natural world that sustains us? What about the mountains, the creeks, the rivers that give us life? The other day, I watched a man

spray Roundup on the walkways around a church building. It’s a chemical that’s everywhere. It’s also been linked to cancer and it kills native plants (food for pollinators) in effect, killing off the pollinators that make it possible for us to grow food.

I watched him just killing “weeds” like it was nothing and wondered, “who are we?

How did we get here?”

A water table seems to encapsulate all of that. And obviously Isbell knows those layers, which is why the line works so well. But when I’m out there gardening, trying to learn how to grow what we eat while knowing full well I could buy everything at the grocery store, I watch the houses continue to be built on top of Springs Mountain, and I wonder if we’re too far gone.

We can build casinos, create all of these jobs here in the River Valley, but if we don’t understand the water table as a sacred space not much else will matter to our kids.

What does it take to make us care about what we already have?

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~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

37

COMMUNITY LEADERS

...

Brian EISELE

AGE: 36 OCCUPATION: Owner of the Oark General

Store and CEO of the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce.

HOMETOWN: Born and raised in Aiken, South Carolina, moved to Oark, Arkansas, in 2012 and now resides in Hartman.

FAMILY: Wife Reagan Reagan, three kids, two dogs, 12 cats, eight chickens, and seven cows.

1

What is your favorite book and why?

Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. Its over 1,100 pages, but to pick an overall theme, the book contends that the outcome of any individual’s life is a function of their ability, intelligence, and perseverance. Any individual can overcome adverse circumstances, given these traits.

2 3

Dog or cat?

Depends on my mood. If I want some company, a dog. If I want to be left alone, a cat.

What's the best thing about living in the River Valley?

Traffic. Coming from Washington, DC, I love the fact I am five minutes away from anywhere in Clarksville. Russellville or Ozark? I’ll see you in 20 minutes.

4

Photo by LIZ CHRISMAN 38

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ OCTOBER 2019

What’s something no one would ever guess about you?

I had my own language until I was six years old. When I started school it became a problem. I guess my friends and family knew what I was up to and didn’t recognize it was an issue. We laugh about it now, and I’ve made sure my three kids all speak plain Arkansan.

5

What is your favorite music genre and artist?

I like all kinds of music. However, since arriving in Arkansas and keeping in the spirit of the old Store, I’ve been immersed in Country music. There are so many classic singers and songwriters I would like to list here, but one that has a special place in my heart is John Prine.

I mean, Spanish Pipedream has basically been my anthem for the last seven years.

But he has a lot of great songs.

6

What do you nerd out on?

While most people skip over commercials on TV, I love watching

commercials and dissecting them. Hidden logos, overall marketing trends, I love that stuff.

7

If you could change one thing about the River Valley, what would it be?

High speed internet for all!

8

Where is the one location in the River Valley you would tell a firsttime visitor that they must go?

Everyone can find a different adventure in the River Valley, that’s what makes it

so great. I’d tell them to head into the National Forest and don’t be afraid to take a wrong turn. If you get lost, ask for directions because the people you meet are part of the trip. I’ve literally witnessed complete strangers become life-long friends in Arkansas.

9

Pizza, tacos, cheeseburger, or fried chicken?

There may not be anything more American or nostalgic as a burger, fries, and milkshake. But if I had to have a last meal between these four, I’d go with a Brooklyn style supreme… cooked just right.

10

What is your favorite quote?

Could be from an inspirational person or an original.

“Swim upstream. Go the other way.

Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction. But be prepared for a lot of folks to wave you down and tell you you’re headed the wrong way.”

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~ Sam Walton

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The Scarlet Locke Hair Lounge has space available for an experienced and fun sylist with clientele. Booth space is $85.00 per week.

We are in the heart of downtown Russellville and the only salon with a full beverage bar.

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KIDS COSTUME CONTEST LIVE MUSIC | VENDORS Visit mainstreetrussellville.com/fall-fest for contest registrations and vendor applications.

OCTOBER 2019

~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

39