Casual Country, April 2023

April 2023

Happenings

1st

April Fools Day..have a blast!

Mtn. View Meeting Place..7pm Keith Symanowitz & Company

Blues/Folk/Gospel & Free

13th, 14th & 15th

The Reunion -The PlayFundraiser for…

Stone County EHC & Meals on Wheels

Thur/Fri/Sat 6pm dinner Show at 7pm $15

Saturday Matinee with Dessert Bar only. $10

Senior Center 210 School Ave, Mtn. View

Purchase tickets at the Stone County Extension Ofc.

14th & 15th

Arkansas Folk Festival In Mountain View

“Artisans Market on the Square”

Ozark Folk Center opens for the season Folk Fest Parade

Saturday at 10am 15th

‘Next Generation Concert’ Great Local Youth Headliners

Ozark Folk Center Auditorium 7pm - 10pm

28th & 29th

Dulcimer Jamboree & Contest

Ozark Folk Center

Letter from the Publisher

Wow…has this been a learning experience for me!

Oops, I forgot to welcome you to the new magazine around town…Casual Country. A project similar to this has been on my mind for a very long time - one that would help identify and promote all the wonderful creative people in these hills: artisans, craftspeople, writers, gardeners and so forth. The whole idea never quite came together until I woke up one night last fall and said “A Magazine”…that started it and within days the whole creation came together. It will have all the afore mentioned along with history, hiking, exploring, creek and river fun plus local current happenings.

About the learning experience…..I’ve learned so much since the start of this process…both technical about the computer and words, like sobriquet, which I’d never heard in my life. Another learning curve is ahead, getting it online so anyone, anywhere can read about our wonderful part of the Ozarks. Everyone I approached about writing a column was so happy and eager to be a part of this journey….need a man now for a bit of masculine energy in the issues.

This first issue is a little rough still (my learning curve) and I need to find more advertisers to support this free publication, but “Happiness Abounds” for me in doing this. Just remembered that’s the title to a song I wrote about 33 years ago!

Now down to business. I love wildflowers, so I used almost all of Deb’s pictures in her column, but I have to say the one morel mushroom looks like a very preciously made ceramic piece hidden in the forest for her to find….see what you think!

And last I want to thank, with all my heart, everyone of my special friends who graciously accepted my invitation to write features or columns…this couldn’t happen without them!!

Cheers,

Reflections on the Stone Labyrinth in Stone County, Arkansas

14 Color the Memories

17 Tatting for Victoria and Albert

18 Petit Jean: A Legend of Exploration and Romance

20 Get Along Little Doggies by Marie and Bruce

22 Somewhere in Arkansas, the Painting

Shopping the…..

Here’s just some of the many local talented artists & craftspeople who take part in this annual event…

Whippoorwill Mtn. Jewelry Cindy Kopack - Mtn. View

Ozark Pantry Marie Busch - Mtn. View

Northwoods Primitives Doris Fountain -

Beads, Beads, Beads Tom & Sage Holland - Fox River Lovenstein - apprentice Lewie’s Blades Lewie Lloyd - Mtn. View

Bear Pen Beads Maria Smith - Fox

Wooden Utopia Liz Lloyd - Mtn. View

Birdhouses Lyn Butler - Mtn. View

Artisans Market

On the Square

The Market features arts and crafts from members and selected guests of the Arkansas Craft Guild and is located north of the Courthouse, next to Mountain View Music, behind the white picket fence.

Friday, 11am to 6pm & Saturday, 9am to 4pm April 14th & 15th

Returning to the Artisans Market will be:

Maria Smith, Bear Pen Beads, who will have one-of-a-kind lampwork glass bead jewelry, every bead an individual.

Doris Fountain’s Northwoods Primitives home décor includes pillows made of chenille, like kitties or carrots along with Lyn Butler’s birdhouses.

Tom and Sage Holland, Glass Beadmakers, along with their apprentice River Lovenstein, will have individual beads plus jewelry and sculptural pieces.

Marie Busch with her Ozark Pantry, all kinds of yummy things to take home to your pantry.

New to the Market will be:

Henna Design by April Florida, from Fayetteville who paints free-hand body art using safe, all natural, non-permanent materials.

Cindy Kopak, Whippoorwill Mountain Jewelry, has a wide selection of earrings, necklaces and bracelets of hammered silver.

Lewie Lloyd shows his hand-made knives with tooled leather sheaths.

Liz Lloyd and her wooden ware.

Billy McCurry from Georgia with his Chain Saw Carvings. Sheena McCurry from Georgia with her soap.

Also returning are Norma and Marty Mathews, NM Quilts plus Marty’s wooden wares. ‘I Paint Them’ by Belinda Lawson shows her art on wood, canvas and lots more. Break Even Glass by Sharon Meinhardt has sun catchers, small and large stained glass beauties.

Mike Mowery showcases turned wooden kitchenware.

Arts and crafts made by members of the Arkansas Craft Guild can also be purchased at Arkansas Craft Gallery

104 E. Main, just a half block East of the Square in Mountain View ACG sponsors the Artisans Market. Visit their website at arkansascraftguild.org

C.Bethalee’s Wild Hair in Arkansas

Wiley's Cove..Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe

Traveling Highway 65 southbound from Marshall; you’ve gone over the Buffalo River roller coasting and snaking through the Boston Mountains, a rugged and higher elevation section of the Ozark Mountains. Over the river and through the woods but today you aren’t heading to grandma’s house or maybe you are but lets keep going. You look to the right and notice this beautiful red barn and in big white letters reads Wiley’s Cove Ranch. That’s your cue, you’ll be turning left onto Highway 66 soon into Leslie, Arkansas. Leslie was originally named Wiley’s Cove and changed names in the 1880s, yet, the locals will let it slip that Wiley’s Cove, painted on that big red barn, is also painted in their hearts. The historic town of Leslie was once a booming economy, bustling with business from the Missouri & Arkansas Railroad coming to Leslie and roughly 130,000 acres of timberland that were purchased to the west and south of town. Wiley's Cove or after 1887, Leslie, produced 3,000 whiskey barrels a day. Rich in history, now these mountain folk have found a way to draw people in with the natural abundance of the setting the lush mountains, hills, rivers, creeks and wildlife provide and of course amazing food. Leslie has a feel about it that echoes the past with impressive old buildings packed with equally unique one-of-a-kind items, people, history and food you’ll travel for. I've taken you on this journey to help you understand and appreciate that fact - there's again a hidden treasure in the Ozark Mountains. Write this down, Google it: Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe.

On the square, is the Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe. Yes, Farm comes first in the title because without the family farm of roughly 40 acres out in Onia - there’s no food to have a cafe. On the Crooked Gate’s Farm the family is raising heritage breed pigs and lamb that is incorporated in the menu. The hardworking family also offers custom sale of hogs, sheep, chickens and rabbits for meat. In the cafe, a farmer's market is set up inside: offering eggs, lard, lard soap, baked breads, teas, fresh produce and flowers. Now that we know, this is family owned and run and is truly a Field-to-Fork place from right down the road sparing the burden of air miles and road miles of most of our food in the United States. This is my favorite breakfast and brunch place in Arkansas – great prices, amazing flavor (homegrown cannot be imitated, this is HOMEGROWN) and the portions are spot on. The atmosphere is engaging with touches of antiques, welcoming, and clean with plants and fresh flowers.

The Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe breakfast platter is hard to beat, which I picked, bacon and sunny-side up eggs in mine. The peanut butterbacon french toast, was my Beau’s topic of conversation when we got into Mountain View. I even snagged some Cave City Watermelon they happen to offer as a special side that day. After a delicious breakfast, I hit the road with a blueberry scone and a coffee to go and a big smile on my face. The Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe located at 408 Main Street, Leslie Arkansas will be open the first weekend in April and as the saying goes “Y’all Come Back” because you will want to. You'll leave Crooked Gate Farm & Cafe with a smile. Wiley's Cove aka Leslie will be painted in your heart too for one more reason. . .

C.Bethalee

Amongst the White Trilium & Celandine Poppies with Deb

April is the month Mother Nature offers the most exciting and enjoyable scavenger hunts in the woods, so put on your hiking boots, grab a walking stick, water and do not forget the tick repellent (speaking from personal experience, tick fever is a very unpleasant illness). A good identification book is also good to have on hand.

The beautiful spring ephemerals can be found all through the Ozarks, some being unique to Stone County.

There are numerous hiking trails through out the area, even in the city limits of Mountain View. The City Park has a trail that goes all the way to the Ozark Folk Center State Park. I found my first Black Trumpet mushroom on that hike! One can even find beauties without getting out of the vehicle or hiking on a trail. The boardwalk to Blanchard Springs has many wildflowers to observe as well as the trail that starts from the parking lot along the springs.

The Hanging Gardens of Barkshed

Talking about eye candy, one of my favorite trails is near the Sylamore Creek at Barkshed Campgrounds in the National Forest. Dear friends introduced me to this trail they nicknamed “The Hanging Gardens of Barkshed”. There is a huge bluff where Shooting Stars, Columbine, wild hydrangea, maidenhair fern and alumroot literally grow out of the crevices of this rocky wall. It is such a beautiful sight, especially when water trinkles over the ledge.

Please refrain from removing plants from the wild. It is also against the law to remove anything from a National Forest. Chances are the plant will not grow in another area once removed from it’s particular spot, so leave the beauties alone for future generations. I have already witnessed the effects of over digging certain plants in areas I go to every year.

So head out on the trails and see what Mother Nature offers in the month of April.

Yellow Trout Lily

Morel Mushroom

Written & Photographed by Deb Jolly

Here is a PARTIAL list for your hunt with common names, but it is also a very good idea to learn the Latin names;

• Morel mushroom

• Bellwort

• Wild Comfrey

• Dwarf Crested Iris

• Wild Ginger

• Celandine Poppy

• Trillium

• Golden Seal

• Yellow Lady’s Slipper

• Numerous varieties of Violets

Yellow Lady’s Slipper Orchid

Woody Betony aka Lousewort

Morel Mushroom

Bird’s Foot Violet

Dutchman’s Breeches

Celandine Poppy

Reflection on the Stone Labyrinth in Stone County, Arkansas Patty Kohler-Evans

I thought of a labyrinth of labyrinths, of one sinuous spreading labyrinth that would encompass the past and the future... I felt myself to be, for an unknown period of time, an abstract perceiver of the world. Jorge Luis Borges

For the world’s ancient archetypal labyrinths, little is known about the builders and their stories. Even the great cathedral labyrinths lack attribution to specific individuals, which in so many ways adds to the magic and mystery surrounding them. As a relative newcomer to the enchantment of the labyrinth, I find myself wondering about those whose minds designed and whose hands constructed the circular paths that provide such indescribable places for wonder.

In my own search, I find myself drawn to the human beings whose visions resulted in contemporary labyrinths, especially when they are inspired by patterns thousands of years old. I wonder who they are and what inspired them. It is as if time and space stand still for just a bit on these liminal thresholds. Perhaps the most compelling story I have encountered is the one I heard from a soft spoken man living a few hours from my home in Central Arkansas.

John Chiaromonte’s name is as unique as he is himself. For most of his life, this intriguing and thoughtful man has been seeking the alternate path, entering doors not generally opened and poking into the spaces others leave alone. He seems to be one who looks for opportunities to cross thresholds into spellbinding liminal places. I recently met John on my third trip to walk the large stone Medieval 11 circuit labyrinth built by him and his wife a decade ago in the middle of a field in the middle of the rural Arkansas countryside, close to the heart of Mountain View, Arkansas. In this unique hamlet, located in Stone County, John makes his home.

Mountain View serves as the county seat for Stone County, Arkansas. This small town is dedicated to its folk and gospel music, local crafts, and a dulcimer shop that has produced tens of thousands of dulcimers since 1962. Founded in 1873, much of the city’s economy is based on tourism, especially related to folk music. Annually, Mountain View hosts the Arkansas Folk Festival, and on most weekends, a variety of musicians and spectators gather around the courthouse steps to pick and sing. Near Mountain View, other points of interest include the White River, noted for its brown and rainbow trout fishing, and Blanchard Springs Caverns, which offers a threelevel cave system, two of which are open for guided tours. The state's largest craft cooperative, the Arkansas Craft Guild, is also headquartered in the historic downtown area and has a gallery there. However, there is no mention of the labyrinth in any of the information I read about Mountain View’s attractions and history although I believe this to be one of the most compelling sites in the entire area.

10 April 2023

It is impossible to separate the beautiful stone labyrinth which spans 100 feet in diameter from John’s personal story. Although I had traveled twice before to walk this labyrinth, I never noticed any signs of life until the third trip. My husband, Randy, and I spent a few days in Mountain View to celebrate Valentine’s Day, 2022. In the nearby forest, we rented an old school bus converted into a cabin, of sorts, aptly named Skoolie. The bus sat at the top of a ridge in the Ozark Mountains with a fire pit and outdoor chairs available for viewing the winter sunset through the landscape of barren leafless branches. Inside was a cozy nest complete with everything needed for a unique getaway in the woods.

Eager to show Randy the labyrinth, we drove to the site where the labyrinth is located. Behind the labyrinth sits a small white building, which appears to be a cabin. As we approached, we noticed someone emerging from this small structure and I moved toward him, wondering if he might be the person whose name was affiliated with the labyrinth. As I got closer, he greeted me warmly and indicated that he was indeed John Chiaromonte, the person who was listed as the contact for the labyrinth on the World Wide Labyrinth Locator website (World-wide labyrinth, 2022). John invited us both to sit for a while and offered to share his story.

Little did I know I was in for one of the most fascinating conversations I would ever be privy to. John began with a bit about his background and childhood, and soon offered his spiritual and more personal journey as a fellow seeker of life’s spiritual realms. What began as a chance encounter moved quickly into a two hour conversation that pulled me into his beautiful story. In the retelling, my wish is to convey some of its magic, knowing that the best I can hope for is a bit of shared wonder. I offer apologies in advance for any failure to compel the reader as I was compelled while listening to John’s unveiling story.

Originally from California, John grew up in a military home with a Southern Baptist mother and a Roman Catholic father. This atypical mix of beliefs formed the foundation for John’s fascinating path. In 1968, he joined the Navy and was stationed in Japan, where he began collecting record albums. As he recalls that part of his life, he really loved the Doors’ first album, simply titled The Doors and released on January 4, 1967. Since its release, the record has been often regarded as one of the greatest debut albums of all time, by both music critics and publishers. For Jim Morrison and the Doors fans, this album features the long version of the breakthrough single "Light My Fire".

While in Japan, John was introduced to Zen meditation. Also known as Zazen, Zen is a meditation technique rooted in Buddhist psychology. The goal of Zen meditation is to regulate attention. It’s sometimes referred to as a practice that involves “thinking about not thinking.” In this ancient set of practices, John found peace in life giving breath. Upon returning to the United States, he embraced the “Jesus Movement'' of the 1970’s and became a very charismatic follower. Sharing his meditation practice with others resulted in being told that this practice was inconsistent with Christianity, so John spent time in a San Franciscan Zen Center where he discovered the work of Thomas Merton, a mystic contemplative and social activist Trappist monk.

Merton is perhaps the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century. He wrote hundreds of poems and articles and over sixty books on topics spanning from monastic spirituality to civil rights, nonviolence, and the nuclear arms race. Merton referred to the nonviolent civil rights movement as "certainly the greatest example of Christian faith in action in the social history of the United States." (Thomas Merton Center, n. d.).

Merton endured severe criticism for his social activism, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who boldly attacked his political writings as unbecoming of a monk. During his last years, he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, and in promoting East-West dialogue.The Dalai Lama praised Merton as having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. In Merton, John found the interweaving of both Zazen and his own more traditional Christian roots.

John’s practices soon included the incorporation of both meditation and the labyrinth. As his life evolved, so did his work with the labyrinth. John left the charismatic movement and became a member of the Anglican Church. According to the website, the Anglican Church is rooted in tradition, yet contemporary in practice. It is united in substance, yet diverse in expression. In John’s words, this was the first time he believed that communion was really communion. John also found expression through visual and performing arts and wove artistry into his work with the labyrinth and ritual.

Receiving a Master’s in Fine Arts from Memphis State University, John developed and presented a series of performances that incorporated ritual, performance, and the labyrinth. He became well known for his 72 hours long shows and was featured in numerous publications regarding his unique work. Corey Dugan wrote about John’s performances in 1991, stating that “Chiaromonte has deeply mined the source of Christianity for symbols and ritual”. John soon realized that the incorporation of ritual, symbolism, and the labyrinth had an amazing healing effect on others. Women profoundly affected by trauma, children wounded by abusive homes, and others who were grieving all informed John that his performances had significant healing effects on them. John began to understand more deeply that the performances and the labyrinth could be healing places for others.

As his evolution continued, John encountered a small group of followers of the Celtic faith and became an ordained deacon and priest in this church. According to the blog site about this tradition and identified on WWLL with John’s contact information, the Reformed Celtic Church flourished in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other countries in the first eleven centuries of the Christian era. The church holds several commonly held principles which are visibly reflected in the labyrinth that was built by John and his wife in Mountain View. These principles include a belief that God and spiritual awareness are achieved by every person, and that no faith can claim to have a monopoly of the truth. Each person must find his/her own path, and each can benefit from the search of others.

At the entrance to the Mountain View labyrinth, one can find a winged gargoyle, a Celtic cross, a statue of St. Francis as well as the Buddha. Each of these icons represent the varied and collective principles of the Reformed Celtic Church.

John is also a devoted partner to his wife of many years. At some point in his fantastic journey, John’s wife wanted to return to family land in Arkansas, and it is on this land that John and his wife constructed the labyrinth that is at the center of this story. The beautiful and somewhat haunting labyrinth was constructed in Mountain View on the land John and his wife occupy, and on the WWLL site, one can find a link to the Celtic Church and its earlier stated principles. Knowing a bit about the man whose hands constructed the native stone labyrinth and the numerous evolutions of faith and ideals that have served as foundational pillars for his spiritual practices, it is no small coincidence that the labyrinth holds such magic and creates such wonder.

Since the building of the labyrinth, John’s story has continued. Over the last few years, John worked at a nearby College in the Upward Bound program, started the White River Dharma Center, taught martial arts, led tours at nearly Blanchard Caverns, created a series of three dimensional symbolic art pieces, dug deeply into the work of Bede Griffiths, monk, mystic, and yogi, and became a storyteller with Dungeons and Dragons. He communicates with his friends and supporters through the internet, especially important in these pandemic-laden days. After my visit with John, we exchanged contact information, and I asked permission to share his story. He kindly granted it and mailed me a beautiful handwoven St Brigid’s cross that he made. Although I live in a rural state in the rural South, I will finish this by suggesting that any reader looking for a unique labyrinth experience, invest the time to see and walk this beautiful stone labyrinth in Stone County, Arkansas.

All photos by Patty Kohler-Evans

Mountain View Art Guild

“Color the Memories”

May 5-6, 2023

5th Annual Mountain View Iris Festival

The Mountain View Iris Festival began a life of its own in September 2016. Pat Cash (Mountain View’s Aunt Minnie) and Karen Avey shared a mutual love of irises. Karen began by growing tall bearded irises for friends to enjoy. She then set a goal of cultivating and protecting an array of tall bearded iris varieties in the beautiful Ozark mountain community of Mountain View, Arkansas. Aunt Minnie, a gifted humorist who has always promoted community, volunteered to promote the budding non-profit dream shared by the two friends. Let the letter writing begin! Karen had grown Schreiner irises for years. She wrote a letter and asked for an iris donation to start a festival in Mountain View. Liz Schreiner Schmidt wrote back to say she loved our letter and how many would it take to start downtown. Thanks to the generosity of Liz and the Schreiner family, the Mountain View Iris Festival got it’s kick start and we were off and running!

In late September 2016, Schreiner’s Iris Gardens donation of hybrid iris rhizomes arrived. Two Arkansas iris growers, Nanna’s Iris Gardens and Ozark Iris Gardens also donated iris. Teresa Cheatham, Modern Woodmen Insurance, came forward to secure funding for additional iris hybrids. We were thrilled, but it was September and we had to work fast! Without hesitation, Aunt Minnie, Karen and Teresa went to work recruiting volunteers, securing city and county endorsements, estimating funding requirements, and seeking potential resources. From the first planting of tall bearded irises in Mountain View, additional volunteers have joined to work year-round maintaining the iris gardens, fundraising, and expanding city and county beautification projects.

Time to write letters again.

Karen wrote ColMet Manufacturing in Garland, Texas for a donation of steel edging. ColMet sent enough edging to install around the perimeter of the Stone County Courthouse, Mountain View City Hall, and other iris gardens in our community. “Whoopee” is the only word to describe the blessing from ColMet! We had iris, edging, dirt, and iris rings. We rented a sod cutter and men were selected to help us lay the edging. In about two weeks, we had landscaped around the courthouse perimeter, installed iris rings, and planted the new iris rhizomes.

When we completed the work, the grateful men said, “Thank you for asking us to help in your project. We were feeling hopeless sitting around!” Those words struck a chord! We quickly understood our iris dream might have a greater impact on our community than realized. Since 2016, several community groups have come forward to work with us. We know community programs impact the lives of disabled Americans, veterans, court appointed community service individuals (both youth and adults), and residents.

We embrace the opportunity to help others nurturing “life in our community” as well as plants in our gardens. We have found that nature and mankind thrive on most days participating in goal-oriented tasks. As young students helped to plant iris on another day they said, “We did not expect this to be fun!” Volunteers who hope to have an impact on a community often find the community having more of an impact on themselves!

Mountain View’s first iris festival was hosted in May 2018. Residents and visitors were delighted with its success. Please join us May 5-6, 2023 as folks gather to view and purchase varieties of tall bearded irises. Please don’t miss the COAA, Carousel Organ Association of America, and AMICA, the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association who will rally on the courthouse square for the fourth year. They travel from across the United States to play the “Happiest Music on Earth.” Rally members showcase mechanical and technical innovations spanning hundreds of years. Visitors of all ages may step forward, meet the members, and enjoy this special music on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

All

the colorful sights delight the eyes while spring in the “Comfort Zone” of Mountain View soothes the soul! Visitors of all ages are welcome, and events are free!

Event Schedule Friday:

• 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

• 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

• 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

MVIF Iris Sales (Behind the Stone County Courthouse)

COAA and AMICA play carousel music on the courthouse square

Mountain View Arkansas Crazy Quilters will host a quilt show (Visit the Arkansas Craft School Showroom at 101 N. Peabody Ave.)

• 7:00-9:00 p.m. Music on the Courthouse stage featuring The Finley River Boys playing Bluegrass, country, and gospel music (Don’t forget your lawn chairs.)

• Festival Garden Walk – Corners of Knox and Webb Streets (Open dawn to dark, ½ mile walking path to be enjoyed by all ages. “Stretch, walk, and breathe some Ozark Mountain Air.”

Children’s photo opportunities and activities in the park.

• 9:00 am until close. Experience Mountain View’s downtown shopping and dining, visitors say, “Friendliness is found all over town.”

Note: Alternate plans have been made in case of rain, most events will be held rain or shine!

Event Schedule Saturday:

• 9:00 am to 2:00 pm MVIF Iris Sales (Behind the Stone County Courthouse)

• 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Car Show - Corvettes and Hot Rods Welcome! Begin parking at 8:00 am with judging at 10:00 am and award presentation at 12:30 pm. Donations will benefit Blue Line Outreach in Mountain View, Arkansas.

• 10:00 am to 4:00 pm COAA and AMICA play carousel music on the courthouse square

• 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Mountain View Arkansas Crazy Quilters will host a quilt show (Visit the Arkansas Craft School Showroom at 101 N. Peabody Ave.)

• 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Children Paint Iris on Canvas at the Courthouse. A real hit with the children, and materials are furnished.

• 12:00 pm to 4 pm Mountain View Iris Society Iris Show and Photo Contest at the “Mountain View Meeting Place” located behind the Wildflower Bed & Breakfast, 106 E. Washington St.

• 7:00-9:00 p.m a festival favorite street dance. Featuring Dixon Street Band, a classic country band playing real country music! Dance on the Stone County Courthouse square. (Don’t forget your lawn chairs.)

• Festival Garden Walk – Corners of Knox and Webb Streets

(Open dawn to dark, ½ mile walking path to be enjoyed by all ages. “Stretch, walk, and inhale Ozark Mountain Air.” Children’s photo opportunities and activities in the park.

• 9:00 am until close. Experience Mountain View’s downtown shopping and dining. Visitors say, “Friendliness is found all over town.”

Note: Alternate plans have been made in case of rain, most events will be held rain or shine!

For inquiries of any sort:

• Advertising

• Feedback

• A man wanting to join in this adventure

• Calendar notices (of interest to lots of people) for the coming months

• Submitting an article for consideration, etc..

email: mt.viewhappenings@gmail.com or mail to: Casual Country LLC, P.O. Box 1777, Mountain View, AR 72560.

We’d all love to hear from you, your opinions are important to us. Matter a fact, we’ll all (myself and all the writers), be eagerly waiting for feedback!

Tatting for Victoria & Albert

This tatted border is from the Victoria and Albert Museum, made in Ireland and dated 1880-1883. What is different from more modern tatting is that it is made of rows of wheels with needlelace fillings and no chains — characteristics of early tatting methods.

Tatting is a popular durable knotted lace with loops called picots, made with either a tatting shuttle or tatting needle. The shuttles come in different forms and sizes to accommodate different sizes of thread, some are very beautiful, expensive and collectible. Tatting needles are available in sizes to match thread size.

Although the earliest tatting in print appears in 1843, the origins are unclear. It is said that it originated in the 18th century, but there is little evidence. Early designs of rings (or wheels) were joined with needle and thread until a method was developed in the 1850s for connecting picots and rings directly. In the 1860s, chains with tatted knots appeared. Making designs with several colors in the same piece were detailed in 1890’s pattern books.

Patterns that combined tatting with braid, lace strips, coronation cord, rickrack, crochet and other techniques can be found from the early 20th century. Other techniques evolved: tatting with multiple shuttles or tatting needles; different combinations with other laces (Tenerife, crochet, broomstick lace or other laces); tatting patterns with novelty tapes including braid, rickrack and coronation cord, beads; cro-tatting and additional stitches (like Josephine knots and Cluny leaf designs). There are also patterns for tatting appliquéd onto machine net. Pattern notation styles have also changed from the early longhand notation to abbreviations or visual pattern drawings. 3-D layered tatting and Ankars tatting are also more recent.

Various names for tatting include Frivolité (French), Spoelkant , Chiacchierino (Italian), Frywolitka (Polish), and Schiffchenspitze (German).

Tatting is widely used for edgings, doilies, antimacassars, jewelry, bookmarks, baby caps and booties, wedding veils, household items and ornaments.

It has been a popular form of lacemaking for generations and is one of the easiest lace techniques, with many places to learn. Tatters share their expertise through tatting groups on Facebook, tatting blogs and online teaching groups, instructions on YouTube, and books of patterns and technique in many languages.

Free out of copyright patterns can be found in the scanned books from Antique Pattern Library at https://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/tatting.htm

Suzanne writes, has her hands into all kinds of needlework, travels & volunteers at The Lace Museum.

Petit Jean: A Legend of Exploration and Romance

By Sarah Struthers

Arkansas’ first state park, located in the town of Morrilton, is nestled between the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains in Conway County. Located 2 hours southwest of Mountain View, Petite Jean State Park offers over 3,000 acres to explore and has plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities. Rustic log and stone buildings on the property, including the historic Mather Lodge, were built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Cabins, campsites, pavilions, playgrounds, and a pool are available. The park also features a boat launch with boat and kayak rentals on Lake Bailey. Mather Lodge offers a restaurant, meeting rooms, and gift shop.

Petit Jean offers a variety of hiking trails ranging from a ¼-mile stroll to a 12-mile strenuous hike for the more advanced hiker. Trail highlights include bluffs, canyons, deep forests, a grotto, natural bridge, and overlooks with breathtaking views. Don’t miss Cedar Falls, a 95-foot waterfall that can be seen from several observation decks, or by hiking directly to the falls area.

There are unique rock formations including turtle rocks, carpet rocks, and giant sandstone boulders to explore. Rock House Cave, one of the largest bluff shelters in the state of Arkansas, gives us a glimpse into the archeological history of the area. The cave features prehistoric rock art, with images painted and etched into stone.

How did the park come to be named Petit Jean?

Legend has it that a romantic story is behind the name. In the 1700s, a young French girl named Adrienne DuMont became heartbroken when she learned her lover was going far away overseas. Her love, Jean-Jacques Chavet, was a member of an adventuring excursion to explore the New World and the Louisiana Territory. Determined to be with him, Adrienne cut her hair, and disguised herself as a cabin boy on the ship so that she could be with Chavet. She joined the company of explorers and sailors as they explored the New World. The sailors called her “Petit Jean,” French for “Little John,” because of her small stature.

Adrienne, or “Petit Jean,” survived the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, north on the Mississippi River, and to the Arkansas River. Shortly thereafter, she became ill. During the time of her failing health, her true identity was revealed. Petit Jean eventually succumbed to her illness and passed away.

of what we now call Petit Jean Mountain.

Legend has it that her spirit still wanders around the park. Visit and see for yourself!

Sarah is an RN who loves hiking and exploring all the natural world on her time off.

Her grave site is located at Stout’s Point, overlooking the Arkansas River, on top

“

Life is meant for spectacular adventures. Let your feet wander, your eyes marvel and your soul ignite. ”

Get along little Doggies

HUSH PUPPIES, not the shoes but the beloved ubiquitous balls of fried carbs that garnish plates of fried fish and barbeque throughout The South.

Someone needed to bite into the hush puppy mystique by interviewing chefs, dining patrons, home cooks and committed noshers about their love of this crunch little doggie.

This research meant going to the front line and sampling every hush puppy at every eatery in Mountain View. Could this explain why my pants have become snug????

Several restaurants make their puppies from scratch — some use frozen (their secret is safe with me).

Not surprisingly everyone I spoke with insist THEY make the best Hush Puppy.

The history of the hush puppy remains forever murky though there are 4 prevailing tales.

The oldest record dates to 1727 when a group of French Nuns, located in New Orleans, converted cornmeal into a delicious staple they called croquettes de mais. Still popular in France today. Though they French it up, by making it a 3 hour ordeal. See Escoffier and sigh.

The early 1800’s have plantation slave women taking a little milk, egg, onion and catfish batter and fry that up. The aroma attracted hungry children and dogs who wanted handouts. These soft hearted women would dole out the corn pone saying “hush children, hush puppies”.

The third tale which keeps “pupping” up has Confederate soldiers preparing campfire food and pitching fried balls of dough to their dogs to keep them from yelping and giving away their positions to the Union troops. Hence, “hush puppies”.

A clipping from an 1899 newspaper calls the hush puppy a humbling meal that was to remain hushhush when served in high status homes.

No matter, the Hush Puppy remains a cherished tradition from the diviest of dives to upscale cloth napkin dining from Texas to the southern East Coast. The lowly hush puppy will garnish grilled catfish, shrimp baskets, barbeque, chicken and just about any Southern plate.

Surely you have eaten a hush puppy, but have you ever made one? I had not until pondering this article. They are easy peasy and you probably have everything you need in your pantry. The dry mix is cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt and pepper. Stirred into the dry is buttermilk, an egg and grated onion.

To Achieve Hush Puppy Nirvana

here are a few tips I gathered to attain the wonderful crunch on the outside and a moist inside.

• First, the oil needs to be neutral such as vegetable oil and heated to 375 degrees.

• Add a small amount of cubed butter to the oil which will release and absorb into the puppy to keep it moist.

• If using self rising flour omit the baking powder and salt.

• Do not overmix.

• Use soup spoons or a small cookie scoop sprayed with oil to allow the hush puppies to slide easily into the oil and for portioning. The pup should be about Ping Pong ball size.

• Yellow or white corn meal is alright to use, fine or medium grind. Try for the real deal as store bought cornmeal can result in gritty doggos.

• 3:1 is the perfect ratio. (1-½ c cornmeal to ½ c flour)

• Turn the little guys while frying so they fry to crispy brown perfection and use a slotted spoon to remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

The standard recipe is…

The little puppies take about 3 minutes to fry crispy and brown on all sides and are best immediately. Split and eat with a pat of salted butter, dip into tartar or your

Leftover hush puppies can be stored in airtight bags and revived in a warm oven just time. Or perhaps you wish to eat them cold crumbled in milk.

Finally be adventuresome.

corn niblets - diced pepper - garlic powder - paprika - minced jalapeño - red pepper flakes

The important thing is to munch on……………………….

Regards, Marie and Bruce

Jennifer E. Gonzalez, Fruit Infiniti Art

Somewhere in Arkansas: The Painting”

We leave you now with the stirrings of youth…

“The air was cool, I was a bored 18-year-old with a disposable camera. I was stopped on the side of a farm road and saw a rustic fence post to use as my foreground for an upshot of the cozy evening sky.

I later used it as a subject for a gift painting for my folks.”

That was about 2008, then Jennifer pulled the photo out a couple years ago and with all the memories of that evening painted “Somewhere in Arkansas: The Painting”.

Building Lots in….

Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas

A ‘Land of Many Lakes’

The perfect place for nature lovers….spend your days filled with boating, floating, canoeing, hiking, golfing then cuddling into your dream home for the night!

The fresh air and laid-back lifestyle is a sure cure for these modern times. You can leave the hurried and congested life behind…and to boot Horseshoe Bend is very affordable and building costs are lower than the national average.

Horseshoe Bend has mild winters, pleasant summers and the spring and fall are glorious. Year-round activities center around an abundance of magnificent lakes, the Strawberry River, the village bowling alley and an 18 hole golf course with clubhouse and an indoor swimming pool.

We have beautiful wooded lots, view lots and golf course lots for sale!

$3500 to $6000 per lot

Golf Course lots have electric, water and sewer available. Other lots have electric and water available.

All are level lots on paved streets and easy to build on.

.

For more information: Call or Text 650-995-2369

Or email: L.L.A.P.Properties@gmail.com

~ Live Long and Prosper ~

Community Needs

Have you been wanting a pooch to fill out your family? Here’s your best time…The Stone County Humane Society is having ½ price adoptions through April..only $75.. All dogs are spayed/neutered & fully vetted. Sorry, this does not include Paws in Prison dogs & puppies under 6 months. So go ahead…get your next best friend. 870-269-5200 or www.schs-pets.org

Are you new to town & want to meet people or do you just need to get out more? The Stone County Community Center needs volunteers. They need helping hands who have a heart for giving back to the community & who love to serve! Message them on Facebook or visit https://www.yoursccc.com/get-involved and apply today!