June PineStraw 2026

REAL PEOPLE. REAL

Can’t say enough about Dr. Hershman and the staff. They are all friendly and have answered all my questions. Would give them a 10.

They give the best care. They explain everything where you can understand and they are very great at what they do! Highly recommend them!!

I’m being treated by Dr. Leah Hershman for chronic venous insufficiency, and her staff for the past two months. Everyone in her office has been so professional, kind and friendly. I can honestly say that I look forward to my appointments and the outcome of her expertise!

Dr. Hershman is a very good personal doctor. Everyone was so polite, helpful and kind. Everything is explained to you before any procedure is done and the wait time is minimal. There is a follow up call the day after procedures either by the staff or doctor. I would highly recommend this clinic.

Dr. Hershman is amazing. She takes such care and concern in your vascular health and well being. It is reassuring to know she and her team are vested in each patient. She is with you on your vascular health journey!

Before I began vascular treatment on my legs at VIP I had edema which was most pronounced in my ankles. Post treatment edema has been largely eliminated. I credit VIP with the dramatic improvement. Thanks

I have had many excellent treatments at this facility. Staff is friendly, welcoming, courteous, and professional. They are very informative and take time to answer all questions with as much detail as wanted. I have never felt rushed. I would readily recommend VIP.

I love walking through the doors at VIP. Everyone is soooo nice and just love talking to them. They were the BEST choice for me because they helped my leg problems. You won’t regret going there! Love everyone!

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

June 2026

Stunning 20-acre horse farm with a 3 BR /3.5 BA home blending modern comfort and country charm. Features include a designer kitchen, spacious living area with pasture views, and a luxurious primary suite with sitting room and spa-like bath. Upperlevel flex space offers room for an office, gym, or media room. Enjoy an in-ground pool and 8-stall barn with an apartment. A rare opportunity for luxury rural living!

Exquisite 4 BR / 3.5 BA GOLF FRONT home overlooking the 14th fairway of the Mid South course. Built in 2024, this home offers the perfect blend of luxury and comfort. Thoughtfully designed, the home includes a spacious upstairs space ideal for guests, family entertainment or an additional office space. The main level is open and spacious with gourmet kitchen equipped with high-end appliances, a large primary suite and three additional bedrooms. This a truly amazing property!

Beautifully appointed 3 BR / 3 BA home overlooking the 12th green of the Magnolia Course in the highly sought-after Pinewild community. This meticulously maintained home is loaded with upgrades and thoughtful features, including a dedicated art studio, whole-house generator, security system, and a private well-fed irrigation system to keep the professionally landscaped grounds lush yearround. Transferable Pinewild CC membership.

MAGAZINE

Volume 22, No. 6

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Keith Borshak, Senior Designer keith@thepilot.com

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, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Gary Palmer, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Deborah Salomon, Scott Sheffield, Rose Shewey, Kimberly Daniels Taws, Tommy Tomlinson, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Walshe, Amberly Glitz Weber

ADVERTISING SALES

Samantha Cunningham, Advertising Director 910.693.2505

Christy Phillips, Sales Manager 910.693.2498

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

Ginny Trigg, 910.693.2481

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancey 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

COMPLIMENTARY LOANERS

2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER

Thanks to your support, we have won: Best of The Pines 2024 #1 Dealership Service Department. Schedule your appointment today to experience #1 Service

The ones who outperform

In 2024, our results proved that we’re the partner you can trust.

Scarlett Allison

Christine Barrett

Maureen Clark

Joy Blake Donat

Tracy Gibson

Keith Harris

Rachel Hernandez

Laurie Kornegay

Ross Laton

Christian McCarthy

Melody Bell McClelland

Meredith Morski

Lesley Dacko Pacos

Caitlin Richardson

Brenda Sharpe

Kate Shinkwin

Elizabeth Webster

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

By Jim DoDsoN

As I write this, it’s an hour before sunrise on Good Friday of Holy Week.

With my morning meditation behind me for the day – I call it “Coffee with God,” a time when I have frank conversations with the Almighty beneath the morning stars – it seems like the ideal moment to take stock of my “Three G’s.”

Sacred Grounds

My Journey with the Three G’s

In addition to the enduring love I have for my wife, children and brand new grandchild – a baby girl named June; how’s that for timing? — the Three G’s is my simple shorthand for God, golf and gardening, the three defining elements of my life’s journey.

Allow me to consider them in reverse order of importance.

This month, on June 7, my home’s garden will be featured on the annual Greensboro Council of Garden Clubs tour. It’s an honor I never saw coming. That’s because building gardens (and working in them) has been a passion of mine since I was knee-high to a post-hole digger. I hail from rural people, you see, small-time Carolina farmers who lived off the bounty of the land. So, the urge to grow things is in my bloodstream. Some of my fondest memories are of visiting my dad’s elderly second cousins, Josie and Ida, a pair of spinster ladies in their 80s who shared a handsome old farmhouse from the Civil War era and a giant garden in Orange County.

My dad called them the “Moon and Star Girls.” He called them this because their house had limited indoor plumbing but a pair of splendid outhouses with elegantly carved wooden doors. One featured a half-moon (Cousin Ida’s), the other a shining star (Cousin Josie’s). I was deeply fascinated by both women and their fancy outhouses. Almost every Easter and Christmas of my boyhood, our family would take them a salted country ham, Pond’s Cold Cream, and copies of Reader’s Digest, Life Magazine and the Saturday Evening Post.

Ida was the solemn and stern sister who ran the household. Josie was the sweet and talkative one who loved books and storytelling. Their dressing style was pure 19th century, floral dresses with knitted sweaters Ida made by hand and lace-up

boots. I like to think part of the verdure in my blood comes from them as well as my great-grandmother, who lived 5 miles closer to Dodsons Crossroads, and grew and collected native plants for making folk medicines. Aunt Emma, my dad’s grandmother, was the beloved “healer” along Buckhorn Road since a real doctor was 20 miles away.

The vast garden of the “Moon and Star Girls” was well-known along Buckhorn Road between Hillsborough and Chapel Hill. The Dodson sisters shared their bounty with neighbors up and down the road. For several summers before a game called golf seized my waking attention, I got to stay with Ida and Josie and help in their garden. Josie would sing hymns and tell me stories about our Colonial ancestors while Ida kept a sharp eye on our progress, sometimes reminding us that the “Lord loves busy hands. Not idle chatter.” Once, Josie stuck her tongue out at Ida’s back and we both dissolved with laughter. Cousin Ida was not amused.

Both my parents were serious suburban gardeners, which is why I grew up to become one, too. I’ve built three ambitious gardens in my life, from a forested hilltop in Maine to a pinegirdled garden I brought back to life in Pinehurst. Number three is the most ambitious, built around the old house we purchased a decade ago on the street where I grew up in Greensboro. Likely, it’s my final garden.

Garden work is good for the soul, Cousin Josie liked to say.

Golf came into my life at age 11 after watching Arnold Palmer play in the 1964 Masters Tournament on TV. That’s the year the King of Golf won his final green jacket by six strokes and tossed his cap into the air. I promptly joined “Arnie’s Army.”

I began beating golf balls around our backyard with an old Bobby Jones wedge I still own (somewhere) and quickly progressed to a modest nine-hole golf course I nearly wore out every day after swim practice. I followed my dad into journalism and shared his passion for the cruelly addictive game invented 400 years ago by lonely Scottish shepherds.

In 1997, as a columnist for Golf Magazine, I published a

memoir called Final Rounds that told the story of taking my wise old man back to play the courses on England’s Lancashire coast where he learned to play the game as an airman shortly before D-Day.

The book was a bestseller that changed my life. After reading it, Arnold Palmer invited me to write his memoir, A Golfer’s Life, and share the cover credit with him. We remained close friends until his passing in September 2016. During our last visit in Latrobe a month before he passed away, I asked him to autograph my copy of our book. He wrote: “Jim, Thank you for your wonderful words. I couldn’t have a better friend.”

I’ve been deeply blessed by my golf writing, a career that includes four books of the year about the game (two from United States Golf Association and two from International Network of Golf), scores of friends and a lifetime of memories.

Not long ago, just for fun, one of my golf buddies and I even started a podcast on Apple called Sports Is Beyond Us that allows us to share the timeless joys, fellowship and low comedy of the game.

• • •

God is the most important “G” in my life. I once heard someone say there are two paths to God — one is love, the other is sorrow.

I’ve taken both paths in my life and found that the divine force of the universe eventually welcomes everyone home regardless of where they’ve been. We all have a different picture

of who or what God is. My belief is that God grades life on a generous curve and small miracles are everywhere if you take time to notice.

Many years ago, I took my highly opinionated Scottish mother-in-law to the daily Evensong service at St John’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England. Kate was probably my best friend during several challenging years, a gifted gardener and educator who never missed watching the British Open Championship with me over gin and tonics. She was the only person on Earth who ever called me “James.”

Kate was also a professed atheist who had one of the kindest hearts of anyone I’ve ever known. Her own parents perished during the German bombing of the docks in her native Glasgow when she was very young.

That summer evening at St John’s, though, when the choir sang the familiar “Old Hundredth” hymn from the Genevan Psalter, I heard Kate softly singing along. As we exited into a beautiful evening, she took my arm and squeezed it. There were tears in her eyes.

“Thank you, James,” she said. “My mother and father loved that old hymn. I haven’t heard it in 50 years.”

Praise God, I thought, from whom all blessings flow. 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 ROAD – OLD TOWN

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

$2,295,000

175 BROOKHAVEN ROAD – FAIRWOODS ON 7

ACCESS TO IMMEDIATE GOLF Charter membership. Overlooking the 15th Hole on No 7 course in Fairwoods on 7.

$1,695,000

78 GREENCASTLE DRIVE – NATIONAL

LOCK-IT AND LEAVE-IT in Pinehurst No 9, National. Stunning, move-in ready!, Elegant tones, tasteful details.

$1,159,000

15 SHENECOSSETT DRIVE – PINEHURST NO. 6

Stunning golf course living. Perfectly positioned overlooking the lush green and sweeping fairway

$730,000

310 INVERRARY ROAD – FAIRWOODS ON 7

Overlooking multiple holes on iconic Pinehurst No. 2 including the 8th hole, 16th hole, 17th hole, and 18th hole.

$2,900,000

60 OAK MEADOW ROAD – FAIRWOODS ON 7 IMMEDIATE GOLF MEMBERSHIP. Seller to pay Signature level initiation fee. New stunning kitchen.

$1,495,000

1 COLLETT LANE – PINEHURST

Private cul-de-sac in Donald Ross area. Pool, screened porch, deck, golf cart access to Village and Pinehurst Courses.

$895,000

105 KINGSWOOD CIRCLE – PINEHURST NO. 6 Fantastic home in Pinehurst No 6. Soaring ceilings, natural light, many upgrades.

$539,000

50 MCCASKILL ROAD W. – OLD TOWN

“Blinkbonnie” was built by financier Simon B. Chapin, showcases early-1900s Old Town charm on over an acre.

$2,495,000

117 CHANTICLEER DRIVE – FOREST CREEK Value in Forest Creek. Elegant interior designed for comfortable everyday living and effortless entertaining. Pool.

$1,195,000

127 SAKONNET TRAIL – PINEHURST NO. 6

Impressive all-brick home in Pinehurst No. 6 with new Andersen windows, four bedrooms, and a separate office.

$750,000

179 KNOLL ROAD – LONGLEAF CC

Move right in! Open floorplan with tall ceilings and wonderful windows to allow the natural light to fill the rooms with sunshine.

$419,000

Imagine A Community Designed Around You

Imagine yourself here. New residences, new amenities, new reasons to love where you live.

Our new independent living residences blend the style you appreciate with the comfort you deserve. The Village Pavilion brings state-of-the-art wellness under one roof, from pickleball courts to personal training. And our newly renovated Terrace health center means comprehensive care is always close by, delivered with the personal attention that makes all the difference.

The updated Welcome House greets every resident and visitor with warmth while keeping our community secure and connected.

At Penick Village, every day is designed around you, your independence, your peace of mind, and your future.

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.

PinePitch

All That Jazz

The summer concert series features the Sandhills Community College Jazz Band in “Swingin’ on the Sunny Side” on Monday, June 15, at 6 p.m. at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The show is free but tickets are required. You can get them at www. ticketmesandhills.com

Dad Jokes

The Bad Dads Comedy Tour stops at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, on Saturday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. Fathers, husbands and buddies, Justin Scranton and Mark Brady reflect on life, growing up, relationships and the all the stuff that fails over time. For info go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Snow White and 42nd Street

Sounds of the Sunrise

“A Night of SADE with Tonya Nicole” kicks off a June triptych of live concerts at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines on Friday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m. Nicole, a Charlestonbased jazz and R&B singer, is backed by an electrifying eight-piece band. Then, on Thursday, June 25, Jason Scott & The High Heat fuses Americana soul, heartland rock and country grit beginning at 7:30 p.m. And, of course, the king is not to be ignored. Jesse Garron delivers “A Tribute to Elvis!” in two shows, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. For information and ticketing on all three, go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Gary Taylor Dance presents “Once Upon a Time,” a celebration for all ages as fairy tales spring to life, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 5. Then, at 7:30 p.m. that night, the troupe returns for the Gary Taylor Dance “Tribute to Broadway.” There will be an additional tribute show on Sunday at 2 p.m. All performances are at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For tickets and information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Out There

How often do you get to talk to someone who has a finger on the pulse of the cosmos? Settle in for this virtual book talk between The Country Bookshop’s Kimberley Daniels Taws and Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a theoretical cosmologist and particle physicist at the University of New Hampshire, from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3. The book is The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie. For more info go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

On the Wall

The Artists League of the Sandhills and the Arts Council of Moore County hold receptions on Friday, June 5, to celebrate the opening of their month-long exhibitions.

“Art to Appreciate” begins at 5 p.m. at 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen, featuring the work of Artists League members. The Arts Council show “Lost & Found” features photographers, painters and potters, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For more info check out www.artistleague.org and www.mooreart.org.

Heart and Souls

Asheville-based Hustle Souls fills up the First Friday stage beginning at 5 p.m. on June 5 with its iconic B3 organ, jubilant brass and three-part harmonies. Y’all know the drill: No outside al-kee-haul and leave Cujo with a babysitter. Bring a blanket or folding chair to lounge on the grassy knoll. Naturally, there will be food and drinks for purchase. For more info visit www.sunrisetheater.com.

1776

Step into the Wayback Machine for the Drums of Liberty Revolutionary War Weekend on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the lawn at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave, Southern Pines. There will be interactive exhibits, performances by the Guilford Courthouse Fife and Drum Corps, a living history encampment, Boyd House tours, lectures and children’s activities. Cocktails will be available from Bhawk Distillery. For more information go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Book It!

The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, will host a young adult book club beginning with a discussion about the New York Times

bestseller Queen of Faces, by Petra Lord, on Sunday, June 7 from 4 – 5 p.m. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

VW (9 x 12) by Norma Piggott

Live Music and Loud Booms

The celebration begins on Friday, July 3, from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Harness Track, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. There will be music, kids’ stuff, dancing, food and beverages for sale . . . and fireworks! It’s as free as we are. For additional info you can call (910) 295-3642 or visit www.vopnc.org.

Everyone Loves a Parade

Honor America 250 at the annual Independence Day Parade in the village of Pinehurst, beginning with the pet parade at 9:45 a.m., on Saturday, July 4. Slather on the sunscreen because it lasts until noon. For more information go to www.vopnc.org. or call (910) 295-03642.

Fletch had a fake name and a stranger’s tab.

Most dental bills feel about as mysterious. Ours don’t.

Most dental anxiety isn’t about the drill. It’s about the mystery bill. What exactly is happening in my mouth? How long will this take? What will it cost me — really? And how on earth do I pay for it?

We’ve heard every one of these. So, we answer them before your treatment begins.

THE ALLISON PROMISE — BEFORE WE TOUCH A SINGLE TOOTH

✓ Exactly what we’re doing.

✓ Exactly what your options are.

✓ Exactly what it will cost.

✓ Exactly how you’ll pay.

We Speak Fluent Insurance. Delta Dental Premier and other major plans — we know what they cover, what they don’t, and how to stretch every benefit dollar

Truth: Nobody can rock a floral top with geometric print slacks quite like you can. This month, the new moon in Gemini (June 14) paired with your maximalist tendencies could elevate your dopamine dressing to Iris Apfel status. Try not to let your flashy curations keep you from focusing on your inner world. Beginning June 19, a profound healing can occur if you’ll allow it. Avoid hiding behind your rose-colored retro rounds and face the music.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Don’t let a little rain stop you.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Two words: homemade focaccia.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Reimagine the leftovers.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

“No” does not require an explanation.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Somebody’s meddling.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Read the room.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

May the circle be unbroken.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Shake some dust, darling.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Check the batteries.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Try sitting with the crickets.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Three’s a crowd. PS

Zora Stellanova lives in the N.C. mountains with her wolfdogs, Venus and Lilith. Although she prefers divining with loose-leaf puerh, she recommends a mugwort and passionflower blend for those seeking wisdom and clarity from the dream realm.

BUCK THAT BUCK THAT

Whether you’re recovering, running on caffeine and chaos, or trying to survive summer — we’ve got a drip for that.

GET A DRIP ON REALITY

Hydrate. Recover. Re-enter society.

GLOW HARD OR GO HOME

Hydration + beauty support from the inside out.

BUCK THAT BLOAT

Metabolism + energy support that keeps up.

MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY

The OG vitamin drip for feeling human again.

SCAN TO BOOK

Connective Tissue

When two cottages became one hotel

By Audrey Mori A rty

In the earliest days of Pinehurst, James Walker Tufts had his hands full trying to keep up with the demand for rooms at his winter resort. The Holly Inn was always full, and several other rooming houses were taxed to capacity.

In the summer of 1898, two cottages, the Oak (pictured to the left), and the Hanover (pictured to the right), were joined. Located just beyond the Magnolia Inn, the two large cottages were connected by an addition built between them that included a covered piazza, reading room and additional bathrooms. A spacious veranda and mudroom ran the length of the building, lined in windows and sporting a large open fireplace. The new structure became the Berkshire Hotel, and it could seat 100 people comfortably at dinner.

The Berkshire featured “quiet home-like surroundings for refined people of moderate means,” according to the Pinehurst Outlook. In season, it cost $2 a day, or $10 a week. Croquet grounds were laid out directly opposite the hotel, for the entertainment of the guests. Many guests chose to stay there every season, and the group was genial, forming long-term friendships. They often had croquet matches, card games and “disguise” parties, where guests tried to hide their identity.

While the Tufts family owned the Berkshire, they leased it to Edwin S. Blodgett, who managed it. In 1957, a room was added

for a long-standing gentlemen’s bridge group called The Wolves. In 1959, Blodgett passed away, and his wife, Bessie, finished off the remaining portion of the lease. In May 1960, after 62 years of operation, it was decided to close the Berkshire and demolish it. The Wolves area was left standing, and the club members paid to erect the necessary walls to properly enclose it. It is now part of a private home. Bessie Blodgett went on to become the librarian at Given Memorial Library from 1964-1982. PS

Audrey Moriarty is the Library Services and Archives director for the village of Pinehurst.

By A nne Blythe

Against All Odds

Characters living on life’s edge

If you’ve ever felt caught in one of life’s undertows, fighting overwhelming currents seemingly beyond your control, you might find a kindred spirit among the cast of characters in Jared Lemus’ debut short story collection, Guatemalan Rhapsody .

Lemus, a Kenan Visiting Writer at UNC-Chapel Hill, has compiled 12 vignettes portraying men and boys living in Guatemala or the United States. The protagonists are barely making ends meet, either caught in low-paying jobs or living on society’s edges through illicit means. Many of them are struggling to break free from generational poverty, Byzantine bureaucracy and emotional vulnerabilities.

The ache of unfulfilled possibility unites these principal characters — a healer, a van taxi driver, a long-haul trucker, a night busman, an aspiring tattoo artist, a laundryman, a builder, a once-celebrated soccer player turned middling middle school coach, teenage highway robbers, and kids left to fend for themselves in this country after their parents were deported or returned home to Guatemala.

There is a machismo and toughness that permeates these protagonists that rarely masks their underlying vulnerability and

tenderness. There are females in their orbit, but few are as fleshed out as the central male figures. The women often provide the unvarnished truth with warmhearted mercy.

Lemus shows a flair for different writing styles throughout the collection. In the opening story, “Ofrendas,” he gives readers a taste of Guatemalan pacing and dialogue, using Spanish-style inverted opening and closing marks throughout the lyrical English. The story kicks off the collection with a nod toward indigenous Guatemala and the Mayan tradition of people bringing cigarettes, candies, flowers, alcohol and monetary offerings in search of relief or protection from San Simon, a saint known to be a trickster representing both light and dark. In this story of second chance seekers and human sacrifice, you can almost feel the fires crackling as the healers greet the petitioners at the pits they’ve built and hear the owls hooting their ominous calls in the highlands beyond the gated monastery.

In “Bus Stop Baby,” a story about a busboy/dishwasher who rides a bus all night for warmth because the damp mattress he rented was in an unheated garage attached to a house filled with cocaine addicts, Lemus gives readers a chance to choose their own adventure mapped out in two columns, Option A or Option B.

There’s traditional storytelling, too, always with vivid descriptions. In “Heart Sleeves,” a story of an aspiring tattoo

OMNIVOROUS READER

artist seemingly “opting for weed and heartbreak” over fulfilled potential, you can almost hear the bee-like buzz of the tattoo guns.

In “Saint Dismas,” a story of amateur highway robbers scheming for food and motel money, your fists might clench in pain as Lemus describes the rope-burned hands of the teens posing as construction workers whose plans went awry when a car sped through the thick cord they stretched across a Guatemalan road to force passersby to stop.

While it might sound like Guatemalan

The collection is a true rhapsody, made up of many different riffs on stories of people swimming against the tide, striving for validation, love and survival.

Rhapsody is all doom and gloom, there is wit and light humor amid the darkness. The collection is a true rhapsody, made up of many different riffs on stories of people swimming against the tide, striving for validation, love and survival.

The most pleasurable note among the variations is how Lemus treats his protagonists with dignity and compassion, traits that could go a long way in the world today. 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 the many wonderful characters who make this state such an interesting place.

THURSTON/BOYD I

NTERIOR DESIGN

Renowned for interpreting the individual— capturing personal taste, lifestyle, and intent to create interiors that feel both deeply personal and impeccably refined.

www.thurstonboyd.com (910) 585-8631

•

•

•

•

June Books

FICTION

Villa Coco, by Andrew Sean Greer

An aspiring archivist determined to begin a “serious” life after an undistinguished undergraduate career takes up residence in the Italian countryside. He becomes the all-purpose assistant to the baronessa, known to her friends as Coco, a defiantly youthful and naturally flamboyant woman of 92. Amid a chaotic and colorful milieu of gin-swilling princesses, incomprehensible handymen, roaming boar hunters, nuns and other local wildlife, our young man does his best to catalog the villa’s extensive collection of art and antiques — although he notices that things seem to go missing from right under his nose. Despite himself, he tumbles into an affair with a married man, complicating his future plans considerably. And when the baronessa loses someone close to her, he becomes an unwitting accomplice in the acceleration of Coco’s great and final plan: to locate the love of her life and be reunited before it’s too late.

A Year of Marvellous Ways, by Sarah Winman

Marvellous Ways has lived alone alongside a winding creek near the rugged Cornwall coast for nearly all her life and has recently taken to spending her days sitting on the steps of her caravan with a telescope. She is waiting for something, but she’s not sure what. She will know it when she sees it, and that is good enough for her. Francis Drake, a young soldier adrift after the death of a fellow comrade, is grateful for the mission that guides his days. He has agreed to fulfil his friend’s last wish: to hand-deliver a letter to his father in Cornwall. But Francis’ journey doesn’t go as planned. After a brief, sweet and serendipitous reunion with a woman from his past, Francis washes up in Marvellous’ creek, broken both in body and spirit.

Marvellous will come to his aid, and an unlikely friendship will grow between these two solitary souls. Marvellous has lived a long life, with many loves and countless stories to tell, and Francis needs a reason to keep going — even just the hope that life still has more to offer.

Tata, by Valérie Perrin, translated by Hildegarde Serle

When Agnes hears from the local police that her Aunt Colette has died, she can’t believe her ears. Her father’s sister Colette, her Tata, died three years ago and has been resting in peace in the cemetery of Gueugnon. Agnes is called to identify the body and there’s no doubt, it’s Aunt Colette. Who, then, rests under the stone engraved with Colette’s name? And why did she fake her own death? So begins an investigation back in time, as Agnes pieces together the multitude of stories that lie behind her aunt’s second death. Tata will keep readers glued to every page.

NONFICTION

Every Moment Was You: Notes on Loving and Parting, by Ha Tae-wan, translated by Shanna Tan

Every Moment Was You is a tender collection of short essays and poems on the universal experiences of love, loss and selfdiscovery. At once intimate and universal, it’s a companion for anyone learning to love, grieve and begin again. Ha Tae-wan writes with quiet insight and gentle honesty, reminding us that even pain can be proof of connection, and that every experience — joyful or sorrowful — helps shape who we become. These poetic reflections offer warmth and wisdom for anyone looking to heal, forgive and navigate the complexities of the heart.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

The League of Dangerous Young Ladies, by J.A. Morgenstein

It’s 1909 and Rose Moriarty, the teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest enemy, has made a name for herself fighting monsters and solving crimes. But that was before Rose met the one mystery she couldn’t solve: the disappearance of her headmistress. Unexpected friendships, supernatural mystery, high-stakes heists, and budding romance billow together in this thrilling fantasy adventure that introduces a motley crew of daredevil heroines. (Ages 12-18.)

Searching for Wocks, by Lucy Knisley

There are always precious objects to be found if you look. On a walk to the playground and back, a child is on the lookout for special “wocks” for a very special collection. A bottlecap, a twig and many stones make it into a pocket of treasures. It’s a charming and relatable day in the life of a preschooler, illustrated in bright, happy artwork and jaunty dialogue — a book that all young collectors will adore. (Ages 3-5.)

11 Experiments That

Failed, by Jenny Offill

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

Is it possible to eat snowballs doused in ketchup — and nothing else — all winter? Can a washing machine wash dishes? By reading the step-by-step instructions, kids can discover the answers to these all-important questions. Here are 12 “hypotheses,” as well as lists of “what you need,” “what to do,” and “what happened” that are sure to make young readers laugh out loud as they learn how to conduct science experiments. Really! (Ages 4-8.) PS

Movin’ on Up

Taking on the big city

By Bill Fields

I met a friend for breakfast one Sunday morning this spring at a Connecticut diner. With its bustling vibe, vinyl-covered booths, menu the size of a novella and servers with a sixth sense for a coffee cup in need of topping off, the restaurant could have been anywhere in the Northeast.

In between bites and conversation, my mind wandered to a time when eating at such a place was new, not routine, when I was young and eager and, like so many people before and after me, ready to take on New York.

Forty years ago, ostensibly for a magazine job but more accurately to experience a city I had known from books and magazines, movies and television, I moved north. Before relocating from the first floor of a house on East Maine Avenue in Southern Pines to an apartment in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens neighborhood, my exposure to the Big Apple was limited to two brief visits a handful of years earlier, during and soon after college. I truly didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but America’s largest city attracted me like a paper clip to a magnet.

The inexorable pull was expensive. The $175 monthly rent for a one-bedroom in North Carolina became $775 in New York, and there wasn’t a fireplace or a yard at my new residence. What I believed was a huge bump in salary nearly disappeared in housing alone.

After signing the lease on my exorbitant digs, I motored up Interstate 95 as filled with anxiety as the U-Haul truck (pulling my Ford Escort) was with my belongings. Upon recovering from the stress of the back-rattling drive and settling in, the fretting was replaced by the excitement of where I now was and what I was doing, although my newly purchased twin-sized futon in no way mimicked the pillow-top mattresses in the very few fancy hotels I’d experienced.

New York’s subway fare had gone up to a dollar per ride earlier in 1986. On the morning of my first 25-minute (assuming no delays) commute from Carroll Street station to 34th Street-Herald Square on the F train, I shelled out a $10 bill to fill my pocket with enough penny-sized, bi-metal tokens — “Good For One Fare” on one side, “New York Transit Authority” on the other

— to get through the work week. The train made 10 stops before my destination, the stations familiar still: Bergen, Jay, York, East Broadway, Delancey, Second Avenue, Broadway-Lafayette, West Fourth, 14th and 23rd.

After coming above ground at my stop, I walked several blocks east along 34th Street, going right past the Empire State Building, to the Golf Illustrated offices at 3 Park Avenue. There was a pinch-me period when I realized that, yes, I indeed was working in the metropolis that I had seen so many Novembers on TV as a backdrop to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

My mother, then slightly younger than I am now, was able to take Amtrak’s Silver Star north for a visit on my first Thanksgiving in New York, where, bundled up on a sunny but cold morning, she saw the floats and bands in person. Mom would be back in a couple of years, taking in the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a long, long way from her roots in sleepy Jackson Springs.

I made that daily subway trip from Brooklyn to Manhattan for two years and rode a commuter train from Connecticut to the city for three more. Then Golf Ilustrated, along with the other magazines owned by its parent company, went belly up, and I left New York with more doubts than the ones that had accompanied me there.

But life would play out just one state away. Golf World magazine, born in Moore County, had relocated under new ownership to Connecticut very shortly after I moved there from Brooklyn. The publication — from which I had departed to go to Golf Illustrated — and I reunited in short order. We stayed together for more than two decades, until Golf World ran its course, too, a victim of changing habits in a changing world. You tap your phone to ride the subway these days; tokens have gone the way of the typewriter.

If I’m in the mood to glimpse personal history, I’m a 90-minute train ride and eight-block walk from 3 Park Avenue. I take that trip a couple of times a year, find a diner, and have one of those turkey club sandwiches that rises high off the plate, looking like a skyscraper tall with dreams. PS

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

By toMMy toMlinson

Batter Up!

It’s our game, the American game

My wife and I had our first date at a Hickory Crawdads game.

Well, OK, I already need to backtrack. Alix says to this day that it was not a date. At the time I didn’t think it was a date, either. But somewhere between the first inning and the ninth, I started to feel that tug of attraction. A little more than a year after that night, we got married. Nearly 28 years of marriage later, we’re still together.

The point here is not to settle the question of whether it was or was not a date. The point is to make our way, eventually, to Brad Pitt’s question from Moneyball: “How can you not be romantic about baseball?”

North Carolina gives baseball romantics so many places to fall in love.

Best I can tell, there are 22 professional baseball teams playing in North Carolina this summer. Nine are farm clubs of Major League Baseball teams. Eleven teams play in summer leagues for college players — they use wooden bats instead of the aluminum bats in college games. Two more teams play in the independent Atlantic League. You could drive around the state and see a different game in a different park every night for three weeks straight, with a game left over.

Minor league team names are sports poetry. Here in North Carolina we have the Gastonia Ghost Peppers and the Edenton Steamers, the Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Holly Springs Salamanders, the Forest City Owls and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Boone Bigfoots and the Greenville Yard Gnomes. (Should it be the Boone Bigfeet? Sounds like a discussion for the ballpark, between innings.)

Some teams choose names with a local angle. The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers name-check the Cannon Mills textile company that basically built the town. (The Cannon Ballers’ logo also features a mustachioed figure who looks suspiciously like Kannapolis-born Dale Earnhardt.) Asheboro has the North Carolina Zoo, so their team is the Zookeepers. My favorite, along these lines, is the Winston-Salem Dash. I’ll let you figure that one out — although if you’re strict about grammar, you might not like the answer.

Alix and I have been to minor league games all over the state. Every park has its own quirks and charms. A few years ago, as part of a baseball vacation, we went to see an Asheville Tourists game. I hadn’t been feeling great that week. We had to park at the bottom of a hill, and the stadium was at the top. I was dreading that climb. But then a guy rolled up in an extralong golf cart. It turns out the Tourists will give fans a lift up to the stadium if they need one. That day, I needed one. I felt like a VIP as the cart zoomed us to the gate.

Imagine no more medication… but a proven long-term solution:

• Numbness

• Diabetic nerve pain

• Sharp, electric-like pain

• Burning or tingling

• Muscle weakness

• Difficulty sleeping from leg or foot discomfort

• Sensitivity to touch

• Pain when walking

We treat all causes of Neuropathy including Chemo lnduced, Drug lnduced, Diabetes and Idiopathic. Get Relief with No Surgery, Shots, or Addictive

We offer a scientific, proven approach that heals your nerves and reverses your symptoms by:

1. Increasing blood supply to your nerves

2. Repairing and re-educating your nerves

3. Increasing the blood flow in your feet or hands

4. Increasing your balance and mobility

“Before seeing Dr. Baldwin, my neuropathy was unbearable — constant burning, tingling, and numbness in my feet made it hard to walk or even sleep. After starting treatment, I noticed improvement within just a few weeks. The burning eased, I could feel the floor under my feet again, and I finally started sleeping through the night. Dr. Baldwin’s care has truly given me my life back, and I’m so grateful for her dedication and compassion.”

By the way, if you ever take a book to the ballpark — lots of people do! — my suggestion is Ryan McGee’s Welcome to the Circus of Baseball. It’s about the summer he spent as an intern with the Tourists, and it is jam-packed with stories. I will never forget his tale of the mountain man the team sent into the woods behind the outfield fence to retrieve batting practice homers. He

In Greensboro, we cheered one of the team’s bat dogs who retrieve bats tossed aside when players get a hit.

always returned with a bagful of balls — and another bag full of squirrels and such for his supper.

Speaking of supper, the range of what qualifies as ballpark food is so much wider than it used to be. The Durham Bulls, for example, offer pretzels with hummus, gourmet popcorn, Impossible Foods veggie dogs and a ton of local brews. Even the smallest parks often have fancy burgers and IPAs. They still have the classics, too. Nothing says the eighth inning at a minor league park like ice cream in a little batting helmet.

In Greensboro, we cheered one of the team’s bat dogs who retrieve bats tossed aside when players get a hit. In High Point, we spotted former World Series MVP Frank Viola serving as pitching

STATE OF MIND

coach for the Rockers. In Wilson, years ago, we happened to show up on Pint Glass Night and brought home a Wilson Tobs glass we use to this day.

The Tobs (a nod to Eastern North Carolina’s tobacco roots) have moved to Smithfield, where they’ll start playing in 2027. Wilson’s team is now the Warbirds — they’re a farm team for the Milwaukee Brewers. They replaced the Carolina Mudcats. The old Mudcats’ stadium in Zebulon is now home to the Zebulon Devil Dogz, which will feature Australian players. As they say in baseball, it’s hard to keep track without a scorecard.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter what the teams are called or who’s playing. I’ve been to dozens — hundreds? — of minor league games over the years. The only surefire star I remember watching is Jim Thome, who mashed baseballs for the Charlotte Knights and went on to hit 612 home runs in the majors. I’m sure there have been other all-stars somewhere in all those games, mixed in with the guys who made it to the bigs for a bit, and the ones who never made it at all. But I don’t remember the players. What I remember are the warm nights and the cold beer and the good company.

I still have my ticket stub from that Hickory Crawdads game back in 1997. I have no idea who won that game. I just remember the fireworks that almost set the woods on fire beyond the outfield fence, and the slow dawning, as I talked to my seatmate, that this might not be just another night at the ballpark.

We still don’t count that night as our first date. But we’ve spent a lot of nights at baseball games since then. And you can bet every one of those counts. PS

Tommy Tomlinson is the author of two books, The Elephant in the Room and Dogland. He was a longtime columnist for the Charlotte Observer and has written for Esquire, The Atlantic, ESPN the Magazine and many other publications. His online newsletter is called The Writing Shed. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, Alix Felsing.

June at Weymouth Center

Saturday June 27 10:00am - 4:00pm

Step back in time as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with a return of Drums of Liberty!

· Reenactor encampment · Family-friendly · · Live demonstrations · Hands-on activities · · N.C. Wyeth exhibit · Period Music ·

One Way Trigger

story A nd P hotogr APh By tony Cross

Almost all the cocktails you see on bar menus and in social media and books are either classics or a spin on a classic.

The caipirinha is a South American cocktail, almost like a daiquiri on the rocks, but different, and there’s a reason why it’s the national drink of Brazil. I wanted to use the traditional recipe as a template and hopefully create a drink that would keep the integrity of the original while adding the nuanced flavors of a favorite fruit and spice: pineapple and ginger. At the time, I had just started making a rich ginger syrup, so the idea seemed like a no-brainer. Muddling pineapple chunks in caipirinhas was nothing new, so I decided to go another route: pineapple-infused cachaça, a sugar cane-based rum indigenous to Brazil. This, with muddled limes and the rich ginger syrup, would do it. Super simple, incredibly tasty. The One Way Trigger was one of my most popular cocktails and, to this day, it’s still one of the best cocktails I’ve ever made. Don’t take my word for it, build one yourself and let me know what you think. PS

Tony Cross is an on-again, off-again bartender who founded and runs Reverie Cocktails, a kegged cocktail distribution company that has been represented everywhere from dive bars to baseball stadiums.

Specifications

2 ounces pineapple-infused cachaça*

1/2 ounce rich ginger syrup**

3/4-1 lime, quartered

Execution

Combine quartered limes and ginger syrup in a rocks glass. Muddle to extract juice and release oils. Add pineapple-infused cachaça and cracked ice. Stir to incorporate ingredients.

* Core and dice one pineapple. Put in a glass container and add 750 milliliters of cachaça. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days, agitating container once daily. Strain through nut milk bag, rebottle and refrigerate. Good for one month before flavors begin to dissipate.

** Place 1 cup of chopped unpeeled and washed ginger in food processor or blender and process until finely chopped. Combine ginger, 1 cup of sugar and 3 cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until a rich syrup is created. Let cool and strain through a nut milk bag. Bottle and refrigerate.

Fork It Over! An Asian-style summer side

After working abroad for a few years, I landed a job with a leading American investment bank in my hometown in Germany. It was the early 2000s in Frankfurt, a glorious time for job seekers, as the economy was flourishing and businesses were hiring left, right and center. I ended up in equity sales on the trading floor, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to conquer the corporate world. My first work engagement, however, took me some place I didn’t expect: All new hires were shipped off to an evening seminar of dining etiquette.

This seminar was held at one of the en vogue business restaurants in the city. With the lights dimmed and smooth jazz in the background, we were served a fivecourse dinner with corresponding wines. All through the evening, an impeccably dressed lady — the etiquette expert — casually instructed us in how to navigate utensils (Continental style), handle our napkin, make a toast and excuse ourselves from the table appropriately. I humbly admit that I learned a lot that evening.

One of the courses was served with an Asian-style spiralized cucumber salad — skinny, oily strands of cucumber — dressed with a spicy peanut sauce, complete with chopsticks. Tensions were rising as we awkwardly fiddled with the chopsticks, side-glancing at our host, hoping for guidance before taking a wrong turn. Too late for some. As one guy repeatedly — yet unsuccessfully — attempted to grab onto a single strand of cucumber, and another diner tried frantically to manage oily strings hanging out of her mouth, I feigned a peanut allergy and waited for the next course, vowing to never order chopstick-foods while in the company of business associates. It turns out that asking for a fork would have been the appropriate response, as the etiquette expert shared with us later.

Fortunately, spiralizing cucumbers is just one way of making this invigorating salad. Chopping cucumbers into bite-sized chunks is the much easier variant and will save you time and, well, face if you’re clumsy with sticks (and too proud to use a fork).

With the barbecue season upon us, I plan on making this salad regularly this summer. It’s spectacularly easy to put together and rarely, if ever, produces leftovers, as folks seem to love the medley of flavors and textures. The juicy crunch of the cucumber paired with the tongue-lacing creaminess of peanut butter dressing goes with just about any grilled meat or veggie. If you’re feeling adventurous, add watermelon to this salad to make it even more refreshing. PS

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

Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts

(Serves 4)

1 pound mini cucumbers

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon sweetener, such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or date syrup

Zest of 1 lime, plus 1 tablespoon of lime juice

1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Wash and quarter the cucumbers lengthwise, then cut them into bite-sized pieces, and place them in a bowl.

To make the dressing, add peanut butter, olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, sweetener and lime zest, as well as lime juice to a small bowl and whisk. The dressing should be pourable — the consistency of buttermilk. If it appears too thick, add water, one teaspoon at a time. Toss the dressing with the cucumbers and garnish with the chopped peanuts and cilantro. Chill before serving.

Color, Color Everywhere

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, 1st Place: Standing Tall by Susan Bailey

Tier 2, 1st Place: Field of Gold by Joshua Simpson

Tier 3, 2nd Place: Windy Peaks by Dee Williams

Tier 2, 2nd Place: Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Cal Rice

Tier 3, 3rd Place: Daisies by Donna Ford

Color, Color Everywhere

Tier � & � Winners

Tier 1, 1st Place: Alaska’s Beauty by Janice Huff

Tier 1, 2nd Place: HOOAH by Dennis Mally

Tier 2, 3rd Place: Cadillac Kaleidoscope by Cindy Murphy

Tier 1, 3rd Place: COLOR Takes Root by Mary Bonsall

Hang ’em High

And to their best advantage

By deBor A h sAloMon

My reputation as an anti-tech — or at least a suspicious subscriber — is well-documented. My computer, a desktop, has a tower, a monitor, a printer and a big-button keyboard. The buttons are yellow. I adore it. My new TV streams but I don’t, although I have listened to a few podcasts, previously known as radio. The horror on colleagues’/friends’ faces when they learn the only apps on my simple cellphone are for airlines is almost comical. Like, if I want to watch Duke basketball, it won’t be from the dentist’s waiting room or a park bench. Ditto a movie.

I’d look silly laughing at Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire on a 3-inch screen. Marlon Brando doesn’t shrink well either. Nor does Kindle own the right heft.

Cellphones are magical inventions that have revolutionized communication. Their tendency, however, to fill every minute of our waking hours with some fact or sound or image leaves me exhausted. Several years ago, I encountered the ultimate: “fine art” channels that stream paintings into and out of a TV hanging over the mantelpiece. They appear, pause, then march off.

That reminded me of how important backgrounds are when “hanging pictures.” Also, the subjects of wall art whether paintings, photos, collections, artifacts. After 17 years of profiling Moore County’s most stunning homes, let me pass along display methods shared by interior designers and homeowners:

Don’t crowd. Give a big piece its own wall, which can be small, to accentuate the painting’s bigness.

Try leaning small frames against the wall, from a narrow shelf.

In a grouping, vary the size of individual pieces.

Think twice before displaying nudes or dead animals, especially with children in residence.

Go 3-D with baby dresses, costumes, dolls enclosed in a deep frame or shadowbox. No better place for a Japanese kimono than a living room wall.

Save family photos for a hallway, to encourage up-close viewing. Number the photos and post identification at the end: “Mom and Dad do a London pub, circa 1985.”

A bathroom is perfect for cartoons or old magazine covers. One homeowner plastered her entire guest powder room with New Yorker covers, which she had saved for the purpose. Another had a life-sized cardboard President George W. Bush welcoming guests. The replica of a dear departed cocker spaniel curled up in his wire crate seemed a bit much.

Before selecting a wall, sit down on nearby chairs and sofas to check line of sight. Same for shafts of sunlight.

Art in the kitchen is uber-trendy, especially flowers and vegetables, like a basket of shiny purple eggplants or a sliced tomato oozing juice. You can’t go wrong with grazing Holsteins. Antique kitchen implements suspended from pegs work. Use metal or glass pitchers, a blue enamel campfire percolator for vases. I have seen a pizza-shaped clock.

Frame or dry-mount a favorite recipe in Granny’s handwriting. Hang a small blackboard near the back door for messages that won’t fit into a text.

But back to the fine art slide show continuing its march over the mantel, the paintings colorful as pastries in a cafeteria line — I’ll take the apple crumb pie, please, with a scoop of vanilla. PS

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

Ads created by NC DOI SHIIP SMP for SMP Grant

GreatBlueBig

A North Carolina attention grabber

By susA n CAMPBell

The great blue heron is a bird that will get anyone’s attention, bird lover or not. It is the largest of all the species found in the Piedmont and Sandhills, and is second in wingspan only to the bald eagle. Great blues are colonial nesters, gathering often very close together in trees in wet environments where terrestrial predators are not a threat.

Great blues can be found across North Carolina year-round foraging in a variety of wet areas. The way it ever so slowly stalks its prey in the open is unique. However, nesting habitat can be harder to find. Many wet areas are too shallow to preclude raccoons, opossums and other climbing animals. Sizable beaver ponds or islands in the middle of lakes with mature trees or large snags are attractive. If a pair or two are successful in raising a brood high above the water, it is likely that the number of nests will grow in subsequent years to form a “heronry.” The female will weave a cup nest from the branches, then add smaller, softer material (such as twigs, grasses, moss, etc.) that her mate delivers. The bond between a pair of great blues is very strong during the breeding season. Male and female are both involved with rearing the nest generation. The large nest can accommodate up to five eggs, and both adults incubate and then brood the young. The male spends most of the daylight hours at the nest while

the female is there overnight. Herons are very good parents, able to defend their young with not only their heavy, sharp bills, but with very powerful wings.

It will take a year or more for the young to reach maturity. During the first several weeks they are fed mainly fish by their parents, but as they begin to forage for themselves, they will become opportunistic, eating everything from large, aquatic invertebrates (such as crayfish) to frogs and even the eggs of other bird species. Some individuals will not breed until their third summer. Sexually mature birds sport long plumes on their neck and back. They may be seen displaying to their mates by raising their crests and clapping bills together at or near the nest site.

The loud raspy croaking of herons is territorial and can be heard day or night at any time of the year. They will defend rich feeding areas as well as their nest from competitors. Great blues also call when in flight, perhaps to maintain contact with family members. In the air, they have a very characteristic profile with slow, deep wingbeats, their necks coiled, and legs trailing out behind them.

These huge birds are amazingly unafraid of humans. Although they seldom tolerate a close approach, they are frequently found feeding from bulkheads, farm ponds, and even small backyard water features. Many great blue herons have learned that people may provide an easy meal — even if it is in the form of fish remains or table scraps. So, keep an eye out, one of these birds may be closer than you think. PS

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

Fear and Loathing and Cottonmouths

What’s a little venom among friends?

With the notable exceptions of politicians and the Duke’s men’s basketball team, few living things are viewed with as much contempt and revulsion as snakes. Ever since the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, snakes have received bad press. Their credentials for despicability are easy to understand — some can kill a person with a single bite.

Depending on which taxonomist you ask, there are roughly 4,000 species of snakes spread across the globe. Of those, approximately 600 are considered venomous. Breaking that statistic down even further, only about 300 species of snakes possess enough toxicity in their venom to kill a human.

That small percentage (7.5 percent) has instilled an immense fear of snakes in humans across cultures and all walks of life. Some scientists even suggest that the fear is ingrained in our

very DNA — a holdover from a time when our distant ancestors walked the landscape without the benefit of antivenom and apps that can identify snakes with a single click of a smartphone. Ophidiophobia, as the fear is known, affects countless people and can cause some to react in very irrational ways.

Peruse news archives over the past decade and you will find many shining examples. One 2021 NBC news headline reads, “Maryland home burns down during owner’s ill-fated snake fight.” Apparently, a man intentionally started a fire in his basement in order to clear a “snake infestation” from under his house by smoking them out. What could go wrong?

Another from Florida reads, “Molino man accidentally shoots himself while trying to kill snake.” A man — yes, a Florida man — encountered a snake in his backyard, went back into his house, loaded a .357 revolver with buckshot, then went back outside and promptly shot himself in the leg when he tripped and fell on the snake.

My personal favorite is a 2017 headline out of Conway, South Carolina, that reads, “Man shoots mother-in-law while trying

story A nd P hotogr APhs By todd P usser

to kill snake.” I know what you’re thinking — likely story. I was thinking the same thing, but according to WBTW 13 News, the man’s mother-in-law was leaving his house when she encountered a snake near the bottom step of the porch. The report explains the son-in-law was laying “on the ground under the steps and told everyone not to move while he tried to shoot the animal. When he fired, the victim yelled out in pain after the round went through the steps and into her leg.” AI can’t even make this stuff up. Fortunately for the mother-in-law, the wound was

not life-threatening. Apparently both the snake and the man survived.

Thirty-seven species of snake call North Carolina home. Before you rush out and put a “For Sale by Owner” sign up in the front yard, understand that only six species are venomous. Of those six, one in particular, the cottonmouth (aka, water moccasin), is especially loathed. With stout bodies, cat-eyed pupils and heads that are considerably wider than their necks, cottonmouths have been known to reach lengths of over 6 feet and weights of up to 10 pounds. They are impressive critters.

No other snake in the Southeast is associated with more legends and myths than the cottonmouth. Frequenting numerous Mom and Pop tackle shops in my youth, as well as spending most weekends casting a line throughout the Sandhills, I heard many cottonmouth tales. Fisherman swore up and down that cottonmouths were super aggressive and would chase you at every opportunity. Others warned of waterskiers falling into cottonmouth nests and dying on the spot.

As I aged, I realized that these stories simply were not true.

One location…twice the

Four species of harmless, non-venomous water snakes are found throughout North Carolina. All are large and can be quite common along creeks, lakes and ponds. To the untrained eye, they look a lot like cottonmouths. In the spring, large females are frequently accompanied by amorous, smaller males. These mating assemblages frequently take place out in the open along shorelines, or on tree branches overhanging rivers and lakes, in plain sight of fishermen or swimmers, and are likely the origin of the cottonmouth nest myth.

As far as cottonmouths chasing you, after encountering hundreds in my outdoor adventures, not one has shown any aggression toward me. Many gape their mouths wide open when disturbed, revealing the white interior, which gives them their name. And if provoked, cottonmouths will readily strike in self-defense. In fact, most bites from cottonmouths happen when people are in the process of trying to kill them or actively disturb them. Case in point — an ABC news headline out of Tampa in 2015 reads, “Man bitten when he tries to kiss poisonous snake.” According to the account, an 18-year-old man had captured a cottonmouth in his girlfriend’s yard and kept the snake for a few days in a pillowcase. In an effort to impress his girlfriend, the young fellow would occasionally take the cottonmouth out of the pillowcase and kiss it on the lips. Predictably, the snake decided to end the relationship and bit the man on his face, sending him to the hospital in critical condition. He survived the ordeal,

but it just goes to show that Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection is still functioning well into the 21st century.

Cottonmouth venom is loaded with proteins and enzymes that break down the tissue of their prey. A bite from one is very painful and has, on occasion, caused fatalities in humans. Most readers, I assume, would not mind ridding the world of cottonmouths. “What good are they?” is a question I have frequently been asked over the years with regard to all manner of venomous snakes. Consider these facts: An amino acid, first isolated from cottonmouth venom in the 1950s, has been found to readily kill cancer cells; likewise, research into a protein called contortrostatin, found in the venom of copperheads, the cottonmouth’s closely related (and equally maligned) cousin, has shown significant potential for inhibiting the growth and spread of breast cancer. In a nutshell, ridding the world of venomous snakes could eliminate a potential cure for cancer.

My best advice for someone who encounters a snake, be it venomous or otherwise, is to just leave it alone. Walk away. It’s a safe bet on the current prediction markets that you will never see the snake again. Why risk ending up as a funny news headline trying to kill one? 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 www.ToddPusser.com.

The Happy Plodder

Getting a feel for the land

By lee PACe

Bill Coore arrived at the site of the new No. 11 course at Pinehurst early one Saturday morning in April. He parked his rental car near the abandoned clubhouse of The Pit Golf Links, the course that existed from 1985 to 2010 before going under due to financial duress. Its demise allowed Pinehurst Resort owner Bob Dedman to later purchase and repurpose the land for two new courses pegged The Sandmines, a salute to the tract’s purpose a century ago as a source for sand in highway construction.

First came Pinehurst No. 10 opening in the spring of 2024 with 18 holes designed by Tom Doak. Now in the works are 18 more to be known as No. 11 from the architectural wizardry of Coore and partner Ben Crenshaw.

Coore had been in Pinehurst all week working with chief design associate Ryan Farrow and the construction crew in finishing shaping the greens and taking a final inspection tour before heading to South Carolina and the grand opening of the new Coore & Crenshaw course called Anson Point in Bluffton.

That there was no golf cart left by Pinehurst staff for Coore’s use was no surprise. There was no need. He applied some sunscreen, grabbed a bottle of water and set off as he always does on his golf course design projects — on foot.

“I try not to get into a golf cart,” he says. “I like to walk and feel the land with my feet. You can see things and sense things going slowly and walking that you might otherwise miss. You see

and feel the details better. Someone once said that I’m a plodder. That’s probably right. On a great piece of land, you can do it more justice on foot.”

Coore spent considerable time walking this same ground 15 years ago when he was in town working on the restoration of Pinehurst No. 2. He was looking for 18 new holes on this Aberdeen site that at the time Dedman was considering for what would be designated Pinehurst No. 9. But, in the spring of 2012, Dedman pivoted and bought Pinehurst National, weaving it into the resort and club fabric as the new No. 9. He sat for a decade on the Aberdeen site until the demand for more golf in 2022 prompted him to the pull the trigger. Coore & Crenshaw would have designed that course, but they were too busy with other projects, ergo the pivot to Doak.

“I have high hopes for this course,” Coore says. “That we didn’t build that original course and now are building this one has worked out great. Hindsight is 20-20, but it’s worked out better for all parties involved. The course we laid out in 2011 would have been interesting, but the course we have out here now is far better. The routing is better.”

Over four hours, Coore dissected the flow of the course and its many nuances.

Most notable was the ruggedness of the ground. The course that Pinehurst native Dan Maples designed in the 1980s was called The Pit because the land had been mined for sand in the early 1900s, and it was never touched. The furrows and burrows from long-ago excavation machinery were left intact, with years of wild plant and tree growth adding to the texture.

“This site was totally manufactured years ago, with the piles and mounds of material they didn’t want,” Coore says. “It sat there for decades, and trees grew up through them. You’re left with a site that looks totally natural for golf.”

Because the land was so untamed, Coore & Crenshaw de-

signed a course with relatively benign putting surfaces. And there is only one water hazard, a lake behind the seventh green that is largely out of play. There is enough drama in the ground itself that multitiered greens and water to suck up poorly struck shots are simply not needed to make the course interesting and testing.

“The greens on this course are almost the supporting cast,” Coore says. “There are not a lot of contours and movement. They are pretty subtle because everything around them is so wild. It felt like if the greens had a lot of contouring, it would be way too much. The land is up and down and twisting and turning. If you get to the greens and have the same thing, it would be too much.”

Construction crews began clearing in November 2024, with the machines moving dirt and shaping fairways in October 2025. As of April 2026, the holes had been largely designed and sculpted, and the greens all “floated out” in the parlance of golf construction. The course will be sodded in the summer and open at some point in mid-2027.

During the 2010-11 restoration of No. 2 — in which he and Crenshaw removed hundreds of acres of Bermuda rough, reshaped the fairways and bunkers, and restored the perimeters of hardpan sand and wiregrass — Coore would stop to speak at length to the workers on the art of installing irrigation heads so that the water didn’t leave green grass in uniform lines, and of planting wiregrass so it looked random and unplanned.

Similarly on No. 11, he conferred often with the tree removal crew and Pinehurst superintendent Kevin Robinson on which trees to remove and which ones to leave alongside the fairways.

“We did that slowly and deliberately in artistic fashion, intuitive fashion,” Coore says. “It’s not like having a highway crew coming in here and clear-cutting. There are some nice rolls to the edges of the holes; they meander.”

As Coore walked the course, he talked of the process of finding the holes, applying the brush strokes and supervising the shapers and diggers.

GOLFTOWN JOURNAL

“It’s like putting a puzzle together,” he says. “You see these interesting landforms and say, ‘OK, that’s a great spot for a green here.’”

Among the interesting puzzle pieces is the par-3 sixth hole that runs downhill and back up to the green, inspired when Crenshaw suggested that a hole similar to Harry Colt’s eighth at St. George’s Hill in Surrey, England, might fit nicely.

“Inspiration? It comes from anywhere and everywhere,” Coore says.

One feature prompted him to say, “Hang on to your hat.”

Another elicited a smile and a shake of the head. “Who could imagine some of this stuff?”

There are old mounds in fairways with pot bunkers cobbled out, leaving Coore to make another comparison to U.K.-style golf.

“This is just a punch-wedge out to safety. You go, ‘OK, I’ve gotta get out of here and not worry about aiming for the green.”

There are vestiges of the ancient mining operation, including a piece of railroad track on the 13th that Coore moved to the periphery of the hole — out of the line of a bouncing golf ball but within eyesight.

“This will be an eccentric golf course. I call it ‘wildly wonderful.’ It’s different. I have very high hopes for it,” he says.

Coore turned 80 in December 2025, and Crenshaw is 74. But they’re still active, with current projects in the Bahamas, Montana, Colorado and Northern Michigan.

“As long as I’m physically able and people want you to do their work, I’ll keep doing it,” Coore says. “Fortunately, we’re still in demand. If you have interesting sites, you are constantly motivated and excited to work them. I feel like a kid out here playing in the dirt.” PS

Chapel Hill-based writer Lee Pace wrote extensively of the Coore & Crenshaw restoration of Pinehurst No. 2 in his book The Golden Age of Pinehurst — The Story of the Restoration of No. 2.

An Independent, Interdenominational Church

Unifying All Christians through the Word of God

The Village Chapel

June 10, Spaghetti Dinner in Chapel Hall 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm • $10 per ticket purchase in advance. Benefitting American Heritage Girls and Trail Life USA which meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month

Three Distinct Services 8:00am

Eucharist

Vacation Bible School June 15 - 19 from 9:00 am to noon

June 27, Youth Car Wash 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Three Distinct Sunday Services

Holy Eucharist 9:30am Family Service with Children’s Sermon 11:00am

8:00 am - Holy Eucharist 9:30 am - Family Service with Children’s Sermon

Worship

Traditional Worship

Available During All Services 10 Azalea Road •Pinehurst, NC • 910.295.6003 www.tvcpinehurst.com facebook.com/tvcpinehurst

Nursery Available During All Services

11:00 am - Traditional Worship Nursery Available During All Services

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

THOUGHTFULLLY DESIGNED, CAREFULLY CURATED.

IT STARTS Here.

Wiregrass is a farm-to-table restaurant at the Main Clubhouse, offering a welcoming atmosphere and a menu inspired by seasonal, regional ingredients. Thoughtfully designed to complement a day at the course, Wiregrass brings fresh flavors, warm hospitality and a relaxed dining experience to Pinehurst.

June 2026

A Swift Thought

A car engine rattling. A busted radio preaching the end of the world. That soft, hazy sun racing behind the horizon, peaking only for the thought of crashing. The Earth’s breath, hot and fast, blowing the trickled sweat from my hairline to my forehead. A swished whiskey hits the adrenaline, causing a swerve left, then right. The radio speaks, “Blazing temperatures bring hysteria!” I turn it off without a care in the world and without a second to spare.

— Joi Floyd

Joi Floyd is the assistant editor of O.Henry magazine. Should you wish to contact her, just look for a woman writing under a tree — or email her at joi@ohenrymag.com.

Girl Scout Troop 2301 wants to share some of its adventures with you. From slang definitions to crosswords, word search to fill in the blanks — it’s simply “a-mazing.” Take a journey of the imagination and maybe make a friend along the way.

WORDSEARCH

GIRL SCOUT TROOPS DO LOTS OF ACTIVITIES OVER THE SUMMER. FIND SOME WAYS YOU'D HAVE FUN WITH YOUR TROOP IN THIS WORD SEARCH PUZZLE.

J Y T F

STARGAZING ARCHERY

HIKING

SWIM

M A E C L I M B R W N X G S A C Z R R F W F U I I I P H W M X I Y W F E E M N M C R F P P H N N F C T Q T G D S U Z E I K G T P Y Q K A Y A K K Q R N W V Y I B O D Y W Y L O E G G

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

It has been exactly 30 years since Jim Dodson’s first book, Final Rounds, appeared on bookstore shelves. It was an instant, roaring success, eventually selling over a million copies worldwide. What follows are several excerpts, a few highlights from the story of a 40-something golf writer returning to the great courses of England and Scotland with his terminally ill father — Opti the Mystic — who had learned the game on those links during his service in World War II. Along the way father and son discover things about each other that neither knew, revisit the site of a wartime tragedy in the picture postcard village of Freckleton, and finish their trip at St. Andrews, playing a round of golf with imaginary clubs after twice failing to secure a tee time in the daily lottery.

“Life separates us too soon,” Dodson writes. “That’s what my father had said on the road to Scotland. . . . In the days following Opti’s funeral, as I got back to the busy routines of my own work and family life, I thought perhaps my father and I had luckily escaped this fate. Perhaps we hadn’t been separated too soon. After all, we’d had forty years to be together, two and a half decades to play as golf pals, and the golf trip of a lifetime to finish up the day. As far back as I could remember, there wasn’t a moment when I doubted my father’s love, a moment when he failed to express his love or help me when I asked for it.”

Final Rounds was, in many ways, their last, longest conversation, shared with us.

It was not until the next October — far too long to suit my tastes — that we played again. I’d been working hard, traveling a lot, trying to figure out why it was that whenever I was in some glorious, glamorous golf place, I spent so much of my time thinking about home, worrying about my children and my roses, both of which require a lot of hands-on attention.

Two of my colleagues at Golf Magazine invited me to join them for a round at Pinehurst No. 2, the marvelous Donald Ross course where Opti and I had played many rounds over the years. The course was one of his favorites. I invited my father to join us, and he agreed.

The day was raw, wet, and cold, and everyone’s game was off, but my father’s was really desolate. He topped balls and missed putts he could once have made with his eyes shut. At one point I was passing a steep fairway bunker when I heard him sheepishly call my name. I turned and saw him asking me for a hand up. I reached and took his hand. It was trembling ever so slightly. My heart almost broke on the spot.

We attempted to joke off the disaster on the hour drive home. I told Dad those super senior clubs he rejected would have saved his skin, and he said at least nobody died in the train wreck. We rode along for a little while in silence, looking at the slick road and rainy countryside. He seemed as down as I’d ever seen him. Then an idea came to me.

“Let’s take a trip,” I said.

“What trip?”

“The trip we always talked about. The one we never took.”

He glanced at me and steered Old Blue, his ancient bargesized Cadillac, around a farmer pulling a hay wagon.

“Don’t you remember?” I said.

“Of course. But you go there all the time.”

“I go there all the time by myself,” I corrected him. “I’ve never been there with you. We’ve got some unfinished business.”

“I suppose so.” He managed to conceal his enthusiasm for the idea. I hoped his rotten day on the course accounted for this.

In any event, that’s where it really began, the first step in our final golf journey — a trip to the places where he learned to play golf as a sergeant in the Eighth Army Air Corps during the war. “There” was St. Andrews, the birthplace of the game. Thousands of golfers went there every year. But we hadn’t. It was now or never and almost that simple.

But nothing is really that simple. I knew not to push my father on the subject. Things were obviously changing fast in his life. Losing his golf pals had merely revealed his mortality. I sensed a powerful urgency in him to tie up loose ends, to finish whatever needed finishing at home, and in his life and work.

We didn’t speak of it again for months. I got on with my own life, telling myself I’d planted a proper seed. What else could I do? I hoped — I even prayed — it would grow.

By early August, everything was set. I’d made plane and hotel reservations, reserved the rental car, and contacted several club secretaries who were enthusiastic about helping out. It read like a grand tour of the British golf establishment: Sunningdale, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham, Turnberry, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, possibly Gleneagles and Muirfield, and of course, St. Andrews. I’d been to most of these places on my own but couldn’t wait to go back with my old man.

Two weeks before the trip, he called again.

I took the call on our cellphone, standing out behind the perennial garden where I was trying to figure out the best place to build my daughter a playhouse like the one she’d seen in a local theater production of Peter Pan.

“I’m afraid the trip will have to be postponed,” he said. With a sinking heart, I asked why.

“I had some bleeding. I didn’t think it was any big deal, but I guess I was wrong. They did some tests. They want to do some more, starting tomorrow.”

The cancer of a decade ago had come back, he said, spread-

ing radically throughout his pelvic region. It had moved into his back, had even invaded his stomach and intestines.

I asked for the official prognosis and will never forget what he told me: a month, two at most.

Then he laughed. Only Opti would have laughed at such a verdict. He said he would call back in a couple more days when he knew more.

I hung up the phone and sat down on a wooden bench. My first thought was undeniably selfish: Christ, we’ll never play golf again. I went through the next few days in a trance. I tried to read stories to my children but kept missing passages. I tried to write my columns and prune my roses, but nothing helped. I went to my golf club and played three holes and quit. I picked up the phone to begin canceling reservations but put the receiver down again.

Then my father called back.

“Well, the options are not good,” Opti said, sounding eerily like his old self. “They can pump me full of poisons and maybe hook me up to some machines and buy a few more weeks. Who the hell needs that?” He said he planned to let nature take its course.

I told him I admired his courage.

He told me to save my lung power for the golf course.

“I’m planning to whip your tail at Lytham and St. Andrews,” he said. “Hope you haven’t canceled those reservations or anything.”

I said I hadn’t.

“Good. Here are my terms,” he continued. “No complaints. No long faces. We go to have laughs, hit a few balls, maybe take a bit of the Queen’s currency from each other’s pockets. But when I say it’s time to go home, I go home. No questions asked. I’ve got plenty of stuff to do. But I do want to pin your ears back for old times’ sake — so you’ll at least remember me.”

I sort of laughed; then agreed.

“Good. See you at the airport in Atlanta,” he barked happily, banging down the phone.

Opti the Mystic had spoken again.

I went out and finally pruned my roses, damn near barbering them to the ground.

* * *

The lane led to a gated burying ground at the rear of the church. On the far side of the graveyard was a public park of some sort, with a rose garden at its center. Dad opened the iron gate and proceeded along the stone pathways of the graveyard, eyeing the headstones. I followed him to a large polished granite cross positioned near the rear of the cemetery. It was a common grave. Wreaths and wildflowers had recently been placed there, but the chill nights had turned them rusty, bundles of asters and poppies and chrysanthemums. I read some of the names inscribed on the stone border: Gillian and June Parkinson. George Preston. Michael Probert. Kenneth Boocock. Lillian Waite. Silvia

Whybrow. Judith Garner. Annie Harrington . . .

The names went on, thirty-eight in all. A mass grave.

“How did these folks die?” I asked.

“They weren’t folks,” he replied softly. “They were children.”

The words didn’t sink in at first. We stood there for a few seconds staring at the names.

“Children?” I repeated finally.

He nodded. “Four- and five-year-olds. Maggie’s and Jack’s ages. They went to the infants’ school here at the church. One of our bombers crashed into the school. The airfield was just over there.” He lifted his head, solemnly, to indicate where.

I didn’t have a clue what to say. I’d never heard of anything so awful. So for a change, I said nothing.

We stood in silence for a few minutes more before he spoke again. He shut his eyes and opened them. I wondered if he was praying or just reliving scenes I couldn’t begin to imagine.

He spoke evenly. “It was about ten in the morning. A large thunderstorm had just come up. We had our parachute crews working double shifts because this was six or seven weeks after D-Day. I’d just stretched out on my cot in our Nissen hut to steal some shut-eye when I heard a big roar overhead, followed by an explosion. The whole hut just shook. Jesus, it shook . . . I knew it was one of our birds. The hut I was in was probably the closest one to the school here. One of the other guys jumped up and ran out, and I ran after him. It was raining like hell, but I saw fire down at the school and started running. We were all running.”

Dad cleared his throat. He was shaking a bit. I placed my hand on his arm. He continued:

“I guess I was one of the first to reach the school, though others got there quickly. God . . . what a sight. The plane had gone right through the school and struck a café where lots of our guys and R.A.F. personnel used to hang out. It set half the town on fire. Burning fuel was running down the street. I just remember . . . starting to pull away pieces of things . . . pieces of the plane, you know, also bricks and mortar . . . and all these precious little kids inside . . . buried alive or killed by the explosion. I remember the sound of a child weeping. I couldn’t seem to find her. We pulled out several of the children. They were dead or badly injured. You didn’t have time to think. You just kept digging.”

His voice stopped. I saw tears gathering in his eyes for only the second time in my life. The first time had been when we buried my nephew Richard, one summer day in 1987. Richard, his first grandchild, had been gamely battling a rare nervous system disorder when he died in his sleep. Richard was nine.

I slipped my arm around my father.

We stood that way for several more minutes. He cleared his throat again and said, in a stronger voice: “I knew a lot of these kids, Jim. As I told you, they were always hanging around the base. The guys loved them. We each had our favorites. There was one little girl in particular I loved. She was always laughing, like your Maggie. I called her Lady Sunshine. I used to tell her I hoped I had a daughter like her someday. She was one of those killed.”

Good lord, I thought.

“A week or so after the crash, after the funeral and all of that, I found a note attached to the bulletin board from that little girl’s parents. They wondered if anybody had taken a photograph of their daughter. Can you imagine? They didn’t even have a picture of their only daughter. I took them all I had. They were so grateful. We sat there in their little front parlor and just cried. I don’t think I ever experienced anything quite so sad.”

“Were you okay?”

My father gave me an anguished look. Dumb question, I realized.

“Hell, no!” he snapped. “How could anybody be okay after something like that?”

“I’m sorry. I guess I meant physically. Were you injured . . . “

“Yes . . . no . . . my hands were burned a bit. Wore bandages for a while. No big deal. I was fine . . . but I didn’t feel up to going to the funeral. They brought Bing Crosby in to sing to the people of Freckleton. I couldn’t even stand to go hear him sing. I think I went somewhere and tried to play golf. Burned hands and all. I just wanted to be alone.”

“Do you remember the little girl’s name?”

Dad, better now, considered the names on the grave.

“Harrington. Maybe it was Annie Harrington.” He took out a handkerchief and blew his nose. “Lady Sunshine,” he murmured.

I took my father’s arm, and we left the burying ground, slowly closing the iron gate behind us. Two boys on bikes were pedaling furiously up the alley and swerved to avoid hitting us. One of them turned his head and gave us a dirty look. My father, rubbing his eyes, didn’t see it. The air was cold. The moon was already out. It was going to be a beautiful night.

“I’m surprised you never told me this story,” I said when we reached the car.

He paused and looked back at the church, a looming shape in the early shade of evening now. I saw a single small light burning somewhere inside.

“The war ended for me right here,” he said. “I promised myself I would never speak about it again.” * * *

We were standing on the seventeenth tee of the Old Course. The Road Hole.

The sun was gone, the air was cold, and the course lay almost fully in the embrace of a blue twilight now. A few faint stars were visible above the clouds, and there were lights on in the Old Grey Toon. The group we’d been following had hit their drives and disappeared rapidly down the fairway.

“This is where I wish we had our real clubs,” I said.

“Aw, who needs ’em?” Dad said. “Let’s play anyway.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “We could play air golf with the ghosts of St. Andrews the way I played air guitar with The Beatles. Please play away, Mr. Dodson.”

Dad teed up his air Top-Flite, took his stance, and swung.

“There,” he said. “Right over the sheds. Just like fifty years ago.”

I teed up my air Titleist and asked, “How fast did that fifty years go by?”

“Stick around. You won’t believe it.”

I struck my shot and outdrove him, as usual, by at least a hundred yards.

We walked down the darkened fairway side by side. For a change, I wasn’t really thinking about all the greats who had walked this way to immortality: Old Tom and Young. Taylor and Braid. Jones and Snead. Nicklaus and Lema. Ballesteros and Faldo. Watson who had crossed this spot with a record-tying sixth Open within his grasp — to just miss.

I was thinking, instead, how simply fine and proper it was that my old man and I were finally playing the Road Hole together. Now came Opti and son.

From the heart of the fairway, Dad used an air three-wood to lay up short of the infamous Road Hole bunker. From the left rough, I swatted a beautiful air four-iron to the lower half of the green. We were playing our own games, if I may say so, magnificently.

He walked up to his air ball, just shy of the bunker, and announced he was using his air sand wedge, then lofted his ball sweetly to the green, stopping it within a few feet of the cup.

“Very nice,” I said. “Before we putt out, though, tell me about your birdie.”

He looked at me, then nodded solemnly at the bunker.

It took a few seconds for me to realize what he was telling me. He’d somehow made birdie from the Road Hole bunker!

“That’s unbelievable,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ve never heard of anybody doing that.”

“It came as a major shock to me, too.”

I demanded that he describe in detail this miraculous little feat, on a par in my mind with anything Jones had done at Lytham or Palmer at Birkdale.

He said the details were kind of foggy, but he seemed to think the hole was considerably different back then. “For one thing, the bunker was a lot shallower than it is now. The sod wall was nowhere near as high as it is here. You could escape pretty easily with a decent shot.” He took a step closer, sizing up the wall, which was higher than a man’s head. “I don’t see how anybody could come out of this thing.”

He added that the pin he’d shot at that day fifty years ago was on the lower half of the green. The greens were thicker grass in those days, before modern lawn mowers came along. That made a big difference, too.

“You still made a hell of a shot,” I said to him, “And it wasn’t an air ball.”

“No,” he said a little wistfully, “it wasn’t. Sometimes, though, it takes on the quality of a dream. Perhaps, I simply imagined it.”

“No,” I said. “Not a chance.”

We putted out rather quickly. I made an uncharacteristically fine air lag from the lower part of the green and tapped in for four — a

Final Rounds: a FatheR, a son, the GolF JouRney oF a liFetime

brilliant air par! Dad sank a clutch five-footer to halve the hole.

“Two air pars on the hardest hole in golf,” I said as we shook hands.

We walked to the eighteenth tee, struck fine drives into the darkness, then moseyed down the fairway of the most famous finishing hole in golf, crossing the little arched stone bridge. For weeks I’d been so fearful of this moment, anticipating how awful I would feel when it finally arrived. But, strangely, I wasn’t the least bit sad now. I was cold as blazes but almost unnaturally happy to be finishing a round of golf that only I would ever remember. No card would ever show the score. Our match would

vanish into the air.

“Call me sentimental if you like,” my father said, taking my arm as we approached the Valley of Sin, the dangerous swale that guards the front of the eighteenth green. “I think it’s been a hell of a journey.”

“You’re just being sentimental,” I replied. “The showers were much worse than expected.”

“You’re talking about the trip,” he said. “I’m talking about the journey.” PS

One woman’s journey on the Appalachian Trail

By Jenna Biter

“You follow the white blaze,” says Brandi Swarms, uncomplicating the Appalachian Trail. “The white blaze takes you.”

Brandi, trail name “Goldfinch,” is 35 years old, tall as a cornstalk and has eyes as blue as swimming pools. If she was a season, it would be summer. She’s upbeat but thoughtful and a touch romantic, with a quiet vitality bubbling up from her soul. It sprung up in the heartache of a broken childhood home and decades later carried her onto the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the roughly 2,200-mile-long route that connects Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Benton MacKaye conceived of the Appalachian Trail in a 1921 paper. Through the work of trail club members and passionate volunteers, the route was completed in 1937. Somewhere around 3 million people touch the AT every year, on day hikes, long sections of miles lashed together or thru-hikes that push right through all 14 states.

“I heard about the AT from a dear, sweet friend and father figure,” Brandi says, swimming through memories. “I’d heard him talk about it for years. I was probably just enchanted by his stories, but then when I looked it up, I thought, ‘What is this beast?’”

Another five or so years passed, as did her fat, fluffy cat, before Brandi would actually approach the trail. “When she passed, I went to my house, and thought, I can’t live here,” Brandi says, remembering the loss of her beloved hair tie-chasing feline, named Garber. Brandi had gotten the green-eyed kitten when she was in sixth grade, and in turn, the multicolored furball had gotten her through a childhood split between Michigan and North Carolina. Garber died when Brandi was 30, taking her last breath on her owner’s chest.

“These walls are too empty,” Brandi says, recalling the heartbreak. She held a garage sale and came away with $600 to buy hiking gear.

“I had never spent a night alone in the woods by myself before,” she says. “I’m all or nothing. I’m like, all right, I’ll figure it out or I won’t.”

PART I

A plaque at the summit of Springer Mountain marks the official northbound start of the Appalachian Trail. It was March 23, 2021, and Brandi remembers the trailhead humming like a hallway on the first day of school: “Where are you from? What’s your name?

Did you hike the approach trail?” Thirty miles to the north, Blood Mountain rises 4,458 feet and is the first real test. “I climbed it and was like, ‘Was that easy? No, but was that completely doable? Onehundred percent.’ And so I realized quickly that hikers are very dramatic.” Brandi laughs, with a voice like bells.

She breezed through Georgia, breaking in her “trail legs,” filtering water from clear Southern streams, and throwing a thumb to hitch a ride to a hostel shower or a resupply in town. She’d always return to exactly the spot she exited even if she had to re-hike miles to get there.

“I was an ‘AT purist,’ so I never skipped a mile,” Brandi says. Purists hike past every white marker, or “blaze,” between Georgia and Maine. That means no “yellow blazing,” bypassing boring or tough sections by car; none of the oh-so-creative “aqua blazing,” floating down nearby waterways; and not even any “blue blazing,” hiking alternate routes due to bad conditions.

The miles climbed into the triple digits, and the characters lined up like a sitcom cast. There was “Little John” and “Homer” and “Purple Haze,” a woman tired of being known as the lady who had been bitten on the butt by a bear. Like the others, Purple Haze is a trail name, the alias a hiker goes by on the AT. A trail name is a gift one hiker bestows on another at some point along the way. Brandi had already passed up lazy attempts like “Legs” and “Sunshine,” until one day, a Florida man burst from a cabin to deem her “Goldfinch.” He’d seen Brandi sharing lunch with the gregarious birds a couple days before.

“I met a lot of Legs and Sunshine and all that,” she says, smiling. “I didn’t meet one other Goldfinch.”

Jeff, trail name unknown, was in his 70s, smoked more weed than he ate food, and was attempting an extended thru-hike from Florida to Nova Scotia for the second time. (Spoiler alert: He makes it.) Jeff taught Brandi how to hike 20-mile days so she could try to traverse the Great Smoky Mountains before snow blew through. The new skill became a superpower.

“I’m hiking consistently 20-mile days at this point, and I’m feeling really good about them,” Brandi says. “Not only is there a freedom, but there’s a ‘well done’ every day.”

She bounced back and forth between Tennessee and North Carolina as the trail snakes north along the state border. She passed through some regular old towns and hiker-friendly towns and often turned bends to find goodies put out by “trail angels.”

“You’ll come around the corner, and there’s a huge chocolate cake, and you’re like, ‘Manna!’” she says.

About eight weeks and 500 miles into the hike, Brandi was approaching the Virginia border town Damascus, a magical but very real land of brambleberry milkshakes and “wild ponies.”

(Technically speaking, they’re feral, the descendants of domesticated horses loosed on the mountainside meadows to keep them well shorn.) “Right before I got to the wild ponies, I came off the trail for a week to go to a friend’s wedding, and when I came back, I had gotten a text from my mom that she had found a lump in her breast,” she says. Brandi didn’t hesitate. She left the trail to be with her mom as she battled stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer.

PART II

Two years came and went, and the wild called again. It was June 6, 2023, Mom had beaten the aggressive cancer, and Brandi had a new companion to join her on the trail. “I had a new kind of difficulty with a dog. I had the dog food, and that was very heavy,” Brandi says, patting the red golden retriever at her feet. “Rapture got the trail name ‘Freeloader’ because I didn’t make him carry anything.”

The pair found a like-minded hiker, this one human, in “Happy Feet” — “Happy,” for short. “He was like a little brother,” Brandi says. “It’s weird to find someone on the AT that you want to spend time with because it’s low-key getting married. You have to be able to be silent, and you have to be able to have conversation.”

The merry band was getting along and hiking well through the Shenandoah Mountains. “One day Rapture literally stopped and I looked at him, and he looked at me, and he put his paw up, and I said, ‘You’re done.’” With Happy riding shotgun in a rental car, Brandi drove Rapture to Michigan before flipping a U-turn and gunning it back to the trail. The round trip took two days. “This time, I was like, nothing’s stopping me. I’m coming back right away,” Brandi says. “Nothing could stop me.”

Virginia is a long state. The AT runs 557 miles through it, making Virginia the longest stretch in any state. Many a hiker hangs up their boots. Injuries stack up. People get bored. Others are behind schedule to reach Mt. Katahdin by mid-October, when Baxter State Park closes for the winter. “There’s something called the rollercoaster in Virginia — you hike it in one day — but it is just a constant up and down four or five or six times.” It was hot. Brandi was steaming with sweat. She remembers crawl-

ing into her tent at night with a layer of salt crystallized on her skin. She kept hiking.

Home to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters, where thru-hikers officially register their hike, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is known as the “psychological halfway.” It’s also where Brandi was stung on the ankle by a honeybee. The site swelled to the size of a baseball and oozed green. In Pennsylvania, home to the AT’s actual halfway mark and one of Brandi’s favorite states, she was plagued by mosquitoes and tripped up by rocks. “I remember I hitchhiked with a woman. I got in the car, and I closed the door, and I said, ‘Man, I love Pennsylvania so much.’ And she laughed and said, ‘I’ve never heard a hiker say that.’” Apparently hikers refer to the state as “Rocksylvania.” Still, Brandi kept going.

She crossed into New Jersey and then New York. “The hiker drama is that you don’t know if the rocks are literally going to stop at the state line or pour over, and unfortunately, they keep going for a while,” Brandi says, setting the record straight. She scooched past a protective mama black bear and four cubs and day-tripped to Manhattan with Happy to see the city sights.

“It feels like slow motion now, but I was walking, I looked up and there was a huge hornet’s nest. I looked down and then all of

a sudden, I felt like a hot knife on the back of my skull.” Brandi screamed, “Happy help me!” Her throat swelled, and she started to panic. “Will my breath leave me or not?” Brandi dug through her well-stocked first aid kit — “most people have two Band-Aids and a dirty Q-tip” — and popped some Benadryl while Happy found a shortcut off the trail. A hive-covered Brandi knocked on the first door they found. An old woman answered and drove Brandi into Pawling, New York, where she got another ride to urgent care a few towns over. “I had this looming feeling,” she says. Brandi left the trail again.

PART III

Another two years and countless immunotherapy treatments came and went. It turned out Brandi was deathly allergic to yellow jackets, white-faced hornets, yellow hornets and wasps. She also learned that the AT wasn’t her identity. “I think there was some of that wrapped up in me, but I wanted to finish what I started,” she says. Clear-eyed but nervous, she hit the trail again on July 29, 2025.

“When I got dropped off, I re-hiked the miles to where I got stung because I’m a purist,” Brandi says, remembering the overwhelming fear. The fateful spot came and went, but literally and figuratively, Brandi wasn’t out of the woods. Before leaving home, she had forgotten to check the status of her water purifier — it was broken — and the lapse brought her low. “I just felt such turmoil of, what are you doing? You don’t belong here.” She borrowed from another hiker, and his kind words urged her on.

“Next morning, I got stung by a bunch of yellow jackets.” Before starting immunotherapy the strings could have been lethal. She wept for two hours sitting in the front yard of what happened to be a medic’s house. “Then I got up, brushed it off, and just went on,” says Brandi.

She made it into Connecticut and back to 20-mile days. Vermont brought maple syrup everything. This time Rapture stuck with her until “the Whites,” the treacherous but beautiful mountains that run from New Hampshire to Maine. “All the hikers talk about the Whites, and I will say, it’s the one time they’re right,” Brandi says. They’re beautiful, and they’re grueling. “It was hard to leave Rapture, but it was almost full circle, how it would finish was how it had started.”

Brandi missed Happy but found like-minded hikers in a family of nine. “It was the dad, who had wanted to hike the trail since he was like 12 years old, and this incredible mother and seven children. I mean, there was a 5-year-old, his name was Jackson, and when I met him, he literally just jumped from rock to rock.” Brandi tosses her head. “What a childhood.”

She continues, “I got to Maine and something in my spirit blew up. I got so re-energized.” The famous hostel before the HundredMile Wilderness is owned by a legend called “Poet.” “You hear about Poet all the way down in Georgia,” Brandi says. “So, I’m finally meeting Poet, and he’s as cool as you’d think he’d be, and the food is as good as you’d hoped it’d be.” He drives hikers to the wilderness edge for the last stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

I pop out of the 100-mile wilderness, and I just shout, and I holler, and I scream, and I run, and I was just so happy,” Brandi says. “Boy, I was just like, I don’t know, is euphoric the right word? I just felt like a piece of heaven came down and met me.”

Mt. Katahdin was an arduous climb, but she made it to the summit. It was totally gray. “It’s funny because a few days before I was like, I’m going to wait until it’s sunny up there because I didn’t come this far . . . no, I was just pumped to get up there, and then it was over.”

Brandi was at the airport that night: Sept. 25, 2025. Pieced together, it took her about six months to hike the Appalachian Trail from start to finish. “A few months later I was reading a book, and I just stopped and was like, dude, you hiked the whole AT.” PS

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

Surely Home

For there the heart can rest

By Jenna Biter • Photogra Phs By John gessner

I“t’s a very, very livable house,” says Ginger Monroe.

She’s standing in the kitchen, the heart of her family’s Pinehurst home. The Southern cottage, wooden clad and painted dove white, measures more than 4,000 square feet but less than five. There’s a guest house out back, and the property sits on a dash less than an acre. It’s the perfect size for the Monroe family of five, seven if you include black Labs Scottie and Bonnie.

“Twin Sycamores” is a real charmer — a home, not just a house — and that’s what drew Ginger to it. An interior designer by trade, she aims for a space that feels like the last stanza of American poet Henry van Dyke’s “A Home Song”:

But every house where Love abides, And Friendship is a guest, Is surely home, and home-sweet-home: For there the heart can rest.

Ginger and Edward Monroe didn’t design the house on Fields Road. From what they’ve pieced together, a European couple built the house in 2009 and clearly had a knack for bringing the Old World to a new build. There are wider-than-wide old knotty pine floorboards, and what looks like a vintage newel post on the staircase and pediment above the stove. With honest-to-goodness historical (or at the very least historically convincing) details, the house hides its youth among the 20th-century cottages that define the Pinehurst Historic District.

“I’m always drawn to houses that just make you feel welcome when you walk in,” Ginger says, “that have the appeal of being old even if they’re not — and loved.”

The Monroes settled into the home in 2019, just in time for the COVID pandemic to lock the family away with plenty of time to make the place their own. The couple laid sod and restained the front porch. Edward defeated diabolical invasive wisteria with “roots that looked like big sweet potatoes.” Ginger points at the wisteria’s replacement. “This garden, this is my husband’s.” It’s a

prim little thing off the side of the house, just outside the dining room window. A perky pink rosebush stands out against sunshine ligustrum. “He loves to garden,” Ginger says. It’s a creative outlet, a break from his dental practice in Southern Pines.

Twin Sycamores, named for the couple’s twin boys and two trees out front, features an open first floor good for family time as well as their annual Good Old-Fashioned Cocktail Party. Edward mixes old-fashioneds, and Ginger makes Brunswick stew. Guests flow in and out of the living room, dining space and kitchen, but

there are still nooks to cozy into. A table and chairs converse on the covered back porch, and a pair of leather armchairs, mini fridge and TV relax in the “green room,” a moody space called by its Pinehurst-perfect color. “My favorite thing to do for a house is color,” Ginger says. “I’m drawn to the artist’s eye.”

Local works hang on the walls. There’s a painting of rabbits by artist and family friend Bee Sieburg, a gift when Hunter and Charlie were born. There’s a painting of lambs by Ginger’s mom, Cindy Groce, and an artwork by Ginger herself.

“This is my favorite, though,” she says, pointing to a painting above the mantel. “This is from a photo that I took at Biltmore.”

Ginger’s friend Lanie Mann painted the scene showing Janie, the Monroes’ daughter, walking hand-in-hand with her younger brothers. “I love it because I remember being right there taking that picture.”

Past the fireplace is the master en suite. When the Monroes moved in, they enclosed the screened-in porch to make the new room, upsizing the main house’s original footprint. The teenagers

have the run of the upstairs, each with their own bedroom. “Janie kind of lucked out in this whole situation,” Ginger says, walking into the middle of her 18-year-old daughter’s yawning room, “because this was the master.” Of course, Hunter and Charlie wondered who would move into Janie’s room when she leaves for UNC in the fall. Ginger dodged that one. “It will still be Janie’s room.”

The boys’ bedrooms show “how different they are,” Ginger says. Hunter has a windowsill of plants. There’s a Christmas cactus, aloe and even a crocheted plant on his side table. Like father, like son. Ginger crosses the hall to Charlie’s room. “Night and day,” she smiles. Charlie likes golf and hunting. There’s a hand-on-his-holster cowboy floor lamp that belonged to his dad.

Ginger uncovered it in her in-laws’ basement and had it restored. Back downstairs, Charlie likes the green room. Opposite the entry hall is Hunter’s favorite room, the music room, where he plays piano. Janie spends time in the living room or doing her homework on the back porch.

“I love the kitchen,” Ginger says. “That’s where we gather, and I love it when the kids’ friends come over. It makes me so happy to open our doors and invite people in.”

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

Terms and Conditions: $300 off any order of $1198 or more,$200 off any order of $998-$1198 or $100 off any order of $698-$998, on any complete custom closet, garage,or home office unit. Not valid with any other offer. Freeinstallation with any complete unit order of $600 or more. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. For a limited time SPECIAL FINANCING for 18 months *with approved credit* Expires in 90 days. Offer not valid in all regions.

ALMANAC

June

By Ashley WAlshe

June is a blueberry banquet, a living shrine, a procession of sun-loving pilgrims.

Here they come, with their sun hats and baskets. Wonderstruck and reverent; wide-eyed and ravenous.

There’s no wrong way to worship.

Aging fingers work methodically, rolling over ripe berries as if they were prayer beads on an endless mala. Mothers guide tiny hands from fruits of red to deepest blue. Kitchen mystics pluck to the mantra of blueberry ice cream, blueberry cobbler, blueberries all summer through.

Life buzzes in all directions.

Cat stalks field crickets. Puppy chases swallowtails. Children sneak plump berries from brimming buckets by the handful.

The seekers come and go, each with their simple offerings: bliss, open palms, purple-stained prayers.

At blueberry church, Mmmmmmm is a sacred hymn. A pop of sweetness spells amen.

As balmy morning melts into sun-drenched afternoon, the hum of bees could bring one to their dirt-smudged knees.

Thank you, a berry pilgrim sings, praising the miracle of all creation.

Between the spike of mosquitos and the early fireflies, the birds blurt Glory! Glory!, same as they did at sunrise.

Midsummer Nights

What could be dreamier than a day in June? A midsummer night. The field crickets crackle like warm vinyl. Moonflower and night-blooming jasmine perfume the balmy air. Drink it in.

And don’t forget to look up.

According to NASA, the Venus and Jupiter conjunction on June 8 and 9 is one of the most notable astronomical events of the year. Look low in the western sky a half-hour after sunset to see these two luminous planets seemingly close enough to touch, no telescope required.

The strawberry moon — first full moon of summer — will rise on June 29, one week after the solstice (June 21). The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes that Native American Algonquian tribes, and the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, marked this month’s moon by the “ripening of June-bearing strawberries” across the fertile land. Other names for this month’s moon include the berries ripen moon (Haida), the hatching moon (Cree), the honey moon and the mead moon. One could also call it dreamy.

And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days. — John Keats

And so it goes, summer day after summer day. Baskets runneth over. Bellies fill with sweetness. All who seek shall find magic at the blueberry jubilee.

All Warmed Up

It’s not too late to sow some garden magic. Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and melons. Beets, carrots, chard and scallions. Beans, basil, marigolds and sunflowers. The soil is warm and ready. Plant the seeds. Woo the pollinators. Behold miracles. PS

The Roots

Established in 1991, Denker’s boutique has called 150 NW Broad Street home from the very beginning. Sandy Denker and her daughter, Kara Hodges, have built a business around meaningful connections and familiar faces while continuing to meet the fashion needs of new customers as their shop grows along with the charming town they love so much.

The Family

Kara and her daughter Emily are proudly continuing the Denker legacy as a three-generation family business. Their eye for the latest trends and commitment to carry stylish lines and pieces that they genuinely love keeps Denker’s at the forefront of the downtown Southern Pines shopping scene.

Future Growth

The boutique is growing and thriving by staying true to their foundation — serving the local community by creating a space where people always feel welcome. Whether you’re a longtime shopper or are just discovering this downtown gem, the Denker’s family is grateful to be part of your life and this special town.

The Roots

Dr. Caroline Tyndall grew up down the road from West Pine Animal Hospital where she had her first job as a teenager and developed her passion for animal care. Years later she and her husband, Jared, met while working at the same Animal Hospital in Raleigh during their time at NC State. The opportunity to purchase her hometown practice was presented to the couple in 2018 and they pushed forward together to make it their own. They’ve since also acquired and reopened Raeford Animal Hospital.

The Family

Dr. Caroline is President and Chief of Medicine at both practices and Jared serves as the Practice Manager. They operate different portions of the business but collaborate to make all major decisions together. The Tyndalls have created a family business they hope to pass on to one of their four children and keep the roots going deeper.

Future Growth

With recent remodels completed at the Raeford Animal Hospital, the couple plans to renovate and expand the West Pine clinic in the coming years to accommodate its growth. They also aspire to extend their footprint into more of the underserved areas of Moore County.

Photo: Lollys Lens Photography

The Roots

Thomas Plumbing was Thomas Mewherter’s mission to bring reliable, customer-service focused plumbing service to the local community. What started as Plumbing Repair Inc. became Thomas Plumbing after customers kept saying, “Just Call Thomas.”

The Family

Thomas Mewherter founded the company in 2009, and in 2020, his wife, Stephanie Mewherter, joined the team. Ever since, they have led the company together, with Thomas overseeing all field operations and Stephanie leading the business office.

Future Growth

Thomas Plumbing’s growth is focused on expanding advanced drain cleaning and trenchless pipe repair through the new drain division, Prestige Pipe Lining, while continuing to deliver the communication, craftsmanship and professionalism that define the company’s service experience. Aberdeen, NC | 910-727-1641 | thomasplumbingnc.com

The Roots

McNeill Oil & Propane was founded in 1928 by W.H. McNeill, Sr. with a bulk plant on Hwy 5 and an original office in downtown Aberdeen at the location now home to High Octane. Rooted in service to the community since day one, the company has grown alongside the Sandhills for nearly a century.

The Family

What began with W.H. McNeill, Sr. continued through Frank A. McNeill, Sr. and today includes third and fourth generation family members working side by side. Current family leadership includes President Frank A. McNeill, Jr., Vice President Davis Clark, and driver/service technician Kelly Clark.

Future Growth

Built on loyal customers and a dedicated team, the company continues to focus on growth in propane services, potential gasoline dealer locations and real estate opportunities while carrying forward a legacy of dependable hometown service.

The Roots

As a kid, Anthony Parks was a frequent visitor to the Ice Cream Parlor, a downtown Southern Pines staple. He never knew that one day he’d become the owner and his own children would get to grow up in the parlor as well. In 2002 he purchased the Ice Cream Parlor from the original owners and carried on the tradition of family ownership. This year, the restaurant is celebrating 50 sweet years of scooping up treats, eats….and memories!

The Family

Anthony’s wife Dixie and his son Fletcher run the business alongside him while his daughter and step kids help out when home for holidays and vacations. Dixie is known for her unique, often dairy-free, homemade ice cream flavors like Chocolate Cherry Cordial and Blood Orange Sorbet.

Future Growth

After 50 years and countless scoops, the Ice Cream Parlor proudly remains a loved and trusted family-owned establishment in this community. The Parks family can’t think of a better place to live and work, for hopefully many more years to come.

The Roots

The vision was simple: affordable ladies’ clothing that appeals to all ages, like the three generations of women who own and operate Marie & Marcele in downtown Southern Pines. Their passion project has grown into a faith-driven boutique that gives back to the community it serves. They donate to local charities, organize large scale events that benefit local non-profits and the boutique carries like-minded lines with a mission to give back.

The Family

Crystal Marie is the shop’s buyer. Her mother, April Marcele, handles the finances and budget for the boutique. “Grandma Jackie” was a favorite with customers for many years, working in the store from 2011 to 2025.

Future Growth

Marie & Marcele is excited to celebrate 15 years on August 15th with a special Anniversary event including giveaways, swag bags, in-store specials and a special guest appearance from Grandma Jackie.

Original Penn Ave Location

Current NW Broad St. Location

NE Broad St.

The Roots

Affordable Custom Closets and Garages started right here in the heart of Southern Pines in 2004. We have proudly served the Moore County and surrounding areas as a small locally-owned business with over 20 years of experience.

The Family

Owner, Brandon Galloway’s son, Bryson Galloway, has been lead installer since 2019 and plans to take over the family business one day.

Future Growth

Affordable Custom Closets and Garages will continue to build their brand in the town in which their roots first started.

910-638-8123 | nccustomclosets.com

The Roots

Crawlspace Medic was born in 2011, established in the Sandhills in 2022, and is built on a commitment to serve others through protecting and improving the health of homes across our region.

The Family

Jonathan and Ryan King were raised in the Sandhills as sons of local golf professional Chip King. Along with childhood friends Sean Butler and Wes Smith, the Kings brought Crawlspace Medic to the Sandhills as a part of their commitment to serve homeowners across North Carolina. Their background in the hospitality industry and commitment to their customers and team members mean the team is committed to providing honest solutions and lasting results for every customer.

Future Growth

The King’s commitment is to serve each customer, every time, by providing exceptional value and service in both structural and moisture repairs. Looking ahead, their goal is to become the most trusted and recognized crawl space repair company in North Carolina, built on exceptional workmanship, genuine customer care, and providing value-based “bespoke” solutions in an industry dominated by one-size fits all systems companies.

Rooted in Family Tradition

Every Purchase Supports Dreams 4 All Every Purchase Supports Dreams All Helping provide beds to those in need in our community Helping provide to those in need in our

The Roots

Sweet Dreams was founded in 2002 after Keith Moneymaker’s parents, Linda and Philip, lost their family business in a fire. Starting over, they opened a small mattress store in downtown Southern Pines called Sweet Dreams.

After spending more than 10 years growing up in the store — playing Xbox in the back, riding along on deliveries and learning the basics — Keith stepped into a larger role and officially took over in 2012. From there, he grew Sweet Dreams into its largest location on Commerce Avenue near Walmart.

The Family

Family has always been at the center of everything Keith does. From learning the business alongside his parents to growing it with his wife, Sweet Dreams has remained deeply rooted in family values.

Carrying these family values beyond the showroom, Keith and his wife also founded the Dreams4All Foundation, which has provided thousands of free mattresses to those in need.

Future Growth

In 2024, Keith and his family were honored to carry on the legacy of Mid State Furniture — another trusted family business, founded by Ms. Lois Jean Purvis in 1967. Today, Keith and his family are proud to continue both legacies — Sweet Dreams and Mid State Furniture. Their focus remains on providing quality furniture, custom options and mattresses from friendly local experts who truly care.

150 Commerce Ave | Southern Pines, NC | 910-246-2233 | sweetdreamsnc.com 403 Monroe St | Carthage, NC | 910-947-3739 | midstatefurniture.com

OPENING SOON

Follow the steps below Step 1.

Double click "1. Logo" Spanish logo) Click "Apply" at the "2. Main to use. (Opening Soon, at the "3. Contact at the Step 4.

Founded in 2009 in Weston, Florida, as the first U.S.-based Expedia Cruises franchise, David and Mary Beth Casey began the business in the heart of the “Cruise Capital of the World”. The goal has always been to offer expert guidance on cruises and a wide range of travel experiences. Over the past 16 years, it has grown into a

David and Mary Beth have been partners in life for over three decades and in business for nearly 17 years. side to build a company grounded in professionalism, integrity and strong relationships, they lead all aspects of the business. Built on strong industry partnerships and a commitment to personalized service, David and Mary Beth are excited to bring their experience to the Pinehurst community.

Double click "4. Main the images and hit crop Click "Apply" at the Step 5: Once you have finished poster for approval.

Now based locally in Pinehurst, David and Mary Beth are focused on growing their presence throughout the Sandhills by building a passionate, well-trained team of Vacation Consultants and expanding their local client base. With the support of an experienced network and a continued emphasis on personalized, relationship-driven service, they aim to deliver Steps For Customizing

Logo" to select which logo you want to use. (English logo, French logo or

bottom of the window.

Main Headline" to select which Headline from the dropdown list you want Soon, Grand Opening, Now Open, Moving)

bottom of the window.

Contact Information" to input your updated information.

bottom of the window.

The Roots

Main Image" if you want to change the background image. Select from crop at the bottom. Crop the image to desired position. bottom of the window.

David Bungarz grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania. Upon graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, he moved to the Pinehurst area. Inititally working at the Carolina Hotel in 1996, he worked several restaurant jobs. Purchasing the Broad Street Bakery building in 2022 and transforming it into Embers BBQ, new roots have been planted in the community. Growing up doing open pit BBQ chicken has led to a transformation to a different type of chef.

The Family

David and his wife Michele own Embers BBQ. Along with their son Wyatt, they all help out as much as possible to allow the business to thrive. Whenever she is in town, Irene Bungarz helps out at the restaurant. Embers BBQ is now a family run business that gives back to other families.

finished editing, click "Finish" on the top right of the page to send your approval.

Future Growth

Embers BBQ is more than a restaurant now. They started a community meal program last year, strengthening their commitment to the community. Giving back whenever possible has always been the plan for the business. As the business grows, so does their ability to help more families in our community.

The Roots

Carthage Farm Supply, once known as FCX, was purchased by Brad Mallow and David Thompson in 1993. The business itself had already been a cornerstone of the community for at least 30 years prior, reflecting a long-standing tradition of serving local agricultural and household needs.

The Family

Carthage Farm Supply continues to proudly serve our community, with local cattle farmer Brad Mallow leading the way. He’s always seeking ways to improve the store’s product offerings and services to best serve both farmers and homeowners.

Future Growth

Carthage Farm Supply has proudly operated as an independent business for many years and continues to thrive. They’ve recently expanded their garden center, broadened their overall product selection and added a convenient dual-tank propane refilling station. Their expansive inventory includes feed, seed, livestock and pet supplies, fencing, hardware, live plants, garden pots, rental equipment and so much more — making Carthage Farm Supply a one-stop shop for farm, home and garden needs.

The Roots

Monkee’s of the Pines is a family-owned business with a long generational tradition of entrepreneurship, hard work and determination. The family’s story began when a World War II veteran and his daughter, Patricia, built a business from their living room growing it into a global company through grit and determination. Simultaneously Patricia and her husband raised their family on a working farm in Durham where a hands-on, hard-working upbringing helped shape the values that continue to guide them today.

The Family

Monkees of the Pines in Southern Pines, NC, was purchased in 2019 by Patricia Phillips and her daughter Veronica Lloyd. In 2022, they opened a second location in the Village of Pinehurst. What began as a women’s fashion boutique specializing in the latest fashion trends quickly became more than just a fashion destination — it became a reflection of the family’s legacy of entrepreneurship and community connection. Husband and wife duos, Veronica and Jason Lloyd, Patricia and Glenn Phillips and Monkee’s own mascot, Dolly, all work together to create a shopping experience defined by Southern hospitality.

Future Growth

When the Pinehurst location opened in 2022, they purchased an exclusive signature handbag line handcrafted in Italy. Le Feme Chateau handbags were first offered at Monkee’s of the Pines and then in other Monkee’s store locations. In 2026, they expanded the handbag production in a tremendous way, and now the line is available nationally.

The Roots

AutoWerks opened in January of 1990 and operates in the same building (with some additions and improvements) where it began. The owners saw preventative care maintenance much like preventative healthcare. Keep the vehicle healthy by providing all the information necessary to make an informed decision about the work being recommended and, as a fiduciary, help that client make a decision that is in the best interest of their vehicle and their pocketbook.

The Family

The owners, Chuck Dinkel and Lorraine Laslett, still own and operate the business though with less day to day involvement. Chuck continues to consult about car related issues and Lorraine oversees financial operations.

Future Growth

The business began as a Mercedes-Benz only service center. It still specializes in Mercedes-Benz but has added BMW, Audi, VW and Mini. Over the years, an excellent team has come together — including three technicians, a Service Manager and a Client Services representative — and the hunt is now underway for a fourth technician. These team members continue to acquire the diagnostic tools and information necessary to address any issue on these complex automobiles. The goal has been and will always be to provide consistent, prompt and careful care for each car and client that comes to AutoWerks.

The Family

At Lazy Fox Lavender Farm, family is at the heart of everything they do. Lindsey leads the farm’s events and guest experiences, while Farmer Clem manages the land, animals and daily farm operations. Their children play an active role as well, helping throughout the farm with events, animals, products and seasonal work. Together, the Lochner family works side-by-side to create a welcoming and authentic experience for every guest who visits the farm.

The Roots

Lazy Fox Lavender Farm began as a dream to create something meaningful for family and community—something that blended hard work, beauty and hospitality. What started as a small lavender field on the family’s historic 100 year old property has grown into a place where others can slow down, gather and experience the charm of farm life.

Future Growth

Looking ahead, they are excited to continue expanding both offerings and the overall guest experience. This includes growing the lavender fields, introducing new workshops and educational opportunities and enhancing seasonal events. The goal is to keep growing in a way that stays true to their roots while creating something lasting for years to come.

Upcoming Events

• Open every Saturday in June 10AM-2PM

• U-Pick Lavender/Seasonal Bouquets, Farm Animals

• Lavender Lemonade, Ice Cream & Boxed Lunches

• Store on Site with goods made from the farm

• Booking Private Events Year Round

• Lavender Plants for Sale

Rooted in Wellness since 1987

The Roots

Since opening in 1987, Nature’s Own has dedicated itself to offering quality natural products and honest guidance to their Moore County neighbors. What began as the original store on Old US 1 has grown significantly at their current location.

The Family

For nearly 40 years, this family-run business — owned and operated by Karen Frye and her daughters —has nourished the community through a commitment to knowledge and care.

Future Growth

Nature’s Own continues to expand their offerings, from natural foods and supplements to The Kitchen, a cozy in-store cafe and juice bar.

Just across the street, Karen runs Beyond Bikram Yoga. This state-of-the-art studio provides daily classes to support a healthy body and mind. Together, these businesses reflect her commitment to community wellness, and that will continue to be the focus for Karen and her family.

910-692-3811

195 Bell Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.naturesowninc.com

JUNE

2026

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, JUNE 1

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.

ORCHESTRA. 7 p.m. The Glen Miller Orchestra performs. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 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.

BRAIN ENHANCEMENT GAMES. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 18 and older can tease their brains with interactive games. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

MINDFUL ART CLASS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older can participate in an art class. No experience needed. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BOOK EVENT. 12 - 1 p.m. Join Kimberly Daniels Taws from The Country Bookshop as she speaks with Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, theoretical cosmologist and particle physicist at the University of New Hampshire. This will be a virtual event. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4

EDUCATIONAL TRAINING. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can come for educational training. There is a new topic each month. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Mountain Creek Connections Bluegrass performs. Free to attend. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5

RIVER TOUR. 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and

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

aolder can enjoy a Waccamaw Lady Plantation river tour. Lunch at Creek Ratz after. Cost is $66 for residents and $92 for non-residents. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SPARK STORYTIME. 10 a.m. Join a special, once-a-month storytime at Fire Station 82. Ages birth to 5 are welcome. Fire Station 82, 7850 N.C. 22, Carthage. Info: www.sppl.net.

WOMAN’S EXCHANGE CLOSING. The Sandhills Woman’s Exchange will close for the summer season, reopening in the fall. Info: (910) 295-4677 or www.sandhillswe.org.

LUNCH BUNCH. 12:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to dine on different cuisines each month visiting area restaurants. Carpool with friends or meet at the restaurant. Dining locations will be chosen the week before. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SPRING WORKSHOP. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens is holding a workshop on how to make a kokedama, a Japanese moss ball. Ball Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

OPENING RECEPTION. 5 - 7 p.m. The Artists League of the Sandhills presents “Art to Appreciate,” featuring the work of league members. This is a judged exhibit and sale. The exhibit will be on display through June 28. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: www.artistleague.org.

FIRST FRIDAY. 5 - 9 p.m. Enjoy a free concert, grab some food and drinks, and enjoy the lively atmosphere with the whole family. Hustle Souls performs. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

OPENING RECEPTION. 6 - 8 p.m. The Arts Council’s exhibit, “Lost & Found,” features work from photographers, painters and potters. The exhibit is on display through June 26. Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.mooreart.org.

COSMIC KARAOKE. 7 - 10 p.m. Bring your friends, family and co-workers. Free to participate. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6

KID’S SATURDAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Families are invited to a 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.

READING KICKOFF PARTY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Join a summer reading kickoff party. Register on Beanstack, get snacks and prizes, and dance to some music on the Sunrise greenspace. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

DANCE. 2 - 4 p.m. Gary Taylor Dance presents “Once Upon a Time,” a storybook celebration intended for all ages. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

HORSE EVENT. War Horse Eventing Series. There will be approximately 300 riders, dressage, arena jumping and cross country. Food trucks on-site. Event continues through June 7. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Bonnie & Chuck Rhythms performs. Free to attend. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

TRIBUTE TO BROADWAY. 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Gary Taylor Dance presents a tribute to Broadway. There will be another performance on June 7 at 2 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 7

ANNUAL MEETING. 2 p.m. Attend the Moore County Historical Association annual board meeting. Free admission. McLeod House, 383 Sandy Branch Lane, Aberdeen. Info: www. moorehistory.com.

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.

BOOK CLUB. 4 - 5 p.m. The Country Bookshop is hosting a young adult book club We will be discussing Queen of Faces, by Petra Lord. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

MONDAY, JUNE 8

PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. The Sandhills Photo Club’ s monthly meeting will be a competition featuring the topic “Trains, Planes & Automobiles.” Members are to photograph the speed and movement of transportation, highlighting their impact on the environment and society. Guests are welcome. Sandhills Horticultural Ball Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhillsphotoclub.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9

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.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

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, JUNE 11

GARDEN TOUR. 10 - 11 a.m. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens’ monthly tour. Free of charge. Limit of 15 people. Ball Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www. sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

POETRY READING CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can bring a favorite poem or one of your own 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.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12

POPSICLE POP UP. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Ages 3 - 12 can enjoy a cool treat. Free of charge. J. Pleasant Hines Pool Park, 735 S. Stephens St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TOUCH A TRUCK. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. All ages can explore trucks like fire engines and diggers up close. Police cars, too! This is an interactive and educational event for kids and families. Free of charge. J. Pleasant Hines Pool Park, 735 S. Stephens St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

HORSE EVENT. Sedgefield hunter/jumper show. There will be vendors and food trucks. Event continues through June 14. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

CRAFT NIGHT. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Join a monthly community craft night. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org. MOVIE. 7:45 p.m. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13

PLANT PRESENTATION. 1 - 2 p.m. Join The Moore County Extension Office for a presentation on “Venus Fly Traps and Carnivorous Plants.” Learn about what makes these plants special and get information about caring for them at home. This program is geared toward adults, but the information is suitable for all ages. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

CERAMIC WORKSHOP. 1 - 3 p.m. Make your own lattice vessel during this ceramic workshop. Cost is $70. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Almost Worth It performs. Free to attend. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 14

POP UP IN THE PINES. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wander through stalls of talented makers, savor delicious bites and soak in the kind of community spirit that feels like an old-fashioned block party. Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.popupinthepines.com.

HISTORICAL PRESENTATION. 2 - 3 p.m. Historian and local author Dr. Julia Hans will speak about the history of the penny postcard in the United States. Free admission. Southern Pines Civic Club, 105 S. Ashe St., Southern Pines. Info: www.moorehistory.com.

HEALTH PROGRAM. 2:30 p.m. Join an informative and supportive program with Dr. Rachel Thomasson, exploring the changes of perimenopause. Learn what to expect, ways to manage symptoms and have your questions answered. Stay afterward to connect and explore helpful resources. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

MONDAY, JUNE 15

IMMERSIVE FIELD TRIP. 10:30 a.m. Learn about Meals on Wheels, help pack snack bags and take part in local meal delivery efforts before a brief group reflection. This event is for ages 18 and older with a valid driver’s license. Meet at Meals on Wheels, 1975 Juniper Lake Road, West End. Space is limited and registration is required. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES. 6 - 8 p.m. The SCC Jazz Band presents “Swingin’ on the Sunny Side.” Free but tickets are required. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 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.

JAMES BOYD BOOK CLUB. 2 p.m. The club will discuss Oral History, by Lee Smith. Free admission but registration is required. The Great Room, Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17

PLAY TIME IN THE PARK. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Kids, bring your parents out and join other friends for giant checkers, giant Jenga, bubbles, fun and more. Free of charge. Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18

HOT GLASS, COLD BEER. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

A summer series of live artistry and cold drinks. The June program is flameworking. Open to the public. Cost to attend is a $5 suggested donation. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE. 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker Harry Smeltzer will present “Rebel Barbarities at the First Battle of Bull Run.” Open to the public. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Ashe Street, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 246-0452 or mafarina@aol.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Let your talents shine. Musical numbers, spoken word or other performances welcome. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

CURIOUS KIDS. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. A new program for kids ages 7 - 10 who like to build, test, mix and figure things out. Open-ended activities are designed to spark curiosity and problemsolving. June will feature cardboard creations. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

SPRING LECTURE. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens presents “What’s the Matter with my Mater?” Ball Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhills.edu/ gardenevents.

STAR SALOON. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. A curated evening of red hot music with DJ Rounder. Free of charge. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

MUSIC. 7:30 p.m. A Night of SADE with Tonya Nicole. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 20

ZOO TRIP. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Ages 12 - 17 can enjoy a trip to the zoo. Pack a lunch or money for food. Cost is $29 for residents and $40 for non-residents. Departs from the Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STORYTIME. 10:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. Saturday Storytime is a once-a-month program for children ages birth to 5. There are stories, songs, rhymes and smiles as caregivers and young children interact and explore the fun of language and early literacy. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

DANCE. 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Join the fun with Carolina Pines Dance Club for swing, shag, ballroom, Latin and line dances. Cost is $10 per person. Given Outpost, 95 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 331-9965.

TRIVIA NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Bring a group of friends or meet new ones competing to see who has the most trivia knowledge. Free of charge. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

COMEDY TOUR. 7:30 p.m. The Bad Dads Comedy Tour comes to town. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www. sunrisetheater.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23

CREATIVITY CLUB. 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. Creativity

The Pines Only Mobile Bakery Tues.-Fri. 11am-8pm • Select Saturdays 910-528-8293 • cookiesnmoorenc@gmail.com Follow us at @cookiesandmoorenc

Club at the fire station features activities each month designed for kids in grades K-5 but are adaptable to other ages. Join the club in June to make rain sticks. Caregiver participation is required. Fire Station 82, 7850 N.C. 22, Carthage. Info: www.southernpines.net/FormCenter/ Library-11/Creativity-Club-Registration-117.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24

PICNIC IN THE PARK. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Ages 12 and under can join Southern Pines Parks and Recreation for fun games, crafts and a storytime. Bring your own picnic lunch. Free of charge . Sandhurst Park, 134 Barcroft Ct., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an after-school program for ages kindergarten through second grade who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and meeting new friends. This special ATLAS is a stuffed animal sleepover. Bring your stuffed animal for a threenight sleepover in the library. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25

SEASHELL PAINTING. 2 - 3 p.m. Ages 13 - 18 can use paint, patterns and their own designs to turn simple shells into something unique. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Drew Foust performs. Free to attend. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

MUSIC. 7:30 p.m. Jason Scott & The High Heat performs. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26

PRESENTATION. 11 a.m. Join Sgt. Michael Griffin of the Southern Pines Police Department for “Outsmarting Scams,” a presentation and discussion. Learn how to protect yourself and your family from increasingly advanced online scams. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

SENIOR PROM. 5 - 7 p.m. Adults 55 and older can have fun, relive memories and make new friends during the Great Gatsby Prom. There will be food, games and music. Registration required. Cost is $10 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

POP UP IN THE PINES. 5 - 9 p.m. Wander through stalls of talented makers, savor delicious bites and soak in the kind of community spirit that feels like an old-fashioned block party. Rec Room, 750 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www. popupinthepines.com.

MUSIC BINGO. 6 - 9 p.m. Enjoy playing music bingo. Free to play. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Scarlet Tantrum performs. Free to attend. Starworks Cafe and Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27

CRAFT DAYS. Children and families can come by the library for a drop-in craft day to work at their own pace on a fun, hands-on craft 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.

SUMMER LAUNCH. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Moms and their littles can launch into summer with a splash and dash. There will be a running loop and water play stations. Moms can enjoy light movement while little ones can cool off. Cost is $20 for residents and $24 for non-residents. Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DRUMS OF LIBERTY. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Step back in time at the Drums of Liberty: Revolutionary War Weekend. This family-friendly event features a living history encampment, performances by the Guilford Courthouse Fife and Drum Corps, Boyd House tours, lectures, children’s activities and more. Enjoy cocktails from Bhawk Distillery while exploring interactive exhibits. Weymouth Center lawn, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

PUZZLE RACE. 2:30 p.m. SPPL’s puzzle race is back. Five teams of up to five people can register to complete a 500-piece puzzle. Spectators are welcome. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

TRIBUTE CONCERT. 3 p.m. Enjoy a tribute to Elvis. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

CONCERT. The North Carolina Symphony presents the music of Billy Joel with Tony Desare. Koka Booth Amphitheater, 8003 Regency Pkwy., Cary. Info: www.mooreart.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 28

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 your own sundial. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

MONDAY, JUNE 29

MAKE LEMONADE. 2 - 3 p.m. Ages 8 - 12 can make lemonade, hang out with friends and chat about books. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

UPCOMING EVENTS

FRIDAY, JULY 3

CONCERT AND FIREWORKS. 6 - 9 p.m. Join a free celebration with children’s activities, music, dancing, food, beverages and fireworks. Pinehurst Harness Track, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642 or www.vopnc.org.

SATURDAY, JULY 4

PARADE. 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. Honor America during the annual Independence Day parade,

JUNE CALENDAR

beginning with the pet parade. Stick around for the farmers market. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642 or www.vopnc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

MONDAYS

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.

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 a six-month membership is $18 for residents and $26 for non-residents. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Ct., 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 help general well-being, 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.

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.

ACTIVE LIVING. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join a 12-week program that teaches sedentary people the skills necessary to overcome barriers to becoming physically active. Free of charge. 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 workout. Limit of seven 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. Interval training for Adults 18 and older, 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. Attend a drop-in, open playtime for ages birth - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational playtime. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BABY RHYMES. 10:15 a.m. 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 this month are June 9, 16, 23 and 30. 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. Join a chess group. All levels of experience welcome. 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 played on that 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 a free program for be ginners. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

WEDNESDAYS

SANDHILLS FARMERS MARTKET. 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features the area’s farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg provid ers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers. The market runs twice weekly through Sept. 30 at Tufts Park, 1 Village Green Road, We., Pinehurst. For more information visit: www.moorefarmfresh.com

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. Get fit to dance, partying up a sweat to great music through the ages. You can 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. Bring your toddler or preschooler to an open play date with developmental toys, puzzles and early literacy tips for parents to incorporate into daily activities. Dates this month are June 3, 10, 17 and 24. 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 listen or play piano. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15501, 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.

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 give a dance fitness class designed for anyone who wants to gently and gradually increase 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 children ages kindergarten through second grade who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and meeting new friends. Dates this month are June 10, 17 and 24. 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.

THURSDAYS

VIRTUAL SPINNING CLASS. 8:30 - 9 a.m.

Adults 18 and older can do a 30-minute bike ride workout that is fun and effective. Limit of seven 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 for stories, songs and activities. 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 a class to help reduce the risk of taking a tumble and increase your 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 25. An active library card is required. Dates this month are June 11, 18 and 25. 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. Free of charge. 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 is a preschool program for children ages 3 1/2 – 5 featuring stories, songs, rhymes and activities that explore the world of books, language and literacy. This interactive program is designed to help preschoolers develop early literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten. Dates this month are June 11, 18 and 25. Southern Pines Public Library, 170

JUNE CALENDAR

W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

FRIDAYS

AEROBIC DANCE. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy a 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 consist of chair and standing movements that may help soothe achy feet and tight hips while easing restrictions in mobility and lower back pain. Free of charge. 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. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DRUM CIRCLE. 2 - 3 p.m. Adults 18 and older can feel the rhythm, find their groove and connect through beat. No experience necessary. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SATURDAYS

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. 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. The market runs through Nov. 21. Downtown Southern Pines, 156 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines.

SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features the area’s farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers. The market runs twice weekly through Sept. 30 at Tufts Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst. For more information visit: www.moorefarmfresh.com PS

Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, 5:00 - 7:00

This exhibit includes the works of all members of the Artists League of the Sandhills and is the only art show at the League that is judged by a professional art authority. Winners for best in each category, as well as best overall, will be chosen and award ribbons hung by each selected painting prior to the opening reception. Judging this exhibit is award winning artist Sharon DiGiulio.

The show will hang through Friday, June 28.

T:

T: 267-218-0822

E: conniegenuardi@gmail.com W: fiberartsbyconnie.com

Featuring Cathy Carter, Rhonda Dretel, Irene Russell, & Angie Tally

Cathy Carter, Rhonda Dretel, Irene Russell, & Angie Tally

(12p-2p) June

by

Photo

Joseph Hill

SandhillSeen

Poetry Slam Jam

Weymouth Center For The Arts & Humanities

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Photographs by Diane McKay

Camilla & Tony Rothwell

Joseph Hill, Mitch Capel

Rob VanderVoort

Jonathan Lewis

Kellie Tabor-Hann

Culley Holderfield, Melora Fern Leiser

Chris Dunn

Janeen Driscoll

Patty Thompson, Amy Griggs

Susan Huston Marsh Smith

Iris & Jim Angle

SandhillSeen

Horses Benefit Kids:

Derby Watch Party

Weymouth Center For The Arts & Humanities

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Photographs by Diane McKay

Mary Sommer, Karen Eichen, Barbara Keating

Carol Stewart, Kak Johnson, Sandy Stewart

Carla & Alan Butler

Bryan Hart, Jeff Hutchins

Ashley Van Camp, Anne DeKeyser

Kendra & David Moreno

Lisa Nicol, Beth Stevens

Ray & Amanda Delagdo

Richard Hill, Mallery Maguire, Andy McIndoe

Donna M. Turner, LeAnn McKoy

Marianne & Bob Price

Patricia & Geoff Black

or 910.977.5656 www.battlefieldmuseum.org www.warpathmilitaria.com

June PineNeedler

Word for Word

Where the Grass Ain’t Greener

By Jim moriarty

When my sainted mother, God rest her soul, was asked what her favorite movie was she replied without hesitation, and rather gaily I thought, The Silence of the Lambs. This was, after all, the same woman who dressed a county fair-sized teddy bear in a Mike Ditka football jersey and positioned it like a scarecrow on her coziest easy chair to ward off her pet housecat, whom she detested.

That aside, there is a sequence in the Jodi Foster/Sir Anthony Hopkins movie that hits terrifyingly close to home this time of year. I refer, of course, to the snippet of dialogue when Hannibal Lecter expounds on Buffalo Bill’s needs. “He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? . . . No. We begin by coveting what we see every day.”

Which brings me to grass.

I can’t grow it. I’m not talking about that garish green winter stuff people cast about like fairy dust. I’m talking real Southern grass. Something solid that comes in bricks of sod on the backs of flatbed trucks. I’m talking grass that would chew tobacco if it had teeth and a cheek. I’m aware that we’re not supposed to covet that which belongs to our neighbors, but the simple fact is they have grass and I don’t. And it’s not just one or two of them. I could maybe live with that. No. They all have grass. Every single one of them. Coming home after daily counseling at my pub, the Bitter and Twisted, is like cruising through a gauntlet of carefully coiffed front yards taunting me.

Of course I’ve sought professional help. You know when you hire a roofer or a painter and they plant a sign in your yard by the road to advertise what a splendid job they’re doing? When I’ve contracted highly regarded yard folk, so concerned are they with their reputations that they want to put up a privacy fence so no one can see them. I’ve been quit by the best. Some last a day. Some a week. No one has made it through an entire growing season.

There have been times when I tried to get a quote and they don’t even stop. Their truck slows down long enough to see what kind of shape my grass is in, then they jam the gas pedal to the floor like they’re being chased by flesh-eating mutant zombies.

And so, I struggle along the best I can, a DIYer. Like putting a pig on a lipstick, my philosophy is simple. If it’s green and it chooses to live in my yard, I welcome it. I’ll even buy it lunch. This includes all forms of moss, nature’s toupee. I could make penicillin in my backyard. And I love pine needles. Lots and lots of pine needles. They are the gardener’s version of wearing black to look thin.

It’s true that I don’t know much about what I’m doing but I remain optimistic, because I’m nothing if not coachable. In the days when I traveled frequently for work, the War Department once hired one of her co-workers who was looking for a little extra cash to come by a couple of times a month to whip the yard into shape, or at least keep it from rolling over stone-dead. I was deeply appreciative, though I was concerned that our yard — as you may have gathered — required a certain amount of local knowledge. This also pertained to the equipment I used to keep it up.

When Mr. Smith (let’s call him that because Durant wouldn’t want anyone to ever know he’d been associated with our yard in any way) came over on that first day, I happened to be home. I pulled our gas mower out of the shed and explained to him that the mower worked just fine, but it required a bit of finessing to get it started. He assured me he’d encountered a reluctant pull cord or two in his time. No, no, says I. It’ll start right up. All you have to do is flip the lawn mower upside down once or twice and it’ll fire right up. I demonstrated with a knowing grin. Mr. Smith looked at me and said in the most measured of tones, “Well, I suppose you could do that. Or you could press this little button right here.” He pointed to the primer.

It made me wonder whatever happened to that Mike Ditka jersey. PS

Jim Moriarty is the editor of PineStraw and can be reached at jjmpinestraw@gmail.com.

At St. Joseph of the Pines, joining our Life Plan Community means living fully—with purpose, connection and joy. Whether music, fitness or connecting with friends is your passion, we celebrate every part of your journey and encourage you to grow, contribute and thrive! Reach

At St. Joseph of the Pines, joining our Life Plan Community means living fully—with purpose, connection and joy. Whether music, fitness or connecting with friends is your passion, we celebrate every part of your journey and encourage you to grow, contribute and thrive!

Scan the code or call 910-246-1023 to schedule your personal visit with St. Joseph of the Pines in Southern Pines today!

Scan the code or call 910-246-1023 to schedule your personal visit with St. Joseph of the Pines in Southern Pines today!