Living

STORY AND PHOTO BY ASHLEIGH NEWNES

SO, IT’S OFFICIAL. The beloved monarch butterfly is on the endangered list. Though the news is not surprising, it’s extremely disappointing for those of us who have worked diligently to try to secure the longevity of this beautiful species.

It’s easy in times like this for some to feel defeated, but I feel confident that we as humans can turn the clock back and fix what we’ve broken.

The gray wolf, the southern white rhinoceros and Louisiana black bear have all been removed from the endangered species list because of the conservation efforts made by humans. Let’s add the monarch to that list!

The monarch is a very special creature. It’s one of the most recognizable species in North America. It holds the title of the only two-way migratory butterfly in the world and is famous for its epic annual journey from central Mexico to southern Canada.

Okay, we’ve established they are worth saving. But how? Milkweed, milkweed, milkweed! Plant it, protect it, tell everybody you know about it. Milkweed is a monarch’s lifeline. No milkweed? No monarch. That is exactly what is happening due to the overuse of pesticide, the destruction of natural areas, and the absence of native plants in our landscapes. Add to the list the presence of invasive species and the practice of overmowing, and there is simply not enough milkweed for the monarchs.

Want to do your part to help the monarchs? It’s simple, which is really cool. How many endangered species can we actively save, and watch it happen in our own backyards? What’s promising about the monarch situation is that each of us has the power to really do something to make a difference and watch that play out before our eyes.

If you happen to be lucky enough to have milkweed growing on your property, don’t mow it. Not only are you mowing their lifeline, but chances are that plant is full of caterpillars and eggs, and you are killing a lot of monarchs.

No milkweed? No worries. Check out Murfreesboro’s Indigenous Plant Project’s (MIPP) native nursery or buy seeds online. I think you’ll find the plant will bring you so much joy. You can watch the monarch life cycle, enjoy the gorgeous, intricate blooms on any kind of the milkweed species and know that your garden is a part of something so much bigger.

Maybe you have no idea what milkweed looks like. Several sites around us have wellestablished milkweed patches. There is a native garden at Barfield Crescent Park near the Wilderness Station, the landscaped plot between the Discovery Center and its parking lot, the pollinator plot at Old Fort Park, and even along the median on I-24 between exits 97 and exit 110. Once you recognize this plant, you may begin to see it everywhere along country roads and highways.

Small acts can make big impacts. As one of my favorite people said: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

PHOTOS BY SARAH MAYO

On Highway 70, near the town of Crab Orchard, Tennessee, in Cumberland County, outdoorspeople can find the trailhead to the 110-foot-tall Ozone Falls, a towering freefall of a Tennessee water feature.

From the small parking area (and visitors can find more parking across the road or along the highway if the small lot is full), the trail that leads to the falls starts on large, flat rocks, making for a very level walk along this portion.

Suddenly, those venturing to Ozone Falls come to a steep bluff, and walk for a short section along the top of this cliff before the trail turns downhill.

Descending to the base of the falls, rocky overhangs create some small sheltered areas carved into the hillside. Reportedly, these areas were popular gambling sites for card and dice players years ago.

This bit of the trip makes for a fairly challenging journey down the rocks—certainly not an easy degree of difficulty.

Hikers must go over boulders and step from rock to rock for the full climb down, descending at a steep angle. The trail does not require a total vertical rappel, but does require a degree of surefootedness that many public hiking trails do not.

By just taking it one step at a time, watching where they are stepping, many waterfall seekers can make it without incident.

And then, there it is: the splendid, tall Ozone Falls plummets into a rocky pool, surrounded by massive stunning cliffs along the basin walls, making a picturesque indentation in the hilly Tennessee countryside.

The falls does not make a huge pool, but it contains enough water for a few folks to jump in and swim around. The pool can apparently grow a good bit based on periods of heavier rainfall. Really, as cool and shady as the tucked-away falls pool is, most will want to get into the water on only the hottest of days.

Walking upon the sometimes slick rocks that encircle the feature, one can walk right under the 100-foot-plus Ozone Falls and stand directly underneath the sharply falling water as Fall Creek plunges into the pool from its course above—for those familiar with area waterfalls, this is not the same Fall Creek of Fall Creek Falls, located about 50 miles away; although a Tennessee waterfall enthusiast could definitely take in both of these Fall Creek waterfalls in the same day trip, if they are interested.

Incidentally, both Ozone Falls and Fall Creek Falls were filming locations for the 1994 film version of The Jungle Book.

Ozone Falls did not contain an incredible water volume on a recent July day, but the impressive, rocky basin, and the site’s easy access from I-40, make the Ozone Falls State Natural Area worth a visit for those wanting to take in the unique topographical features of Tennessee.

Ozone Falls State Natural Area

14563 TN-1, Rockwood, Tennessee

EACH YEAR THE FALL SEMESTER BRINGS in a few thousand newcomers to the Murfreesboro area. And while MTSU offers many programs and facilities aside from classroom functions, the community has much to explore beyond the boundaries of the university campus itself. Murfreesboro has also attracted many new families over recent years. Welcoming the incoming class to MTSU as well as all of the new out-of-state transplants to the community, the following is a guide for discovering some things about our town. GET TO KNOW THE MIDDLE OF TENNESSEE Welcome to the Boro Go Blue Raiders!

Take advantage of the chance to experience NCAA action and support the MTSU football, basketball and other sports teams at home games in Floyd Stadium and Murphy Center. Students get a free ticket to football and basketball games and the option to purchase discounted guest tickets.

In addition to being the home of the historic Rutherford County Courthouse, visitors to downtown Murfreesboro can fi nd all sorts of food—Italian at Marina’s, burgers at Jack Brown’s Burgers, meat-and-three, cinnamon rolls, catfi sh and more at City Cafe, barbecue at Puckett’s Grocery, coffee and crepes at Red Bicycle, beer at Liquid Smoke, steaks and pasta at The Alley on Main and subs at

Domenico’s Italian Deli—as well as many boutiques, barbershops (one with a pool hall in the back) a vintage collectible shop and a bustling farmers’ market held each Saturday morning (running through Oct. 29 this year).

Attend and mingle at other downtown Murfreesboro activities such as the free outdoor Friday Night

Live concert series and the Boro

Art Crawl events, both occurring next on Friday, Sept. 16.

One thing to know about Murfreesboro food is that the area has a legit Southeast Asian dining scene. Explore Taste of Thai, Pad Thai, Ginger, Thai Spice, Thai Pattaya, Yummy Asian Hut, Far East, Cathay and other spots. For traditional Southern cooking and soul food try Sylvan Park, Jeff’s, Campus Subs or Kleer-Vu Lunchroom. The area is loaded with taquerias, Hispanic markets and food trucks—try Carmen’s Taqueria, Mexico Tipico and MexiVen. One newcomer said the quality of the food at some of the local gas stations and convenience stores pleasantly surprised him. Fat Guy Barbecue, Taqueria Lupita, Flying Chicken Station, Mercados Marias and Kwik Mart may not impress with their atmosphere, but try the food. Primrose Table, Five Senses, Steakhouse Five or Parthenon Grille may provide an even higher degree of cuisine, ambiance and elegance for those looking for a more upscale dining experience. looking for a more upscale dining experience. And Murfreesboro has multiple Indian restaurants including The Clay Pit, Tandoor and Ugadi Indian Grill.

Area historic points of interest include Oaklands Mansion, the Stones River National Battlefi eld, and Fortress Rosecrans, all with stories from the Civil War era. History and geology fans can view archeological relics, gems and fossils at Earth Experience – Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History in Murfreesboro.

The Murfreesboro Greenway includes over 15 miles of paved trail, much of it running along—and at times, over—the Stones River. The trail offers a variety of plant and animal life as well as scenery to miles of paved trail, much of it running along—and at times, over—the Stones River. The trail offers a view. Enter the system at Barfi eld Park, Cason Trailhead, Manson Pike, Old Fort Park, Thompson Lane and other access points throughout Murfreesboro. Barfi eld Crescent Park also offers a great 18-hole disc golf course. disc golf course.

DID YOU KNOW?

A monument marks the geographic center of the state of Tennessee, located less than a mile from the MTSU campus on Old Lascassas Pike.

To peruse new and used music on vinyl or CD, as well as books, video games, movies, artwork, clothing and other fun items, check out local music stores Century other fun items, check out local music stores 21 Music and More (125 Lasseter Dr.), Crying Cat21 Music and More

Books and Records (504 N. Maney Ave.) and Books and Records The Great Escape (810 NW Broad St.).Great Escape

Hop Springs Beer Park, situated on over , situated on over 80 acres, sits about six miles east of the MTSU campus and hosts the MTSU fermentation science labs. Check it out for music, disc golf, a walking trail, beer, and plenty of room outside for dogs to run around. Murfreesboro now contains three other local independent brewing companies in the area: Panther Creek, Mayday and Cedar Glade, all with brewing facilities and taprooms.

Local entertainment includes two bowling alleys—Lanes, Trains and Automobiles, and Strike & Spare—multiple movie theaters, indoor rock climbing at Climb Murfreesboro, and Go USA—with mini golf, an arcade, a driving range, batting cages and go-karts.

Between Marble Slab, Baskin Robbins, Hattie Jane’s, Culver’s Andy’s Frozen Custard, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice and other spots, the town has plenty of frozen treats. For baked goods, check out Simply Pure Sweets, Nonie’s or Julia’s Homestyle Bakery.

Hank’s Honky Tonk (2341 Memorial Blvd.) hosts live country music seven nights a week. In addition to all of the local breweries, local music fans can also catch live music at The Boro Bar & Grill just across from campus, at Puckett’s Grocery on the Square, or at the Abbey Public House. For an up-to-date list of live music happenings in Murfreesboro, visit boropulse.com/calendar.

FOR MORE TO DO: Find listings of local ice cream shops, happy hours, restaurants and date night ideas, along with all sorts of other local events, points of interest and more, at boropulse.com.

Thriving in a competitive world requires a certain level of emotional and physical “toughness”. We help young people find a better version of themselves by reaching down deep and accomplishing their personal goals. See your child blossom into the best person they can be.

 More Disciplined  More Focused  More Confident  More Respectful  Better Students  Better Adults

Uniform, T-shirt, NO Obligation, Month to Month! Not to be combined with other special offers. New students only.

N. M’BORO | 1820 NW Broad Street | 615-893-6003 S. M’BORO | 1911 Business Campus Drive | 615-890-6755 BSKONLINE.COM

Frank Caperton did a phenomenal job documenting Murfreesboro life over the years. Active in the Rutherford County Historical Society, Frank loved local history a great deal, and he did his part to leave a hefty contribution to the historical record of our town.

Often seen at local community events, fundraisers and festivals with his camera, Caperton died on July 6.

He helped many area residents with computer issues, and made it a point to be encouraging to many small-business owners, those involved with area nonprofi ts, and other community members, myself and the Murfreesboro Pulse included. Frank seemed to make a habit of being a positive infl uence in many lives, giving others encouragement to go about their roles with a sense of purpose and joy. As one observer said, sometimes the seemingly small comments, introductions, favors and connections can ultimately mean a great deal to others. Be like Frank and be an encourager—be a positive infl uence to others.

Over the years he has probably taken a photo of every single person in Murfreesboro; really, before you say “I don’t think Frank ever took my picture,” look through his shots. You may be surprised.

View the photographic legacy of Frank Caperton at the Flickr page of “Frank the Computer Guy.”

Well done, Frank. “Bye, now”. . . — BRACKEN MAYO

BY ETHAN PICKERING

to tell everywhere, and Murfreesboro is certainly no exception. While not every good story will be published, many authors with connections to Middle Tennessee and Murfreesboro have seen their writing make it into book form. Here are just a few recent releases from the group of local published authors. 

by Mark Alexander McClish

Mark McClish is a graphic designer and artist who graduated from Freed Hardeman University in 2018. He has recently also become a published author in 2021 with his debut science-fi ction book, Adhara’s Sonder.

Adhara’s Sonder follows a young inventor named Cyrus in an isolated city after a third global war. At the beginning of the story, Cyrus runs into a time-traveling android named Adhara. The pair goes on adventures to stop catastrophes before they even happen with the use of Adhara’s knowledge from the future. As with many sci-fi stories, the destiny of every character is at stake. character is at stake.

“The feeling of “The feeling of being in a world surrounded by problems that you want to solve but being entirely helpless to fi x those probto fi x those problems,” McClish said.

The book contains many illustrations that are originals by the author himself.

The book can be found narrated by the author on Amazon and hard copies can also be purchased. Find the author on YouTube and on Instagram.

by Freddie Snell

This autobiographical book chronicles the life of Freddie Snell, a Tennessean with an interesting and almost supernatural number of near-death encounters under his belt.

Snell, now 67, is a man of many talents including, but not limited to, music, water skiing, theater tech, horseback riding and a stint as a sailor.

Not Yet, which came out this year, chronicles not only his interesting life but also all his brushes with near-death.

When Snell was 29, he broke his neck falling off a horse. When he was in his 40s, he survived a sinking ship in the shark-infested in the shark-infested Caribbean waters. Caribbean waters. Before his 66th birthday, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery just fi ve months before placing fourth in U.S. placing fourth in U.S. Water Ski Nationals. These are only a few examples of the challenges and rebounds in his life. Check out Not Yet for more.

His tale is one of hope and straightup perseverance, with many of his stories about his life taking place in rural Middle Tennessee.

“From here on in these writings, it is understood that if I say ‘the lake’ I am referring to Center Hill Lake,” Snell jokes near the beginning of his life tale. Snell’s book can be found on Amazon.

by Christine Isley-Farmer

Christine Isley-Farmer is a retired Middle Tennessee State University Professor in the School of Music. She is a classically trained vocalist who taught at MTSU for 34 years. In all of her published books, music plays a role. She wrote the fi rst entry in her Boomer’s Tales series at the beginning of 2021.

The illustrated children’s series follows a girl named Chloe and her grandmother’s dog, Boomer. The duo now has three separate books, with a fourth on the way in October 2022.

“In all of my published books and those to follow, bullying, obstacles, teamwork, kindness, friendship, lack kindness, friendship, lack of self-confi dence, of self-confi dence, honesty, truthtelling, and children’s PTSD are addressed,” Isley-Farmer said.

The debut in the The debut in the series, Finding My Yip, Finding My Yip, was named a fi nalist in the American Writing Awards for Children’s Fiction in 2021. This year, the second book in the series, A Hard Nut to Crack, was a fi nalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards.

The series is available on Amazon and in select bookstores. Find more about the author at goodreadsbychristine.com.

by Deirdre DeMarsico

Deirdre DeMarisco, a Murfreesboro resident, worked over three decades in group insurance.

After retiring, she began more closely chasing her passion for writing as free time presented itself.

The fi ctional romance book I Only Have Eyes for You follows HR manager Katie O’Brien and her instant romance with a surgeon, Dr. Branigan.

Katie has just relocated to Los Angeles where Dr. Branigan works, and, meeting through a mutual friend, they hit it off immediately.

The rest of the book explores their romance as it progresses mance as it progresses through the years and trials that they face.

The title of the book refers to the slow song that the characters share their fi rst ters share their fi rst dance to, as well as many more dances to follow.

I Only Have Eyes for You is available as a hard copy or eBook at bookstore. dorrancepublishing.com.

by Nancy Ellwood

Let your little one experience the culture of Nashville with Local Baby: Nashville, a fun-to-fl ip and easy-to-read children’s book written by Nancy Ellwood that encourages families to explore Music City.

Mary Reaves Uhles’ bright and fun illustrations take the readers to see a performance at the Ryman Auditorium, watch ducks swimming in Centennial Park, enjoy the holiday lights at the Opryland resort, and much more of what the community has to offer.

Local Baby: Nashville also shows readers the abundance of good food and music that is at the heart of Nashville’s the heart of Nashville’s culture.

Uhles has twice won the Grand Prize for Illustration from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and IllustraWriters and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has worked as an animator for Warner Brothers and Fisher-Price Interactive. Uhles now resides in Nashville and serves as the Midsouth illustrator coordinator of the SCBWI.

Allow the talented illustrator and Ellwood to share the city with you and the youngsters in your life through Local Baby: Nashville. Find it and other books in the Local Baby series from Arcadia Publishing—including guides to Atlanta, Louisville, Austin, Queens, Wyoming and other locales—on Amazon. — BAILEY FINN