Murary Life Magazine Back To School 2012

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Is Our History, “History?”

Murray Life Staff

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Princeton, A Piece of History Erin Carrico

Where the Wild Things Grow Suzanne Cathey

56 Back to School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Robert A. Valentine

Notes & Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Murray Life Staff

Ask the Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ben Morrow

Pet Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Caina Lynch

A Laughing Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Murray Life Readers and Staff

Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 John Pollpeter

Count On It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Austin Dodd

Witness to History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Kate Apperson Reeves

Money Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ron Arant

Trivia Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Austin Dodd

Uncommon Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Michael Cohen

Going Bananas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Logan Abbitt

Dining Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Murray Life Staff

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 What’s Happening & Where

The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Robert Valentine

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VOLUME 18 - NUMBER 3 - BACK TO SCHOOL 2012 Printed in the USA www.mymurraylife.com .........................................................................

Publisher Robert Valentine Operations Manager/Sales & Marketing Vicki Jo Stevens-Valentine Associate Managing Editor Austin Dodd Art Director Justin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC Assistant Art Director Amanda G. Newman Production Devin Perkins Chelsea Hartmann Editorial Staff Logan Abbitt | Austin Dodd Internet Consultant Justin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC Staff Photography Justin B. Kimbro | Allie Douglas Contributing Writers Logan Abbitt | Ron Arant | Erin Carrico | Suzanne Cathey Ben Morrow | Austin Dodd | Caina Lynch Casey Northcutt | Robert Valentine | John Pollpeter Printing Copy Plus, Murray, Kentucky Murray Life is published five times annually for the Murray area. All contents copyright 2012 by Murray Life Productions. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or management of Murray Life.

Subscription rate is $15.00 per year, two years $25.00. Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be made to Murray Life: PO Box 894, Murray, KY 42071.

Subscriptions may also be made through the Web site, www.mymurraylife.com. All advertising inquiries should be directed to the Managing Editor at: PO Box 894, or by calling 270-753-5225.

E-mail us at: murraylife@aol.com This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions may be edited for length, clarity and style.

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[ $ ] intro editorial

Back to School by: Robert A. Valentine

Experience keeps a hard school, but it is the only one for fools.

- Benjamin Franklin

e suppose that this was Mr. Franklin’s way of reminding us that learning from teachers is much less painful than learning by trial and (mostly) error.

As our young – and, perhaps, notso-young – head glumly back into the late summer classroom, we are prepared to provide some information that may prevent both foolishness and boredom. We call it “Murray Life.”

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We celebrate with this issue a dozen years of partnership with the naturalists of the Land Between the Lakes. John Pollpeter, who was a pioneer in our joint effort to share the mysteries of the wild, takes us on a painless, odor-free encounter with that fragrant denizen of woods and fields, the skunk. Learn this lesson and you might avoid being the least popular kid in class.

Phew!

When Murray Life goes “back to school,” we pick a good one. Kate Apperson Reeves will introduce

you to a man whose name you probably know without knowing his story. She will happily educate you on the subject of Murray’s Marvin O. Wrather – the man and the museum.

Suzanne Cathey will tell you how to improve your yard with native plants and Logan Abbitt, our resident “foodie,” will give you tasty insights into that veteran of the lunchbox, the banana. Footloose Erin Carrico will drag you (kicking and screaming, no doubt) on an educational and tasty visit to nearby Princeton, Ky. Caina Lynch, recently graduated from Murray State, joins us one last time for a sweet look at a dog’s tale that wags its way to a very happy ending.

We will also discuss your social calendar, places to eat, and things to occupy your time, as we always do. There are puzzles to solve, trivia to discover, and jokes to share.

Most of these only appear herein – and on our website – because of the good work of our Assistant

Managing Editor, Austin Dodd.

Austin has been ejected from Murray State with a well-earned degree and is off to law school with one last, parting shot at the departments he as managed so well since the beginning of the year.

Thanks, and good luck, Counselor; we’ll see you in court.

In this issue, we begin a look at the way Murray records its history in the digital age. Some people fear that, years from now, we won’t know who we were and, as a result, who we are. Let’s find out.

Finally, we give our heartfelt thanks to coach Steve Prohm whose selfless and tireless efforts to share the experience, excitement and notoriety of his outstanding season of Racer Basketball have brought him the gratitude of the whole community. His portrait graces our cover this issue thanks to artist Jennifer Corley, an MSU grad who certainly learned her lessons well.

So put those books in the backpack, snap the lid on your lunchbox and head for the bus stop; we’re all going back to school in this issue.

With a bit of luck, we’ll be out with plenty late summer daylight to illuminate a pleasant read on the porch or patio as you turn the pages of Murray Life. Read carefully; there will be a quiz. s

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[  ] notes & neighbors

Name That Park Murray Life has had a stream of calls and e-mails about our spring edition's cover. Many believed (including us, at first) that it was a photo of Cumberland Falls State Park, located about five hours away from Murray. You might be surprised to hear that the beautiful scenery is located only an hour and a half from Murray.

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, located about halfway between Hopkinsville and Dawson Springs, is home to some

of the most beautiful scenery the state can offer, along with activities such as fishing, boating, hiking, and horseback riding. As Austin Dodd reported in our summer edition, Kentucky has a great system of parks, with something right around the corner for everyone. Get out there and enjoy our Commonwealth's treasures! A big thanks to Kentucky's Department of Parks for providing the photos for the cover and for the article on the best park system in America. s

90 Years Ago...

High School building until the initial structure, now known as Wrather West Kentucky Museum, could be completed.

Those first students were, in many cases, invited to stay in local homes – often without rent.

Murray State will celebrate the 90th Anniversary of its founding this year as it commemorates the winning appeal of a citizens’ committee to the State Normal School Commission. As a result of their efforts and the support of thousands of citizens, the Commission established a new college for teachers in Murray on Sept. 2, 1922. The formal observation of the 90th Anniversary will take place on Sept. 6, but commemorative activities may take several different forms and occupy several different days.

So you will forgive Murray if it takes pride in its namesake university. From the very beginning, the town and the school were part and parcel of one another, a tradition that continues to this day and, we hope, for the next 90 years as well. s

The successful bid for the school’s location was led by Rainey T. Wells, a Murray lawyer and political leader who is generally regarded as the founder of what is now MSU. The first classes were held in the newly-completed Murray

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[  ] notes & neighbors

Chamber Salutes Prohm It was quite an event when the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce gathered for its annual Banquet on the concourse of the CFSB Center on June 21. It has been a year of progress for the Chamber and the community, in spite of tough economic times in the nation and the commonwealth.

The large crowd did not come merely for the food and the silent auction; there was suspense in the air as they waited to see who would be recognized as Businesses of the Year and Citizen of the Year, as well. MSU Basketball Coach, who became a national figure in 2012, was also a major draw as the keynote speaker for the event.

As he recounted the success his team had during the year, the audience was well-aware of the benefits to the University and to the entire community created by the enormous popularity of the team locally and the national publicity resulting from the longest undefeated record in basketball. An OVC Championship and three rounds of NCAA tournament competition made Murray a household name from Manhattan to Malibu. (See Elizabeth Johnson’s article in Murray Life, Spring edition.)

Prohm was generous in his sharing of the accolades. From his outstandingly talented players to the encouraging community support, he seemed to single out everyone for credit – except himself. His use of biblical examples to educate and encourage his team was already well known to his audience, but his

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Photo by Terry Little

final conclusion spoke to everyone who seeks to accomplish something worthwhile. "(The story of Nehemia) says the heart is the key of everything that you do," said the Coach. "If everything is heart-centered, then your passion, your purpose will always be right. If you heart is truly the center and the focus of your faith, then your actions will bring true joy, peace and contentment."

In the end, however, it was Coach Prohm who had to be at least a bit surprised as the Chamber’s selection committee named him Citizen of the Year. 2011 Citizen of the Year Chuck Jones made the award. Jones, in presenting the

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new Citizen of the Year, said, "One of the things I promise is, for the 920 minutes of perfection that he was involved with, he did everything he could not just to win, but he also did for this community to be part of the fantastic ride. He saw our pride, and that made his journey even more special."

We add our congratulations to a man who did just as Chuck Jones described: from sending his players into schools to be role models for youngsters to taking his own time to speak to civic and service groups around the region, he kept everyone involved and made athletic success into a learning activity and a community bond that will survive for years. s

[  ] notes & neighbors

Taking Care of Business The Chamber of Commerce recognized its annual business awards as well. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Foster received the recognition for Culver’s restaurant, the Large Business of the Year, for organizations with more than 50 employees.

Mid-Size Business of the Year, for businesses with more than 10 employees, was awarded to K-Squared Designs, represented

by Justin Kimbro.

Small Business of the Year was presented to Dr. Dennis Heskett and the Heskett Chiropractic Center. Tractor Supply was recognized as Agri-business of the Year, reminding us of the range and importance of agriculture in our community.

Chamber Board Chairwoman Gale Cornelison presented the

Chair's Award to Angels Attic Thrift Shop. Recognizing the special contribution to our community, manager Mike Crook accepted the award on behalf of the several volunteers and the many supporters.

At right is Justin Kimbro of K-Squared Designs, holding the award for Mid-Sized Business of the Year.

Justin is the designer for Murray Life Magazine and we caught him the morning after the Chamber banquet in his studio, looking as proud as he deserves to be. s

On the Cover . . .

We are please to feature the work of artist Jennifer Corley on our cover for this issue.

Jennifer, a Murray State University graduate, has been creating portrait art for some time, often based solely on photographs, and often accompanied by a verbal description of the subject’s character. She is able to capture the personality of her subject in a variety of her artistic styles.

In this case, she had to work in secret to conceal the identity of her subject before the Chamber Annual Dinner.

For this cover, she worked with art director Justin Kimbro and MSU Sports Information Director Dave Winder to create an image of Murray’s Citizen of the Year, Coach Steve Prohm. You can see more of her work by visiting her website, Loveyomug.com, custom portraiture. s

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[ ✚ ] ask the doctor

Taking Your Medicine the Easy Way by: Ben Morrow

ome folks just don’t like to take their medicine.

Maybe they don’t swallow pills well, or just don’t like the taste. Others fight the daily battle with kids who refuse to swallow bad-tasting liquids, or try – to no avail – to sneak a pet’s medicine into its food dish.

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You might be surprised to find there are ways beside a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. Pharmacists are free to work with a patient’s doctor to change a medicine from a pill form to a cream or a liquid, or to adjust the dosage in order to specifically tailor it to the patient’s needs. If someone is allergic to a non-essential ingredient found in a brand name medicine, the pharmacist can remake the prescription to fit the patient’s situation.

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The art of redesigning medicine to fit individual needs is called pharmaceutical compounding, a service that hasn’t been offered to the Murray community very long. In fact, Sam and Brittany Brown of Medical Arts Pharmacy, located in the Medical Arts Building at Murray-Calloway County Hospital, are the only pharmacists in Calloway County that currently specialize in compounding.

“We’ve been doing this for about one year now,” Sam Brown said.

“We do more and more compounds every day as patients realize they no longer have to an out-of-town pharmacy. We have a close working relationship with local doctors, most of whom are willing to write prescriptions for these situations in order to get the doses right for each patient.”

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The art of redesigning “medicine to fit individual needs is called pharmaceutical compounding, a service that hasn’t been offered to the Murray community very long

”

– Ben Morrow

Brown said a good example of compounding is women who seek an alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy to a more natural means of treatment. “The conventional method (HRT) has been a chemical treatment where patients are treated with hormones derived from the urine of a pregnant mare or other undesirable substances which are manufactured but do not have the same molecular structure as human hormones,” Brown said. “On the other hand, Targeted Bio-Identical Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is an alternative treatment with compounds made

from natural products that more closely match human hormones.”

Compounding is not limited to tweaking the basic nature of the ingredients; it can also involve the form the medicine takes. Brown said patients are often given a TopiClick, or an applicator that resembles a stick of roll-on deodorant. The Topi-Click allows the patient to apply any hypoallergenic, cream-based medication directly onto the skin in perfectly measured doses without having to touch the medicine with the hands. This takes away the danger of transferring medicine to the kids or pets.

Compounded medications come in many other forms available as well. Brown said he has made everything from Chap-Stick™ based applicators to chicken-flavored dog treats.

Patients ought not worry about insurance coverage or the hesitancy of some doctors to prescribe compounded medicines, according to Brown.

“Local doctors have shown they are willing to work with patients to get them the medicines they need,” he said.

And insurance companies cover a surprising number of prescriptions without the large markup in price that one might expect. The average co-pay cost? “About a dollar per day,” Brown said.

A patient who can’t swallow pills well or needs a new way to feed Fido his medicine may find relief in an alternative form of medication. The good news for Murray residents? Now you can find it in your own backyard. s

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[

 ] pet pause The “Roxy” Road Home by: Caina Lynch

he Humane Society finds homes for many dogs but it’s always a special thrill to match a precious puppy with a first time pet owner.

The story of “Cheyenne” is a special one.

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In spring 2011, a litter of HuskyGerman Shepard puppies was found by a Good Samaritan who brought them to the Humane Society of Calloway County to find their “forever homes.” They received their vet care and the Good Samaritan then housed the puppies in a horse barn for the two-week quarantine period required. All of the puppies were then accepted in a rescue home -except “Cheyenne.” She had a cut on her chin and the new owner could not accept her until it was completely healed. By then she would be too old for the training she needed. Cheyenne went back to a foster home in Murray to await adoption.

dog breeds and visited Petfinder.com often. They looked in shelters and humane societies searching for just the right puppy.

The decision to add a member to the family was not taken lightly.

Chelsea, who always wanted a chocolate Lab, asked her mother in Murray about a litter of Labradors she’d seen here. The puppies where not yet old enough for adoption, so Crook sent her daughter details on the adoption process so they could get started.

She also included Cheyenne’s information, just in case. Chelsea

and Philip then visited Murray hoping to see the litter of Lab puppies but found they were being treated for an illness, so they decided to meet Cheyenne.

When Philip met the HuskyGerman Shepherd puppy with one blue eye and one brown eye, it was love at first sight. Although he had never had a pet, his grandparents had a Husky so Cheyenne took him immediately back to his childhood.

“After meeting different dogs, we decided to foster Cheyenne for a week and see how she fit into our family,” Chelsea said. In a short

At the same time, Suzy Crook, the Humane Society’s first director of its dog adoption program, heard about the Husky puppy. Crook’s daughter Chelsea, who had grown up with a house full of foster dogs, had recently married Philip Dunn, a man who had never had a pet growing up. Chelsea and Philip had settled into their home in Jackson, Tennessee, and began the search for a puppy to start their family and that would be Philip’s first pet.

The couple read about different

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In April 2012, the Dunn family came to Murray for the Mutt Strut, a 5K and dog walk, sponsored by MSU’s Animal Health Technology and Pre-Vet Club.

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time, Philip and Chelsea knew they had found their first dog. “Once we got her to our house and saw how well behaved she was and learned her personality, we immediately picked out a new name for her: Roxy Dunn.”

Unknown stories lay “behind the ligature marks on his legs and nose and severely infected ears that were oozing puss.

”

– Caina Lynch

Philip had never been through “whimpering first nights” and puppy messes in the floor, and there was a lot to learn. Now Philip teaches Roxy new tricks and plays with her every day including getting on all fours to roll around the floor with his favorite puppy. The whole family knows how much of a daddy’s girl Roxy is.

At the beginning, Chelsea took Roxy for frequent walks and runs to drain some of her Husky-Shepherd energy and soon Roxy was able to make eight-mile runs with Chelsea in 28-degree weather. Now Roxy is ready and waiting for their morning run each day.

In April 2012, the Dunn family came to Murray for the Mutt Strut, a 5K and dog walk, sponsored by Murray State University’s Animal Health Technology and Pre-Vet Club.

Chelsea and Roxy ran the 5K and Philip and Chelsea were very excited to show all of Roxy’s Humane Society friends how beautiful she had become. They were especially happy to meet one very special person – Beth Wilhelm, the Good Samaritan who saved Cheyenne and her littermates.

Roxy is typical of many of the wonderful puppies who come into the Humane Society’s adoption program. She will roll over around children and allow them to pet her belly, a response neither of her human parents taught her. The best thing about her, says Philip, is that “she reciprocates all the love we give her.”

And that’s the perfect conclusion for a potentially sad story that actually has a happy ending. Because of the work of many caring people – and a small cut on her chin – Roxy is sharing a life of first times in a forever home with her own loving family. s For more information about any of the Humane Society’s programs, contact the Humane Society of Calloway County at 270-759-1884, humanesociety@murray-ky.net, visit our website at www.forthepets.org, find us on Facebook or stop by our office at 607 Poplar Street Suite A-1, Murray.

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[  ] a laughing matter

Take Me Out to the Ballgame by: Murray Life Staff

"Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal." – George Will Each year, while society sends youthful Americans back to school, thousands of lads and lassies find themselves pining for the dust of the diamond. Baseball and softball command a heavy loyalty and generate plenty of good times and great laughs. Here are a few of the latter. Now, go do your homework.

Riddle: Why did the coach kick Cinderella off the baseball team?

One Day the Devil challenged the Lord to a baseball game.

Answer: Because she ran away from the ball.

Smiling the Lord proclaimed, "You don't have a chance, I have Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and all the greatest players up here".

.......................................................

Two guys are walking down a street in hell when it begins to snow.

"Yes," smiled the devil, "but I have all the umpires." .......................................................

One guy looks up at it and says, "Well, it finally happened. The Cubs just won the World Series."

A reporter wanted to know where Alex Johnson's power surge came from. "Last year, you hit two homers and this year you have seven. What's the difference?"

"Five," Johnson replied. .........................................

"I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it."

– Sandy Koufax

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Shelby Peace, former Hopkinsville mayor, was a baseball enthusiast who played with a team of the "sandlot" variety that played its games only on Sunday afternoons and holidays, and which was plagued by a man who insisted on getting into the spotlight. The team members, knowing that he was a poor performer, always found excuses to keep him from playing, even though he followed the team to all its games.

One day he got his chance. The centerfielder did not show up, and in order to have nine men on the field, the manager inserted him.

The first fly ball that came his way bounced out of his glove. The next one sailed over his head, one that he should have caught. Another fell at his feet.

Disgustedly, he charged over to Peace, who was playing right field.

“Shelby,” he shouted, ‘Why doesn’t this stupid manager put in a new pitcher? They are hitting this guy all over the lot!” from The Way I Heard It,

by R. H. McGaughey II, 1995

This is medium level puzzle #20...Good Luck!

This is hard level puzzle #21...Good Luck!

Instructions: Place the numbers 1 through 9 in each blank field.

Each column (down), row (across) and 3x3 region must contain each of the numerals only one time.

By popular demand, we are providing a two different puzzles with two different degrees of difficulty.

Again, good luck!

Where is the Solution?

Not sure of your answers?

Visit our Web site to check your solution.

Go to www.murraylifemagazine.com and click the “Puzzle Solution” symbol.

We’ll see you next issue with another great puzzle!

If you have a favorite kind of print puzzle you’d like to see, contact us with your ideas at: Puzzle Editor, Murray Life PO Box 894 Murray, KY 42071

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 ] nature “Polecat” Ponderings by: John Pollpeter

ften we don’t give them much mind; we smell them dead on the road or checking out our campsite late in the evening. Nevertheless, skunks (locally known as “polecats”) are unique members of our Purchase Area ecology.

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The term “polecat” comes from a close relative found in Eurasia. The name transferred with European settlement. It is an old French word meaning chicken (poule). So, in essence, “polecat” means “the cat that eats chickens.”

The word “skunk” comes from the Native American Algonquin name, as do the names of other common American animals like moose and opossum.

One of the things that make skunks so distinctive is their black and white coat color that varies considerably in Calloway, Trigg, and Marshall counties.

You will often see solid white, solid black, and even pinkish skunk’s raid picnic tables throughout the campgrounds and backyards. A local theory asserts that the isolated nature of the LBL peninsula makes the regional population genetically unique.

Sleeping and Eating In February, after a long sleep or “torpor,” male skunks begin to appear. These male skunks start to search for wintering

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grubs, insect nests, frozen carrion, and receptive females.

During most of the winter, these stinky fellows spend their time holed up in a stump or rock crevice avoiding the colder temperatures. In many cases, they den up with several other skunks. Skunks are not true hibernators, as is the case with bats and groundhogs. A skunk’s body does not drastically change to cope with the winter.

Often thought to be members of the weasel family, such as otters, mink, and badgers, recent DNA work has put skunks into their own family,

term “polecat” s an “oldTheFrench word meaning chicken (poule). So, in essence, “polecat” means “the cat that eats chickens.”

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– John Pollpeter

“Mephitidae,” which oddly enough means “stinkers.” They can be found in both tall grass prairie and ridge top forests, but prefer the edge habitat in between. In good habitat, there can be a skunk for every six to

Recipe for Getting Out the Stink If Spot or Fluffy has an encounter with a skunk, the common cure is tomato juice, which for a time, may mask the smell. In the end, you will end up with a pet that smells like a skunky tomato.

Try this recipe, which has shown better success.

Mix a solution of one quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, a quarter cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of detergent; rinse and repeat. It is best to do the procedure outside and mix the ingredients on the spot. Do not store solution as it will lose its effectiveness and may continue to react and may even break a sealed container. On occasion, it can bleach your pet, so be very careful.

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eleven acres.

Skunks are eclectic eaters, usually eating anything they can find: bees, wasps, snakes, rodents, road kill, and any type of vegetable matter. European settlement and the fragmentation of forests have allowed the striped skunk to expand its range.

spraying. Most people can outrun the fastest skunks; Skunks run about six miles per hour. Also, skunks are not great climbers.

Only the spotted skunk of Eastern Kentucky forages in trees.

Don’t Worry – Much

Despite this, skunks main predatory pressure is great horned owls. These large owls lack a sense of smell. They can easily see their characteristic black and white stripes, which skunks use as nocturnal warning coloration. This strong chemical can temporally blind, disorient, and make life miserable for human or owl alike.

Their poor eyesight and lazy demeanor can give humans a sense of relief when dealing with the “business end” of this animal. Its strong chemical weapon, scent glands located in the anal region, has shown to be an effective deterrent for most predators. This pungent odor can be noticed up to 1-1/2 miles away. A skunk can aim these scent glands behind, to the sides and even in front of its body. They can shoot accurately up to fifteen feet. But don’t be fooled: these glands hold up to four tablespoons of a volatile spray giving it the ability to shoot off five to six rounds.

Dangers To and From

As unique and virtually harmless as they are, skunks are the number two vector for rabies in wild animals (dogs and cats tend to spread it to humans more often). Raccoons are number one. The last

skunk/human transfer of rabies happened in 1981.

Rabies transfers to skunks via the skunk’s tendency to eat carrion. Luckily, rabid skunks can easily be avoided by walking away from the slowmoving critter. Skunks out during the day, stumbling, covered in ticks, poorly groomed, and frothing at the mouth are the strongest indications to avoid them at all costs and call a conservation officer or animal control personnel.

Despite the seriousness of the rabies, skunks are typically harmless and non-aggressive.

These lovable “polecats” provide a valuable service for us by reducing harmful insects, rodents, and rotting road kill. So, next February, take your time driving down the road at night and please yield for those pondering “polecats”. s

of feet, click“ingStomping of teeth, and raising of the tail should give even the most unobservant enough warning to avoid spraying.

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– John Pollpeter

Oddly enough, skunks or their burrows rarely stink. Skunks don’t want to waste this valuable defense, so they will often give several warnings prior to emission. Stomping of feet, clicking of teeth, and raising of the tail should give even the most unobservant enough warning to avoid

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[  ] count on it

Travel

by: Austin Dodd July and August used to be the time for family vacations. Now, families travel at Christmas, spring and fall, too. Senior citizens flood the tourist destinations in April and October “off seasons” and, as a nation, we’re always on the go. Here are some numerical facts about vacationing that might surprise you.

$27 billion:

1,150 lbs:

12,000+:

Estimated total market value for the cruise industry.

Number of bananas consumed every day on the Disney Cruise Lines.

Number of summer camps in the United States.

88%:

21.3 million:

755 million:

Estimated total number of passengers on cruise ships in 2013.

Domestic flights taken in the United States in 2009.

of Americans still prefer to travel by automobile on vacation.

48%:

60%:

of families have children that heavily influence where the family goes on vacation.

of Americans prefer to keep vacation details open, rather than stick to a schedule.

59%:

$110 billion:

of families want to visit Orlando, Florida.

Total amount spent by international visitors in the United States in 2008.

8,260: Cups of coffee are served on average day on the Disney Cruise Lines.

$80.8 billion: Total amounts spent by Germans on vacation.

$1,180 : Average spent by one American on a summer vacation.

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how you did!

on page 42? Letʼs see

Answered the Questions

Have I got an answer for you?

1. c – Danville is the birthplace of hysterectomies, too.

2. d – In Kentucky, we eat well!

3. a – All eight come with basketball teams.

4. d – " . . . which he built with his own hands."

5. c – A year later, they passed Prohibition.

6. c – May is bigger; December is colder.

7. b – What did you think? "$2 on I'll Have Another?"

8. a – Your lottery dollar at work.

9. c – Ironic, isn't it?

10. a – But give them time; just given them time.

Go Racers!

Sudoku Answers from page 16

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[  ] profile

Witness to History: Marvin O. Wrather by: Kate Apperson Reeves

Wrather West Kentucky Museum

his September Murray State University plans to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the founding of the institution in 1922. Just four years later, the first graduating class – 12 young men and women – received their degrees from the “Murray Normal School.”

Although no one could have guessed it at the time, one of those graduates would dedicate his entire life to the institution and would serve

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as its president separate occasions.

on

three

Much has been written and said about M.O. Wrather, but the one thing that cannot be denied is that he loved Murray State and his service to the school and its people. In 1966 he told The Murray State News, “I’ve never really considered my job as work. I pay no attention to hours and I’ve enjoyed myself always. I think Murray is a great

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was one “theWrather first 12 students

of to graduate from Murray Normal School in 1926

”

– Kate Apperson Reeves

institution – the success of our alumni proves it.”

Marvin Wrather could scarcely bring himself to leave the

campus he loved. He received his Master’s Degree from Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., and served the school in a number of capacities during his storied career.

His assignments included Secretary of Alumni, Director of Public Relations, and Director of Extension. In 1968 he became one of Murray State’s first Vice Presidents and three times held the office of president: July through November 1945 when President James H. Richmond died, April to July 1964, while President Ralph H. Woods was in Greece; and July through October 1967, when President Woods had a heart attack.

In fact, he may be the only person whose service spanned the evolution of the institution through all its names: from “Murray State Normal School” to “Murray State Teachers’ College” to “Murray State College” to “Murray State University” – from “The Normal” to “Racer State.”

Wrather married Lillian Grogan on August 17, 1923, while he was still a student at “The Normal School.”

For the Wrathers, Murray State became a family affair; their only child, daughter Anne, was salutatorian at Murray High School and graduated from Murray State College in three years with a Bachelor of Science in English and Math. She was voted Miss Murray State in 1964.

and that industry would welcome the opportunity to contribute to a fund which can do so much to raise the quality of teaching and learning.” As Alumni director, he gave special emphasis to the Alumni Scholarship Program.

The program began in 1941 with a $100 presentation for the first recipient.

Anne, now Anne Wrather Hoke, remembers her father taking her to old cemeteries and historic sites on her breaks from school.

She didn’t appreciate his love of history at the time, but she came to appreciate his passion for learning.

Following his death, a scholarship was established in his name. According to its charter, it was “established by

no one could “haveAlthough guessed it at the time, one of those graduates would dedicate his entire life to the institution and would serve as its president on three separate occasions.

”

– Kate Apperson Reeves

Marvin Wrather was a forward thinking pioneer in education. He seemed to foresee the day when the State would no longer be able to provide the vast majority of funding for public higher education.

He once said, “We feel that industry and higher education are allies and dependent on each other for success

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[  ] profile the Alumni Association to pay thoughtful tribute to the memory of a loyal graduate and administrator of Murray State University and an outstanding community and state leader who devoted his life in helping mankind realize a better way of life and to advance the educational and service programs at Murray State.” Established in 1970, the “Dr. Marvin O. Wrather Scholarship,” still exists today.

M.O. Wrather suffered a heart attack at Memphis Hospital in 1970 and died just three days later. He was still working as a Vice President although his retirement had been scheduled and was much anticipated by his family. “I have often thought through the years since then,” said daughter Anne Wrather Hoke, “how overjoyed he would

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feel that industry “and“Wehigher education are allies and dependent on each other for success and that industry would welcome the opportunity to contribute to a fund which can do so much to raise the quality of teaching and learning.”

”

– Marvin O. Wrather

be with the quality of education offered, the physical beauty of our campus, and the growing impact MSU has on the region.”

It is no wonder – and most fitting – that the first building constructed for the new school in 1923 would bear

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his name to honor his service.

The “Old Administration Building” was renamed Wrather Hall in honor of M.O. Wrather in the mid-sixties. It was again re-named as Wrather West Kentucky Museum in 1982.

Anne and her husband, Chuck Hoke, donated money to renovate the Wrather Room, a large and most impressive reception area, within the museum.

M.O. Wrather saw many changes to the institution he so dearly loved, but he never saw Wrather Hall become Wrather West Kentucky Museum. As an educator, an historian and one of Murray State’s biggest fans, Marvin O. Wrather would doubtless be proud of the museum that today bears his name on the campus he loved so much. s

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Is Our

History,

“History?”

By: Murray Life Staff

very day of the week but one, the Murray Ledger and Times includes “Looking Back.”

Along with the news of the day, sports, weather, obituaries, advertising, puzzles, comics, entertainment features, medical advice and much, much more, is a short column about what happened ten, twenty, thirty or more years ago.

It’s fun.

E

Who tells their story, then? Thirty years from now, how will your children know what happened on the day they were born? Will Facebook store your wedding photos for 30 years?

And, for the newspaper, it’s easy. You simply go to the various newspapers from one, two, three or four decades ago on the same date, scan the paper for interesting tidbits, and write the “Today in History” column. When you have all the newspapers ever produced for a community, it’s a great way to use your resources while educating and entertaining your readers.

Over the next several issues of Murray Life, we’re going to consider this question: What is the impact of the so-called Digital Age on the ability of a small town to preserve its own history in some way that will be accessible to our children?

We propose to do so not to point out some failing in our culture, but to discover a solution to what seems to many to be an inevitable loss of important cultural and community information. Among the people we will consult are historian Brian Clardy of MSU, Wrather West Kentucky Museum director Kate Apperson Reeves, Pogue Library archivist Deiter Ullrich, Internet designer Justin Kimbro, and area media professionals from newspapers, magazines, Internet and radio. After all, it’s our history that may be at stake.

Perhaps that’s why the newspaper is often called “The Medium of Record.” The back files are, in a very real way, the official history of an entire community. The County Court Clerk might have a record of a marriage license, but only the newspaper has a public record of the engagement, the wedding and the reception.

There is no government office required to preserve the memory of the State Little League Championship, much less the outcome of the middle school swim meet. From the shows offered by Playhouse in the Park to the number of floats in the Freedom Fest parade, only the “Ledger” receives, reports and records the unofficial but vital events in the life of a community.

So, what happens when more of the communication about what happens moves from the newspaper to the digital media that seem to be taking over every aspect of human life? Whether it’s Facebook or a personal website, Twitter or an amateur blog, people are choosing to share information and observations without going through the newspaper.

Will our history as a culture – or as a community – even exist? Is our ability to preserve history going to become “history?”

30 years

from now, how will your

children know what

happened on the day they were

born?

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Dr. John Dillon, retired professor of Mass Communication at Murray State and a leading authority on the impact of digital media on our society gets the discussion moving with a consideration of what most of us imagine to be the current state of affairs. g has long been the Whereas newsgatherin orters and editors -domain of trained news rep ting objective facts -with the goal of presen ent includes bloggers nm iro today's Internet env rcing of information and pundits whose main sou agenda. presented with a subjective may well be borrowed or spin – or rs and pundits desire to Only some of these blogge r crush hou 24of the day. But, in the even manufacture – news und. aro go to n atio rm of bent info al of “news,” there is plenty itic pol us ; fixations upon fractio s Trivial celebrity banter new the uld nt. Now, where wo debate; dilute infotainme us? lity to entertain industry be without the abi

So, competition among newspaper, television, radio and Internet may be driving the very nature of what we consider to be important enough to make the news.

50 years ago, trained editors and publishers (with a financial interest in the quality of their news reports) governed what went into print and, therefore, into history. Those people still exist, but they are joined by less trained, less interested parties whose goal may be very different. Says Dr. Dillon, ostitution of est that the pr gg su cs iti cr vestigation of Media ain objective in m re eal. ld ou sh t wha democratic id cs erodes the ns tio or st di if important topi rn properly ve go lfse s Can citizen cord? * * * to the public re in en are driv random rs,” or those to “I-Reporte lly pictures ca r ifi ei ec th it sp I will allude y who transm tr un co news e th ng l over gh-ranki individuals al even some hi to ough ts th en – ev of standing and accounts many are up hers ot le n, hi io W at s. rm uits of info organization nd co – d ne ai ly untr ting imbeciles. journalistical tanding, twee ds an gr y el er are m

In other words, there is now so much “news” that it is hard to tell the competent, objective, truthful and useful information from the irresponsible, unconfirmed, non-essential drivel that used to be And what sneered at as one of history?

If walked past it at the journalism is “history in a hurry,” toda y’ s news is sure checkout stand. make it to ar to chival history.

Some of this is going Thus, some degree of digi tal balderdash will literally be making to make it into the history.

Remember th expression, “H record of our society, e istory is wri tten by the victors?” Wel though. l, what if

by losers?” [ 26 ]

“History is w

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That’s the big concern. Much of what we want our children to remember could be lost – not because professional journalists did not observe and record it, but because it was swamped in a sea of instant messages and unfounded “forwards” that found their way into blogs, tweets and, finally, articles.

While the “democracy of distribution” could remain in all of its forms, a reappraisal of journalistic licensing should be attempted. The licensing (conceivably, “certification”) of journalists by a watchdog non-governmental group would underscore journalism as a profession with standards to be met, and potential sanctions to be employed should newsgathering norms be breached.

Certification standards would most likely include higher education; journalistic training in newsgathering, interviewing and writing; passage of standards-based testing; internships; and perhaps even personal testimony as to purity of goals in news transmission.

Were normative standards greatly broken during actual practice, an individual journalist or editor would stand to be "disbarred." In fact, parallels to attorneys and their relationship to bar associations should not be dismissed under this scenario.

The First Amendment seeks to guarantee a freedom of the press, but when it was written, the press was the only tool available to journalists. Can we enjoy the benefits of a free press when anyone, anywhere can call himself a journalist? Dr. Dillon suggests that the answer is not a simple one.

Under those rules, we would have never enjoyed some of our greatest journalists. Mark Twain, Damon Runyon, Heywood Broun, Erma Bombeck and Dave Barry wouldn’t have made it. Goodness knows how many local editors, writers, columnists and even publishers couldn’t be certified, but certainly help record and preserve the stories that make communities proud and give them their character, year after year.

So what’s the answer? Do we face a real problem? In coming issues, we try to find out. Dr. Dillon himself is uncertain and a bit pessimistic. He closed his letter to us with these three sentences.

As to the future of history? All may not be lost.

Only some of it.

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SpringtoEdition Back School Edition

Princeton a piece of history By: Erin Carrico

Historic preservation has become a top priority.

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rinceton, Kentucky, is a seemingly quiet, quintessential American town located a short distance from Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. It may be easy to overlook on a map, but this small town is well worth seeing. Known for being part near the center of the famous 19th Century “Black Patch Wars,� Princeton enriches the entire region through its historic heritage. The pride the community carries for its past is an explanation for its continuing success in the future. During a recent visit to Princeton, many other unique and sweet treats were found along the way, making the perfect day trip for our area.

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“Hello, John Boy” Stepping into Newsom’s Old Mill Store is like walking into Ike Godsey’s General Store on Walton’s Mountain. The staff displays southern hospitality and is genuinely interested in a tourist’s visit. Dark, wood flooring accents the various sized barrels and baskets containing fresh produce, bulk seeds and pantry needs. Huge shelves line the walls with jars upon jars of canned items. The canned goods are not ordinary jams and jellies; unique offerings of Vidalia and sweet pepper dressing, garlic spread, cherry-raspberry jam, and different pepper relishes are just a few of the homemade options.

The shining star of Newsom’s is Colonel Newsom’s Country Ham, nationally known after being discovered by James Beard in the 1970s.

Even if you are not a world-renown chef, an oldfashioned deli is nestled among the store goods where anyone can order a sandwich or a whole ham regularly. The ham has an incredible taste – different from hams cooked in our region. The seasoning is flavorful, perfectly accenting the ham without a salty aftertaste. An open-air type market is set up seasonally outside of Newsom’s.

In addition to local produce, plants and flowers grown regionally can be purchased.

“This is Sweet!”

Across the street from Newsom’s Old Mill Store is a new business to downtown Princeton, Mrs. McLovett’s Cupcakes. A visit into the bakery is the highlight of the trip. Open only Thursday – Saturday, Mrs. McMullen, the owner bakes only five flavors each week, varying between a long list of luscious cupcakes she has perfected. She uses all natural ingredients, which speaks to the amazing texture and flavor she has perfected. On the day of my visit, I enjoyed the Oreo and Vanilla Bean with Mascarpone frosting. The small little confections are

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truly mouth-watering. Non-traditional flavors also make appearances on the menu such as Maple Bacon (using Newsom’s Old Country bacon), Bananas Foster and Mocha Sea Salt Caramel. Mrs. McMullen publishes her menu of cupcakes each week on her website so her patrons can come hungry.

The building that houses Mrs. McLovett’s Cupcakes is a most unusual establishment.

Attached to the oldest building in Princeton, the tiny structure originated as a storage facility. With the building being no more than seven feet wide, the “Tiny Café” was created with only twelve bar stools facing one wall for service. Many years after the café closed, it was repurposed and opened this past January as Mrs. McLovett’s Cupcakes.

Since the building is so tiny, leaving only room to purchase a cupcake, a sneak peek behind the Princeton Art Guild next door reveals an open courtyard with tables and chairs perfect for snacking on cupcakes and enjoying the scenery of the Art Guild.

And So Much More Continuing through downtown Princeton, specialty boutiques and antique stores welcome visitors with friendly faces. A hop, a skip and a jump from downtown is historic Adsmore. On the National Register of Historic Places, the 1857 mansion holds family antiques from generations ago. Beautiful gardens enhance the atmosphere of the grand home. From time to time, living history exhibitions are staged giving visitors a glimpse on to weddings, Christmases and other festive events from the time when the home was at its grandest.

Princeton is a quaint, lovely town in which historic preservation has become a top priority. The city understands and supports the Princeton Main Street program, allowing for a vibrant downtown in a time where many cities are letting history go.

Visit Princeton. Take a stroll down historic streets.

Enjoy Kentucky-made crafts and homemade goods. Take a step back and relax in the beauty Princeton has to offer. And, don’t forget the way; Princeton is good for more than one daytrip. Once you’ve visited, you’re sure to visit again.

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MSU AD

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[  ] the money pages

College Funding Takes Careful Planning by: Ron Arant

In 2009, contemporary college students graduated with an average $24,000 in debt.

Unheard of in previous generations, this debt burden is now commonplace. hy? Because the cost of essentials is rising and in a global economy, a college education is becoming a necessity. The price of college has been rising faster than inflation and pressure on families to cover their children’s college expenses has also grown.

In the last 25 years, federal student aid grants have waned

W

in favor of high-interest loans.

“How much to borrow?” is now a standard feature on all needsanalysis college cost calculators such as www.collegeboard.com /student/pay/add-it-up/ 401.html. This default to debt in student financial aid may shadow and stress a graduate’s early adulthood and could potentially jeopardize his or her ability to save. Borrowed money must be repaid, after all, and with interest. Don’t give your child the kiss of debt. Plan ahead and make sure that he or she has the money needed on matriculation day.

How? Estimating the projected costs of a college education is the first and probably most important step. Is your child likely to attend a public or private university?

In-state or out-ofstate? Study today’s costs at colleges that your child will be likely to attend and apply a growth rate of five percent annually between now and the autumn your child is scheduled to enter college.*

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The complexities of “building, preserving and passing along wealth have never been greater. .

”

– Ron Arant

Once you know the sum needed, the next challenge is to find a way to meet it. Your goal is to build assets for later without producing taxable income now.

A savings account will not likely generate the long-term rates of return to generate the money required to cover overall costs.

You need a more sophisticated instrument that takes advantage of systematic savings. Here are some of your choices: 1. Mutual funds may offer a good start, but diversification and rebalancing are key when utilizing mutual funds for college savings. In order to avoid heavy taxes on long-term earnings, avoid high-income investments. Additionally, buy funds, for example, that produce a small dividend—because you seek appreciation, not dividends. That said, the risk level of a mutual fund portfolio geared toward college savings should shift from aggressive to conservative as the child nears and enters their college years.

2. 529 Plans. Earnings in these statesponsored plans grow tax deferred, and when used for qualified higher education costs, they can be withdrawn tax-free. Earnings not used for higher education expenses are subject to taxation and a 10 percent penalty.** The owner controls the account and decides when withdrawals will be made, and for what purpose.

The owner can reclaim assets for any reason.

This way, there’s a limited chance that the child can use the money toward a non-educational expense. Details vary from state to state; read the fine print.

3. The Coverdell Education Savings Account allows nondeductible contributions of up to $2,000 annually per beneficiary. Earnings are not taxed, and as long as withdrawals are used for qualified education expenses, they are taxfree as well. Assets must be used before the beneficiary’s 30th birthday. A special feature allows withdrawals to be used to pay for elementary, secondary or college education. This is a key differentiation versus 529 plans.

4. Custodial accounts under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA) offer contributors both income tax breaks and estate tax breaks. But Hilliard Lyons does not recommend these as a form of assured college savings because when the minor for whom they are intended reaches the legal age of adulthood he or she can spend the money any way they choose.

College can be in your child’s future, but funding s that education is a matter for the present.

*Source: CollegeBoard.com Trends in College Pricing 2011. ** Earnings on non-qualified pay-outs will be subject to income tax and a 10 percent federal penalty tax. College savings plans offered by state governments vary significantly in features and benefits. The optimal plan for each investor depends on his or her individual investment objectives and circumstances. If your state, or your designated beneficiary’s state, offers a 529 plan, you may wish to consider what, if any, potential state income tax or other benefits it offers before investing. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the 529 plan and underlying funds before investing. This information may be found in the plan’s Offering Statement.

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[ ď‚Ş ] guess what

Trivial Bluegrass Book Learning by: Murray Life Staff Dropouts

As we go back to school, perhaps we should all reflect on just how much we know about schools, education, and our own state history. Here's a quiz to test the state of your state knowledge. (Answers on p. 19, no peeking!)

1. What is the oldest college in Kentucky? a. Kentucky Wesleyan b. Murray State University c. Centre College d. Kentucky State University

a. Barack Obama b. Richard Nixon c. John Quincy Adams d. Abraham Lincoln

2. Which universities offer culinary degrees? a. Eastern Kentucky University b. University of Kentucky c. Western Kentucky University d. All of the above

3. How many public universities are there in Kentucky? a. Eight b. Twelve c. Seven d. None of the Above

4. Which President was born in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky?

5. What year was the Kentucky State Flag "officially" adopted? a. 1920 b. 1962 c. 1918 d. 1997

6. Murray State University holds two commencement ceremonies. In which months are these ceremonies held? a. June & January b. August & April c. May & December d. July & December

7. What is the state motto for Kentucky? a. "In God we trust" b. "United we stand, divided we fall" c. "Go Racers!" d. "United we are the Bluegrass state"

8. What is the average salary of an entry level college professor in Kentucky? a. $32,000-$42,000 b. $27,000-$36,000 c. $51,000-$63,000 d. $98,000- $117,000

9. Which county has the most fertile land in Kentucky? a. Graves County b. Calloway County c. Barren County d. Shelby County

10. What type of insurance does the Murray State University Alumni Association NOT offer? a. Car Insurance b. Life Insurance c. Health Insurance d. None of the above

.

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2623 Wayne Sullivan Drive Paducah, KY 42003 Phone: 270-442-9726 Fax: 270-442-5058 www.computer-source.com

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[  ] uncommon mystery The Golden Child

(1977) Penelope Fitzgerald

by: Michael Cohen

enelope Fitzgerald was a British novelist who did not begin publishing until she was in her sixties, but who eventually won England’s top literary award, the Booker Prize, as well as the National Book Critics Award in this country. Her first book, The Golden Child, is a mystery based on the Tutankhamen exhibition, which came to London’s British Museum in 1972. But the museum in the book is not quite the British Museum, though it resembles it; the Golden Child of the title, a gold-encrusted mummy, is not quite Tutankhamen; his country of origin is not Egypt but Garamantia; and the museum director is not quite Lord Kenneth Clark, though he looks and acts like him. And unlike the Tutankhamen exhibit, this

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one turns out to be a fake; the thousands of people in folded queues in the famous courtyard are unaware that the mummy in the gilded sarcophagus is not the adolescent king but a much more modern corpse covered with gold-leaf.

The quirky staff of the museum, besides the Kenneth Clark lookalike, includes a precious aristocrat his coworkers call the May Queen, a ubiquitous assistant known only as Jones—whose name turns out to be Jones Jones— the cantankerous old Sir William, discoverer of the real treasure of the Golden Child, and Sir William’s sleepy, insouciant, sixmonths pregnant secretary Dousha Vartarian.

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Fitzgerald shows a Dickensian playfulness about names, such as that of Professor Untermensch, the expert on hieroglyphics. The book has a parody Frenchman, a sort of combination of Jacques Derrida and Claude Levi-Strauss.

There’s a little touch of P. G. Wodehouse and more than a little reminder of Waugh as the museum employee at the bottom of the food chain is the one singled out for an intriguefilled trip to Moscow, where he uncovers the real Golden Child artifacts and the international Cold War politics that dictate that a fake one be sent to England.

The British ambassador to Garamantia, is, according to the museum

director, “Pombo Greene, whom I have known, since he was in my election at Eton, to be exceptionally foolish and incompetent.”

The book has an orthodox mystery plot with a couple of murders, but its strength is social comedy, and its conclusion is a farcical scene which satisfies our desire for poetic justice.

Fitzgerald died in 2000, shortly after this book was reissued in a Mariner paperback. It’s her only mystery. s

Michael Cohen has been doing a feature commentary, “Uncommon Mysteries,” on WKMS for several years. These short mystery reviews focus on the unusual or uncommon stories which may be a deviation from conventions of the mystery genre, an odd viewpoint or historical first, or a new twist on an old plot device, such as the locked room murder or the unwilling amateur detective. This is an excerpt from Cohen's forthcoming collection of reviews.

.............................

Editor’s Note: Penelope Knox married Desmond Fitzgerald, an Irish soldier who she met at a wartime party, in 1941.

They had a son and two daughters before Desmond died in 1976.

Her first novel, The Golden Child, was written to entertain her husband during his fatal illness.

In 1996, she was awarded the Heywood Hill Literary Prize for a lifetime's achievement in literature.

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[  ] food

Going Bananas by: Logan Abbitt

ccording to legend, bananas on a boat bring extremely bad luck.

Tales abound with seamen scrambling to get rid of banana muffins that snuck on board. Sailors have been denied entry to a boat just for eating a banana for breakfast. In some cases, the fear is so strong that items bearing the word “banana” are exiled from the boat, such as Banana Boat Sunscreen or Banana Republic clothing.

A

Despite the fear that the yellow fruit may inspire on the waves, today the banana is one of the most popular foods in the entire world. It is the world’s fourth largest agricultural product behind wheat, rice and corn. It is the highest money maker of any single item in the

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supermarket. We fry them, mash them, use them in smoothies and ice cream, add slices to cereal and salads, and we positively devour them raw.

Plantains, the slightly larger and starchier cousin, are used in various stews and curries or cooked, baked or mashed in much the same way as potatoes.

Few foods are quite as versatile as the humble banana. What we most commonly refer to as a banana today is actually only one type from thousands of varieties. The Cavendish is the dominant banana in the modern market, despite only coming into existence in 1836. Their brilliant yellow color, sweet taste and easy transportability helped them become our favorite fruit.

The banana has been called the world’s most perfect food, and it’s hard to argue against that. In addition to the versatility, it is one of the healthiest things you can eat. Bananas have twice as many carbohydrates as an apple, five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times the phosphorus. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium and natural sugars. All of these factors combined make the banana a “super food” that is an integral part of a healthy daily regimen.

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The banana has been “called the world’s most perfect food, and it’s hard to argue against that. In addition to the versatility, it is one of the healthiest things you can eat.

”

– Logan Abbitt

Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy. The potassium so plentiful in bananas helps the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.

Bananas have a chemical called tryptophan.

This mood regulating substance contains a level of protein that helps the mind relax so you feel happier.

All of this and more in such a convenient package!

Bananas are a great ingredient in baking and desserts. Chances are good that you’ve had banana nut bread or banana muffins before. Here are a couple new ways to enjoy your perfect yellow fruits. ....................

Baked Banana Pudding You’ll never eat the stuff at the buffet again after this surprisingly easy classic indulgence. To put it over the top, bake your own vanilla wafers from scratch, too! (Contact Murray Life for a good recipe.)

Ingredients • 3-4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 4 large eggs, separated • 2 cups half-and-half • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 45 vanilla wafers • 1 pinch cream of tartar Directions • Preheat oven to 400°F. • Toss the banana slices and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.

• Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar,

the flour and salt in a 3-quart saucepan.

• Add the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the half-and-half and whisk to combine.

• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 175˚F (about 5 to

10 minutes). The mixture will begin to thicken and bubble around the edges.

• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.

• Spread a small amount of the pudding in the bottom of a 9”x9” baking dish. Cover with a layer of vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of banana slices. Pour 1/3 of the remaining pudding on top of the bananas and repeat, ending with a layer of pudding.

• The Meringue: Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with a stand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

• Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.

• Spoon the meringue over the warm pudding, being sure to cover the edges.

• Bake until the meringue is evenly browned (about 8 to 10 minutes).

• Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Cool completely before refrigerating. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

How Ripe is my Banana?

• Export bananas are always picked green. They ripen in special rooms upon arrival in the destination country.

• To speed ripening, place bananas in a loosely closed paper bag with an apple.

• Once ripened, you can store bananas in the refrigerator to slow down aging. Although their skins will turn dark, the bananas will be perfectly edible for up to two weeks. Bring refrigerated fruit to room temperature before consuming for full flavor.

• Dip peeled and sliced bananas into lemon, lime, or orange juice to slow browning.

• Salvage overripe bananas by peeling, wrapping in plastic wrap, and freezing. Eat them frozen or thaw them and use in baking, where peak sweetness and "mushiness" is desirable.

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Banana Corn Fritters For something different, try a savory banana treat. These go great with roast pork loin or a hearty bowl of black bean soup.

Ingredients • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper* • 1 1/4 cups roughly mashed bananas (about 3) • 1 large egg • 2 tablespoons milk (or buttermilk) • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided Directions • Preheat oven to 400°F. • Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

• Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cayenne in a mixing bowl.

• Mix banana, egg and milk in another bowl.

• Add the cornmeal mixture to the banana mixture and stir just until integrated.

•Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat. Reduce heat to medium.

• Place 5 fritters evenly in the pan using 2 tablespoons of batter for each.

• Cook until golden brown (30 seconds to 2 minutes per side).

• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

• Transfer the fritters to the oven and bake until puffed and firm to the touch (8 to 10 minutes). *Try chipotle pepper instead for a smokier flavor. s

Culver’s Chocolate Shake Jim and Kris Foster, at Culver’s Restaurant, use plenty of bananas in making their Chocolate-banana milk shake.

Here’s the secret (and don’t be afraid to chill the banana or to mix in a blender so the banana doesn’t clog the straw!

8 oz. frozen vanilla custard (guess where you get that!)

2 oz. milk 3 oz. chocolate syrup (your choice) 1/2 banana, peeled and sliced Blend and enjoy

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Banana Bites • Bananas are naturally radioactive, containing relatively large amounts of Potassium-40 • Bananas don’t grow on trees, but rather the world’s largest flowering herb • Americans eat more bananas than apples and oranges combined, over 26 lbs. a year • Over 100 billion bananas are consumed annually worldwide • A banana cluster is known as a “hand” while a single banana is a “finger”

[  ] advertiser’s directory Need a phone number or an address to a business but can’t remember the page you saw it on? This is your guide to Murray Life Magazine’s advertisers. Enjoy!

Advertiser BB&T Bank

Page #

Advertiser

Page #

Advertiser

Page #

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

K-Squared Designs, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Murray State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Beans to Blossoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Keller Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Murray Woman's Clinic . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front

Carson Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Kentucky Farm Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Northwood Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Computer Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Kopperud Realty . . . . . . . . . . .2, 3, Inside Back

Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery . . . . . . . . . . .39

Der Dutch Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Lee Jewelry Artisans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Playhouse in the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Loft, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Ezell’s Cosmetology School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Love Yo Mug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Randy Thornton Heating & Air . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Froggyland Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27, 28, 50

Mattress Guys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 50

Roof Brothers Wine & Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Gear Up Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

MidSouth Vinyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

SBG Real Property Professionals . . . . . . .39, 48

Grey's Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Murray Auto Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Urology Associates, H.S. Jackson, MD . . . . .41

Henry County Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Murray Bank, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Vintage Rose Emporium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Heritage Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Murray-Calloway Co. Chamber . . . . . . . . . . .50

Wall Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Highway 80 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Murray-Calloway Co. Hospital . . . . Back Cover

WENK/WTPR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Hilliard-Lyons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Murray Electric System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Western Baptist Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Humane Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Murray Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

West Wood Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Imes-Miller Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Murray Insurance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

WKMS FM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Jarvis Vision Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Murray Life Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27, 41

WK&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

[  ] coming soon ...

Our next edition is our “Homecoming” issue. For us, Homecoming is more about cool evenings and harvest season than it is about Football Queens and contests. Count on Murray Life for humor, shopping tips, dining guides, nature stories, the latest on the Murray Highland Festival and more.

• You won’t be able to “leave” the Trivia page this fall as we take a look at that harbinger of winter, the leaf. There’s more to leaves than mere color, as it turns out.

• Still have one more family trip in you? Gross Magee may have a good reason for you to consider Kentucky’s own “Mammoth Cave,” as he shares never-before-seen photos of this National treasure.

• We’re going to take a look at one of Calloway County’s best kept secrets: nationally-known potter Wayne Bates. It’s our second visit to the bucolic studio of this gifted artist, and you’ll be amazed at what your see.

Join the fun: submit your calendar notes or news items to murraylife@aol.com, or drop us a note at P.O. Box 894, Murray, KY 42071. Photos are welcome, but they become property of Murray Life and return cannot be assured.

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[ ďƒŤ ] seen around town

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[  ] dining guide Shogun Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill 816 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-5551

Asian Buffet 638 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3788

August Moon 1550 Lowe’s Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-4653

Baldy’s Grill 901 Coldwater Rd. . . . .(270) 762-0441

Big Apple Café

Largo Bar & Grill

706 N 12th St., Suite 9 (270) 761-7486

The Keg 1051 N 16th St. . . . . . .(270) 762-0040

216 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3663

Tom’s Grille 501 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-4521

Ann’s Country Kitchen Tumbleweed Southwest Grill 807 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 873-2300

604 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-8226

Gloria’s World Village Food 124 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3233

HRH Dumplin’s 305B S. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 753-0000

Jasmine Restaurant - Thai & Asian Cuisine 506 N. 12th St. Suite E (270) 761-8424

Magnolia Tea Room 306 Gilbert St. . . . . . . .(270) 492-6284 Hazel, KY

La Cocina Mexicana 501 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 767-1627 Murray

La Cocina Mexicana 314 Main St. . . . . . . . . . (270) 492-6392 Hazel, KY

Latin Lovers 716 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 767-0026

318 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 492-8195 Hazel, KY

Bad Bob’s Bar-B-Que 806 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0054

El Mariachi Loco Fiesta Grill

Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant 16814 Hwy. 68 E. . . . .(270) 474-2202 Aurora, KY

The Olive

1005 Arcadia Circle . .(270) 759-8866

406 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-9000

4645 Hwy. 119 . . . . . . . .(731) 232-8323 Buchanan, TN

Aurora Landing Restaurant 542 Kenlake Rd. . . . . . .(270) 474-2211 Aurora, KY

Coldwater Bar-B-Que & Catering 8284 Hwy. 121 N. . . . .(270) 489-2199

Cracker Barrel

Belew’s Dairy Bar US Highway 62 East . .(270) 354-8549 Aurora, KY

Brass Lantern 16593 Hwy. 68 E. . . . . . 270-474-2773.

Aurora, KY

650 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0081

Crossland Diner 3034 Stateline Rd. W. .(270) 492-6424 Hazel, KY

Domino’s Pizza 117 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-3030

Cindy’s on the Barge 888 Kenlake Marina Ln.(270) 474-2245 Hardin, KY

Cypress Springs Resort 2740 Cypress Trail . . . .(270) 436-5496 New Concord, KY

Eagle Nest Marina & Dockside Bar and Grill 500 Eagle Nest Rd. . . .(731) 642-6192 Buchanan, TN

Kentucky Dam Village

Happiness Restaurant 412 Main Street . . . . . .(270) 293-4952

Holmes Family Restaurant 1901 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0662

Hungry Bear 1310 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-7641

Laird’s Bar-B-Que 77 W. Main St. . . . . . . .(731) 247-3060 Puryear, TN

166 Upper Village Dr. .(270) 362-4271 Gilbertsville, KY

Los Portales 506 N. 12th St. . . . . . ...(270) 767-0315

Quarters 200 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3406

Olive Pit 905 Mineral Wells Ave.(731) 642-5030 Paris, TN

Ruby Renee’s Restaurant 1196 State Route 121 North(270) 761-7829

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[ ďƒŤ ] seen around town

Visit us online at :: www.wallappeals.com

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[  ] dining guide Martha’s Restaurant Little Caesar’s Pizza

1407 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 759-1648

Mary’s Kitchen 11205 Stadium View Dr..(270) 759-2036

Matt B’s Main Street Pizza 1411 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-1234

Mr. Gatti’s Pizza 804 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-6656

Mugsy’s Hideout 410 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 767-0020

Nick’s Family Sports Pub 614 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0012

Pagliai’s Pizza 970 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-2975

Papa John’s Pizza 656 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-6666

Pizza Hut 1113 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4646

Pizza Pro 1304 Chestnut St . . . . .(270) 767-1199

Renfro’s Hih Burger Inn 413 S. 4th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1155

Rudy’s, “On the Square” 104 S. 5th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1632

Ryan’s Steakhouse 801 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-3809

Sirloin Stockade 922 S. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-0440

500 S 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7777

Backyard Burgers 801 Paramount Dr. . . . .(270) 759-2480

McDonald’s 107 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-5548

Boulders 317 Chestnut St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-9727

Murray Donuts 506 B North 12th St. . . .(270) 761-1818

Brother’s Barbeque 401 Sycamore St. . . . . .(270) 761-7675

Quizno’s Subs 1203 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 753-8880

Burger King 814 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-8266

Sammon’s Bakery 974 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-5434

Burrito Shack 214 North 15th St. . . .(270) 761-4444

Sonic Drive-In 217 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-9885

Captain D’s 700 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-9383

Subway 622 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7827

Candy Cravings 506 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-2010

Taco Bell 402 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-8758

Culver’s 818 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-2858

Taco John’s 1100 Chestnut St. . . . .(270) 753-9697

Dairy Queen 1303 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-4925

Victor’s Sandwiches 1301 W. Main St. . . . . .(270) 753-7715

Dinh’s Vietnamese Cuisine 1407 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7655

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers 1111 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4695

Fidalgo Bay Coffee Shop 1201 Payne St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-4800

Zaxby’s 1209 N. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 792-2375

Hardee’s 505 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3246

KFC 205 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7101

Snappy Tomato Pizza 1550 Lowes Dr. . .(270) 761-7627 Spanky’s 9505 Hwy. 641 N. . . .(731) 247-5527 Puryear, TN

T & J’s Diner 2667 St. Rt. 94 E.. . . . .(270) 753-4826

Tom’s Pizza 506-A N. 12th St. . . . . .(270) 753-9411

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[  ] calendar of events The Murray Life Calendar of Events is graciously provided by the Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau. The CVB is your source for information on everything from dining, shopping, recreation and fun in the community to relocation. Learn more at www.tourmurray.com.

10-plus year tradition gives local folks a place to come, get some good fresh produce and visit everyone.

august 18

Downtown Saturday Market

may 12 - sept. 29 Murray, Kentucky's downtown transforms itself on the south side of the square on Saturday mornings in May through October from 7a.m.-12p.m. It becomes the site of the Saturday morning farmer's market selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, home made goods and even fish! This

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Ice Cream Festival

september 7-8

They’re Back!

Murray State opens for the Fall semester as thousands of students come to explore their worlds in Murray. They’ll be stocking up at stores all over town, so traffic could be a bit heavier that usual. Please give yourself a little extra time to get around, and take a minute or two to welcome newcomers who will be your neighbors for the next few years.

more information, visit www.murraystate.edu

Big River

aug 31-sept 16 Playhouse in the Park presents Mark Twain’s timeless classic “Big River.” Huck Finn helps his friend, Jim, a slave, escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River. The pair’s adventures along the way are hilarious, suspenseful and heartwarming, bringing to life favorite characters from the novel.

Propelled by an award-winning score from Roger Miller, the king of country music, this jaunty journey provides a brilliantly theatrical celebration of pure Americana.

Tickets are available online at www.playhouseinthepark.net

Free ice cream! What more could you ever want? Purity Ice Cream, Bristol Broadcasting and Murray Main Street team up again to bring to life one of downtown Murray’s most exciting events.

This year the event will include inflatables, a bungee jump, a Nascar simulator, a homemade ice cream contest, a car show, food, children’s activities, and of course, a large variety of free ice cream. Wristbands may be purchased for unlimited use of the inflatables/rides. To be a part of this year's Ice Cream Festival, call Murray Main Street at 270.759.9474.

90th Anniversary of MSU’s Founding

Arts Hop

september 6

Ride Murray’s famous trolley around town to various art exhibits for a night of culture, food and friends. Stops include the Curris Center Art Gallery, Clara M. Eagle Gallery, Murray Art Guild, Robert O. Miller Conference Center and more.

The Art Hop kicks off the Murray Art Guild’s “Proofs” photography exhibit in the Robert O. Miller

Join the MSU community at 6 p.m. on the “Quad” next to Pogue Library for an observation of the 90th Anniversary of the 1922 founding of Murray State Normal School, now Murray State University. Events will include a special presentation on the history of the early campus buildings around the “Quad.” For

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september 15

Conference Center. For more information, please contact the Murray Art Guild at 270.759.4059.

Every Day in Murray

Fall Citywide Yard Sale

september 15

The West Kentucky/Wrather Museum

Bargain hunters from across the region will overflow the streets of Murray searching for deals.

Applications will be available at www.tourmurray.com and can be returned to Murray’s Convention & Visitors Bureau (along with a $10 fee) at 201 S. 4th St. Official Yard Sale Maps will be available there, too, and vendors may also set up in Central Park. For more information, please call 270.759.2199.

Preserving the visual and emotional traditions of the Jackson Purchase Area. Located at North 16th Street and University Drive on the campus of Murray State University, the museum is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. handicap access. For more information, call 270.809.4771.

The Cheri Theater Murray has a seven-screen movie theater located on Chestnut Street. For a list of current movies and times, please call 270.753.3314 or visit www.moviesinmurray.com.

Murray State University’s Fine Arts The University presents a variety of performances form dance to plays, from symphonies to choir concerts. For current information, call 270.809.ARTS.

The Clara M. Eagle Gallery at Murray State University

A Taste of the Arts

The gallery offers a variety of exhibitions throughout the year, from student artwork to national tours. Art ranges from drawing to sculpture, from photography to multimedia. For more information, please call 270.809.6734.

october 11

Playhouse in the Park

It’s the most delightful donation you’ll ever enjoy as works of art are auctioned at a gourmet dinner to raise scholarship funds for art, music, theatre and fine art students. Some auction items come from nationally and internationally renowned MSU-associated artists and entertainment abounds during an evening of “fun and fine arts.” 5:30 p.m. at the Murray Room of the CFSB Center, and reservations are a must. Get reservations and information by calling 270.809.3250.

Calloway County’s 30-year-old community theatre.

Playhouse presents a variety of plays throughout the year. For detailed information, please call 270.759.1752

The Murray Art Guild A nonprofit organization that offers workshops and exhibitions for children and adults. Stop by and see some of the area artists at work. The Guild is located in downtown Murray at 500N. 4th Street. For additional information, please call 270.753.4059.

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[  ] calendar of events Kentucky Senior Games

Snap Apple Festival

Murray Highland Games

october 3-7

october 20

october 27

Come out and watch the Senior Games. Murray is proud to be the host of the 2012 Kentucky Senior Games. The Kentucky Senior Games allow those ages 50 and over to enjoy an active lifestyle while meeting others from all over the state and country. The games are for serious athletes, those who love competition or those who simply enjoy staying fit. More information can be found by calling 270-7592199. or at www.tourmurray.com.

$5 adults/$3 children. Cost covers evening program only. Ticket sales begin at 6 p.m.

Experience Pryor Creek as the early Scots-Irish settlers did by joining us at the bonfires for warmth, companionship, and some of the finest storytelling around! During intermission, experience the candle lit double pen house for an old-time snap apple play party, but be prepared for the unexplained as you follow the lighted trail beyond the security of the fires. The event will be held rain or shine, so be prepared for the weather. Chairs and blankets are welcome on the farm. For information see www.lbl.org or call 270.924.2000.

The West Kentucky Highland Games have become the Murray Highland Festival, celebrated in Murray’s Central Park. There will be the traditional Scottish Heavy Athletic Competition, music by Highland Reign and the Birdsong Harpists, Scottish vendors, bagpipers and more. See the famous Highland Cattle, and sheep herding demonstrations. Meet your relatives at the clan tents and take the kids to the Wee Bairns games. At the end of the day, it’s the Ceilidh at 7 p.m. at the Big Apple. Visit www.wkyhighlandfestival.com for details.

Luther F Carson Center for the Performing Arts Crosby, Stills, & Nash

Evelyn Hinds as Corrie Ten Boom

Saturday July 28, 2012 at 7:30 pm The music of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash is a cornerstone of Rock ‘N Roll. As Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN), this trio of legendary singer-songwriters has been actively collaborating since 1969, when they first harmonized in either Joni Mitchell's living room or Mama Cass Elliot's dining room, depending on which member you ask.

Sunday September 23, 2012 at 3:00 pm Actor, author, speaker, and founder of Arts Touching Hearts, Inc, Evelyn Hinds will provide a moving presentation portraying Corrie ten Boom.

Corrie allowed her faith to lead her to save Jews in her native Holland during World War II.

Shawn Klush & the Sweet Inspirations Friday August 3, 2012 at 7:30 pm Shawn was then named the “World’s Greatest Elvis” by 6.5 million international viewers on BBC1 Television in the United Kingdom. On the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ passing, Shawn was named the ‘First Ever’ “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises.

West Side Story Monday November 19, 2012 and Tuesday November 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm. More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever.

Now it's back and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, West Side Story soars as the greatest love story of all time and remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever.

For more information call 270.450.4444 or visit www.thecarsoncenter.org

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[

 ] gardening Where the Wild Things Grow by: Suzanne Cathey

know while you are reading this the temperature and heat index is probably approaching the triple digits, and the last thing you are probably thinking about is digging a hole and planting something in your garden or landscape. Relax: Pour yourself a large glass of ice cold tea or lemonade, find a nice cool spot to rest, and just contemplate some landscaping additions you might want to consider planting this fall.

I

There are so many new varieties of plants coming out every year that it is almost mind boggling when considering a new purchase for your garden. Plant breeders, growers, and those that promote the latest and greatest varieties make each new introduction seem so much better than the old one, you may be tempted to dig up your existing landscape and start all over. Sometimes the pictures and the names they give these new plants make them seem like they are almost good enough to eat: Hot Papaya Coneflower, Buttered Popcorn Daylily or Peaches and Cream

For starters, I think “everyone should have at least one Bursting Heart shrub in the yard.

”

– Suzanne Cathey

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Honeysuckle.

While plant breeding has brought many positive trends to the green industry, there is a new interest in using native plants to beautify and diversify the landscapes in Kentucky.

I am not sure what it is that draws me to plants of the past, but whether I am researching heirloom tomatoes, antique roses or native plants, I can’t help but feel a passion for continuing their legacy into the next generation. To me, they have already proven their worth by managing to survive after hundreds and maybe even thousands of years.

The advantages of using native plants

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are numerous but some of the more positive attributes are their hardiness, resistance to pest and disease, their benefits for wildlife, and their beauty.

I have chosen a few natives that I think deserve consideration in today’s garden and, as an afterthought ,a few oddities that I think everyone should include in their landscape today. For starters, I think everyone should have at least one Bursting Heart shrub in the yard. This interesting plant was just introduced to me a few months ago and I just had to learn more about it.

Euonymous americanus, also known as Strawberry Bush and Heart’s-a-

beauty needs plenty of space as it can grow an average of 4 to 8 ft. high and wide. Flame prefers full sun but may need some shade in the South.

Busting, is a low shrub with bright green leaves. The flowers are greenish-purple with parts in fives that turn into bright red fruits. The fruits open in early fall, giving it its common name of Heart’s-a-Busting, to expose the bright red seeds. Bursting Heart is native to sandy river bottoms but will grow in most garden soils. If you need a plant for a dry shady spot, like under a tree, this one will fit the bill. Many species of birds eat the fruit if you want to help out our feathered friends.

Flame Azalea is one of the finest deciduous native azaleas that bears yellow to orange to red, nonfragrant flowers in May and June. Rhododendron calendulaceum sports medium green summer foliage that develops a yellow to bronze to reddish fall color. This native

Rhus aromatica commonly known as Fragrant Sumac or Polecat Bush is an irregular, spreading, deciduous shrub that grows 6-12 ft. tall with velvety twigs and lower branches turned up at the tips. Yellowish catkinlike flowers appear on male plants in late March and April which lead to red, ¼ inch darkred berries on female plants in August and September. These berries persist well into the next spring for winter interest. The glossy, somewhat blue-green, coarsely toothed, trifoliate leaves turn brilliant hues of orange, red, purple and yellow in the fall which adds to its value as a shrub.

If the ice storm or recent wind storms has you shopping for some trees for your yard,

Seldom used in today’s landscape, Shrubby St. Johns Wort is a small erect shrub that can provide a very pretty pop of yellow from June through September for your border. This four foot tall native sports bluegreen leaves and gray bark that peels back to expose a pale orange interior. After blooming, brown seed pods form in fall and remain on the plant all winter.

The seed pods can be used in dried floral arrangements.

Hypericum prolificum can be grown in full sun to light shade in dry to medium moist soil.

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consider these natives trees chosen because they are suited for Kentucky’s climate, are pest-resistant, and not invasive.

Carpinus caroliniana, commonly known as American Hornbeam, is a good shade tree that provides good fall color and is hardy enough to survive in an urban environment.

This native tree also known as ironwood grows 20 to 30 ft. tall and wide. It is a good smaller alternative to the beech tree.

Dare to be different and “consider adding some “edibles” to your landscape. It is more important than ever to know where your food comes from and what better way than to grow it yourself.

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– Suzanne Cathey

A Kentuckian through and through, the American Yellowwood is a pretty specimen tree that deserves a prominent position in the landscape. This native species is a low branching tree with a broad-rounded crown of delicate branches that reaches

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30-50 ft. tall and 40-50 ft. wide.

Its compound leaves have 711 alternately spaced leaflets that turn yellow after many other trees have already defoliated in the fall.

The blossoms of Cladrastis kentukea (note the botanical name), cascade like white rain producing one of most spectacular shows among large flowering trees.

Swamp White Oak is one of the more disease-resistant group of oaks, and this native oak is also faster growing. It is ice and windstorm resistant and will grow in wet or dry soils. Quercus bicolor will grow 50 to 60 ft. tall and wide and it is long lived-lasting up to 300 years. Fall color and exfoliating gray-brown bark on its branches provides excellent winter interest.

If you need an evergreen for your yard, the White Pine should be one of your first choices for general landscape use. Its widespreading branches and soft, plumy needles make for a beautiful statement in your landscape. White Pine is easily transplanted and fast

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growing and seems to withstand pruning better than most pines.

Growing 50 to 80 ft. tall and 20 to 40ft. wide, Pinus strobus makes a great plant as a specimen, in groups, or for screens.

In addition, no yard would be complete without adding some native perennials for color, biodiversity, hardiness and to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees into our gardens. Native plants have natural hardiness as they have adapted to our climate for thousands of years. To attract butterflies consider that forty-two species of butterflies are known to use common milkweed and twenty species use swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) while nine are known to use butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Purple coneflowers are used by at least 22 species and our native asters are used by at least 19 species of butterflies.

Also, find a spot for some of our state flower, the goldenrod, as it is used by at least 18 species.

Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not cause hay fever or allergic reactions to its pollen as the pollen is too heavy to float. Grow a clump or two of the nonaggressive species such as Ohio, showy, rigid, and gray. If

your passion is hummingbirds, be sure and add a few spring bloomers that the first rubythroats need for nectar. Among those natives to plant are Fire Pink (Silene virginica), Wild Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) and Red Iris (Iris fulva). Other spring woodland species that attract hummers include alumroot, Carolina pink and various species of phlox, skullcap and beardtongue. By late July, the hummers begin their migration southward to Mexico and need another large flush of flowers for food. The best choices for this period would be Royal Catchfly (Silene regia), Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) and Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).

Also, dare to be different and consider adding some “edibles” to your landscape. It is more important than ever to know where your food comes from and what better way than to grow it yourself. It is a lot easier than you think to incorporate some veggies or fruits into your existing landscape design. They can add color, variety and something good to eat all at the same time. For example, blueberry bushes can be an attractive alternate to your standard landscape shrub. The blueberry gives you pretty white flowers in spring, blue fruit in the summer and beautiful red foliage in the fall. Be sure and check pollination requirements with your local garden center before

purchasing. You can also plant one of the new self-pollinating varieties such as “Top Hat” that can be grown in a container on your patio. Another neat trick is to take advantage of the cooler weather this fall by planting leaf lettuce in your mixed pots on your patio or by your front door. As leaf lettuce is a “cut and come again” type you can enjoy a salad at dinner more than once this fall.

At our garden center, Beans to Blossoms, we planted red leaf lettuce in the containers by the door in the early spring and more people commented on how beautiful they looked. Try planting some Swiss Chard “Bright Lights” for a pop of color in your flower bed. Chard is my new favorite green as it is so easy to grow and delicious to eat as a substitute for kale or spinach in any of your favorite recipes. A few other ideas I have passed along to my customers is to incorporate red and green cabbages or rhubarb in their flower beds or plant some dwarf fruit trees which add ornamental and

economic value to their home.

Finally, before dashing out to your favorite nursery, I must tell you that many of the plants I have mentioned here are not normally carried in the trade. If you ask now, your nursery may be able to provide them when the time for planting comes. Beans to Blossoms, in cooperation with the Nature Station in LBL, grows a pretty good selection of native perennials at their nursery.

So there’s no need to go for the shovel just yet, but when the cooler weather approaches, a little research and some longrange planning can give you a more colorful, more carefree native garden or yard. Just think about it: it’s a pretty cool way to spend those hot summer days, isn’t it? s

Suzanne Cathey tends her roses at Beans to Blossoms, just east of Murray on Highway 94, and dispenses advice, as well through the website www.beanstoblossoms.com.

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[ $ ] the last word

“Yes, Ma’am” by: Robert A. Valentine

The last thing he wanted to do was to go to see Miz Rosetta. avid Highland had learned to say, “Yes, Ma’am” from Miz Rosetta Blair. It is likely that she uttered the phrase, “Say, ‘Yes, Ma’am,’ please, Mr. Highland,” more than a thousand times, he estimated, before his teenaged soul finally accepted the instruction. He swore that, when he left her class, it would be the happiest day of his life, unless she happened to get hit by a truck first.

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Yet, for the seven years after he left her class he could not get English out of his mind or his heart. He sought earnestly to hate the subject, but excelled at every turn. Literature was his favorite subject in any conversation at college, and grammar came easily to him. He diagramed sentences for fun, the way other students worked the crossword.

He intended to go to Law School, but ended up earning a Masters in English with an emphasis in creative writing. He worked in a pretty tough school for his first job and then went on to a magnet school where he

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challenged some pretty good minds.

When he came home for a short visit before the fall term began, he discovered that 20 years had passed.

He also discovered that Miz Rosetta Blair was in a nursing home. “I hear she’s failing,” said his mother. “Poor thing.”

The last thing he wanted to do was to go see Miz Rosetta. Oddly, it was the first thing he did on his second day of the visit. The hallway of the nursing home smelled of urine and disinfectant. The stares of the residents were unsettling to someone who lived in a world of distracted youth.

Her tiny room smelled of books and potpourri. Her tiny body did not begin to fill the hospital bed on which she lay and, at first, he thought he had found the wrong room. But her eyes flashed open as he stood there and before he could explain his inexplicable presence, she smiled as she said, “How nice of you to come visit, David.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he answered.

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They talked for nearly two hours about teaching English to kids who would rather be elsewhere; about favorite passages and writers; about a future without the likes of Twain, Plath, Faulkner and Capote, Parker and Millay. At last, he excused himself with the truth about a lunch meeting planned with old high school friends. As he touched her hand, his only farewell was an almost-whispered, “Thank you.”

“David,” she said, “I know you will bring the great power of thoughts and words to your students. It’s what we have to do, you know, no matter how they feel about us.” Her breathing had become labored, and she closed her eyes slowly.

He turned to leave, taking one respectfully soft step on the cold tiled floor.

“David?” Her strong voice stopped him and he turned to see her keen eyes looking deep into his. “You will teach them what is needed, won’t you?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said.

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