A Very Special Christmas Greeting

Duncan Greenlee’s densely detailed art is a compelling blend of whimsy and wisdom.

Asleigh rockets above a 19th-century version of a Highlands that-could-have-been; an intricate snowflake on closer inspection is comprised of angels and Christmas trees and happy families; Santa is in his workshop, and a young boy atop a hill dreams of Christmas. There are just some of the charming scenes Duncan Greenlee used as posters for his dad’s industrial-design business starting in the 1980s. Santa’s workshop is modeled after Duncan and his wife Ann’s home, and the Jolly Man himself is the late Randy Sackman, original owner of the Highlands Smokehouse. Duncan’s whimsical “Common Tater” cartoons have enlivened The Highlander Newspaper’s opinion pages since 1985. I’m a particular fan of his anthropomorphic trees, which offer their sage advice on Plateau doings. He has also contributed art to The Laurel.

Duncan, his sister Megan, and their parents Hugh and Beth first came here from Gates Mills, Ohio (a Cleveland suburb) to visit friends John and Val Teyral in Whiteside Cove in 1968. They fell in love with the area and bought land in Whiteside Cove for their summers. Hugh was co-founder of the innovative industrial-design firm Greenlee-Hess, as well as a professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art and later became chairman of the

Industrial Design Department there. Growing up, Duncan had a summer job at High Hampton as so many other kids here have, and got a degree from the CIA, as well as another in English from Cornell. Today he owns Yardmonger’s Yardservice, which he started in 1979. He is a charter member and former president of the Rotary Club of Highlands-Mountaintop. He told me he hopes to retire soon and return to his art full time. We need a Duncan Greenlee retrospective! One of his inspirations is the artist M.C. Escher. I would throw in Rube Goldberg and Rockwell Kent. Perhaps my favorite of the posters is the scroll-like one he did in 1992 showing the Christmas parade on Main Street. A float with The Holy Family in the manger is followed by the Three Magi riding their camels; next is a globe proclaiming “Peace on Earth” carried by a VW bus. Here’s Jolly Old St Nicholas pulled by reindeer, as he also maneuvers a hot-air balloon in his own image that floats above. Further back in the parade is a pickup that’s been transformed into a Champagne bottle marked “1993.” In the background is Bill’s Soda Shop. Two of these floats, built by Duncan, actually appeared in later manifestations of the parade, courtesy of the First Presbyterian Church.

by Stuart Ferguson, Local Historian, Co-Owner Shakespeare & Company

LIFESTYLES & WELLNESS

Pages 126-141

photo by Susan Renfro

Such a Good Life

Bob and Trisha Kieltyka

For Trisha and Bob Kieltyka, a relationship built upon mutual respect was a solid insurance policy. (There was also a Datsun and a mustache involved.)

Trisha Singleton had worked as Bob Kieltyka’s administrative assistant for more than a year before they had their first date. They met in the summer of 1976 on his initial arrival at the Atlanta office of the insurance company, where she worked.

“We were all checking him out,” Trisha said. “I thought he was very nice and polite.” “They were curious about me because I had a mustache,” said Bob who had just completed a tour of duty with the Army and transferred from the home office in Providence, Rhode Island. (The company had a strict policy forbidding facial hair). “My first impression of Trisha was very casual. I was happy to know that she was going to work with me and thought we would make a good team, but Trisha was married at the time, so I only thought of her as a co-worker.” Then, In the spring of 1977, Trisha’s husband of five years died suddenly. For Trisha the loss was devastating, and on hearing the news, Bob and her co-workers were quick to offer consolation and support. “I felt so much sympathy for her losing her husband so unexpectedly,” said Bob. “We were a very close office, and we understood the depth of her trauma.” In the ensuing months, “Bob took me under his wing. He felt sorry for me.” Trisha said. For a while, respectful of the company non-fraternization policy, they only saw each other at company social functions or hanging out with co-workers at local clubs and pizza joints. On August 18, 1977, they went on their first solo date to a Chinese restaurant. When Bob showed up at Trisha’s door with flowers and a bottle of wine, she felt that, “we were off to a great start, “I knew then I couldn’t go wrong.” For his part, Bob was thrilled when Trisha let him drive her brand-new Datsun 280Z.

“She’s someone quite special,” Bob said. “There were so many things I liked about her, she’s very intelligent.” Trisha was similarly impressed; “Bob was very quiet, very much the

gentleman, and he had really nice eyes – it was the first thing I noticed,” she told me. By the end of the date their collegial relationship had taken a romantic turn.

“We realized that our feelings for each other were strong enough that we couldn’t just stay friends,” Bob said. They told management of their romance and agreed to remain discreet. More dates followed. They started seeing so much of each other that travel between their two homes became cumbersome and in 1978 – a year after they started dating – Bob moved in with Trisha. As Bob said, “Through it all, we continued to be best friends, and that made the transition much easier.” Over the next year, their connection deepened. Though Trisha was the first to express an interest in marriage, Bob had suspected for some time that they would wed. On May 5, 1979, they were married at a gala celebration in Stone Mountain, GA before a crowd of 200 friends and family members. Trisha left her job at the insurance company before their wedding and Bob remained with the company until 1996 when the couple both went to work for CVS. In 2003 they agreed it was time to leave Atlanta. What once had been a rather small Southern town, had simply become too populated. Seeking something quieter, they decided on Highlands – moving here in January and buying the Christmas Tree shop soon after. Starting in 2007, and for 13 years Bob was Director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce. As Bob coyly sums up their liaison, “I met Trisha in Atlanta where she was my administrative assistant, and we now run the Christmas Tree where she is president, and she’s nice enough to let me think I am a partner.” They have never stopped being best friends. The two share an enthusiasm for travel and a profound love for the many cats and dogs they have rescued over the years. They continue to find reasons to fall further in love.

She speaks her mind and lets me know what she thinks. She really is a rock I can lean on – always there for me as friend and counsellor.” said Bob earnestly. “We’re true soulmates,” Trisha explained, “It been such a good life, we hope to keep it going forever.” They still drive the Datsun 280Z.

Trisha and Bob Kieltyka, 1977

by Marlene Osteen

The Gift of Massage

Give yourself the gift of massage this holiday season.

Kristine Brand is a long-time massage therapist that prides herself in providing a high standard of service and is devoted to her profession. She spent much of her career at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, before her five years working at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.

Kristine Brand

As the daylight hours get shorter and the holidays approach, we can get a bit overwhelmed and stressed so why not give yourself the gift of a therapeutic massage? As a licensed massage therapist of 25 years, I have noticed that people often struggle with putting themselves first and one thing that seems to be universal is that most people have a hard time giving themselves permission to take care of themselves and/or do something special that is just for them. This can be especially true during the holiday season when the longstanding theme is that it’s better to give than to receive. Ironically, getting a massage is a little bit of both giving and receiving. By giving yourself the gift of massage, you allow yourself to receive the many benefits for mind, body, and spirit. Massage helps to relieve, relax, and release the tension in your body and can help over worked, tired muscles as well as providing a wonderful respite on your overall outlook at life. Physically, there is a process of detoxification through increased circulation and the potential to reduce pain. It can also calm the mind from the constant chatter and mode of always being “on.” There’s a sense of peacefulness that is both invigorating and rejuvenating. Like most modalities, there are many different massage styles and techniques available, just as there are many different people in the world with different ailments and situations. These differences allow me to offer uniquely customized appointments for everyone I work with. A session could include light to medium pressure on your neck and shoulders or deeper pressure along your low back and hamstrings. I can even add hot stones, aromatherapy, foot reflexology or scalp massage to enhance your experience. As the newest co-op member at Cashiers Valley Fusion Yoga and Wellness, I’m excited to offer my clients access to additional wellness services that are complimentary to my therapeutic massage. Some clients may choose to treat themselves to a double dose of goodness with a Yoga or Pilates class followed by a massage. Others may opt for a session in the full-spectrum infrared sauna or halo/salt therapy room before or after a massage. Another popular combination is adding a facial with the studio’s co-op skin care specialist before or after their appointment. Ultimately, giving yourself the gift of a massage this holiday season and even beyond, is just that, a gift. A gift that gives back. A gift that is bound by well-being and time dedicated to self. With that, I look forward to taking care of you as part of your gift to yourself.

by Kristine Brand

Sticky Joints

The various creaks and pops that somehow work their way into our everyday existence often emanate from our sticky joints.

Dr. Sue Aery

Sometimes it’s a squeak, click, crackle, snap, and sometimes it may get stuck or hung up for a second. There are so many joints in the body, in different forms, with different components. They are all designed to “articulate,” meaning that they move freely against a surface for a very specific purpose or motion. Let’s take the knee joint, which is very specific in its function. The knee joint joins the upper leg, or femur, with the lower leg, or tibia, and helps us move while walking. There are many different levers and pulleys to control the force, distance and direction of the person walking or running. These components are driven by muscles, which are controlled by the nervous system and the brain at the helm, much like a computer. Now, let’s get back to the joint – each bone is covered by a layer of cartilage called a meniscus. When we’re young, the meniscus is very supple and smooth, which makes for a comfortable movement where the bones glide over one another with ease. The knee joint is therefore mobile and quick in its movement, with nothing sticky! As we age over time, whether we have experienced an injury or not, the meniscus can wear down, becoming rough and less mobile. Now, we can begin to hear sounds when we move, making a creaky noise each time we take a step. The meniscus becomes less lubricated with healthy cells, good blood flow and less space between the bones. This breakdown can then lead to arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis and other forms and causes of pain. The “squeaky” part is a damaged articulation and may need some help. Some of the natural approaches include acupuncture, TRT, massage, therapeutic ultrasound, physical therapy, etc. Some of the medical approaches involve more invasive procedures, including injections, arthroscopic surgeries and prosthetic replacements. Remember, long before any of these advanced procedures, listen to your joints! If they are squeaky, make sure that you seek advice from your chiropractor, so that you can take steps to reduce your risk of major surgery!

by Dr. Sue Aery, Aery Chiropractic & Acupuncture

Talking Trash

When the entire world’s your oyster, it’s time for a drastic plastic solution.

Iate my Am-Ex card this week. Mmm …chewy.

I devoured my Diners Club card last week. Meh, You’d think something named Diners Club would taste much better than that. Nuh-uh. The week before, I downed Wells Fargo, and I didn’t even have to hold up the stagecoach. I’ve applied for a Savor One card. Whoever named it Savor One has a wicked sense of humor. Oh, well, as long as I am eating credit cards: “Waitress – a side of micro-plastic gravy, if you please!” But, for real, credit cards are not a thing we’d choose for daily consumption, yet we are snarfing about give grams of plastic crumbs per week. That’s the equivalent of a credit card’s weight, and it’s playing havoc in the medical world and our collective gut. You know all that plastic we dump into the ocean? It’s coming back to us through the sea’s food chain. Fish, sea salt, and most anything packaged in plastic are the culprits. And it doesn’t necessarily come in and go out like the other body-familiar edibles we consume. Remember this rule: if it isn’t a natural food your liver and gut haven’t a clue where to put it or how to process it. As a result, much of it hangs out in your organs or traffic-jams your internal pathways. Ewww and yikes. It’s the holidays. I apologize. We shouldn’t be talking trash so literally. So, enjoy your holiday feasts, but when you make your New Year’s Resolutions, while pledging to cut back sugar and fat, consider cutting back plastic too. Look for proprietors who use paper or glass packaging. Take recyclable bags to pack your purchases. Consider drinking water from a personal tumbler if you haven’t already. Read online more about how you can change the world one credit card and one plastic container at a time.

Happy holidays to all who seek to make our world a better place in 2023. We’ll consider all that later…right now, dessert awaits. I’ll flambé my Discover card, and we’ll savor those sticky little nanoplastics one last time. Hear, hear! A toast: To all odd things on which we dine, And a cup of good ol’ Auld Lang Syne – in a glass.

by Donna Rhodes illustration by Norma Jean Zahner

Pilates Mamas

The demands of motherhood are a challenge to women on the physical, mental, and emotional planes.

Ashby Underwood-Garner

Attention Mamas at Any Age: Giving birth is a selfless physical act. Mothers for life, our children stay with us even once they are out in the world. We carry them, at first more physically, then emotionally, mentally, and even energetically through “mother’s intuition.” Birthing is often a lived traumatic experience to a woman’s body with a joyful end. The toll can be lasting as we may not have time for healing fully. We bound into action in service to a vulnerable baby. With both of our sons, I recall my instinctual response time to each cry, giggle, need, and milestone. Mothers transmit our courage and our fears, our disappointments, and our praise. When a child becomes the center of our world, how do we keep our personal sense of “center?” Postural stability is key. Holding a baby close, shoulders rounding forward, will challenge the muscles in the upper back to become fatigued, tight and knotted up. The belly wall, which is already stretched from the baby growing inside, needs a sensitive approach to regain strength. Mamas who have birthed through a Cesarean Section can have scar tissue that over time can pull hips out of alignment or create pelvic floor strain. The hormonal impulse which softens the ligaments of the pelvis for birth, is immediately followed by carrying extra weight and the constant shifting of the physical realities of mothering. Diastasis Recti is a common split in the mid-abdominal wall in women and men. This gap between the vertical muscles of the abdominal core can be felt with your fingers. Diastasis Recti can cause back pain and sciatic pain – common conundrums that therapies such as Massage, Chiropractic and Yoga seek to address sometimes years later. However, training on our Pilates Reformer creates immediate tone and re-weaving of the supporting belly muscles. In my studio I use sensory feedback and specific exercises, guiding a person to maintain ease and connection throughout the session. Once you gain the understanding of your unique pattern, you will have the knowledge to heal yourself. How long does it take for a body to come back into shape? Momentum grows when you can stand up with ease and exercise becomes a pleasure. When you can complete your day with energy to spare, you are on your way.

by Ashby Underwood-Garner, Yoga Highlands