All About Women May-June 2019

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Are we there yet? Share your road trip memories and survival tips.

PUBLISHER Melanie Davis Marshall For all of my childhood road trips, my sisters and I would act out our favorite Disney movies in the backseat, much to the appreciation of our parents. I am certain “Bambi” on repeat was better than arguing children.

As the youngest, however, I did not get to pick my role. All I can say is, “You can call me Flower if you want to.”

Hollie Eudy One of my favorite road trips included one of my best friends, Lynnea, her dog, Van Morrison, and a Geo Metro. We drove from Wyoming to Arches National Park in Utah. The laughter, sun, drive and excitement of traveling through states I had never visited was only made better when I had my first glimpse of the Utah desert and its red rocks. This was a trip on which I never thought to ask, “are we there yet?” I didn’t want to get “there.” I just wanted it to go on and on...

Sue Spirit I was 11. En route to California, my family arrived in Las Vegas in our puke-green Chevrolet, “Ghost Riders in the Sky” blaring on the radio.

To show us gambling doesn’t pay, Daddy gave us each a dime to play the slots. I put my dime in. Out came a rain of dimes. We all had hot fudge sundaes.

Heather Brandon Beware of grasshoppers! They will try to eat you! At least, that is what my 4-year-old self believed and insisted (loudly) when trapped in a car with one while on a road trip.

Anna Oakes What made my college spring break trip to the Florida Keys the worst road trip ever? Maybe it was the 16-hour drive, one way, non-stop. Or when I rear-ended a car somewhere near Key Largo, forcing an expensive delay for repairs. Was it the food poisoning from the bad conch? Or maybe it was the sun poisoning, when this pale girl emerging from a Boone winter learned it was a real, real bad idea to slather on tanning oil when you’re 800 miles closer to the equator.

Bonnie Church A journey is only as good as your state of mind. Savor the mundane as well as the breathtaking. A cup of coffee, a good conversation, a belly laugh, a tasty breakfast at a local diner, simple pleasures all add up to make your trip memorable.

Heather Jordan My favorite road trip memory was when my college roommate and I decided to take a Sunday drive, where all navigation was based on turning “left of the sun.” We left Davidson College, went on all kinds of crazy back roads, and wound up in Winston-Salem, several hours later.

4 | May-June 2019

Gene Fowler

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Tom Mayer

EDITOR Anna Oakes editor@aawmag.com 828.278.3602

CONTRIBUTORS Heather Brandon Children’s Council of Watauga County Bonnie Church Marion Edwards Hollie Eudy Mackenzie Francisco Derek Halsey Lise Jenkins and Kit Flynn Heather Jordan Melanie Davis Marshall Sue Spirit

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Meleah Bryan Kristin Obiso

ADVERTISING 828.264.6397

COVER PHOTO

of Macy Pate at Boone Golf Club

by Dawn O’Neal-Shumate

Any reproduction of news articles, photographs or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. © 2019 Mountain Times Publications aawmag.com

CONTENTS

features 16 5 Staycation Destinations 19 Tee Time: Golf Can Be a Lifelong Hobby 22 Jane Lonon: A Colorful & Thriving Arts Legacy 24 Fibers of Creativity: Blue Ridge Fiber Guild

Showcases Works

homestead 9 Hillbetty Revival: Starting a Blueberry Patch 10 The Absentee Gardeners:

Gardening Upwards

style & leisure 12 Travel: Twelve Virtual Mini-Volunteer Vacations 14 Disc Golf: A Game for Anyone

relationships 32 Mom’s World: Leafing Out 34 Children’s Council: A Nurtured Beginning

19

health 38 Beauty: Summertime Skin Protection 40 Living Well: Nature’s Scrub Brush

in every issue 6 Editor’s Note 7 Women in the News 30 Young at Heart: Staycation 101 36 By the Book 41 All About Town

16

30

May-June 2019 | 5

editor’s

note

From left, Mountain Times Publications editorial staff members Thomas Sherrill, Kayla Lasure, Anna Oakes, Tom Mayer and Steve Behr are pictured at the North Carolina Press Association awards in March. Photo by Carl Blankenship

First things first: You’re reading an award-winning publication! I’m elated to say that All About Women once again has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association, taking home five awards from the association’s 2018 editorial and advertising contests. The awards were presented earlier this spring in Raleigh.

Our March-April 2018 issue won first place for Best Niche Publication in both the editorial and advertising contests, and our 2018 All About Weddings guide took third place in the same category in advertising. Writer Kayla Lasure won first place for her profile feature “Through Macie’s Lens,” featured in the March-April 2018 issue. And our “Things We Love” page also garnered an advertising award, winning second place for Best Retail Ad in a Niche Publication. Credit for that page goes to our graphic designer Meleah Bryan as well as marketing representatives Nathan Godwin and James Howell.

Congrats to all of our award winners and thanks to our talented staff for their hard work to bring you All About Women six times a year.

I think of our May-June issue as a kickoff to summer, with features on staycation ideas, summertime activities such as golf and disc golf and of course, gardening advice. Our staycation destinations focus on communities here in the High Country, but how about a few more suggestions just outside of our immediate area?

• Check out downtown Morganton, with several nice restaurants and a Friday night concert series in the summer.

It’s within throwing distance of outdoor activities at Lake James, the Linville Gorge and the Harper Creek, Lost Cove and Wilson Creek areas.

• Just across the state line, East Tennessee offers plenty of adventures at Watauga and Holston lakes, in Elizabethton (including the Stateline Drive-In movie theater!), Johnson City and the Cherokee National Forest.

• And across a different state line are tons of possibilities in Southwestern Virginia, from the Barter Theatre in Abingdon to the Virginia Creeper biking trail in Damascus to the ponies in Grayson Highlands State Park.

If you enjoy All About Women magazine, show your support! Shop with our advertisers, like and engage with us on Facebook and Instagram and tell your friends.

June 1 is National Trails Day, so I will wish you Happy Trails!

6 | May-June 2019

aawmag.com

Women in the News Elizabeth Smart to Speak at Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge Luncheon

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he Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge will host Elizabeth Smart as the guest speaker for the 2019 Power of the Purse luncheon and silent auction. The event takes place Thursday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Holmes Convocation Center. Tickets are $100 per person.

The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. She was abducted on June 5, 2002, and her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Fortunately, the police safely returned Smart back to her family on March 12, 2003, after being held a prisoner for nine grueling months.

Through this traumatic experience, Smart has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs and national legislation. Smart triumphantly testified before her captor and the world about the very private nightmare she suffered during her abduction, which led to conviction.

At the Women’s Fund POP luncheon — the organization’s largest annual fundraiser — Smart will share her incredible story of perseverance in the face of unimaginable adversity. Her speech not only tells her personal story but will also touch on topics such as overcoming extreme adversity, the importance and process of recovery and not allowing your past to dictate your life’s future.

“We expect a big crowd,” said Karen Marinelli, executive director of the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge. The annual POP event typically draws about 200 people, but the organization is planning to double that attendance this year, she said. “We’re on track to do that right now,” she said on May 17.

Last year’s POP luncheon raised $60,000. The mission of the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge is to create positive change for women and girls in the High Country through collective giving.

To purchase tickets, visit www.womensfundoftheblueridge.org/powerofthepurse.

- Anna Oakes

Hardin Park Principal Retiring After 20 Years in the Position

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fter 20 years of serving as Hardin Park’s principal, Mary Smalling recently announced her retirement.

Hardin Park parents received a letter from Smalling in which she explained she will be officially retiring on Aug. 1. In the letter, she explained it was time for her to spend time with her children and grandchildren as well as “experience new adventures.”

“I have had a wonderful career here, full of incredible learning experiences,” Smalling said in the letter. “I could not have spent the last 20 years of my educational career in a better place than Hardin Park.”

According to the school, Smalling has been an educator for more than 29 years, and has served as Hardin Park’s principal since 1999. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in art education from Appalachian State University in 1987 and later took a position teaching art for Wilkes County and was an itinerant instructor. In 1994 she became a classroom teacher at Mount Pleasant Elementary.

Four years later, Smalling completed her master’s in school administration from Appalachian State as a principal fellow before taking her current position in 1999.

“Your children have been such a special part of my life for so long,” Smalling wrote in the letter.

Hardin Park Principal Mary Smalling talks with kindergartener Emmylou Mager “Over the last 20 years I have seen so many of them grow up to become independent, self-suffias she makes art using 100 buttons in cient adults. In fact, for many of you I was your principal before serving your children. Time really February 2019. does go by quickly.”

Watauga County Schools Superintendent Scott Elliott said Smalling is one of the most outstanding educators he’s ever had the privilege of working with.

“She is everything a school needs in a principal,” Elliott said. “She’s compassionate, flexible and tough when she needs to be. But most importantly, she always puts the needs and interests of her students above all else.”

- Kayla Lasure May-June 2019 | 7

Women in the News Walker Raises Most Funds to be Habitat ‘Big Kahuna’

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donation in the last few minutes of the annual Habitat for Humanity Big Kahuna fundraiser is what landed the winner the top spot in the competi-

tion.

For 10 weeks this spring, 12 community members raced to see who could raise the most money to help build a house for a local family. The winner deemed the 2019 Big Kahuna was revealed on May 15 at the Don Ho-Down event hosted at Appalachian Mountain Brewery.

People were able to donate up until 15 minutes before the announcement of the winner was made. In the last two minutes before the race was closed, Walker received a $7,000 donation to push her into the top spot at a total of $11,334. Watauga Habitat Director of Development Allison Jennings said while the donor had not known Walker for very long, the two shared similar personal stories.

“I was very surprised; I had no idea it was coming,” Walker said. “I’m very grateful for the donors that helped me win.”

Walker is the business and accounting manager at Mountain Times Publications, and this was her first year participating as a kahuna. She said it was a great honor to be able to participate in the competition and she had a lot of fun as the kahunas shared camaraderie and support for one another.

The organization’s goal was to raise $35,500, with the total at the end of the Ginny Walker is announced as the winner of the 2019 Habitat for event being $39,144. The money this year will go toward a house belonging to Humanity Big Kahuna contest. Photo by Kayla Lasure Kristina Fickling — a single mother of two and former business owner.

“Watauga Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to put God’s love into action, bringing people together to build homes, community and hope,” Jennings said. “At last night’s Big Kahuna gathering we did just that; our community came together and supported one another.

Because of our community, Habitat can continue working with families to help them build and buy their own home.”

- Kayla Lasure

Fundraiser to Benefit Girls’ Education in India

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DGE: Education for Girls Empowerment was founded in 2017 by Christine Sita Dave after a transformational trip to visit her father’s school in India.

While there, Dave witnessed the positive impact that a residential school provided boys in the rural village of Odisha, India, but she also noted the lack of residential facilities and resources for the girls in the village. Partnering with the school leaders, she set out to change this.

EDGE nonprofit links our community to the rural community of Odisha, India. Through fundraising efforts and donations, EDGE will primarily support the construction of new residential dorms for the girl’s school. The nonprofit also seeks to enhance

8 | May-June 2019

resources, both for teachers and students. In brief, their mission is to educate, equip, and empower young girls in India so they can live their own productive lives.

On Saturday, June 15, from 3-5 p.m., the Art of Living Retreat Center will host a fundraiser for EDGE: Connecting Cultures, Changing Lives. This afternoon event will feature traditional Indian music and dance with performances by sitar player Todd Bush and Bharatnatyam dance by professional dancers from Birmingham, Ala. Stories and pictures of the girls will be on display, and Indian snacks will be served. Tickets are $30 per individual or $50 for two and can be purchased at www.educationforgirlsempowerment.org/donations-1/fundraiser-tickets. aawmag.com

Homestead

HILLBETTY REVIVAL

Starting a

Blueberry Patch Blueberries need shelter and sunlight — a tricky combination on Hillbetty Heaven’s

compact open spaces. The fence line along the garden, however, is looking hopeful. The fence will provide wind break for the new bushes while still allowing ample sunlight.

Blueberries grow very well in our zone. They like a lot of moisture (which is perfect for us). Drainage is important though, as the shallow-rooted plant will not do well in a swampy area.

To begin, the hole should be twice as big as the potted plant. Twice as deep and twice as wide. I lined the bottom and sides of the hole with compost mixed with the soil. Set the bushes in, spreading the roots out, three to five feet apart. The base of the plant should be even with the top of the tightly packed compost-soil mixture.

Blueberries love an acidic soil and we circle back to moisture again with a generous amount of hardwood, non-dyed, mulch. This mulch will help hold the moisture and protect the shallow roots. For even better moisture control, creating a mounded ring of mulch circling the plant will capture the rain, pulling the water toward the center root.

This lining of a fenced area with a dozen blueberry bushes is a three-fold endeavor for me. Beekeeping is in the plans for my homestead but first I need to get enough food for bees growing in the form of my fruits and flowers. The bushes planted this year will begin producing in three to four years.

Planting different varieties also helps with cross pollination.

Blueberries also add great depth to the landscaping. Beyond a plump, juicy treat, the flowers are a creamy white in spring and the foliage turns a beautiful scarlet in the fall. Over time, I hope to have fully landscaped in what I consider “working plants” — edibles or food for honey bees.

The fence line will be a combination of 12 blueberry bushes and six each of blackberry and raspberry. If I am lucky, I also get to seriously cut back on time spent with a weedeater maintaining the garden fence line. Here’s hoping for a good growing season to get these plants a healthy start.

To begin, the hole should be twice as big as the potted blueberry plant.

Photo by Melanie Davis Marshall

Melanie Davis Marshall Melanie is a born-again Hillbetty attempting to revive her Appalachian roots. She lives in Creston with her two dogs and 21 chickens.

May-June 2019 | 9

Homestead The

Absentee

Gardeners Gardening Upwards Photos by Lise Jenkins

Paint brightens wooden tomato cages.

There comes a time when every gardener has to move skywards, caused by a sudden shortage of proper gardening space, especially in sunny areas. This can be a shocking development, as most of the time we garden with our heads bent down towards the soil. Now suddenly we have to tilt our heads upwards, while pondering on such mighty subjects as trellises and vines.

Clematises do well here, as many of them are hardy to zone 4 — and there really is a clematis for everyone, provided a sunny area is available. Clematises come in all sizes and shapes, but your first decision will be to decide upon either a large flower or small flower variety.

My advice is to start off with a small flower clematis, strictly because they 10 | May-June 2019

The rose ‘Peggy Martin’ engulfs a 10-foot metal arbor.

aren’t as prone to the dreaded clematis wilt — a fungal disease that seemingly destroys a clematis overnight. The next decision is to decide how large a vine you want. Some come in the four- to five-foot range, whereas others can reach a length of 22 feet. Anything over five feet needs a trellis.

One clematis that might tempt you — but please refrain — is C. ternifolia, aka C. paniculata, and AKA ‘Sweet Autumn’ clematis. Once planted you will never get rid of it, as it’s an extremely heavy seeder.

What makes it so dangerous is that it’s extremely flamboyant, crying out to be purchased.

Other trellis climbers to consider are our native honeysuckles and wisterias, with an emphasis on the word “native.”

Under no circumstance should you find yourself tempted by the beautiful Japanese or Chinese versions, as they will quickly bury your house and your car.

Our native versions are a bit more controllable but be prepared to get out your pruning shears — they are still exuberant.

The last recommendation we have are climbing roses. Now, roses don’t climb, but those designated as “climbing” throw out long canes. Climbers have more rigid canes than the ramblers, but both need to have their canes attached to the trellis, either by Velcro tape or clamps.

As with the clematises, you will have to choose a size that is suitable. Some roses will put out canes six feet in length, whereas others will throw out canes 25 feet in length. Again, consider the size of aawmag.com

your fence or trellis. To place ‘New Dawn’ with its extravagant long canes on a sixfoot trellis is simply inviting disaster.

Consider growing a clematis along with the climbing rose. They both have the same nutritional requirements and we find are great complements for one another.

When searching for suitable climbing roses, always insist on “own root” ones that demonstrate great “disease resistance.” If the description lacks these words, assume the rose is grafted and requires a weekly spraying during the growing season — and who wants to spray roses that are 10 feet in the air?

Skyward gardening will add a remarkable dimension to the garden. We recommend either purchasing or constructing an attractive trellis, as some of the plants can be slow to take off, and you could be staring at that trellis for a while.

Remember the adage: The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap. Patience is required — a hard requirement all gardeners must learn.

Lise Jenkins & Kit Flynn Absent from their gardens, Kit and Lise enjoy roaming our region exploring the intersection of horticulture and suburban living. More on Instagram @AbsenteeGardener or email: info@absentee-gardener.com.

Above: The rose ‘Climbing Pinkie’ leans on a tripod trellis.

Top Right: The rose ‘Roseanne’ chases up an entrance pillar.

Bottom Right: A Clematis virginana blooms.

Trellises and Supports Plant supports can be constructed from metal, wood or plastic.

The best choice resides at the intersection of your plants’ needs, site conditions, and your design aesthetic. In making your choice, consider: Weight: In addition to the mass of the plant, perennial climbers can form thick canes which exert tremendous force on their supports, whereas annual vines need less structure.

Materials: Metal has the longest life and can support the most weight but can be expensive, and challenging to move and install. Wood offers tremendous design options, is relatively inexpensive, and is easy to work with. Use pressure treated or painted wood to help extend their functional life. Plastic supports offer ready-made ease but can become brittle and crack after a couple of seasons.

Maintenance: Perennial climbers can quickly engulf their supports making it impossible to do any maintenance or repairs. For annual vines, inspect and repair their supports at the end of each season.

Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’ drapes over a metal support.

Access: Trellises attached to structures can pose maintenance headaches so use high-quality, durable materials that will provide years of maintenance free support for your climbers.

May-June 2019 | 11

Style/Leisure

TRAVEL

Twelve Virtual Mini-Volunteer Vacations

Rashid Ali dropped out of school to help his father. He began working at a local power loom in Pakistan and within a short time became the factory foreman. However, his eyesight began to fail and soon he became legally blind. Rashid would then use FINCA loans to open a factory of his own to make specialty wire brushes used in the construction trade, using the income from his business to provide for his family.

Photo by FINCA staff

Heavens! How could I be 80 years old? The year 2018 brought me head-scratching thoughts of “Unbelievable! What could I possibly do to celebrate such a mind-blowing occasion?”

Then, “Oh! I know! What about 12 virtual mini- volunteer ‘vacations’ to some of the countries I’ve always wanted to visit?”

I decided to donate $80 each month to a program somewhere in the world doing unforgettable work to help poor people realize their dreams.

JANUARY. For some strange reason I’ve always wanted to visit Somalia, a sad, failed, war-torn country best known for the murderous Al Shabaab mob, and for marauding pirates like the ones pictured in the film “Captain Phillips.” I read everything about Somalia that I could get my hands on. I imagined landing in Mogadishu near the Indian Ocean with its blazing sun and whitewashed buildings, met by armed guards and an armored van.

I was excited to hear of Dr. Hawa Abdi, a gynecologist in her 70s who maintains a medical clinic and huge compound for refugees fleeing Al Shabaab. I was enthralled 12 | May-June 2019

On Dec. 19, 2017, City of Joy graduated 90 formidable women leaders. These 90 women, who join the 938 others in 64 rural areas in four provinces of DRC, have demonstrated through speeches, dance, and humor how their lives changed from pain to power. Photo courtesy City of Joy

by her willingness to help poor women with their medical problems. My first $80 went to her project.

FEBRUARY. The most exciting book I’ve read in years is “Find Me Unafraid,” by Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede, about their work with SHOFCO, (Shining Hope for Communities) in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. Kennedy, a young visionary transforming a huge squalid neighborhood, met Jessica, a volunteer from the USA. They fell in love, and started their dream, Kibera School for Girls. I wanted to be there with them! Now I am! My second $80 went to SHOFCO. MARCH. The second-scariest, perhaps the saddest, country in the world, is Yemen. Thousands of innocent babies, children and adults are being murdered regularly by Saudi Arabian bombs furnished by the United States. Well before the Saudi-Houthi conflict began, I read “The Girl Who Fell From the Sky: An American Woman’s Adventure in the Oldest City on Earth” by Jennifer Stahl, a journalist who went to Sana’a, Yemen,

to coach a fledgling staff of journalists at their local newspaper. How I wish I could have been that journalist/coach in the exciting city of Sana’a. Then I read “The Monk of Mokta” by Dave Eggers, about Mokhtar Aikhanshali, a Yemeni-American who revived the ancient Yemeni coffee industry by helping poor, remote farmers to resume coffee-growing, sending their beans directly to markets in the USA. What an impressive idea! $80 on the way.

APRIL. I didn’t have far to travel for my fourth mini-vacation: Cleveland, Ohio, an eight-hour drive from my Boone cabin, 45 minutes from my Ohio retreat center. In the “Cleveland Plain Dealer” an amazing project caught my eye. A woman named Amber Donovan had started “Open Table” to benefit teenagers aging out of the foster care system. Young women and men have their own open tables, with groups of six adults willing to spend a year to guide them in planning their future paths. How I wished to be such a guide! But since I spent half the year in North Carolina and half in Ohio, it was not possible. Instead I quickly, joyfully, wrote Amber an $80 aawmag.com

check and wished her well.

MAY. Between 1968 and 1987 I led 22 mission trip groups to Haiti, working with a children’s TB hospital, a school for handicapped children and a center for the deaf.

On a recent boat trip to Eastern Europe I met Dennis and Elaine, whose daughter is a leader with S.O.I.L. (Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods), which transforms human waste products into rich compost.

For me, S.O.I.L. became a way to reconnect with the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere after their devastating earthquake of 2010. $80 was in the mail.

JUNE. It all started with a woman named Araxi beating a bass drum in an upstate New York summer band. Araxi, nearing 100 years old, was once a skeletal baby dying in a ditch in Armenia during the Turkish genocide of 1918. Rescued by an American missionary, she got a second chance at life. Inspired by Araxi’s story, I was glad to hear of Project Agape, a group that provides a hospital, school, orphanage, home repair program and children’s Christmas boxes for the people of a very poor, conflict-torn area of Armenia. Surely they could use $80.

JULY. One of my heroes is Jane Ferguson, a public TV reporter who spends time in war-ravaged Yemen. Disguised in a burqa, she travels through Houthi rebel territory, visiting hospitals, where she cradles starving babies and tells stories of the horrors of war. “Action Against Hunger” is not afraid to maintain a healing presence in this most dangerous nation. I am glad to support their work with $80.

AUGUST. Another country I’ve always wanted to visit is Pakistan. My friend Evelyn was a missionary there in the 1950s, working at a girls’ school. She always throws an annual Pakistani meal for her friends, featuring dal, chapatis and samosas. So I was delighted to find FINCA, an organization that has worked in 21 countries, on five continents, for over 30 years, with a special emphasis on Pakistan. $80 on the way.

SEPTEMBER. What organization has projects in nine countries that are some of my favorite places? “Women for Women,” of course. They are Bosnia, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Iraq, Rwanda, Nigeria,

South Sudan and Uganda. What is on everyone’s minds? Refugees. Women for Women has a refugee center in Uganda, welcoming women fleeing South Sudan’s atrocities, providing them with business skills training. Uganda is dear to my heart because of our work with Marian and Tina in Bulumagi with micro-businesses, so anything that helps Uganda is high on my list. $80 goes to them.

OCTOBER. My favorite public TV commentator, Christiane Amanpour, interviewed Eve Ensler, creator of “The Vagina Monologues,” about her work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with women who had been raped and tortured, victims of the current bloody civil wars. Along with women activists of the DRC, Eve has established “City of Joy,” an empowerment and rehabilitation retreat for these women. Dr. Denis Mukwege, who won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, performs needed surgery on the women. What a joy to send $80 their way.

NOVEMBER. Because of our commitment to and recent volunteer trip to Mother Miracle School in Rishikesh, India, my friend Diane and I of course perked up to hear that Christine Dave, a Boone woman of Indian heritage, has established EDGE (Education for Girls’ Empowerment), a school for 40 girls in India. Christine invited us to chai, and we chatted about our two projects, hoping that somehow we could keep in touch, and perhaps become sister schools. $80 went to EDGE.

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DECEMBER. As I sat in my cozy chair, a roaring fire in the woodstove and a cup of chai in hand, the idea for my 12th mini-vacation arrived on MSNBC. A favorite commentator, Lawrence O’Donnell, made a plea for his pet project, the United Nations program K.I.N.D., “Kids In Need of Desks,” in Malawi. He showed kids scattered on the ground doing schoolwork, then the same kids seated at beautiful mahogany desks, huge smiles on their faces.

What a way to end my year of mini-volunteer vacations. Would I do it again? Of course! $81? 2019? Here we come!

sue spirit Writes poetry and essays about nature, spirituality, writing, and travel. She has a little cabin in the mountains. degreesoffreedom@frontier.com May-June 2019 | 13

Photo by Melanie Davis Marshall

Style/Leisure

Disc Golf A Game for Anyone Disc golf is for everyone and anyone. People of all ages and abilities

who can enjoy a hike through fields and woods can enjoy disc golf. The rules mirror ball golf, but with specialized discs thrown toward a basket from a marked tee pad. Fewest throws wins.

The High County has a home course.

A fantastic, albeit challenging, 18-hole course complete with open field throws, heavily wooden areas and tee pads for amateur and pro level play is tucked in Ashe County Park in Jefferson just a few miles from downtown.

The park takes the course one step further by providing scorecards and tee pad markers complete with disc golf tips and information on the flora and fauna in the area played.

The course is roughly a 1.5-mile hike, if you throw straight. Part of the fun is the 14 | May-June 2019

difficult shots trying to play around trees, through the tiny gaps, and the pond on hole 3. The specialized discs are made to arc, or hyzer, in flight to help get out of these tricky spots.

Disc golf is also an inexpensive sport to learn. Most of the disc golf manufacturers, such as Innova (a partner in the Ashe County Park) offer a three-disc starter pack including a driver for the long distance tee shots, a mid range for the second shot up to the basket, and a putter for the short-range basket shots.

Like any sport, it can snowball from there after you have been bitten by the disc golf bug into a custom bag or backpack, and a plethora of discs all designed for flight path, throwing style, and just plain ol' looks preference.

Locally, Mast General Store offers a selection of discs. A new person could

start with a single mid-range disc and play the whole course (if you avoid the pond) with one to give it a try before committing to a full set.

Kids may also earn free gear through the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks program. The program aims to get kids and families “unplugged” and reconnected to nature. Rounds played at the Ashe County Park can be registered at www.kidsinparks.com for the chance at free gear for future games.

With easy rules to learn and a solid hike to enjoy, the only thing you have to lose is a few discs.

Melanie Davis Marshall Melanie is a born-again Hillbetty attempting to revive her Appalachian roots. She lives in Creston with her two dogs and 21 chickens. aawmag.com

The Rules and Etiquette of Disc Golf 1. One stroke for each throw or penalty incurred (such as an out-of-bounds throw). The golfer with the fewest strokes wins.

2. Tee throws must be completed from within the designated area (tee pads are well marked).

3. After tee off, the player with the disc farthest from the basket is the first to throw. The player with the fewest throws on the previous basket tees off first on the next hole.

4. Fairway throws (your mid-range) must be made with foot closest to the hold on the front edge of the lie of the disc where it landed from the previous throw.

The other foot must be behind the lie.

5. A run-up and follow through (like a drive off the tee pad) is allowed if the disc is more than 10 yards from the basket. If the disc is within 10 yards of the basket, the throw must be completed from the lie.

6. A disc fully inside the chains or basket constitutes a successful putt. Discs

that lean against the pole or sit on top of the basket do not count as a successful putt.

7. A disc that comes to rest more than two meters off the ground (stuck in a tree or shrub) is considered unplayable and counts as a penalty stroke. The player must throw from the ground directly below the disc.

8. A throw that lands out of bounds counts as a penalty stroke. The player must throw from the line at which the disc crossed out of bounds. The out-of-bounds areas are marked on course maps.

9. Wait until the group ahead has cleared the fairway and completed the basket play before teeing off. Large groups or newer groups often stop at a tee pad to allow smaller or more experienced (faster) players to play through ahead.

10. Leave the course maintenance to the professionals. No cutting of limbs or removal of shrubbery to improve stray shots.

Photo by Melanie Davis Marshall

May-June 2019 | 15

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You’ve heard it before — we live where tourists come to vacation. So why not be a tourist for a day, weekend or a weeklong staycation? Build your excursions around these five local communities, for starters.

16 | May-June 2019

aawmag.com

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Valle Crucis

id you know that Valle Crucis is a historic district recognized by the National Register of Historic Places?

In addition to its historical significance, Valle Crucis is known for its scenic beauty. The Watauga River is a haven for anglers, river tubers and kayakers, and the roads that wind through the river valleys are popular with cyclists.

Or, scope out the environs from the saddle at Dutch Creek Trails, which offers guided horseback rides. Perhaps the crown jewel of this locale is the community-operated Valle Crucis Park, with sprawling fields, wetlands and river frontage ideal for play, birding, fishing and gathering.

No visit to Valle Crucis is complete without a stop at the original Mast General Store, which opened in 1883, and the Mast Store Annex, which offer outdoor gear, clothing, old-fashioned toys and the Mast Store Knife Shop. Check out Rivercross Made in USA for handmade gifts. And don’t forget to eat! Excellent dining options are found at the Mast Farm Inn and Over Yonder.

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he picturesque home of Lees-McRae College is also a trendy tourist destination for shopping, dining, art and theatre and serves as a launchpad for outdoor recreation activities at nearby mountains and rivers.

Two stage companies, Lees-McRae Summer Theatre and Ensemble Stage, present plays and musicals throughout the summer season. For dinner before the show, there’s a wide variety at Banner Elk Cafe, Caribbean-inspired fare at Bodegas Kitchen and Wine Bar, steak and seafood at Stonewalls, Italian at Sorrento’s and barbecue at the Pedalin Pig on N.C. Highway 105.

While in Banner Elk and the greater area, stop by the Art Cellar, Carlton Gallery and Tatum Galleries for fine art and home décor. And wine lovers, take yourself on a tour of the Banner Elk Winery, Grandfather Vineyard and Erick’s Cheese & Wine Shop.

Ashe County

rom Todd to Lansing, Ashe County has so much to offer! The gently flowing New River is perfect for canoeing, kayaking and tubing, and Zaloo’s in Jefferson can have you floating in no time. Or if you’d prefer to keep your feet on the ground, how about a round at Mountain Aire Golf Club, a public 18-hole golf course in West Jefferson?

Downtown West Jefferson is a must-see for art, shopping and small-town charm. Downtown boasts a number of art galleries, including R.T. Morgan, with works in a variety of media. Downtown is also home to weekly events such as the Saturday Ashe County Farmers Market, where you’ll want to stock up on fresh, healthy eats for your adventures, and seasonal events such as the Christmas in July festival.

There’s more to see, do and learn: schedule a visit to the Ashe County Cheese factory to view the cheesemaking process; learn about local history at the Ashe County History Museum; or enjoy one of the productions by the Ashe County Little Theatre.

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Blowing Rock

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f you live in the High Country and have never experienced the “Grand Canyon of the East,” now is the time.

For those less inclined to take on the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area’s steep terrain, there are short, relatively easy trails to incredible views of the Gorge at Wiseman’s View Scenic Overlook and of the spectacular Linville Falls at the Linville Falls Visitor Center.

If you’re up for more of an adventure, Boone-based Rock Dimensions offers guided climbing trips in the Linville Gorge. In nearby Crossnore, visit the campus of the historic Crossnore School and shop at the Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery, Miracle Grounds Coffee Shop and Blair Fraley thrift store — all benefitting the Crossnore School & Children’s Home.

While you’re there, view the Sloop Chapel and its Ben Long fresco.

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hether you think of it as a resort community, a village or “North Carolina’s Prettiest Small Town,” Blowing Rock is where you go to pamper yourself, indulge — and be seen!

From bustling Friday night concerts at the Inn at Ragged Gardens to big seasonal events like Symphony by the Lake at Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock offers plenty of opportunities to mingle.

Blowing Rock’s established fine restaurants like The Best Cellar are joined by exciting newcomers such as Chef & Somm. Or, if you desire a more casual atmosphere, nothing beats barbecue and a beer at Woodland’s or a light lunch at the Blowing Rock Market.

Take your time — because you’ll need it — perusing the many boutique shops along Blowing Rock’s Main Street and beyond, including Monkee’s for upscale women’s clothing and accessories; The Brass Exchange for home décor and seasonal items; the Crown Gallery for regional and nationally acclaimed works of art; The Incredible Toy Company for unique kids’ gifts; and the Spice & Tea Exchange for gourmet and hard-to-find spices and blends.

But put down the shopping bags for just a moment, because the luxurious spa services at Westglow Resort and the enlightening exhibitions at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum are beckoning.

Linville Falls & Crossnore

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Editor, All About Women

Feature

Tee Time

Golf Can Be a Lifelong Hobby Golf is both a very challenging pursuit and a sport that can be played by people of nearly all ages. In recent decades, golf has increased in popularity and talent levels among women, including here in the High Country.

While men have dominated the golf world over the last century or more, women’s golf has been around nearly as long as the sport itself. Early female golf heroes such as Dorothy Campbell in the early 1900s, Babe Didrikson Zaharias of the 1940s and 1950s and Nancy Lopez of the 1970s led the way for more contemporary greats such as Annika Sorenstam, Nelly Korda and Jin Young Ko. The Title IX legislation that evened the playing field for women’s sports in the 1970s also opened the door for female golf competitors.

Here in the High Country, players of all ages pick up their clubs and head to the hilly and beautiful golf courses found in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

On the younger end of the scale, one 13-year-old phenom who is already gaining attention around the country is Boone resident Macy Pate.

As she completes her seventh-grade year, Macy is ranked

27th in the Girls Division of the Carolinas Golf Association, which combines both North and South Carolina. That is within an age group that stretches from 11 to 18 years of age, and Macy is the only golfer in the top 65 of those standings to graduate in 2024, as the rest are older and will graduate earlier.

Macy is a regular on the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour, an all-girl golf association that began 13 years ago.

“I try to play golf every day, as best as I can,” says Macy.

“My Dad got me started with golf, but after I played for about a year, I began to enter tournaments and I really enjoyed it, and it blossomed from there. Once you learn the basics, you go from there. At first, my Dad told me that I had a good swing. So, I decided to keep on going with the game until I didn’t like it anymore or I got good at it. It is definitely not an easy sport to learn. Once you get your swing down, then there is the mental factor of the game. I’d say that the mental aspect is 95 percent of the game and your swing is 5 percent.”

Continued on next page

May-June 2019 | 19

Once you get your swing down, then there is the mental factor of the game. I’d say that the mental aspect is 95 percent of the game and your swing is 5 percent.

- Macy Pate, age 13 Consistency is the key to playing good golf over a long period of time.

“I still struggle with my golf game at times, and I mainly struggle with the mental side, so I have to keep working on that part of it,” Macy says. “Sometimes during a round, you might have your driver working for you although you might not be hitting your irons as good. Or, you might be putting great, but you can’t get off the tee or hit your irons very good. But, once you get all three of those things working together, then it can be perfect.

Early on, my drives and my putting were the two best things about my game. I am good at reading the greens. My Dad told me that you always need to putt to the high side. So now, I walk around the green and check out every angle.”

While you are playing against others on the golf course, ultimately, you are playing against yourself. You are in charge of your own game.

“I once made a putt of about 55 to 60 feet one time in a tournament,” Macy recalls. “It felt awesome, although the other players didn’t like it, but — oh well. You have to stay a little cool when that happens, but you might have to throw in a little fist pump here and there. I practice putting at my house and everywhere else I can because that is the main part of your game. If you can putt, you can play a good game. As for my short game, when I go to the golf course I work on my chipping game first and then go

ASU women’s golf coach Heather Brown is pictured at left.

Photo courtesy App State Athletics 20 | May-June 2019

Macy Pate practices at the Boone Golf Club. Photo by Dawn O’Neal-Shumate

back and forth from the driving range. I figure that if I can get good at chipping and putting, then I can be one step ahead of everyone else.”

Macy has succeeded in tournament play while competing against girls who are much older at times.

“I play tournaments year round,” she says. “I play a lot of both the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf tournaments and Carolinas Golf Association tournaments, although last summer I also played in some USGA tournaments. My handicap is 2.9. It is always fun to play against 18-year-old golfers that are seniors in high school, although some of them do not like to play with a girl that is a lot younger than they are, and they really don’t like it if you beat them. It is a very competitive sport. Everybody wants to win.”

Macy’s next move is to play for the Watauga High School girls golf team with coach Jamie Wilson.

“I definitely want to play golf when I am in college,” Macy says. “It is my goal to play at a Division 1 school. If it ever works out that I get to play on the LPGA Tour, that would be awesome.

But right now, I am working on my game so I can play at my high school and in college. Colleges are not allowed to talk to you or recruit you until you are a junior in high school, so I have a ways to go yet.”

Macy’s favorite professional golfers are Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods along with Moriya Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson of the LPGA. At this point in her life, Macy is still enthusiastic about the game, even though she plays it almost every day, sometimes practicing in the mountain snow.

“I love golf because it is always going to be a challenge and it will never be easy,” she says. “Even for top tour players, it is not aawmag.com

easy. It is different. There are a lot of people that don’t play golf and they don’t understand that I play in tournaments almost every weekend and that I practice almost every day. Golf is very important to me. There are times when I do get frustrated with myself if I am making errors that I shouldn’t be making.

But during a round of golf, I know that I still have a lot of shots left and I can always turn it around, so I think, ‘Don’t get mad, get even.’ A lot about golf is not about what you remember; it is about what you forget.”

Heather Brown, coach of the women’s golf team at Appalachian State University, knows about golfing in mountain conditions. Brown grew up in Connecticut but came to ASU to play golf in college. After graduation, she became a club pro at various courses around the country, but came back to the mountains when the ASU women’s golf coaching position became open 11 years ago.

“This was an opportunity that I am glad came my way because I have nothing but great memories of my time here at ASU,” Heather says.

As for recruiting good golfers to a mountainous region that can be challenging due to the weather, Brown’s best results happen when she can get a potential golfer to see the university and the surrounding natural beauty in person.

“We have excellent indoor facilities, and you can drive a short distance down the mountain to play in Lenoir at any time,” Heather notes. “Really, the university sells itself. If I can get somebody on campus, especially a recruit that has no idea what it is like here; then all of a sudden their eyes are opened up and it becomes a lot more attractive.”

ASU’s women’s golf team is in the Sun Belt Conference, and each year, the Sun Belt Conference Championship is the biggest tournament on the schedule.

“In recent decades, golf in the junior ranks has become very competitive, and collegiate golf is very good as well,” according to Heather. “There are a lot of golfers from overseas in the highest rankings of the sport, but over the last decade or two

American women’s golf has become a lot better. We are catching up now to the international women’s golf scene.”

Golf provides physical and mental activity, a social outlet and an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, which makes it a great game for middle-aged and senior players as well.

In the Linville Land Harbor community located in Linville, Pamela Patrick is the chairperson of publicity for the Linville Land Harbor Ladies Golf Association. There, community members are eligible to join the association, which oversees weekly tournaments.

“I’d say that the average age of our 18-hole tournament club is 55 to 65,” says Pamela. “I have never been on a golf course that wasn’t beautiful. When you play, you are outside in beautiful vistas and scenery and you’re having fun. With our golf association, you can play at a competitive level or you are just there to

There are a lot of golfers from overseas in the highest rankings of the sport, but over the last decade or two American women’s golf has become a lot better.

We are catching up now to the international women’s golf scene.

- Heather Brown, ASU women’s golf coach have a good time, and you are not worried about your handicap.

There is a wide range of enjoyment to be had for ladies who want to be outside and hang out with other ladies and learn the game.

And, from my perspective as one who lives in Florida over the winter, there is little to no humidity here in comparison. The air is nice and refreshing and even on our hottest days, you can do an 18-hole round of golf and feel good.”

No matter what age you play golf, a little competition will get the blood moving in a good way.

“I think everybody goes into a round of golf thinking, ‘I want to play my best game,’” Pamela says. “One of the things I like about golf is you are focusing on your own play. If someone plays better or worse than you, it is not going to affect your handicap.

“I used to tease my parents because they took up golf after they retired, and I’d say, ‘What are you doing, chasing this little white ball on the grass? You must be crazy.’ But, they were having a great time. Eventually, I took it up and it is the hardest game I have ever played. And yes, it can be a head game. But, one of golf’s best characteristics is it allows all ages. You are outside and active and having fun.”

Derek Halsey

Macy reads the greens in Boone. Photo by Dawn O’Neal-Shumate

Derek is a freelance journalist living in the High Country. He is a winner of the Charlie Lamb Excellence in Music Journalism Award and a 9-time IBMA Journalist of the Year Award nominee.

May-June 2019 | 21

Feature

Colorful& Thriving Lonon’s Art Legacy If you ask Jane Lonon what legacy she wants to leave behind as the executive director of the Ashe

County Arts Council, her answer is simple.

“I hope they say, ‘She did the best that she could,’” Jane laughs.

After more than three decades at the arts council, Jane will officially retire on June 30.

While taking a walk through the streets of downtown, it’s easy to see that the arts are welcome in West Jefferson. The spring sunshine hits the historic buildings, shedding light on the vibrant murals that are now splashed across the walls.

Jane points to a mural of blooming oriental poppies.

“There are 18 of those here now,” she says.

But, that wasn’t always the case. Linda Dreyer, the Ashe County Arts Council’s director of operations, recalls the days when the buildings downtown that are now adorned with murals and occupied by quaint art galleries were bleak and deserted.

Under Jane’s leadership, the arts council played a huge role in the revitalization of the arts scene in West Jefferson.

Linda says that thanks to Jane’s ability to network with other organizations and artists and the effort she put into applying for grants, West Jefferson is now colorful and thriving.

“It’s a destination now, and that’s largely due to the arts,” Linda says. “And Jane Lonon is the arts.”

A Florida native, Jane attended Florida State University, spending her summers in the High Country working as a singing waitress at a restaurant in Blowing Rock called the Farm House. She met her husband, who was a singing waiter at the same restaurant, and their summer romance turned into a lifelong vow to each other.

When the opportunity arose for Jane and her family to move to the High Country in 1981, they packed their bags and headed to Ashe County from Los Angeles to settle down and

22 | May-June 2019

Jane Lonon will be retiring as the executive director of the Ashe County Arts Council after 31 years as a full-time employee. Photo submitted

build their life.

“We always loved the mountains, so we bought an old farm house and fixed it up … well, we’re still fixing it up,” Jane jokes.

“I always tell people that I got here as fast as I could.”

Jane began her career at the arts council as a volunteer following her move. She went on to serve as a member of the board and in 1988, accepted a full-time position as the executive director — a position that she’s poured her heart and soul into for 31 years.

From collaborating with local organizations to restore downtown West Jefferson and developing opportunities for arts education for the youth of Ashe County, to organizing a local concert series, Jane has done her job with a sense of unwavering enthusiasm that Linda calls “contagious.”

“You never hear her say ‘I’m tired’ or ‘I can’t do that,'” Linda says.

Aside from her efforts in the downtown revitalization project, Jane has been a strong advocate for arts education for children in Ashe County. A former elementary school music teacher, Jane says her passion for youth arts education stems from her belief that children of all ages and from all walks of life should have access to a creative outlet.

"I think certainly with young people, having those skills and letting them be creative and be problem solvers through the creative arts process is critical. It’s critical to thinking and to our world culture,” Jane says. “To be able to offer a way to be creative and express their feelings is so important.”

Jane says one of the most rewarding parts of her job is seeing the circuitous route that the arts provides from generation to generation. At a recent non-competitive children’s art showaawmag.com

case at the arts council’s gallery called “Young at Art,” Jane says she was pleasantly surprised to see three of the art teachers from schools in Ashe County who once had their own work exhibited at the same show when they were in school.

“Now these teachers are young professionals working in the schools and passing on their love for the art and their passion for teaching and sharing it with their students … that’s a pretty cool feeling,” Jane says. “Passing it down and preserving it. That’s very satisfying.”

Despite the many hats that Jane wears as the executive director, Linda says that Jane’s ability to help anyone in need and find space for both friends and strangers who wander into the gallery during the day is impressive.

“She’s a people person,” Linda says. “She balances so many different things at once and has so much on her plate, but if someone walks in here and wants to talk to Jane, she puts everything aside and acts like she has all the time in the world.”

As Jane embarks on the next chapter of her journey, Linda says that the Ashe County Arts Council is stronger than ever, and that Jane’s dedication to the organization will live on as her legacy.

“It’s been the most amazing job ever. I can’t tell people often enough or strongly enough how blessed I have been by being able to be a part of this organization and to work at the pleasure of our board and work in partnership with our staff,” Jane says. “The people … people, people, people. They’re just the best in the whole world in Ashe County.”

As for finding someone to fill Jane’s shoes as executive director, the arts council board is in the process of interviewing candidates.

“It will take a very special person to replace

Jane Lonon is pictured seated at her office at the Ashe County Arts Council. Photo by Colin Tate

Jane,” Program Director Rebecca Williams says. “Her leadership will be missed.”

The undeniable impact that Jane has made on the arts council and community is on display through the warm and welcoming downtown area and the strength of the arts council, but Jane doesn’t take credit for it all.

“It’s the arts. I’m a firm believer that the arts, however you want to define that, is the perfect vehicle for affecting change and enhancing quality of life,” Jane says.

Although Jane’s days as the executive director are numbered, she won’t be too far away. She says she wants to give the newly hired executive director the opportunity to make their own mark on the organization, but she plans to return as a volunteer — something that she says is a “win-win situation.”

“I get to make things with the arts council, pass out programs and tickets and I don’t have to be the last one out of the building to turn the lights off or wash the dishes,” Jane says.

Jane put a stamp of her own on the community of West Jefferson and she’s proved many things over the past 38 years. Jane proved that the arts matter and community matters because when you put those two things together, you get a masterpiece.

“It’s been fun. It’s been a whole lot of fun,” Jane says as tears form in her eyes. “I’ve worked with such great staff, an incredible board, a huge team of volunteers and lots of community partners to help pull it all together to make a difference and to enhance the quality of life that we will all enjoy for years to come.”

Jane Lonon truly did the best that she could — and then some.

“We just love her,” Linda says. “We’re going to miss her so much.”

Mackenzie Francisco

As part of the downtown revitalization project in West Jefferson, the area now boasts 18 murals, including this mural titled ‘Poppies’ that was finished on Oct. 17, 2016, on the side of the Regency Properties building on East Main Street.

Photo by Mackenzie Francisco

Mackenzie is a journalism student at Appalachian State. She’s a big fan of the mountains, sunflowers and small towns.

May-June 2019 | 23

Feature

Fibers of Creativity Blue Ridge Fiber Guild Showcases Works From June 3 to June 28,

Above: Pictured at a weaving class at the Western Watauga Community Center, from left, are Blue Ridge Fiber Guild members Debby Stone, Nancy Mahala, Susan Sharpe, Janeene Ross, Rhonda Gladden and Chandler Heaton. Photo by Anna Oakes Right: Nancy Mahala displays a tapestry called “Water’s Edge.”

Photo by Anna Oakes

24 | May-June 2019

visitors of the Jones House will have the opportunity to experience the varied skillfulness of local fiber artists. The exhibit will feature wall art, wearables and home decor produced by artists from a four-county region. Comprehensive in scope and scale, the exhibit will include weaving, spinning, knitting, dyeing, felting, paper making, printing and quilting.

The expertise showcased in this exhibit hails from a united effort that began in 1982. Appalachian State University students joined with local women trained in the tradition of fiber arts to establish the Blue Ridge Fiber Guild. Fiber enthusiasts from Watauga, Ashe, Caldwell and East Tennessee have enjoyed membership in this guild for close to four decades.

Open to anyone with a passion for working with fabric, yarn, paper and pulp to create wall and body art ranging from traditional to modern is welcome to join the guild. For active members, monthly meetings are held in which artists have an opportunity to share their work and learn from others. For the community, workshops are offered regularly to teach the fundamentals of quilting, weaving, hand-making paper, cloth dyeing and basket making.

A member from the guild’s beginnings, Susan Sharpe explains that the meetings and workshops have continued to “nourish me as an artist and create a place for people to share their work and talk about their passion.”

Recently, members of the guild paired with elementary classes form Hardin Park and students were given the opportunity to experience fiber arts in their varied stages, from idea to final piece. They were also given the opportunity to create their own work. Many of these pieces will be on display, along with work from guild members, at Blue Ridge ArtSpace in September. aawmag.com

Buoyed by local tradition, artists’ skills and passion and community involvement, the Blue Ridge Fiber Guild members embrace the fiber reemergence experienced today and is excited to present their work to the public.

Twelve BRFG members will be featured in the Jones House exhibit in June.

Their presentation will include an eclectic mix of fiber arts for the wall and home

decor as well as fashion accessories.

Landscape imagery made of animal and plant fibers, scarves made from colorful wool and luxurious silk, decorative rugs, pillows and bags made from repurposed textiles, and sculptural baskets handwoven from paper, reed, and metal will be showcased.

Both diverse and visually appealing, the exhibit will be on display from June 3 to June 28 at the Jones House located

at 604 W. King St. in downtown Boone.

A reception for the public will be held on Friday, June 7, from 6:30-8 p.m. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, contact the Jones House at 828-268-6280 or visit the Blue Ridge Fiber Guild website at blueridgefiberguild.org.

Hollie Eudy Hollie Eudy is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the Appalachian Mountains.

Pictured are works by Blue Ridge Fiber Guild members (clockwise from bottom left) Rita Collie, Beth Reavis, Debby Stone, Pam Kicklighter, Jeanne Lawrence and Rhonda Gladden.

May-June 2019 | 25

Girls’ Night Out Join us the Last Tuesday of Every Month for Wine Pairing Dinners

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May-June 2019 | 29

YOUNG AT HEART

Staycation 101 I am the world’s worst staycationer! Okay, if not the worst,

definitely in the top 10.

Why? I make this claim for several reasons: 1. I am puzzled by the concept of vacationing at home.

2. Because going away AKA traveling AKA not staying is the only break I get from cooking, cleaning and various

house-related chores and projects, I would rather do that.

3. I find it difficult to be home for any length of time without finding something that needs to be cleaned and/or organized, which is the opposite of relaxing.

4. Since my house does not come with housekeeping service, a chef/bartender who is not me or magical laundry elves, I question how a staycation is any different

from the weekend?

“Why would I want to staycation?” I pondered. “Am I missing something?”

Deciding that a bit of research was in order, I ventured down the rabbit hole that is the internet to learn all that there is to know about staycationing and why one would want to engage in said activity.

I perused numerous articles and websites offering helpful tips and sugges-

tions. The one that struck me was a 2018 Travel+Leisure piece by Carlye Wisel titled “How to Have the Best Staycation Ever.” Wisel imparted these words of wisdom: “When you’re taking a staycation, it’s not about the journey, or in this case, the destination: it’s about breaking your patterns and habits.”

“Aha!” I exclaimed.

Not really, but reading that statement was an “aha” moment.

I can understand the importance of breaking patterns and habits, but as Wisel also noted, doing so is difficult.

Speaking for myself, between work, grad school, an occasional workout and the above mentioned chores, it feels like my routine is the only thing that keeps me going. Sadly, my weekends and extra days off are eaten up by schoolwork and housework, which I feel the need to prioritize over fun. Thankfully, this is tempo-

rary — I will be finished with my master’s program in about a year and a half.

While I may not be able to break my patterns and habits too much right now, researching how to staycation led me to create a close-to-home list of things that I would like to do and places I would like to visit.

Read a Book: I want to finish reading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 graphic novels, which I have started

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and abandoned several times. All four volumes are sitting on my shelf collecting dust and waiting to be consumed.

Take a Nap: In the hammock I gifted Roger a few years ago. On a warm, sunny day and in a spot where I will not get sunburnt.

Chill at Home: For me, this would be lounging in the sunroom that we added last summer or enjoying a fire in our sadly neglected fire pit. There might even be — scratch that — there will be s’mores.

Get Outside: Roger and I used to do a lot of hiking, especially on the Parkway or at Grayson Highlands State Park. Alas … life and weather! In addition, I used to enjoy packing us a picnic. Both of these activities need to be revisited.

Explore and Play Tourist: I can name several local spots that are on my “to visit” list. These include the Horton Hotel rooftop bar, Blue Ridge Movie Lounge, Molley Chomper Cidery and Linville Falls Winery. I would also enjoy having time to wander around downtown Blowing Rock and visit its interesting shops — especially my favorite, Neaco, and see what is on exhibit at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum. And, I keep

meaning to attend some of the local festivals and music events — Savor Food and Wine fest, Music on the Lawn, Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain and more.

Sample the Cuisine: One of my favorite things to do on vacation is a traveling dinner — a succession of courses at several restaurants within walking distance. Sometimes planned, sometimes spontaneous. This is very doable in Boone, Blowing Rock and West Jefferson.

Just for Fun: If I had to pick one random thing to try just for the fun of it, it would be llama trekking at Divine Llama Vineyards in East Bend, N.C. Divine Llama is about an hour’s drive and they offer llama treks on weekends for $50 per person. I am enamored by the idea — maybe one day I will get to see if the reality lives up to my expectations!

Do you have a close-to-home list of things to do and places to visit? Why not start your staycation today! heather brandon Considers life to be one big anthropological field experience. She observes and reports. She enjoys travel, food and wine and adventures with her husband, Roger.

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Relationships

MOM’S WORLD

Leafing Out 32 | May-June 2019

While places like Raleigh and Charlotte have been basking in the sun and blossoms of late Spring for weeks, living in the High Country results in a delay in the greening of the earth compared to our neighbors in the Piedmont and research triangle.

Due to our climate and the mountains, Winter loves to extend her grasp into May. Seasonal affective disorder seems to run rampant, and many people hibernate like wildlife, putting their exercise routines and self-care on hold.

Gray weather with temperatures in the 20s to 40s can zap the positivity out of the soul, and, only with those first daffodils of February or March do we start to feel like hope is resurfacing and the cyclical rejuvenation of the seasons carries forward once more.

As I have often written, my husband is the green thumb of our family, like his mother and his sisters, and his mood immediately improves when the days are sunny enough and warm enough (i.e. over 50 degrees) to “get out in the garden.” He makes a mental note every year of the first day he notices our daffodils opening. He said this year it was early, around Feb. 15 or 16, well before the end of winter weather.

As for myself, sometimes I find that I have not looked outside or walked around our property in weeks, consumed by work and kids' activities. Because of this preoccupation, I make a conscious effort to take time some mornings or weekends when we are at home to stroll through our garden and see how aawmag.com

the plants that have been transplanted are starting to grow as we roll into late Spring. The hostas are hearty, irises opening up, tulips finishing out, and raspberry bushes are leafing out.

Everything looks green and happy.

Blueberry bushes that started out as scrawny are starting to explode with flowers. The lilac bush that my patient and her husband gave me has its whole corner of a flower bed, thriving after many years and making me smile every time I walk down the path that wraps around it.

Then there is the peony plant that we have moved multiple times. It continues to thrive and is a reminder of my Gramma Wagner's garden in Niagara Falls, New York. Before that, it was from my great, great grandparents' farm in Niagara Falls. This year, my husband moved it to our back yard and it grew six inches seemingly overnight, so happy with its new spot. Then, throughout the garden, are the sun-catchers and hanging beads that make a fantastical appearance, like we are entering another realm. It's beautiful. And peaceful. I sigh when I think about how long hours and multiple commitments can make it too easy to briskly walk from the parking area to our house without even a glimpse into the garden.

When I pause and take in this transformation, it takes my breath. Leafing out is a result of care, and sun, and nutrients, and water. It represents the plants' botanical drive to grow and as the plants grow, the surrounding living beings benefit from oxygen put into the air and beauty in our world. What if we all took time to leaf out? Stopping to ensure we drink enough water, get enough sunshine, eat good food and allow ourselves the opportunity to grow and thrive not only benefits us as people but our community around us.

So as you enter late Spring and Summer, take a moment. A moment to be silent and walk through the garden. A moment to take in the beauty of a sunny day. A moment to quench your physical and spiritual thirst. A moment to bloom.

heather jordan, CNM, MSN Comments or questions?

828.737.7711, ext. 253 landh@localnet.com

May-June 2019 | 33

Relationships

A Nurtured Beginning for Every New Parent and Baby

Becoming a new parent is never an easy thing. No matter

your walk of life, whether you are a firsttime parent, or a parent of four, caring for an infant can be extremely overwhelming. The Children’s Council of Watauga County recognizes that during this challenging transition, parents and babies need a tremendous amount of support

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that is not always available. To help fill this gap, The Children’s Council developed the Nurtured Beginnings Program.

The Nurtured Beginnings Program is a home visiting program available to all new mothers and their partners who have a baby up to three months of age, regardless of income or insurance. The program was designed to provide every

new parent support and education and to be an advocate for parents and babies.

The program consists of three free home visits. At the first visit the new parent can expect a homemade meal and a gift bag complete with a handmade blanket, a pack of diapers, a new Halo sleep sack, a brand new sleeper, self care items and much more. There is also a folder of aawmag.com

information included in the bag that the Nurtured Beginnings home visitor will discuss and go over. The information includes handouts on safe sleep and ways to prevent SIDS, car seat safety, baby’s growth and development and several other important topics. There is also information given about the many other services that the Children’s Council provides such as free support groups for parents and the diaper bank which provides two free packs of diapers a month to any family in Watauga County.

The home visitor will also discuss other community resources that are available to new moms and their families and can help the mom access these resources if needed. During the visit the Nurtured Beginnings home visitor will discuss and screen the new mom for postpartum depression and anxiety, which is something that one in seven women will experience, and can make a referral to a free support group if needed. During the visit, the home visitor will also discuss the baby’s eating and sleeping habits and can help answer any questions and concerns that the new parents might have.

The second and the third visits are very similar in that the home visitor will

come to help answer any questions, offer guidance and to make referrals to needed resources when requested. The Nurtured Beginnings home visitor will also provide information about what to expect in the months to come as the baby grows and develops.

Several studies have been conducted to show the benefits that home visiting can have for new moms and babies. According to the American Association of Pediatrics, home visiting programs with new mothers and infants can increase the utilization of community resources, decrease the risk of child abuse and neglect, decrease the number of visits to the emergency room needed during those first few months of an infant's life, as well as increase parental knowledge of child development and appropriate discipline.

Many of the moms who have participated in the Nurtured Beginnings Program also agree that having someone come into your home to offer support and education can be very beneficial.

According to surveys conducted in 2017 and 2018, 100 percent of the families who participated in Nurtured Beginnings felt like it was a valuable program and 99 percent of participants agreed that it

increased their knowledge of community resources.

“The Nurtured Beginnings program is such a valuable program for supporting new moms," said Jessica Yates, who participated in the Nurtured Beginnings program shortly after giving birth to her daughter. "It was something that I didn’t even realize I needed until the home visitor was there. This really made a difference for me and my daughter.”

Katie Miller also participated in the Nurtured Beginning Program and felt that “it is an invaluable program that provided a listening ear and a pair of helpful hands during the first weeks after birth.”

The Children’s Council of Watauga County strongly believes in the adage that “it takes a village to raise a child.”

The Nurtured Beginnings Program serves as a way to put that proverb into action. By providing new parents with support and resources, this program highlights the “village” available in Watauga County to help ensure that new parents and babies have the most nurtured of beginnings. For more information, contact Megan Hudson at (828) 262-5424 or megan@thechildrenscouncil. org.

About the Children’s Council Established in 1977, the Children's Council of Watauga County Inc. builds upon the strengths of children, families and educators by investing resources, information and training toward promoting the future health and success of our greatest community asset: our children.

All of the programs, from prenatal to age 12, concentrate on child development to prepare children to be ready to succeed in school. Through family support, early literacy programs, child care technical assistance and professional development and community outreach and collaboration we focus on the importance of each child. We are committed to our vision of a community where every child has the support to live a healthy, happy life.

We work to build a strong foundation for children's learning and development by strengthening families, the early childhood system and the wider community.

May-June 2019 | 35

‘Mrs. Myers: Act I’

by Jeannette Murray

Riddled with surprise from its opening lines, Jeannette Murray’s “Mrs. Myers: Act I” is a delightful read as well as a demanding one. Through her heroine, Lydia Myers, Jeannette creates a female protagonist who is wealthy, educated, cultured and well-traveled, yet completely relatable and down-to-earth. Lydia takes shape on the page as a familiar, a friend, or, quite possibly, the woman we see in the mirror each day.

Married 10-plus years to a prestigious New York attorney, it appears Lydia has it all: clothes, shoes, accessories, college-age children, multiple homes, exotic vacations and exclusive membership in many sought-after circles.

Certainly Lydia’s status presents an impressive dossier.

Yet, readers are quick to recognize that there is more to Lydia than her list of party invitations, philanthropic endeavors and industrious hobbies.

The woman who has it all is incredibly unhappy. Lydia’s growing angst transcends the empty nest syndrome her husband suspects. She is more than “bored.” Lydia is lonely. Her full life has left her empty. When her husband’s suspicious behaviors become more flagrant, Lydia makes a choice to give herself the space to consider her next move, to deliberate over the next years in her life.

Through a series of unexpected events, Lydia finds herself on a plane to Paris for a monthlong reset. With her paintbrush in hand and her running shoes ready, Lydia begins the arduous task of self-examination with a beautiful city as her backdrop. “Lydia awoke to golden rays streaming through the double doors ... This was an entirely new city, bathed in light, freshly scrubbed, vibrant with color … She wasn’t about to waste a minute of this glorious day. She owned Paris and it was all hers …”

The majority of this book, the first in her Mrs. Myers trilogy, takes place in “the City of Lights” while Lydia wrestles with the hardest questions we face: What am I going to do with myself? Where am I going in my life?

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Using several narrators, Jeannette’s characters ask the tough questions: Are you satisfied with your life? Are you living your best life?

What is the purpose of me?

About her protagonist, Jeannette describes, “I wanted to write about a woman who broke away from the traditional roles as wife and mother and empowered herself to rewrite the script of her life.”

For women, Jeannette wants her series “to help women realize they are powerful, they do not need to settle, they can take chances, they do not have to stay in unhappy marriages, they can change and rewrite the scripts of their lives, and they can have fun doing it!”

While journeying with Lydia, readers will also meet a variety of characters including: a private detective hired by Lydia’s husband, a young, tattooed barista, her husband’s mistress and Lydia’s quirky brother. Weaving a variety of voices throughout the narrative, Murray’s characters further define Lydia while also exposing their unique set of circumstances.

Using several narrators, Jeannette’s characters ask the tough questions: Are you satisfied with your life? Are you living your best life?

In a fast-paced, action-packed story filled with unexpected twists and turns, our heroine sums up her time in Paris: “This [I] am someone new. This is some-

one who has strength and a backbone.

Someone who has a sense of who she is.

This is someone who doesn’t look the other way and live in denial. This is someone who stands up for herself, defends herself, and who’s given up making excuses for faults and misdemeanors. This is a whole new person you don’t know and probably never will.”

As for those who recognize pieces of themselves and their own story in Lydia’s, Jeannette promotes the pursuit of authentic, uninhibited lives with this encouragement: “Go for it, but be sensible.

Don’t act crazily, or in a self-destructive way, as some women do when they ‘get free’ and go a little too wild, ending up in the same predicaments they were trying to escape.”

Following Lydia through the cobblestone streets of the most romantic city in the world, readers will be surprised at what can be found when you give yourself the opportunity to look.

Hollie Eudy Hollie Eudy is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the Appalachian Mountains.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeannette Murray has been writing most of her life in the the course of her work as a licensed professional counselor. After 30 years as a college counselor and a mental health therapist, she is making more time to write for fun.

She began writing in elementary school and has always had a penchant for various modes of art. She wrote "Mrs. Myers: Act I" over a period of six months. She describes, “When I set down to write, I don’t know what I’m going to put down, I just have an idea that somehow flows and takes on a life of its own. Chapters emerge and one leads to another and I let the book go where it wants to.”

The first in the Lydia Myers series, she explains, “I didn’t intend to write a series, but it just turned out that way.

There’s just too much going on with Lydia to put in one book!”

Readers can look for the second book, "Mrs. Meyers: Part II."

May-June 2019 | 37

Health

BEAUTY

Summertime

Skin Protection

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Summertime is here again,

and some of us have spent too many hours baking in the sun. We had no idea that the beautiful golden tan we got at 16 would mean sun spots at 40.

With wonderful summer comes more intense UV rays and longer days for exposure. We have approximately 161 days of gloomy skies in the High Country, so we welcome the predicted 204 days of sunshine. That magnificent and wonderful Mr. Sun who woos us with his warmth and makes us feel so vibrantly alive can wreak havoc on us if we underestimate his fierce power. We have to remain mindful that among other things, he has a great impact on how our skin ages.

It remains puzzling to me when I have a client who has spent tons of money on face work — from botox, fillers, fat infusion to facelifts or whatever the next new “in” thing is — and when I ask if they are using some sort of sun protection on a daily basis, the answer is usually “well, when I’m in the sun.” I always probe further to find out what “in the sun” means to them. To most it means when I’m gardening, playing golf, at the beach, etc. If you go out of your house, drive your car, go shopping, you are in the sun unless it is nighttime; hence you do need to be protecting that precious skin that you’re trying to keep as youthful as possible.

I have put together some facts that I want you to consider when you think about the wonderful skin you live in. The most exclusive, expensive wrinkle cream cannot compare to the lowly oft-neglected sunscreen in fighting wrinkles and other lurking things. Beyond our sometimes obsession with looking good, skin cancer is a major riveting reason to protect ourselves from the laser blast of UVA and UVB rays Mr. Sun aims at us daily. I know you’ve heard it before, but if you have yet to heed it, listen up!

FACT: 3.3 million Americans have some type of skin cancer; 76,380 have melanoma, the deadly type. Someone dies every 52 minutes from melanoma. Guys,

this is sooo preventable. Now a quick word about tanning beds — DON’T! Know your enemy: UVA rays, called aging rays, contribute to 90 percent of skin aging. These penetrate through the epidermis (top dead layer) into the dermis (live layer) which contains connective tissue, blood, lymph vessels, collagen, elastin. All the stuff that helps our skin be healthy is located here. You can slather on all the creams, serum and potions you like, but without protection from the sun, you give a free access pass to everything that can make you look old, wrinkle and can kill you to boot. Some of the results of sun damage are dark patches, wrinkles, loose skin, premature aging, DNA damage. Oh yes, these rays go right through glass.

UVB rays, called burning rays, these are the rays that cause that tan you so desperately want. These rays affect the melanocytes, which produce melanin.

Melanin is designed to help protect the skin from UV but can be altered or destroyed by large frequent doses that are allowed to penetrate the skin. So the irony of this is that this assault on the skin causes the melanin (that tan stuff) to rise to the surface as it fights to protect the skin from the self-inflicted damage. This damage builds and speeds up aging and increases your risk for skin cancer. UVB does not penetrate as deep, but equally damages the skin and can damage eyes as well. On a high note, UVB contributes to the body’s synthesis of Vitamin D and other important minerals.

UVB, with a minimum SPF of 30. There are a gazillion on the market, including creams, lotions, gels, waxes and sprays.

Check the expiration date (sunscreen has a shelf life of two to three years).

More Tips: Use other preventatives along with sunscreen, including hats, sunglasses and clothing to cover. Seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Stay beautiful and healthy!

Marion Edwards Marion Edwards is a Licensed Esthetician, Professional Makeup Artist and Certified Trainer for Motives Cosmetics. She can be contacted at 828.773.1500.

Equip yourself: Who needs sunscreen? Everybody. Keep babies under 6 months OUT of direct sun.

When should you wear it? 365 days a year. Reapply every two hours, especially when swimming. Liberally apply; one ounce should cover the face, hands, arms, legs, feet and any exposed skin.

What kind? Use a broad spectrum sunscreen, one that addresses UVA and

May-June 2019 | 39

Health Farmers markets are open. Lush gardens abound.

This is a great time to stock up on cleaning supplies — the kind you find in fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains. Fiber includes all parts of the plant that your body can't digest or absorb. There are two types: insoluble, fibrous strands that transport material through your bowel; and soluble, a gel-like sponge. Both are needed to keep you clean from the inside out.

Women need on average 25 grams a day. To give you an idea of what that looks like: 1 large pear with skin (7 grams); 1 cup fresh raspberries (8 grams); ½ medium avocado (5 grams); 1 ounce almonds (3.5 grams); ½ cup cooked black beans (7.5 grams); 1 cup cooked pearled barley (6 grams). When increasing fiber, be sure to do it gradually and with plenty of fluids. If you consume more than your usual intake but not enough fluid, you may experience nausea or constipation.

But here are some of the benefits to enough fiber in your diet.

PREVENT CONSTIPATION: Do you use your bathroom as a library, waiting for the body to evacuate? Fiber helps to get it moving.

BIND ESTROGEN IN THE BOWELS: By binding estrogen in the bowels, fiber can potentially lessen the estrogenic effect in the cells of breast tissue.

LIVING WELL

Nature’s Scrub Brush

LOWER YOUR RISK OF DIGESTIVE CONDITIONS: A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and inflamed pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).

LOWER BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.

CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS: Soluble fiber can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes can help improve blood sugar levels.

AID IN WEIGHT LOSS: A high-fiber diet increases satiety. You feel full, earlier and longer.

PROTECT FROM TOXINS: Fiber moves potential carcinogens through the intestines faster, decreasing the contact time between carcinogens and the intestinal wall. Besides pushing them through faster, fiber binds carcinogens, keeping them away from the intestinal wall. Fiber also absorbs bile acids, keeping them from acting on bacteria to produce the cancerous substances that are formed by decaying foods within the colon.

PROMOTE GROWTH OF HEALTHY BACTERIA: Fiber is the food that feeds healthy bacteria (probiotics). When good bacteria thrive, they crowd out undesirable bacteria and fungi.

So next time you’re picking up your cleaning supplies for the house, make sure your cart is filled with cleaning supplies for you. bonnie church Certified Life and Wellness Coach Author/columnist, motivational speaker Certified Trainer for TLS Weight Loss Solution

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ALL ABOUT TOWN Top Left: Jennifer Pillow poses with her best massage therapist award from the 2019 Watauga Democrat Best of the Best award ceremony on Tuesday, April 23.

Top Right: Cay Harkins, left, and Catherine Milner, right, of Studio K, dance down the red carpet to receive the best dance studio award at the 2019 Best of the Best award ceremony on Tuesday, April 23.

Photos by Thomas Sherrill

Bottom Left: Dominick Rivera and Meghan Leitschuh serve as interns at the Hunger and Health Coalition and assist with the first A Simple Gesture dropoff day.

Photo by Kayla Lasure

Bottom Right: Kaydence Menifee of Banner Elk Elementary was the first racer to cross the Girls on the Run 5K spring 2019 finish line. This year’s race was held at the greenway trail in Boone.

Photo by Sydney Wolford

May-June 2019 | 41

ALL ABOUT TOWN Top Right: A group of ladies attend Watauga High School prom on May 18.

Photographed are: Rebecca Anderson, Emma Tsotschew, Caroline Edwards, Katie Hannah, Emma Beach, Sierra Rusher, Riley Fowler and Sidra Miller.

Middle Left: Hope Langston (center) is crowned Watauga High School prom queen by Grace Watson (left) and is escorted by Spencer Langston (right).

Photos by Kayla Lasure

Middle Right: Susan McCracken, Barb Krause and Elizabeth Young pose for a photo during the 2019 Empty Bowls fundraiser at Watauga High School on Saturday, March 30.

Photo by Thomas Sherrill

Bottom Right: Jessie Wiseman of Linville Falls Winery pours a glass of wine during the TASTE restaurant showcase on Thursday, May 2, at Chetola Resort.

Photo by Thomas Sherrill

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Banner Elk's Premier

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Talk with your Boone Drug Pharmacist and they will work with you to coordinate all of your refill days so they are available for pick up on the same day.

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