All About Women May-June 2017

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Go Outside!

3 Outdoorswomen Blaze the Trail

Party Al Fresco When’s Your Next Microadventure?

Bob Meier - Owner

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editor’s

note

It’s the reason many of us are here— the mountains’ scenic beauty, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the heavenly summers. Like many, I’ve spent much of my time in the Boone area relishing these opportunities: hiking for views from the summit, cooling off in swimming holes, and floating down the New and Watauga on a river tube.

But I had lived here for the better part of a decade before truly realizing the breadth and depth of outdoor experience available to us in the High Country. I hadn’t even scratched the surface. In recent years, thanks to friends, I discovered that I could climb a vertical rock face dozens of feet above the ground, propelled only by my hands and feet. I discovered that I could fall asleep on the grass outside, covered only by a sleeping bag, watching a meteor shower on one of the balds of Roan Mountain. I discovered that, over miles and miles of trail, I could carry a 40-pound backpack holding everything I would need to survive several days in the woods.

In short, I discovered, as the late Leigh Cooper Wallace would say, “You’re stronger than you think.”

As we put the finishing touches on this issue, I’m gushing at how perfectly it encapsulates so many things I love about life in the High Country.

I’m inspired by women like Kelly McCoy, who made river life her day jo and by Curly job, P Perzel, who has put tthousands of miles under her shoes in her 50s, 60s, and 70s. I’m already digging into my raised beds, always hungry for new ideas about growing veggies on a shady hillside. And I’m looking ahead to the weekends, eager to invite my friends for a mountain microadventure or backyard garden party.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and if you enjoy All About Women magazine, show your support by patronizing our advertisers, liking and engaging with us on Facebook and Instagram, and telling your friends.

Go Outside. You haven’t even scratched the surface yet.

(From top) I pause for a photo while backpacking up Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge in May 2016.

On one of my most recent weekend adventures, A.J. and I canoecamped in the cypress swamps of Merchants Millpond State Park in northeastern N.C. Make time for the outdoors, and dress appropriately. This was a snowy hike on Elk Knob one weekday morning before work.

What outdoor experience challenged you?

Don't let anyone tell you the 40-mile Maryland portion of the Appalachian Trail is the easiest. It's a rock scramble. In 2004 with Road Scholars I hiked the entire trail in four days. I about died. Most amazing was watching hang-gliders fly off Annapolis Rock. Now I know what I want to do next. - Sue Spirit

PUBLISHER Gene Fowler

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Tom Mayer

EDITOR “Hell to get into, hell to get out of” is what they say about Hell’s Bay. On a weeklong camping trip in the Florida Everglades, my sister and I canoed several miles through a maze of mangroves en route to our chickee, a platform on the water.

Neither of us were strong paddlers, so navigating through narrow channels and spotting trail markers amid the thick growth proved to be quite the adventure. And I’m hella proud of it. - Anna Oakes

I’d never even been camping when I went on my first backpacking trip in the Linville Gorge as a skinny sixth-grader in 1991.

I’d just joined the Boy Scouts and was greener than a golf course when it came to camping skills. All things considered, it was absolutely a life-changing weekend. - David Brewer

My first marathon in 2012 was the Run for the Red in Valle Crucis. The first six miles were a persistent and grueling ascent; the rest involved plenty of hills and the rigor of going 26 miles, plus the fact that I failed to take in enough calories during the race. Even so, it was a rewarding experience of which I'm proud! - Heather Jordan

I got lost hiking in Lost Cove. It took two hours to find my way out. Two hours of wandering feeling stressed is very different from two hours of peaceful ambling. Like most crises in life, this passed. I found my way, and enjoyed my day. Lesson learned: When in the woods, watch where you are going. - Bonnie Church

My most challenging outdoor experience was a surf lesson in Costa Rica. It was only an hour, but an hour of throwing myself on the board and paddling on command. By the end, I was battered, bruised, and had snot running down my face. It was amazing! - Heather Brandon

4 | May-June 2017

My friends invited me to go camping on a random trail in the mountains. I’ve never been camping before, so this was completely out of my comfort zone. The entire night was a challenge, from hiking up the mountain to pitching the tent, but the whole night I couldn’t stop laughing. I know it’s memories I will keep forever. - Kacey Howard

Anna Oakes editor@aawmag.com 828.278.3602

CONTRIBUTORS Heather Brandon David Brewer Bonnie Church Yogi Collins Marion Edwards Hollie Greene Kacey Howard Heather Jordan Kayla Lasure Caroline Lawson Melanie Davis Marshall Laney Ruckstuhl Megan Sheppard Sue Spirit

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Meleah Bryan Brandon Carini Kristin Obiso

ADVERTISING 828.264.6397

COVER PHOTO by Megan Sheppard

Any reproduction of news articles, photographs or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. © 2017 Mountain Times Publications aawmag.com

CONTENTS

FEATURES 25 29 32 35 38 40

High Country Microadventurers Club Kelly McCoy Erin Savage Curly Perzel Doris Greene Leslie Miller

HEALTH 08 09

Living Well Beauty

FOOD & DRINK 12

The Farmers Market Fix

LEISURE 14 16

Travel Party Al Fresco

RELATIONSHIPS

Great Outdoorswomen

28-37

22 24

Children’s Council Turns 40 Mom’s World

STYLE 42 50

Summer STYLE 44-48

Fashionista Tazmaraz

HOMESTEAD 50

Hillbetty Revival

52

Tips for a Short Growing Season

IN EVERY ISSUE 03 06 10 54 56

Editor’s Note Women in the News Young at Heart By the Book All About Town

16

May-June 2017 | 5

Women in the News All About Women Awarded Best Overall Niche Publication in NC All About Women magazine was among several Mountain Times Publications receiving awards in the North Carolina Press Association’s 2016 Advertising and Editorial Contests, announced in March.

The 2016 All About Women Wedding Edition was recognized as the Best Overall Niche Publication across all divisions. “Creative ‘contents’ page. Photos capture the essence of every subject. Great design! Well done, great job!” the judges noted.

“I’m very proud of our staff,” said Gene Fowler, publisher. “The recognition that we received from the North Carolina Press Association only confirms what our community of readers already knew! We have an outstanding staff that does outstanding work 24/7, 365 days a year, both on the news and marketing sides of our business.”

From left, All About Women Art Director Meleah Bryan, graphic designer Kristin Obiso and marketing representative Megan Sheppard display the award for Best Overall Niche Publication. Photo by Anna Oakes

Women’s Fund Power of the Purse Luncheon is June 23 A significant opportunity to impact the lives of women in our region — and one of the biggest social events of the season — is fast approaching. The annual Power of the Purse Luncheon hosted by the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, June 23, at the Linville Ridge Country Club.

In addition to lunch served by Linville Ridge in its gorgeous mountaintop setting, the event features a silent auction of incredible packages and items, including spa getaways, Disney World tickets, restaurant gift certificates, and more.

Artist Raney Rogers will be the keynote speaker.

The mission of the Women’s Fund is to create positive change and economic justice for women and girls in the High Country. In 2016, the Women’s Fund allocated $110,000 to 21 local nonprofit organizations serving women and children.

“It is our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Megan Ellis, co-chair of the luncheon. “There is tremendous need in the High Country, and we are doing our best to meet those needs. (The luncheon) raises awareness about the nonprofits and the programs here that need our help.”

Westglow Resort & Spa is the exclusive Diamond Sponsor of the Power of the Purse Luncheon.

Tickets are $85, and the RSVP date is June 16. For tickets or more info, call (828) 264-4002 or email info@womensfundoftheblueridge.org.

Women’s Fund names new director

The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge on March 15 announced its new executive director and development officer: Danielle Thuot.

“We are highly impressed with Danielle’s skills and successes from her 15 years of nonprofit leadership and development experience,” the organization stated in an email. “We believe that Danielle has a demonstrated ability to build relationships, fundraise, strategically grow an organization and lead with integrity.”

6 | May-June 2017

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Women in the News WHS student awarded full ride at Lees-McRae One Watauga High School senior was named as a beneficiary of the celebrated fulltuition Elizabeth McRae Scholarship at Lees-McRae College.

Amanda Lubkemann, of Boone, was ultimately chosen as one of two winners after competing on Feb. 18 as part of the college’s annual Scholars Day. Hosted by the LeesMcRae Honors Program, the day invites qualified Honors Program students to participate in essay and interview competitions.

More than 140 students qualified for the prominent Lees-McRae College Honors Program, having attained a 3.75 high school GPA and SAT score over 1150 (ACT score over 25).

During her time at Watauga High School, Lubkemann danced on the school’s varsity dance team, The Pacers. “I love to dance ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, lyrical–you name it,” she said. Lubkemann said she chose Lees-McRae also to conquer her dream of playing collegiate soccer—a dream that will be realized having been recruited for the team by women’s soccer head coach Kiko Magaña.

The Elizabeth McRae Scholarship was named after Elizabeth A. McRae, one of the two namesakes of the college. McRae was a summer school teacher at Lees-McRae in 1900 when it was an all-female school led by Lees-McRae founder the Rev. Edgar Tufts.

Mast, deputies to ride in Police Unity Tour

From left, Paige Mast and Carolynn Gragg honor fallen Watauga County officer William Mast at the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial. Photo submitted

“We ride for those who died” — the motto worn proud by the Police Unity Tour — hits close to home for local law enforcement this year.

Aaron Billings, Tyson Seitz and Carolynn Gragg of the Watauga County Sheriff ’s Office will participate in the nearly 300-mile bike ride this May to raise awareness for law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. Also joining the crew this time around is Paige Mast, widow to William Mast, a Watauga County deputy who lost his life in 2012 while serving on the force.

“I am so honored to be able to ride for my late husband,” said Mast. “One of my goals these last almost five years has been to make sure that he is never forgotten, and that other officers that are killed in the line of duty are never forgotten. I take great pride in being able to ride to remember.”

Mast is riding for the first time, alongside two-time riders Billings and Seitz, and one-time rider Gragg.

The Police Unity Tour launched in 1997, starting with 18 riders on a four-day fundraising bicycle ride from Florham Park, N.J., to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum in Washington, D.C. Since then, the tour has grown into nine chapters consisting of more than 2,200 members nationwide.

“Team Watauga” will ride with Chapter 4, beginning in Richmond, Va., and ending in D.C. The Police Unity Tour raises funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum. Last year, the ride donated $2.5 million, bringing the total donation amount to more than $20 million in 20 years.

- Brian Miller May-June 2017 | 7

Health

LIVING WELL

Pump Iron in the Garden

An island in Greece called Ikaria has one of the highest concentrations of people who live to 100 years old and beyond. Interesting observation: they never go to a gym. It’s not that they don’t exercise. They walk everywhere. They work in their gardens. They use hand tools. They knead bread by hand. They stomp grapes. Their physical activity is unconscious, but it’s done every day and integrated into their lives so seamlessly.

That is good news for those of you who want to stay in shape, but are not inclined to visit the gym or invest in a Bowflex machine. You don’t have to. Jodi Cash, integrative health coach and former director of the Wellness Center, shares some ideas on how to leverage everyday activities to get strong. Gardening, for one, offers a great workout. It provides all three types of exercise: endurance, flexibility, and strength. When you are raking, digging holes, and pruning, you can strengthen every muscle group in the body.

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Be sure to stretch first before every session in the garden. Periodically stand 8 | May-June 2017

up and stretch again.

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Alternate heavy tasks with light ones. Rake for a while, carry bags of mulch, push the wheelbarrow, prune.

• Digging a hole is one of the best strength bearing exercises. Just try it.

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You can increase your range of motion by exaggerating the raking motion or the digging motion.

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Balance your workout. Alternate the hand you rake with. Rake right-handed for 15 strokes, then left-handed for 15 strokes.

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Relish those squats as you weed and plant. You can do a deep squat with feet hip width apart and toes pointed out slightly. To give you even more stretch, plant your feet even further apart into a “sumo” stance and keep toes pointed out (always keep knees pointed in same direction as toes) • When you are ready to get up, don’t just stand. Jump. Jump up from your squat and raise your arms over your head.

•

Concentrate on deep breathing

while you work.

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On days you aren’t gardening, maintain your fitness level by going on a heart-pumping, muscle-toning walk.

Find some stairs or hills, and jog up and walk down or walk up and jog down. Get creative with it!

• Do lunges as you walk to add some strength training. Occasionally drop and do some pushups or a plank. To do a plank, assume pushup position and keep back straight. You can do planks on your hands and feet or on your elbows and feet.

Other benefits to your garden workout include the phytonutrient-rich veggies you eat and the soul-calming effect of lovely flowers.

Whether gardening or taking part in a different outdoor activity, move mindfully and consistently throughout the day as you get some fresh air. Just move. bonnie church Certified Life and Wellness Coach Author/columnist, motivational speaker Certified Trainer for TLS Weight Loss Solution

aawmag.com

Health

BEAUTY

Fabulous Skin Over 50 As spring moves into summer, we look forward to the budding and blossoming of all things and time continues to do that thing it does — move us a little further down the highway. I am excitedly looking forward to three-fourths of a century on this earth, Lord willing.

I have worked on spirit, soul, and body lo these almost 75 years and am feeling pretty grateful and overwhelmingly blessed.

Quoting the very beautiful and youthful Tina Turner, “age is just a number,” and for my ladies who are watching those numbers go by ever so briskly, I am passing a few tips to help you maintain fabulous skin after 50. To my younger ladies, I must warn you that the skin you do or don’t take care of today is the skin you will inherit later. These are just basic simple steps to keep that countenance glowing as you’re growing. Let’s get started.

1. Cleansing. Choose a cleanser for your skin type. Typically more mature skin tends to be on the dry side and requires a rich cream-based cleanser.

Thorough cleansing is key to the other steps and it is important to cleanse your face of the day’s collection of dirt and

debris, sunscreen, as well as any makeup you may be wearing. If you wear makeup I recommend two cleansings. After cleansing, rinse, rinse, rinse to remove residue, then normalize the skin with a pH toner because it restores your skin to its natural balance.

2. Exfoliation. This is a commonly neglected step but does wonders in bringing clarity to the complexion by loosening the glue that holds dry, dead skin cells together and causes your complexion to look dull. Stay away from manual scrubs, as they can be irritating to the skin. I recommend an exfoliant containing glycolic acid, which does a great job of exfoliating dead skin cells while stimulating collagen production.

3. Night Cream. Use a night cream containing retinol. Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A. It is very powerful and actively fights wrinkles like crow’s feet. I personally have had very positive results from using a retinol—smoother skin texture, fading of dark spots.

4. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

Moisturizer nourishes the skin and fights fine lines and wrinkles. Apply moisturizer to your skin while it is still damp. This

will prevent the water from evaporating.

Dab on with the pads of your fingers and gently massage into your skin with upward strokes. Never rub, pull or tug on your facial skin.

5. Special Treatments. You may incorporate products geared toward your particular issues: rosacea, hyperpigmentation, etc. Serums are highly concentrated and can be very helpful in combatting fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C, peptides, antioxidants, and Vitamin E are all very beneficial in dealing with skin issues.

6. Protect Yourself from the Sun. This is the most important step of all. Few things can wreak havoc on your skin and lead to wrinkles and other signs of aging — not to mention skin cancer — quite like exposure to the sun. Wear sunscreen when going outdoors year round, sunny or cloudy, January or July — don’t leave home without it.

You Are Forever Beautiful!

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.

May-June 2017 | 9

YOUNG AT HEART

Urban Jungle PHOTOS BY HEATHER BRANDON

Top Left: Heather discovers Bosie Tea Parlor in the West Village while out solo exploring.

Bottom Left: Heather explores the wilds of Central Park with her uncle, David.

Right: Roger always packs his black pea coat for cold weather city trips.

An acquaintance once asked me if I was a mountain girl or a beach girl. After a moment of consideration, I responded, “I think I’m a city girl.”

This does not mean that I dislike mountains or beaches; I like both. I feel the most at home; however, in an urban jungle.

I discovered this when I moved to Boston for college. Having grown up in Boone, I was at first overwhelmed by culture shock. The shock soon wore off, and the culture remained.

I learned to relish the freedom of anonymity. I walked the city streets, 10 | May-June 2017

alone but not lonely, thanks to my fellow explorers as well as the sights, sounds, and smells that were unique to Boston. I wandered through interesting and often historic neighborhoods; I sampled foods I had never before seen much less tasted; I spent leisurely hours in the city’s many museums. I traveled the city quickly and efficiently thanks to the good public transportation system.

I have since visited quite a few cities and have a long list of to-visits. Arriving in a new place, I always feel invigorated and ready to explore. That being said, surveying an urban jungle is not for the faint

of heart—first and foremost, be prepared.

Reconnoiter in Advance With all the resources available online, there is no reason to travel blind.

A little research can help you make the most of your city adventure—search out fun areas to visit, find museums or historic sites, seek out the local food scene.

Taking a walking tour early in your trip is a great way to get your bearings and identify places or things to revisit.

Dress Appropriately Dressing like the natives is the best aawmag.com

way to blend in. The ďŹ rst time Roger and I visited New York City together, I bought him a black, wool pea coat to wear instead of his puffy ski coat. He thought I was being silly until he walked the city streets and noticed the sea of pea coats. Then, he was happy to have his layer of protective camouage. And, on another note, research the dress code of places you will visit and pack accordingly.

ways to have a true cultural experience—to taste the avor of a city, if you will. I like to think of it as being a guest in someone’s home—it would be rude not to try what my host has prepared. I have never regretted being foodventerous as it has often led to delicious discoveries and many a food memory.

Approach the Natives Cautiously

Ever wonder why places are called “tourist traps?� Perhaps the natives are trying to keep tourists away from their favorite locations by providing bright, shiny, sensory-overloading distractions (I

When I say cautiously, I mean with clear intent. Hurried city folks are tired of being asked for money and/or being preached to on the merits of any number of religions. It is my experience that locals will be helpful if you are forthcoming about what you need—directions, restaurant recommendations, etc. Roger and I have discovered many a gem this way and have learned that people are happy to offer suggestions to visitors who show a genuine interest in the locale.

am looking at you, Times Square). I avoid these places in favor of quaint boutiques, lesser known museums and quirky bars.

Remember these tips and you will be ready for your next city adventure. Strap on a pith helmet and get out there. Welcome to the jungle!

Get Off the Beaten Path heather brandon Considers life to be one big anthropological ďŹ eld experience. She observes and reports.

She enjoys travel, food and wine and adventures with her husband, Roger.

Yes.

Eat Local A true traveler embraces the local cuisine, because this is one of the best

697 W K S | B , NC |

.V J LTD. | 828.264.6559

My Favorite Cities Asheville Boston New Orleans New York Portland San Francisco Savannah

To-Visits Bangkok Barcelona Cairo Chicago Lisbon London Panama City Paris San Diego (visiting in May) Vancouver

May-June 2017 | 11

Food & Drink

The Farmers Market Fix Go Local for the Perfect Summer Meal

Jason Roehrig of Tumbling Shoals Farm helps a customer at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Photo by Anna Oakes

With summer’s vibrant bounty just around the corner, take advantage of what the High Country has to offer. From local farmers stacking stands high with produce to vines growing vastly in the vineyards, you don’t have to travel far to find winners at the dinner table.

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market offers a variety of fresh flavors that are sure to satisfy your taste buds. The beauty of local fruits and vegetables is how quickly they can be prepared for an effortless picnic lunch or backyard dinner.

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market is located at 591 Horn in the West Drive.

12 | May-June 2017

The Saturday market is open May-October, 8 a.m.- noon, and in November from 9 a.m.-noon.

One farmers’ market regular is Tumbling Shoals Farm, a certified organic farm that offers organic strawberries, lettuce, scallions, and cooking greens on the farm stands in May. Come June, you can find summer squash, beets, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and blueberries. “People have been craving fresh food,” said Shiloh Avery, owner of Tumbling Shoals Farm, describing the excitement of the farmers’ market.

You can find a variety of meat selections from Against the Grain Farm at

the Watauga County Farmers’ Market.

Against the Grain Farm offers pork, beef, chicken, and turkey that is known for its excellent flavor, as well as an assortment of fresh produce and grains. Against the Grain Farm is a GMO-free farm.

Tumbling Shoals Farm, Against the Grain Farm, and other local farms offer plenty of fresh produce to whip together a complete meal this summer season.

Kacey Howard Kacey is a motivated individual, enjoying life by the smallest moments.

She enjoys shopping, eating local foods, and rooting for the Carolina Panthers! aawmag.com

Here are easy farmers market recipes that you can prepare this season. Pair your farmers’ market finds with a local wine or craft beer to complete your meal.

BLT Salad From MyRecipes.com Perfect for a picnic outdoors or chilled in the fridge, this BLT salad will satisfy your local veggie craving. Mix together romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and chopped bacon in a large bowl. Kick your salad up a notch by making homemade croutons. Toss cut up white bread, melted butter, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Place on baking sheet and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for seven to eight minutes. Add to salad with a blend of parsley and basil to complete the taste.

Drink Pairing: Grandfather Vineyard Terraced Gold 2015

Summer Veggie Pasta From MyRecipes.com An easy veggie meal that will be farm to table in a matter of minutes. Cook linguine noodles according to package. Shave zucchini and squash in to ribbon strands using a potato peeler. Add peeled vegetables with tomatoes and linguine to a bowl with a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Mix together and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Drink Pairing: Grandfather Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014

Pork Lion Medallions with Spicy Greens From MyRecipes.com In the mood for some outside grilling? Pop some pork lion medallions, that can be found from Against the Grain Farm, on the grill with some salt and pepper seasoning. Mix together oil, garlic, and chile in a small sauce pan and cook on medium heat. Get out your best presentation dish and arrange chile mixture on the bottom with the pork medallions on top. Sprinkle with Ashe County provolone cheese to complete the dish.

Drink Pairing: Banner Elk Red Wine

Roast Salmon and Broccoli with Chile-Caper Vinaigrette From Tumbling Shoals Farm This savory meal will have your taste buds craving more. Place fresh-cut broccoli florets and salmon on a baking sheet and coat with oil, salt, and pepper mixture. Roast in a 400-degree oven for roughly 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine jalapeno vinegar, salt, pepper, and capers and stir until soften. Plate dish with vinaigrette drizzled on top to finish off the flavor.

Drink Pairing: Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Boonetown Wit May-June 2017 | 13

Leisure

TRAVEL

Solo Journeys Silence, Creativity, and Letting Go I’m ready to embark on yet another solo journey. What fear the thought strikes in my heart, and yet what feelings of exhilaration! Am I crazy?

Will I be up to the challenge? To glean inspiration and courage, I look back to some of the solo journeys I’ve taken.

It’s a chilly early morning in mid-January. I drift through the central plaza of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, drinking in the thin air, inhaling the silence, feeling lost and alone. Why did I come to this writing workshop? I’m too shy to reach out and try to make friends. Feeling sad, I sit down at an outdoor cafe and order chilaquiles, scrambled egg mixed with herbs, tortilla chips, salsa, and cheese, and a chocolate. “This is delicious,” I think, relaxing a little. I pull out my journal and start to jot. An old man dressed all in white and wearing a white sombrero approaches my table, takes out his wooden flute, and breathes a clear, pure melody into the silence of the morning air. I am 14 | May-June 2017

alone, but suddenly everything is possible.

The radio music swells into Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” as my car turns into a long lane of tall red pines. Stars twinkle in the velvet-dark sky. My destination is Shabbat Shalom, a tiny cabin with a huge picture window, in the woods of the retreat center MorningStar Adventures. I build a fire in the wood stove. The picture window frames my world. For three days I huddle in silence and watch the sun crawl across the sky, as inspired words are magically poured through me into my journal. I am in just the right spot at just the right time. I am alone.

I’m relaxing on the deck of the pleasure boat Mishi Mokwa, wearing my red backpack and clutching a steaming cup of hot chocolate. We’re putt-putting toward South Manitou Island, a tiny spit of land in the middle of Lake Michigan.

A woman named Pat had told me years before about the island, a seemingly

phantom place that could not even be found on a map. And yet here I am. Within an hour I will be issued a backcountry permit allowing me to hike into a remote campground. Who knew! “Backcountry permit,” the perfect metaphor for the ultimate solitary journey. A raucous group of college students, soaked by a rainy camping overnight, and a clutch of divers en route to explore a shipwreck remind me how alone I am. I trek into Lakeshore Campground, pitch my crawl-in tent, start a fire, cook and eat my supper, and begin to scribble in my journal. The night engulfs me, and the words of the mystic hermit Maggie Ross resound, “Your silence will come and live with you.” I am in my one true place.

It’s an oppressively hot day in Pokhara, Nepal. I’m at a raptor recovery center meeting Kevin, a white hawk, and Barry, a black one, recovering from severe injury caused by toxic agricultural runoff. Besides inviting visitors to spend aawmag.com

time with the raptors, the staff wants to introduce us to the sport of hang gliding.

I’m excited but scared. We will fly with raptors, stepping off a high cliff and soaring downward toward a large lake. I will inhabit the biblical dream to “take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.” Jumping off the cliff and being cradled by the wind will be the closest I’ve ever come to letting go, the ultimate gesture of self-surrender and insight for my life, erasing all my hesitation and holding-back. Of course at the same time I’m terrified.

t s e B e h t s n o i h s a F can be found at

Then I’m told that people over 65 are not allowed to hang glide. We might break a leg on landing. Tremendous disappointment and at the same time great relief. Now that I know what the possibility is, I will be searching everywhere for a letting-go experience, the penultimate one preceding the final letting go.

I’m ready: so where to? A desert monastery? The colorful, clashing clang of South India? A frosty odyssey on Iceland’s Ring Road? Or perhaps the journey I’ve imagined the longest, a boat trip on Lake Superior to the remote wolfand-moose-populated Isle Royale? Who knows? But I’d better decide soon. The solitary journey bug is beginning to bite.

Libby’s!

205B Long St. | Shamrock Square | Jefferson, NC (336) 846-9551 | www.libbyslook.com Mon – Fri 9:30 – 6:00 | Sat. 9:30 -5:30 | Closed Sundays

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

Because of You...Celebrating 15 Years!

May-June 2017 | 15

The luxury of cool, comfortable temperatures all season long make any summer afternoon or evening perfect for a garden party in the High Country. For inspiration, Paige Ulmer of The Laurel Collective coordinated this styled shoot at Proper in Boone, painting a lovely Southern bohemian backdrop for rich conversation and a hearty summer meal.

Paige & Angela Kelly of Proper also share a few garden party pointers with All About Women readers.

Party Al Fresco PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN SHEPPARD

Focus on one element and let that inspire the rest—whether it be the food, florals, venue, or color scheme. We knew we wanted our food displayed on charcuterie boards, and we designed the rest off of that style.

16 | May-June 2017

Leisure

The table and place settings should be a focal point.

Mismatched dishes and fresh flowers are a nice touch that keep the mood relaxed and casual.

May-June 2017 | 17

Be intentional: have something specific to your guests, whether it be a nameplate, favorite wine, or playlist. When people arrive, they know you

Keep the menu simple.

Your chances of pulling it off are greater with several easy menu items than one complicated dish.

thought about them specifically beforehand.

There’s something beautifully vulnerable about allowing people into your home that you don't know well. Mix it up with some new faces—everyone craves community!

Featured Vendors Venue & Catering Proper propermeal.com Photography Megan Sheppard Photography megansheppard.com Planner & Stylist The Laurel Collective instagram.com/thelaurelcollectivenc Dinnerware Miss Match Rentals missmatchrentals.com Calligraphy Alpine Paper Co. instagram.com/alpinepaperco Clothing Lililu on King lililuonking.com Desserts Ugga Mugga Bakery uggamuggabakery.com Floral Fuschia Moss Floral Design fuschiamoss.com Table and Chair Mountain Craft Rentals mountaincraftrentals.com

18 | May-June 2017

aawmag.com

A Guide to Growing, Harvesting and Preserving 2

1

SOIL

1. Start with the right soil. Growing on a strong foundation can produce healthy, nutritious vegetables and beautiful flowers year after year. No fillers, all natural, just the good stuff. $4.50-$14.99 each: • Smart Naturals Happy Frog Soil Conditioner • Fox Farm Ocean Forest Potting Soil • Light Warrior Seed Starter • Daddy Pete's Plant Pleaser Mushroom Compost We have many more options on hand. A great selection in stock!

SEEDS

2. Starting seeds is fun and rewarding, but if time gets away, we sell beautiful, locally grown starter plants. Great plants & seeds for beginners: • Squash • Zucchini • Green Beans • Watermelon • Lettuce • Peas • Beets Bentley Seed Packets, $1 each We also have many seed stands, and the full line of Tri-Star Seeds!

3

FERTILIZER

3. We offer a full line of fertilizers, including many organic options. To keep your plants growing healthy, and free from diseases and pest, come check out our extensive organic selection. The best thing about organic options, is they actually work, and they are good for you and the environment.

• Serenade Garden Disease Control, $16.95 • Neem Oil, $7.95 • Monterey Garden Insect Spray, $16.99 • Neptunes Harvest, $10.50

CANNING

4. There's something so special about a fresh jar of homemade jam, a warm pot of green beans in the winter or a crispy pickle in the summertime. With the right canning equipment and knowledge, you can taste the flavors of any season all year.

4

• Presto 16 & 23 quart Canners • Mirror 16 & 22 quart Canners • Ball Lids • Ball Lids with Bands • Ball Blue, Green, Purple Vintage Style Pints, $8.95 • Ball Frozen Herb Starters, $13.95 • Norpro 6 Piece Caning Set, $11.95 We have a large selection of ball jars....ranging from the smallest to the biggest jars!

155 W. Slabtown Rd. • Zionville, NC • 28698 • 828.297.4488 Located at the intersection of Hwy 421

Tynecastle Highway, Banner Elk mountaineergardencenter.com Join us on Facebook

SPRING, the most amazing time of the year!

As we walk around the yard we begin to look for the faithful treasures we have enjoyed over the years past. Our smiles get bigger and bigger as we discover that our perennials and shrubs have come back to show off the beautiful colors and textures that we’ve collected over the years. Then the next day more splendor welcomes us into the garden that hadn’t been there the day before, as new leaves and blossoms appear, popping up as if they are welcoming an old friend. Our minds start exploring the future possibilities thinking oh, wow, what else do we need?

Then, the next step is to visit the team at Mountaineer Landscaping in Linville knowing that there will be new treasures everywhere that will enhance your garden. The team at Mountaineer Landscaping enjoys bringing in a colorful collection of flowers, healthy shrubs, and garden treasures for our friends. Yes, our customers visit year after year and we look forward to seeing them all! Our customers can’t wait to see what’s new and unexpected for the Spring season.

Let’s not forget that you’ll be able to find all the necessary gardening needs too. The owners of Mountaineer Landscaping, Wayne & Terry Brewer, along with their knowledgeable team are always available to assist with information, design or to install any of your gardening needs and water features too!

Let’s just sum it up, Mountaineer Landscaping might not be as high up in elevation as Grandfather Mountain, but we sure are a scenic attraction! Come see us soon and become an old friend that we see year after year.

828.733.3726 Hwy. 105 in Linville at the foot of Grandfather Mountain www.mountaineerlandscaping.com

Relationships

Watauga Children’s Council Celebrates

40 Years of Service

These women serve as the staff for the Watauga County Children’s Council. Pictured from left are Jeannie Parsons, Hunter Varipapa, Amy Crumpler, Robin Triplett, Charisse Cuthbertson, Mary Scott, Lee Marshall, Natasha Fuller, Sophie Dansereau, Lindsey Sullivan, Hellem Quivera and Crystal Kelly. Photo by Kayla Lasure

Growing from a volunteerbased organization to a non profit agency, the Watauga Children’s Council is celebrating 40 years of service in the High Country.

The Children’s Council is a group dedicated to providing services in two areas of impact: early childhood education and support for families.

“We try to provide opportunities for families and child care providers,” says Mary Scott, program and outreach coordinator. “We feel like if we can work with them to make them feel more confident and comfortable, then it’s going to greatly benefit the children and that’s what we’re all about.”

The Children’s Council got its start in December 1977 as a grassroots effort by community members, says Children’s 22 | May-June 2017

Council Executive Director Crystal Kelly.

The council started out as a volunteer-run organization putting on clothing drives for children and other community service projects.

About 18 years ago, the council received state-allocated Smart Start funding. This funding is specifically appropriated for early childhood learning for 0-5-year-olds.

Smart Start money is primarily used to provide mentoring for preschool teachers, trainings and workshops, to help childcare centers through the licensing process as well as other factors related to early childhood education, Scott says.

According to information provided by the council, the early childhood phase from infancy to 5 years of age has been found to be the most vulnerable, teach-

able and definable point in a person’s life.

There are twice as many brain synapses in a toddler as there are in adults.

With 23 percent of Watauga children living in poverty, according to the council, the organization wants to make sure every child has equal access to opportunities to learn.

“By providing a really stable childhood experience, that sets the stage for success for the whole community,” Kelly says.

The Children’s Council currently offers 22 programs that Kelly says are evidence based and have been tried and tested. Of all of these programs, all but two are free. The two programs requiring a fee are offered an a sliding scale based upon income.

One of the sliding scale programs aawmag.com

is a bilingual preschool with four get the support that I think we all Spanish-speaking students , four deserve.”

English-speaking students and a Kelly wants parents to know preschool teacher who is fluent in the council hopes to eliminate the both. The preschool — Diverse Unistigma that parenting has to be hard fied Appropriate Learning (DUAL) and that it’s OK to seek help. school — is in its trial year and is “Typically most people just repeat already taking applications for the how they were parented,” Kelly says, fall, Scott says. “instead of looking for skills you can Of these programs, six are learn and effective strategies that are intended for early child care and research based that have found that education through Smart Start. positive parenting is actually really The other 16 programs are to help good for kids.” support families who are raising One day, Kelly hopes the ChilSophie Dansereau reads a book describing colors and animals to DUAL School students at the Children’s Council office. Photo by Kayla Lasure the children. These include classes dren’s Council can one day be the such as an Adolescent Parenting hub for all things related to children program for those parents between and families. The difficulty with this, This program offers three free home ages 13 and 19, adult GED as well as EngKelly says, is funding. With only approxivisits for parents of newborn babies up lish as a Second Language classes, Circle mately 20 percent of funding coming to 12 weeks of age, Scott says. Natasha of Parents Support groups, parents yoga from local or state grants, money fluctuFuller, the coordinator for this program, classes and parenting seminar classes. ates based upon state budgets. visited Mitchell three weeks after she The Children’s Council offers free “One of my visions is that regardless brought her newborn home. child care during courses such as GED, of what’s happening outside of Watauga “She brought a meal the first time, ESL and parents yoga.

County, we have a county that supports would fold laundry, sweep or even vacuA diaper bank, as well as a selection children and families and that is shown umed my rugs one time, held my baby so of other self care items for children and through a really healthy donor base,” I could take a shower and even made sure parents, are offered to those families in Kelly says. “We need community support I had eaten,” Mitchell says. the area. A family can qualify for one free in order to continue to grow and in order During each home visit, Fuller does a pack of diapers per month with subseto reach all families.” postpartum depression screening to evalquent packs available if they participate uate the emotional state of the parents.

Kayla Lasure in other classes. Last year, Scott says “She was really the only person of all the council gave out 69,000 diapers to of the health care providers a woman sees Is a Kentucky born reporter currently living in Boone. She enjoys traveling, Watauga families. after they have a baby that asked about watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and Parents are also able to check out parmy mental state,” Mitchell says, “which I spending time with her two cats, Owen and Mushu. enting and children’s books, learning kits feel like is huge.” for children, toys and other materials.

Mitchell says Fuller came in, listened The other program on the sliding fee to her birth story and found resources scale is the Positive Parenting Program. for her through a Children’s Council This allows parents with children ages 2 program called Moms for Moms — a to teenage years to have one-on-one conpostpartum depression and anxiety supsultations with Children’s Council staff to port group. help with typical child behaviors.

“I know for me and for a lot of moms, On June 25, the Children’s Lis Mitchell, 30, of Bethel, is a mother it’s a big step when you’re feeling any council is hosting its annual of three and has recently started using a kind of postpartum distress to just leave fundraising event, Party with couple of the programs with the Chilyour house and go to a counselor or a a Purpose. The party will take dren’s Council. While she had used the doctor,” Mitchell says. “The fact that it place from 2-5 p.m. at the Green diaper bank previously, it wasn’t until the was free made me go immediately when I Park Inn in Blowing Rock. birth of her third child that she reached needed it instead of dragging my feet for The event will have music, out to the Children’s Council for extra two months and potentially feeling a lot champagne, hors d’oeuvres and support. worse.” silent and live auctions. Tickets “A lot of times we may feel societal One of the things Mitchell says she are $40 and can be purchased pressure to have it all together because appreciated about the council is how supfrom the Children’s Council office we’ve already had a baby before so we portive and non-judgmental they were. located at 225 Birch St., No. 3 in must know how to handle everything,” “Their role is not to come in and tell Boone. Tickets can also be purMitchell says. “For me, on my third time, I you you’re doing anything wrong or tell chased on the Children’s Council you you should be doing something in a knew that it was OK to ask for help.” website at thechildrenscouncil.org. different way, but rather to support you Mitchell started taking part in a proin whatever it is that you need,” Mitchell gram the council offers called Nurtured says. “It lets more and more families Beginnings.

Party with a Purpose on June 25

May-June 2017 | 23

Relationships

MOM’S WORLD

Opt Outside With one of the mildest winters in recent years and teasing high temps as early as February, this spring has come upon us without much fanfare. Yet, despite a milder winter, it still often seems instinctual to go into hibernation mode physically and emotionally. Many people cozy up with a movie or book, our kids get drawn into their iPads and video games, and the season can become an excuse for inactivity. Of course, there are those winter sports such as wrestling and basketball that can keep children active despite cold weather.

But getting outside has benefits beyond fitness.

Growing up, I remember living outside. I had a house of course, but it was much more of a place where I slept or went when there was extreme rain or snow. Otherwise, my friends and I were riding bikes, making up games, going down our back hill and around local creeks, walking to penny candy stores, and generally finding ways of occupying ourselves with our imaginations and the outdoors. Being outside was the given, while staying indoors was the exception.

It reminds me of D.B. Johnson’s children’s book, “Henry Builds a Cabin,” based on the true story in which the main character—Henry David Thoreau—builds his house. He and his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, another transcendental writer of the mid-19th century, construct the walls from 12 trees on his property in Concord, Massachusetts.

Using re-purposed bricks, windows, and wood and the grunt-work of his friends, he completes the cabin for only 28 dollars and 12.5 (yes half) cents. While touring the property with Thoreau, Emerson comments at each stopping point about what the cabin lacks: that it seems too 24 | May-June 2017

small in which to eat, too dark to read in, too small to dance in—to which Thoreau replies, “it’s bigger than it looks.” With his feet draped over the windowsill just barely into the house, and his body spilling outside, Thoreau eats beans in his dining room (his garden), reads in his library (beneath a tree in the sun), and dances along his ballroom with the grand stairway (the path leading to his pond).

Sometimes, adults really need to follow the lead of our children and soak in the beauty of this mountainous environment we call home.

After enjoying each of these elements to his new cabin, which were clearly outside of his cabin, Thoreau runs back indoors when it begins to rain at the close of the book, with the happy comment back to his friend, “It’s bigger than it looks...this is just the room I wear when it’s raining!”

Oh, if in all our comforts of our modern day homes, we could all periodically stop and re-think our obsession with having larger and larger spaces within which to hold our possessions and instead return to embracing the amazing wonders of our world outdoors. There is something about stopping and listening

to the birds, the frogs, the wild turkeys, even the coyotes. Hiking is a phenomenal way to connect with nature and oneself.

With all my dedication to being a runner, sometimes I am too focused on it being my main sport and means of getting exercise. Hiking some of the many trails off of the Blue Ridge Parkway or taking a nice walk on the Greenway, you can still get a great cardiovascular work-out, as I have learned while nursing a pulled hamstring.

I have often admired my friend Julian, who will frequently post his most recent hikes and overnight excursions with his daughters on Facebook with the hashtag #optoutside, and who, many years after his involvement with NOLS courses (National Outdoor Leadership School), has continued to also enjoy trekking 25-50 miles solo with his backpack whenever he has an extra few days to a week off from teaching computer coding in Durham.

Heading outdoors can be a muchneeded stress reliever. If unplugged (sometimes with parental assistance), kids naturally have a gravitational pull to the outdoors—whacking trees with branches, burying plastic army men in mock trenches, leading offensive marches against the enemy (generally the other brother and friends), and examining salamanders, snakes, and whatever bugs cross their path.

Sometimes, adults really need to follow the lead of our children and soak in the beauty of this mountainous environment we call home. It’s bigger than it looks.

heather jordan, CNM, MSN Comments or questions?

828.737.7711, ext. 253 landh@localnet.com

aawmag.com

, s e r u t n e v d A e l t t Li Big Family Fun

Feature

A celebratory shot of the High Country Microadventurers Club, following their windy ascent of Snake Mountain.

Photo by David Brewer

The High Country Microadventurers Club Hits The Trail On a blustery early spring Saturday in the High Country, a small but enthusiastic band of parents and kids tighten up their shoe laces, strap on their backpacks, sip from their water bottles and cluster in front of their group leader for a brief talk before embarking on their impending expedition: a one-mile trek up the steep north ridge of Snake Mountain.

Judging strictly by appearances, the crew looks no different from any other group of weekend hikers. This particular band of revelers, however, are part of the High Country Microadventurers Club—a fun-loving group of friends and acquaintances led by local outdoor enthusiast Jon Wells—who are embracing a new movement that encourages people of all

ages to recreate outside, even if it’s just for a little while.

The term microadventure has been popularized in recent years by British adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Winner of National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year award, Humphreys has spent years cycling, canoeing and hiking the globe, experiencing the world in ways that most people can only dream. Understanding that such epic jaunts were, for most average people, simply not possible, Humphreys began trekking around his home country on shorter, more affordable and less strenuous outings. Thus, the microadventure was born.

“A microadventure is an adventure

that is short, simple, local, cheap—yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding,” Humphreys said in a video on his website. “As the world’s population becomes increasingly urbanized, busy, and stuck in front of a screen, microadventures offer a realistic escape to wilderness, simplicity, and the great outdoors, without the need to ski to the South Pole or go live in a cabin in Patagonia. The appeal of microadventures is that they make adventure accessible to people who may have very little outdoor experience.”

The idea for the High Country Microadventurers Club was hatched in early

May-June 2017 | 25

Spending time outdoors teaches them about nature, its beauty, the importance of protecting it, it keeps them active, away from screens and connected to others.

Unplugged and away from screens, kids enjoy each other’s company while adventuring in early April.

Photo by Jon Wells

- RACHEL SHINNAR

spring 2016 during a hike Wells put together to Grassy Ridge Bald in the Roan Highlands with a few other families.

“I was getting a group picture and I just thought, ‘This is it. We’re just going to take it from here,’” Wells said. “I always post pictures of the trips and folks were always saying how much fun it looked and they want to go the next time. Then the next time would roll around and I’d forget to invite this person or that family and always felt terrible about leaving people out. The easiest thing to do was to create a group and add all my Facebook friends in the High Country—around 200 to begin with.”

The High Country Microadventurers Club Facebook

Kid-friendly Outdoor Activities

Looking for things to get your kids off the couch and on the move? Here are a handful of activities with young adventurers in mind.

26 | May-June 2017

page has flourished, and currently has more than 300 members posting family-friendly happenings throughout the area. From kids’ triathlons, mountain biking events, fundraisers, and more, it serves as a great reference for those looking to take greater advantage of our region’s ample outdoor happenings.

Wells noted the challenges of squeezing in adventures in the midst of already-busy schedules packed with soccer games, girl scouts, school trips and myriad other obligations. With less time planning and executing, members of the group are happy to fit in some precious time on the trail, or wherever their latest adventure takes them.

High Country Kids Triathlon

Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m. to noon Watauga Swim Complex, Boone Kids 15 and under are encouraged to come swim, bike and run. Relay teams are welcome. Helmets are required for biking, and adults can assist in the transition area. Proceeds go to support the Hospitality House and OASIS. For registration information and prices, visit the High Country Kids Triathlon Facebook page, or contact Penny Bagley at 828-355-9832 or pennie_bagley@hotmail.com.

Kiddo Fishing Derby

Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m. to noon Lake Coffey, Beech Mountain Kids ages 12 and under are invited to compete for special prizes in the Biggest Fish and Heaviest Fish categories, among others. No fishing license is required, and the event is free to enter. There are also a limited number of free fishing rods available from the town for use at the event.

For more info, call 828-387-3003. aawmag.com

After squeezing through the locked gate at the Snake Mountain trail head, Wells and the group are on the move. A few enthusiastic young hikers quickly move to the front of the pack, while others sprawl along the trail, stopping frequently to inquire how much farther to the top. Brothers and sisters tease each other while parents do their best to keep the group moving in the face of stiff spring winds. With nearby Elk Knob and Three Top Mountain looming, the views offered along the trail are frequently stunning.

Along the way, Wells and the group encounter a young couple descending the ridge. As it turns out, the pair are recent transplants from Georgia and learned about the hike through the group’s Facebook page. Wells and others exchange pleasantries with the couple, encouraging them to stay in touch and join them for another outing in the near future, to which they enthusiastically agree.

Charlotte native Matt Bagley and his family are regulars with the High Country Microadventurers Club. With planned activities taking up much of their weekend time, Bagley and his family enjoy taking advantage of the club’s short outings.

After a cloudy hike up Snake Mountain, the views on top are spectacular in all directions. Photo by Jon Wells

“Kids today spend more time than ever inside and in front of various electronic screens and devices. A common complaint among my fellow parents is how to get them away from these addictive devices. It’s a struggle,” Bagley said. “With our schedules, it’s hard to coordinate a lot and expect much. Therefore, the impromptu nature of the Facebook group is perfect for those that are ready for just about anything. For me, it’s about getting outside, getting some exercise and catching up with friends. Our kids will remember these adventures; they won’t remember the screen time.”

Group member David Bryan has been friends with Wells and others for years, and has embraced the family-friendly, strength-in-numbers philosophy.

“I knew Jon and many of the other folks before the group was officially named,” Bryan said. “We all noticed early on that our kids did a lot better at activities such as hiking if they had other kids there, too. It was a great fit because less whining means that the adults enjoy it more, as well. The group is a great way to get friends and kids outside and take advantage of this amazing area that we are fortunate enough to call home.”

An ASU professor and mother of two, Rachel Shinnar has embraced the High Country Microadventurers Club’s mission to get outside.

“The I reason I joined the group was at first for social reasons; to spend time outdoors with other like-minded families,” Shinnar said. “Through our activities with the group, we have formed stronger ties with others in the community—both myself and my children. I am a strong believer in living a lifestyle that is respectful of the environment. Spending time outdoors teaches them about nature, its beauty, the importance of protecting it, it keeps them active, away from screens and connected to others. I am grateful for being part of this group.”

Upon reaching the Snake summit, the group is greeted by a band of their fellow Microadventurers who arrived earlier in the day. Kids who previously struggled through portions of the hike find a new burst of energy, as the youngest adventurers explore the mountain’s craggy peak. Some will make camp for the evening, while others will take a few pictures and mix with friends old and new before descending prior to sunset.

“I guess the ethos or mission of our group is to get outdoors with an emphasis on adding a little bit more to the usual outdoor experience,” Wells said. “Watch a sunset, but hike to the top of the mountain to see it, and then hike down after dark by headlamp. Or better yet, spend the night on the mountain under the stars and catch the next morning’s sunrise.

Honestly, no matter what we’re doing, as long as I’m surrounded by good, positive, adventurous friends, David Brewer then that’s a successful and When he’s not performing on stage memorable microadventure.”

with one of his many musical projects, bartending at Boone Saloon, organizing a music festival, or hanging with his family, David Brewer is trying to sleep. Shhhhhhh.

New River Canoe Race

Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Zaloo’s Canoes, West Jefferson Join the fun on the banks of the New River in Ashe County. Divisions range from novice to expert, with the addition of the most popular Family Float (kayaks are welcome, too). The race starts at Zaloos Canoes and finishes at New River State Park Wagoner Access. Boats can be registered until 1 p.m. Proceeds support the State Parks in the High Country area. For more info, call 1-800-535-4027.

Kids Mountain Bike Camp

July 24-28 Rocky Knob Park, Boone The Boone Area Cyclists are offering the second annual Kids Mountain Bike Camp this summer at Rocky Knob Park in Boone. Children between ages 6 and 12 will learn how to be confident, safe riders while enjoying the challenge of physical fitness. Campers will be trained by B.A.C. members trained in leading group rides. Lunch and snacks will be provided. For more info or to register, click to www.booneareacyclists.org.

May-June 2017 | 27

Ladies Who Live for Life Outside

Feature

Asa Seldomridge, Kelly McCoy and Finn McCoy float on the New River near Todd.

Kelly McCoy RiverGirl, Angler, Eco-educator PHOTOS BY CAROLINE LAWSON

Being around Kelly McCoy, founder and owner of RiverGirl Fishing Company in Todd, is like getting a vitamin B12 shot. She’s full of energy no matter the topic of conversation, but when she talks about local rivers and the life beneath the surface, you’ve hit a gold mine of energy and information.

While owning and operating RiverGirl is Kelly’s dream job, she started college thinking she wanted to be an FBI agent. When she realized after two courses that law enforcement was not the path for her, Kelly’s dad wisely suggested she take an aquaculture course since she liked to fish, had numerous aquariums,

and even had a waterbed in her room.

Clearly, fish and water were a theme for this gal.

“The only thing I was thinking at the time,” Kelly admits, “was that I had to do something in college [because] I was the first person in my family to go. So, I took aquaculture because I love playing with fish, getting dirty, and just hanging out.” After a roommate suggested she look into the fishery science program at Mississippi State University, Kelly finally found her path. “That’s what I did,” she says smiling, “and ever since then I have gone with the flow of what was easiest and made me happy.” Just like water, right?

Following college, Kelly landed a job with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission as a marine biologist.

Although she enjoyed the job, Kelly and her then-partner visited the High Country a few times, fell in love with the area, and wanted to live here. “We’d go back to hot Florida and couldn’t wait to get back to the mountains! I just had this strong yearning to come back up here, so we made a five-year plan and were able to move up to Todd in July 2005.”

In hindsight, even though Kelly couldn’t find a job here for almost a year, her life continued flowing into place.

May-June 2017 | 29

I don’t want to be an outfitter that just grabs people, shoves them on the river and says, ‘cha-ching.’

- Kelly McCoy

“I spent the first year taking pottery classes at Doe Ridge Pottery, taking a taxidermy class, and going through nine artificial inseminations that resulted in our eight-year-old son, Finn. I [later] separated from my partner, but I now have been married to the love of my life, Renata, for two years.” Also around that time, RiverGirl began to form — slowly but surely.

“I couldn’t find a job and didn’t know what to do,” Kelly explains. “I wanted to do exactly what I’m doing now; I just didn’t know it yet, and I didn’t know if I could. But it just started really slowly. I opened it above the bakery in Todd in, basically, a closet space with a desk to tie flies and build rods, a little area for fishing lures, and a 200-gallon fish tank.

I named it RiverGirl because that was my nickname at Mississippi State. The grad students would ask which undergrads wanted to go out with them to set nets to catch fish, camp out, and get really grubby, and I always wanted to go, so they called me River Girl.”

After Kelly moved the business into the old train depot building in the heart of the community, what began as a place to teach fly fishing and sell “fish stuff ” organically grew to provide boats, river tubes, and bicycles to customers as well as to teach them about our rivers and the ecological treasures in them.

Education, in fact, is the heart and soul of RiverGirl Fishing Company. “For example,” Kelly excitedly explains, “I have a hellbender in a tank in the shop named Scotty. They are also known as a snot otter, and they are an endangered salamander that is our ‘canary in the coal mine,’ if you will. If they are dying in the rivers and creeks, we know there’s something wrong in our water. Their populations are declining because of pollutants in the water and because when fishermen catch

one and it thrashes around, it scares them and they kill it.”

And while Kelly seeks to impart her love of the local waters and critters to her customers, ultimately, she and RiverGirl aim for all-around fun in, on, and around the water.

“I don’t want to be an outfitter that just grabs people, shoves them on the river and says, ‘cha-ching,’” Kelly says. “What’s so special to me is that I have kids that come up after a trip down the river, tug on my shorts, and say, ‘Thank you, River Girl. This is the coolest thing we did with my parents all summer.’”

RiverGirl Fishing Company is open from April 1 to November 1. For more information on events like Trashy Tuesday or Wine Down Wednesday, visit rivergirlfishing.com or call 336-877-3099.

Yozette ‘Yogi’ Collins

‘Siblings’ Tater Todd and Pepper the Pig are regulars at RiverGirl. Photo by Lindsey Hynes

Mom, television producer/writer, and obsessive internet researcher. Though her name suggests otherwise, she is not (yet) an actual yogi.

May-June 2017 | 31

Feature

Erin Savage Whitewater Kayaker, Activist, Adventure Traveler

Green River in NC. Photo by Chris Gragtmans

Erin Savage’s love affair with whitewater didn’t start in a kayak in Appalachia, doing freestyle tricks on class five rapids — it started in a raft with her grandfather.

Savage grew up in Pullman, Washington, and in the summers, her grandfather would take her on road trips throughout the Northwest, where they would go whitewater rafting. After college, she traveled all over the world, and found herself in Uganda, where she learned to take a different type of vessel onto whitewater.

She was staying in a hostel near the White Nile when some bunkmates encouraged her to try whitewater kayaking.

32 | May-June 2017

“They told me that if I wanted to learn, that I should do it there,” Savage said.

Savage ended up staying a couple extra weeks so she could learn, calling the White Nile “a friendly, safe place” without the presence of a lot of rocks — or hippos and crocodiles. She went out on the water with local outfitters, who taught her the basics, like which strokes to use and how to balance.

“It was a really friendly introduction, which I think was really helpful to me in the long run,” Savage says.

After her travels, Savage landed in Boone, where she lived for five years until recently relocating to Mills River with

her husband. Being in the mountains has allowed her to further her skills on the water.

“Boone was really crucial in my development as a class 4 and 5 kayaker — a more skilled kayaker — because Boone has the Watauga River, specifically the Watauga Gorge.

“Watauga is one of my all-time favorite rivers — if not my favorite river.”

Savage describes the Watauga as “moderately challenging,” but not dangerous. For her, it’s been a place to learn and grow as a kayaker — even doing freestyle moves, which are performed on a shorter boat and consist of things like spinning aawmag.com

‘

It was just one of those trips where everything came together really well — great people, great whitewater, and amazing location.

- Erin Savage

’

The Valin River in Quebec. Photo by Toby MacDermott May-June 2017 | 33

White Nile River in Uganda. Photo by Laura Farrell

around and doing somersaults with the kayak. “It’s a good way to challenge yourself,” she says. “You really learn how the hydraulics works.” But so far, the most challenging thing Savage has undertaken was competing in the Green River Narrows Race, which she did for the first time two years ago. The Green River has class 5 rapids, two of which are required in the race. One in particular, referred to as “the Gorilla,” is particularly difficult toward the end of the race route, Savage said.

“Just getting together the mental preparation to do that race and train for it and run Gorilla each day and then run the race in front of a bunch of spectators is definitely the most challenging thing I’ve done.”

In addition to challenging her, whitewater kayaking also takes Savage on new adventures. So far, the sport has brought her to Nepal, Quebec, and Ecuador to test the waters. Quebec has been her favorite.

She went with a group of close friends, who traveled by car and slept there as well, chasing the whitewater. “It was just one of those trips where everything came together really well — great people, great whitewater, and amazing location,” Savage said.

Despite all the traveling she’s done, 34 | May-June 2017

Watauga remains one of her favorite rivers to paddle, and one of her favorite spots to spot wildlife. In Uganda, she saw “an amazing bird population” of dozens of species in bright colors, and in Canada she had frequent run-ins with moose, but still nothing matched the fauna of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Most of the best wildlife I’ve seen has been right here in North Carolina,” she said. “You definitely can run into beavers, otter, and even black bears.”

Savage’s love of nature runs deep, and her passion for water stretches into her professional life, too. Savage works for Boone-based environmental organization Appalachian Voices. She was drawn to the organization after learning about mountaintop coal removal mining while in graduate school, but most of her work today focuses on clean water.

Additionally, traveling to coal country means even more new kayak routes, like the Russell Fork on the Virginia-Kentucky border, and the Gauley and New Rivers in West Virginia.

“I have a personal connection there for wanting to improve water quality for myself, for selfish reasons as well as for all the other reasons — ecological reasons and reasons that communities that live

there need clean water,” Savage said.

For people getting started in the sport, Savage offered some advice: take lessons, and start slow.

“My advice would be that kayaking can be a difficult sport to get into; it can be cold and it can be scary. First, go out and pay for a lesson — or five — with a reputable outfitter who can get you into some gear and give you real instruction.

From there, try to get integrated with good groups.”

Laney Ruckstuhl Laney Ruckstuhl is a former Watauga Democrat reporter who left the mountains for the big city in order to pursue her love of journalism. She is attending Boston University, where she is a reporter for the school’s radio station and an editor for the college paper.

aawmag.com

Feature

Curly Perzel Triple Crown Thru-Hiker, Redliner, Peak-Bagger

Curly Perzel enjoys a hike at Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, where she also volunteers. Photo by Caroline Lawson

Above the tree line, there’s nowhere to hide.

High atop the mountains, there are no trees and few plants—only rough, rocky terrain. Allmuth “Curly” Perzel was aware of the dangers of severe weather in this environment, but, pushing herself to log more miles on the Continental Divide Trail, she miscalculated. One of the Rockies’ notorious thunderstorms came crashing in, and she found herself huddled under a sleeping pad, pelted by unrelenting hail and wondering if she would survive.

Amid a five-inch-deep field of hail, Curly, of Ashe County, would emerge from this challenging experience and many others on her path to becoming one of only about 500 people in the world to achieve the Triple Crown of longdistance hiking: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the formidable Continental Divide Trail.

Curly is originally from Germany, where she did a lot of hiking, but on very flat terrain. After moving to the United States, Curly read about the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail in a National Geo-

graphic book, thinking to herself, “I’m going to hike that one day.” Thru-hiking the AT, which traverses the mountains from Georgia to Maine, is a mighty accomplishment in and of itself. Carrying everything you need—food, shelter, water, clothing—on your back for six months requires careful planning, as well as physical and mental fortitude. Only one in four who attempt the AT complete it, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

May-June 2017 | 35

‘

If you want to achieve a goal, you do what it takes.

When I approach a mountain, I’m going to do it. I’m going to get there. I like to challenge my life with new experiences.

- Curly Perzel

’

Photo by Caroline Lawson

The Perzels lived in Connecticut and often vacationed at a cottage in Maine. There, Curly was introduced to the White Mountains in Maine and New Hampshire—and, thanks to her husband George, her first experience hiking above tree line. Curly’s hiking career nearly ended before it began. “I’d never done anything like that,” she says. “And when I came to the granite dome … it was so tricky, I said, ‘I’m not going to do this.’ And he kept coaxing me to do it, and he was successful. I Curly has hiked all of the trails in the White overcame my fear, and the rest is Mountain Guide Book. Photos submitted history.”

In 1986, Curly decided to test herself alone, but I did,” Curly says. on the AT. Knowing very little about longShe finished the trek on distance hiking, she spent about a week October 8, having endured on a tough section in the Whites. “We “terrible” conditions in the drank water out of the stream, we had a Mojave Desert, drenching heavy tent, a t-shirt for every day — it was rains, rattlesnakes on the almost comical,” she recalls. “That was a trail, injuries, and fields of wake-up call.” She spent the next six years snow in the Sierras. studying, preparing, and day-hiking all “I thought that was across the state of New Hampshire. the end of my long-disOn March 25, 1992, her northbound tance hiking,” she recalls. The Perzels rejourney began, first with two other womtired, and in 1999 they relocated to North en: “We were teaching each other what to Carolina. Then, in 2002, Curly agreed to do. It was because of them I gained my join a friend on the New Mexico section strength and confidence.” She later parted of the Continental Divide Trail, a 3,100ways and hiked on her own, but on the mile path, again from Mexico to Canada, AT, she says, you’re never alone for very but this time through the Rocky Mounlong. She was 51 years old on September tains. That was supposed to be it — until 20, when she felt as if she was sprintshe met Anneliese, a Colorado resident ing to a finish at Mount Katahdin. “Your who offered to hike another section with adrenaline is flowing … I just flew up that Curly. mountain, and it was the most beautiful The importance of hiking the CDT day.” with a partner cannot be overstated, Curly didn’t immediately turn to the Curly says. Here, unlike the AT, you don’t peaks of the West. Three years went by, encounter many people on the trail. It’s and one day, on a weekly hike with the incomplete and lacking blazes in some Appalachian Mountain Club, discussion areas, requiring the use of binoculars turned to the Pacific Crest Trail, which to scout the next trail posts across vast, runs 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, sprawling prairies. It’s the territory of through desert, alpine ridges, and tempergrizzlies and mountain lions. So, over the ate rain forest. “My husband said, ‘You course of several years, Curly and Anhike one more of these trails, I’ll divorce neliese would reunite and complete the you,’” Curly jokes. This would be very CDT in sections. different from the AT, where her husband “Our partnership was the best of all and friends were able to provide support the people I hiked with, and the wonderalong the trail. She planned the hike, ful part is we are still friends,” Curly says. which began April 27, 1996, with two partShe found others to join her on sections ners, but one woman dropped out at the Anneliese had already completed, includstart. In California, Curly separated from ing a friend who would hike one week her other hiking partner, chalking it up to with her each year, and she hiked a few “human drama.” “I shouldn’t have hiked parts solo. Her husband provided resup-

ply support during the last two years. Curly and Anneliese both completed the CDT and earned the Triple Crown in 2009. Curly was 69.

“If you want to achieve a goal, you do what it takes,” she attests. “When I approach a mountain, I’m going to do it. I’m going to get there. I like to challenge my life with new experiences.”

Now in her 70s, Curly isn’t done setting goals for herself—though she bristles when someone asks her, “What’s next?” After she finished the Triple Crown, she had a hip replacement (“I was very lucky I was able to finish,” she says), and she has continued hiking. Last year she completed “Redlining,” which is hiking all the trails in the Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide Book. It was a 46-year venture, as she already had many of the trails under her belt. For the third year, she is hiking Mount Washington this summer to raise money for the mountain’s observatory. And she’s now attempting what is known as “peak-bagging,” with a goal of reaching all summits above 4,000 feet in the Whites in her 70s.

“If I don’t get it, it’s not the end of the world,” she says.

Locally, she enjoys treks with the Blue Ridge Hiking Club, volunteer trail maintenance for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and giving talks on her adventures.

Weightlifting, stretching, core exercises, and yoga help her stay fit.

“I like to earn every day because you’re working hard,” she says. “You can’t really express what it does to your mind, body, and spirit, even on bad days.”

Anna Oakes Editor, All About Women

May-June 2017 | 37

Feature

Doris Taylor Greene A Lifetime of Faith, Family, and Community in Newland PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Doris Taylor Greene and her family have been fixtures in the town of Newland for many years.

Nestled in a corner of Newland’s city limits, Doris Greene enjoys listening to the babbling creek that cuts through her front yard, watching the surrounding mountains change with the seasons, and recalling the memories she’s made in a place she loves.

Born in 1928, Doris has lived in this area for 88 years. The only child of Fred and Laura Taylor, Doris grew up hunting, fishing, camping, and making apple butter with her extended family. Her dad owned and ran one of the first gas stations and garages in town, and he built many of the buildings still standing in town, with rock work as his signature.

She worked at her parents’ used furniture store in Newland, which today houses the Yellow Mountain Treasure Box. Doris loved school and excelled in her studies. Her favorite class was home economics with teacher Ruby Hampton, who was “pleasant, interesting, and outgoing.” As valedictorian for Newland High School’s 1945 class, Doris delivered a speech titled “America First” in which she challenged her peers to believe in them38 | May-June 2017

selves and in their country. After high school, Doris was awarded a scholarship to Milligan College, where she lived on campus and returned home on weekends.

She began dating Julian Forbes Greene of Linville, four years her senior, during her last years in high school.

When he joined the army to fight in WWII, letters back and forth across the sea kept them connected.

May 15, 1944 My Dearest Darling, I got two letters from you today and you can bet your life I was one of the happiest boys in camp!

When Julian was wounded in France, he faithfully wrote to Doris from the army hospital in which he was kept for six months. Later he was transferred to a hospital in Swannanoa. From there he wrote: April 11, 1945 ….I have turned in all the clothes except the ones they let me bring with me.

I will probably be leaving by Saturday.

It doesn’t seem real and I can’t believe it until I get the discharge in my hand. I will be one more happy man (boy).

Upon his return in June 1946, and following her first year of college, Doris and Julian were married. Making their home on Shady Street in Newland — in a rock house built by her father that still stands today — Doris and Julian started their family, which grew to include Fredda, Jay, and Dudley. With Doris’ parents, they also opened Greene and Taylor Nurseries, which combined landscaping services with the business of selling shrubbery, Christmas trees, and flowers.

“It was an icon on Highway 181 coming into Newland,” says Doris’ daughter Fredda Greer, noting that Linville Cove Apartments now occupies the site. “The business supported the mountain way with its main sale items being collected and mountain-grown native plants. Many mountain families were supported by selling their shrubbery to Greene and Taylor.”

Doris says she “enjoyed working with aawmag.com

plants, tracking the seasons through flowers, and traveling up and down the East Coast on business trips with my husband.” After the last of her children were in school, she joined the business as bookkeeper until it closed. After the deaths of her parents and Julian, Doris and the children ran the business, which lasted more than 50 years before it closed.

Soon after Doris was married, she was asked to serve as a substitute teacher at Newland Elementary. Doris added this to her list of jobs and substituted regularly in every grade for several years. Her work also extended beyond the classroom and the nursery to include that of “neighborhood mom.” Doris’ house was where all the neighborhood children wanted to be — she gave out popsicles on hot afternoons, loaded the kids up to visit Blowing Rock and Morganton’s swimming pools, and she “had the best yard for playing tag!”

She is a lifetime member of Newland First Baptist, where she was the founder of a 40- to 50-member choir that she directed for 25 years. “She had a couple of solos she was known for: ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ and ‘The Holy City,’” Fredda recalls. Doris also led VBS for several years and was the women’s Sunday school teacher until recently.

She served the broader community, too, as a member of the Newland Planning Board and other committees.

Although Doris has spent her life in Newland, she has traveled all over the world. She visited the battlefield where her husband was wounded in Europe.

Doris has also spent time in the Swedish Alps, Israel, and Egypt. She has enjoyed going on a Disney cruise and visiting Niagara Falls with her daughter and grandchildren. Of all the places she’s been, Doris says, “Switzerland was my favorite because of the mountains.”

Though eager to see the world and experience new things, Doris says, “I was always ready to come home. I have been here all my life, and I have never wanted to be anywhere else.” Doris loves “all things mountain”: the seasons, the people, canning, and gardening. She also enjoys each moment spent with her six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Left: Doris’ and Julian’s wedding clothes.

Below: Doris and Julian corresponded by letter while Julian was away at war.

During her 88 years, Doris has lived through blizzards and floods, and she has seen many changes occur in Newland.

The dirt roads and the open fields of her childhood are now paved roads with businesses and houses. “Newland has grown,” she says. “There are more tourists. There is more diversity, and there is a better quality of life here now.”

Doris’ life has continued to teach her the truth found in her favorite Bible verse: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). For a student, young mother, business owner, and citizen, she says, “this is advice that works.”

Doris’ perfect day would be one in which she was surrounded by all of her

family, enjoying a meal together. There would be pleasant temperatures and lots of sunshine. Her family would be eager to taste her famous coconut cream pie and indulge in delicious “country cooking.”

Doris Taylor Greene has spent a lifetime caring for her community, her family and her church. Her ideas, ingenuity, and dedication have greatly enhanced her world. With the green thumb she developed as a nursery owner, she has used the same skills to cultivate and enrich the community of Newland.

Hollie Greene Hollie Greene is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the mountains of North Carolina.

May-June 2017 | 39

Feature

Fresh Faces at the Farm Supply Leslie Miller Finds ‘Perfect Fit’ at Longtime Family Business PHOTOS BY KACEY HOWARD

As a farmer, businesswoman, and mom, Leslie Miller represents the next generation of a small town family business.

Miller’s Farm Supply has been serving the High Country since 1955 and is a hub of activity in the Zionville community.

Leslie’s parents, Terri and David Miller, took over the store from her grandparents in 1977. Since then, Leslie, her sister Jennifer, and her parents have been operating the store. “With a family business, you have multiple hats,” says Leslie.

A native of the Boone area, Leslie attended Appalachian State University for hospitality and tourism management.

It wasn’t until after high school and into college when Leslie got more involved with the family business. “They never told me you have to run the store, but it’s been in my family for so long, it’s something I really enjoy,” Leslie says. After college, Leslie traveled to Sudan to teach English and help with farming and gardening techniques. While in Sudan, Leslie met up with a friend who worked with an orphanage. Leslie got involved with the orphanage helping women with their living conditions and sponsoring children.

“I learned a lot more myself than I could ever teach,” Leslie says.

After four months, Leslie returned to the United States to work full time for her family business. Since then, Leslie has developed many relationships with frequent customers in the shop. “I always look forward to going into work,” Leslie says. “I enjoy getting to see the customers and helping them.”

Leslie got married in 2013 and now has a 15-month-old-son, Titus. Leslie said the farm supply is in his blood, as he is obsessed with tractors and cows. “People 40 | May-June 2017

aawmag.com

call him the future CEO,” Leslie says.

Today, Miller’s Supply is growing quickly. After relocating in 2004, Leslie says they are looking to expand. Spring is the busiest season for the store, Leslie said. Miller’s Supply has made an effort to keep up with both the older and newer generation in the products they stock. In the past four years, Leslie says she has had many customers ask for organic options. “I learn a lot talking with customers,” says Leslie.

People of the community look forward to the Miller’s Supply calendar given out

every year at Christmas. The calendar is free of charge to customers and includes planting tips throughout the year. “It’s something that your grandparents look at and plant by,” Leslie says.

For the future, Leslie hopes she and her sister can relieve their parents of the farm supply store so they can retire.

Leslie said Miller’s supply will continue to expand its products and offerings in order to serve the community.

When stopping in the store today, located off U.S. 421 near the North Carolina- Tennessee state line, you can

say hello to the store cat, Diddo, and pick up your home and garden needs without having to go into town.

Leslie has dedicated herself to her family business while upholding traditional business values. “There are a lot of things I could have done, but this is just the perfect fit,” she says.

Kacey Howard Kacey is a motivated individual, enjoying life by the smallest moments.

She enjoys shopping, eating local foods, and rooting for the Carolina Panthers!

Leslie and son Titus enjoy a visit from a furry friend at Miller’s Farm Supply, a family business in Zionville.

Leslie’s Gardening Tips After spending years in the garden herself, Leslie Miller offers some tips for the home gardener.

1. Growing food is easier than you think it is. When it comes to growing foods in your at-home garden, stick to the basics, Leslie says. The easiest veggies to grow are squash and zucchini. Leslie suggests waiting till Mother’s Day to fully plant your garden.

2. Take a soil sample. Soil sampling is testing your soil before you plant your garden to know what amendments you need to add. Leslie recommends taking a soil sample to the Watauga Extension off of King Street. Adding nutrients to your soil will help your plants’ growth.

3. Grow organic. A trend across younger-generation farmers is growing organic.

Organic gardening is all-natural gardening without adding any harmful chemicals. Many farmers in the High Country are making the switch to organic farming.

4. Try container gardening. Container gardening is ideal for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time. Container gardening is easy to maintain because plants are potted in some sort of container rather than the ground. Container gardening can also be used to display your plants around your house.

5. Start a chicken coop. Maintaining a chicken coop is relatively easy and inexpensive.

More and more people love the idea of growing their own food and having their own chicken eggs. Chickens are also beneficial to your home garden because they eat the pests that prey on plants.

May-June 2017 | 41

Style

Fashionista PHOTOS BY CAROLINE LAWSON

From sassy to sophisticated, a local woman’s sense of style is highlighted by All About Women.

ANNA ROSEMAN is a Boone resident and the owner of Anna Banana’s in downtown Boone.

Style : Simple yet edgy. I love classic lines and colors, with added layers and distressed denim, and I always top it off with a pair of big earrings.

Anna enjoys a cup of coffee in her kitchen surrounded by her adored houseplants.

Fashion inspiration :

My employees always inspire me. I love to see them break a trend, push the edge and empower our customers to do the same. I look up to anyone that takes a risk to wear what they love regardless of what others may think.

aawmag.com

Anna, in her home where most of the behind-the-scenes work of Anna Banana’s takes place.

Favorite article of clothing : Tunics are my go-to piece; they are a good base for any outfit and can be dressed up or dressed down.

Favorite color to wear :

Black is still my all-time favorite color, but I am wearing much less of it lately. My new favorite is blush.

Recent fashion trend you love love : All of them! I love the art of fashion. Seeing so much influence from the ‘80s makes me happy.

Recent fashion trend you hate hate : Sorry to say, but I’m not a fan of chevron.

Wardrobe regrets : The suits I wore in the early 2000s. I am so glad my suit days are over!

Know a fashionista?

Nominate yourself or someone you know at editor@aawmag.com.

May-June 2017 | 43

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HAWAIIAN SHIRTS We believe in the always classic "party shirt". Guys, show us your fun personality in one of our favorite must haves for men.

ALWAYS PRICED 1/3 OF REGULAR RETAIL • NEW ARRIVALS EVERYDAY ALWAYS CURRENT STYLES AND NAME BRANDS MEN’S-WOMEN’S CONSIGNMENT

641 W. King Street Boone • (828) 865-2000 • find us on facebook and instagram May-June 2017 | 45

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Jefferson Ave. • West Jefferson, NC • 336-846-4677 46 | May-June 2017

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May-June 2017 | 47

Summer Style

VEST Soft denim vest in 100% cotton. This vest is unlined, $165.90. TANK Matte rayon knit top, $73.50.

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537 North Main Street | 828.295.4200 Across from the Chetola Resort 48 | May-June 2017

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Style

Sponsored Content

Tazmaraz

Photo submitted

Making Women Feel Special, Unique, and Pampered May is here, and that means it’s the season to freshen up your wardrobe at Tazmaraz, a mother-daughter-owned business in the village of Blowing Rock.

And if you need expert advice, this fullservice boutique has you covered with personal stylist appointments and private after-hours shopping parties.

Penny Muller and Lisa Ireland are originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and came for to the area for a vacation one spring.

“We decided we loved the area and made it our home,” they said. Penny and her husband live in the Bethel area, and Lisa and her husband are in Blowing Rock. Lisa worked at Watauga Medical Center ER for several years before opening Tazmaraz. Penny still runs a national ministry and pet rescue and just finished her first book, “Aria.”

Tazmaraz started in a small booth at the Shoppes at Farmers Hardware in Boone and then expanded to a kiosk in the Boone Mall selling just handbags.

“The dream was to eventually have a beautiful store on Main Street in Blowing Rock,” says Lisa. “In 2011, that dream came true and we moved into the Martin House.” The business remained there one year — “a great learning experience,” they say — and then Tazmaraz moved

to a larger space across the street at the Hanna Building.

“Right in the center of town, our location could not be more perfect,” Lisa notes. Penny and Lisa are grateful for an incredible staff: Debbie, the manager; Margie, a salesperson and artist; Lynn, sales person and designer; and Kelly, salesperson, (and the daughter and sister of Penny and Lisa, respectively).

“Each lady brings a special and unique talent, and we have been very blessed that they have been with us from the beginning,” says Lisa. “Our business is about women working together, uplifting each other, and encouragement. It is a wonderful feeling to have a customer walk in the door and leave feeling confident and beautiful — and leave as a special friend.”

The Tazmaraz philosophy is to make each person that walks in the door feel special and offer the most personal and unique shopping experience.

“We find that our customers really want to find something unique and different,” Lisa says, adding that customers love to find local and Made in the USA lines.

Personal stylist appointments are available free of charge and can be booked by calling the store or via Facebook message. Private after-hours shop-

ping parties for groups of five or more offer a special discount, or proceeds can go to your favorite charity. The boutique just opened its Paint & Sip studio below the store for Paint & Sip Parties. Want an extra hour of personal shopping before your party? There’s a special discount for that, too.

Paint & Sip parties are $35 per person for a party of six or more, which includes everything you need to take home a super fun work of art guided by an awesome artist. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or drink of choice and snack for a fun girls’ night out, team bonding, bridal and baby showers, charity events, birthday parties, and other occasions. Parties can be booked via Facebook message or by calling the store.

“God has blessed our business, and we try to do our best to pay it forward in the best possible way we can,” Lisa says.

Tazmaraz is located at 1107 Main St., Suite C, in Blowing Rock, in the courtyard next to Kilwins Ice Cream. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m. Contact Tazmaraz at (828) 295-3737, www.Tazmaraz.com, or shop@tazmaraz.com, and follow the store on Facebook and Instagram.

May-June 2017 | 49

Homestead

HILLBETTY REVIVAL

Dirt-caked Bliss PHOTOS BY MELANIE DAVIS MARSHALL

I enjoy function, even in my hobbies, which makes gardening a natural fit. The bonus is eating my garden-fresh goodies all through the following winter.

In March I can tackle the spring fever with my mini indoor greenhouse. I have found it is much less expensive to buy a packet of seeds, which contains two years of plants depending on garden size, than individual plants. This also means I get to start while the snow is still flying with my hands in the dirt. To me, playing in the dirt is the human equivalent of plugging in my phone charger. As a bonus, using my touchscreen phone with hands caked in dirt isn’t possible, and I get a few hours of electronics-free living.

My rig is a four-tier greenhouse and comfortably houses close to 300 seedlings, more than I ever need. I always start double the plants I intend to grow to allow for the seedlings that don’t make it.

Last year, I made the grievous mistake of transitioning plants outdoors on Mothers Day and lost several to a final cold snap. Back-up plants are handy. I also enjoy trading around between friends 50 | May-June 2017

and family based on what we were able to cultivate successfully.

I set up in a room of my house with plenty of sunlight, though my sister and fellow hillbetty uses lights and shelving in her garage. With any luck, I spend a weekend in late April transferring my healthy seedlings to larger containers when they outgrow the seed trays but not aren’t quite ready for the High Country spring. Solo cups are my go-to: cheap and recyclable. Once in the ground, the real fun begins. I have found a small two-foottall fence of netting keeps the chickens and occasional rabbit from enjoying the fruits of my labor before they reach maturity. I tie cheap pinwheels to each stake as a deer distraction (and just for fun).

My 2016 garden was my most successful yet. I was overrun with tomatoes, kale, and jalapenos. I ended up using vacation time just to wash, slice, can, and freeze.

I starting looking for varied recipes just to keep it interesting. Cowboy candy jalapenos were the first recipe to run out the following spring (tastykitchen.com/ recipes/canning/candied-jalapenos-

cowboy-candy). Tomato pies turned out to be pretty popular (simplyrecipes.com/ recipes/tomato_pie).

My rhubarb jam turned out looking like pureed peas, but it was pretty tasty.

For the record, when a recipe says two tablespoons of grape juice for color, don’t skip it or substitute apple juice because it’s what’s in the fridge.

For 2017, I am dropping corn from the rotation. I have never had any luck with corn and am claiming those two rows for some expansion of my favorites. The sugar baby watermelons were so good in August on the river, and the pickled rinds made for a decent winter snack.

All food aside, there is nothing better than stretching out in the garden with the smell of dirt and fresh veggies. I am counting the days to bare feet and dirtcaked fingernails.

Melanie Davis Marshall Melanie is a born-again Hillbetty attempting to revive her Appalachian roots. She lives in Boone with her two dogs, two horses, 18 chickens and one really old cat.

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May-June 2017 | 51

Homestead

Make the Most of a Short Growing Season

Cooler weather in the mountains means a shorter growing season for farmers and at-home gardeners.

On average, the last spring frost occurs in mid-May, and the first fall frost usually happens around mid-October to early November, says Richard Boylan, alternative agriculture agent for the Watauga and Ashe Cooperative Extension.

Even with the disadvantage of cooler weather, gardeners can take steps to maximize the growing season.

52 | May-June 2017

Half hardy, or cold weather crops such as salad greens, are what Boylan recommends for those who want to start gardening before the last frost.

“As early as March, people are planting fava beans, garden peas, and sugar snap peas,” Boylan says. “Moving on into April, you can start planting out broccoli, collards, spinach and kale.” Currently Boylan has some collards he put out last summer, is harvesting garlic and is even gardening an edible rudbeckia—a plant in the sunflower family—by the name of

Sochan. Half hardy crops won’t survive a hard freeze but can withstand some frost and temperatures that dip into the 20s, Boylan says. Crops such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are cold sensitive and will die once the temperature goes below 32 degrees and even will struggle in the 40-degree range.

Greenhouses and hoop houses protect against frost and temperature damage to crops but can be quite expensive, Boylan says. To protect outdoor crops from cold temps, Boylan advised using a dark plasaawmag.com

tic or synthetic material—such as Agribon or Reemay—to stretch over the top of crops. Boylan says it could be as simple as wire stretched into half circles over the crop, with the non-woven fabric over the crops and weighted down on the edges.

This will provide 10 to 15 degrees more heat for the plants.

“Some people are using what they call caterpillar tunnels, which are essentially maybe an inch and a quarter PVC pipe every 10 or 12 feet with greenhouse plastic stretched over it,” Boylan says. “Those hoops are tall enough to walk under and you might have two or three planting beds inside of it.”

Other gardeners in the area choose to start growing plants inside on windowsills or in a seed starting structure with indoor lights, Boylan says. This allows the gardener to start the plants two or three weeks early and then transplant the crops outside when the weather warms up.

However, Carol Coulter, executive director of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, says some crops don’t transfer well and grow better when directly seeded.

This is the case with crops such as squash, cucumber and okra. Some local growers kept heaters in their greenhouses over the winter and were able to harvest tomatoes through the colder months, Coulter says.

However, she warned, this could get quite expensive.

Coulter says gardeners can get an early start on the season by planning ahead. For those just starting to garden, she recommends starting off simple with a small number of crops. Looking through a seed catalog can help a gardener decide what varieties of plant they want to grow and will indicate how many days the crop takes to mature. “I would be looking for the short season ones: things that come in in 50 to 72 days as opposed to things that take 120,” Coulter says. “Peppers take a

really long time, tomatoes come in a little sooner and cucumbers and squash are pretty fast.”

Boylan and Coulter both urged gardeners to plan ahead for irrigation needs in case they run into a dry growing season. “Whether it’s just a hose and hand watering, a sprinkler or drip irrigation,” Boylan says. “You can certainly push your garden along and accelerate the ripening of crops with good consistent water.”

Tending to a garden takes a lot of attention and effort, Coulter says. It requires weeding, watering, and being really involved with the growing process.

However, she says, “Being able to eat what you’ve grown, to me, it’s very rewarding.”

Kayla Lasure Is a Kentucky born reporter currently living in Boone. She enjoys traveling, watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and spending time with her two cats, Owen and Mushu.

Finding Strong

By Claude Cooper with Leigh Cooper Wallace

Be courageous when you face life’s challenges and choose to overcome them.

Be a survivor.

There are several stories embedded in “Finding Strong,” a loving memoir written by Claude Cooper with his daughter, Leigh Cooper Wallace. First is a story of strength—physical, mental, and emotional strength. The strength it takes to push past your limits in a race, to admit you are an athlete who has an eating disorder, to find the moment to escape from your abductor, and the strength necessary to face life after the loss of a loved one.

This is also a story about family—a family who encourages, believes, laughs, and cries. It is a story of a family who cheers at each sporting event—who carries snacks and waters to cure post-race fatigue and a family who is present in a 54 | May-June 2017

courtroom when a daughter has to look into her rapist’s eyes.

Most importantly, this is a book about love—familial love, romantic love, reaching-an-endorphin-high-running love—and awe-inspiring love—the kind each person should experience in his or her lifetime. This is the story of a woman who found love in the backseat of a car while a murderer explained how he planned to take her life. It is the story of a survivor who lived through those horrific moments and found a way to tap into an energy and resilience that continue to inspire those who know her story. This book is the story of Leigh Cooper Wallace, beloved daughter, mother, wife, teacher, mentor, athlete, and friend. It is the story

Leigh Wallace holds her daughter, Haleigh, at a Watauga High School cross-country meet.

of how Leigh reclaimed her life and lived each moment with intensity and passion.

And, it is the story of how very much she was loved.

In part written by Leigh, including her experiences as a runner through college and high school, her battle with food and body image, and her abduction, readers will be compelled by the energy aawmag.com

behind her voice, her directness, and her incredible drive. Filling in some of the back story in regard to Leigh’s early childhood, observations about Leigh as an athlete, and much of the information about Leigh’s time as a track and cross country coach at Watauga High School, Claude Cooper’s words honor his daughter’s memory as they relay story after story of the focus and determination Leigh used to organize her life.

Refusing to allow her abduction to break her spirit, both Leigh and Claude explain how important it is for others to learn from Leigh’s story. Twenty years after she was kidnapped, Leigh gave the keynote speech at the 20th Walk for Awareness in Boone.

Leigh challenged her audience: “I could have asked myself over and over again, ‘Why me?’ But I would have never found the answer to that question and it would have kept me trapped in the past.

Instead, I chose to ask myself another question, ‘How do I get back up and move forward? How do I persist in being a survivor?’ I have never tried to forget it. This crime is a part of my history. It helped shaped the person I am today, and I like that person.

“My recovery has always been about how to move forward into my future; it has never been about staying stuck in the past … If you choose to live your life, no matter what you have gone through, you will find the strength you need. I challenge you not to doubt your own strength. Be courageous when you face life’s challenges and choose to overcome them. Be a survivor.”

Leigh followed her own advice over and over again in her work as a coach, a teacher, a fitness instructor, the mother of Jake and Leigh, Chris’s wife, and as a daughter, sister, and family member. This book is a tribute to her life, not as a survivor, but as a champion.

Tragically, Leigh’s life ended in December 2012 due to complications with pneumonia and infection. With his mother’s passion, Leigh’s son writes, “If I could talk to my mom just one more time, I would let her know that she was my hero. I would let her know that her strength was second to none and that I admired her and loved her for it. I would tell her that I was doing my best to follow in her footsteps and exhibit the kind of strength that she did throughout her life so that I can inspire someone in a time of weakness … I am carrying on my mother’s legacy. I tell her story every chance I get.”

Read this book. Let Leigh, Claude, and her family share her story. Let Leigh convince you that “You are stronger than you think.” You will find that when your eyes lift off the page, life will look differently to you. You will eagerly embrace the strength, family, friends, and love that surround you.

About the Authors

Father and daughter, Claude Cooper and Leigh Wallace, collaborated to write ‘Finding Strong.’ Photo submitted

Claude Cooper is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel. He is a graduate of Clemson University and currently lives in Clemson, S.C., with his wife Louise and their three surviving children Julie, Holley, and Graig, who each contributed to this book.

Leigh Cooper Wallace was a graduate of Appalachian State University and a member of the ASU Athletic Hall of Fame. Leigh died while writing “Finding Strong.” Her husband, Chris, son Jacob, and daughter Haleigh each contributed to this book as well.

Hollie Greene Hollie Greene is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the mountains of North Carolina.

May-June 2017 | 55

ALL ABOUT TOWN

Women’s Fund Grantee Luncheon The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge held a luncheon at the Blowing Rock Conference Center on April 19 to honor its 2016-2017 grant recipients.

Photos by Jeff Eason

Grant recipients pose for a group photo at the annual grantee luncheon at the Blowing Rock Convention Center on April 19.

The group includes Deanna Stoker of A Safe Home for Everyone (ASHE), Ryan Robinson of Two Rivers Community School, Penny Southern of Children’s Hope Alliance/High Country First in Families, Kathy Parham of the Children’s Playhouse, Tina Krause of the Hospitality House, Graham Doege of WeCAN, Beth Sorrel of Ashe Family Literacy, Talia Freeman of Girls on the Run, Kathy Biggs of Mitchell County Safe Place, Beth Marsh of ACCESS, Carol Coulter of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, Crystal Kelly of the Children’s Council, Melissa Selby of the Community Care Clinic, Lee Cornet of DANA, Zach Greene of Mountain Alliance, Rene Boughman of F.A.R.M. Cafe, Jennifer Herman and Lesley Icenhour of O.A.S.I.S., Ashley Cook of W.A.M.Y., Jenny Harpole of the New Opportunity School for Women at Lees-McRae College, Heather Canipe of Western Youth Network and Kyle Moss of the Hunger and Health Coalition.

Approximately 80 people attended the annual Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge grantee luncheon at the Blowing Rock Convention Center on April 19. Representatives of 21 High Country agencies gave presentations on what they had achieved with funding from the WFBR during the past year.

56 | May-June 2017

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ALL ABOUT TOWN

SAVOR Blowing Rock SAVOR Blowing Rock returned to North Carolina’s Prettiest Small Town Thursday, April 20, through Sunday, April 23, celebrating food, wine, craft beers and spirits, music, art, and culture.

Photos by Caroline Lawson

Above: Steve Lanclos, Judy Lanclos, and Tonya Day listen to sommelier Anne Prevatte talk about the aromas of wine at Savor Blowing Rock on April 20.

Left: Glad Pickell holds up her wine while at the Aroma of Wine seminar at the 2017 Savor Blowing Rock.

May-June 2017 | 57

ALL ABOUT TOWN

Totally 80s Party The Boone Service League hosted the inaugural Totally 80s Party April 8 at the Blowing Rock Conference Center. The fundraiser featured a DJ, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, a photo booth, a live auction, ‘80s games and décor, and amazing ‘80s fashions.

Photos by Anna Oakes

Above: Attendees gather in the Gymnatorium for a live auction to raise money to support families and charities in the High Country.

Bottom Left: Fantastic creativity was on display in the array of styles revived at the Totally 80s Party.

Bottom Right: It was a night of big hair, spandex, fishnets, lace, pearls, and all the colors of the neon rainbow.

58 | May-June 2017

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