Green Country Living - Spring 2017

Spring 2017

INSIDE  RUSTIC, UNTAMED BEAUTY DEFINES HOME  COUPLE EMBRACES OPEN, UNCLUTTERED LOOK  ARTISTS TRANSFORM WOOD, CLAY INTO ART

muskogeephoenix.com TAHLEQUAH

DAILY PRESS

Green Country Living

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CONTENTS

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42 Art of the Matter: Tahlequah couple turn clay, wood into art

32 Beyond the Listing: New feature highlights Green Country home for sale

52 Cook’s Pantry: Genesis of Heather Jones’ love of cooking built over generations

Issue 48

Spring 2017

Renovate and Restore: Upgrading of Hoopes Hardware merges past and present

Open, uncluttered look focus of rebuilding project

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Rustic, untamed beauty defines Ken Laubenstein home

Wonderful Wine: The shape, size and material of glass matters in experiencing wine

STAFF

PUBLISHER John Newby EDITORS Ed Choate, Elizabeth Ridenour WRITERS Wendy Burton, Melony Carey, Heather Ezell, Mike Elswick, M.J. Van Deventer-Shelton, Travis Sloat PHOTOGRAPHERS John Hasler, Mandy Lundy

ADVERTISING SALES Stephanie Elswick, Jacki Christie, Bronwyn Duncan, Erin Shriver, Jessica Fowler, Angela Jackson, Therese Lewis

LAYOUT & DESIGN Kristen Chevalier, Melissa Mower, Jim Reily, Dan Ryan, Lorin Stuart, Meredith Tridenti, Tom Willingham Green Country Living is published quarterly by the Muskogee Phoenix. Contents of the magazine are by the Muskogee Phoenix. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the Muskogee Phoenix. Green Country Living, P.O. Box 1968, Muskogee OK 74402. email echoate@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2933 email adjackson@muskogeephoenix.com - Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2813

ON THE COVER

Spring is evident in and around Ken Laubenstein’s home.

Photo by Mandy Lundy

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The back of Ken Laubenstein’s home overlooks an enticing lake.

Rustic, untamed beauty of ‘Forest Lake’ entices Ken Laubenstein

WILD AND

PRISTINE

By M.J. Van Deventer-Shelton • Photos by Mandy Lundy

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Ken Laubenstein and Olive, mother of his three other dachshunds.

K

en Laub enstein bought a neglected piece of property in Gooseneck Bend in southeast Muskogee 30 years ago that had all the promise of becoming an idyllic lakeside setting.

At that time, he lived only a mile away in this secluded rural area. A motorcycle ride introduced Laubenstein to the land he now owns.

O ver 30 years, he has grown his estate to 170 acres.

He might never have expanded his property holdings had he not taken his pickup for an oil change. While waiting for the mechanics to finish their work, Laubenstein passed the time by reading a bulletin board. O ne message “spoke” to him: “Private Lake for Sale - 25 acres in Gooseneck Bend.”

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A lakeside bench is a perfect place to sit for a while while walking the trail.

Geese feel right at home on Ken’s peaceful, tranquil lake.

Ken and Cocoa walk the rustic path that surrounds the lake.

Rustic areas on the property add visual interest for visitors.

Butterflies are always welcome in this nature preserve.

The property he was considering didn’t inspire love at first sight. However, it did make an indelible impression on him.

The lake had dirty water, the land was abused, and trash was dumped freely. Nevertheless, a vision evolved.

Laubenstein bought the initial 12 acres of land, house and lake in 1988. He named his new home and grounds 10 Spring 2017

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“Forest Lake.”

The rustic, rather wild and untamed beauty of the property was enticing to him. The more he explored the property, he began to see it as a piece of land, water and woodlands he believed could - and should be preserved.

“I want this land to remain wild and pristine,” he said.

In legal terms, Laubenstein

Dogwood trees, among others, brighten the spring landscape.

wanted the property preserved “in perpetuity” for future generations to enjoy. That is the quest Laubenstein has devoted his life to for the past three decades.

He recently was awarded a conservation agreement, making the land the first conservation easement in Muskogee County.

“Preserving a property in

perpetuity stems from a federal program that allows a selected homeowner to donate an easement to a group that will monitor and sustain land use but have no ownership of the land, Laubenstein said.

“The home is not part of that arrangement.”

The easement in the south central area of the United States is administered by the

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Daffodils and other seasonal flowers add a welcome color note at the home’s entrance.

A trail leading to the lake features a wood plank walkway and lakeside deck with a hot tub and outdoor cooking area.

Land Legacy of Tulsa.

Laubenstein’s rural paradise includes his one-story home, and the expansive grounds make a welcoming first impression. The front lawn is graced with a flagstone walkway to the front door, accented with raised rock gardens. Seasonal flowers, mature trees and shrubs accent the rambling front lawn, which leads to a

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The back patio is shielded from the elements with a slanted glass ceiling.

winding walking trail that circles the lake. The 25-feet-deep lake is surrounded with mature pine trees, thriving forest, and shrubbery.

For years, water was carried by hand from the lake to maintain 700 newly-planted Forest Service trees, which Laubenstein planted. An extensive outdoor watering system and water features were added

using pumped lake water.

The three miles of walking trails to the west of the home and lake provide a perfect setting for exploring. The lake is never far from the walker’s view. Accenting the lake are sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, two stream valleys, a geyser, and scenic overlooks. Laubenstein’s lake feeds into the Arkansas River. There are two

An unusual tiered bird house by a California artist is one of Ken’s favorite treasures.

dams on the lake, which was built during World War II, giving Laubenstein’s property a nod to conservation history.

“This was all built in 1942 before I was born,” he said.

Rocks are abundant on parts of his property, and he has enhanced their natural beauty by planting English ivy and seasonal flowers among and between the rocks.

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The fireplace in the living room features a rock wall, adding to the rustic look of the home.

The expansive kitchen has a front row view of the lake and rear garden.

A den overlooking the lily pond and lake is filled with a variety of blooming indoor plants, bringing the outside in for a dramatic look.

Being a certified Master Gardener, he has learned the pros and cons of his landscape choices.

In his quest to enhance the visual beauty of the property, Laubenstein has built clever water features for birds from old tree stumps and planted a variety of flowers in the nooks and corners that grace 12 Spring 2017

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the terraced property leading toward the sprawling lake’s shoreline. Ferns enhance numerous planters. Ground covers are abundant. What was once a swimming pool overlooking the lake is now a thriving lily pond.

Most impressive are the four rock islands he has built at various settings in the lake,

The master bath features a variety of plants and a great bonus view of the lake.

designed in part for the numerous geese that have taken up residency on the lake. At various times of the year, the islands have expectant female geese sitting on their eggs on the top of Laubenstein’s manmade nesting islands.

Of course, there is always jockeying for that prime top of the island real estate. There

is, however, a pecking order in these spring contests.

“The geese can create quite a ruckus around dusk,” Laubenstein says with a laugh. “Everybody as to hustle for their place for the evening. But the nesting mother geese always win. And the fathers are always close by. It’s much more serene here in the afternoon.”

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A semi-circular leather sofa in the den is accented with three glass-topped occasional tables, which Ken designed.

The master bedroom overlooking the lake and deck is home to a climatecontrolled aquarium, filled with exotic fish.

This setting in the den provides guests with a panoramic view of the lake and surrounding property.

Laubenstein has built a perfect place to survey his domain on the west side of his home, which provides expansive views of the lake. A deck, sans any railings that might mar his panoramic view, provides plenty of wildlife drama for him to see from his comfortable perch. The back lawn is terraced toward a sandy

Bradford pears, redbuds, junipers, cedars, pines, oaks, green ash, sycamores, crepe myrtles and dogwood. Flowering almond, forsythia and quince are always the first bushes to bloom in spring.

“Mother Nature did most of the planting,” Laubenstein says. “I just filled in the gaps.”

Flowers are equally as

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beach, stretching along the lakefront. A wooden walkway leads to another deck featuring a hot tub and an outdoor cooking area. A HydroBike lets him ride the lake to survey other shoreline planting possibilities.

The extensive grounds are abundant with native and cultivated trees, including

abundant, especially daffodils in spring. Old logs hold pots of pansies. Ivy trails across the ground and on the rock ledges and walls near the lily pond.

Hollies, ajuga and lilitrope are compatible companions.

Lichen graces many of the rocks.

Laubenstein also is an avid bird watcher.

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“Almost every bird here was born here, and they come back each season,” he said.

Among those feathered friends are cardinals, chickadees, wrens, nuthatches, hummingbirds, sparrows, titmice, great blue herons, ducks, kingfishers, and his beloved geese.

“This Christmas, a great white pelican and a river otter came to visit and they arrived hungry,” he said “Both ate a lot of fish from the lake.”

O ne has to wonder why Laubenstein has worked so diligently and tirelessly to preserve the rustic beauty and tranquility of this property that has provided so much joy for him.

“Maintenance of this land in its pristine and natural state is paramount,” he says. “For all who visit to enjoy the lake, streams and forests, I want to keep them as they were created and know they will become ever more priceless as time moves forward.” 2

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Another climate controlled aquarium, housing a different variety of fish, is a conversation piece in the kitchen. It backs up to the aquarium in the master bedroom.

The bedroom aquarium features dramatic lighting for its residents.

A variety of jelly fish and others of a compatible species provide a relaxing art form in the master bedroom.

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Among the interior accents is this clock that came from Muskogee’s former Ricketts Piano location.

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Completed in late 2016, construction on the home used the same basic footprint and the slab as one that had earlier been destroyed by fire.

Open, uncluttered look focus of new residence Faced with rebuilding, couple decides to stay put

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randy White wanted a look that was airy, fresh and clean.

She thinks the home her family moved into a week before Christmas 2016 has achieved that goal. While she claims no background in interior design, she spent months in research to achieve just the look she wanted.

“I love to watch Chip and Joanna Gaines on TV and spent a lot of time on Pinterest,” she said. The Gaines couple stars on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” show while Pinterest.com is an image-based idea-sharing website.

“I don’t like a lot of clutter,” she said of the Muskogee home she resides in with her husband and children.

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The living room conveys the open, uncluttered look the owners sought.

Like other living areas, the dining room is set off with neutral colors like “amazing gray” used on the walls.

The family has a newly constructed home built by Muskogee contractor Mike Bartley, tailored to their tastes and needs. But the whole project of having a home built, decorated and furnished from scratch was never part of the plan.

The new home arose from tragedy.

About 4 a.m. on a Sunday in January 2016 the couple was shaken out of bed by a blaring smoke detector. They entered a living room filling with smoke, quickly 18

Double wooden doors accent the front entrance.

Coordinated accent pieces on the wall and entry area table greet visitors.

gathered their children, and escaped with the clothes on their backs.

Soon after they got out the ceiling collapsed and the home went up in flames.

The cause was determined to be a faulty chimney and a fire that had evidently smoldered in the attic for several hours before the alarm went off, she said.

They could have moved on but they liked where they were.

“We love the cul-de-sac and we love our

neighbors,” she said.

The home was only about 12 years old and had many aspects the couple wanted to retain.

“Fortunately, we were able to use the old (concrete) slab with some modifications,” she said. Those modifications included moving some walls and opening up some of the living space.

“It’s basically the same floor plan,” she said. “The old living room was sunken

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The laundry room reflects the open look of the rest of the home.

Kitchen cabinets are crisp white set off with a ceramic back splash.

The kitchen features stainless steel appliances and lots of cabinets.

A beveled Arabesque pattern back splash accents the granite countertop.

and we did away with that so it’s all one level and we extended the living room wall about 8 feet.”

The hardwood floors of the old home were replaced with faux wood tiles.

“With kids and a dog the wood floors were hard to keep up,” she said.

Tall double wooden doors greet visitors at the home’s entrance. The entryway features coordinated accents pieces.

O ne unique feature set off in the

The master bathroom is light and airy.

entryway is a free-standing hall clock that came out of the former Rickett’s Piano Store of Muskogee.

French doors opening out onto the back patio were added but the high ceilings of the former residence were retained. In the master suite’s bathroom a walk-in shower replaced an enclosed one and both children have bathrooms they can call their own with some rearranging of floor space.

“Our old home had more traditional colors

and felt more old-fashioned,” she said.

The abundant kitchen cabinets are crisp white set off with ceramic back splash in the beveled Arabesque pattern. Stainless appliances and a gas cooktop complete the clean look.

A granite-topped work island in the middle of the kitchen gets plenty of use for prep work for family meals. She loves to cook and spends a lot of time in the kitchen space.

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Muted light brown “latte� offers a relaxing setting for the master bedroom.

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The couple’s daughters had a say in decorating their bedrooms.

The living room, dining room, laundry area and halls are just the right neutral shade she was looking for called “amazing gray.”

The walls for the bedrooms are a muted brown called “latte.” The walls in the

master bedroom are accented with furnishings in rich dark wood tones. For the children’s bedrooms the couple’s daughters had a say in the decorating.

The home has about 3,200 square feet of living space with four bedrooms and

Bedrooms for the youth of the house reflect their tastes.

three-and-a-half baths. The fourth bedroom is used as a guest room and office space.

While the granite in the kitchen opens up to an informal dining area with table and chairs, the formal dining room was

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taken in a different direction.

“I wanted something a little more elaborate,” she said of the formal dining area featuring a large table with leaves that can b e added when needed for larger family gatherings or when friends come over.

“We’ve had to use them several times already,” she said of extending the dining table to its full length.

Many of the accent pieces throughout the home are decor items she has picked out at a variety of locations. Some pieces are from the decorating line of Joanna and Chip Gaines while other pieces are finds made during ventures out to furnish the new home.

“With the fire we lost some sentimental pieces we can never get back,” she said. “But l like how the new home looks — neat and tidy, simple and clean.” 2

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French doors open to the back patio outdoor living area.

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RENOVATE AND RESTORE

Hoopes Hardware recently underwent renovations that changed the look of the iconic downtown Muskogee business. Manager Mike Crossley, left — shown with employee Donnie Templeton — said the renovations took approximately one year.

MERGING NOW AND THEN

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Updating historic building embraces present while retaining classic feel

owntown Muskogee and Hoopes Hardware have been synonymous for ages.

In fact, starting at Main Street and Broadway heading south, if you look up you can see the black letters

naming the business, stenciled on the white background, surrounded by towering red brick.

What former patrons of the perennial downtown shop may not know is now it’s no longer just a hardware store.

Sue Vanderford, the owner and

proprietor of Pinon Creek Trading Co., said she saw something in the old building that caught her eye.

“The building was constructed in 1911,” Vanderford said. “The Hoopes have owned the hardware store since the ’30s. In the early ’60s, Hoopes bought

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Hoopes Hardware has been a Muskogee fixture since the 1930s, but the building was constructed in downtown Muskogee in 1911.

with

the building next door, and as times changed and business slowed, it was used for storage. I contacted Brad Hoopes, and he put me in touch with Jack. We talked, then I met him, and he said ‘Let’s do this.’”

“Let’s do this,” turned into an almost complete remodeling of the historic hardware store and its storage building. Sue Vanderford Vanderford began with the end in mind, and realized the importance of moving history into the present. She began with Pinon Creek — a women’s apparel, accessories, gifts and home decor store — and worked her way over to Hoopes Hardware.

“The ceiling is the original, pressed tin,” Vanderford said.

Sue Vanderford established Pinon Creek Trading Co. — a women’s clothing and accessories store — inside the unused storage building of Hoopes Hardware during the renovation of the building.

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Pinon Creek Trading Co. is home to Rustic Elegance, an eclectic home decor shop.

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Murals of P.J. Hoopes and Jack Hoopes, two of the three generations of Hoopes to own the hardware store, hang above the counter.

“So I hung chandeliers from it. They had work tables, I sanded and sanded on those things to get labels off, and I finally just clear-coated them and used them as display tables.”

Just walking in the front door of Pinon Creek reminds you of “the good old days,” with its recessed doors, distressed facade and crackled glass windows neatly lining the top of the frame. A Holstein cow rug sits neatly on stained concrete floors — which Vanderfod said “hadn’t been swept in 25 years. The decor is homey without feeling kitschy, and almost everything you see has been hand-crafted.

Shiplap covers parts of the wall, but it doesn’t hide the original construction. Vanderford said she repurposed that wood from a house built in the 1950s, and she pulled nails

Murals of the generational owners — now in its third set of Hoopes’ hands, hang above the counter. A brand new paint display is framed

by Radio Flyer wagons, tricycles and toys from another era. Modern nails — which you can still buy by the pound, are kept in original nail bins and weighed on a scale from the ’30s. herself for hours in order to make it usable.

“I got some of the other wood from a garage across the street from the new MLK

Display tables and shelves are made out of the original work tables from the old Hoopes Hardware store.

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Center,” Vanderford said. “A guy there said I could have it. We repurposed as much as we could. I’ve found I like to use everything I can that is old and original in order to give a classic feel.”

Vanderford did the same with Hoopes Hardware, and after closing briefly in 2015 for a remodel, it opened again in 2016 with a newer, but still classic, look.

Murals of the generational owners — now in its third set of Hoopes’ hands, hang above the counter. A brand new paint display is framed by Radio Flyer wagons, tricycles and toys from another era. Modern nails — which you can still buy by the pound, are kept in original nail bins and weighed on a scale from the ’30s.

“I have pictures of that scale in the store in the 1930s,” Vanderford said. “We also kept a whetstone where customers would sharpen their knives while they waited. Those two items in particular are still in the store, and that’s a cool aspect.

Customers will come in and say, ‘My grandpa showed me how to sharpen a knife here.’”

Original shelving has been used, and older tools of the trade are dispersed around the room, giving stark contrast to the modern plumbing accessories and power tools being sold today. Both Hoopes Hardware and Pinon Creek now have central heat and air, and Vanderford said the construction was done by Mike Pruitt.

“The cool thing is, Jack (Hoopes) supported Muskogee and reinvested in downtown,” Vanderford said. “He could have shut it down, but he didn’t. He’s a super guy, super gracious and told me to do what needed to be done.

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Sue Vanderford, owner of Pinon Creek Trading Co., said when she approached Jack Hoopes, the third generation owner of the building, about the renovations, he said, “let’s do this.”

A window serves as a visual transition from Hoopes Hardware to Pinon Creek Trading Co.

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Hoopes Hardware has been in business in Muskogee for nearly 90 years.

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BEYOND THE LISTING

FAMILY VALUES

This beautiful home in the Honor Heights area is more than 3,600 square feet and features five bedrooms.

Home offers perfect environment for family, entertainment

Young professionals with heaps of cute offspring will adore the more than 3,600-squarefoot house near Honor Heights Park which recently was listed for sale.

Retirees with plenty of grandchildren will love it, too, as it’s situated in a beautiful cul de sac featuring a park-like atmosphere of its own.

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FEATURES ADDRESS: 801 N. 45th St. ASKING PRICE: $275,000 SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,654 BEDROOMS: 5 BATHROOMS: 3 full, 1 half HEATING AND COOLING: Central, 3-plus units.

APPLIANCES: Dishwasher, disposal, microwave, range/oven, wine refrigerator.

FLOORS: Carpet, tile, wood.

OTHER FEATURES: Security system, smoke detector, cable TV wired, Internet wired, floored attic, vaulted ceiling, wet bar, pullman bath, fireplace, professionally landscaped, dog run, gutters, sidewalk, decorative outdoor lighting, built-in grill, exterior fireplace/pit, outdoor kitchen, electric overhead garage door.

INFORMATION: Visit www. coldwellbanker.com or find a virtual tour at www.tourfactory. com/1719729.

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BEYOND THE LISTING

The outdoor cooking area is ideal for entertaining.

Pagodas grace the backyard.

The home’s yard features a beautiful water feature.

ABOVE: The outdoor cooking area features a fireplace, stove, sink and hidden television.

LEFT: This shaded hammock is at the end of a brick path outside the master bedroom’s French doors.

Many happy nights of entertaining are awaiting this home’s new owner.

In fact, Honor Heights Park is just on the other side of the cul de sac, in walking distance, and deer often wander in the neighborhood.

The home, at 801 N. 45th

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St., is located in a neighborhood full of landscaped lawns, gardens and mature trees — plus a private softball field all the neighborhood kids use, said owner Jimmy Ginn.

Ginn purchased the home about 12 years ago, and raised his daughter there.

“The only reason I’m selling is that my daughter moved off to college,” Ginn said. “I like

the location, the tranquility of it being in a quiet neighborhood. And it’s a well-built house.”

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This second living area features a wet bar, fireplace, ample shelving and a masculine feel. untitled-8010.jpg

ABOVE: Wainscoting and crown molding give the dining room an elegant feel.

LEFT: This large office features built-in shelving and tile floors.

Oak stairs lead from the grand entryway to four bedrooms and two and a half baths upstairs.

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ng and ve the egant

The kitchen features reclaimed brick, and a French-country style.

The home’s grand entry also boasts reclaimed brick floors.

Granite countertops and a glass-topped stove are recent upgrades.

The breakfast nook is perfectly French-country.

The large den features a wet bar with refrigerator and sink.

bath, the home is much too large for just one person, and Ginn has purchased a home on acreage nearer to his business in the Tulsa area.

But he was reluctant to leave the delightful home, which is ideal for entertaining and even includes a second living area perfect for an informal entertainment area.

It is a roomy space, with a half bath,

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This home features three and a half bathrooms, all updated throughout.

The updated master bath features copper accents.

The home’s kitchen is recently updated, as well.

built-in shelving, honey oak wood floors, and large beams criss-crossing the ceiling.

A brick fireplace flanked by French doors leads out to a patio area separated from the main backyard by cedar fencing with a charming wrought-iron gate, and next to the detached two-car garage.

A wet bar, complete with stainless steel sink and beverage refrigerator, completes

the room, which Ginn has filled with comfortable leather furniture for entertaining.

The entire home boasts built-in cabinetry, wooden interior shutters across the ample windows, many reclaimed brick accents, and a large portion of the main floors are done in reclaimed brick, giving the home a French Country feel throughout.

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The main living area features a soaring ceiling with a loft passageway overhead.

BELOW LEFT: A rustic brick fireplace, two sets of Frenchdoors, skylights and ample space make the main living area cozy.

At one time, renowned designer Charles Faudree, famous for his fondness of all things French, designed the interior of the home.

The breakfast nook, for instance, features a corner China cabinet done in distressed cream paint, and French-inspired toile wallpaper graces the few walls not filled with windows.

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Entries to the breakfast nook, den, a laundry room, and a formal dining room branch off a serving hall with plenty of cabinetry, making it easy to move from the kitchen to the entertaining area when hosting guests.

“The circular floor plan is desirable, excellent for entertaining because you have all the different areas that flow together,” said the home’s listing agent, Brian Kirk, of Coldwell Banker Select.

For Ginn, the best entertaining area is the backyard, featuring brick paths, an outdoor cooking area built from rock, and an effervescent water feature with a waterfall built from flagstone.

The outdoor cooking area has arbor entrances, a television, fireplace, built-in grill, double stovetop, water and electric, all nestled in the shade of several mature trees and surrounded by cedar privacy fence.

Two sets of double French

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With five bedrooms — four upstairs and one down — this home can support a large, happy family.

Three and a half bathrooms make this home perfect for families with children.

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A large bedroom upstairs can double as a second master with its attached full bath (right).

doors flanking a brick fireplace provide entry to the airy formal living room. A halfvaulted ceiling with two large skylights soars over the space, and the walkway to bedrooms allows a view into the space from above.

The floors in this room

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are rustic, reclaimed, handscrap ed oak planks, and the fireplace includes large recesses for decorations along the side and a roomy hearth.

The formal dining room boasts crown molding, wainscoting and a chair rail in cream. The walls are deep red,

and includes wooden shutters along the windows.

It has entrances from the foyer, serving hall and kitchen, and brick floors that flow into the inviting kitchen.

Stainless steel appliances, including built-in range and oven, glass stovetop and

updated granite countertops continue the home’s French Country feel. Brick continues up the wall the stovetop is on, arching over to leave a nice view of the breakfast nook.

Visitors to the home can find entry to the kitchen, formal

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Two bedrooms upstairs share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, also recently updated.

dining, master bedroom, stairs, main living area and a large extra room full of built-in shelving off the home’s entryway.

The master bedroom is large and roomy, with double French doors leading out into a grassy area replete with paved path leading to a shady

The large master bedroom features French doors to the comfortable backyard.

space, hammock and bench.

The master bath was updated about two years ago, Ginn said, with Travertine tile, hammered-copper sink and a rainfall shower with glass entry and a tile seat. In addition, a roomy walk-in closet is just off the master bath.

Ginn said all the bathrooms were updated with Travertine tile - two full baths with showers, one full bath with a tub and shower, and the half bath downstairs.

Upstairs are four more bedrooms and two more bathrooms - a Jack-and-Jill style

between two large bedrooms with dormer-style ceilings, and one at the other end next to another large bedroom.

There is a small bedroom tucked near the largest bedroom which is the perfect size for a nursery for a growing family. 2 -

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ART OF THE MATTER

Creative Tahlequah couple transforms nature into art

Jodie and Bill Rosener love relaxing on a porch swing on Bill’s workshop.

Roseners work in clay, wood in studio, workshop

L

ife may be full of compromises but one Green Country couple is balancing the necessities of making a living in the modern world while expressing their creativity and living life on their terms.

Jodie and Bill Rosener live on the edge

of Tahlequah with a studio for her and workshop for him in the backyard. On the acreage they grow much of their food, create handcrafted pottery and turn discarded logs into bowls and vases.

Jodie grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, while Bill was raised on a family farm in Iowa. He returns to those rural roots

a couple of times each year to help with planting and harvesting on about 2,000 acres of family land.

They have lived in Tahlequah for 20 years. Bill, with a doctorate in computer science, is a professor at Northeastern State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science at Iowa

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State University and went on to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he got his masters and doctorate degrees in computer science.

It was in Knoxville where the couple met while she was working at the university.

Jodie says her first recollections of creating and making things from scratch include making nearly all her clothes as a child. Her first venture of working with clay was an ashtray made for her mother, which is something that almost embarrassed her because it was so crude compared to a hippopotamus her older sister made that turned out well.

Jodie said earlier in her adult life she was a “back-tothe-lander” basically living off of what she could raise and prepare from the land she lived on. Today when not in her pottery studio creating hand-turned and fired planters or ceramic buttons, she can probably be found in her garden or kitchen.

“I just feel a connection to the earth and to nature,” she says. She and Bill have raised chickens and livestock, harvest fruit from trees on their property and make much of the food they consume from scratch and from produce they have grown themselves.

“We like to eat good and feel that it’s important to be healthy,” Jodie said.

“I feel like I lack creativity,” Jodie said. “I feel I’m more of a maker, someone who likes to do things with their hands.

We’re both like that and like to stay busy.”

Her friend and fellow Tahlequah resident and accomplished artist Paula Hefley disagrees.

“She is so talented,” Hefley said. She sees Jodie’s talent and creativity expressed in a variety of ways besides what many may consider traditional art of painting or sculpture.

ART OF THE MATTER

ABOVE: Bill Rosener finds a relaxing change of pace from his duties as a professor at Northeastern State University in his woodworking shop.

LEFT: Jodie Rosener says she enjoys turning raw clay into works of artistic pieces that also often have utilitarian use as objects such as planters.

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A potter’s wheel, kiln and a variety of glazes and pottery working tools grace Jodie Rosener’s studio.

“She bakes bread better than I’ve tasted anywhere,” Hefley said. She said Jodie does her grinding of grains, cans, dries fruit and vegetables and brews special teas.

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Jodie said her work in the kitchen includes making chutneys, following traditional Indian cuisine recipes full of flavor while being healthy. She also grows herbs.

In her studio can be found a traditional potter’s wheel, kilns, rolls of glaze and a variety of tools Jodie uses to fine tune and customize her works.

If not at the potter’s wheel

she might be found at her work table shaping clay that will be turned into one-ofa kind buttons. They can be stamped with unique designs from stamps she made herself,

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the most part “I For am self-taught.

However, over the years I have read numerous articles and watched numerous videos about wood turning.

”

Bill Rosener

glazed and fired.

“They are a small canvas to work with but I enjoy making them,” she says of the buttons that might accent one of her knitted creations or be given to friends or family members for their projects.

In early June she is scheduled to hold a child’s ceramic class for the Muskogee Art Guild.

“I emphasize the process more than the product,” she says of teaching youngsters so they can get the basic steps down but use their imaginations and creativity to come up with something uniquely theirs.

“I like to be around kids because they are so enthusiastic, creative and uninhibited about what they do,” she said.

“I learn a lot from watching them.”

Among the projects she do es when working with kids is making plates that might include impressions of leaves the youngsters gather and press into the clay that become part of the hand-made finished, glazed and fired creation.

She has a degree in health care administration and has worked with children in the pre-school environment. But Jodie says her passion is for the arts and crafts of knitting, baking, gardening and creating out of clay. Those activities are things she does because she enjoys them rather than for making a broad artistic

Bill Rosener uses a variety of types of wood to transform on his lathes from raw stumps into finished vases, bowls and other pieces. He said each piece is unique and reflects the grain and detail of the wood from which it originated.

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statement.

Bill’s hobby of working with a lathe to turn hunks of raw wood into functional and attractive bowls or vases offers him a change of pace from academia and dealing with computers and class lesson plans at NSU. “For the most part I am selftaught,” he said. “However, over the years I have read numerous articles and watched numerous videos about wood turning.”

Bill also has attended woodturning demonstrations and recommended anyone interested in getting involved join an organization such as the Northeastern Oklahoma Woodturners Association (www.neowta.com) located in Tulsa. He said even after 10 years on a lathe he is still learning.

“I still do not call myself a master turner,” he said.

Prior to getting into turning

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Jodie Rosener’s pottery studio workshop table is usually filled with a variety of pieces in various stages of production.

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Bill Rosener says he is largely self-taught in wood turning but he has complemented his trial-and-error learning with lots of research.

Seen working in her Talequah pottery studio, Jodie Rosener is scheduled to conduct a children’s workshop for the Muskogee Art Guild in June.

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One of the benefits of Bill Rosener’s wood turning creations is that most of the raw material is free with many hunks of wood coming from the Tulsa Green Waste Dump where tree trunks and wood debris are dropped off.

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wood he spent several years working with metal fabricating furniture, fences, smokers and other pieces.

“However, with metal I was starting to realize I could typically buy the final product for less than I was spending on just the materials,” he said.

That’s not the case with wood turning.

“Almost all the pieces I have turned over the years started out as free wood,” Bill said.

Much of it comes from the Tulsa Green Waste D ump

where wood debris, including tree trunks and huge logs are dropped off.

“With free wood, I could financially come out ahead,” he said. “I have also come to enjoy the transformation and creativeness involved in converting a free log into a beautiful piece.”

When turning pieces for functional or utilitarian use he typically looks for strong hardwoods with little or no decaying present.

“For these pieces I also

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prefer straight grain wood without forks, limbs, crotches and knots,” Bill said. When working on pieces more for aesthetic or decorative use he prefers to use either partially decayed or spalted wood.

“The term spalted refers to the discoloration and detailed dark lines that occur from

fungal growth in the wood as it decays and rots,” he said.

The discoloration frequently includes brown and black staining referred to sometimes as zone lines can create very intricate patterns, Bill said.

Those lines make each piece unique.

“O nce a piece has been

roughed out and allowed to dry the decaying or spalting process will stop,” he said.

Many of the pieces he has created over the years have found their way into the hands of family members and friends as Christmas gifts, wedding presents and gifts for other special events like baby

showers. ”Many of my family members and friends now have small collections of my pieces,” Bill said.

In the future the couple may participate in arts or craft fairs, but for now the satisfaction is in the creative process, they say. 2

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S G N I V A S

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Shape, size and material can make a big difference in your wine experience

Glass matters A FUN EXPERIMENT: Gather friends, grab a nice bottle of wine and a variety of glasses. Pour the same wine in each glass and do a taste test.

Is there a difference in taste, smell and texture?

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F Wonderful Wine Heather Ezell

or 260 years Austrian company likely to heighten your encounter. In Riedel (rhymes with needle) has reality, wine can be consumed out of been refining and fabricating just about any vessel, from jelly jars glassware. In fact, an entire industry to handcrafted crystal. Ultimately, it is devoted to producing wine glasses comes down to what you want to get and decanters. Clearly, there is a science out of the experience. and art to fully realizing the best a wine Shape, size and material are all relhas to offer delivered in the appropriate evant factors. White wine glasses are glass, which is what Riedel has pergenerally “U” shaped, more narrow fected. (Check out their website and smaller than their red wine www.riedel.com to see the counterparts. Such a shape varied and many options is significant to maintain Buyer c o o l e r t e m p e r a t u re s available.) This raises the beware, while allowing aromas question, does drinking crystal is out of a stemmed glass to be released. Red wine thinner than genuinely make your glasses call for a bigger glass. wine taste better? The bowl, wider at the base with the sides extending short answer is yes. Using straight upward or tapering the proper glass can enhance slightly to a more narrow openthe flavor compounds, texture and ing and marginally taller. Traditionaroma. It has been studied and documented. This is not to say that you have ally, balloon-shaped Burgundy/Pinot to have a certain type of glass, nor is Noir glasses or tulip-shaped Bordeaux/ it suggested that you scrap your existCabernet glasses are ideal choices. The ing collection, only that a finer glass is larger the glass the better — especially

Cheers!

L eave the flurry To the masses; Take your time And shine your glasses

— Old Shaker verse

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White wine glasses are generally “U� shaped, more narrow and smaller than their red wine counterparts.

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Glasses should be poured to no more than 1/3 full.

for reds. Swirling without sloshing is essential in aeration of the wine which accentuates the flavors. Hence the importance of a sizeable glass. Crystal, while maybe not practical for everyone, has unique and different properties than glass.

Whereas glass has a smooth surface, crystal is microscopically rough which gives the wine a scrubbing so to speak, expressing the nuances to full effect.

For sparkling and champagne, the coupe — a small, shallow stemmed cup — was once preferred. O ver time, it has been phased out in favor of the tall, narrow flute which allows the bubbles to be showcased and preserves the mousse, or fizziness. Ever evolving, many industry professionals are leaning more toward a white wine type of glass with a wider base and a narrow opening promoting the inherent qualities. Mentioned merely for your awareness. If a visit to a restaurant finds you presented with a glass of bubbly in the above mentioned glass versus a flute, don’t despair. And by all means, don’t pitch the flutes nor the coupes. Flutes are still very well-suited for serving sparkly.

Likewise, the coupes can be repurposed for craft cocktails.

For most households, it may not be practical or affordable to have multiple glasses for each varietal of wine. Be that as it may, if you have the funds, space and willingness to amass multiple sets of glassware for different types of red,

Wine glasses come in all shapes and sizes. Credit: www.riedel.com

white, sparkling and so forth, then by all means, please do.

Nonetheless, the average wine drinker would be best served to have on hand a minimum of four to eight glasses for each red, white and sparkling.

If space and budget are tight, consider a sound set of allpurpose glasses keeping some basic fundamentals in mind: • Choose clear glass, the best you can afford. This allows you to enjoy color and clarity

more fully as well the ability to look for cloudiness or faults.

• O pt for long stemmed glasses which lessens fingerprints on the glass and transference of heat from the hand.

• Elect for a larger bowl with Green Country Living

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The Wine Bible u suggests that yo y bu ly should on u glasses that yo k. ea br to rd fo can af A good rule to s follow as glasse . en ok br t DO ge

either straight sides or slightly narrowing at the top, something in between the red and white.

Stemless glasses have been a trend for quite some time.

They serve a useful purpose and are readily available.

Not necessarily ideal, they do offer a few benefits such as: 1, they require less space for storage; 2, if bumbling and breakage are a concern they are slightly more stable.

A few of the drawbacks are: 1, hands emit heat, thereby altering temperatures of the wine; and 2, unsightly smudging. Good to have on hand,

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Traditionally, balloon-shaped Burgundy/Pinot Noir glasses or tulip-shaped Bordeaux/Cabernet glasses are ideal choices for red wine.

they are functional yet casual.

Glassware can b e an important element of the

wine drinking experience.

As important as you want it to be. Occasionally I still

use a “date glass” for water, smoothies, juices, as well as for its intended purpose, wine. Does it affect the taste?

In my opinion, yes. Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, Waterford as well as other manufacturers and wine professionals agree.

Ultimately, you and your taste buds make the decision. Whatever the delivery method, wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed to the fullest. The likelihood of sharing a bottle of fine Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon consumed out of Waterford crystal is sure to be enchanting. Likewise, sipping out of unbreakable silicone while on a boat, at the beach or pool may not encourage the very best those grapes could aspire to but it certainly doesn’t mean it’s any less memorable.

Drinking wine should be a pleasurable affair, no matter what sort of vehicle delivers the nectar to your lips. 2

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FOOD & DRINK It’s a family affair when the Joneses take the food truck to events. Heather’s dad, Hank Mooney, along with family and friends, often help with set-up and sales.

Recipe for

success Cook’s Pantry Melony Carey It’s hard to keep up with Heather Jones as she moves between her roles as school principal, wife, mother, chauffeur, and recently entrepreneur.

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Jones, who grew up as the oldest of five girls, often helped her grandmother and dad with everyday meals, as well as major family dinners at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. One particular recipe, her great-grandmother’s barbecue sauce, already had made a name for itself at her Depression Era restaurant in Edmond

Photos submitted

Heather Jones’ love of cooking was built through four generations

Heather Jones, center, markets her secret recipe sauce at several area stores such as Mimi’s Flowers and Gifts in Stigler.

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Photos submitted

FOOD & DRINK called The Little Café, located at the intersection of Route 66 and Main Street. Now Jones is going regional with the secret recipe sauce.

Knowing the sauce had been a hit for more than 80 years, Jones and her husband, Boyd Jones, decided to explore marketing the product. To optimize production options and label designs, they worked with the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center at OSU. “The process was a lot of hard work and frustrating at times,” Heather Jones said. “There was definitely a lot of trial and error and going back to the drawing board.

Getting a design we loved and meeting the guidelines required for food labeling and production was the hardest part, but so gratifying to see it all come to fruition.”

Jones consulted locally owned Griffin Foods for production and was referred to House of Webster, a subsidiary company, for actual production and bottling. Creating the marketing package took several iterations, but the final name and design have deep significance.

“We went through many name options before we finally decided on River’s Edge,” Jones said. “Living near the Arkansas River now, and my grandmother’s living near the North Canadian River, the name just seemed to fit.”

With the product nearing completion, Jones and her husband expanded the operation to include a food truck with stainless-steel counters and appliances, and a professional smoker on the back.

Hence, River’s Edge Food & Events was launched.

“Our food trailer was custom built in Antioch, Tennessee. Boyd and I drove out to pick it up in July 2016,” Jones said. “We then worked with Superior Graphics of Muskogee for additional design features seen on the food trailer and company truck.”

Currently, they are traveling Oklahoma setting up at events, festivals and custom catering on

Heather Jones relies on easy and delicious dishes with a down-home flair. Two family favorites are chicken and dumplings, and country cobbler.

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weekends and holidays.

“It is definitely a love of cooking. We take great pride in our food and love it when others enjoy it,” Jones said.

“We love sharing our family home cooking and passion for food with others. My great-grandmother would be proud.” Find River’s Edge at www.riversedgefood.com.

Here, Heather shares a couple of easy family recipes.

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Chicken and Dumplings 1 whole chicken Spice amounts are close estimates — season to your taste 1/2-3/4 teaspoon basil 1/2-3/4 teaspoon oregano 1/2-3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2-3/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 coarsely chopped onion

11/2 cups of coarsely chopped celery 8 chicken bouillon cubes, set aside for later Cut carrots in bite-size chunks (to taste, usually 3 to 4), set aside for later.

Chicken stock may be made the day before and placed in the refrigerator or frozen for future use.

Rinse whole chicken, inside and outside. Place ingredients above in a stock pot and cover with water, not bouillon or carrots, but first eight ingredients

only.

Bring to a boil then reduce temperature to medium and simmer until chicken is tender and pulling off bone, approximately one hour.

Refrigerate or freeze if not making immediately. If making immediately, remove chicken from broth to cool enough to pull from bone and cube in bitesized pieces. Set aside.

Dumplings

2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

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1 cup milk Mix dry ingredients. Make a well and slowly add milk.

Mix just until well mixed.

Place dough on a well-floured board or clean counter. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to approximately a 1/4 inch.

Using a pizza cutter cut into bite-size squares. Dough will expand in broth.

To a s s e m b l e : P l a c e t h e bouillon cubes in broth, for richer flavor add more to taste. Bring broth to a boil.

This is extremely important.

When broth is at a boil, place cut dumplings in the broth one at a time using a wooden spoon to move the dumplings as the pot fills. When all the dumplings are in the pot, turn down heat so the pot does not overflow, and cook for 10-15 minutes then place carrots in the pot and stir. When the carrots cook to the point that a slight crunch remains, add the cubed chicken. Let cook until carrots and dumplings are co oked through.

Be careful to not over stir or

chicken will shred. Enjoy!

Crazy Crust Cobbler 1 cup self-rising flour 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 stick butter Favorite canned fruit or pie filling Melt one stick of butter and pour evenly in a twoquart baking dish, set aside.

In a separate b owl mix

milk, sugar and flour. Pour mixture evenly on top of the melted butter in baking dish.

Pour canned fruit or pie filling of choice on top of the batter, juice and fruit. Do not drain fruit. Hint: If apple pie filling is used, use a can of fried apples (juice included) as well as pie filling. Bake at 350 until golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. 2

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SCENE AND BE SEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC The Muskogee Musical Arts Society offered a three-part classical music program in March.

Photos by Mandy Lundy

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SCENE AND BE SEEN ANNUAL MUSKOGEE CHAMBER BANQUET The Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated its annual banquet with a western theme.

Photos by Mandy Lundy

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SCENE AND BE SEEN G FEST MOVIE PREMIER Patrons celebrated the success of the first G Fest by attending the premier of “The Making of G Fest.”

Photos by John Hasler

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SCENE AND BE SEEN

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SCENE AND BE SEEN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL Party-goers enjoyed many different chocolate delights and helped a good cause at the annual Chocolate Festival benefitting the Muskogee Habitat for Humanity.

Photos by Mandy Lundy

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SCENE AND BE SEEN

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SCENE AND BE SEEN HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Adults and children enjoy the worldfamous Harlem Globetrotters performance at the Muskogee Civic Center.

Photos by Mandy Lundy

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SCENE AND BE SEEN

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SCENE AND BE SEEN UNITED WAY LUNCHEON The Lake Area United Way celebrated volunteers during its annual awards luncheon.

The 2016 campaign raised $493,031 for local funding — $9,434 more than last year.

Photos by John Hasler

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SCENE AND BE SEEN

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SCENE AND BE SEEN PARTY IN THE PARK Patrons turned wine into water by attending Muskogee Rotary Club’s fundraising event that helps provide clean drinking water for developing nations.

Photos by John Hasler

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SCENE AND BE SEEN FLYING FEZ WINE TASTING Patrons sample wines from across the state during the 14th annual Bedouin Shrine Flying Fez Wine Tasting. The event benefits the Shrine.

Photos by John Hasler

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SCENE AND BE SEEN

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SCENE AND BE SEEN INTERTRIBAL CELEBRATION The River City Intertribal Celebration began with a concert by Brule. The night included an art show sponsored by the Five Civilized Tribes Museum.

Photos by Mandy Lundy

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