Green Country Living — Winter Edition 2019

Winter Edition 2019

Inside

 Wagoner residents showcase homes  Owner transforms old house into home

 Wagoner winery sees success for beverages

MUSKOGEE muskogeephoenix.com Green Country Living

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Winter Edition 2019

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Luna household enjoys the outside, landscape.

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facebook.com/greencountryliving Winter Edition 2019

26 Lunas designed Wagoner home with plans for the future.

Beyond the Listing: 7,201-square-feet puts luxurious residence on display.

36 48 Robertsons sought to design house with easy flow for entertainment because of involvement with Bedouin Shrine.

Wagoner winery One Crazy Old Fart’s popularity growing.

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Renovate and Restore: Red brick house with Fort Gibson Lake view remodeled into a cozy home.

STAFF

Issue 50

Publisher Dale Brendel editor Elizabeth Ridenour Contributing editors Ed Choate, Angela Jackson Layout & Design Josh Cagle WRITERS Cathy Spaulding, Chesley Oxendine, Heather Ezell PHOTOGRAPHERS Von Castor, Wendy Burton, Shane Keeter, Cathy Spaulding, Abigail Washington ADVERTISING Director Marci Diaz Apple ADVERTISING SALES Therese Lewis, Angela Jackson, Debbie Sherwood, Kris Hight Green Country Living is published 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 eridenour@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2933 Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2804

on the Cover

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$1.2 million mansion features 6 bedrooms and 6 1/2 bathrooms and backyard with full basketball court, outdoor spa and swimming pool.

INSIDE Wonderful Wine: Moderate intake of wine can be just what the doctor ordered.

 Wagoner residents showcase homes  Owner transforms old house into home  Wagoner winery sees success for beverages

Photo by Von Castor MUSKOGEE muskogeephoenix.com Green Country Living

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Chris and Ginger Luna’s home was built as a “house you can live in, not a showplace,” but the couple got both in their Wagoner home.

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A home built with living as focus Luna uses home as social hub for family, friends

B

uilt into a stone pillar on Chris Luna’s back patio is a flatscreen television, hidden behind saloonstyle wooden doors. There’s also a swing chair and a bench, both of which have plush cushions. Along with the expansive, gently rolling acres behind his

house, someone could have a relaxing evening in Luna’s backyard. He frequently does.

“I am one of those guys that as soon as I get home from work until I go to bed, I’ll change my clothes and I’ll be outside,” Luna said. “I love the landscape. I love that about the house as well as all houses.”

By Chesley Oxendine • Photos by Von Castor

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Above: The Lunas’ living room is the hub of the home, a room filled with warm, earthy colors.

Right: A family photo reflects the comfortable style the Lunas embrace.

Just inside is Luna’s living room, which serves as the social core for Luna and his family – wife Ginger, daughter Ariel, and sons Adam and Evan.

“It’s zoned where me and my wife have our privacy. The boys have their privacy on their side of the house, and my daughter has her privacy, but then the living room is a central area where we all get together,” Luna said.

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Deep brown leather couches rest on a hardwood floor that extends into the kitchen. A bar set with a brick facing marks off the kitchen space, where marble-topped counters and an island complete the cooking area, along with dark brown cabinets and a wine rack.

The entire effect is a set of warm, earthy colors that exude a welcoming atmosphere. That fits perfectly with the

Everybody loves to “ come have cookouts out here because it’s kind of in the country and kind of in the city.

— Chris Luna

”

The kitchen is open to the living area and features granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

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The baths feature granite countertops.

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ABOVE: The Lunas enjoy sharing their outdoor space with friends and family.

RIGHT: The outdoor space features a fireplace and 20 acres of land behind the house that the Lunas use for fourwheeling to a pond on the property.

Luna home’s frequent use as a social spot.

“Everybody loves to come have cookouts out here because it’s kind of in the country and kind of in the city,” Luna said. “That’s probably the neatest thing about the house is that we really enjoy the socialization,

You wanna build a nice “house, but build a house that the kids can enjoy, and that people don’t have to pull their shoes off when they come in.

— Chris Luna

”

and how everybody can come by and enjoy it.”

Enjoying the home is the goal, he said, and that’s based on advice given to him by a friend.

“You wanna build a nice house, but build a house that the kids can enjoy, and that people don’t have to pull their shoes off when they come

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Adam Luna’s room reflects a baseball theme with nods to the Cardinals on a door and a shirt framed over the bed.

ABOVE: A room upstairs is dedicated to the children and their activities and hobbies.

LEFT: The dining room features a beautiful cabinet to show off crystal pieces. The dining room chairs are covered in leather.

in,” Luna said. “Build a house you can live in, not a showplace.”

That’s another feeling you might get, stepping inside the Wagoner home – a sense that people live here. With five bedrooms and three bathrooms, portions of the house are spaces dedicated to the people who spend most of their

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time there: Chris has the patio, Ginger has the kitchen, and the children have their bedrooms, in addition to an upstairs room meant to play and practice.

That room looks the most lived in, reflecting the hobbies of the kids – a wrestling mat stretched out across one

portion of the floor, a balancing rail beside that, and video game consoles nestled under a television in a nook.

There’s the master bedroom for Chris and Ginger, walls painted pastel blue with a minimalistic approach taken to wall hangings. A single, spiraling candelabra hangs above a bed layered in

Evan Luna’s bedroom and bathroom feature a baseball theme that also includes the Cardinals and the University of Oklahoma Sooners.

RIGHT & FAR RIGHT: Ariel Luna’s blue room is decorated with furniture painted a crisp white. The wood floors are diagonal, providing additional visual interest.

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Chris and Ginger Luna’s bedroom is a soft pastel blue with swing-arm lamps over nightstands on each side of the bed. A sliding barn-style door separates the bedroom from the bath.

gentle whites and grays. Ariel’s bedroom has a deeper blue in the wallpaper, with bright white furniture alongside black and white art hung on the walls.

The boys’ bedrooms both hint at budding baseball fans, with University of Oklahoma decorations splashing crimson among a muted palette in Evan’s

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room, and baseball teams decorating the quilt in Adam’s area.

Then there’s the backyard: 20 acres of land behind the house which sees frequent travel by way of four wheeler, Luna said.

“There’s actually a pond back there, behind the cell tower,” Luna said. “The

kids like to ride down there.”

When Chris and Ginger bought the land, Chris said, they knew what kind of home they wanted – something handmade, something that reflected them.

“Ginger and me really wanted a craftsman-style home,” Chris said. “We built the house that we wanted.”

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Grass surrounds the Lane home like a fresh-mown carpet.

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Family, future Wagoner home designed with Lane’s large family in mind

J

im and Janet Lane have a sweeping country spread only minutes from downtown Wagoner.

Their farmhouse rests on 20 acres of flatland.

Janet Lane said the back 10 acres are reserved for hay. The rest of the land surrounds the house like a freshly-mown green carpet. Distant trees border the property.

“We had an owl raised in those trees,” Lane said.

“Now, one of its parents sits on our rooftop at night.

We can hear it.”

Lane said she and her husband moved into their custom-built house two years ago.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Von Castor

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The Lanes’ backyard swimming pool has space for splashing and nooks for simply sitting.

A wood fence surrounds a grassy area covering swimming pool tanks and other items.

She and her husband wanted to build a roomy, one-story house.

“So we just started looking in the plan books to see what we could come up with,” she said. “We found some from one book and some from another.”

The Lanes chose architect Darrell Byrd to draw up the house plans and S & J Home as general contractor. Gina Miller of GHD Interiors, Jenks, designed the interior, including the countertops and soft gray color scheme. Ray Wright of Green Country

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that, as “weTheage,ideaandwassomeone lives with us, we can make it a coffee bar.

— Janet Lane

”

Landscaping designed landscaping.

Lane said they wanted the house open and spacious to accommodate their family. The Lanes have five children and

11 grandchildren.

“They come over all the time,” Lane said, adding that two children live in Wagoner.

She said her local grandchildren come over on Mondays, when there is no school. The grandchildren also spent many summer hours playing in the backyard pool.

“And we have a son who lives in Wyoming, so when he and his family come down, they stay with us,” she said.

Inside, a cathedral ceiling seems to

A separate barn keeps the Lanes’ tractors and other equipment.

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The kitchen features yards of cabinets and counter space, as well as two sinks and stainless steel appliances.

double the space in the living room. Two stories of windows offer a sweeping countryside view. A mesh shade on the second story window keeps the morning sun from glaring into the house. “I leave it closed until midafternoon, depending on what season it is,� she said.

The eat-in kitchen features yards of counter space, thanks partly to a large island. The kitchen has a porcelain farm sink and another sink on its island.

Stainless steel Kitchen Aid appliances include a double oven and gas stove. The broad stainless steel refrigerator has French doors. The freezer is a roomy drawer below the fridge.

Food, staples and small

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LEFT: Guest bedrooms have a homelike comfort.

BOTTOM: Family photos grace walls of the Lanes’ formal dining room.

appliances are kept in a walk-in pantry.

“This was my want,” Lane said. “A walk-in pantry, so I could put everything in there.”

A formal dining room features a wall of family photos.

The black and white frames complement the gray walls.

Beyond the eat-in kitchen is a sitting area surrounded by windows. A fireplace is at one end.

“We call it the sun room/ hearth room,” Lane said. “In the summer, we can sit out here and see the kids in the pool. In the winter, we can turn the fireplace on and sit out here.”

In Lane’s office, black furniture contrasts with red walls.

She said her designer added a Navy blue cornice on the window and a white rug with a Navy blue pattern.

A guest bedroom features a bay window. A guest bathroom has a shower.

Two fireplaces can be found in the master suite.

One is in a sitting area, just off the bedroom.

“The idea was that, as we age, and someone lives with us, we can make it a coffee bar,” she said, adding that she uses the area for yoga and reading.

The suite’s second fireplace is in the main bedroom. Lane said

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A vaulted ceiling enhances space in the family room.

FAR LEFT: The master bath features a standalone tub and separate, spacious shower.

LEFT: A dining area invites pleasant conversation.

it adds ambience, as well as warmth.

“My husband works in Tulsa, so we’re very early risers,” she said. “In the winter especially, we’ll come in here, watch TV and have the fireplace on.”

The master bath features a freestanding porcelain bathtub by a window.

“When we lived in our other house, we had a huge tub,” she said. “It was so big and used so much water, we never

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used it in the 20-plus years we lived there.”

Said the new tub fits her perfectly.

Jim Lane has a sink, counter and walk-in closet on his side of the bathroom. Janet Lane has a sink, counter, vanity and walk-in closet on her side.

Two bedrooms, linked by a Jack-andJill bathroom, are on the other side of

the house.

“We call it the kids’ wing,” Janet Lane said. “Our grandkids, it’s kind of their area.”

A laundry room is right by the bedrooms. It features ample counter space, a window over the washer and dryer, and a sink.

“My husband, when he comes in

LEFT: A bedroom features a tray ceiling and sun-filled windows.

BOTTOM: Sun shines through bay windows in this bedroom.

from outside, he can just stand here and wash his hands, or take his clothes off and toss them in the laundry,” Lane said, A tornado shelter is at one end of the laundry room.

Upstairs, a bonus room has red walls. It features a row of black recliners facing a wide-screen TV. “It’s our movie and football watch-

We love, in the summer, “grilling out, having kids over to swim in the pool. ” — Janet Lane

ing room,” Lane said. “We’re big OU fans.”

The second floor also has a storage area. Huge wreaths hang on a pegboard.

“This is what I wanted, my Christmas room,” Lane said. “I keep all my holiday decorations and other things here.”

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With windows surrounding a fireplace, a side area doubles as a sun room and hearth room.

Outside, the house features a steep sloping roof by A-Best Roofing, which Jim owns. Janet said cupolas and chimney caps were fabricated in the company’s sheet metal shop.

A wide driveway in front of the threecar garage offers ample parking. Jim

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keeps his farm equipment in a separate garage. He grows tomatoes, strawberries and corn in a garden by the garage, Janet said.

The swimming pool in back features nooks for sitting. A table and grill are off the kitchen. A patio with two chairs

is just off the master bedroom.

“We love, in the summer, grilling out, having kids over to swim in the pool,” Janet said. “We like having friends over for the Fourth of July and Memorial Day. We host our Sunday school group, and we host our retired teachers.”

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Beyond the Listing

Lu xu ry around every corner

Neoclassical mansion sits on nearly 38 acres of flat grassland

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Von Castor

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Beyond the Listing

The six-bedroom home west of Wagoner blends the grace of Tara Plantation and the expanse of Southfork Ranch with modern day comfort.

FEATURES »» ADDRESS: 23387 Oklahoma 51, Wagoner. »» ASKING PRICE: $1.2 million. »» SQUARE FOOTAGE: Approximately 7,201 square feet. »» PROPERTY SIZE: 37.57 acres. »» BEDROOMS: 6. »» BATHROOMS: 6, 1 half. »» HEATING AND COOLING: Central cooling; central and propane-leased heating.

»» APPLIANCES: Trash compactor, microwave oven, dishwasher, cooktop stove, double oven. »» FLOORS: Carpet, wood, vinyl, tile. »» OTHER FEATURES: Backyard has a full basketball court, outdoor spa and swimming pool with diving board and slide. Granite countertops are throughout the house. There is an intercom system and security system throughout the house. The spacious butler’s pantry has

its own storage. The master bathroom has a spa bathtub and a granite shower with three shower heads. Gourmet kitchen features KitchenAid appliances.

There are two dining areas. There are three gas and wood-burning fireplaces.

Beyond the white picket fence are shop buildings and a pond. »» CONTACT: Jerry Sisco, Century 21 Ultimate Realty, (918) 519-7155 or (918) 485-5585.

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Beyond the Listing A backyard offers ample space to run, dive, swim, slide or soak.

An electronic gate guarantees secure entrance to the spread west of Wagoner.

A

grand spread west of Wagoner could easily rank with the legends.

The white columned mansion evokes Tara Plantation from “Gone With the Wind” or Southfork Ranch from “Dallas.” The six-bedroom neoclassical house, surrounded by a white picket fence, sits on nearly 38 acres of flat 28

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Beyond the Listing Beyond the picket fence, the property features a large pond, a barn, even a small house.

A Grecian fountain surrounded by a circular drive greets visitors.

grassland.

Pass through the electronic security gate. Drive along 500 feet of tree-lined driveway. Swoop around a circular drive surrounding a Grecian fountain.

Four columns support a sweeping two-story porch.

Two porch swings hang on the first-floor porch.

Jerry Sisco, agent/broker for Century 21 Ultimate Realty, said the house faces south. The porch’s open east and west sides let people savor sunrises and sunsets.

Black shutters contrast with the creamy white exterior.

Even the garage has black shuttered windows.

J.R. Ewing and Scarlet O’Hara would covet the entry hall. A wooden stairway begs people to make a grand entrance. It curls around a golden chandelier, which looks at least one story tall.

The entry also features a nook with shelves. A smaller cubbyhole hearkens to the old days, when homes had a space for the phone, Sisco said.

Neoclassical treatments can be found in the entry, indeed throughout the house. White columns topped by triangular broken pediments border doors.

White crown molding lines

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Beyond the Listing The entry stairway spirals around a tall chandelier.

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Beyond the Listing The kitchen features ample cabinet and counter space, plus a command center for the intercom system.

The kitchen features granite countertops, KitchenAid stainless steel appliances and a sunny space to enjoy meals.

the walls.

The house was custom built in 2000 and features new carpeting and paint.

A half-bath off the entry features separate rooms for the toilet and sink.

“Everything in the house is granite or marble,” Sisco said.

“There’s no fake stuff anywhere in the house.”

Past the entry, the family room’s two-story arched window shows a broad view of the backyard swimming pool and meadow beyond.

“I don’t know if I could find a Christmas tree big enough for

I don’t know if I “ could find a Christmas tree big enough for this place.

— Jerry Sisco

”

this place,” Sisco said. “That would be a big Christmas tree.”

A fully-equipped oak wet bar features a sink, an old fashioned counter-top corkscrew and below-shelf slots for stemware.

A gas and wood-burning fireplace features a black marble hearth and oak mantle. Fireplaces also can be found in the formal living room and the master suite.

The spacious master suite also features windows galore, offering

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Beyond the Listing

Soak by sunlight or starlight in the master bathroom’s spa bathtub.

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Beyond the Listing

The spacious master closet can be a room of its own.

The master bedroom features a fireplace and doors to the back patio.

a panoramic backyard view. French doors open into a patio area, steps away from an outdoor spa. Columns border space that would be a perfect sitting area or reading nook.

The suite’s walk-in closet is as big as a bedroom and features a wall of shelves.

His and her sinks, with broad windows and counters, line each side of the master bath. In the middle is a spa bathtub, surrounded by bay windows.

A walk-in shower features granite walls,

A formal living room has a fireplace.

tile floor, a seat and three faucets. A rain shower head is on one wall, a hand-held faucet and a shower for lower extremities is on the other side.

A toilet and a bidet have their own room.

Across the family room, an open-space kitchen features what Sisco said are “more cabinets than you’ll ever need.”

A built-in serves as the command center for an intercom system.

Stainless steel KitchenAid appliances

include a double oven, cook-top range, dishwasher and trash compactor. The double stainless steel sink features a sprayarm faucet. A kitchen island has its own sink.

Bay windows give the dining area a nearly 180-degree view of the backyard.

A room-sized butler’s pantry is big enough to have its own pantry. The smaller pantry features ample shelves.

The larger pantry has granite counters and cabinets galore. Upper cabinets have

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Beyond the Listing

The granite master shower features three shower heads.

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A spacious butler’s pantry features clear cabinet doors, plus it’s own pantry to the side.

Beyond the Listing

A second-floor balcony looks over the living room, which features a wet bar. Neoclassical pediment and columns frame the entry to the kitchen and dining area.

clear glass doors.

“The glass doors are for showing off dishes,” Sisco said.

French doors open into a formal dining room with a chandelier.

Upstairs, more French doors open onto the secondfloor front porch. Five bedrooms — plus a den, game room or man cave — are upstairs.

“Each bedroom either has a bathroom of its own or a shared bath,” Sisco said.

Two more bedrooms were added over the garage.

A second set of stairs leads down to the kitchen and utility room area. The utility room features a sink with wide counters, plus a closet where clean clothes can be hung. A bathroom with a shower allows people to wash off and dress after a swim.

A basement is used as a storm shelter.

The garage offers space for two large trucks, plus a golf cart or motorcycles.

There’s all sorts of fun

out in the back. A circular brick patio outside the family room is shaded by a cathedral ceiling (to allow space for that tall picture window), and cooled with a ceiling fan.

Another brick patio extends from the master bedroom and features a round spa. People in the spa can enjoy their own stone waterfall.

A stone “creek” flows from the spa into the swimming pool. A tiny wooden bridge crosses the creek.

The pool is at least 10 feet deep and features an elevated diving board.

Boulders and yucca plants accent the pool area. Behind the pool, people can shoot hoops on a full-sized basketball court.

Beyond the picket fence, the property features a pond and two shop buildings, Sisco said. One shop building has a small living quarters.

Sisco said the 37 1/2 acre spread is clear of trees.

“It’s ready to be used for cattle or livestock of your choice,” he said.

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Center

of their

world

For the Robertsons, it’s all about location

Debbi and Rory Robertson found a welcoming spot in south Wagoner for their custom-built home.

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W

hen Debbi and Rory Robertson wanted to build a new home, they knew just the right place, a cul-desac on the south side of Wagoner “I work in Tulsa, he works in Tahlequah,” Debbi Robertson said. “Parents are in Adair. Kids are in Hulbert and Tulsa. And we do Shrine in Muskogee, so this was in the middle.”

She is an adviser with New York Life. He is sales manager with Tommy Nix Chevrolet, Dodge, Jeep in Tahlequah.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Von Castor

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Stonework and brickwork highlight the exterior of Debbi and Rory Robertson’s home.

“We’ve seen a house he built right here in this cul-de-sac. We really liked it,” Robertson said. “When we were ready, we had the floor plans, saw this corner lot.”

Jeff Jacobson of S&J Homes built the house, she said.

The three-bedroom house is 2,500 square feet. An unfinished second floor weight room and “man cave” will add 800 to 1,000 square feet when it is completed, Robertson said.

The idea website Pinterest came in handy when she planned the decor, she said. The family got larger pieces of furniture from Mathis Brothers, she said, adding that other items were ordered through Amazon.

Robertson said she and her husband wanted the house to have an easy flow for entertaining, because of their involvement with the Bedouin Shrine.

An open living, dining and kitchen area

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The Robertsons’ back porch features a variety of spaces for entertaining.

A fireplace keeps visitors warm and a fan keeps visitors cool on the Robertson back porch.

offers just that. Only a broad black couch and a kitchen island with black barstools divide the space. Vinyl plank floors, looking just like wood, make it look even more spacious.

A flat screen TV stretches across the entire width of the living room fireplace. On one side of the fireplace is a fully-stocked wet bar. It features a sink, a wine chiller and a thick heavy drawer for bottles.

A formal dining room, just off the kitchen, has cream-colored furnishings.

The kitchen features stainless steel appliances and black cabinetry,

“

We’ve seen a house he built right here in this culde-sac. We really liked it.

— Debbi Robertson

”

contrasting with vanilla cream granite countertops. The island’s countertop looks at least two inches thick.

“If you reach underneath, it’s just one inch thick,” Debbi Robertson said, showing how the granite is only thicker around the edges.

The kitchen island also features a farmhouse sink.

An intimate breakfast bar for two is situated on one side of the kitchen. A small digital weather station links to an outside unit atop their fence.

Robertson said her key-shaped pantry offers more than just walk-in space. The pantry goes deep under the stairway.

Also near the kitchen, a half bath leads to a three-car garage.

Across the living room, French doors open into a cozy office.

“It comes in handy when I work from home,” Robertson said, adding that she

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wanted ample light and “just enough space” in her office.

Gently arched doorways lead into other areas.

Dark wooden beams and gas fireplaces add warmth to the master bedroom and living room. Robertson said her husband wanted more of a rustic

it quite a “bitWein use the winter to

keep the thermostat down, just warm up the bedroom.

”

— Debbi Robertson

look in both rooms.

The gas fireplaces in the bedroom and living room are operated by remote control.

“We use it quite a bit in the winter to keep the thermostat down, just warm up the bedroom,” Robertson said. “Same thing with the living room, we’ll kick those on for a little while and warm up the room.”

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ABOVE & LEFT: The Robertson living room includes a fullyserviceable wet bar and a stone fireplace.

A spacious kitchen features an island and roomy butler’s pantry.

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The bedroom also has space for a wooden duck collection and the Robertson’s Teddy bear collection.

“They all have sentimental value,” she said. “The two big ones are Teddy bears my dad had given my mom over the

The two big ones are “Teddy bears my dad had given my mom over the years.

”

— Debbi Robertson

years.”

Some of them are Shrine Teddy bears, reflecting a Shriners Hospital theme, “Love to the Rescue.”

A soaking bathtub is in one corner of the master bath. On the other side, a walk-in shower, engulfed in tile, features a corner seat.

The Robertsons put their

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The Robertson home has three comfortable bedrooms.

ABOVE: A corner fireplace in the master bedroom provides space for Rory Robertson’s wooden ducks.

RIGHT: Two of the Robertson cats share a bed in the master bedroom.

utility room conveniently near the master suite.

The utility room, which opens into the master closet, seems like a suite in itself. One side features the washer and dryer, as well as a sink and a wide countertop for folding.

The other side features shelves, ample cabinets, a bench for baskets. Two floor-level cabinets with kitty-shaped cutouts hint at how those are used.

Two b e d ro o m s f e at u re walk-in closets and a linking Jack-and-Jill bathroom. Rory Robertson uses one bedroom as a workout room.

Debbi Robertson can step outside to one of her favorite spaces. A back patio features a gas-starting, wood-burning fireplace, as well as a wide-screen TV and black iron seats with white cushions.

The back lawn features a fire pit and a grill. Iron stools line an outdoor bar.

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The master bath features a large shower and a soaking bathtub.

A hot tub is the Robertsons’ latest addition. Debbi Robertson said it was installed last fall. She said they have used it often.

A spacious yard offers ample space, where the Robertson’s dog, nieces and nephews can run and play. It is surrounded by a wooden fence, supported by brick columns.

Guests can enter the backyard through a bricked arch. Robertson said the fence was installed after they built the house. A contractor, Leroy Fine, laid the bricks for the arch.

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Live Fort G i b s o n To d a y

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A S m a l l To w n Full of History

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From lake and boating art to her childhood waterskis, Suzanne Hughes’ home reflects her love of the water.

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Transforming house into

H

ME

Space and location attracted homeowner

A

red brick house with a Fort Gibson Lake view seemed a perfect location for Suzanne Hughes and her son.

“I grew up coming to the lake as

a child,” she said. “My grandparents lived here, and so I knew I always wanted to be out at the lake. So when the property became available, I had seen it.”

The house, however, was anything but perfect.

By Cathy Spaulding Photos by Von Castor Green Country Living

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Suzanne Hughes and her 9-year-old son spent hours redoing the floors and ripping out paneling in their Wagoner home. The result exudes space.

“It was in horrible condition,” Hughes said. “It wasn’t livable. All the floors were completely stained. There had been animals living in it. There were holes in the walls. There was nothing that could be left. Everything had to be taken out. All the floors had buckled because water had ruined all the flooring. I had to take all the flooring up, and I had to re-do all the plywood underneath it.”

Hughes said the house had been foreclosed and put up at a sheriff ’s auction.

“And the bank bought it back, and I

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bought it from them,” she said, adding that as a single mother, she could not afford anything large or extravagant.

Hughes and her 9-year-old son, Brock, had been living in her grandparents’ house near Taylor Ferry North Recreation Area, east of Wagoner. She said she bought the house about a year ago.

“I knew whenever I came in that I could make it really nice,” she said. “I loved the layout.”

The house has 1,645 square feet, plus a 275-square foot space, which Hughes

plan to convert into a game room.

“When we came in, we had to take out everything, the floors,” she said. “On the walls, we had to take the paneling off, the Sheetrock. We updated everything.”

The plumbing seemed to be good condition, she said.

“We had to replace one of the hot water tanks, and of course, we did re-do the sinks and the bathtub.”

Hughes put in a new bathtub, shower head and vanity. She said all fixtures, as well as the lighting, came from Lowe’s.

A wall hanging explains what Suzanne Hughes seeks in her house.

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Working on the house was a huge challenge, Hughes recalled.

“My little boy would pull out cabinets, pull out everything. Every evening, he’d help me,” she said. “I think any 9-year-old boy would love to take a hammer to cabinets.”

Neighborhood friends also helped, she said.

Hughes said she re-did the layout of her kitchen. She put a farmhouse kitchen sink by a window and openfaced cabinets on each side of the window to show off dining ware. Cabinets in the kitchen, laundry room and hall were done professionally. She had the kitchen cabinets painted white, but has not decided what to paint the others.

The kitchen features 2-inch thick black concrete countertops.

“It was actually another good decision because of finances really,” Hughes said. “The gentleman who did them out of Hulbert did a wonderful job.”

The concrete countertops are one of Hughes’ favorite parts of the house.

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Windows surround a back room of the Hughes home.

Black concrete countertops add style and durability to the kitchen.

Kitchen cabinets were professionally done.

“I cook every night. I cook breakfast most of the weekends,” Hughes said.

“I’m constantly using them. They hold up well. I can have them resealed once a year.”

The laundry room features cabinets and space to fold clothes.

Hughes said previous homeowners could have used a back room as a sun room. Windows surround three sides.

She put in a used sectional and a rolltop desk.

Suzanne Hughes gave new life to a table and chairs for her dining area.

“

I got it because it’s pretty, easy to take care of, waterproof and childproof.

— Suzanne Hughes

”

“It’s my area to have coffee in the morning and relax,” she said.

An enclosed patio is off the sunroom.

Hughes said she hasn’t begun working on that space, yet. However, she said she

intends to keep the louvered jalousie windows along two walls.

“Everyone really likes those,” she said.

“I think they’re pretty retro. Right now, I’m going to keep them. I’ll probably turn this into a lounge area.”

Hughes put down a vinyl floor that looks like wood planks.

“I got it because it’s pretty, easy to take care of, waterproof and childproof,” she said.

She said Brock’s room already had a

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built-in desk and shelves.

“I went ahead and left the paneling in his room because he’s a boy,” Hughes said, adding that she had the paneling sanded down and painted it gray.

Hughes said the bathroom “was a complete disaster.”

“There was a lot of damage to the flooring,” she said. “There were so many different types of flooring in here that by the time we got to the bottom, it was all just mush.”

The house has a small, screened front porch, which Hughes said will be extended out.

Hughes said it took four months to do what she’s done so far.

“We actually didn’t get to move into the home until April,” she said, adding that the bathroom was finished in June.

“We took it one room at a time,” she said. “There’s more to be done.”

Two family dogs — Lily, the dachshund, and Jack, a one-eyed rescued pug/beagle — romp in the backyard, which features access to an alley.

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ABOVE: Suzanne Hughes’ bedroom features her grandmother’s dressers.

LEFT: The bathroom features lighting and other fixtures from Lowe’s.

ABOVE: Art in Suzanne Hughes’ home shows how much she and her son love the water.

LEFT: Suzanne Hughes plans to use her old waterskis for shelf decor.

She said she plans to re-do the flower bed. She has a detached threecar garage on an adjacent lot. She said she uses it for her new boat.

Hughes even re-did much of her furniture.

“I bought all of my furniture used,” she said. “I had my kitchen tables and chairs re-done, sanded down and re-upholstered.”

Hughes re-waxed and oiled a pair of old wooden water skis, which she used as a child. She said she plans to use them as trim for game room shelves.

She bought an old cherry wood TV cabinet from the Salvation Army, then sanded it down and repainted it black.

Hughes said the home’s space and location are what she likes best.

“I enjoy having my neighbors over,” she said. “You look out the window during summer and you’d have 50 golf carts in your yard. I love this community, and I love that this house is set up for entertaining.”

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YOUR GUIDE TO

HOME SERVICES

Winter

YOUR GUIDE TO

HOME SERVICES

Food & Drink

One Crazy Old Fart’s Winery’s

popularity growing

Randy and Michele Orman make, bottle, market, distribute wine in Wagoner

By Cathy Spaulding Photos by Von Caster

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Food & Drink Take your pick of blackberry, peach, strawberry, even coconut wines from One Crazy Old Fart’s Winery.

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Food & Drink

Michele and Randy Orman make One Crazy Old Fart’s wine in a small storefront.

I

t takes One Crazy Old Fart — plus a few helpers — to make, bottle, market and distribute wine in Wagoner.

Randy and Michele Orman own and operate One Crazy Old Fart’s Winery in a rented storefront in Wagoner. The wine is not sold onsite.

Michele Orman said the winery is licensed to distribute wine retail or wholesale. She and her 60

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husband do their own distribution.

“We like the personal touch of that,” she said.

“You go in and you meet the people, and they know that all this wine is going through your hands.

You peeled, labeled and corked all of it. There’s something personal about it.”

Randy Orman also favors that personal touch.

“I walk into a liquor store and they say, ‘hey Randy,’ and I like that,” he said.

Food & Drink

Labels hang on a rod, ready to be pressed onto bottles of One Crazy Old Fart’s wine.

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Food & Drink Orman said he does everything but grow the grapes. He said northeast Oklahoma has too much alkaline in the soil to produce what he said are good wine grapes.

Instead, Orman said he orders wine extracts — processed grape juices — from vineyards all over, including Canada, South Africa, South America, California.

“They’re already processed. I don’t have to stomp on anything,” he said.

“I ferment them into wine, any time between a 28- to 56-day period.”

They’re already “ processed. I don’t have to stomp on anything. ” — Randy Orman

After that, the wine is blended with flavors, he said.

A day at the winery would include Randy Orman blending wine flavors in the morning, then filtering the wines for the first time that afternoon. He said that four or five days later, he filters a second time “until they’re crystal clear.”

He said he’d then spend a Sunday afternoon corking and labeling 600 to 800 bottles of wine. He said an employee comes by to help, as does a neighboring business owner who does his labeling.

“We do all our own bottling, sealing and labeling and everything,” he said.

“On Tuesday mornings, I make all

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Randy Orman stores his One Crazy Old Fart’s wine in 55-gallon wine fermenting tanks.

Food & Drink

Cases of One Crazy Old Fart’s wine are ready to be taken to restaurants and liquor stores across the area.

my phone calls, call all our liquor stores.

They give me the orders, and normally I deliver on Wednesday.”

The winery offers a dry Chardonnay called Charley’s, a dry Merlot called Red Dog and a blend called Quad Kiss.

The blend features two types of Merlot, a Cabernet and a white Zinfandel. The winery also features four fruit wines: Fuzzy-licious, a sweet peach; Red Hat, a sweet strawberry and Black Hat, a sweet blackberry, and Coco-Crazy, a sweet white with coconut flavoring.

Peach and blackberry tend to be the most popular wines, he said.

“We sell a ton of the blackberry wine,” he said. “And I know at the (Porter) Peach

had been in the financial “I business for years and years and I got to where I’d make wine for my clients on their birthdays, or they’d get married and I’d get them a case of wine.

— Randy Orman

”

Festival last year, we sold several, several thousand dollars worth of peach wine on one Saturday. I’d like to do that every Saturday and nothing else.”

Orman said the brand is sold in 40 liquor stores and several restaurants and bars. Area places that serve Old Fart’s wine include The Lodge at Sequoyah State Park, The Rail Taproom and Station 1 (Muskogee Brewery).

The Ormans also bring their wine to all sorts of festivals. Randy Orman said they are remodeling a trailer to enable them to back up and serve at festivals.

Visitors also can sample One Crazy Old Fart’s Wine at the Muskogee Habitat Chocolate Festival in February and the Bedouin Shrine Flying Fez Wine Festival in March, he said.

A spell of bad health got Randy Orman into the wine business.

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Food & Drink “A district judge and I both had high cholesterol, and so we both read up that a glass of red wine is good for your cholesterol,” Orman said. “So he and I started making it together and we came up with the name Two Crazy Old Farts Winery.”

That was in 2004. However, Orman said he eventually took the business farther than the judge wanted to.

“I had been in the financial business for years and years and I got to where I’d make wine for my clients on their birthdays, or they’d get married and I’d get them a case of wine,” he said.

So he and the judge parted ways. Orman changed the name to One Crazy Old Fart’s Winery and bought new winemaking equipment, including eight 55-gallon wine fermenting tanks, commercial corkers and commercial sink. The winery rented space in a former beauty shop and opened as a wholesale winery in 2015.

“I’ve retired three times and I don’t know how not to work,” Randy Orman said. “I spent 30 years as a regional director at Prudential.”

He said he still does “appointment only” financial planning for his clients, usually on one day a week.

“We work down here a day and a half each week,” he said referring to the winery. “The rest of the time, we run back and forth to Branson.”

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One Crazy Old Fart’s wine can be sampled at area festivals, including the Chocolate Festival this February and the Flying Fez this March.

On The Menu Guide To Area Restaurants

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On The Menu Guide To Area Restaurants

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Food & Drink

A glass of wine a day

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Food & Drink

F

or centuries drinkreality or causes negative effects ing wine has been than perhaps it’s best to abstain. advantageous to Whereas moderate intake can the health of the be just what the doctor ordered, masses. Throughout the ages heavy drinking can be detriwine has saved many mental to your health. To lives because water alone truly benefit from having was not safe to drink. For Wonderful Wine a glass, it’s imperative to some of us enjoying a glass do just that, keep it to the Heather Ezell of wine can be very benefirecommended allowance. cial. For others it’s important to note Now let’s explore the benefits of this that if one or two glasses (at most) isn’t a beverage.

Photos by Von Castor

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Food & Drink

Bone density can increase as a result of silicon found in red wine. It also can decrease the chance of osteoporosis.

I would love to believe that wine is just magic in a glass, which is pleasurable on the palate and aids in the betterment of our health. Nevertheless, there is actual science that proves how and why it is advantageous to consume. Chemical compounds known as phenols are found in the skins, seeds, juice, stems and pulps of wine grapes. Hundreds of compounds fall into the phenols classification but resveratrol, catechin and quercetin show to be the biggest contributors with resveratrol being cited as the compound with the greatest overall health impact. Working in unison these compounds are antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and assist in fighting against many types of disease.

A glass of wine a day supports: • Heart health—According to the American Heart Association, moderate consumption of red wine reduces the amount of plaque buildup, cholesterol and fatty deposits in arteries to slow the condition known as arteriosclerosis, which potentially leads to heart attack.

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Food & Drink

In moderation, wine can be favorable for your health.

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Food & Drink Wine contains a protein that acts as an anti-aging agent.

• Diabetes—Resveratrol increases sensitivity to insulin. Type 2 diabetes (which occurs in middle age) is due to decreased response to insulin rather than a lack of it. Research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that red wine may delay the transmission of glucose into the small intestine and finally into the bloodstream.

• Cholesterol—Several studies show that resveratrol aids in lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol and in turn raises HDL, the good kind. Quercetin helps to regulate high blood pressure and reduces inflammation.

• Brain Power—Improves function by increasing the blood flow to the brain. A study conducted at Texas A&M Health Science Center of Medicine suggests that this may protect against dementia.

• Strong bones—Due to high levels of silicon found in red wine, bone density can increase, which decreases the chance of osteoporosis.

• Stopping a Stroke—Research by Johns Hopkins University Medical

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Food & Drink

Phenols found in red wine act as a blood thinner, which can lower the risk of stroke.

Center concluded phenols found in red wine, resveratrol in particular, act as a blood thinner helping to reduce clotting, which in turn can lower the risk of stroke.

• Longer life-Research from Harvard Medical School concluded that a protein that performs as an anti-aging agent is

stimulated by resveratrol increasing overall health and promoting longevity.

• Banish Bacteria-In 2014, a study was published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that states red wine could prevent dental diseases, including cavities. Other related studies have

determined that wine is more effective in battling the bacterias encountered in traveller’s tummy than traditional treatments such as bismuth. It is also thought to boost your immune system.

• Cutting Cancer-Although not a cure, multiple studies have found that

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Food & Drink

ABOVE: Phenols found in the skin, seeds, juice, stems and pulp of wine grapes can help fight against many types of disease.

RIGHT: A glass of wine a day supports heart health.

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Food & Drink resevratrol can eradicate damaged cells that lead to certain types of cancer like breast, colon, head and neck.

Noted are some, but not all, of possible positive effects of enjoying a glass of wine. Allow me to reiterate that heavy consumption causes far more problems than it’s worth ranging from high blood pressure to liver disease to death. It is not

encouraged to start drinking if you don’t already imbibe. However, in moderation, wine can be favorable to your health. Moderation means just that, small amounts from one-half a glass up to two at the max. Paired with a lifestyle of whole foods, balanced diet and regular exercise, a glass of wine a day is likely to keep the doctor away.

Here’s to your health. Cheers!

When paired with a lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise and whole foods, a glass of wine can help keep the doctor away.

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Scene and Be Seen Exchange Club Party Members of the Exchange Club of Muskogee celebrated the holidays with a gathering. In July, Muskogee Exchange Club members distributed $45,000 to area educational and children’s programs. Exchange Club members’ main fundraisers are the annual Chili and B-B-Q Cook-off and the River Rumba Regatta.

Photos by Shane Keeter

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Scene and Be Seen Barney Home Christmas Sean Barney and Kevin Igert opened their home to guests to celebrate Christmas.

Photos by Abigail Washington

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Scene and Be Seen Port Christmas Port of Muskogee employees and dignitaries celebrated the holidays at Three Forks Harbor River Center.

Photos by Shane Keeter

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Scene and Be Seen Turkey Wobble The Downtown Lady hosted the Turkey Wobble that benefited Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children.

Photos by Wendy Burton

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Scene and Be Seen OmHof Induction Folk musician Michael Brewer gave fans an intimate look at his life beyond “One Toke Over the Line� at his induction into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

Photos by Cathy Spaulding

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Scene and Be Seen

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Scene and Be Seen Trivia Challenge Education Foundation Trivia Challenge profits are used to fund grants awarded to educators across the district’s campuses.

Photos by Cathy Spaulding.

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