December PineStraw 2025

born in an obscure village the son of a peasant woman. He worked as a carpenter and then became an itinerant preacher. He never held an office, attended college, owned a home. He had no credentials but Himself. His friends ran away. He was turned over to enemies and nailed to a cross between two thieves.

While He was dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing. He was laid in a borrowed grave.

Twenty centuries have come and gone and today He is the central figure of the human race.

All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

December 2025 DEPARTMENTS

Cover P hotogra Ph by tim Sayer

P hotogra Ph thiS Page by roSe Shewey

PINEHURST TOYOTA

2025 Toyota Tacoma

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Volume 21, No. 12

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Keith Borshak, Senior Designer

Miranda Glyder, Senior Designer miranda@pinestrawmag.com

Alyssa Kennedy, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Emilee Phillips, Digital Content emilee@pinestrawmag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Stephen E. Smith

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Gessner, Laura L. Gingerich, Diane McKay, Tim Sayer

CONTRIBUTORS

Jenna Biter, Anne Blythe, Tom Bryant, Susan Campbell, Bill Case, Tony Cross, Brianna Rolfe Cunningham, Mart Dickerson, Bill Fields, Tom Maxwell, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Deborah Salomon, Scott Sheffield, Rose Shewey, Kimberly Daniels Taws, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Walshe, Amberly Glitz Weber

ADVERTISING SALES

Samantha Cunningham, Advertising Director 910.693.2505

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

Christy Phillips, 910.693.2498

Ginny Trigg, 910.693.2481

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancy PS

Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497

Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488

Tonnie Nester, Distribution Specialist SUBSCRIPTIONS 910.693.2488

OWNERS

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, David Woronoff In memoriam Frank Daniels Jr.

145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.pinestrawmag.com

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

WHISPERING PINES • $490,000 7A MARTIN DRIVE

Beautifully maintained 2 BR / 2.5 BA townhome on the Woods Golf Course! The thoughtfully designed layout has an open-concept living area with rich hardwood floors, secluded primary suite on the main level, nice kitchen and large bonus room on the upper level!

WEST END • $345,000 6215 NC 211 HWY

Discover the potential in this 2 BR / 1.5 BA home perfectly situated between Pinehurst and West End! This home sits on 2.5 private acres just off the main highway and offers lots of space including two living areas, each with its own fireplace. Being sold AS-IS!

CARTHAGE • $230,000 3406 ALIBIRD LANE

Beautiful two-story 3 BR / 2.5 BA Townhome in Carriage Place subdivision. The main level offers an open concept living area flowing into a contemporary kitchen, while the upper level hosts all 3 bedrooms and two full baths. Perfect for an investment opportunity or a place to call home!

SEVEN LAKES SOUTH • $428,000 104 SHROPSHIRE LANE

Newly built 4 BR / 2 BA split level design with LVP flooring throughout, incredibly open layout, large primary suite and 3 additional bedrooms with lots of space. This is your chance to live in this beautiful community - schedule your private showing today!

PINEHURST • $340,000

251 NATIONAL DRIVE

Live the Pinehurst lifestyle overlooking the 5th hole of this Jack Nicklaus Signature design. Nicely wooded lot - over half acre. Close proximity to the front security gate.

ABERDEEN • $419,900

515 N. SYCAMORE STREET

Beautiful newly constructed 4 BR / 2.5 BA move-in ready two-story home. Layout is bright and open with nice finishes throughout. All 4 bedrooms and 2 baths on upper level.

PINEHURST • $225,000

109 WIMBLEDON DRIVE

Delightful 2 BR / 2 BA end unit townhome in Lawn and Tennis! With some TLC this unit has such potential – being sold AS-IS. Location is convenient to shopping and dining!

SOUTHERN PINES • $439,500 176 STARLAND LANE

Well maintained 3 BR / 3 BA golf front condo located on the 16th fairway of Longleaf CC! The main level layout is an inviting open-concept plan with an abundance of natural light and amazing golf views! Upstairs there is a bedroom with full bath and additional space for a 4th bedroom or a flex space of your choice.

PINEHURST • $479,900

450 SPRING LAKE DRIVE

New construction underway in Village Acres! Two-story 4 BR / 2.5 BA home with open living area on main floor and all 4 bedrooms and 2 baths on upper level.

IN MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

of the Pinehurst No. 9 golf course! The main level is spacious with expansive windows, double sided fireplace, gourmet kitchen and two bedrooms, including the primary suite. The upper level boasts additional bedrooms and space offering versatility for guests and family! This home is a must see! PINEHURST • $1,399,000 50 PRESTONFIELD DRIVE

PINEHURST • $725,000 57 GLASGOW DRIVE

Stunning 3 BR / 2.5 BA home overlooking the 2nd tee of the Challenge course in Pinewild CC. Home has been thoughtfully updated by highly regarded Dennis Dunagan. Newly designed kitchen, gleaming hardwood floors, expansive covered porch and well appointed upper and lower levels. This home has it all!

NEW LISTING NEW LISTING NEW LISTING

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $710,000 103 PITTMAN ROAD

Attractive 3 BR / 3.5 BA new construction just across the road from Lake Auman! This home offers exceptional craftsmanship and fine finishes throughout. From the rich hardwood flooring and the Chef’s kitchen on the main level to the well-appointed upper-level living space, this home has it all!

JACKSON SPRINGS • $875,000 165 VISTA RIDGE W.

One-of-a-kind 4 BR / 3.5 BA custom built modern farmhouse on 2.54 private acres in beautiful Grande Pines! Hardwood floors throughout, rustic wood beams, 3-car garage and amazing screened in porch with stacked stone wood burning fireplace, ideal for entertaining or relaxing!

PINEHURST • $949,000 47 KILBRIDE DRIVE

Impressive 3 BR / 2.5 BA golf front home located off the 4th green of the Magnolia course in prestigious Pinewild CC. Main level boasts over 3,900 sq.ft. where rooms are spacious with lots of windows, most with sweeping golf views, beautiful hardwood flooring throughout and a great kitchen.

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $775,000 144 SIMMONS DRIVE

Amazing WATERFRONT lot on Lake Auman near the marina! Lot has been perked for a 4-bedroom home. Great opportunity to live the lake life in beautiful 7LW!

RECENTLYREDUCED SOLD

SOUTHERN PINES • $525,000 266 MANNING SQUARE

Immaculate 3 BR / 3.5 BA home in popular Walker Station just off Midland Road! The layout is open and inviting with gorgeous heart-of-pine flooring, cozy gas log fireplace. primary suite on the main level and two additional bedrooms and baths on the upper level.

By Jim DoDsoN

If Wishes Were Wheelbarrows . . .

Then babies would ride

Twenty years ago, as part of our move home to North Carolina from Maine, I gave my beloved Chevy truck to a local kid who thought Christmas had come early. “Old Blue,” as I called her, was getting on in years and prone to stalling out from time to time. But, oh, how I loved that lady truck. She gave our tribe many fine memories, including a 6,000mile camping-and-fly-fishing trip across the golden West with my 7-year-old daughter, Maggie, and our dog, Amos, that became the premise for a bestselling book and even a modest little film.

Last Christmas, friends may recall, still pining for Old Blue, I jokingly wished that Santa would bring me a shiny new Chevy pickup truck. To help the old fella out, I even began scouting local Chevy dealers, hoping to find a deal on a nice new or used pickup truck that had my name on it. Unfortunately, the trucks I liked had eye-popping price tags, bad news for a recessionary Santa.

On one level, I’m glad my truck wish failed to come true. On another, everywhere I went in the city over the following year, I seemed to see fancy pickup trucks with old, white dudes like me behind the wheel, an unnaturally cruel sight for a fellow quietly suffering from years of truck lust.

So, I asked myself: What the heck does an old dude like me who lives and gardens in a quiet suburban neighborhood really need with a shiny new pickup truck?

The answer is nothing. Or pretty much nothing.

On the other hand, if Santa had indeed brought me the

shiny, new pickup I’d wished for, this year I could have impressed my neighbors by hauling home the largest Christmas tree ever in the back of my truck, a Currier and Ives scene for the age of consumer excess.

Instead, as usual, we purchased a lovely little fir tree at the roadside lot where we’ve found the “perfect” holiday tree for many years and drove it home on the roof of my elderly Outback. It looked sensational with its tiny lights glowing from our den’s picture window on a deep December night.

Still, old wishes die hard.

During an afternoon trip to the grocery store the other day, just when I thought my truck lust fwas inally a thing of the past, a white-haired fellow about my age parked beside me and climbed out of a beautiful, cobalt-blue Sierra Denali 1500. It was a real beauty, and for a crazy, covetous moment, I wished I had one just like it.

“How do you like your rig?” I cordially asked.

He beamed. “It’s absolutely fantastic. Gave it to myself when I retired last year. One of the new self-driving models with fourwheel drive and a crew cab that’s perfect for hauling our four grandkids around town.” He added it had all the latest high-technology toys plus real leather seats and a super sound system.

“Feel free to take a seat in it, if you’d like,” he graciously offered.

I thanked him but declined the offer and wished him happy grandkid-hauling, then went on my way, realizing that I evidently hadn’t quite gotten my yen for a shiny new pickup truck completely out of my system.

Fortunately, my next stop was Lowe’s Home Improvement, which brought me back to Earth. As I loaded 10 bags of mulch and a hundred pounds of organic garden soil plus several bags of dried manure into my trusty old Outback “garden car,” I realized some things are simply never meant to be.

Besides, suddenly I spotted something by the store’s front

doors that I truly wanted and needed more than a fancy new pickup truck.

A row of shiny new wheelbarrows. •

The act of making wishes is as old as the invention of the wheel.

In ancient European folklore, wishing wells were places where any spoken wish — often accompanied by a coin tossed into the water — was thought to be magically granted. The ritual itself was a means of connecting with the divine and requesting blessings or favors. Wishing wells, in fact, exist in the lore of almost every world culture and still have a place in modern society, often found in spiritual and historic gardens, and even used in contemporary fundraising campaigns. And don’t forget, as Jiminy Cricket pointed out, when you wish upon a star, your dreams may come true.

In the modern context, however, the word “wish” simply means “a desire or hope for something to happen,” which makes me hear my late papa’s voice on the subject.

He was something of an armchair philosopher. One of his favorite expressions was “Whatever is worth wishing for, son, is worth working for.”

Probably because I was such a wishful kid, I heard this pithy bit of armchair wisdom dozens of times while growing up.

As an early reader of adventure books, for example, I wished and dreamed to someday be another Rudyard Kipling or Edgar Rice Burroughs, maybe even Jules Verne. Later, my literary wish

grew into being the next T. H. White or Ernest Hemingway.

On another front, because I was a kid who was happiest in nature, in a garden or on a golf course, I wished to someday be either a forest ranger or someone who built beautiful gardens for a living, maybe even a golf course designer.

None of these wishes came true.

Or did they? Fueled by such youthful desires, I grew up to become a newspaper reporter like my father and found that I was even more drawn to stories about real people, history, nature, poets and things that make dreamers wish for a better world. Along the way, I’ve also built five landscape gardens and even designed a popular golf course.

In short, I’ve lived long enough to know the old man was right — that if we wish for anything, including a better world, we all must work to make it happen.

So, whether by starlight or ancient wishing well, this Christmas I’m wishing for a couple very special things: More goodwill and kindness to each other in our troubled human family, and a safe and happy delivery for my daughter’s baby girl, due to arrive on Christmas Eve.

As a new grandpa, I can’t wait to tool my first grandchild around in my shiny new wheelbarrow. PS

Jim Dodson’s 17th book, The Road That Made America: A Modern Pilgrim Travels the Great Wagon Road, is available at The Country Bookshop.

55 PALMETTO RD – OLD TOWN

Stunning views of Pinehurst No. 2 fairways, just 0.2 miles from Village shops and events. Features 5 bedrooms and 5 baths.

$2,295,000

1335

MIDLAND ROAD – KNOLLWOOD HEIGHTS

Large lot with private pool, recently renovated kitchen and modern first floor Master Suite. Numerous renovations and upgrades. In-ground pool on two acres with private gardens.

$1,595,000

30 MEDLIN ROAD – OLD TOWN

New Old Town Pinehurst home with open floor plan, game room, main-level master, fenced yard, and walkable access to school, fields, and playground.

$1,395,000

223 NATIONAL DRIVE – PINEHURST NO 9

Beautiful one-level home on Pinehurst No. 9 with updated systems, a stunning Carolina room, chef’s kitchen, and transferable Signature PCC membership available at a reduced rate with no wait time.

$915,000

110 SHORT ROAD – OLD TOWN

OLD TOWN! Charming Historic Cottage circa 1927 in the Village of Pinehurst. Move-in ready with many updates including roof and windows. Freshly painted throughout the main home and guest cottage.

$859,000

50 MCCASKILL ROAD W – OLD TOWN

“Blinkbonnie” was built by financier Simon B. Chapin, showcases early-1900s Old Town charm on over an acre, with elegant living spaces, a grand dining room, and a sunny Carolina room.

$2,295,000

1512 LINDEN ROAD – 5 ACRES

Secluded 5.5-acre estate with luxury pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, cedar pergola, fire pit, and exquisite longleaf pine surroundings.

$1,499,000 – PENDING

214 FREEMAN WY – ACREAGE

A rare two-home, 8-acre estate near Pinehurst, ideal for multigenerational living and large events, featuring a guest cottage, pavilion, glass greenhouse, and native gardens.

$1,350,000

240 DONALD ROSS DRIVE – PINEHURST

Pinehurst CC membership available for transfer. Custom built, new appliances, natural light throughout, salt water inground pool, large private lot.

$895,000

1175 ST ANDREWS, UNIT 206 – ERIN HILLS

Coveted Erin Hills condo with a pond and Pinehurst No. 5 golf views, offering updated 3-bed, 2-bath living — perfect for year-round or weekend getaways, with PCC membership available for transfer at reduced rate.

$460,000

PinePitch

Another Santa Sighting

The annual Southern Pines Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. up and down Broad Street. There will be marching bands and Santa, of course, who dances to his own tune. For additional information go to www.southernpines.net . The fat man is in parade formation again on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 11 a.m. in downtown Aberdeen. Check him out at The Depot, 100 E. Main St. You can learn more at www.townofaberdeen.net.

A Christmas Peek

View the home featured in the September PineStraw and raise money for the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange at the same time. All proceeds from the open house, set for Dec. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., go directly to the fund to save the cabin. Tickets are $75 per person and available at the Exchange or by calling (910) 295-4677.

Let There Be Light

The town of Aberdeen flips the switch on its Christmas tree on Dec. 4 at 6:15 p.m. at The Depot, 100 E. Main Street. Santa will be on hand for the festivities, of course. There’s additional info at www.townofaberdeen.net. Pinehurst fires up its Christmas tree on Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 – 7 p.m. (the lighting is officially set for 6:30 p.m.) at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W. Santa overnighted in Moore County just so he could be in attendance there as well. For further information go to www.vopnc.org.

Diggin’ It

It’s time for the Sandhills Community College Landscape Gardening Plant Sale. Students have been elbow-deep in potting soil caring for plants to brighten the holiday spirit. Find a favorite not named Audrey II at Steed Hall, 555 Lindberg Place, Pinehurst, from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Dec. 5.

Drop In

Ring in the New Year a bit early when the pine cone drops in downtown Southern Pines at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. and include live music, carnival games and face painting. For more information go to www.southernpines.net

Great Pipes

Enjoy the Metropolitan Opera performance of Andrea Chénier, Umberto Giordano’s passionate tragedy starring Piotr Beczala as a virtuous poet who falls victim to the intrigue and violence of the French Revolution. Showtime is 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more information go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Who Says Murder’s No Laughing Matter?

A wealthy, ailing billionaire summons his relatives to his mansion during a raging thunderstorm to announce changes to his will. Two things are bound to happen: The relatives learn they will be cut out of an inheritance they covet, and the wealthy uncle will end up dead. Sure enough, old Simon Starkweather is murdered, and the perpetrator could be anyone in the cast. Audiences will have a chance to play the guessing game at each performance of Murder’s in the Heir. The play runs in BPAC’s black box McPherson Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 – 7, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. For tickets and info go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Fore the Park

Better Than the Griswolds

The 46th annual Episcopal Day School Tour of Homes is Sunday, Dec. 7, from 1 – 5 p.m. The selfdriving tour features five beautiful residences ablaze with holiday cheer. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 last minute. They can be purchased online or at the Episcopal Day School main office. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

The inaugural Drive “Fore” the Park golf tournament fundraiser in support of the Carolina Horse Park Foundation, Family Promise of Aberdeen, and Freedom Reins at Prancing Horse Center will be held at Southern Pines Golf Club, 290 Country Club Road, Southern Pines, on Wednesday, Dec. 17. For complete information go to www.carolinahorsepark.com/getinvolved.

5 Questions with Shaun Cassidy

1. You are a producer, an actor, a singer and an entrepreneur. On your Facebook page you simply describe yourself as a writer. Is that your true passion?

It all stems from writing. I am a storyteller and a producer. I like to make stuff, but to make stuff you need an architectural plan, and that is where the writer comes in. When I was starting out, acting and singing was all I knew in the arts because that was what I had been exposed to. Once I got in the door, I found that the writers’ room was more interesting than even being on the set.

2. How do you stay grounded and find joy through the ups and downs of show biz?

Quieter moments are healthier. I’m an introvert by nature. In order to process all the extroverted performing parts, I’ve always needed to go away and come out again. Writing gave me a better life and more time with my family, and I was fortunate that I was able to make that transition.

3. Having grown up among entertainment legends, is there a life lesson from your parents or brothers that influences your career today?

It is less what they taught me and more by the example they gave. I have three very famous people in my immediate family. I grew up watching all of them and seeing how they managed their careers and the choices they made in their personal lives as a result of all that. All of their choices weren’t always good, but I

learned from those as well.

4. What drives you creatively at this stage of life? And how do you choose what’s next?

I get up every morning and I make something — I cannot not be involved in something creative. But it doesn’t have to be a song, or a concert, it could be remodeling a room in our house, or teaching a college class. One of the greatest things about having a long career is you are in a position to nurture younger people.

5. You’ve described your “Road to Us” tour as a love letter to fans. When or what inspired the words and music for your new songs on the album?

I kind of crafted the story I wanted to tell and found that I didn’t always have a song to support that, so I created it. I’ve written new songs and that was a great experience, too. “Road to Us” feels like a full-circle experience. It is not just me stopping to play a song, it is to support something I am talking about in the show.”

Shaun Cassidy — The Road to Us will be Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For info and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Give the Gift of Memories

This Holiday Season!

Make your holidays extra special with custom picture framing — the perfect way to showcase cherished photos, artwork, and keepsakes.

Order by December 3rd to ensure completion.

Every piece you frame tells a story. Let us help you frame it beautifully —with the care, craftsmanship, and sophistication it deserves.

Soundtracks of the Season

The Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of David Michael Wolff plays cherished holiday favorites — including featured performances by Michael Campayno and Joyce Reehling — on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m., in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For tickets and information call (910) 6870287 or go to www.carolinaphil.org.

The Sandhills Community College Music Department holds its annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. Music students and faculty will be joined by the SCC Choir performing holiday faves, also in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium. For more information and tickets go to www. sandhillsbpac.com/events.

The Moore Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the season on Saturday, Dec. 13, with its annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. in the Robert E. Lee Auditorium, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. For more information go to www.mporchestrta.com.

The Moore County Choral Society, along with Moore Brass, launches its 51st season on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m., with “Love Came Down” at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Get info at www. ticketmesandhills.com.

They’re back! A Christmas tradition like no other, the “Murphy Family Christmas” brings joy and music to the stage of the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14. For information go to www. sunrisetheater.com.

Good Shot Judy & The Satin Dollz return to the Sunrise Theater, for their holiday spectacular “A Crooner’s Christmas” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16. Tickets and info at www.sunrisetheater.com.

Last but not least, Moore Philharmonic’s string quartet delivers an evening of elegance and classical favorites surrounded by hundreds of flickering candles in “Christmas in Candlelight” at the Sunrise Theater, on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets and details at www.sunrisetheater.com.

Still

Playing with Fire. But Not for Much Longer.

Patricia Reil has spent 40 years shaping light and metal into something lasting – right here in the Sandhills. She designs and makes art you can wear. This is the last Christmas season to give your loved ones a handmade Patricia Reil heirloom before she heads on to her next adventure. Closing May 2026.

Patricia Reil ~ Jewels

Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 12-4pm 110 West Pennsylvania Ave Southern Pines N.C. 28387 910.295.2824

Patricia@patriciareiljewels.com

Sagittarius

(November 22 –December 21)

There’s a fine — and in your case, blurred — line between passionate and possessive. When Venus struts into Scorpio on Nov. 6 (where she’ll glamp out until month’s end), that line is primed to become a short leash if left unchecked — and nobody wants to be on the other end of that. A word of advice: Don’t smother the fire. Tempted as you may be to cling fast and tight, a little space will keep the coals glowing red hot.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Go easy on the eggnog.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Keep a knuckle of ginger on standby.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Add a splash of maple syrup.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Fold in a little extra sweetness.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Reshuffle the deck.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Dress for an adventure.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Make way for true romance.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Use your mulligan.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Stretch those hip flexors.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Try not to overextend yourself.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Serve yourself the first slice.  PS

Zora Stellanova has been divining with tea leaves since the Game of Thrones’ Starbucks cup mishap of 2019. While she’s not exactly a medium, she’s far from average. She lives in the N.C. foothills with her Sphynx cat, Lyla.

2ND ANNUAL BOOZY BHAWK BAKEOFF 2ND ANNUAL BOOZY BHAWK BAKEOFF

Calling all Amateurs & Pros to Participate in BHAWK’s 2nd Annual Boozy Baking Competition!

Two Categories: Sergeant’s Valor & Madam Colonel 12 Tasting Portions Must include a BHAWK spirit in recipe Drop Off: December 13 between 11am - 2pm in the Nelms Rickhouse

Live Voting Party! December 13th at 2 p.m.

LOCATED IN THE NELMS RICKHOUSE

OPEN DAILY Dec 21 - Jan 4 (including Mon/Tues Holiday Weeks!)

December 24 - Christmas Eve | 11am-8pm

December 25 - Christmas Day | 4pm-8pm

December 31 - New Year’s Eve Extravaganza Hourly toasts at the flagpole. Open until Midnight. December 1 - New Year’s Day Boozy Bloody Bar all day!

Open House of event spaces | 11am-8pm

Your kindness and expertise have made a difference in so many

Now it’s time for you to put your feet up and relax! With love and gratitude,

“Thank you to my wonderful patients who have trusted me over the years. It has been a blessing and great pleasure providing for your foot care needs for these last 30 years, and it’s not easy for me to give it up. I will be retiring on December 31, 2025. Your feet are in great hands with Dr. Smith and Dr. Collard.”

James K. Smith, DPM

David S. Collard, DPM

Christine

Maureen

Joy

Tracy

Keith

Christian

Brenda

Lesley Dacko Pacos

Caitlin

Rachel

Finding Everyman

Breaking a 19th century code

delights in being an attic archaeologist and parting the curtains of cobwebs in dim, dank corners to excavate layers of dust and forgotten family history will find much to like in Cipher: Decoding My Ancestor’s Scandalous Secret Diaries.

Jeremy B. Jones, an associate English professor at Western Carolina University, was digging around in boxes at his grandmother’s house one day when he came across a newspaper clipping that proved to be a golden ticket taking him back in time to the 19th century and the fascinating life of an ordinary man.

That man was William Thomas Prestwood, Jones’ greatgreat-great-great-grandfather, who had traveled many of the same lands and roads Jones has. Learning the details of his kinsman six generations removed was anything but typical family lore handed down from one generation to the next. Prestwood, as the newspaper clipping from 1979 revealed, had been a prolific diarist, but not the kind of journal keeper who seemed intent on preserving his life story beyond his death 166 years ago.

The details of the daily life of this militia man, Appalachian farmer, teacher, philosopher and prolific philanderer might have been lost to the annals of time had a man not salvaged a stash of Prestwood’s hand-sewn journals from a Wadesboro house scheduled for demolition in 1975. Those notebooks weren’t filled with the elegant and elaborate penmanship of the 19th century. They were written in code, a series of shapes, numbers and symbols that added an element of intrigue that eventually landed them

Unable to solve the mystery of what the journals’ author had written, the archivist copied a few pages and sent them off to a National Security Agency cryptanalyst who had retired in the Appalachian Mountains. The expert in encryption and decryption quickly cracked the code, eventually transcribing the

journals’ pages, revealing the many brief but telling details of an Everyman’s life in the Carolinas.

Prestwood wrote about collecting turkey eggs, hunting for a horse on the loose, farming, visiting neighbors, drinking rum, eating watermelon, playing music, strife with his father, the births of his children, deaths in the family, dreams, and his many sexual conquests and unrequited longings worthy of Tom Jones. He gives a glimpse of a public hanging and even the eclipse of 1821 — not with the flourish of a wordsmith but in the short sentences or fragments of an ordinary person.

“In 1859, a forgettable man died,” Jones writes in the opening sentence of Cipher’s first chapter. “He left behind bedclothes, a spyglass, cooking pots and an umbrella. He left history books and algebra books and mineralogy books and Greek grammar books and astrology books.” He lists the daughters and sons who preceded Prestwood in death and the debt he left behind, a sum that his “landholdings and scattershot of personal property — sold for a total of $11.94” didn’t cover. Prestwood, Jones writes, “entered the ground penniless.”

The journals he left behind, the treasure trove that Jones learned about from the yellowed 1979 newspaper article in The Asheville Citizen-Times — have proven to be priceless, though. They give a glimpse, as the codebreaker wrote, “of the very essence of Everyman’s life from the cradle to the grave.”

Jones toggles between Prestwood’s life and his own, turning to archives, property records and other historical accounts to help flesh out his ancestor’s story. Occasionally, he filled in gaps with his own imagination and hypotheticals to further a narra-

tive that includes slave ownership and womanizing.

Jones struggled with whether he should lay bare the details of a long-dead man’s thoughts and his comings and goings. After all, those specifics were cloaked in a code cracked more than a century after the last journal entry.

“He’d blanketed his shin-skinning and corn-planting and woman-laying in code

In Cipher, Jones not only has brought Prestwood to life again — scandalous warts and all — he has created a memoir of sorts . . .

for a reason, and what right did I have to come along two hundred years later and run my fingers along the edges of his life in a library in the middle of the state?” Jones asked himself while viewing the diaries in a special library collection in Raleigh. “Was I shrinking his life by bringing it out into the open, making him smaller than he ever was, less of a man?”

In Cipher, Jones not only has brought Prestwood to life again — scandalous warts and all — he has created a memoir of sorts, a depiction of his own everyday life exploring today’s connection to this country’s complicated past. Jones has given us yet another chapter in Everyman history, an interesting read for anyone who likes to look at what America once was and has become. PS

Anne Blythe has been a reporter in North Carolina for more than three decades covering city halls, higher education, the courts, crime, hurricanes, ice storms, droughts, floods, college sports, health care and many wonderful characters who make this state such an interesting place.

December Books

FICTION

Burner: And Other Stories, by Katrina Denza Denza writes about women in conflict: attempting to woo a man via a burner phone; discovering the best friendships are those grounded in reality; subscribing to a hologram service to speak to a deceased husband; reclaiming power only to realize power is an illusion; discovering there is no safe haven; confronting the frustrations of being an artist; and reckoning with mistakes made as a mother. Wrestling with connections and disconnections, highs and lows, and the vagaries of modernity, Burner and Other Stories touches how we live.

NONFICTION

Van Gogh: The Pop Up Book

See the vibrant artistry of Vincent van Gogh burst into life through dazzling three-dimensional interpretations of five of his most celebrated works. This imaginative book transforms renowned masterpieces into interactive pop-up creations, offering a new and tactile appreciation of one of history’s most visionary artists. Each scene draws readers into Van Gogh’s universe, revealing the swirling night sky of The Starry Night in dramatic relief; the serene intimacy of The Bedroom; and the vibrant colors of Wheatfield with Cypresses. The street scene of Café Terrace at Night and the delicate beauty of Almond Blossom emerge in meticulous detail, emphasizing the dynamic movement and profound emotion of his technique. These exquisite pop-ups amplify the expressive contours and vibrant hues that define his genius, bringing Van Gogh’s unparalleled vision to life in an unforgettable way.

Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, by Paul McCartney

Drawn from over 500,000 words of interviews with McCartney, family, band members and other key participants, Wings recounts — now with a half-century’s perspective — the musical odyssey taken by a man searching for his identity in the

aftermath of The Beatles’ breakup. Soon joined by his wife — American photographer Linda McCartney — on keyboard and vocals, drummer Denny Seiwell, and guitarist Denny Laine, McCartney sowed the seeds for a new band that would later provide the soundtrack of the decade. The narrative begins when a 27-year-old superstar fled with his new wife to a remote sheep farm in Scotland amid a sea of legal and personal rows. The setting gave McCartney time to create, and it was there where this new band emerged. Wings follows the group as they play unannounced shows at university halls, tour in a sheared-off doubledecker bus with their children, survive a robbery on the streets of Nigeria, and eventually perform blockbuster stadium shows on their world tour, all while producing some of the most enduring music of the time. Introduced with a personal, heartfelt foreword by McCartney, the volume contains 150 black and white and color photographs, many previously unseen, as well as timelines, a gigography and a full discography.

Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of an Insurrection, a Family, a Southern Town, and Identity in America, by Lauretta Malloy Noble, LeeAnét Noble

In the late 19th century, Laurinburg, North Carolina, was a beacon of racial calm — a place where Blacks and whites could live and work together. Black families like the Malloys became landlords, business owners and doctors, thriving together and changing the economic landscape. But that progress was shattered on the eve of Election Day, 1898, when supremacist groups launched a bloody attack, forcing Laurinburg’s Black citizens to flee. With meticulous research drawn from sources including The New York Age and census records, the mother and daughter authors — descendants of the town’s early Black leaders — uncover the trailblazing achievements of their ancestors, piecing together proof of Black resilience in a region shaped by profound adversity whose contributions extended beyond Laurinburg to institutions including Howard University and Meharry Medical College.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science: Secrets of the Purple Pearl, by Kate McKinnon

From the Saturday Night Live legend comes this highly anticipated second about mad science, three peculiar sisters, and the mysterious Millicent Quibb! The Porch Sisters are in trouble. It’s summertime in Antiquarium, and everyone has flocked to the majestic lakeside Purple Pearl Hotel, including the Krenetics Research Association, a nefarious group of mad scientists. They haven’t given up on resurrecting their fearsome leader, Talon Sharktūth, and now they’re hot on the trail of the legendary Purple Pearl, a source of power that is rumored to be lost at the bottom of Lake Kagloopy. But Gertrude, Eugenia and Dee-Dee are on to them and their mentor, Millicent Quibb, has a plan! Is it a good plan? Hard to say! But it does involve finding a mysterious creature called a Shrimpmaid and retrieving the pearl before the KRA gets its evil hands on it! (Ages 8 – 12.)

The Apprenticeship of Andrew Weyth: Painting a Family Legacy, by Gene Barretta

Before Andrew Wyeth found his creative voice, he was a boy growing up in an artistic family, spending his time in rural Pennsylvania and Maine. Andy, as he was called by his family, was trained by his father, renowned artist N.C. Wyeth, but they didn’t always see eye to eye. Pa wanted his son to fill his compositions with exciting characters and places. But to Andy, the most exciting stories to paint were the ones he lived every day, that featured the familiar people and places he loved most. (Ages 5 – 9.) PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws, manager of The Country Bookshop.

Kenny Patterson, Owner/Operator

Christmas in a Nutshell

The spirit lingers in little things

By Bill Fields

Most of the presents I received long ago, on those Christmas mornings of excitement and eggnog which seemed as if they would never arrive, are long gone. The Rock ’Em, Sock ’Em Robots, those red and blue plastic heavyweights, haven’t gone 12 rounds in years. No rough representations of cats or dogs have appeared in squiggly lines on the Etch A Sketch in forever. The futuretelling of a Magic 8-Ball is far, far in the past.

But my “Christmas Nutshell Library” still sits on a shelf, a symbol of the season to be checked out each December, more than 60 years since it appeared under our tree and I marked it as mine, the black letters forming my name on the slipcase now very faint or claimed by time.

Growing up, I loved little things: a 10-cent water pistol that could be hidden in a palm; pocket-sized checkers set; “Tot 50” Swingline stapler about the size of my index finger; Matchbox cars that could race on a windowsill.

Given that the volumes in the holiday collection each measured just 2 7/8 x 3 7/16 inches, they were right up my alley. Talk about truth in advertising — the $2.95 set, published by Harper & Row in 1963, was promoted as “four small books for small people.”

The Lilliputian release was Harper & Row’s follow-up to the 1962 publication of the popular “Nutshell Library” by noted children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. The Christmas-themed encore was entrusted to another giant of the genre, Hilary Knight. Knight, whose father, Clayton, and mother, Katherine, were talented illustrators and immersed him in art when he was a child, was well known by the early 1960s for having illustrated author Kay Thompson’s 1955 Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grownups, about a mischievous 6-year-old girl who lives with her nanny, dog and turtle on “the tippy-top floor” of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The character, based on an imaginary friend Thompson had as a child, was further developed in three Eloise book sequels by Thompson and Knight in the late 1950s: Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime and Eloise in Moscow.

For the “Christmas Nutshell Library” Knight drew the artwork for Clement Moore’s classic The Night Before Christmas. He

wrote and illustrated the other three books: A Firefly in a Fir Tree, a parody of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”; Angels & Berries & Candy Canes, an alphabet book; and A Christmas Stocking Story, accurately described in one 1963 review as “a merry mix-up yarn.”

I enjoyed the tiny books, again and again, across numerous childhood Christmases. The missing dust jackets are a casualty of how often I read them each holiday season. One particularly loosened binding, though, reveals my favorite.

A Christmas Stocking Story is the charming, rhyming tale of eight creatures — Stork, Hippo, Lion, Fish, Elephant, Snake, Fox and Bug — to whom Santa Claus delivers ill-suited gifts to their stockings. “Fish fell in a solemn hush,” Knight wrote, “finding hers held comb and brush.”

But the recipients go from glum to giddy when they “found each had what the next preferred” and remedy the situation by swapping presents. Among the happy do-overs:

“Stork, who suffered from sore throats, wore his sleeve with winter coats.”

“Hippo, hiding giggling fits, shyly showed her lacy mitts.”

“Snake, who yearned for gaudy things, slipped into her diamond rings.”

Knight’s skilled hand brought the critters’ emotions — dejection at first, followed by delight — to vivid life. His 1964 Where’s Wallace? is the tale of an orangutan who repeatedly flees the zoo and has escapades around the city. Young readers were challenged to find the ape in Knight’s detailed panoramic illustrations nearly a quarter-century before kids began searching for a human character in Where’s Waldo?

Over a career that extended into his 90s, Knight has illustrated more than 50 books, created artwork for magazine and record album covers, advertisements, greeting cards and Broadway shows.

“I got a lot of work to do,” Knight told Forbes.com when he was 90. “I have to take care of myself because I have to live at least another 10 years.”

The man who provided children plenty of pleasure celebrated his 99th birthday last month. PS

Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent.

Pete Sack’s Second Act

Taking a turn as community leader

By liz A RoBeRts

A successful painter for nearly 30 years, Pete Sack has work featured in several corporate collections, including SAS Institute and Duke University Hospital. His resume includes dozens of prominent solo and group exhibitions and he’s currently got a waiting list for commissions.

Known for paintings that feature finely nuanced portraiture through an abstracted lens, Sack often obstructs faces with shapes and colors, combining pencil drawings with watercolor and, finally, oil paint. Sometimes two or three portraits of the same person are layered on top of each other, just enough expertly wrought detail to recognize who it is.

His completely abstract paintings are no less contemplative. Thought Patterns is a series “created with the premise that we begin every day as a new person,” he says. Depicted as layers of spheres and ovals of various hue, some are cool and moody, others buoyant, a few bright and jangled. The resulting paintings

reflect the moods and thoughts of the days he made them. “Each day we are reacting to fresh thoughts, actions and environments,” he says. With a limited palette and the self-imposed requirement that he complete each piece within a single day, the works are “fully representative of a particular moment in time and take into account the deeply layered experience each individual has with the present moment.”

Sack’s path began at the Visual Art Exchange — a nonprofit hub for nurturing, connecting and showcasing artists — when he landed in Raleigh in 1988 after earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at East Carolina University. “When I moved here, the VAE was where you learned how to be an artist in this area,” Sack says. It’s also where he and many others had their art exhibited publicly for the first time. “It was where you got your pieces on the wall.”

An emerging artist residency at Artspace and a full-time studio there followed, which further engaged him with the downtown art community. When the creative space Anchorlight opened on S. Bloodworth Street, he moved his practice there. Then he spent nearly five years as an artist in residence at SAS Institute in Cary, where he made as many as 150 works of art for the growing software company’s walls. These days, Sack has a studio on Hargett

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSHUA STEADMAN

The Discarded Masks (count as carry on baggage) - Oil and watercolor on paper, 40 x 30, 2024

Street and a dedicated roster of collectors.

None of it happened by sitting back and waiting for things to come to him. For years, Sack worked to create opportunities for himself, finding creative ways to get his work seen outside the gallery system, including working with real estate developers and interior designers making art that he could be proud of while still suiting their purposes.

The spirit of those efforts expanded to the wider community in 2023 when he and three other established Raleigh artists, Jean Gray Mohs, Lamar Whidbee and Daniel Kelly, began convening groups of fellow artists to discuss the declining number of exhibition opportunities and spaces to gather and experiment downtown. The result was the creation of The Grid Project, an art collective focused on mounting pop-up exhibitions. With the long-term loan by ceramic artist Mike Cindric of his former studio (now called Birdland), The Grid Project has mounted 10 shows in the last two years, exhibiting work by 25 artists. Those exhibits spawned the creation of what Sack and Mohs call the Boylan Arts District.

The calling on everything Sack’s learned over the last 27 years about what it means to be an artist in his community.

In an unexpected turn of events, Sack

Origins II - Acrylic on canvas, - 48 x 36

AT LISI MARKET

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

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ART OF THE STATE

was tapped last spring to co-direct the Visual Art Exchange with Mohs. The two aim to revive the 45-year-old institution, bringing it back to its roots as a resource for artists, a place for them to learn the practical business of being an artist, connect with other artists, and show their work.

A rebirth is in order, because among other challenges, the pandemic hit the VAE hard. By one estimate cited by Sack, the nonprofit gave out as much as $300,000 in funds directly to support artists during that time. The financial hit proved significant, and the organization moved out of its brick-and-mortar home in late April as a cost-saving measure. Sack and Mohs were recruited by the board and took the reins in June.

“As we move into this new chapter, our immediate focus will be on strengthening the internal structure of the organization,” the co-directors said in an October email to stakeholders. At the time, they were fulltime volunteers; the VAE had just $7,000 in the bank. They have since held a series of listening sessions to gather input about the organization’s future direction.

“We need to temper expectations,” Sack says, “and let people know that this is the reality. But we aren’t going anywhere. We’re going to see this through.”

In the meantime, they’re doing what they can, where they are, with what they’ve got. In October, they filled the empty windows of the former CVS at the corner of Hargett and Fayetteville streets with art by Renzo Ortega and Lee Nisbet, working with Empire Properties to turn what was a dark corner into an art beacon. VAE is providing small stipends for the artists and calling the effort “StreetFrame.” Sack says they hope to replicate it in other empty downtown storefronts.

In October, under the VAE banner, the duo opened Echoes of Modernism, an exhibition examining how modernist architecture shapes our political, social and economic lives. Curated by artist Sam van Strein, it included work by Amba Sayal-Bennett, Daniel Rich, Frances Lightbound and van Strein.

Meanwhile, Sack’s art has its own demands. Last year, he had back-to-back

2025 Weymouth Wonderland: Gifts of the Garden

SATURDAY,

DECEMBER

6: Wonderfest & Market

10:00am - 4:00 pm

Tour the Boyd House decorated for the holidays, buy vintage holiday decor in the Holiday Shoppe, grab a treat and a warm drink from our Bake Shoppe, take a photo with Santa, shop local vendors and artisans, enjoy popular area food trucks, watch live performances from local musicians and dancers. Fun for the whole family! Entry by donation.

ART OF THE STATE

shows for six months at a stretch and worried about “saturating” the market.

The demands of his work with VAE have given him time to “take a step back, to recalibrate” his art, and to think about where to take it next. “My sketchbook is filling up, I am building up the reserves,

No Turning Back (it’s been taken care of)Oil and watercolor on paper, 40 x 30, 2024

Chamber Sessions

Join us on Sunday, December 14, at 2:00 pm:

NC Harp Ensemble at Emmanuel Episcopal Church

The Boyd House will be open to the public for self-guided tours and to view the holiday decorations during regular hours, Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., from December 8 through December 26.

We will also be open on Saturdays, December 13 and 20!

Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information!

555 East Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC

and I’m excited to see where the work goes,” he says. “Toggling between the figurative and the abstract is still something that I’m pushing. At the end of the day, I’m always going to be an artist. I’m building up to something bigger.”

And despite the obvious challenges, that same spirit is fueling his work with VAE. Sack says he’s determined to make it indispensable to the next generation of Raleigh artists.

“Years ago, I would never have thought I’d be in this position, just because it’s not something I ever wanted to do,” he says. “But the writing is on the wall that nobody’s coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.” PS

This is an excerpt from Art of the State: Celebrating the Art of North Carolina, published by UNC Press.

Tom & Jerry

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPh By tony CRoss

Long before flavored lattes at Starbucks, there was another creamy and sweet beverage that went hand-in-hand with cold weather.

The Tom & Jerry, named after the punch bowl and mugs, not the cartoon, is a warm, frothy variation of eggnog made with eggs, sugar, hot milk (traditionally hot water), brandy and rum. Though recipes have existed since the early 1800s, it was famed American bartender Jerry Thomas who was responsible for its revival in the Northeast. Author Amanda Schuster says, “From the 1930s to the late 1960s or so, it was adopted as a traditional winter treat all over the U.S., served as soon as temperatures dropped.” The tradition carries on today in colder cities, particularly the Midwest. Thomas’ recipe calls for hot water, but as bartender Jim Meehan points out, you should opt for whole milk instead: “There’s no way around this drink’s richness.”

Below is Meehan’s recipe that he adopted from Audrey Saunders, bartender and owner of New York City’s famed Pegu Club. PS

Tony Cross owns and operates Reverie Cocktails, a cocktail delivery service that delivers kegged cocktails for businesses to pour on tap — but once a bartender, always a bartender.

Specifications

6 ounces whole milk, served hot

2 ounces Tom & Jerry mix*

1 ounce Remy Martin VSOP cognac

1 ounce aged rum (Plantation 5 Year, perhaps?)

Garnish: grated nutmeg

Execution

Preheat a coffee mug or teacup by filling it with boiling water, letting it sit until heated, then discard the water. Add cognac and rum, then add Tom & Jerry mix. Stir until evenly combined and top with hot milk. Grate nutmeg over the top.

*Tom & Jerry Mix

(Makes 48 ounces)

6 large organic eggs, yolks and whites separated

1 pound sugar

1 ounce Jamaican rum (Appleton works great here)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whip egg yolks until they are completely broken up and smooth, then stir in the sugar, rum, spices, bitters and vanilla. Mix contents together in a large bowl and blend until it resembles a cake batter. Refrigerate to cool, store up to 2 days.

Spectacular Speculaas

Cookies for St. Nicholas

Speculaas Cookies

(Makes about 40 pieces)

150 grams butter, room temperature

1 egg

Speculaas cookies are works of art

with a wonderfully charming backstory. Not quite as popular as gingerbread — unjustly so, I might add — speculaas were originally made with handcarved wooden molds that produce filigran shapes with extraordinary relief details. That’s how I make mine — but sit tight, there are other options for those of you without fancy mold contraptions.

The original cookies depicted the story of St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra (modern day Turkey), who is said to have brought treats to children in December. St. Nicholas was known as the “Speculator” (overseer or observer), and legend has it that in the evenings he would peer (as in, speculate) through the windows of the poor to see who needed help. This may explain both the curious name and why the speculaas is a customary St. Nicholas Day sweet treat, especially in the Netherlands, where these cookies likely originated. And it’s probably why the most famous speculaas cookie these days depicts a windmill.

Known as speculaas in Dutch, spéculoos in French or spekulatius in German, you might encounter any of the three names while on the hunt for recipes or store-bought cookies. These sweet treats have as much tradition and lovely, wintery warm spices as gingerbread but are much easier to prepare (gingerbread dough is traditionally started two months ahead of time and left to rest) and, dare I say, more refined and delicious.

In place of the wooden molds, lots of folks use a carved or embossed rolling pin or cookie cutters. The simplest way of preparing these is, however, to roll out the dough and slice it into smaller rectangles, which can be decorated with a piece or two of sliced almonds. The recipe I use is adapted from the German Baker’s Guild, which represents a basic version with room for growth — adjust the amount of spices used or add some of your own. To make butter speculaas, increase the amount of butter by 100 grams and add an extra egg. PS

German native Rose Shewey is a food stylist and food photographer. To see more of her work visit her website at suessholz.com.

110 grams brown sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

60 grams almond flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

300 grams wheat flour

Directions

Cream the butter, egg and sugar with an electric mixer for at least 8-10 minutes until light and fluff y. Stir in the lemon zest, spices and ground almond, then add flour into the mixture. Knead all the ingredients together by hand to form a firm dough. Shape the dough into two balls, wrap them in cling film, and chill for about 1 hour. Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator. If using a speculaas mold, tear off small sections of the dough and press them into the lightly floured molds. Use a knife or a piece of thread to cut excess dough from the mold to create a nice, flat cookie backside and smooth edges, then gently tap the mold on your working surface until the cookies pop out. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If using cookie cutters, roll out the dough thinly (about 4 millimeters) between two sheets of parchment paper. Dust lightly with flour. Cut out shapes and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If using a speculaas (or embossed) rolling pin, gently but firmly roll over the rolled out dough to cut out shapes. Carefully separate the speculaas shapes using a butter or pastry knife and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Knead the leftover dough together again and roll it out anew. Chill cookies for about 2 hours before baking. Heat the oven to 350F and bake for about 8-10 minutes, but keep a watchful eye on the cookies, they burn quickly. The cookies will seem soft right after baking but will harden once they cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.

The Color Red

Tier 3 Winners

The Sandhills Photography Club was started in 1983 to provide a means of improving members’ photographic skills and technical knowledge, for the exchange of information, and, by club activity, to develop membership potential and public interest in the art of photography. For meetings and information visit www. sandhillsphotoclub.org.

Tier 3, 2nd Place: Carnival Lights by Donna Ford

Tier 3, 1st Place: Needs Some TLC by Dale Jennings

Tier 3, 3rd Place: Sun Kissed by Dee Williams

The Color Red

Tier � Winners

Tier 2, 2nd Place: Sharon White Riding for Team Red, White and Blue by Pam Jensen

Tier 2, 1st Place: Portuguese Galochas by Donna Sassano

Tier 2, 3rd Place: My Name is “Art” by Michael Sassano

The Color Red

Tier � Winners

Tier 3, 2nd Place: Hot

Tier 3, 1st Place: TNT Microwave by Susan Capstick

Tier 3, Honorable

Mention 2: Amaryllis by Larry

Tier 3, Honorable

Mention 1 : Fountain Leaf by Deb

Plate by Steve Bonsall

Thomas

Castle

Tier 3, 3rd Place: Red Rose of Sharon Explosion by Patricia Scheil

Life in Mugs

My cup overfloweth . . . with coffee

By emilee P hilliPs

“Oh look, another Keurig,” I said as I unwrapped the gift, unsure if I was being punked. Four coffee makers — in four different colors — sat on the floor in front of me in the jumble of Christmas debris. The situation was so ridiculous, it only took half a beat for me to burst into laughter. Apparently no one in the family communicated that year when shopping for my present. But I was grateful that everyone wanted to make sure I had my caffeine fix. That was the year I’d gone off to college and you could say I was a tad — OK, a lot — coffee obsessed.

Having previously worked at a coffee shop, you couldn’t blame me. I had one leg up on addiction. But higher education made it worse. I relied on it so much to get me through the long days — between morning workouts, the A/C always blasting a smidgen too much and Mr. Dean’s sleep-inducing class — it hardly gave me the jitters anymore. My roommate and I used our Keurig so much that it didn’t survive first semester.

Friends and family might describe me now as a coffee snob, which I would argue is not entirely true. I can recognize a good cuppa from an over-roasted, bitter or stale one, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t drink it to endure the “brilliant” podcast my sister insists is life-changing.

If coffee is an acquired taste, I’ve acquired it. Much like being a wine sommelier, the more you drink the more you understand what the terms that could describe fabrics — “velvety,” “light,” and “floral” — mean in the coffee context.

Admittedly, since my college days I have upgraded my brew methods. I grind the beans fresh for each pot. It has become a morning ritual of sorts, one that humors me. I’m as guilty as the next guy of not being able — or, rather, refusing — to function without their morning cup of joe. Hey, we’re creatures of habit.

There are people who enjoy the sentiment of coffee more than the concoction itself. There’s something exciting about wrapping your hands around a steaming cup as if you’re lounging in a ski chalet in Aspen or, for those who prefer iced drinks, making your way through a castle of whipped cream to get a sugar fix before diving into the caffeine pool at the bottom.

These days the real appeal to me, other than getting a much needed jolt in the morning, is that “going for coffee” can be an outing in itself. The coffee shop can serve as a “third place” — a pleasing space between home and work where the aroma of a fresh brew and the hum of conversation bring people together. Whether it’s catching up with an old friend, powering through online tasks or enjoying a good book, there’s something motivating about stepping out of the house and into a welcoming atmosphere.

Some of my best ideas happen in coffee shops. I enjoy hearing the sounds of the grinder, the steam of the espresso machine and the soft mingling around me. After a while you begin to notice things like “plaid shirt guy isn’t here today,” or “the lady who always asks for her drink to be kid’s temperature got a tea today,” or “chai latte girl must have finally finished that paper.”

In college, that little coffeemaker became my personal barista, churning out cups during all-nighters and early morning cram sessions. I’d sit at my desk with my laptop, a mug in hand and pretend I was anywhere but a cramped, cluttered dorm room.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I kept the black Keurig for my college dorm. The other three went back for spending money. PS

Emilee Phillips is PineStraw’s director of social media.

Sweet Serendipity

The gift of friendship

By JoyCe R eehling

Finding true friends is seldom easy, but sometimes it feels like destiny. I walked onto a plane some 40 years ago on my way to a job in New Zealand and, as it turned out, a friend for life was about to drop into the seat next to me.

I confess, I generally approach seatmates with caution. I’ve had men confess to me that they were lying to their wives about a “business trip” when actually they were off to meet someone they’d fallen in “love” with a month before. I’ve sat next to a child who would only stop crying if I played Uno with him for the entire flight. And I’ve been beside women who have filled me in on the personal details surrounding the lives of allll their children and grandchildren. There are times when earbuds and an eyeshade are a godsend.

Years ago I was flying PanAm — when it still existed — in what was one of the last, great first class cabin experiences. My seatmate was a woman, and there were two men in front of us. Before we took off the man in the window seat in front of me asked his seatmate if he would switch with the lady next to me, as she was his wife and they would like to fly together. Of course, the fellow said. He would be happy to accommodate them. A short, four-way conversation about seat bookings ensued, bodies unbuckled and moved, followed by polite thank-yous all around.

In that moment I didn’t realize I’d hit the jackpot. Randy Boyd was now sitting next to me. The ice-breaking small talk and quick game of musical seats lead us to a deeper conversation that lasted the entire flight from New York to L.A. We laughed and enjoyed one another for hours.

What began as a lovely day of chatting and eating superior airline food — hard to believe now — ended with promises of visits. He wanted to meet me in the PanAm lounge on my layover back to NYC in a few weeks, back in the pre-9/11 days when such a thing was possible. We made plans for meeting the people we each loved. I had recently started dating the man who was to become my darling husband and, as Randy frequently came to NYC, I knew they would enjoy one another no end. And it all came true over nearly four decades of life’s fickle ups and downs.

COVID kept us apart, as it did so many, but we texted and talked online. Randy and I hadn’t seen one other in person since the summer of 2017 when I was visiting the United Kingdom

with a friend and we rented a cottage from his sister Cindy and her husband, Nick, who live in Braybrooke with property in the Cotswolds. In 2024 my darling husband, Tony, was doing well with his cancer treatment until a single-cell form of cancer suddenly appeared and reversed our course. We could not know then that Tony would pass on July 4th of that year — blessedly peaceful and at home with me, as he wished. The word devastated doesn’t come close. My dear friends here were my salvation and family, both mine and Tony’s, held me up.

We had been invited to Randy and Mark’s wedding, though we knew Tony wasn’t well enough to make the trip, and it pained us not to be with them. When Tony died two weeks before the wedding, Randy could not bear to be away from me, and although he had so much still to do, he came for a week to uplift me and share in our mutual loss.

That love and empathy and caring was borne out of a simple seat assignment. On his visit, Randy fell in love with Pinehurst, Southern Pines and our whole area. He and Mark married and came for a visit in December, which is a great time to sell how wonderful it can be here. I decorated my house for Christmas — which I did not think I had the bandwidth to do — so that they might, crazy as it sounded, consider leaving Palm Springs for Pinehurst. It was worth a charm offensive.

And it worked. One of my dearest friends now lives a little over a mile away when he used to live 3,000 miles across the country, and Mark has added more joy to my life. I think Tony might have had a celestial hand in it.

If there is a lesson to be learned, it is this: Be open to the happy accidents of life. Be open to the joy that people can bring. You can never tell what little event might give you the chance to have a huge chunk of love deposited in your spiritual account. When you see an open door to a good soul walk through it. Your best friend may be right there in front of you. PS

Joyce Reehling is a Pinehurst resident and a 45-year veteran of the New York stage both on and off Broadway. She is a proud member of Actors Equity and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists.

Watching Big Red

A glimpse of a magnificent hawk

By susA n CA mPBell

Now that the leaves are off the trees, certain wildlife is a lot easier to spot. Without the cover of dense vegetation, birds in particular are more obvious, and larger birds, such as hawks, can be truly eye-catching. Of these, the largest is the red-tailed hawk. Just about everyone has at least glimpsed one of these magnificent individuals on a large branch of a dead tree, a fencepost or a power pole.

Red-tailed hawks are the largest species in the genus Buteo that breeds in the eastern United States. Although they are not a common sight, they can be found across North Carolina yearround. In the winter, red-taileds may be joined by migrants from points north. These big hawks are found in any type of open habitat — from mountain balds to open parkland, agricultural fields and more.

Identifying adult birds is not too difficult if you can get a good view of their namesake reddish tails. Otherwise, the species has a dark brown back, a streaked bellyband and a pale breast with a dark head. Juvenile birds will not sport the colorful tail, but they will still have dark streaks on the belly and a dark head. Both have long, wide wings that they tend to hold in a slight “V,” or dihedral, when soaring. Being birds that hunt by sight, they spend a lot of time either perched from an elevated vantage point or soaring at great heights looking for prey.

Red-taileds catch mainly mammals but are not very picky eaters. They will grab anything, from mice to rabbits. Sometimes they will eat a snake and even catch a bird or two. Also, they may take advantage of carrion.

Breeding for these birds is a major undertaking. Red-taileds require a sturdy nest each spring. It will be several feet across and at least a couple of feet deep in order to keep the young family safe. The adults will frequently reuse a nest from a prior season (if nesting was successful there), adding a few new sticks to the exterior as well as strips of bark and dried vegetation to the cup. Typically, the nest is in the very top of a large tree, although they may use a rock ledge or even a man-made structure such as a billboard or stadium lighting. Brood size is typically one to five young that hatch following three to four weeks of incubation. It will be another nine weeks or so before they are ready to leave the nest.

There is a famous red-tailed pair that has been raising a new family on the Cornell University campus for 10 years. The nest site, located adjacent to buildings I frequented for classes during my undergrad days, is equipped with the most high-tech spyware on the market. It is under surveillance from the time the pair return in early spring through fledging of the year’s youngsters via a Cornell Lab of Ornithology webcam. The female, not surprisingly dubbed “Big Red,” has raised numerous youngsters with the assistance of two different mates over the past decade. “Arthur” succeeded “Ezra” as her mate a couple of years ago. Each year these birds have produced one or more successful youngsters under the sharp watch of lab researchers, as well as to the delight of local birders. Tune in to the webcam in early March, when the pair are expected to return for the 2026 breeding season. I promise that it will be educational, fun — and very addictive. PS

Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by email at susan@ncaves.com.

Double the Spirit

Warm, kind and generous

By deBoRA h sA lomon

By rights, this column should be brimming with “Christmas spirit.’’ But Santa looks worried. Can the “Christmas spirit” survive with Yule merch suffering tariff shock?

I am the product of a mixed marriage. My father grew up in the Lower East Side Manhattan ghetto of poor Russian and Polish immigrants — all ultra-orthodox Jews. He rejected the strict confines but loved the culture, especially the food. My mother was raised strict Southern Baptist, in Greensboro: no dancing, playing cards or drinking.

They both loved Christmas — the gifts, a big tree with lights, the cookies and fruitcake. Who wouldn’t love the Christmas pageant at Radio City Music Hall with a live donkey, and the animated windows at the Fifth Avenue department stores? Maybe this wasn’t proper but it sure was fun, especially with a new Mary Poppins book under the tree.

I never heard of Hanukkah, or latkes (potato pancakes fried in symbolic oil), or lighting candles for eight days to remember a brave military leader and the miracle of a lantern burning eight days on enough oil for only one.

That changed when we moved to Asheville, which had a vibrant Jewish community. We joined the Reform Temple. I attended religious school.

I married into a relaxed Jewish family and lived for decades in an orthodox Montreal neighborhood. I learned all the intricacies of orthodoxy, but our family was staunchly Reform. Plenty of latkes. No Christmas. But the two holidays, celebrating vastly dif-

ferent events but often falling within the same week, shared one thing: spirit. A spirit more ecumenical than divisive. A happy, respectful spirit. A spirit that addresses the secular and the sacred.

By the ’60s,“Happy Hanukkah’’ had joined the American holiday lexicon. Christian friends enjoyed chanting the alliterative words without knowing the backstory . . . or the preferred spelling. Everybody enjoyed the enthusiasm, the small gifts, one on each of eight nights. Better yet were the close family moments with grandparents and cousins. In other words, the Hannukah “spirit.”

This year Hanukkah ends a few days before Christmas. But a kind spirit is not lit by candles or Rudolph. Certainly not by the latest techno-gadget which will, like those must-have Cabbage Patch dolls, fade from favor. I don’t measure the Christmas spirit in cash. It could be an outing for a senior who no longer drives. Or gently used children’s coats, freshly dry cleaned, in a zippered hanging bag. Maybe an IOU for a dozen rides to church, or a tabletop tree decorated with tiny lights and peppermint Life Savers. I once had a friend who gave out complimentary car washes; another, free babysitting. In many cities Jewish organizations take over volunteer jobs at hospitals on Chistmas day, while church choirs carol at nursing homes.

The Christmas spirit is warm and kind and generous no matter how it’s implemented, and by whom. Participate. Enjoy. Finish off the crown roast with crispy potato latkes. Then pick a language and say a prayer for a better year ahead. PS

Deborah Salomon is a contributing writer for PineStraw and The Pilot. She may be reached at debsalomon@nc.rr.com.

A Few Magical Moments

Sighting a hawk as white as snow

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPhs By todd P usseR

Several years ago, on a crisp December morning, I found myself traveling down the dusty backroads of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge under a brilliant blue sky. I had a few hours to kill before a planned meeting at the nearby Outer Banks History Center and thought a drive through the refuge might yield a sighting of a black bear or a river otter — and if I was really lucky, perhaps an endangered red wolf.

About a mile into my drive, I noticed a large white bird lift off the ground from the middle of a freshly plowed field and fly toward some tall pine trees several hundred yards out in front of my car. Based on its size and stiff-winged flight, I could tell it was some sort of bird of prey, but with its unusual white coloration, I could not readily make out the species. Perhaps, I thought, it was a snowy owl, a spectacular resident of Arctic climes, that occasionally ventures south to North Carolina during winter months.

As I pulled my car up to the pine trees, I was stunned to see something much rarer than a snowy owl. Off to the side of the dirt road, sitting on a branch of a tall loblolly, was a white red-tailed hawk. Its luminous feathers contrasted sharply with the golden needles of the pine and the intense Carolina blue sky. In eastern North America, adult red-tailed hawks typically possess brown backs and white bellies and chests lined by dark streaks. Their tail is brick red, hence the name. The hawk in the pine was anything but typical. It was stunning. In the bright morning light, the pale hawk gave off a surreal, almost otherworldly glow.

Red-tailed hawks are notoriously skittish, and I figured the bird would fly away when I lowered my car window and pointed a large telephoto lens at it. To my surprise, the hawk remained focused on the field from whence it flew and paid me little attention. As I fumbled with my camera settings, adjusting the aperture and shutter speed, the hawk glanced occasionally in my direction. Still, the bird held its position and continued to stare out into the field.

Unusually white animals have captured human imagination for time immemo -

FEEL THE JOY, NOT THE PAIN

rial and are frequently viewed as omens of good fortune. Among certain Native American cultures, a white buffalo represents hope and harmony among all people and are considered the most sacred of animals. In Thailand, some believe that white elephants contain the souls of people who have crossed over into the spirit world. In Celtic and English folklore, white deer are frequently endowed with supernatural powers and magical abilities. Exceptionally white animals have even permeated popular culture — none more so than Captain Ahab’s great nemesis, the white sperm whale Moby Dick.

Studying the details of the pale redtailed hawk more closely through my telephoto lens, I realized the bird was not completely white. Numerous light brown feathers were scattered about its wings and head. Zooming in on the hawk’s eye on the back of my camera’s LCD, I noticed its black pupil, a feature that told me that the bird was not an albino. True albino birds lack any pigment in their feathers and have pink eyes. Genetic mutations that cause abnormally white feathers in birds are numerous and are not well understood. Without a thorough analysis of its blood, the condition causing the unusual white coloration of the hawk would remain unknown.

After nearly 15 minutes of me taking photos, something finally caught the hawk’s attentive gaze. With a crouch and a quick spread of its wings, the raptor launched off the pine and flew low over the ground to the far side of the field. Like some ghostly apparition, the white red-tail disappeared over the distant trees and was gone.

All I have to prove this magical encounter actually happened are a few pixels stored on a hard drive and the pale image etched permanently into my memory bank. To this day, the hawk remains one of the most spectacular and beautiful birds I have ever encountered. PS

Naturalist and photographer Todd Pusser grew up in Eagle Springs. He works to document the extraordinary diversity of life both near and far. His images can be found at

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Learn more about our community , where you have the freedom to focus on your wellness and relationships while living life to its fullest . Contact us today. Call (910) 692-0300 , email info@penickvillage1964.org , or scan the QR code to learn more.

Warming the Insides

Bowled over by red or green

By lee PACe

It’s time for the ChapStick, wool stocking caps, corduroy trousers and a pocket full of handwarmers. Behold the dormant Bermuda, embrace the brisk winds and the low Southern sun. John Updike had the right idea: “Golf feels, on the frost-stiffened fairways, reduced to its austere and innocent essence.”

And the proper nourishment after a round of winter golf? A bowl o’ red, of course.

Oh, it’s a thing.

There’s a comfort station on the sixth hole of Bluejack National in Montgomery, Texas, that serves chili made of four cuts of beef. There’s a club in Decatur, Alabama, that for 20 years each December stages a combination “Superintendent’s Revenge” golf tournament coupled with a chili cookoff, with more than a dozen recipes entered. And Scottie Scheffler served Texas-style chili at the 2025 Champions Dinner at the Masters, replete with cheddar cheese, jalapeños and corn chips.

Two new dining establishments in the Sandhills each have their entry into the winter chili sweepstakes.

PL8TE/Southern Table opened in May 2025 at the Pinehurst No. 8 clubhouse, following the 2022 renovation of the golf

course and coinciding with the opening of five luxury cottages on the premises. The new restaurant offers a fresh take on upscale Southern cuisine — staples with a modern twist, such as shrimp and grits with roasted succotash and BBQ-glazed pork chops with Cheerwine sauce.

Station 21 is the new Southwest-themed food and beverage facility at Pinehurst Sandmines, the restaurant so-named because 21 is the sum of 10 & 11 (the Tom Doak-designed No. 10 opened in May 2024, and the Coore & Crenshaw No. 11 will follow in the fall of 2027), and “station” hearkens to the Sandmines’ history of being a mining site for sand that was transported out via railroad cars. The menu includes appetizers like Texas Hill Country quail knots, hand-held offerings such as bison sliders, and full-plate specialties like authentic Mexican tamales with shrimp or pork.

And both PL8TE and Station 21 have chili offerings of decidedly contrasting colors, textures and tastes.

PL8TE’s version of “green chili” is built around pork and a host of green-hued ingredients — green tomatoes, tomatillos, cilantro, lime and green chilies.

Station 21 goes for “chili con carne,” a thick red elixir of brisket and short rib with beans, tomatoes, chipotle peppers and Guinness beer.

Michael Morris, chef de cuisine at both facilities, says the two versions are made in batches of six gallons at a time.

“Our chili recipes are built on layers,” he says. “The chili con carne uses equal parts brisket and short rib plus dark beer and

MURPHY FA M ILY CHRIST MURPHY FA M ILY CHRIST

THE ANNUAL TRADITION

chipotle for a smoky, beef-forward depth. The green chili is a dual-pork (loin and butt), tomatillo-based verde with plenty of roasted poblanos, fresh cilantro and a bright hit of lemon to lift it. Both are made in large batches and finished slowly to a simmer phase so the flavors meld — they’re approachable but rooted

One interesting question on the version served at Station 21 is that it includes beans — some argue that a true Texas chili is comprised of meat and spices and

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“On the age-old question, we keep one foot in each camp,” Morris says. “Our chili con carne leans traditional Texas-style — heavy on the smoked meats, rich ancho and chipotle depth, Guinness for body, so the beans are there mostly to balance texture, not dominate it. Our green chili goes the opposite direction: bright, tangy, built on tomatillos, poblanos and slowcooked pork. It’s meant to taste like the Southwest in a bowl. We build both around layers of flavor instead of heat for heat’s sake — beer reduction, citrus and base stocks to give them backbone without overpowering the ingredients.”

Both PL8TE and Station 21 are the result of Pinehurst owner Bob Dedman Jr. believing several years ago that the dining facilities across the resort had evolved into a sameness. Creating a barbecue and craft beer emporium in the village of Pinehurst (Pinehurst Brewery) and purchasing an existing upscale Italian restaurant (Villaggio at the Magnolia Inn) were major steps toward solving that issue. Then, in 2022, Dedman hired a restaurant industry veteran in Gonzague Muchery to further

Muchery is a native of France, grew up in his family’s restaurant business and has spent 45 years in the culinary arena across the United States — from Ritz Carltons to a five-star venue on Amelia Island to highend cruise ships. The first project under Muchery’s purview was the Carolina Vista Lounge, the restaurant and bar in the Carolina Hotel that replaced the Ryder Cup Lounge in the fall of 2023.

Visions of Outdoor Living Danced Through Their Heads…

GOLFTOWN JOURNAL

The space was reimagined from a casual dining venue to an upscale bar offering dishes drawn from North America (buttermilk fried chicken sliders and doublepatty grilled burgers) to South America (chili salt pork rinds and empanadas with andouille sausage).

Then came PL8TE and Station 21, the latter just opening in September.

“The concept at Station 21 is to curate an experience completely different from anything at Pinehurst,” says Muchery, the director of resort food and beverage for Pinehurst Inc. “The Southwest theme pays homage to the Texas heritage of the Dedman family (Pinehurst’s owner since 1984) and to the history of this property. This land has been used for hunting, so we have quail on the menu. One part of the No. 10 course was once a peach orchard, so we have peach salsa and a peach and chipotle rub for chicken, and a peach ice cream sandwich.”

Muchery’s French heritage comes through as he speaks of the marriage of recreation, food, drink, friendship, nature and the five senses at Pinehurst Sandmines and Station 21.

“Having an emotional connection with each facility is very important,” he says. “You come to this wonderful golf course, you walk it and feel the ground beneath you, then you come together after it’s over and talk about what a great experience you had. You have something to eat. You have a drink. In cooler weather you sit around the fire pit. You have a cigar and reflect on the day, you enjoy the moment. You think, ‘Oh wow, what a good time.’ We’re establishing the formula and culture for the next 30 to 40 years.”

As for the next three months, it will be cold and windy. The hands will go numb, the nostrils will go runny.

But take heart in a bowl of hearty sustenance. Color me happy — red or green, either is perfectly fine. PS

Chapel Hill-based writer Lee Pace has written about the Sandhills golf and dining scenes for four decades and has authored five books on the evolution of the community.

A Christmas Night

It was a cold night

And there was ice on the road, Our car started to slide

As it moved up the small hill, And the headlights caught the old man

In a thin jacket

Pushing a cart filled with sticks.

There were some bundles and a package

Piled on top, and the old man

Grinned and waved at us

As he pushed the cart

Into the yard of the little house

Where a single light shone.

The tires gripped the road

And we drove on into the darkness, But suddenly it was warm.

— Sam Ragan

Sam Ragan, often referred to as North Carolina’s “literary godfather,” is a former North Carolina poet laureate and a member of the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. He was editor and publisher of The Pilot from 1969 until his death in 1996.

SEASON

of

By L ara Sierra • PhotograPhS By John geSSner

The spirit of giving, celebrating all the good in this world, is never felt more profoundly than during the holidays. We’re fortunate to have a plethora of charitable organizations — far too numerous to mention here — that embody this spirit every month, every day, of the year. They thrive because of the dedicated and willing volunteers who selflessly share their compassion and talents.

Each of the volunteers featured here was quick to insist that they were just one of many who donate precious time to help others. To us, they represent a veritable legion of the kindhearted. They spoke about their pride, not in awards or accolades, but in the work itself and the satisfaction and enjoyment they gain from it — the person who says a quiet thank you; a beautiful, thriving garden; the look on an animal’s face going home with its forever family; the bond fostered between a human and a horse. Without fail, they talked about the relationships they built. Their service delivers a simple message: A life of giving is the best present of all.

Habitat for Humanity SANDRA THOMAS

When Thomas was no longer working full time, “I just couldn’t sit around at home,” she says. She saw an advertisement for a volunteer orientation at Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills. Ten years and 5,000 hours later, she’s going to have a street named after her in a development in Aberdeen. “Habitat’s goal is to get people into affordable housing,” she says. The pathway to homeownership often involves sweat equity, contributing to building someone else’s home. Thomas works full shifts three times a week — and any other time she can get there. “I have so much gratitude to the people who donate goods and the people who buy, which is how we raise money. Habitat is up there with my commitment to church and my commitment to God,” she says.

On days when she’s not volunteering, Thomas likes to visit the latest Habitat project. “The new development has eight to 10 houses with a circular drive,” she says with obvious pride. “The camaraderie with the people around here is special. Building houses isn’t getting any cheaper. We try to keep our prices reasonable, but it’s hard. My hope is that people can always be kind, always be thoughtful.”

Sunrise Theater LEIGH BOZICH

When Bozich inherited a house and moved to Moore County from Florida, she was a stranger in a strange land. A big movie fan, that feeling didn’t last long once she became involved with the Sunrise Theater. “It gave me access to the community,” Bozich says. “I’ll work concessions, in the box office or as an usher. You get to see everyone in town. Really, it gave me a connection, which is kind of what I needed. And I got to see movies that I wouldn’t normally be able to see at the big movie theaters.”

Another coveted role is sitting on the film committee. “Working out what films people want to see isn’t always easy. We bring diverse films and diverse programming that sometimes are harder to find. I personally tend to seek out socially conscious things. Sometimes you just kind of throw it out there and see if they come.” Leigh has an obvious passion for her subject matter, but what is it that keeps her coming back? “I get that connection with our community,” she says. “And I get to share my love of film with others.”

Annika Monesanto, pictured here, has been riding at Prancing Horse for 8 years. It’s almost impossible to find extracurricular activities that are not only accessible to kids like Annika, but welcoming and accommodating to her specific needs. She feels loved and valued at Prancing Horse.

Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship

BARBARA BRAZER

The Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship is a refuge of calm amid its 15 horses, two goats, a cat, and a part-time dog. “We are a therapeutic horse facility,” says Brazer. “Horses have a very good intuitive aura about them, and they can bond to people with all kinds of issues — physical, autistic, mental, cognitive, stress-related and so on. But we’ve expanded a lot from just horse riding lessons. We wanted to do more. For example, we had a group of all wheelchair users. They came out and brushed the horses, fed them treats and just spent time bonding with them.”

Prancing Horse now includes a military veteran’s program. “The veterans don’t necessarily ride but do a lot of that groundwork, brushing and so on, just generally interacting and getting that emotional regulation that helps with anxiety and PTSD. Some people immediately bond with a horse, and it’s lovely to watch. Just being around the animals gives people benefits.” As for the goats? “Well, really, they just provide comic relief,” Brazer says.

She began volunteering at Prancing Horse shortly after moving to Moore County. “It brings people so much joy, especially the kids,” she says. “Some start off absolutely terrified, and usually by the end they don’t want to get off the horse. Personally, seeing their faces light up is what gives me the benefit.”

SHIRLEY BALDWIN

Baldwin, a retired nurse, has been volunteering at the Moore Free Clinic for 17 of the 20 years of its existence. “I started as a triage nurse and now I do education for diabetes, high blood pressure, nutrition, that sort of thing,” she says. “The reality is there are a lot of individuals who cannot afford their health care. Because really, if you had to choose between health insurance or putting food on the table, what would you do? We give fantastic quality primary care for people who can’t afford to see a doctor otherwise.”

Supported entirely by donations and volunteers, the clinic offers a wide range of services. “This, in essence, is a doctor’s office,” says Baldwin. “We now have a dental clinic. A gynecologist comes in and volunteers. We have an optometrist and someone who’ll be coming in to do physical therapy. We have medication in our pharmacy. It runs the whole gamut.”

It’s more than the impressive range of care that drew her to the clinic. “I enjoy this. I don’t plan on retiring until they kick me out because I get the satisfaction of helping those who can’t help themselves,” says Baldwin. “A former patient just came in and said, ‘I’ve gotten off track and I need to see you.’ Or someone might just say, ‘Thank you for listening.’ And that’s a milliondollar payment to me.”

Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities Dirt Gardeners

LUCY MELDRUM

“I was a vegetable gardener in New Jersey, but it’s hard to grow vegetables down here,” says Meldrum. “Everyone thinks they know gardening until they move here!” She’s gotten her gardening fix helping to maintain the grounds surrounding the Boyd House, the elegant home of the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities. The work of keeping the estate looking as cared for as it did in the days of Katharine and James Boyd falls to the group known as the Dirt Gardeners. “I’ve been volunteering for around 13 years,” says Meldrum. “The work we do is your usual garden maintenance. We clean up the front, put in plants and do a lot of weeding.” They also propagate plants for the annual plant sale fundraiser.

Spending so much time with the land, Meldrum notices the intricate changes that increasingly affect how things grow. “Everything is growing late this year,” she says. Projects and plantings go hand in hand. She points to a pathway the Dirt Gardeners are putting in for children. “There’s always something that people can do even if they don’t know much about gardening,” she says. “Soon enough everyone enjoys working with the plants — seeing them grow, making a place thrive.”

Sandhills/ Moore

Coalition for Human Care

DONNA

BLASINGAME

“This place has been a lifeline for me,” Blasingame says over the hubbub of trucks, volunteers and customers queued up outside the Coalition for Human Care. Customers are asking if the doors can be opened early; tables are being moved to make way for suitcases; trucks are waiting to park and unload. All the while, Blasingame carefully weaves her way around the site, answering questions, repricing items and checking in on her fellow volunteers. “We are affiliated with 70 churches, so we are always busy, and every penny stays in Moore County,” she says.

The Coalition has four stores, each selling different wares, from home goods to electricals, budget buys to a slightly more expensive boutique. They even sell wedding dresses. One store is called Miss Hallie’s House, named for the woman who donated her house to the Coalition in her will. “We are very blessed with donations,” Blasingame says, “but we still need people to support us because in order for the coalition to work we need volunteers. We are so busy.”

Blasingame’s husband passed away two years ago. “I’m among very supportive people. That’s why this place has been such a lifeline,” she says. In a back room of one of the stores, volunteers celebrate a birthday with doughnuts and friendly chitchat. Before long, they are all up, sorting, pricing, moving and doing their bit.

Moore Humane Society KAREN KOCHER

“I started volunteering after I was at a friend’s house and a farmer brought in a crate of six puppies,” Kocher says. “We took them over to the shelter and I realized that’s just a day in the life of a volunteer — in comes someone who needs help with the animals, and in come people who adopt them. I thought, what a joyous place, so I signed up straight away.”

The Moore Humane Society, a no-kill shelter, quickly became the place where she invested her time. That connection has lasted nine years. “What amazes me about volunteering there is discovering how many people truly love animals enough to give up their own time to care for them,” she says. “There are people who’ve donated hundreds and hundreds of hours. To see the love that these people have for animals that are not their own is special. So I’ve found my people, the people who really feel that every animal deserves an awesome life. I’m so incredibly grateful to be able to see the little look on the face of an animal when they get the leash put on to go to their new home. Seeing the delight of the animals and their owners.”

And what does the society need from the community? “Everything we get is from donations, and every little bit counts. So if people feel compelled to donate funding or unused food, beds, leads and so on, they can drop it off. And of course, we also need volunteers. We could always use the help.” PS

Welcome Old Man Winter’s cold, dark days and nights the delicious way by sipping hot drinks and nibbling tasty treats in the great indoors. We asked eight local coffee and bake shops to warm our souls with piping-hot drinks and seasonal sweets from their winter menus. They delivered like Santa on Christmas morning.

Cup o’ Joy Cup o’ Joy

Served hot, with a side of sweet

By Jenna Biter • P hotogra Phs By tim sayer

Agora Bakery

+ Café 15 Chinquapin Road Pinehurst

Red and green. Ribbons and wrapping. Tinsel and tree lights. This holiday season, Agora is celebrating with another classically Christmas pairing: booze and eggnog. Co-owner Ginny Tran baked up a bourbon hot chocolate twist on the café’s quintessential, two-bite-size macaron. Front of house lead, Ali Yap, concocted a silky-smooth eggnog latte to wash the crunchy confection down.

Buggy Town Coffee

201 S. McNeill Street, Carthage

Just like that, owners Darryl and Meg Russell are celebrating a decade of Buggy Town Coffee. It’s another December, and the café’s festive favorites have reappeared on its winter menu. Enjoy a practically plate-size molasses ginger cookie finished with crystallized ginger bits. For optimal levels of cheer, dunk chunks into a steaming hot mug of velvety eggnog latte. Dip, sip, repeat.

Crossroads Coffee Co.

133 Main Street, Vass

Sing your way to Crossroads for a Christmas carol in a cup. Owners Kasi Caddell and Mollie Jolly (also celebrating 10 years in business) are striking the harp and joining the chorus with the return of their beloved Fala Latte, a holiday harmony of gingerbread and maple. Warning: Consumption could result in decking the halls and spontaneous caroling. Between singing and sips, enjoy the nostalgic taste of a Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake reimagined as a cake pop.

Amor Ciego Coffee Co.

175 w. Pennsylvania ave., Southern Pines

Carolina Holguin Leal likes to bring flavors from her native Colombia to her customers at Amor Ciego. This winter, she’s baking milhojas, Spanish for “a thousand leaves” and aptly named for the dessert’s layers and layers of puff pastry. Leal’s take on the Latin American favorite with French roots features a pastry cream filling, a smooth and glossy smear of caramellike arequipe and a coconut flake garnish. She’s pairing the dessert with a naughty-and-nice returner, the spiced bourbon latte.

DeLucia’s Bake Shop

4245 Seven Lakes Plaza B, West End

A Yule log was a select piece of timber burned in the hearth on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. With its scratch-made chocolate sponge cake, mascarpone whipped cream filling, chocolate ganache topping and sugared rosemary and cranberry garnishes, DeLucia’s dessert-ified Yule logs can keep your sweet tooth satisfied all season long. Slice off a sliver and enjoy it with a chestnut praline latte.

The Fox Brew Coffeehouse

2145 Foxfire Road, Suite 11

Foxfire Village

The Fox Brew is celebrating its first Christmas in business. Owner and operator Denna Schreiner is marking the occasion with a whole lot of gingerbread, minus the cumbersome house-making. Cut into a hot and fresh gingerbread waffle drizzled with a cream cheese glaze. Continue the festive fun with a Gingerbread Man latte, featuring notes of hazelnut, vanilla and of course, gingerbread.

Maisonette

290 S.W. Braod Street, Southern Pines

Maisonette is making your holiday season merry and minty. Sip on a Salty Snowflake Latte, a back-by-popular-demand oat milk drink inspired by those classic white chocolate-covered peppermint pretzels. To go with the drink, head chef Monica Bryan created a Whoopie Pie from cakey chocolate cookies and a white chocolate and peppermint buttercream filling. A little salty, a little sweet, a lot of yum.

Pine Scone Cafe

116 Brucewood Road, Southern Pines

905 Linden Road, Pinehurst

At Pine Scone, the Grinch steals more than just Christmas; he runs away with the month of December. Owner, operator and recipe creator Rae Anne Kinney and her coffee-slinging crew are back serving No. 1 seasonal best-seller, the Grinch scone, a triangle of crumbly baked goodness, featuring crème de menthe, white chocolate and candy canes. Double down on mint and pair it with a peppermint mocha (white or dark chocolate, take your pick) with crushed candy canes sprinkled on top. PS

Jenna Biter is a writer and military wife in the Sandhills. She can be reached at ennabiter@ protonmail.com.

Waiting to tee off.

A kid’s Christmas with an all-time great

By Bill Case

Iwas 17 and in my senior year at Hudson High School, in the Ohio town of the same name, when I was informed by my parents, Bea and Weldon Case, that we would be spending the 1965 holiday season in Boca Raton, Florida, where they had recently bought an oceanside condominium. I harbored mixed feelings about leaving my hometown during Christmas break — I would miss hanging out with my friends and, for me, the snow blanketing northeastern Ohio reflected the spirit of the holidays better than palm trees.

But there was an undeniable plus to a Christmas vacation in Florida. My folks were members at the Boca Raton Hotel & Club and they assured me I could play golf there. I loved golf and had developed a decent game, sporadically breaking 80; good enough to start on Hudson’s golf team the previous spring. With the ’66 season fast approaching, a few rounds in the sun would give my game a boost.

I started playing golf when I was 8, mostly with my mother, who demonstrated considerable patience with my beginner’s futility. Improvement was agonizingly slow. When I was 10, I finally broke 60 for nine holes, carding a 59. Prior to this personal breakthrough, the legendary Sam Snead had posted a 59 of his own at the age of 46 in the Sam Snead Festival at The Greenbrier where The Slammer served as head professional. As the first sub60 round shot in a professional event, Snead’s achievement had caused a big buzz in golf circles. Though my score was for only nine holes, our respective 59s created a sort of bond between Sam and me, if only in my imagination.

As a result, Snead became one of my favorites. Mesmerized by the rhythm of his swing, I sought him out in Ohio tournaments like Akron’s American Golf Classic and the Cleveland Open. The year before our Boca vacation, I followed Sam’s group at a practice round during the Thunderbird Classic in Rye, New York. Playing with the seven-time major champion were three young pros I’d

never heard of. I knew from reading Snead’s autobiography, The Education of a Golfer, that he was more than happy to take on all comers provided there was money on the line and the wagers to his liking. The chapter titled “Hawks, Vultures, and Pigeons: Gambling Golf” revealed his betting tips. The grousing I overheard at the Thunderbird from his playing partners (i.e., pigeons) confirmed that Sam, per usual, was cleaning up.

On the eve of my first round of golf on our Florida vacation Dad said to me, “There’s a good chance you’ll see Sam Snead tomorrow. You know, he’s Boca Raton’s pro during the winter.” The prospect of encountering Sam, perhaps even meeting him, jumpstarted an adrenaline rush.

I would be going to the course as a single, at least on that day. Mom was finalizing Christmas preparations and Dad was needed on a business call, immersed as he was in expanding the business of Mid-Continent Telephone Corporation, a holding company he and his three brothers founded in 1960. His duties as MidContinent’s president left little time for golf, but like many corporate executives, Dad did enjoy playing in pro-ams. He drew several of the game’s greatest as his partners, including Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Julius Boros and Tom Watson, twice. On these occasions, Dad, sporting a 14 handicap and a unique golf swing, generally worked his way around the course without embarrassing himself. He attacked the ball with a ferocious fire-and-fall-backward lunge that left observers scratching their heads. Prior to his second game with Watson, Tom greeted him this way: “I’m sorry, sir. I’ve forgotten your name. But I’ll never forget that swing!”

Dad did find time to drive me over to the club in the morning. He told me to take a caddie and handed me $10 to pay the man. I considered this rather extravagant since I generally received just $6 for a double-bag loop at Hudson’s Lake Forest Country Club, but it was Dad’s money, so fine. When I arrived on the putting green at the Boca Hotel’s course, I met my caddie, Jack, a raw-

boned, wizened smoker probably four times my age. “It’ll be slow out there since you’re a single,” he cautioned me. “And the group in front of us is a fivesome.” A fivesome! That seemed peculiar for a posh resort. “Won’t they let us play through?” I asked.

Following a prolonged drag on the vanishing stub of a Marlboro, Jack shook his head. “Not likely. It’s Mr. Snead’s group.”

It was then that I peered over my shoulder and saw Sam Snead in his signature coconut straw hat, rolling a few putts. “Well,” I thought, “I’m in no hurry, and I’ll get to see Sam hit plenty of shots.”

And that’s what happened for the first two holes. But while waiting at the third tee for Snead’s group to clear the fairway, I saw him, roughly 250 yards away, misfire on his second shot. He angrily launched his club high into the air toward the green. It seemed eons before the whirly-birding iron fell back to Earth — a remarkable, but troubling, sight. The great man seemed in a foul mood. Perhaps Sam was on the losing end that day.

When Jack and I mounted the tee of the sixth hole, a 185-yard par-3, I saw Sam off to the side of the green with his hands on his hips, shaking his head impatiently. His body language left no doubt he was exasperated. I gathered his displeasure stemmed from the inability of a player in his group to escape a greenside bunker.

As I took all this in, the agitated Snead turned in my direction, raised his arm, and waved at me to hit up. An electric shock coursed through my body at the prospect of playing through the immortal Slammer and his fivesome. My hands shook so much it was a struggle to tee up my ball.

Somehow, I steadied enough to strike the shot solidly with my 4-wood. The exhilaration I felt watching the ball fly onto the green and spin to a stop 20 feet from the pin was overwhelming. This tee ball, struck 60 years ago, remains the single most memorable shot of my golfing life. My spikes barely touched the ground as I galloped off the tee toward the green. And even the wheezing Jack found a renewed spring in his step.

At the green, I thanked Snead and his playing partners profusely for their courtesy. But Sam, still miffed, did not react. No “nice shot,” no “take your time,” nothing, except his glowering demeanor. Was it something I’d done? Had I appeared impatient in waiting to play? Anxious to exit Snead’s presence and without lining up, I lagged my putt to a foot of the hole and tapped in. Jack and I double-timed it to the seventh tee as I hyperventilated. When Dad picked me up after the round, I told him about the sixth hole in vivid detail. “Isn’t it great you got to see one of the greatest golfers of all time, Samuel Jackson Snead?” he said and smiled. “And isn’t it great you rose to the occasion by hitting a good shot? The only thing better would be playing head-to-head with Sam.” I appreciated Dad’s praise, but this “head-to-head” stuff seemed odd.

Christmas morning arrived two days later. I had asked my folks for a Ben Hogan “Sure-Out” model sand wedge (golfers of my vintage will recall its huge flange). The “Sure-Out” had been the difference maker for Julius Boros in his victory at the 1963 U.S. Open. To my delight, the coveted wedge, adorned with a bow around its mammoth flange, was my final present.

Or so I thought. That was when Mom, with a mischievous glint in her eye, said, “Oh, Weldon, don’t we have another small gift for Bill?”

“Almost forgot, but it’s right here,” Dad reached into the pocket of his robe, pulled out an envelope and handed it over. I assumed that inside was a check, maybe for as much as $25. But instead I found a note in Dad’s handwriting. It read, “You have a tee-time tomorrow at 9:40 a.m. at the Boca Raton Hotel & Club. Your playing partner is Samuel Jackson Snead.”

I was thrilled, stunned, grateful, humbled and over-the-moon. A round with Sam Snead was the most incredible present a young aspiring golfer could imagine. During his epic career, Snead would win 82 PGA tour events, tied decades later by Tiger Woods for the most all-time. He had been triumphant in every important tournament except the U.S. Open where, to his frustration, bizarre occurrences had torpedoed several near victories. His name belongs among the greatest of all time with Jack Nicklaus, Woods, Bobby Jones and his contemporaries Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, both of whom, like Sam, were born in 1912.

My initial elation was followed by a second wave of worry, intimidation and even dread. Aside from the 4-wood shot, my recent exposure to the Slammer had not been particularly agreeable. If I played like a dog, like the poor soul who couldn’t escape the bunker two days before, would Sam treat me with disdain? He’d certainly been frosty enough on the sixth green.

After a fitful night’s sleep. Dad drove me over to the club the next morning. Instead of dropping me off, he parked the car and escorted me to the putting green, where he snapped my picture, a lanky 160-pounder on a 6-foot-1 inch frame. At the appointed time, Dad and I entered the pro shop, where we met Sam. He couldn’t have been friendlier.

“Nice to meet you,” he greeted us in his smooth Virginia mountain drawl. “Bill, I hear you play on your high school team. That’s great. It’ll be just the two of us; we’ll have a good game. And just call me Sam.”

Out to his golf cart we went. Before we teed off, Dad took another photograph, this time of Sam and me. I confess, I’ve lost track of it but I well recall a broadly smiling Snead, nattily attired in red slacks, navy blue alpaca sweater and the ever-present straw hat sitting beside me, who was clearly starstruck.

Boca’s course was jammed, and I envisioned a protracted fivehour round. But when Sam and his familiar straw hat came into the view of players in the group ahead, they invariably waved him through. It was as if the Red Sea parted for us as we sped through foursome after foursome. Since Snead graciously allowed me to hit first off each tee, the golfers in our wake may have concluded I was winning our friendly match. Far from it.

Playing from the regular white tees, Sam nonchalantly made par or birdie on every hole. I was doing OK, mostly avoiding serious trouble. Then I made an unforced error by cutting things too close in laying up short of a stream crossing the fairway. After my ball toppled over the edge and into the water, Sam pithily observed, “If you’re going to lay up, lay up.” Over the years, I have often repeated his advice to players making the same mistake — and I let them know who gave it to me.

Sam was pleasant, but he tended to let me take the lead in our communications. And I felt some pressure to fill the airspace. I had one advantage making conversation — I had read The Education of a Golfer. I asked Sam questions about how he went about fashioning a club from a swamp maple tree limb during his youth. I asked about a boxing match he fought during his teens. And, of course, I fished for details about that incredible 59. The round, it turned out, could have been one shot better since Sam had missed a 2-foot putt.

Then I delved into the betting chapter of the book. Sam quickly warmed to this subject, regaling me with colorful anecdotes about how sharks he encountered tried to fix bets to their advantage. One sought additional strokes by claiming he had recently arrived in Florida from the North and hadn’t touched a golf club all winter. Actually, the hustler had been playing in the Sunshine State for weeks, even trying to conceal his tan from Snead by whitening his hands and face with corn plaster. Sam countered by carefully feeling the man’s calluses when shaking his hand. “When those calluses are thick, that tells you the man’s been playing plenty,” he said.

assuming his peak was behind him, Snead wasn’t about to acknowledge it. Besides, Sam was still playing great golf in 1965. He finished 24th on the PGA tour money list (there was no Senior or Champions tour available in ’65) despite playing in only 15 events. Snead had won his seventh Greensboro Open earlier in the spring, making him the oldest (52) to have won a PGA Tour event. The record still stands 60 years later.

In a feeble effort to erase my faux pas, I uttered something inane along the lines of, “Not that you aren’t still at your peak.” I forget what was said next but do recall a distinct, if brief, lull in our conversation. If Sam was annoyed by my babbling, he didn’t show it, and our amiable dialogue resumed. It is telling that on the hole following my misbegotten inquiry, Sam let out the shaft and outdrove me by 75 yards.

Dad was waiting for us as we finished on the 18th, done in 2 hours and 45 minutes. After holing out and shaking hands (Snead, quite bald, never removed his hat in these situations), Dad asked Sam how things went.

“Well, your son did just fine,” he offered. “Shot 82 and kept the ball in play — just one double bogey and that was from a mental mistake (the bonehead lay-up). I believe he learned a lesson from that. He should keep on playing.” I absorbed another lesson from the round: Think before you speak.

Sam shot 66 and didn’t seem to be doing anything special. He holed one long putt and birdied the par 5s, but otherwise his round appeared relatively routine. Had I the temerity to bet him, I would have become one of Sam’s countless “pigeons.”

I don’t know for sure the amount Snead charged for the round. I think it was around $150. An old pro friend of mine believes that figure is too low, but an aged article I unearthed in the Sports Illustrated archives reported that in 1959, Snead charged $50 per round and $25 for each additional player. I can only imagine what a superstar like Sam would charge today.

At one point on the front nine, Sam struck a shot he considered not up to his standard. He muttered, “I just can’t play my best unless I got a bet going.” I responded rather cheekily, “Well, I am sorry, Sam, that I won’t get to see you at your best.” Silence from the Slammer. To my surprise, I was hitting my drives within 20-25 yards of Sam’s. Since he was then 53, I figured he must be losing yardage off the tee. Wondering how much, I began posing a question with, “Now, when you were at your peak . . . ”

As the words left my mouth, I knew this was a misstep. Even

Regardless of the cost, playing with Snead was priceless. There are still times when I have failed to do as Sam counseled — layup shots still occasionally roll into the water. But I’ve faithfully followed his advice to keep playing. After all, golf is the game of a lifetime. And my life was enhanced by that unexpected 1965 Christmas present. PS

Pinehurst resident Bill Case is PineStraw’s history man. He can be reached at Bill.Case@thompsonhine.com.

Sam Snead

The Art of Making

A special feel for Christmas

By DeBorah salomon

Photogra Phs By John gessner

’Tis said that on a crisp, clear December night the lights on Evon and Jerry Jordan’s showplace home are visible from the International Space Station — hyperbole until viewed with roof lines draped in tiny white lights and a lineup of trees across the façade.

Christmas is a full-time job for the Jordans and their helpers. Half a dozen indoor trees plus those outside — the largest overlooking the pool — illustrate how these great-grandparents make an art of making merry.

The dozen trees or maybe more Are decorated tip to floor  With ornaments from every child Rambunctious, meek and mild.

“Evon’s always had a special feel for Christmas,” Jerry says. “She’s decorated ever since I’ve known her.”

Such a show demands an audience: “I’m one of eight kids,” Evon says. That adds up to more cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews than a five-legged dog has toes. Forty, to be exact, who visit regularly.

Some tree themes and colors change from year to year, but the Jordans aren’t into silver and royal blue Picasso-esque ornaments.

Holiday greenery

Adds to the scenery

But the dominant color

Just has to be red, Including the coverlet spread on a bed.

The 10-foot tree rising beside a graceful hallway staircase illustrates another Christmas décor principle: Too much is never enough.

Baubles and bangles

Ribbons in bows, Tinsel, poinsettias

Rows upon rows . . .

At parties guests usually gravitate to the kitchen, right? The Jordans’ has a marble-topped island the size of Manhattan.

Their kitchen is white as a Christmas Eve snow, Here’s where for cookies Santa surely will go. Except last year brought a buffet surprise — Exotic yummies from the land of the Thais.

Beauty, love — all of the above — and a creche complete the Jordans’ holiday scene because, as Jerry says, “That’s what Christmas is all about.” PS

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ALMANAC

December

By a shley Walshe

December is a skein of yarn, a simmering stockpot, a cat curled by the fire. Cast on. Breathe in the warming spices. Listen to the wisdom of gently crackling oak.

Wood and wool hold memories of winters past: silver storms; frost-laced mornings graced by tender sunbeams; resplendently starry nights.

You study your hands, slightly dry, recalling all they have held this year; all they have released. They tucked seeds into dark earth, plucked wildflowers, cupped sun-ripened berries, healed wounds, watered plants, wiped tears, prepared meals, gathered kindling.

Knit one, purl one; repeat.

When the fire pops, the cat unfurls like a spring fern, stretches out its toes, then drifts again into dream world.

Knit one, purl one; repeat.

As the cat stalks summer crickets and field mice behind closed eyes, you lay down your craft, stoke the fire, head for the stovetop. Lifting the lid, you unlock memories of winters past, mashing the now-soft apples as you inhale the spicysweet amalgam.

Back at the fire, you cradle a mug of homemade cider, watching the steam dance as whiffs of cinnamon and allspice ignite your senses. You look at your hands again, marvel at how they’ve been shaped by nature and time; at their wisdom, softness and resilience; at what they might yet hold.

The cat yawns. You set down the cider, pick up the yarn. Knit one, purl one; repeat.

If cold December gave you birth — The month of snow, and ice, and mirth — Place on your hand a turquoise blue, Success will bless whate’er you do.

— Author unknown, A Gem for Every Month, c.1883

Winter’s Deep Sleep

For the natural world, life is slowing down. Honeybees are clustered in their hives. Box turtles are burrowed in shallow soil. And black bears — over 20,000 of them in our mountain and coastal regions — amble to their dens, where cubs will be birthed in the heart of winter, during mama’s deep, long sleep.

When life feels busy, lean into the wisdom of our animal kin. Slow down. Get cozy. Remember that rest is a gift you can give yourself.

Homemade with Love

The holidays are upon us. Flickering candles and flashing lights spell Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas and Yule. But what of the lesser-known holidays? The weird and downright wacky ones?

Take Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, for instance, celebrated on Dec. 8. National Cat Herders Day (Dec. 15). Or National Ugly Sweater Day (the third Friday of December). There’s a day for roasting chestnuts (Dec. 14), regifting (Dec. 18) and swapping homemade cookies (Dec. 22).

And here’s one that might prove fun and fruitful: Make a Gift Day, on Dec. 3. Get creative. Let go of perfectionist tendencies. Pure and simple is part of the charm. PS

Although conscientious effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, all events are subject to change and errors can occur! Please call to verify times, costs, status and location before planning or attending any events.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1

PINE POWER CORE. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Adults 18 and older can join a fun, kid-friendly fitness class designed for moms. Train House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

QUILTS OF VALOR. 12 - 4 p.m. Quilts of Valor meets the first Monday of each month to create lap quilts made especially for veterans. If you sew, bring your machine; if you don’t sew, you can iron or cut out fabrics for new designs. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

HOLIDAY HOSPICE CARDS. Help spread comfort and cheer this season by creating a handmade card for local hospice patients. Drop by the library anytime between Dec.1 - 8. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

READING CHALLENGE. The winter reading challenge is back. Register on the Beanstalk app and participate in reading fun until Dec. 19. Kids ages birth through teens are encouraged to participate. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 10:45 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3

ACTION HOUR IN THE GYM. 10 - 11 a.m.

Kids ages 2 - 12 can enjoy open play in the gym. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

SUPERMOM CIRCUIT. 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Adults 18 and older can join a fun, kid-friendly class designed for moms. Train House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4

EDUCATIONAL TRAINING. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

To add an event, email us at pinestraw.calendar@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, December 7, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Bryant House

Adults 55 and older can come for educational training with a new topic each month. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TREE LIGHTING. 6:15 p.m. The town of Aberdeen will hold its annual Christmas tree lighting. There will be a visit from Santa and special performances. Union Station Railroad Museum, 100 E. Main St., Aberdeen. Info: www.townofaberdeen.net.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5

YOGA. 9 - 10 a.m. Ages 12 and older can participate in a vinyasa flow to hold class. Train House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

PLANT SALE. 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. It’s that time of year again and students have been working hard caring for these beautiful plants to brighten up the holiday season. Come find a favorite flower or plant during the SCC Landscape Gardening Holiday Plant Sale. Steed Hall, 555 Lindberg Place, Pinehurst.

SIP AND CHAT. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come for coffee and stay for the conversation at the Senior Sip & Chat. This casual and open program offers a chance for older adults to socialize, make friends, and share stories. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

LUNCH BUNCH. 11:30 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to dine on different cuisines each month visiting restaurants in the area. Carpool with friends or meet at the restaurant. Dining locations will be chosen the week before. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MURDER MYSTERY COMEDY. 2 - 4:30 p.m. Murder’s in the Heir is a unique murder mystery/ comedy that includes audience participation. There are additional performances Dec. 6 and 7. BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. 2 - 9 p.m. Adults 55 and older can join Southern Pines Parks and Recreation on a trip to Lu Mil Vineyard’s annual festival of lights in Dublin, where the magic of Christmas comes alive. Supper at Gerald’s Smokehouse and Grill prior to light show. Cost is $21 for residents and $30 for non-residents. Info: www.southernpines.net.

PINEHURST TREE LIGHTING. 5 - 7:30 p.m. Bring your family and friends for music, holiday cheer and a visit from Santa. The tree lighting will be at 6:30 p.m. James W. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org.

KARAOKE. 7 p.m. Sing or just listen to karaoke. Free of charge. Starworks Cafe, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

FASHION SHOW. 7 - 9 p.m. Experience a night of glamour and glitz as the Sunrise Theater trans-

forms into a fashion house. Sip champagne and be wowed by the light show and DJ as models from 14 Southern Pines boutiques show off their latest holiday fashions. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

LIVE THEATER. 7 - 9 p.m. Encore Center presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Encore Theater of the Pines, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.encorecenter.net.

HOLIDAY POPS. 7:30 p.m. Ring in the holidays with favorites presented by the Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra with featured performances by Michael Campayno and Joyce Reehling. There will be another performance on Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: (910) 687-0287 or www.carolinaphil.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6

CHILDBIRTH CLASS. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Prepare your body and mind during this childbirth education and movement workshop. Whitehall, 490 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

KID’S SATURDAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Families are invited to a monthly themed craft event to socialize and get creative. Geared toward ages 3 - 10. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642 or www.vopnc.org.

ORNAMENT WORKSHOP. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Learn the basics of working with hot glass and create a keepsake glass ornament. Cost is $75 per student. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

CHRISTMAS PARADE. 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The Southern Pines annual holiday parade will have marching bands, Santa sightings and more. Downtown Southern Pines, 235 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

MUG WORKSHOP. 1 - 3 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of hand building to create your own ceramic mug. Cost is $70 per student. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE. 1 - 4 p.m. See how the early settlers celebrated Christmas during the annual open house at the historic Bryant House and McLendon Cabin. There will be warm cider and cocoa. Free admission. Bryant House, 3361 Mount Carmel Road, Carthage.

TOUR OF HOMES. 1 - 5 p.m. Episcopal Day School is having its 46th annual candlelight tour of homes. Tour five residences decked out with holiday finery. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Episcopal Day School main office. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

HOLIDAY CONCERT. 3 p.m. The Sandhills Community College Music Department presents its annual holiday concert. Selections will feature the SCC Choir, SCC music students and faculty. Come celebrate the magic of the holiday season.

BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.sandhillsbpac.com/events.

WRITING GROUP. 3 p.m. Are you interested in creating fiction, nonfiction, poetry or comics? Come to the Sunday Afternoon Writing Group. Connect with other writers and artists, chat about your craft, and get feedback about your work. All levels welcome. Info: lholden@sppl.net.

COOKIE EXCHANGE. 4:30 - 7 p.m. The Carolina Cookie Exchange is for ages 8 and older. Bring four dozen cookies from a recipe of your choosing and take home three dozen from other bakers. Village Pine Venue, 1628 McCaskill Road, Carthage. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9

SHOPPING AND LUNCH. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Adults 55 and older can join Southern Pines Parks and Recreation to travel to Fayetteville for shopping at Hamrick’s followed by lunch. Cost is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents. Info: www.southernpines.net.

MUSIC DISCOVERY. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Come to the library for a special visit from the North Carolina Symphony. Designed for kids and families, this interactive program introduces young listeners to orchestral instruments through stories, music and hands-on fun. Best for grades K-5, but open to all ages. Registration required. Any remaining spaces will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis before the program begins. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

HATHA YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older can increase flexibility, balance, stability and muscle tone while learning the basic principles of alignment and breathing. You may gain strength, improve circulation and reduce chronic pain practicing gentle yoga postures and mindfulness. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

AARP TALK. 12 - 12:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join AARP for a fraud talk. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TOUR. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Shaun Cassidy — The Road to Us. BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10

WREATH WORKSHOP. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come to the gardens and get creative while making a pine cone wreath. You have the option to make a 12-inch or 18-inch wreath. All materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite ribbon or plant material to add a special touch. Cost varies based on wreath size. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.sandhills.edu/horticultural-gardens.

TECH TIME. 11 a.m. Join a walk-in tech time to get hands-on help with tech questions. Whether

you’re new to computers, want to learn more about your smartphone, or want to learn how to use your eReader, staff will guide you. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: jmilford@sppl.net.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11

MONTHLY TOUR. 10 a.m. Look for winter birds in the gardens and see what they depend on for their dinner during this cooler season. Free of charge. Info: www.sandhills.edu/ horticultural-gardens.

POETRY READING CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can bring a favorite poem or one you have written to share with friends. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CORNHOLE. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to work on their aim and have some fun with friends. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

HOT GLASS, COLD BEER. 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a glass demonstration, live music, beer and wine. Tickets are $5. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12

SPARK STORYTIME. 10 a.m. Join a special, once a month story time at a fire station. Ages birth to 5 are welcome. Fire Station 82, 7850 NC-22, Carthage. Info: www.sppl.net.

TEA PARTY. 5:30 p.m. Join a tea party with locally grown tea and delicious snacks while enjoying a rendition of The Nutcracker. There are additional dates and times on Dec. 13, 19 and 20. Encore Theater of the Pines, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.encorecenter.net.

SUPPER WITH SANTA. 6 - 8 p.m. Join the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department for a catered dinner, holiday crafts and a movie while hanging out with Santa. Registration and tickets required. Recreation Center, 301 Lake Park Crossing, Aberdeen. Info: www.townofaberdeen.net.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA. 9 - 11:30 a.m. Children will enjoy a magic show, face painting, balloon animals and breakfast with Santa. Cost is $35 for adults, $15 for ages 4 - 12 and free for children 3 and under. Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-4677 or www.sandhillswe.org.

STROLLER GALAXY BURN. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Energize, connect and get fit with outdoor stroller workouts for moms and their little ones. Whitehall, 490 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

ORNAMENT WORKSHOP. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Learn the basics of working with hot glass and create a keepsake glass ornament. Cost is $75 per

student. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

CHRISTMAS PARADE. 11 a.m. Enjoy a festive parade through downtown Aberdeen. The Depot, 100 E. Main St., Aberdeen. Info: www.townofaberdeen.net.

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE. 1 - 4 p.m. Tour three house museums built during the 1700s and 1800s. Enjoy cookies and cocoa and see how Christmas was celebrated more than 150 years ago. Free admission. Shaw House, 110 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines.

MET OPERA. 1 - 5 p.m. Andrea Chénier (Giordano). Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

TEEN CLIMB NIGHT. 4 - 9 p.m. Teens ages 12 - 17 can do indoor rock climbing. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

MOVIE SHOWING. 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a showing of The Gremlins (1984). Cameo Art House Theatre, 225 Hay Street, Fayetteville. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

HORSE EVENT. The North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association show. The event continues through Dec. 14. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

HOLIDAY CONCERT. 7 p.m. The Moore Philharmonic Orchestra presents its annual holiday concert. Admission is by a donation of choice. Robert E. Lee Auditorium, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. Info: www.mporchestra.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14

STEAM. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Elementary-aged children and their caregivers are invited to learn about topics in science, technology, engineering, art and math and to participate in STEAM projects and activities. This month make graham cracker “gingerbread” houses. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

MURPHY FAMILY CHRISTMAS. 3 - 5 p.m. Come celebrate the holiday season at Moore County’s most beloved holiday event. The entire Murphy family brings their talent and joy to the Sunrise stage for two performances. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

CHORAL CONCERT. 7 - 9 p.m. Join the Moore County Choral Society chorus, Moore Brass, Dr. Ryan Book on guitar, accompanist Stephen Gourley and conductor Anne Dorsey for the beginning of its 51st season with “Love Came Down.” BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. ticketmesandhills.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15

PREVIEW PARTY. 3:30 - 5 p.m. Juvenile and young adult fiction readers can get a sneak peek at new books hitting the shelves. This passive, drop-in program invites you to browse, read and chat about what you’re excited to read next. This party will preview tween books (ages 9 - 12). Preview teen books (ages 13 and older) on Dec. 16 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 10:45 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BINGO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to play 10 games of bingo. Cost is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR. 7 - 9 p.m. Good Shot Judy and The Satin Dollz return to the Sunrise for an incredible Christmas holiday spectacular, A Crooner’s Christmas. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17

ACTIVE ADVENTURES. 10 - 11 a.m. Kids can join a fun gym session designed for home school students. There will be interactive games and activities. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

SANTA PAWS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Santa didn’t forget his furry friends. Come get Santa pictures, treats and more. Martin Park Dog Park, 350 Commerce Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

HOMESCHOOL FUN ZONE. 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Enhance your curriculum and connect with other homeschool families. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

GOLF TOURNAMENT. The inaugural Drive “Fore” the Park Golf Tournament fundraiser will support the Carolina Horse Park Foundation as well as Family Promise of Aberdeen and Freedom Reins, Veteran Therapeutic Riding Program at Prancing Horse Center. Southern Pines Golf Club, 290 Country Club Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com/get-involved.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18

OPEN MIC NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Share your talent or enjoy the show. Free of charge. Starworks Cafe, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

SIP AND CHAT. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come for coffee and stay for the conversation at the Senior Sip & Chat. This casual and open program offers a chance for older adults to socialize, make friends and share stories. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

WINTER CLOSURE. This is the last day to shop and lunch before closing for the winter break. Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-4677 or www.sandhillswe.org.

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND. 6 - 8 p.m. Kids ages 12 and under are invited for holiday crafts and games. Bring a camera for pictures with Santa. Stay after for the flashlight candy cane hunt. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

CHRISTMAS IN CANDLELIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Experience an unforgettable evening of elegance, light and music as the Moore Philharmonic’s string quartet presents classical holiday favorites surrounded by hundreds of flickering candles. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20

CRAFT DAYS. Children and families can come by the library for a drop-in craft day to work on a fun, hands-on craft at their own pace. Crafts are designed for children in grades K-5 and their families. This is a self-guided activity, so caregivers should plan to assist as needed. While supplies last. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

CHRISTMAS MARKET. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Pop Up in the Pines will have vendors featuring handmade items, crafts, food products, boutiques, artisan products and more. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.popupinthepines.com.

TROLLEY EXPRESS. 6 - 8 p.m. All aboard the Trolley Express Festival of Lights cruising to Eagle Springs to see one of the largest Christmas lights displays in the Sandhills, presented by the Williams and Taylor family. Harris Teeter, 305 Ivey Lane, Pinehurst. Info: www.sandhillstrolley.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

MOVIE SHOWING 9:30 - 11:20 p.m. Enjoy a showing of Black Christmas (1974). Cameo Art House Theatre, 225 Hay Street, Fayetteville. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

STORYTIME. 10:15 a.m. Saturday Storytime is a once-a-month program for children ages birth to 5. There will be stories, songs, rhymes and smiles where caregivers and young children can interact and explore the fun of language and early literacy. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29

WINTER DAY CAMP. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Have a wintery good time with the recreation youth team. Bring your own lunch and snack. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

LEGO WORKSHOP. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Grades K - 5 can explore winter ideas and learn STEM concepts while building with thousands of Lego pieces. There is another workshop from 1 - 3 p.m. Train Station, 235 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30

WELLNESS CLASSES. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to learn educational topics to improve overall mind, body and spirit. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31

FIRST EVE. 6 - 8 p.m. Welcome the New Year early with live music, carnival games, face painting and a pinecone drop at 8 p.m. Downtown Southern Pines, 235 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

UPCOMING EVENTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8

BOOK EVENT. 12 - 1 p.m. Attend a conversation with author Jack Kelly about his book Tom Paine’s War: The Words that Rallied a Nation and The Founder for Our Time. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

WEEKLY EVENTS

MONDAYS

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation.com.

CHAIR YOGA. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Help offset body aches encountered with desk work. This is an accessible yoga class for bodies not able to easily get up from and down to the floor. Do standing or sitting in a chair. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DECEMBER CALENDAR

JIGSAW PUZZLES. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy puzzle fun with friends or solo. Free of charge. Puzzles can be done Monday through Friday. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

FITNESS MEMBERSHIP. 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older can use a variety of equipment such as treadmills, free weights, stationery bikes and more. Cost for a six-month membership is $18 for residents and $26 for non-residents. The fitness room is open Monday through Friday. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

INDOOR WALKING. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can get an indoor walking membership in the climate controlled gym. Membership can be used Monday through Friday. Cost for six months is $18 for residents and $26 for non-residents. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SENIOR FITNESS. 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a TruFit gym class to improve strength, mobility and flexibility. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

RESTORATIVE YOGA. 12 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Practice gentle movements to improve well-being. Practice movements that may help alleviate pain and improve circulation. Bring your own mat. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

GAME ON. 12 - 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Come play games such as corn hole, badminton, table tennis, shuffleboard, trivia and more. Each week enjoy a different activity to keep moving and thinking. Compete with friends and make new ones all for free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TUESDAYS

VIRTUAL SPINNING CLASS. 8:30 - 9 a.m. Adults 18 and older can do a 30-minute, fun and effective bike ride workout. Limit of eight people per class. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

INTERVAL WALKING. 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Adults 18 and older can do interval training alternating between periods of brisk and slow walking. Free of charge. No class on the second Tuesday of the month. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PLAYFUL LEARNING. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come for a drop-in, open playtime for ages 0 - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational

Wednesday, December 10 • 4 - 7:30 p.m. •Rain Date December 17 Downtown Southern Pines

FIRST EVE

Wednesday, December 31 • First Bank Stage @ Sunrise Theater • 6 pm Family-friendly activities

playtime. Dates this month will be Dec. 2, 9 and 16. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BABY RHYMES. 10:15 a.m. Baby Rhymes is designed for the youngest learners (birth- 2) and their caregivers. Repetition and comforting movements make this story time perfect for early development and brain growth. There will be a duplicate session at 10:45 a.m. An active library card is required. Dates are Dec. 2, 9 and 16. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

GAME DAY. 12 - 4 p.m. Fun, fellowship, games and activities. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS. 1:30 - 5 p.m. Come join a chess group, whether you have been playing for a while or have never played. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TABLE TENNIS. 3 - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy free games of table tennis while making new friends. The second Tuesday of the month games will be moved to Thursday instead. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LINE DANCE. 4:45 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is for beginners and is

a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

WEDNESDAYS

INTERVAL WALKING. 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. Adults 18 and older can do interval training alternating between periods of brisk and slow walking. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR AEROBICS. 10 - 11 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Put on your boogie shoes and let’s jam. Get fit to dance, partying up a sweat to great music through the ages. Stand and chair dance to this energizing, low-impact aerobic workout. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRAIN BOOST. 10 - 11 a.m. Test your memory while creating new brain connections. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

KNITTING. 10 - 11 a.m. Enjoy knitting with other people or learn how to knit. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

BABY STORYTIME. 10 - 11 a.m. Have fun developing the foundation for your baby’s later reading with stories, songs and play. Open to parents and caregivers of infants from newborn to 24 months.

Moore County Library, 101 W. Saunders St., Carthage. Info: (910) 947-5335.

LEARN AND PLAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come for an open play date with your toddler or preschooler to enjoy developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Dates this month are Dec. 3, 19 and 17. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

SENIOR FITNESS. 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a TruFit gym class to improve strength, mobility and flexibility. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PIANO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Join Flint Long to play piano or just listen. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LINE DANCING. 12 - 1 p.m. Looking for new ways to get your daily exercise in and care for yourself? Try line dancing. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR VOLLEYBALL. 1 - 2 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Get fit while having fun. Free to participate. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

12-5

12-7

12-7

THEATRE EVENT

 Murder is in the Heir  A wealthy, yet ailing, billionaire summons his relatives to his mansion during a storm. McPherson Theater - Multiple Dates

HOLIDAY EVENT

 Candlelight Tour of Homes 

We hope you’ll join us for our 46th annual Candlelight Tour of Homes!

Episcopal Day School

HOLIDAY EVENT

 The Carolina Cookie Exchange  Join us in kicking off our festive affair! The Carolina Cookie Exchange will be held on December 7, 2025 at the Village Pine. Village Pine Venue

BPAC MAINSTAGE SERIES

 Shaun Cassidy - The Road to Us 

12-9

Don’t miss this American writer, producer, actor and singer’s only stop in NC! Owens Auditorium at BPAC

MORE EVENTS & BUY TICKETS

YOUR OWN EVENT

Sponsored

Start the new year off by taking an inspiring art class or workshop. On Sunday, January 11, 2026, visit the League and watch our instructors as they demonstrate the various media they will teach; then, register for the classes that interest you. There will be preview demonstrations about classes in Acrylic, Acrylic Pouring, Alcohol Ink, Cold Wax, Collage, Colored Pencil, Drawing, Encaustic Wax, Fiber Art, Gouache, Mixed Media, Oil, Pastel, Scratchboard, and Watercolor. There will also be information about 2026 workshops in Oil, Pastel, and Watercolor. Learn something new or advance your current skills. The exhibition of our instructors’ paintings will be hung in our gallery through January 30. Join us for a fun afternoon, chat with instructors, and enjoy light

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DANCE. 2 - 2:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Instructor Maria Amaya will introduce you to a dance fitness class designed for anyone who wants to gently and gradually increase their cardio function, mobility and balance and have fun at the same time. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LINE DANCING. 2 p.m. The town of Vass will host line dancing for seniors every other Wednesday. Cost is $5 per session. Vass Town Hall, 140 S. Alma St., Vass. Info: www.townofvassnc.gov.

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an after-school program for K - 2nd graders who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and meeting new friends. Dates this month are Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

TAI CHI. 6:30 p.m. Learn tai chi. There is no age limit and the classes are open to the public. Cost is $10 per class. Seven Lakes West Community Center, 556 Longleaf Drive, Seven Lakes. Info: (910) 400-5646.

DECEMBER CALENDAR

THURSDAYS

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation.com.

VIRTUAL SPINNING CLASS. 8:30 - 9 a.m. Adults 18 and older can do a 30-minute, fun and effective bike ride workout. Limit of eight people per class. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET.

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The year-round market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. Market is located at the Armory Sports Complex, 604 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines.

GIVEN STORYTIME. 10 a.m. Bring your preschooler to enjoy stories, songs and activities. Dates this month are Dec. 4 and 11. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a class

Holiday Open House

to help reduce the risk of taking a tumble and increase the ability to recover if you do. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. Does your toddler like to move and groove? Join Music and Motion to get those wiggles out and work on gross and fine motor skills. For ages 2 - 5. An active library card is required. Dates this month are Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

GENTLE YOGA. 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to unwind, recharge and find peace in your week. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MAHJONG. 1 - 3 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Mahjong involves skill, strategy, calculation and luck. Requires four players. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

IMPROVERS LINE DANCE. 3 - 5:30 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LITTLE U. 3:45 p.m. Little U, Southern Pines Public Library’s preschool program for children

The Cabin on Azalea Road across from the Village Chapel

Juried Exhibit

January 9th - February 11th

The Winter Blues features creative interpretations of the winter season by local artists.

Opening Reception: Fri., January 9th, 6 - 8p

Gallery Hours: Weekdays, 10a - 5p & Sat., January 17th, 12 - 2p

FEBRUARY 15

Baritone Barron Maness, pianist Stephen Gourley, saxophonist Scott Tortora, and percussionist Wayne Osborne

APRIL 19

The Brandenburg-Shea Duo, flutist Kelly Bolam Shea and harpist Dr. Laura Logan Brandenburg

JULY 19

Trio Arundo, oboist Matthew Covington, clarinetist Joshua Bottoms and bassoonist Jack Fanning

https://communitycongregational.org/concerts/ 141 North Bennett St. • Southern Pines All concerts on Sundays at 4:00 PM Tickets via TicketMeSandhills.com or at the door (cash only) Save the dates now! Community Congregational Concerts 2026 Season

ages 3 1/2 - 5. There are stories, songs, rhymes and activities that explore the world of books, language and literacy. Little U is a fun and interactive program designed to help preschoolers develop early literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten and beyond. Dates this month are Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

TRIVIA NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy a beer and some trivia. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.hatchetbrewing.com.

FRIDAYS

AEROBIC DANCE. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy this low-to-moderate impact class with energizing music for an overall cardio and strength workout. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

JAM SESSION. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Do you like to play an instrument, sing or just listen to music? Join a music jam session. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TAP CLASS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Cost for six month membership: $18/resident; $26/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SENIOR FITNESS. 11:30 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a TruFit gym class to improve strength, mobility and flexibility. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

QIGONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Classes will consist of chair and standing movements to help soothe achy feet, tight hips, lower back pain and ease restriction in mobility. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

FARMERS MARKET. 1 - 6 p.m. Come to the Monroe Street Farmers Market for locally grown produce and raised meats, honey, breads, pastries and more. Quida’s Food Truck Park, 310 Monroe St., Carthage. Info: monroestreetmarket310@ gmail.com.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DRUM CIRCLE. 2 - 2:30 p.m. Adults 18 and older can feel the rhythm, find your groove and connect through the beat. No experience necessary. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PineNeedler Answers from page 135

MONDAY - FRIDAY LUNCH 11AM - 2:30PM MONDAY - THURSDAY DINNER 3PM - 9PM

9:00am

Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve

4:00pm

4:00pm - Lessons & Carols, Holy Communion

Thursday,

Thursday, December 25 - Christmas Day 11:00am - Holy Communion

Christ Church Anglican

Christ Church Anglican

Diocese

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America

Holy Day of Obligation

Monday, December 8, 2025

8:00 AM Mass 6:00 PM Mass

ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES

St. Anthony of Padua

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 6:30 PM

Sacred Heart

Thursday, December 18, 2025 11:00 AM

CHRISTMAS MASSES

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

4:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM

Caroling beginning at 8:30 PM

Thursday, December 25, 2025 10:00 AM

Friday, December 26, 2025 - No Morning Mass

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

Thursday, January 1, 2026

8:00 AM Mass 6:00 PM Mass

Independent, Interdenominational Church

The Village Chapel

An Independent, Interdenominational Church Unifying All Christians through the Word of God

The

Village Chapel

Three

The Village Chapel

6:30

Three Distinct Services 8:00am

Holy Eucharist

10:30 a.m. - One Worship Service with Carolina Brass December 24

5:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Family Service with Children’s Pageant

Sermon

9:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Holy Communion December 25 10:00 a.m. - Christmas Day Service December 28

Three Distinct Services 8:00am Holy Eucharist 9:30am Family Service with Children’s Sermon 11:00am

Three Distinct Services 8:00am Holy Eucharist 9:30am Family Service with Children’s Sermon 11:00am Traditional Worship

10:00 a.m. - Service of Lessons and Carols

Traditional Worship Nursery Available During All Services

Nursery Available During All Services

Three Distinct Services 8:00 am - Holy Eucharist 9:30 am - Family Service with Children’s Sermon 11:00 am - Traditional Worship Nursery Available During All Services

Nursery Available During All Services 10 Azalea Road •Pinehurst, NC • 910.295.6003

10 Azalea Road •Pinehurst, NC • 910.295.6003 www.tvcpinehurst.com facebook.com/tvcpinehurst

10 Azalea Road •Pinehurst, NC • 910.295.6003 www.tvcpinehurst.com facebook.com/tvcpinehurst

Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities

October 12, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Carole McFarland, Joyce Pilewski

Mike Hardgrove, Tom Denza

Marilyn Barrett Sue Huston, Lisa Case

Paul Jones, Sally Greene

Julie Borshak, Sandy Gernhart, Jeff Hutchens

Janet Wheaton

Denise Baker

Pat Riviere-Seel, John Talton, Diana Staley , Kathryn Talton, Andie Rose, Glenda Kirby, Kathy Newcomp

Valerie & Bill Mountcastle

SandhillSeen

American Legion Holiday Gala

Fair Barn

November 7, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

James Leak, Calvin Leak

Rufus McLaughlin American Legion Post 177

Mitch & Pat Capel

Ismael Falcon, Yvonne & Jerry Taylor Erika & Dan Weidman

Legionnaires & Spouses

Division Commander Darrell Bonapart, Commander Devell Durham, Jr., Lt. Colonel Vincent Gordon

Audrey & Anthony McCauley

Jean McRae, Adam Cheatham, Jackie Womack

Neal Graham, Jill Chavis, Dusty & Ansol Graham

Commander Devell Durham, Jr. & Lt. Colonel Vincent Gordon with Pinecrest High School JROTC

SandhillSeen

An Evening of Art

Artists League, Aberdeen

November 6, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Catherine Church, Cynthia Africk, Linda Bruening

Denny Way, Nancy Allen

Sharon Lowery, Kathy Petz, Leigh Lassiter

Janis Loehr, Carol Gradwohl

Heather Vandersloot, Beth Yborra, Nancy Peters, Kathy Leuck, Nancy Berliner

Janet Garber, Kathy Petz, Carol Rosenberg, Debbie Whitley

Courtney & Floyd Herndon, Bob & Bonnie Dougherty

Jo & John Williams

Barbsara & Bill Ainsley

Pam Griner, Melodie Hattes, Debbie Whitley, Marcy Steptoe Lana Yee, Barbara McGowan, Ellen Airs, Laura Douglas

December PineNeedler Smells Seasonal

Across

1. Kind of dealer

5. Brightest star in Virgo

10. Bunch

14. Cold cuts, e.g.

15. Frigate frames

16. Cattle, in poesy

17. Durable wood

18. Grant

19. Lodges

20. Alertness (2 wds)

23. Cashew, e.g.

24. Star in Orion

25. Count (on)

26. “Aladdin” prince

27. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir.

28. ___ Today

31. Errand runner

33. Blunder

36. Folk tales

37. Boxberry

40. Sean Connery, for one

42. Elegant

43. Loud calls used to attract attention

46. Australian runner

47. Marienbad, for one

50. “Awesome!”

51. Clarified butter

54. Whitewater

56. Popular Christmas movie

57. Holiday cookie

60. “Beowulf,” e.g.

62. The “N” of U.N.C.F.

63. Characteristic carrier

64. In ___ straits

65. In-box contents

66. Aroma

67. Increase, with “up”

68. Eastern wrap

69. Chuck Down

1. Current amount

2. Check (2 wds)

3. Art of horsemanship

4. About 1.3 cubic yards

5. Open carriage

6. Yank

7. More sickly

8. Ham spice

9. Too (2 wds)

10. Schuss, e.g.

11. Schnapps flavor

12. Round

13. Preordain

21. Binding elementary particle

22. Strong cleaner

29. Boozehound

30. Lying, maybe

32. Delight

33. Angler’s hope

34. Bauxite, e.g.

35. Eye

Puzzle answers on page 120

Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be reached at martaroonie@gmail.com.

37. Chestnut roasting requirement

38. Coke’s partner

39. Suburbs suburb

40. Diatribes

41. Fuel mining site

44. ___ roll

45. Polishes

47. Big name in bathing suits

48. Some bar features

Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contain the numbers 1-9.

49. Bookkeepers, at times

52. Colic procedure

53. Actress Samantha

55. Specialized vocabulary

58. Ashtabula’s lake

59. Actor’s part

61. Fleshy mushroom

Santa’s Coming, Regardless

By RoBeRt Inman

It starts every year, without fail, the day after Thanksgiving. Grownups begin to threaten young people over Santa Claus. The air is full of dire predictions about what might happen Christmas Eve if children aren’t something close to saintly. It is the bludgeon used to produce clean plates at mealtime, tidy rooms, impeccable manners and timely homework.

Of course, adults have been putting the evil eye on children’s behavior since time immemorial. My grandmother, for example, had a special word of terror for young folks who trampled her flowers, tracked mud on her rug, or swung too high in her porch swing. “Nasty stinkin’ young’uns,” she’d bark, “I’m gonna pinch your heads off.” Mama Cooper was a sweet and kind person who never would have pinched the head off a radish, much less a child, but she could strike fear into her grandchildren. We were careful around her flowers, her rug and her porch swing.

So the grownup weapon of fear is a time-honored tradition. But the direst predictions of ruin and misfortune, it seems, are always saved for the Christmas season. “If you don’t clean up your plate, Santa Claus won’t come.” “Act ugly one more time, buster, and you’ll find a bag of switches under the tree for you on Christmas morning.” Well, baloney.

I came to my senses about the Santa Claus business when I met Jake Tibbetts, a crotchety old newspaper editor who appeared in my imagination one day and then took over the pages of my first novel, Home Fires Burning. Jake had a built-in bull-hockey detector, and he could spot nonsense a mile away. Jake’s grandson Lonnie lived with Jake and his wife, Pastine, and when Christmas rolled around, Mama Pastine put the pox on Lonnie about Santa’s upcoming visit.

At the breakfast table one morning, Lonnie let a mild oath slip from his 10-year-old lips. Mama Pastine pounced. “Santa Claus has no truck with blasphemers,” she said.

“Hogwash,” Daddy Jake snorted. “Santa Claus makes no moral judgments. His sole responsibility is to make young folks happy. Even bad ones. Even TERRIBLE ones.”

“Then why,” Lonnie asked, “does he bring switches to some kids?”

Jake replied, “This business about switches is pure folklore. Did you ever know anybody who really got switches for Christmas? Even one?” Lonnie couldn’t think of a single one.

“Right,” said Daddy Jake. “I have been on this Earth for 64 years, and I have encountered some of the meanest, vilest, smelliest, most undeserving creatures the Good Lord ever allowed to creep and crawl. And not one of them ever got switches for Christmas. Lots of ’em were told they’d get switches. Lots of ’em laid in their beds trembling through Christmas Eve, just knowing they’d find a stocking full of hickory branches come morning. But you know what they found? Goodies. Even the worst of ’em got some kind of goodies. And for one small instant, every child who lives and breathes is happy and good, even if he is as mean as a snake every other instant. That’s what Santa Claus is for, anyhow.”

Well, Daddy Jake said it better than I ever could. I believe with all my heart that he is right, just as I have always believed fervently in Santa Claus and still do.

I believed in Santa Claus even through the Great Fort Bragg Misbehavior of 1953. My father was stationed at Fort Bragg with the Army, and I was in the fourth grade at the post elementary school. The day before school let out for the Christmas holidays, Santa Claus landed on the playground in an Army helicopter. It was, to me and my classmates, something akin to the Second Coming. When we went out to welcome Santa, the teachers stationed the first- through fourth-graders on one side of the playground and the fifth- and sixth-graders on the other. When Santa’s chopper landed, I learned why. We little kids were yelling our heads off for Santa to leave us some goodies under the tree a few nights hence. Across the way, the fifth- and sixth-graders were yelling, “Fake! Fake!”

Some of my classmates were crestfallen. It never fazed me. I figured those big kids were wrong then, and still do. Santa Claus is for real. Just look in a kid’s eyes and you’ll see him.

(By the way, I’m sure the fifth- and sixth-graders didn’t get switches for Christmas. Maybe they should have, but they didn’t.)

Grownups are wrong, too, when they threaten kids with the loss of Santa. Daddy Jake was right. We adult types need to grant the kids their unfettered moment of magic. If they act up, threaten to pinch their heads off. But leave Santa out of it. PS

Robert Inman is a playwright and novelist whose books include The Governor’s Lady, Home Fires Burning and Dairy Queen Days. His latest novel, Villages, was published by Livingston Press in 2025. “Santa’s Coming, Regardless” originally appeared in Christmas Stories by North Carolina Writers in 1997.