October PineStraw 2025

October 2025

Ashley Walshe

Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

SEVEN LAKES SOUTH • $395,000 101 LANCASHIRE COURT

Nice 3 BR / 2 BA brick GOLF FRONT home located on the 18th fairway of the Peter Tufts, III designed course. Situated on a generous lot, the expansive front and back lawns offer scenic golf course living. The layout is cozy with a double-sided fireplace, bright Carolina room and nice primary bedroom with en-suite bath.

JACKSON SPRINGS • $390,000 3 DEER TRACK ROAD

Attractive 3 BR / 4 BA chalet-style perfectly situated on the 3rd hole of the Red Fox course in Foxfire Village. Layout is bright and open with a double-sided fireplace between the living and family area. There is also an enclosed wrap-around porch to enjoy nature and beautiful golf views!

JACKSON SPRINGS • $485,000 111 PINELANDS VISTA

Beautiful 4 BR / 3.5 BA Craftsman style home on 1.06-acre lot! This home offers exceptional living spaces inside and out. The main level has a spacious open concept layout with a chef-inspired kitchen. Outside, there is a large, fenced yard including a gazebo with hot tub, patio by a fire pit and grilling station with bar seating!

ABERDEEN • $305,000

307 LAFORET COURT

Nice 2 BR / 2 BA townhome located just off Linden Road. Location is convenient to shopping, dining and golf. This would be an ideal home or golf getaway!

VASS • $312,000

633 LILAC LANE

Charming 3 BR / 2 BA home located on a quiet side street in beautiful Woodlake! This home offers privacy and a welcoming atmosphere both inside and out. From the newly remodeled kitchen to the cozy dining room, this home combines modern comforts and timeless charm throughout!

SEVEN LAKES NORTH • $349,900 241 FIRETREE LANE

Nicely maintained 3 BR / 2.5 BA brick home situated on a generous corner lot! The home offers a classic layout with a large living space and well-proportioned bedrooms. On the lower level there is an unfinished workshop and nice flex space perfect for a workout spot or additional living area!

SOUTHERN PINES• $439,500 176 STARLAND LANE

Well maintained 3 BR / 3 BA golf front condo located on the 16th fairway of Longleaf course! The main level has an inviting open-concept plan with amazing golf views, two full baths and primary and secondary bedrooms! Upstairs there is a 3rd bedroom with full bath and additional space for a 4th bedroom or a flex space.

SEVEN LAKES NORTH • $368,000 102 SEMINOLE COURT

Beautifully maintained 3 BR / 3 BA home nestled on a wooded lot! The interior is open and bright with lots of natural light flowing within the living space. Primary bedroom is on the main level with two additional bedrooms, and a large bonus room can be found on the upper level!

PINEHURST • $285,000

TBD TURTLE POINT ROAD

Discover the perfect blend of privacy and natural beauty with this wooded corner lot nestled in a quiet Pinehurst location. This lot offers views of the nearby 12th and 15th holes of Pinehurst No. 5, while maintaining a peaceful, secluded feel backing up to a wooded area and a tranquil stream.

IN MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

PINEHURST • $1,150,000 22 AIRDRIE COURT

Elegant 4 BR / 3.5 BA all brick custom home built by Bonneville Homes. Situated along the 17th hole of the Magnolia course, this home offers over 4,000 sq.ft. The interior is impressive with a beautiful Carolina room and private primary suite with bath. The exterior is well kept and has a slate stone patio with tranquil water feature perfect for relaxing!

PINEHURST • $950,000

24 MCMICHAEL DRIVE

Delightful 3 BR / 3.5 BA GOLF FRONT home in desirable Pinewild community. Situated along the first fairway of the Holly course, enjoy sweeping golf views from almost every room. Transferable Pinewild membership!

39 DEERWOOD LANE NEW LISTING

CARTHAGE • $765,000 123 JOELS CIRCLE

Beautiful 4 BR / 3.5 BA custom home situated on 2.43 acres – a one-of-a-kind countryside paradise! From the foyer, step into an open living area with tranquil pond views across the back and a beautiful kitchen with custom walk-in pantry. Upstairs there is a large bonus room and three spacious bedrooms all with walk-in-closets and two full baths.

PINEHURST • $775,000 84 DEERWOOD LANE

Amazing 4 BR / 3.5 BA GOLF FRONT home overlooking the 2nd fairway of Pinehurst No. 6 course. The beautiful two-story foyer is filled with lots of natural light. This home has fine finishes throughout on two levels. A must see!

PINEHURST • $555,000

Charming 4 BR / 3 BA home with an inviting Southern style front porch, perfect for sitting and watching the world go by! Inside, there is hardwood flooring throughout the main living areas, a beautiful kitchen, spacious primary suite and a great upper level flex space where the possibilities are endless.

PINEHURST • $895,000 18 HOBKIRK COURT

Attractive 3 BR / 3.5 BA GOLF FRONT home situated on the 4th tee of the Holly course in Pinewild CC. The meticulously designed living space is all on one level and offers breathtaking golf and pond views along the back.

WHISPERING PINES • $580,000

3952 NIAGARA-CARTHAGE ROAD

Beautiful 4 BR / 3.5 BA GOLF FRONT home located on the 13th fairway of the Woods golf course. The home is spacious with thoughtful design throughout with a great open-concept kitchen complete with granite countertops, soft close drawers and farmhouse sink!

SOUTHERN PINES • $525,000 266 MANNING SQUARE

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

PINEHURST • $949,000 47 KILBRIDE DRIVE

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

Volume 21, No. 10

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Keith Borshak, Senior Designer

Alyssa Kennedy, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Emilee Phillips, Digital Content emilee@pinestrawmag.com

Campbell Pringle, Design Intern

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Stephen E. Smith

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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

CONTRIBUTORS

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

ADVERTISING SALES

Samantha Cunningham, Advertising Director 910.693.2505

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

Christy Phillips, 910.693.2498

Ginny Trigg, 910.693.2481

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancy PS

Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497

Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488

Tonnie Nester, Distribution Specialist SUBSCRIPTIONS 910.693.2488

OWNERS

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

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

PINEHURST TOYOTA

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 Comforts of October

Cooler days, evening fires and scary-good cookies

By Jim DoDsoN

My late mother liked to tell how, once upon a time, I loved to stand at the fence of the community-owned pasture behind our house in North Dallas feeding prairie grass to a donkey named Oscar.

I was barely walking and talking.

“You weren’t much of a talker, but seemed to have a lot to say to Oscar, far more than to anyone else,” she would add with a laugh. “We always wondered what you two were talking about.”

Oscar’s kind, old face, in fact, is my first memory. Though I have no idea what “we” were talking about, I do have a pretty good hunch.

My mom also liked to tell me stories about growing up in the deep snows of Western Maryland, which sounded like something from a Hans Brinker tale, fueling my hope to someday see the real stuff. Quite possibly, I was asking Oscar if it ever snowed in Texas.

I finally got my wish when we visited my mom’s wintery German clan for Christmas, days after a major snowstorm. It was love at first snowball fight with my crazy Kessell cousins. We spent that week sledding down Braddock Mountain and building an igloo in my Aunt Fanny’s backyard in LaVale. I hardly came indoors. I was in snowy heaven.

My mom took notice. “You’re such a kid of winter,” she told me. “Maybe someday you will live in snow country.”

Her lips to God’s ears.

Twenty years later, I moved to a forested hill on the coast of Maine where the snows were deep and winters long. My idea of the perfect winter day was a long walk with the dogs through the forest after a big snowstorm, followed by supper near the fire and silly bedtime tales I made up about our woodland neighbors as I tucked my young ones into bed. On many arctic

nights, I lugged a 50-pound bag of sorghum to a spot at the edge of the woods where a family of white-tailed deer and other residents of the forest gathered to feed. Tramping back to the house through knee-deep snow, I often paused to look up at the dazzling winter stars that never failed to make me glad I was alive.

Perhaps this explains why I love winter as much as my wife does summer.

The good news is that we find our meteorological balance come October, a month that provides the last vestiges of summer’s warmth even as it announces the coming of winter with shorter days and sharply cooler afternoons. We share the pleasure of October’s many comforts.

As Wendy can confirm, her baking business ramps up dramatically in October as customers at the weekend farmers market clamor for her ginger scones, carrot cake and popular seasonal pies — pumpkin, pecan and especially roasted apple crumb — which typically sell out long before the market closes at noon. October marks the beginning of her busiest and happiest baking season.

Meanwhile, back home in the garden, I will be joyfully cutting down the last of the wilted hydrangeas, cleaning out overgrown perennial beds, spreading mulch on young plants and already planning next summer’s garden adventures — that is, when I’m not raking up piles of falling leaves, a timeless task I generally find rather pleasing until the noise of industrialstrength leaf blowers fire up around the neighborhood.

Their infernal racket can shatter the peace of an October morn and make this aging English major resort to bad poetry, with apologies to Robert Frost:

I shall be telling this with a sigh two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I one weary gardener stood and took the path less traveled by with rake in hand and shake of fist oh, how these blowers leave me pissed!

SIMPLE LIFE

With the air conditioning shut off and the furnace yet to fire up, on the other hand, October brings with it the best time of the year to fling open bedroom windows and sleep like footsore pilgrims at journey’s end. At least our three dogs seem to think so. Our pricey, new, king-sized marital bed begins to feel like a crowded elevator on chilly October nights.

Among October’s other comforts are clearer skies, golden afternoon light and the first log fire of the season, celebrated by a wee dram with friends and thoughtful conversation that drifts well into the night until the host falls asleep in his favorite chair. That would be me.

Everything from my mood to my golf game, in fact, improves with the arrival of October. And even though my interest in all sports seems to dim a little bit more with each passing year (and the worrying growth of online betting), the World Series and college football can still revive my waning boyhood attention on a brisk October weekend.

Halloween, of course, is the grand finale of October’s comforts. What’s scary is how much money Americans shell out annually on costumes, candy and creepy, inflated yard decorations (something like $11.6 billion last year, according to LendingTree), which suggests to me that being happily frightened by the sight of lighted ghouls on the lawn and kids who come in search of candy dressed as the walking dead is simply a welcome break from the daily horrors of cable news.

Our Halloween routine is one I cherish. Wendy’s elaborately

decorated Halloween cookies disappear as fast as she can make them (I’m partially to blame, but who can resist biting the head off a screeching black cat or a delicious, bloody eyeball?) and I take special pleasure in carving a pair of large jack-o’-lanterns, one smiling, the other scowling, which I light at dusk on Halloween. Years ago, I used to camp on the front steps dressed as a friendly vampire until I realized how scary I looked, with or without the makeup.

Now, the dogs and I simply enjoy handing out candy to the parade of pint-sized pirates and princesses and other creatively costumed kids who turn up on our doorstep.

The best thing about October’s final night is that it ushers in November, a month of remembrance that invariably makes me think of my late mother’s stories of snow and a gentle donkey named Oscar.

Last year, my lovely mother-in-law passed away on All Souls Day, the morning after Halloween. Miss Jan was a beloved art teacher of preschool kids, whose creativity and sparkling Irish laugh brought joy and inspiration to untold numbers of children.

And me.

What a gift she left to the world. 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.

45 CHESTERTOWN DRIVE - FOREST CREEK

Elegant home overlooking Tom Fazio’s South Course, featuring reclaimed heart pine, European stone, Rutt Cabinetry, Waterworks fixtures, wine cellar, and expansive stone patio with fireplace.

$2,950,000 - GOLF FRONT

55 PALMETTO RD - OLD TOWN

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

$2,295,000

1335 MIDLAND ROAD – KNOLLWOOD HEIGHTS

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

$1,595,000

30 MEDLIN ROAD - OLD TOWN

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

$1,395,000

110 SHORT ROAD – OLD TOWN

OLD TOWN! Charming Historic Cottage circa 1927 in the Village of Pinehurst. Move-in ready with many updates including roof and windows. Freshly painted throughout the main home and guest cottage $885,000

41 SHAW ROAD SW – OLD TOWN

‘While-a-Way Cottage’ in Old Town Pinehurst offers over an acre of privacy, rich history, and a stunning 2020 full renovation.

$2,900,000 PENDING

1512 LINDEN ROAD – 5 ACRES

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

$1,499,000

185 CHEROKEE ROAD – OLD TOWN

Historic ‘Concord Cottage,’ steps from Pinehurst Village, beautifully renovated with original millwork, heart pine floors, fireplaces, screened porch, garage, sauna, and timeless charm.

$1,450,000 - PENDING

535 DONALD ROSS DRIVE - PINEHURST

Custom brick home, large open sun filled rooms, hardwood floors, deck, Large full basement, private. $915,000

3 PINE ORCHARD LANE - PINEHURST

Quiet cul-de-sec off Merion Circle, short golf cart ride to Village. Soaring ceilings, gleaming hardwood floors, updated kitchen with large island, bay window, gas range with stainless steel vent and sunny Carolina Room. $529,000

PinePitch

If It’s October, It’s AutumnFest

There’s music. There’s food. There are arts. There are crafts. There’s stuff to do. Sponsored by the Arts Council of Moore County and Southern Pines Parks & Rec, the 47th annual AutumnFest in the Downtown Park in Southern Pines, 145 S.E. Broad St., kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 9 a.m. The festivities end at 4 p.m., in time for dinner at a local bistro. For more information call (910) 692-7376.

Fabulous Farms

Prancing Horse hosts its 34th annual self-guided tour of five of the most beautiful equestrian facilities in the Sandhills from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. The tour begins at Prancing Horse Farm, 6045 U.S. 1, Vass, and all proceeds benefit the Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship. For more information visit www. ticketmesandhills.com.

Boo!

If you have yet to witness the sight of hundreds of ghosts, goblins, witches and warlocks wandering the streets of Southern Pines, hang out for a spell on Friday, Oct. 24, when kids and parents are invited to trick-or-treat the downtown businesses from 5 – 7 p.m. After the bags and buckets are full, gather at the Downtown Park, 145 S.E. Broad St., for Halloween games, crafts and a magic show from 7 – 7:30 p.m. For more information call (910) 692-7376.

The Divine Pearl

Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Johannes Vermeer, is one of the most enduring paintings in the history of art, yet the painting itself is surrounded by mystery. Art on Screen, presented jointly by the Arts Council of Moore County and the Sunrise Theater, will show a film seeking to investigate the many unanswered questions associated with this extraordinary piece. Who was this girl? Why and how was it painted? Professor Ellen Burke will offer a pre-film lecture and discussion at the Arts Council’s Campbell House on Monday, Oct. 27, at 5:30 p.m. and a follow-up on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. For more information go to www.sunrisetheater.com

Old and Awesome

Over a hundred vendors line the streets when the twoday Cameron Antique Fair begins on Friday, Oct. 3, at 9 a.m. in the town’s historic district. The sidewalks roll up at 5 p.m. each day. There’s food and lots and lots — and lots — of stuff. For more information go to www. townofcameron.com.

First Friday

The Grateful Dead tribute band Bearly Dead brings the streets of Southern Pines to life — see what we did there? — on the greenspace next to the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., on Friday, Oct. 3, from 5 – 9 p.m. Y’all know the drill. No outside alcohol — you can buy it there. Food, too. And pets larger than a gummy bear need to stay at home. For more info (as if we didn’t know what we need to know by now) you can visit www.sunrisetheater.com.

Fair of Fairs

The 47th annual Holly Arts & Crafts Festival takes over the village streets in Pinehurst from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18. The festival features over 200 crafters encompassing pretty much everything you can think of — from woodworking to glass, stitched art to lawn ornaments, hand-crafted jewelry to metal sculpture — and more. The village boutiques, shops and restaurants will have specials and sales on, too. For additional information go to www.pinehurstbusinesspartners.com

Six Questions with Paul Reiser

Will you have any leisure time to experience golf, food or something completely unexpected in Pinehurst?

PAUL: I generally don’t have any leisure time when I do these shows. I fly in and then move on. So hopefully, there’ll be food, but that should be about it. I do love barbecue.

What small, everyday detail of life still makes you smile or laugh out loud, no matter how many times you notice it?

PAUL: This is as small as you can get. When you floss, something ends up on the mirror, and there should be a way to avoid that. I haven’t figured it out yet. So, you know, a mirror should not be responsible for your dental hygiene.

If you drop your Mad About You character into 2025, what would surprise him the most about relationships today?

PAUL: You know, nothing would surprise me because I’m in the same relationship now that I was when I created Mad About You, so my marriage continues to entertain me and baffle me and challenge me and support me.

If you could go back and sit in the audience of any performance in history, whose show would you choose?

PAUL: Probably Ed Sullivan and The Beatles in 1964. Just to say I was there. That would’ve been interesting. I’m curious to see if the room was aware of the world shifting in that moment. That would’ve been interesting.

Who’s someone outside the entertainment world that has shaped the way you see your craft?

PAUL: My kids have helped me — and my wife. Certainly my wife, who likes to point out during tense moments, “You know, without me, you have no act at all.” So I owe the majority of my act to interacting with my family.

If you weren’t a comedian or actor, what career would you be most curious to try for a year?

PAUL: Open heart surgery. I imagine that would be a kick. You know, just to see the expression on the guy’s face when I show up and he goes, “Do you have any medical training?” And I go, “No, but I’m gonna take a whack at it.” I think that would be entertaining.

Comedian, actor, writer and musician Paul Reiser performs live at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Reserve seats at ticketmesandhills.com.

Where Community and Active Living Meet

Introducing Penick Village, designed to elevate your way of living.

Comfortable Living Spaces: Step into comfort with our beautifully designed Independent Living residences, each thoughtfully crafted to provide you with a home that’s as comfortable as it is stylish.

Village Pavilion: In our state-of-the-art wellness building, you can engage in various activities, including Pickleball, personal training, and an overall focus on your health and wellness.

Comprehensive Healthcare: The Terrace, our health services building, enhanced and renovated, providing exceptional personalized care tailored to your needs.

Welcoming Community: Enter through our updated Welcome House, a space designed to safely welcome you, and your guests, into our community.

Penick Village invites you to join our community, where we’re not just redefining retirement living, we’re elevating it to new heights.

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.

Libra

(September 23October 22)

True luxury comes in many forms: Egyptian cotton, Belgian linen, Mongolian cashmere and Ahimsa silk. But have you ever felt the plushness of making a decision sans agony, anxiety spirals or paralysis? The ethereal lightness of refusing to overthink? When Venus enters your sign on Oct. 13, be open to receiving a new kind of abundance — that of an unshakeable inner peace. Everyone wins, and you’ll get to dodge the rabbit hole.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Stop settling for crumbs.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Just unsubscribe already.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Cozy up with the chaos, baby.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Hint: Add cardamom.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

The truth is always a mercy.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Mind your tongue.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Address the energy leak.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Resist the urge to ghost.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

It’s time to update your software.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Listen for the crows.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Embrace your feral nature. PS

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

Every morning that you wake up in a pest-free home is a good morning. And the easiest way to ensure that stress-free feeling?

Getting Semi-Real

Jason Mott’s People Like Us

By A nne Blythe

Jason Mott gets one thing out of the way right off the bat in People Like Us — his latest novel is semi-fictional. Or at least that’s what the National Book Award-winning author of Hell of a Book wants you to believe.

“Whole fistfuls of this actually happened, sister!” he tells us in the forward. “So, to keep the lawyers cooling their heels instead of kicking down the front door with those high-priced Italian loafers of theirs, some names and places have been given the three-card monte treatment and this whole damned thing has been fitted with a fictional overcoat.”

into this description-defying, pseudomemoir/novel that will make you laugh out loud at its devilishly delicious humor, then sink into the grave realization that Mott is deftly addressing some serious social commentary.

Because both protagonists feel compelled to travel with concealed weapons, the gun culture in America and abroad is one such theme. So is the precarious state of the nation.

Mott is not preachy about these topics. He is subtle and inviting as he gets readers to think about American identity, and the complexities that Black Americans confront in a land where racial “othering” still exists.

People Like Us is the story of two Black authors — one on tour in the wintry climes of Minnesota after a school shooting, and the other being chauffeured around Europe, or “Euroland,” as he calls it, as the guest of a super-wealthy benefactor we know only as “Frenchie.”

They’re both exploring the idea of the American dream and whether such a notion is truly attainable within the confines of their lives. One is pondering that question from inside U.S. borders, the other from the outside.

Readers likely will notice many parallels between the real life of the acclaimed Columbus County resident and UNC Wilmington professor who’s a five-time author now. Mott started writing People Like Us as a memoir that delved into his relationship with America.

But along the way a couple of his Hell of a Book characters — Soot and The Kid — kept dropping into his story. So it evolved

One of the beauties of his writing is he can turn a phrase that will stop you dead in your tracks and force you to linger for a minute or two to admire his imagination, wit and way with words. Mott describes a scene about a seismic shift on a par with the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd this way: “It was like watching Sisyphus — a man who never skips leg day — finally get that super-size rock of his farther up the hill than he ever did before. And, just for a second, you can believe that, hell, maybe he’ll finally get it over the top.”

Mott’s prose will take you on a madcap adventure or somber journey with a cast of intriguing characters. We reconnect with Soot, the character in Hell of a Book who becomes invisible or one of “The Unseen” after witnessing his father shot by police while out on a jog. He’s an author now, in Minnesota reckoning with the suicide death of his daughter Mia amid the aftermath of a school shooting.

Then there’s The Kid, who is older than he was in Hell of a Book, mysteriously seizure-prone now, living in France and going

END CHRONIC KNEE PAIN!

by the name Dylan — or at least the author living it up bourgeois-style in Europe believes the two are one and the same despite being told otherwise.

We get to know The Goon, the giant Black Scottish bodyguard and driver employed by the eccentric Frenchie to squire around the nameless author in a Citroën so decrepit and aged it seems like it’s “about to pull a hamstring.”

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Brian Dial

Dr. Brian Dial, a proud Robeson County native has spent over 20 years serving his community with grit and compassion. A graduate of UNC Pembroke and Life University of Chiropractic, he’s not only a seasoned chiropractor but a dedicated father of four who believes in helping others live pain-free, full lives. Known for his personal touch and innovative care, Dr. Dial now leads the charge with Laser Now therapy—a cutting-edge, drug-free solution that’s changing lives across the region. His mission is simple: restore freedom, movement, and vitality to the people he proudly calls neighbors.

Dylan is with them as they go from book event to book event in Italy and France. Along the way, the author who sometimes pretends to be the betterknown Colson Whitehead or Ta-Nehisi Coates runs into Kelly, a funeral director and former girlfriend from the States. She hops in with the trio as the four of them seek a “Brown Man’s Paradise.”

Just as the gun used in an accidental shooting toward the end of the book hangs suspended in air “like a steel question mark,” so too does the notion of whether leaving America, as Mott poses, “just might be the new American dream.”

Dylan, who fled to “Euroland,” sheds light on that idea in deep conversation with the author who is debating himself whether a comfortable home can really be had outside the homeland for people like him.

“There’s a hierarchy here, just like everywhere,” Dylan told him. “You’re either French-born White or Italian-born White or English-born White or Whatever-born Whatever . . . or you’re an Other. Well, where do the Others go? What do you do when your home doesn’t love you and all the other homes you tried to make a life in don’t love you either?”

That question lingers as Mott wraps People Like Us, fodder for one more semifictional book. PS

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

AT LISI MARKET

Theatre Building

Village of Pinehurst

90 Cherokee Rd.

Pinehurst, NC

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

October Books

FICTION

Heart the Lover, by Lily King

Jordan’s greatest love story is the one she lived, the one that never followed the simple rules. In the fall of her senior year of college, she meets two star students, Sam and Yash, from her 17th Century Lit class. The boys invite her into their intoxicating world of academic fervor, rapid-fire banter and raucous card games. They nickname her Jordan, and she quickly discovers the pleasures of friendship, love and her own intellectual ambition. But youthful passion is unpredictable, and soon she finds herself at the center of a charged and intricate triangle. As graduation comes and goes, choices made will alter these three lives forever.

Decades later, the vulnerable days of Jordan’s youth seem comfortably behind her. When a surprise visit and unexpected news bring the past crashing into the present, she returns to a world she left behind, and must confront the decisions and deceptions of her youth.

The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell London, 2015: When reclusive art appraiser Eve Shaw shakes the hand of a silver-haired gentleman in her office, the warmth of his palm sends a spark through her. His name is Max Everly — curiously, the same name as Eve’s favorite composer, born 116 years prior. And she has the sudden feeling that she’s held his hand before . . . but where, and when?

The White Octopus Hotel, 1935: In this belle époque building high in the snowy mountains, Eve and a young Max wander the winding halls, lost in time. Each of them has been through the trenches — Eve through a family accident and Max on the battlefields of the Great War — but for an impossible moment,

love and healing are just a room away . . . if only they have the courage to step through the door.

NONFICTION

To Rescue the American Spirit: Teddy Roosevelt and the Birth of a Superpower, by Bret Baier

An iconoclast shaped by fervent ideals, Theodore Roosevelt’s early life seems ripped from the pages of an adventure novel. Abandoning his place in New York aristocracy, he was drawn to the thrill of the West, becoming an honorary cowboy who won the respect of the rough men of the plains, adopting their code of authenticity and courage. As a New York State legislator, he fought corruption and patronage. As New York City police commissioner, he walked the beat at night to hold his men accountable; and as New York governor, he butted heads with the old guard to bring fresh air to a state mired in political corruption. He was a passionate naturalist, conservationist and hunter who collected hundreds of specimens of birds and animals throughout his life.

A soldier and the commander who led a regiment of “Rough Riders” during the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt’s show of leadership and bravery put him on the national map. As president, he brought energy, laughter and bold ideas to the White House, pursuing a vigorous agenda that established America as a leader on the world stage. Baier, Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor, reveals the storied life of a leader whose passion, daring and prowess left an indelible mark on the fabric of our country.

The Uncool: A Memoir, by Cameron Crowe

This long-awaited memoir by one of America’s iconic journalists and filmmakers is a joyful dispatch from a lost world,

a chronicle of the real-life events that , and a coming-ofage journey filled with music legends as you’ve never seen them before. Born in 1957 to parents who strictly banned the genre from their house, he dove headfirst into the world of music. By the time he graduated high school at 15, Crowe was . His parents became believers, uneasily allowing him to interview and tour with legends like Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Uncool offers a front-row ticket to the 1970s, a golden era for music and art when rock was young. Crowe spends his teens politely turning down the drugs and turning on his tape recorder. He talks his journalism teacher into giving him class credit for his road trip covering Led Zeppelin’s 1975 tour. He embeds with David Bowie as the sequestered genius transforms himself into a new persona: the Thin White Duke. Youth and humility are Crowe’s ticket into the Eagles’ dressing room in 1972, where Glenn Frey vows to keep the band together forever; to his first major interview with Kris Kristofferson; to earning the trust of icons like Gregg Allman and Joni Mitchell. It’s a magical odyssey, the journey of a teenage writer waved through the door to find his fellow dreamers, music geeks and lifelong community. The path leads him to writing and directing some of the most beloved films of the past 40 years, from Fast Times Say Anything . . . Almost Famous. His movies often resonate with the music of the artists he first met as a journalist, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,

is also a surprisingly intimate family drama. For the first time, Crowe opens up about his formative years in Palm Springs and pays tribute to his father, a decorated Army officer who taught him the irreplaceable value of the human voice, and offers a full portrait of his mother, whose singular spirit helped shape him into an unconventional

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Squirrels Scamper, by Mélina Mangal

Two young children — cousins Kamali and Josiah — notice the squirrels moving fast outside their window and venture to the backyard to watch them. They practice using their sense of balance to gain confidence while they climb, jump and move like the squirrels do. Taking in a beautiful fall day, they help rake the yard before jumping in their pile of leaves, noticing how their own work and play are parallel to a squirrel’s day. Squirrels Scamper is part of the Outside Our Window Board Book series, encouraging children — especially those in urban environments — to explore, protect and delight in nature.

The Five Wolves, by Peter McCarty

Across oceans, through fields and down tunnels, five daring wolves traverse the planet in search of wonders to draw and paint. All the while, a disembodied narrator spins the tale of their absurdist adventure and asks big questions. What is art? And who does it belong to? Part epic picture book, part graphic novel, The Five Wolves defies genres. With intricate ink work and meticulous hand-lettering, McCarty has crafted an exquisitely illustrated epic poem and a testament to the power of art and artists.

Dragonborn,

by Struan Murray

There is a secret world of dragons that lurks at the edges of our own. But dragons also live among us. These Slumberers have been human for so long they have forgotten their true selves — until something awakens the dragon within. Twelve-year-old Alex Evans is about to wake up. Ever since her father’s death, Alex’s overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. Feeling trapped, Alex’s frustration has become too big to hide away. Burning inside, she erupts into a fierce, fiery roar. A new school and a new life await her on the legendary island of Skralla, one of the last surviving dragon havens. There, she will train alongside other young dragons who are wild, untamed and — unlike Alex — skilled at transforming and embracing their dragons within. As dark factions begin to rise, Alex finds herself in a race to unlock her long-dormant power before Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, rises to wage war against the human world. PS

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

October 18th • 7:30 PM

Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, SCC

Join Maestro David Michael Wolff and The Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra for a special evening of Masterworks including

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring the incomparable pianist Ying Li

Haydn - Trumpe Concerto featuring Tim Altman

Tchaikovsky - Romeo & Juliet Overture

Friday, December 5th • 7:30 PM

Saturday, December 6th • 3 PM Matinee

Ring in the holidays with beloved holiday favorites presented by The Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra with featured performances by Broadway star Michael Campayno and Joyce Reehling.

by

Photograph

Matthew Gibson

Keep on Truckin’

New life for old wheels

By Bill Fields

My mother drove until she was in her early 90s, an age-defying feat that made me happy until it made me scared.

I witnessed things on successive visits that caused concern. After Mom dropped me off early one morning at the Southern Pines train station to catch Amtrak’s Silver Star to New York, from the platform I noticed she lingered a long time in the parking space before leaving.

When I was in town the next time, she took more than an hour to return with a bag of groceries from Bo’s (the former A&P and now an arcade), arriving as I was calling the store to see if someone had any knowledge of her whereabouts. Mom claimed nothing was out of the ordinary, but it seemed likely she had gotten lost making the 1 1/2-mile trip home from Bo’s, a route she knew like the back of her hand.

Not too long after that incident, one of my sisters drew the unpleasant task of telling Mom it wasn’t safe for her to be behind the wheel anymore — even on the very short in-town trips that had become the extent of her driving — and that we were taking away the car keys for her safety and that of others. As our mother stewed about the blow to her independence, we children deliberated about where to hide the keys.

In 1982, two years after becoming a widow, Mom had upgraded from an aging Mustang to a gray Honda Civic, her first new car since our family splurged on a 1969 Ford Fairlane from Jackson Motors. She drove that Civic for a decade and a half, trading it in not long before her 75th birthday to purchase a new 1997 Honda Civic.

Mom’s second Civic, “cyclone blue metallic” in color, provided reliable transportation around Moore County and on occasional trips to visit my sister Sadie in High Point, which she was comfortable making until age 87. Once my mother stopped highway driving, I would take the Honda for an engine-exercising spin when I was home, driving north on U.S. 1, getting it up to 65 or 70 miles per hour before turning around in Dunrovin and heading back south.

More than once when taking Mom’s car to get the oil changed, I had someone ask if I was interested in selling it, so clean was the body and so low was the mileage.

I’m so glad I never entertained those offers. In 2018, a year after my mother went to live in an assisted-living facility, my nephew John and his son, Tristen, picked up the Civic, which had only 35,000 miles on the odometer. Tristen has driven “Old Blue,” as his dad calls the car, since getting his driver’s license in 2019.

Tristen is a muscular, 22-year-old college student who was an all-conference defensive lineman in high school, but he fits in the small sedan — and it has been a great fit for him.

“I’m very blessed that my car is still working perfectly fine and giving me the transportation I need,” said Tristen, who has doubled the mileage on his great-grandmother’s former vehicle since it became his. “The only things I’ve done is gotten new tires, a new radiator and new fuel injectors. My dad talks about getting me a bigger car, but honestly I don’t need it. I enjoy my car, and I’d rather keep driving it until I can’t.”

Only 5 percent of the cars on the road today were manufactured in the late 1990s. The oldest car among Tristen’s friends is a 2012 model. He just drove the 28-year-old car on its longest journey, 400 miles to Pennsylvania and back, to attend a friend’s wedding.

“Just a couple of tanks of gas and no problems whatsoever,” Tristen reported. “I don’t have plans for another trip like that anytime soon, but if I need to, I’ll have even more faith that it’ll make it.”

I have friends with Hondas that have more than 250,000 miles. Mom’s former car might be in the family for a while, and that is fine with its second owner. “I think,” Tristen said, “I will always be an old-car guy.” PS

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

Taking a Breath

Daniel Johnston’s art and life find new meaning

By liz A RoBeRts

Celebrated Seagrove ceramic artist Daniel Johnston has always asked his work to carry a lot of weight. The clay vessels and pillars and bricks he forms and fires in Randolph County are beautiful; they’re also packed with a powerful purpose that has fueled his ambition for years. His works carry complicated stories about land, especially the place where he makes them and his life there. They’re dense with technical prowess, the multicultural lineage of that learning, and the demonstration of those skills. And they’re conceptual, freighted with ideas, wise to the history of art and its evolutions.

But lately, Johnston has begun making art differently. He’s thinking about it differently. The catalyst has been his marriage to artist Kelsey Wiskirchen and the February birth of his first child, Joseph Elliott Johnston.

“There’s the feeling that I have a greater purpose in life as a father,” he says. “The work, I can see, has had a bit of a breath. In a way, if it had a life of its own, it would thank me for taking the pressure off of it a bit.” If his art no longer needs to prove his human worth, Johnston muses, perhaps it can begin to speak for itself: “It frees my work up to be more mature.”

At the moment, that new work is destined for a substantial fall installation at the Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He plans to install his pieces there — as many as 50 large pots and several of the wall-hung clay brick assemblages he calls “block paintings” — in a series of rooms he’ll create out of 80-odd discarded wooden walls he salvaged from the High Point Furniture Market.

Building environments for his work is not new for Johnston. “So much work that is impactful and changes people’s lives, it’s all content in context. The architecture of the room, it gives it context, and in a way it removes the pressure from that object. (The installation is) a bit of a Trojan horse, so that the viewer can softly let (the object) in,” he says. “If I can start controlling how you feel, then I’m able to allow you to see my work in the way I want to communicate it.”

Also on display within this context, possibly: previously unseen paintings made not of clay, but of paint on canvas or board. “This would be the first time I’ve ever exhibited paintings that weren’t three dimensional,” he says. His constructed wood-walled installation would be a good place to show them, he says, because they’d become part of a larger artistic immersion. “If you go into an installation, you are walking into an installation, you’re not walking into an exhibition of paintings.” Still, he’s not yet ready

to commit. “Maybe I won’t exhibit them if I don’t feel they’re strong enough.”

Taking his time is part of his practice. Abstracted, sketch-like paintings of vessel-shaped forms have shown up on his studio walls in recent years, but the paintings he may include in the Santa Fe installation are likely to be inspired by the landscape of New Mexico and the tobacco barns of North Carolina. Some will be painted on land he owns next to Carson National Forest in New Mexico, and some will be painted at home in Seagrove. “I’m absolutely in love, architecturally, with the tobacco barn,” he says. “It’s just such a brilliant piece of architecture.”

Homeplace

Johnston lives and works in a house and studio he built with his own hands. It reflects his long-held appreciation of the tall, timbered barns traditionally used to cure tobacco. It’s a log cabin the size of two barns put together, with big

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pots all around it, some sunken in the grass and some on pedestals.

It sits on 10 acres of land he bought at age 16 with money he’d originally saved for a Ford Mustang — land where, at that young age, he built himself a shack to live in, alone, after he dropped out of school. Years later he felled the trees to build this house and studio.

When I first met Johnston there seven years ago, he was humble as he told his story and surveyed his place. Growing up not far from there in extreme poverty as the child of tenant farmers, “in my mind,” he says, “land was power.” He told himself early on he would make for himself a different kind of fate.

The same could be said of his art.

About 15 years ago, after lengthy apprenticeships with potters in Thailand and England and with Seagrove’s internationally revered Mark Hewitt, Johnston became a leading American maker of big pots. He perfected a technique to turn 100-pound lumps of clay into giant vessels that could hold 40 gallons apiece and made them in huge numbers, a series of 100 pots one time, 50 pots another. The acclaim was exciting, but then became disillusioning. It broke his heart to see them carted away, one by one. It was the groupings, he realized, that held the meaning: “People had to have a piece of it. As soon as

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Johnston eschews that kind of work today. Now, he’s not concerned with demonstrating his finesse or with making beautiful objects unless they have conceptual meaning. At the North Carolina Museum of Art in 2019, he sunk 183 individual

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wood-fired ceramic pillars in a permanent installation across the gentle hills of the park landscape to evoke an organic border, fence or outcropping. In 2021 at NC State University’s Gregg Museum of Art & Design, he built a massive wiremesh, house-shaped frame — a temporary building at once empty and full — to hold several giant pots, many irregularly shaped, and some put together like bricks in a foundation. It was a paradox: lonely but inhabited, open but caged, refined but deformed.

“I’ve never thought of myself as a potter, and I don’t really like the title. I want to work with my mind, not my hands,” he says. “Like Duchamp’s Fountain.” He’s referring to a porcelain urinal the French conceptual artist Marcel Duchamp exhibited in 1917, considered a seminal moment in 20th-century art. Duchamp rejected what he called “retinal” art, or art designed to please the eye, and wanted his art to provoke the mind instead. “I think about that a lot,” Johnston says.

Recently, caring for his newborn son and also for his aging father, who suffers from dementia, has allowed Johnston to spend more time in thought than his typical schedule of constant studio work allows.

“I’ve been working my mind, which is really probably the place that I spent the least time before he was born,” he says. “I can look back now and see that I had filled my time with things that kept me from using that bit of my brain. And so now it’s the opposite of it. I’ve had a huge amount of space to use that part of my brain.” The result, he says, is the kind of artistic evolution that lies beyond the acquisition of skills. “The nice thing is that once you have the security of your skills and your abilities under your belt, there’s always a huge amount of room to improve. But so much of the work is mental and thought at that point. And so I have been working that way.” PS

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

Fair Enough

Americana in the autumn

By P eteR douBledAy

Ever dine in a Waffle House at 3 a.m.?

Well, welcome to the fair.

In 50 years of announcing horse shows, I’ve attended over 30 state and county fairs, from Texas to New York, Florida to Colorado, and each and every one of them is a true slice of Americana — hold the grits.

Growing up in Syracuse, New York, my father hosted an early morning (around milkin’ time) agricultural radio show for WSRY — 570 on the dial — and served as a board member and horse show announcer at the Great New York State Fair. He was at the radio station by 4:30 in the morning, on air from 5 to 7, then off to the fairgrounds until well into the night talking to throngs of spectators and producing the horse show.

When I was 6, I couldn’t wait to watch the train pull in from Buffalo (its county fair was the week before) like a rolling midway. Most of the rides arrived by truck, but the vast number of tents, generators, animals and all the carnies I could count traveled by train. The vagabond equipment came from James E. Strate Shows in Florida. I thought it was so cool that I created my own Strate Show train and vehicles on my HO scale train set in the basement of my house.

In those days fairs had agriculture, history and competition components, but the midway was always the centerpiece. Forget OSHA; how dizzy could you make yourself on the spinning and rattling Tilt-A-Whirl, and how many times in a row did you dare ride it? The view from the very top of the double Ferris wheel was impressive enough that it yielded my first kiss at the ripe old age of 11.

Every game on the midway had its own barker and its own tricks. Why couldn’t anyone make a basket? Was the ball too big or the hoop too small? One year the guy overseeing the ring toss felt so sorry for me he gave me a stuffed animal out

of pity. At the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York, there was a giant tent with rows of stools and small boxes arranged like a bingo card. The speaker would call out “number one,” and people hoping to win a set of kitchen china would throw tiny red rubber balls that had as much chance of staying in box number one as a bowling ball has of floating. I couldn’t wait to see the bearded lady, the snake boy of Borneo and the alligator man. And I thought it was all real.

Features at fairs ranged from old-time stock car racing to its ultimate icon, the Demolition Derby. At a county fair in western New York the 3,000-seat grandstand was sold out, with people watching their neighbors destroy cars for nothing more than bragging rights at the local garage the next morning. The last time I watched a derby there were 75 cars and a completely superfluous announcer, since you couldn’t hear a word he said once the crunching began. The fire department got a major workout.

Every fair has a smell and aroma all its own, a combination of hundreds of different forms of food, fried in unimaginable combinations. Some of the most bizarre treats I’ve seen included a burger cooked inside a doughnut. If I could have figured out the overhead and net from selling fully loaded baked potatoes I could’ve been a millionaire.

Dairy and beef cattle, goats, sheep and pigs were judged, and the horse shows at the fair featured every imaginable breed. Every fair, it seemed, had its own “world’s largest pumpkin.” And how, exactly, does one judge a hay contest?

One of my fondest memories of the New York State Fair was the day my name was announced over the entire fairgrounds to report to the State Police exhibit in Hall A. I was 7 years old and my name had been drawn to win a German shepherd puppy. I named him Trooper. It had a better ring than Bumper Cars. PS

Peter Doubleday has been a resident of Southern Pines for 50 years and has spent a lifetime announcing and producing the top horse shows throughout North America.

October at Weymouth Center

« October 23, 6:00 pm: Haunted Vintage Game Night

Also this month at Weymouth Center:

October 2 - November 1:

October 2:

October 3:

October 9:

October 18:

October 21:

October 28:

November 1:

« October 26, 2:00 pm: Come Sunday Jazz: Brandon Mitchell

Spirited Stories: Tales from the Writers Self Guided Tour

A Novel Approach to History; Unveiling the Unseen

Meet the Author: Rylee Hayes

Meet the Author: Ed Southern

One Wonderful Night

James Boyd Book Club: The Returned by Jason Mott

Song Circle Jam Session

Open House and Self Guided Tour

Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information!

555 East Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC

The Cosmopolitan

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPh By tony CRoss

In the fall of 1988, bartender Toby Cecchini was working at The Odeon in New York City, chatting with his co-worker Melissa about her previous night out with friends. They were visiting from San Francisco and introduced her to a cocktail that was making its way across the gay bar scene.

“It’s called The Cosmopolitan,” she said. “Wanna see it?”

“Why not?” replied Cecchini.

She proceeded to make him a cocktail with vodka, Rose’s lime juice, Rose’s grenadine, and a twist of lemon. Oh, that’s cute, Cecchini recalls thinking.

“It was in one of those V-shaped martini stems (very of the times), and I thought that it was funny, because you don’t put cocktails in a martini glass, you only put a martini in a martini glass,” Cecchini said on the podcast Cocktail College. “I thought that was clever — and it was very cute — but it was disgusting. It was Rose’s, fake, cloying, lime cordial and Rose’s grenadine, which is even worse; just simple syrup artificially colored red . . . And I thought, I can make that better.”

So, he did. “Because we made our margaritas with Cointreau and fresh lime juice, I thought, oh, there’s the base, and Absolut had just come out with Absolut Citron — it was the first flavored vodka that we had ever seen, and it was absolutely mind-blowing.” For the red coloring, Cecchini decided to use cranberry juice, since he was used to making Cape Codders all day long. He made it for the servers at The Odeon, and it quickly became the staff drink.

Word of mouth had regulars at the bar asking for “Toby’s drink.” Soon random guests and celebrities began asking for his Cosmopolitan. “Madonna would come in for lunch several times a week and ask for the ‘pink drink,’” he says. And the rest is history: The Cosmopolitan became an instant hit in the bartending community and even had a resurgence a decade later when it was glorified in the Sex in the City series.

Here are Cecchini’s exact specs. Feel free to change the vodka if you’d like, or even the garnish (perhaps a twist of orange?), but do not change the orange liqueur or cranberry juice — Cointreau and Ocean Spray all the way. PS

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

Specifications

1 1/2 ounces Absolut Citron

3/4 ounce Cointreau

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounce Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Garnish: lemon twist

Execution

Combine all liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard until your mixing vessel starts to frost on the outside. Double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with lemon twist.

A Pearfect Composition

Poire belle Hélène, compote-style

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPh By Rose shewey

Say what you will about King Louis XIV of France — often characterized by his foes as a pompous, philandering tyrant — but he got at least one thing right: The “Sun King” declared the pear to be a royal fruit. Among his more celebrated traits was his passion for fine art and culinary excellence, and with that, the French king recognized the gastronomic value of the often underrated pear.

In the royal kitchen garden at Versailles, the Potager du Roi, Louis XIV planted over 140 different varieties of pear trees! That’s roughly 130 more than the U.S. knows today. There are only 10 key varieties grown commercially across the United States. Europe fares a tad better in this regard: While supermarket pear varieties are also limited, hundreds of heirloom pear types are conserved and fostered by private growers and boutique tree nurseries.

The story of the rise of the pear to Olympic heights continued in France — where else? When composer Jacques Offenbach premiered his hugely successful operetta La belle Hélène in 1864 in Paris, no other than Georges Auguste Escoffier, the “king of chefs and chef of kings,” took it upon himself to create a dish in celebration of the beautiful Helen, the namesake of a dessert that should be known around the globe.

The genius of the recipe for “Poire belle Hélène” lies in its simplicity: poached pears, vanilla ice cream, chocolate. Variations are numerous, and I’m adding my own, slightly simplified version. Instead of a poached whole (or half) pear, I make pear compote, which only takes minutes on the stove and boasts flavor through and through. Vanilla ice cream is hard to top, but a vanilla creme made of yogurt and heavy cream is a stellar, slightly more versatile substitute. Don’t omit any chocolate on my behalf — but cacao nibs are a lovely addition that adds some crunch, in more ways than one. PS

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

Pear Compote with Vanilla Crème

(Serves 2)

Vanilla Crème

1 vanilla bean

200 grams heavy whipping cream

1-2 tablespoons sugar

200 grams Greek yogurt

Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds into a tall bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Add heavy whipping cream and sugar and whip, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, until cream is semi-whipped. Start adding spoonfuls of yogurt while continuing to whip until you have a thick cream, then refrigerate.

Pear Compote

3-4 pears (about 400 grams), such as Bartlett or Red Anjou or any other variety of your choice

3 tablespoons butter

2-3 tablespoons muscovado sugar (or other dark, rich sugar)

Pinch of salt

Wash and peel pears, then cut them lengthwise into thin slices or dice, as desired. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan on medium/low heat and gently toss pears, until they are lightly sautéed, about 3-4 minutes. Add muscovado sugar and simmer on low heat until liquids turn syrupy and pears are softened. Add a pinch of salt and serve warm with vanilla creme.

M is for . . .

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, 3rd Place: M is for Murder by Dave Powers

Tier 3, 1st Place: Mucho Motivacion by Pat Anderson

Tier 3, 2nd Place: Marriott Marquis by Donna Ford

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.

M is for . . .

Tier 2 Winners

Tier 2, 2nd Place: Multnomah Falls

by Donna Sassano

Tier 2, 3rd Place: M is for Magic Wand by Joshua Simpson

Tier 2, 1st Place: The Mane Event by Pam Jensen

M is for . . .

Tier 1 Winners

Tier 1, 1st Place: Maniac on a Motorcycle by Jameson Everett

Tier 1, Honorable Mention: Mom Making Music by Mary Bonsall

Tier 1, 2nd Place: The Measure of our Hands in E Minor by Hilary Koch

Tier 1, 3rd Place: Mailboxes by Donna Arnold

Sound It Out

A serious case of onomatopoeia

By deBoRA h sA lomon

Lately, when trying not to think about the mess this world is in, my mind wanders to the etymology, history, development, significance of words, especially when uttered by powerful people. Words are free. Anybody can invent a word. Maybe it will enter the lexicon, maybe not. I attempt a colorful vocabulary as a writer and, before that, a student. Nothing a professor likes better than a term paper livened with 50-cent words. Spelled and used correctly, of course.

My favorite words showcase onomatopoeia . . . quite a whopper itself, meaning imitating the sound it defines. The usual illustration is Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Bells,” where sing-song repetition (and alter-whoppers like “tintinnabulation”) suggest Quasimodo pulling the ropes at Notre Dame. The cathedral, not the university. Strange how Americans pronounce those two words differently when referring to the dames residing in Paris and South Bend.

Next conundrum: Which came first, the sound or the word? My mind began spilling out more candidates than M&Ms on an assembly line — a gross exaggeration called hyperbole. Yeah, there’s right much hyperbole floating around these days.

Consider “whistle.” In order to articulate the word, one must purse the lips — as though to whistle. How about “gallop’’ which, when rhythmically repeated mimics the clip-clop of a horse’s hooves. “Soar,” dragged out a bit, allows the kite, then the voice, to rise before leveling off.

“Peck” is as staccato as a hen wandering the barnyard. “Pitterpatter” has no meaning, except how a toddler sounds running across a bare floor in his or her first real shoes. Sadly, it faces obsolescence since most contemporary kiddie footwear belongs

to the rubber-soled variety, formerly sneakers until diversified to fit a variety of sports, yet stubbornly called “running” shoes.

Maybe I’m putting the cart before the clip-clop. Not if you agree that “thunder” owns an unspoken rumble that influences enunciation. Same with “scream,” commonly accompanied by a facial contortion, à la Janet Leigh in a Bates Motel shower.

Occasionally, a trope inspires physical rendering, the best being “describe a spiral staircase without using your hands.”

I even dredged up a few words that connect only to their sound, without a clear meaning, like the ocean that “laps” the shore. Lap? Maybe a kitten lapping milk from a saucer —more peaceful than a runner going once around the track in rubbersoled footwear.

Some words, of themselves, trigger action. Say “blink” without blinking.

Once upon a time, meaning what follows may be apocryphal, schools divided their curriculum into headings. My favorite was Language Arts, which likens the study of English to painting sunflowers, a lily pond, maybe a girl with a pearl earring. Right on, especially when active verbs move the brushstroke along. “Mona Lisa smiles . . . ” captures the action better than “Mona Lisa is smiling,” which she isn’t, according to cognoscenti, who mention bad teeth. “Noah fears the water” hits harder than the passive “Noah is afraid of the water.”

Good thing he got over that.

But my best word is “exacerbates,” which shivers like sharp edges clashing.

Conclusion: Words began as a collection of rumbles, splashes, whispers, clicks, chimes, growls, grunts and rustles. Written or spoken, words have become the palette, the gradations, the pictograms, an evolving commodity and, thank goodness, the only thing for which I’m rarely at a loss. PS

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

Kenny Patterson, Owner/Operator

Cleanup on Aisle 9

The unparalleled scavenger

By susA n CA mPBell

There! By the edge of the road: It’s a big, dark bird. It looks like it could be a wild turkey. But . . . is it? A closer view reveals a red head and face with a pale hooked bill, but a neck with feathers and a shorter tail. Definitely not the right look for a turkey — but perfect for a turkey vulture. This bird is also referred to as a buzzard or, for short, a “TV.”

Making an identification of these odd-looking individuals is somewhat harder these days since wild turkeys have made a good comeback in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Turkey vultures and turkeys can occasionally be seen sitting near one another in an agricultural field where they may both find food or are taking advantage of the warmth of the dark ground on a cool morning.

Turkey vultures, however, are far more likely to be seen soaring overhead or perhaps perched high in a dead tree or cell tower. They have a very large wingspan with apparent fingers, created by the feathers at the end of the wing. The tail serves as a rudder, allowing the bird to navigate effortlessly as it’s lifted and transported by thermals and currents high above the ground. These birds have an unmistakable appearance in the air, forming a deep V-shape as they circle, sometimes for hours on end.

It’s from this lofty vantage that turkey vultures travel in search of their next meal. Although their vision is poor, their sense of

smell is keen. They can detect the aroma of a dead animal a mile or more away. They soar in circles, moving across the landscape with wings outstretched, sniffing all the while until a familiar odor catches their attention.

Turkey vultures are most likely to feed on dead mammals, but they will not hesitate to eat the remains of a variety of foods, including other birds, reptiles and fish. They prefer freshly dead foods but may have to wait to get through the thick hide of larger animals if there is no wound or soft tissue allowing access. Toothed scavengers such as coyotes may actually provide that opportunity. Once vultures can get to flesh, they are quick to devour their food. With no feathers on their head, there are none to become soiled as they reach into larger carcasses for the morsels deep inside.

Vulture populations are increasing across North Carolina — probably due to human activity. Roadways create feeding opportunities year-round. Landfills, believe it or not, also present easy meals. In winter, the northern population is migratory and shifts southward, so we see very large concentrations in the colder months. The large roosting aggregations can be problematic. A hundred or more large birds inhabiting a stand of mature pines or loitering on a water tower does not go unnoticed.

Except for birdwatchers and those who live near a roost site, most people overlook these impressive birds. Often taken for granted, they are unparalleled scavengers, devouring the roadkill our highways inevitably produce PS

Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. Her email is susan@ncaves.com.

The Butterfly of Death

Encountering the black witch moth

stoRy

A nd P hotogRAPhs By todd P usseR

“Todd,

you’re going to want to see this!” shouts Maurice Cullen from his backyard. “And bring your camera!”

I can tell by the urgency in his voice that Maurice has found something pretty cool. For the past hour, beneath the light of an August moon, I have been standing in his neighbor’s yard trying to photograph sphinx moths nectaring on flowers, and I already have my camera in hand. I race over to his backyard gate, open it, circle the swimming pool and approach Maurice, who is standing in the far corner of the yard, next to a wooden fence.

“Check this out,” he says pointing the narrow beam of a flashlight up into a Chinese privet tree. There, in the center of a large branch overhanging the fence, is an immense brown-colored moth, with sharply pointed wings.

“It’s a black witch,” says Maurice excitedly. “Take some pics before it flies away!”

Fumbling with the controls of my camera and adjusting my flash power, I frame the moth in my viewfinder. Its long proboscis is buried deep within a steady stream of sap leaking from a small crack in the tree’s bark. The sap, a natural sugary concoction that entices all manner of insects the same way blood in

ocean water attracts sharks, has been leaking from various cracks along the tree’s trunk and limbs all summer, drawing in such winged wonders as red-spotted purple butterflies and giant cicada killer wasps.

Snapping off a few frames of the witch, I note the distinctive commashaped marks on its forewings and a prominent white line running across its hindwings, a telltale field mark identifying this particular moth as a female. Measured from wingtip to wingtip, black witch moths are the largest insects in North America, with some having wing spans that surpass 7 inches. The one that Maurice and I are staring at is somewhat smaller, with a wingspan of “only” 6 inches or so. With such large wings, the moth resembles a bat in flight.

An hour earlier, I had seen a large moth streak across the neighbor’s yard in the fading twilight and had brushed it off

as a more common silkmoth, possibly a Polyphemus moth. It was likely the black witch making a beeline for the sap well on the privet tree.

Black witch moths are found throughout the Neotropics, from the Caribbean down to Brazil. The moths are powerful migrators and frequently reach the southern United States and points farther north. Historically, they were rarely observed as far north as Virginia, where we are currently standing. Now that most people have powerful cameras buried within their phones and loaded with a plethora of citizen-science apps, like Inaturalist, black witch moths are being reported more frequently throughout the continental United States. Still, Maurice, at 66 years of age and a lifelong butterfly and moth watcher, has never seen one alive in the state. It’s a cause for celebration, albeit a cautious celebration, as few animals harbor as many myths and superstitions as the black witch moth.

In Colombia, legend states that sorceresses who have died and failed to enter the gates of heaven have been cast back to Earth in the form of black witch moths. In Mexico, the black witch moth is known as the Mariposa de la Muerte, the butterfly of death. It is believed that if one flies into someone’s home, that person will soon perish. In other parts of Mexico, people say that if a black witch moth flies over your head, you

will soon lose your hair — a fate some view as worse than death. In Jamaica, the black witch moth is called a Duppy Bat, and is believed to be a lost soul. In other parts of the Caribbean, the moth is thought to be an actual witch in disguise, and to see one means someone has cast an evil spell on you.

Continuing to take photos, I stop briefly to review the images on my camera’s LCD. Glancing back up to the tree limb, the black witch moth is no longer there, having disappeared into the inky black sky like some ghostly apparition. “Ahhh, man, that’s disappointing,” sighs Maurice, who wanted more time to ogle the winged marvel. I laugh nervously, hoping that the moth has not exited the yard by flying over my head.

Instead, I choose to think about the more cheerful legends surrounding the black witch moth. One in particular stands out above all others. In the Bahamas, folklore calls black witch moths Money Bats. Locals believe that if you are fortunate enough to see one, prosperity will soon follow.

Perhaps tonight on the way home from Maurice’s, I’ll stop at the local gas station and buy a Powerball ticket. 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.

Sledge Family Values

Key players in Pinehurst’s history

By lee PACe

Today Moore

County has approximately three dozen golf courses and the 10th highest tourism economy in the state of North Carolina. In fiscal year 2023-24, hotels in the Sandhills reported a 21.7 percent increase over the previous year in room collections.

The U.S. Open at Pinehurst in 2024 drew more than 225,000 people to town and, according to a USGA study, generated a $200 million economic impact.

Heady numbers, indeed.

There are only a handful of people left who can remember when there were just four courses at Pinehurst Resort, when the town shut down for the summer, when the second hole on Pinehurst No. 2 was a challenging par-4 negotiated with a driver off the tee and a long iron into the green.

Bill Sledge is one of them.

“We lived in Elm Cottage, which is about 300 yards from the second fairway of No. 2,” says Sledge, who turned 94 in July 2025. “We were open eight months of the year. No one was here in the summer. My dad and I would walk to the second fairway, take a few clubs and a shag bag, and he taught me to play golf. He was maybe a 12- or 13-handicap, which wasn’t bad considering he didn’t play golf until he came to Pinehurst. But

that’s where it started. I’ve loved the game all my life.”

Sledge is proud of having shot his age nearly 1,700 times by the time he gave up the game in 2024 because of dwindling eyesight.

“We didn’t have high school golf teams when I was growing up,” he says. “Then, early in my adult years, all I played was tennis. I got back into golf probably in the 1980s and have loved every minute of it.”

Isham Sledge was born in Nash County in 1892 and attended Kings Business College in Raleigh. He was hired as a bookkeeper in 1911 by Leonard Tufts, the son of Pinehurst founder James W. Tufts. Tufts incorporated the business in 1920 and made Sledge secretary/treasurer. Over time, Sledge became a key player in the resort’s evolution until his death in 1958.

“An accountant for Pinehurst came to Dad’s funeral and told me if not for my dad, Mr. Tufts wouldn’t have been able to keep Pinehurst after the Depression,” Sledge says. “My dad put together a consortium of banks that enabled Mr. Tufts to continue to operate. When I started to work for the company in 1955, we were still paying off that debt. It was like $150,000 a year, which doesn’t seem like anything today, but it was a lot of money in those days.”

Isham Sledge first lived in an apartment on the second floor of the Department Store Building, which now houses the Villager Deli, the Gentleman’s Corner and other businesses. He bought Elm Cottage on Cherokee Road in 1920 when he married, and the house remained in the family for some 70 years.

Bill Sledge was born in 1931 (he had two older sisters, Nancy and Katherine) and has lived for many years with his wife, Ruby, in their home at Country Club of North Carolina.

“I think the village has done a good job retaining its charm,” Bill Sledge says. “I am sure Robert Dedman makes plenty of money, but they plow so much right back into the property. It’s been amazing to watch. You can’t really change the village. We’ve never allowed any McDonald’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken or any of that sort of thing.”

Leonard Tufts had four children — Richard, James, Albert and Esther. The three boys stayed in Pinehurst and were part of the mid-1900s management team, and their sister lived in New Hampshire. Isham bought Esther’s share of the company after World War II. Bill attended Davidson College and Cornell University and entered the hotel management business. He worked at Pinehurst for about a decade during the latter stages of the Tufts era, which ended in 1970 when Diamondhead bought the resort.

Sledge remembers the great amateur golfer Frank Stranahan coming with his parents every April. The Stranahans owned the Champion Spark Plug Co. in Toledo, Ohio, and their wealth allowed Frank the freedom to travel the country and play the amateur golf circuit. He won the 1949 North & South Amateur over local favorite Harvie Ward, who had beaten Stranahan the previous year.

“We had a three-bedroom suite on the second floor right over the entrance to the hotel,” Sledge says. “The Stranahans would stay a month in April, and the North & South Amateur was always played at that time. Frank loved to lift weights, and this was long before hotels had fitness centers. The bellmen always talked about having to carry Frank’s weights and barbells upstairs.”

Sledge was in college at Davidson when the 1951 Ryder Cup was held at Pinehurst.

“My dad gave me and my best friend a couple of tickets, and so we got to see Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson and Sam Snead

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up close,” he says. “All the great names were here.”

The ’51 Ryder Cup and the North & South Open held immediately afterward were watershed events in the resort’s history. Richard Tufts was running the resort at the time and became disenchanted with the professionals’ demands for higher purses. It aggravated him that half of the United States team that beat Great Britain and Ireland in September of 1951 did not stay in town to play in the North & South, which over its halfcentury existence was considered one of golf’s major championships.

Tufts discontinued the North & South Open and in its place established the North & South Seniors, which started in 1952 and still runs today.

“That was probably the most successful thing Pinehurst ever did under the Tuftses, creating the North & South Seniors,” Sledge says. “That filled the hotels. Not only ours but the Magnolia and Manor and Pine Crest and everything else in town. The golfers brought their wives, and it was a big thing — the golf and the social element. Then a group called the Three Score and Ten started coming the week after the North & South Seniors. That was two weeks of big business.”

After a two-decade hiatus from hosting professional golf events, Pinehurst and the PGA Tour reunited in 1973 with the one-off World Open. The Tour visited Pinehurst for a decade, then returned for the 1991 and ’92 Tour Championships. The dominoes by then were falling toward a relationship with the USGA and a run of four U.S. Opens from 1999 through 2024.

Now Pinehurst has its North & South Seniors and four more U.S. Opens on the calendar.

“It’s turned out pretty well for everyone,” Sledge says. “And to think, there wasn’t a soul in town in July when I was coming along.” PS

Lee Pace has written about the Pinehurst experience for more than three decades from his home in Chapel Hill. Write him at leepace7@gmail.com and follow him @ LeePaceTweet.

October 11 at 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Kevin Estela Beyond the Field

October 14 at 6:00 PM

You walk out of your door and into nature all around you. Birds sing overhead, leaves crinkle under your steps, wind howls through the hills, and you wonder, “What’s next? How can I do more?” You want to go further, see more, and really experience the wild. Beyond the Field gives you the empowering skills you need to make that happen so you can confidently explore and enjoy the wilderness on a whole new level.

Lily King Heart the Lover

November 9 at 2:00 PM

Kimberly Daniels will be in conversation with Lily King, the New York Times bestselling author of Euphoria and Writers & Lovers, to discuss her new novel, Heart the Lover

Books will be available for purchase. You will also have the opportunity to get books autographed by the author.

Patrick Dougherty Sticks

October 25 at 3:00 PM at The Sandhills Horticultural Gardens

One of today’s most admired living sculptors, Patrick Dougherty composes with nature--wielding saplings and sticks to build monumental structures that echo, play, and tussle with the land

Local Author Katrina Denza Burner and Other Stories

November 10 at 6:00 PM at The Weymouth Center

Wrestling with connections and disconnections, highs and lows, and the vagaries of modernity, Burner and Other Stories shows us how we live today.

Little Betsy

A ghost is no good to a child. Maybe he crooks a finger, as if to beckon the girl to play. Maybe he bounds spritely down corridors, into kitchens. But if she hands him a dolly or ball and he reaches with his spectral hand, he cannot clutch the gift, and if his failed grasp surprises him, if the lack of resistance — for everything real resists the touch — unbalances him, his incorporeal fingers might graze the child’s offering hand. What would you call the gooseflesh raised by the frolicsome dead?

There is no joy in it, only a deep well of longing cold, the kind that claws through every crack in the wall.

— Ross White

Ross White is the director of Bull City Press, an independent publisher of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. He is the author of Charm Offensive, winner of the Sexton Prize for Poetry. He teaches creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-hosts The Chapbook, a podcast devoted to tiny, delightful collections. “Little Betsy” is reprinted from The Devil’s Done Come Back (Blair, 2025).

How to Play

1. If this scavenger hunt does nothing more than encourage an exploration of the fascinating history of the Sandhills, we’ll consider it a success. You’ll find yourself trekking across the county, though probably not in need of a survival kit — maybe a full tank of gas. Not many of the destinations are one-offs, so may we suggest a bit of pre-planning to avoid a lot of to-ing and fro-ing? It’s the age of GPS, so you’re going to have to work awfully hard to get lost.

2. Note to selfie. We’ll not require you to pose in front of anything specific at these locales. Use your best judgment. Don’t do anything dangerous or illegal. (That’s our official disclaimer.) All we ask is that we can identify you and the place in question. It’s perfectly all right if you want

to have your trusty companion take the picture for you. After you’ve documented each stop on the tour upload your photo to our gallery at www.pinestrawmag.com/ scavenger. The last chance to submit is midnight Oct. 31.

3. Hail to the victors! If you visit all 14 we’ll salute your accomplishment in PineStraw. Your name will be added to an honor roll that will, undoubtedly, be passed down from generation to generation. Bonfires will be built. Poems will be written. Songs will be sung. There might even be swag. And if you don’t manage them all — or even any of them — but enjoy exploring and learning a little bit along the way, you’ll be a winner in our book.

Thanks for playing!

P hotogra Phs by John gessner & ted Fitzgerald

Bethesda Graveyard

The Old Bethesda Presbyterian Church on Bethesda Road in Aberdeen was founded in 1788 by Highland Scots. The Gothic Revival building, used today mostly for weddings and other special events, was built in 1860 and dedicated in 1862. The congregation, having outgrown Old Bethesda long ago, still meets there once a year in a “homecoming” service on the last Sunday in September. During the Civil War, Sherman’s army camped on the church grounds during its march through North Carolina. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Adjacent to the church is the Bethesda Cemetery, in continual use since the early 1700s. Some of the important historical figures buried there include Aberdeen’s founder, Allison Francis Page (1824-1899), known as the Lumber King, who established the town after buying 14,000 acres of Moore County timberland. The cemetery also contains the tomb of Walter Hines Page (1855-1918), whose journalism career included staff positions at the New York Evening Post and the Atlantic Monthly. He became a partner in Doubleday, Page & Co. publishing a long list of world-class authors, including Rudyard Kipling. During World War I Page was appointed U.S. ambassador to Great Britain by President Woodrow Wilson. Pay your respects.

Our Donald

You can drape your arm around the shoulders of the most prolific golf course architect of the game’s “Golden Age” and grab a sandwich at the same time in the middle of the village of Pinehurst. Raise your hand if you’ve heard all this before: Donald Ross was born in Dornoch, Scotland, in 1872. Encouraged by Harvard astronomy professor Robert W. Willson, he took a job at Oakley Country Club in Massachusetts. In 1900 he was hired by James Walker Tufts to be Pinehurst’s golf professional, where he began his architecture career. Ross is credited with designing over 400 courses. A fine player, he finished eighth in the 1910 British Open and competed in the U.S. Open seven times. His brother Alexander, “Alex,” won the U.S. Open in 1907 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The life-sized version of the Ross statue, sculpted by Gretta Bader, is behind the 18th green of his world-renowned No. 2 course, the site of four U.S. Opens with more to come.

SCC Gardens

Pine Knoll

The majestic Pine Needles Golf Hotel, five stories high with its distinctive Jacobean-Tudor architecture, opened in 1928 and, for an all too brief time, was the “in” place to stay in the Sandhills. The hotel rises behind what was originally the first hole (now the second) of the Donald Ross-designed golf course. The stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression forced it to close. Beginning in early 1942, the Army Air Force Technical Training Command was headquartered there. After World War II the hotel was sold to the Catholic Diocese of North Carolina and reopened in 1948 as the St. Joseph of the Pines Hospital. In 1953 Warren and Peggy Kirk Bell, along with their partners Julius Boros and Frank and Masie Cosgrove, bought the golf course. The old hotel now has 86 independent living apartments owned by St. Joseph of the Pines.

There’s something in bloom every month of the year at the Horticultural Gardens at Sandhills Community College. Regardless of the season, the grounds are a cornucopia of statuary art among its flowering trees and plants. Kim, created by Gary Price, is a statue of a boy holding a bird. He also did Circle of Peace, pictured below. Sleep is an imposing head of carved stone in the Japanese Garden. Sara is a girl with a watering can in the Hackley Garden, also by Gary Price. Ciao Bella, by Mike Roig, depicts a Japanese maple. The Dog Ate My Homework, created by Randolph Rose, is a bronze of a girl and a dog on a bench in the Hoad Children’s Garden. Eric Bruton’s Red Oak is in the Conifer Garden. Karen, another piece by Gary Price, is a statue of a girl stepping toward a creek outside the Succulent Garden. And Dragon Tail is a stainless steel tail rising out of the ground with a mobile of the moon and stars dangling from it, on display in the Conifer Garden.

Tufts Archives

The Tufts Archives, housed in the back room of the Given Memorial Library on the Village Green, is at its core Pinehurst’s history museum. The archives has a complete and unparalleled collection of artifacts, documents and images from the time when the village was nothing more than barren land, through its extraordinary rise to become one of America’s premier golf destinations. On display are items from the Tufts silverplate collection and the American Soda Fountain Company, the source of founder James Walker Tufts’ wealth. You can view china that was in use at the Holly Inn in 1895; holiday menus from the Carolina Hotel; hand-colored postcards, posters and other ephemera; a playing card shot-through by Annie Oakley; dozens of the more than 150,000 historic images (many taken by John G. Hemmer); hundreds of original golf course drawings created by Donald Ross himself in addition to pin flags from many of the courses Ross designed; and thousands of cataloged historic documents. The archives holds the world’s largest collection of Ross memorabilia.

Center of Pinehurst

Hidden on a brick path in a garden area adjacent to the Village Green in Pinehurst is a plaque affixed to a large rock near a bronze sculpture of two children on a bench reading. The plaque commemorates the spot where, in June 1895, James Walker Tufts drove a stake into the ground to mark the center of the new community he was going to build on the 5,800 acres of land he was accumulating in parcels at the cost of roughly $1 per acre. Letters from Tufts written just a few weeks later mention the plans for the village drawn from topographical maps by the New York firm of Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, so it seems likely that in marking the spot he was following the design of the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, whose vision would be executed by Warren H. Manning, an employee of the firm. Manning would later consult on projects for the Rockefeller family in Westchester, New York, and Newport, Rhode Island. He was a driving force in the formation of the American Society for Landscape Architecture.

Poplar Street Entrance

Near the intersection of Fourth and Poplar streets in Aberdeen, a cement gateway of terra-cotta tile and cement marks the entrance that never was.

The “Spanish” structures are all that remain of Montevideo Park, the development envisioned and designed by Harry A. Lewis, J.J. Stroud and W.D. Shannon in the 1920s and ultimately doomed by the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression. The 530-acre project, written about extensively in a 1927 February edition of The Pilot, was to have a four-story Spanish Colonial-style hotel with a tiled roof and 227 guest rooms, a dining room that could seat 1,000, a sunken garden, tennis and croquet courts, a grill room in the basement that included an artificial ice rink that could double as a dance floor (what could go wrong?), riding stables, a golf course designed by Donald Ross’ right-hand man, Frank Maples, 12 miles of streets, private dwellings, a boat club with access to Aberdeen Lake, and gondolas on Aberdeen Creek.

Aberdeen and Rockfish

Aberdeen is your basic two-caboose town. Both are artifacts of the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad. Caboose No. 309 is outside the old Aberdeen train station that houses a museum, while caboose No. 303, for display only, is adjacent to the present day Aberdeen and Rockfish offices, a short line railroad that continues to run freight to Fayetteville. The railroad was built in 1892 by John Blue to get timber and turpentine products to market. In the next 10 years a number of lines were extended and/or abandoned as need be. Passenger service ended in 1949. The Union Station Railroad Museum, open by appointment only, contains artifacts and memorabilia. Built around 1900, the station — listed on the National Register of Historic Places — was designed by T.B. Creel and features Victorian architecture. Caboose No. 309 is renovated and sits on the tracks nearby.

Shaw House

Be honest, you drive by it all the time. Well, it’s time to stop in. The Shaw House is located on its original foundation at the intersection of Morganton Road and what was Pee Dee Road on the edge of Southern Pines. The Pee Dee Road was an ancient Indian trail running south to Cheraw, South Carolina, while Morganton Road provided access to the market town of Fayetteville and the Cape Fear River. Charles C. Shaw, a first-generation Scottish settler, acquired 2,500 acres and built the house around 1820. The date of 1842 on the chimney is thought to have been the year that the front porch and the two attached guest rooms were added. A kitchen was built sometime in the 1920s. One of Charles Shaw’s 12 children, Charles Washington Shaw, inherited the property and became the first mayor of Southern Pines in 1887. The house remained in the Shaw family until it was acquired in 1946 by the newly formed Moore County Historical Association in an effort to ensure its preservation. The house is far more modest than seacoast plantations, its simplicity characteristic of the Scottish families who settled the area. The interior features simple pine furniture, a pair of hand-carved fireplace mantels and early examples of Moore County pottery.

Bellview School

According to a National Park Service registration form dated 1997, the Bellview School, a one-room schoolhouse on the grounds of the Moore County Schools Central Office in Carthage, was in all likelihood one of the 15 Rosenwald schoolhouses built in Moore County between 1918 and 1924. Rosenwald schools, named for the philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, helped fund schools for Black children in the Jim Crow South. Roughly 5,000 Rosenwald schools were built throughout the South in the early 20th century, benefiting over 600,000 students. According to the Park Service form, while the building lacks a number of architectural characteristics common to Rosenwald schools, it is believed to have been the Tory Hill School, a one-teacher schoolhouse built in 1920 east of Robbins. The building was restored and moved to the Moore County Schools Administration grounds in 1974.

Buggy Mural

Painted by Chapel Hill artist Scott Nurkin, the mural in downtown Carthage celebrates the Tyson & Jones Buggy Company. The business, founded in 1850 as a wheelwright shop, was purchased in 1856 by Thomas B. Tyson and Alexander Kelly, the county sheriff. William T. Jones, a freed man, was a talented buggy painter who joined the company in 1857 and quickly became a partner. Born into slavery, Jones was the son of an enslaved woman and her white owner. With the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 the buggy company ceased operation, and Jones was among the many who enlisted in the Confederate Army. He was captured and imprisoned. Using food scraps, Jones began making moonshine for his Union guards. At the end of the war he returned to Carthage substantially wealthier than when he left it. Jones used the money to reinvigorate the buggy company, eventually buying out Kelly. At its height the company employed 100 people and was turning out 3,000 buggies a year. Tyson died in 1893 and Jones in 1910. Tyson’s grandson, Thomas B. Tyson II, ran the business until his death in 1924. Legend has it that Henry Ford visited Carthage, proposing that they use their assembly line to install engines in his new vehicles. The company took a pass. The last buggy was delivered in 1929.

The House in the Horseshoe

Built in 1772 by Philip Alston, the House in the Horseshoe in Glendon was the site of the 1781 battle between British loyalists under the command of David Fanning and patriot militia, called Whigs, headed by Alston. The revolutionaries, camped at the home, were attacked by Fanning’s Tories in retaliation for the grisly murder of Kenneth Black. During the skirmish, Fanning’s forces attempted to set the house on fire by rolling a cart filled with burning straw against it. Alston’s wife, Temperance, emerged with a flag of truce, and her husband was taken prisoner. There was a darker side to Alston. In December 1785 testimony was presented to the state assembly that Alston had murdered one Thomas Taylor. As Taylor had been a Tory and Alston was commanding a corps of militia in the service of the state at the time of Taylor’s death, the committee thought he should not be tried and instead was pardoned by Gov. Richard Caswell. Later, a deep-seated enmity would develop between Alston and George Glascock, a first cousin of George Washington. In 1787 Glascock was murdered, and evidence suggested Alston had ordered an enslaved person, Dave, to commit the crime. Alston was imprisoned for his part in the murder. In 1798, the home was sold to Benjamin Williams, who would become governor of North Carolina from 1799 to 1802 and again in 1807–1808.

Dewberry Café

Once you’re ruled the dewberry universe, what worlds remain to be conquered? The dewberry, as we’ve come to learn, is a somewhat larger and sweeter kissin’ cousin of the blackberry. For reasons unknown to us, it seems to thrive in our sandy soil. The Lucretia dewberry was introduced to Moore County in 1892, and by the early 1900s farmers were bringing crates of them into Cameron for auction and then transport north to Philadelphia or New York and west to Chicago or St. Louis. From 1910-20 somewhere in the ballpark of 60,000 to 90,000 crates of dewberries were shipped annually from Cameron, earning it the designation of “Dewberry Capital of the World” — with all the rights and privileges attached thereunto. One of the privileges is using the name on a little café housed in the downstairs of the Old Hardware Vintage Depot on Carthage Street. You’ll find an old-fashioned soda fountain with stools and a vintage (please don’t touch) jukebox loaded with 45s.

Astronaut Mural

Robbins native Capt. Charles E. Brady Jr., M.D. (1951-2006), flew aboard the shuttle Columbia in 1996 on a 16-day science mission. During that flight, he was one of the first operators of the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment allowing astronauts to talk with ham radio operators around the world. While with NASA, Brady was chief of space station astronaut training before leaving to return to Navy duty. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and the Duke University medical school, Brady was a sports medicine specialist before joining the Navy in 1986 and becoming a flight surgeon. His assignments as a medical officer included duty aboard the aircraft carrier Ranger and serving as flight surgeon for the Blue Angels. In 1998, he had an asteroid named in his honor, officially called Minor Planet (7691) Brady. The mural in Robbins was painted by Elizabethtown’s Hunt Cole and restored in 2016 by Scott Nurkin. PS

In the sweltering late summer of any given year, frenzied and potentially delusional NFL fans wake up thinking this might just be their year. Inside the generally hospitable confines of establishments like Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Baltimore, Chickie’s and Pete’s in Philly and Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon just outside New Orleans, you might even hear someone yell, “Super Bowl!” The story lines and scenarios spun by NFL fans are too numerous, and often too ludicrous, to follow.

In 1925, however, not a single hewer, pitman or digger in the rugged coal country of southeastern Pennsylvania was delirious enough to believe the Pottsville Maroons, just months out of a semi-pro B-League, would play well enough to win the National Football League Championship. But that’s exactly what they did.

The Maroons officially entered the National Football League in September of that year when Dr. John “Doc” Striegel, a local surgeon thought to be a bit on the eccentric side, paid a $500 franchise fee and a $1200 cash guarantee on behalf of the upstart crew from Pennsylvania’s hard coal country to join the league of 20 teams.

The Maroons were on something of a hot streak, having won the title the previous year in the Anthracite League. As if you couldn’t guess from the name, it was essentially a coal miner’s alliance, and the Maroons captured the 1924 title in their one and only year as members.

From 1920-23, even before competing in the Anthracite League, they had been an independent franchise called the Pottsville Eleven. Pottsville was something more than a wide spot in the road, but not much more. It was a town of roughly 20,000 people, many of whom were involved in coal mining after a significant coal seam was discovered there in 1790. King Charles II granted the land that would become Pottsville to William Penn. The town was named after John Pott, who had an anthracite forge there in 1795. Later, in 1829, D.G. Yuengling opened what many people consider to be the oldest brewery in the United States, in Pottsville. So, when you are hoisting a Yuengling Lager on game day, the can or bottle you are drinking from will still list “Pottsville, PA” as the city of origin. And while anthracite coal fell out of favor after World War II, Yuengling is still the beer that makes Pottsville semi-famous.

Modern Pottsville is not an unpleasant place — even charming in an old-school kind of way. Like many aging coal mining towns, there are signs of decline, but Pottsville still has a busy main street with businesses, retail stores and small hoagie shops churning out cheesesteaks, “wit or wittout.” There is little crime. Families thrive. The Yuengling Brewery sits on the side of a hill and continues to be one of the little city’s focal points. And, posted right in the middle of the central business district, is a historical marker that tells the story of the beloved Maroons of the National Football League.

The Maroons got their name in 1924 when Doc Striegel asked Joe Zacko, a local sporting goods store owner, to supply 24 uniforms to upgrade the team’s look. When the order form asked what color he wanted the suits to be, the box was not populated. So, when the outfits arrived in maroon, the team had its name. No Miners, Rocks, Mountaineers, Brewers or anything else — they were the Pottsville Maroons.

Coming off the 1924 Anthracite League Championship, Dick Rauch, the player/coach, knew he had a diverse mixture of skilled players and rugged brawlers on his squad — a combination of good college performers and tough coal miners. But were they good enough to compete at the top tier of football? After all, this was the NFL, even if it was an embryonic NFL.

Many of the Maroon players were locals themselves and typically had second jobs. Some pushed heavy coal carts, others were surveyors or land men for coal companies. Some had professional careers in engineering and dentistry.

Coach Rauch was no joke. Besides being a football player and coach, the Penn State graduate was a noted ornithologist, an electrician, a steelworker and a graduate engineer. He spent his off seasons studying the nesting habits of various birds. He was an accomplished poet and later explored the Antarctic for the U.S. government, studying our frozen feathered friends at the bottom of the world. On the gridiron, he was the first professional football coach to institute daily practices and is credited with inventing the screen pass.

In the early days of the NFL, the building of a team roster was an informal process. Players were often selected from a pool of free agents, mostly on a regional basis, and from colleges close to the team’s base of operation. The wealthier teams could cast a somewhat wider net. There was no formal way of procuring players until 1936, when Philadelphia Eagles owner Bert Bell suggested, and the league unanimously accepted, a method that would become the NFL draft.

In the league’s inaugural draft, the University of Chicago’s Jay Berwanger, the Heisman Trophy winner, was the first pick, chosen by Bell’s Eagles. Instead of playing for Philadelphia, Berwanger opted out, choosing a more stable and safer career — he became a foam rubber salesman.

In their initial NFL season, the Maroons suited up Tony Latone, nicknamed the “Human Howitzer,” a bona fide star of the era. The Chicago Bears’ Red Grange, the “Galloping Ghost,” said of Latone, “For my money, he was the most football player I have ever seen.”

Latone, a player of Lithuanian descent, did not attend college and had worked in the nearby Pennsylvania coal mines beginning at age 11. He later said he was paid $125 for daytime games and $75 for night games, more than he made hauling coal by the ton. Many people regarded him as the most productive rusher during the decade of the ’20s. Bears owner George Halas once commented, “If Latone had gone to college and played college ball, he would certainly have been one of the greatest pro players of all time.”

Charlie Berry, an All-American at Lafayette College, an hour’s drive from Pottsville, played end for the Maroons and led the league in scoring on his way to being named All-Pro. Berry also caught for three major league baseball teams and was an umpire in Major League Baseball’s American League, as well as a head linesman in the NFL for more than 20 years, officiating 12 NFL championship games. In Major League Baseball, he umpired five complete World Series and five All Star Games. In fact, Berry umpired the World Series, officiated an NFL game and worked the College All-Star Game (a long defunct exhibition between col-

lege stars and the NFL champions), all in one year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

Walter French, a West Point grad who had a .303 lifetime batting average with Connie Mack’s world champion Philadelphia Athletics, was a late addition to the backfield for the Maroons and averaged 5.4 yards per carry during the 1925 season. Because of his mobility, French was the perfect complement for the bone-breaking Latone. After his dual careers in football and baseball were over in 1936, French returned to the U.S. Military Academy to coach baseball from 1937-1942. He was a Reserve officer in the Army and after World War II went on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

It was clear Rauch had more than a random band of misfits.

The Maroons were covered by the Pottsville Republican’s young reporter John Henry O’Hara, who would become a star in his own right, later joining the staff of The New Yorker and writing Butterfield 8 and Appointment in Samarra. When they took the field in Minersville Park, a 5,000-seat facility comparable to a modern-day high school stadium, most fans expected their spirited entrance — fueled by the brass of the local high school band — would be the only highlight of their NFL debut. They opened with what was essentially an exhibition game against a team from a Philly suburban neighborhood, Colwin-Darby, and won it, 48-0.

When the regular season ended, the teams with the two best records had not crossed paths. Realizing money had been left on the table, the arrogant and over-confident Chicago Cardinals challenged the Maroons to a season finale, which was immediately billed by the media as the league championship game. The Cardinals never dreamed they could lose. A throng of fans from eastern Pennsylvania accompanied the team to Chicago while others watched the progress on cardboard cut-outs parading across the stage in a Pottsville theater. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “In the face of a driving attack by the Eastern eleven, the Cardinals curled up and were smeared in the snow on the gridiron of Comiskey Park yesterday, 21-7.” The Maroons got off the train in Pottsville and were greeted by a large contingent of celebrating fans. The impossible had happened, and some members of the league apparently didn’t take it well.

As the coal dust cleared, Pottsville finished the league season 10-2-0, the NFL’s best record. As they celebrated their championship with two meaningless exhibition games to end the season (both of which they won), the word got around Pottsville that something was brewing — not at Yuengling but in the dusty NFL offices in Columbus, Ohio.

A week later, the time came for the NFL schedule to start, and there was a noticeable buzz about town. Maroons games were suddenly big events, and as one local put it, “They had taken on the significance of a heavyweight fight.” It was not unusual for Pottsville to draw 10,000 ecstatic fans, half the town’s population and double the capacity of Minersville Park.

The Maroons started their NFL slate with a resounding 28-0 victory over Buffalo, before dropping a sloppy and uninspired 6-0 decision to Providence in their second outing. It was not lost on coach Rauch that the team was one-dimensional and predictable. After adding the elusive French to the roster, Pottsville then shut out its next four opponents. They went into the game with the Frankford Yellow Jackets (forerunners to the Philadelphia Eagles) with a strong 5-1 record but lost ignobly to their natural rival from 100 miles south, 20-0. Rauch rallied his troops and the Maroons won their next seven games, including a 31-0 victory over Curley Lambeau’s legendary Green Bay Packers. During that run, they stunned the Yellow Jackets in a rematch, 49-0.

Playing with the Best author Lenny Wagner writes, “In November of 1925, after the game the Maroons had lost to the Frankford Yellow Jackets, a Philadelphia promoter by the name of Frank Schumann approached the teams proposing that the top NFL team play a post-season exhibition game against the Notre Dame All-Stars, which were led by the famous backfield known as the Four Horsemen. Presumably, the game would be played in Philadelphia. Both owners signed on for the game.

Sheppard H. Royle, president of the Frankford franchise, assuming that the team to play Notre Dame would be his Yellow Jackets, never raised the issue of territory, or anything else. However, on November 29th, the Maroons turned the tables on Frankfort, pummeling them 49-0. After the Maroons beat the Cardinals the following week, in a post-season game arranged by the Chicago team, by a score of 21-7, they were declared the NFL champions and were in line to play Notre Dame at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. It was at that point that Royle made a protest to the league, which was backed by then-commissioner Joe Carr, and the other owners.”

What would happen following the Notre Dame game would be

Charlie Berry

devastating to the Maroons and their faithful. The AllStars comprised the bulk of Norwegian-born coach Knute Rockne’s unbeaten ’24 team famously nicknamed the “Four Horsemen and the Seven Mules,” considered by some to be the greatest college team ever assembled. The game was to be played at Shibe Park, later named Connie Mack Stadium, home of the Phillies and Athletics, and the birthplace of Philly’s legendary penchant for booing.

But there were few boos on that day. The exhibition was expected to draw a large crowd of more than 10,000, which it did. The Maroons won the game 9-6, behind former Penn State fullback, Barney Wentz, and an opportunistic defense. Charlie Berry kicked a field goal to give the Maroons a lead they never relinquished. The victory, along with exhibition wins over ColwynDarby and the Atlantic City Roses, made the Maroons overall season record 13-2-0.

Things came apart rather quickly after the Notre Dame game when the commissioner of the league, Joe Carr, a former sportswriter who some later called “the Father of Professional Football,” ruled that Pottsville had never gotten permission to play the game in Philly and was infringing on Frankford’s territorial rights, essentially playing an unauthorized exhibition game, even though there was no clear prohibition in any franchise agreement. Carr not only stripped away the NFL title and awarded it to the Chicago Cardinals, but also suspended the Maroons from the league entirely and fined them $500. In any event, the Chicago-St. Louis-Arizona Cardinals have the trophy in their case. And no number of protests, political maneuvers or prods have been able to pry it loose.

Some people believe the Cardinals — the oldest team in professional football, founded in 1898 — to this day carry a curse related to their stolen championship, but there are lots of takes on the subject.

“It’s just not right,” said Steelers owner Dan Rooney. “When you are talking about the birthplace of professional football, you are talking about Pennsylvania, you’re talking about the Maroons.”

Red Grange, one of the greatest players of all time, said, “The Pottsville Maroons were the most ferocious and respected players I ever faced. You know, I always thought the Maroons won the NFL championship in 1925. They were robbed.” He promoted the Maroon’s championship throughout his life.

The Maroons never got their day in court, much less a judg-

ment in their favor. And the court of public opinion in a small coal mining town didn’t matter all that much to the elitist big city power brokers of the NFL.

Despite their championship run in 1925, and a respectable 1926 season, the Maroons never again amounted to much. Players moved on, and opposing teams got stronger. They relocated to Boston in 1929 and became the Boston Bulldogs before Depression-related financial pressure forced them out of business at the end of that season. In Boston, they played their games at Braves Field, where Warren Spahn started his career and Babe Ruth ended his. The Boston Bulldogs were the first of several franchises that attempted to set up shop in Boston, without success. Not until the Boston/New England Patriots pitched their tent in 1960 did a professional football team establish itself in New England.

According to his great niece, the Maroons’ colorful owner, Doc Striegel, died in 1969 in the bar of the Flamingo Hotel in Philadelphia, on his feet, pouring himself a drink. He was one day shy of his 84th birthday. Minersville Park is long gone with the King’s Village Shopping Center sitting on its former site along Route 901.

In 1925, the NFL was ruled by a czar in a small office in Ohio, influenced by powerful team owners. There was no way a bunch of coal miners from Pottsville was going to put an NFL Championship trophy in their building, if they even had a building.

The Maroons’ title was lost on a shaky technicality in what would become the biggest and most powerful league in one of the most popular sports on the planet. There were no controversial plays. No clandestine activities. No deflated balls. No ineligible players. It was more about money, greed and elitism.

The NFL may have given the trophy to Chicago — and the cursed and hapless Cardinals will likely never give it up — but as far as the city of Pottsville is concerned, the Maroons are still champions. Their beloved team won the 1925 NFL Championship on the field by virtue of having the best record in the National Football League. That much cannot be disputed and can never be taken away.  PS

Ron Johnson is a freelance writer who resides in Pinehurst. He is a native of New Orleans and a Philadelphia Eagles fan. He can be reached at ronjonson@gmail.com.

the Coffin

Fiction by r ay bradbury

illustration by M ariano santillan

THERE WAS ANY AMOUNT of banging and hammering for a number of days; deliveries of metal parts and oddments which Mr. Charles Braling took into his little workshop with a feverish anxiety. He was a dying man; a badly dying man and he seemed to be in a great hurry between racking coughs and spittlings, to piece together one last invention.

“What are you doing?” inquired his younger brother, Richard Braling. He had listened with increasing difficulty and much curiosity for a number of days to that banging and rattling about, and now stuck his head through the work-room door.

“Go far far away and let me alone,” said Charles Braling, who was seventy, trembly and wet-lipped most of the time. He trembled nails into place and trembled a hammer down with a weak blow upon a large timber and then struck a small metal ribbon down into an intricate machine, and, all in all, was having a carnival of labor.

Richard looked on, bitter-eyed, for a long moment. There was a hatred between them. It had gone on for some years and now was neither any better or any worse for the fact that Charlie was dying. Richard was delighted to know of the impending death, if he thought of it at all. But all this busy fervor of his old brother’s stimulated him.

“Pray tell,” he said, not moving from the door.

“If you must know,” snarled old Charles, fitting in an odd thingumabob on the box before him. “I’ll be dead in another week and I’m — I’m building my own coffin!”

“A coffin, my dear Charlie. That doesn’t look like a coffin. A coffin isn’t that complex. Come on now, what are you up to?”

“I tell you it’s a coffin! An odd coffin, yes, but nevertheless,” the old man shivered his fingers around in the large box, “nevertheless a coffin!”

“But it would be easier to buy one.”

“Not one like this! You couldn’t buy one like this any place, ever. Oh, it’ll be a real fine coffin, all right.”

“You’re obviously lying.” Richard moved forward. “Why, that coffin is a good twelve feet long. Six feet longer than normal size!”

“Oh, yes?” The old man laughed quietly.

“And that transparent top; who ever heard of a coffin lid you can see through? What good is a transparent lid to a corpse?”

“Oh, just never you mind at all,” sang the old man heartily. “La!” And he went humming and hammering about the shop.

“This coffin is terribly thick,” shouted the young brother over the din. “Why, it must be over five feet thick; how utterly unnecessary!”

“I only wish I might live to patent this amazing coffin,” said old Charlie. “It would be a god-send to all the poor peoples of the world. Think how it would eliminate the expenses of most funerals. Oh, but, of course, you don’t know how it would do that, do you? How silly of me. Well, I shan’t tell you. If this coffin could be mass-produced — expensive at first, naturally — but then when

you finally got them made in vast quantities, gah, but the money people would save.”

“To hell with you!” And the younger brother stormed out of the shop.

It had been an unpleasant life. Young Richard had always been such a bounder he never had two coins to clink together at one time; all of his money had come from old brother Charlie, who had the indecency to remind him of it at times. Richard spent many hours with his hobbies; he dearly loved piling up bottles with French wine labels, in the garden. “I like the way they glint,” he often said, sitting and sipping, sipping and sitting. He was the only man in the county who could hold the longest grey ash on a fifty cent cigar for the longest recorded time. And he knew how to hold his hands so his diamonds jangled in the light. But he had not bought the wine, the diamonds, the cigars — no! They were all gifts. He was never allowed to buy anything himself. It was always brought to him and given to him. He had to ask for everything, even writing paper. He considered himself quite a martyr to have put up with taking things from that rickety old brother for so long a time. Everything Charlie ever laid his hand to turned to money; everything Richard had ever tried in the way of a leisurely career had failed.

And now, here was this old mole of a Charlie whacking out a new invention which would probably bring Charlie additional specie long after his bones were slotted in the earth!

Well, two weeks passed.

One morning the old brother toddled upstairs and stole the insides out of the electric phonograph. Another morning he raided the gardener’s greenhouse. Still another time he received a delivery from a medical company. It was all young Richard could do to sit and hold his long grey cigar ash steady while these murmuring excursions took place.

“I’m finished!” cried old Charlie on the fourteenth morning, and dropped dead.

Richard finished out his cigar, and, without showing his inner excitement, he laid down his cigar with its fine long whitish ash, two inches long, a real record, and arose.

He walked to the window and watched the sunlight playfully glittering among the fat beetle-like champagne bottles in the garden.

He looked toward the top of the stairs where old dear brother Charlie lay peacefully sprawled against the banister. Then he walked to the phone and perfunctorily dialed a number.

“Hello, Green Lawn Mortuary? This is the Braling residence. Will you send around a wicker, please? Yes. For Brother Charlie. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.”

As the mortuary people were taking brother Charles out in their wicker they received instructions. “Ordinary casket,” said young Richard. “No funeral service. Put him in a pine coffin. He would have preferred it that way — simple. Good bye.”

“Now!” said Richard, rubbing his hands together. “We shall see about this ‘coffin’ built by dear Charlie. I do not suppose he will

realize he is not being buried in his ‘special’ box. Ah.”

He entered the downstairs shop.

The coffin sat before some wide-flung French windows, the lid shut complete and neat, all put together like the fine innards of a Swiss watch. It was vast, and it rested upon a long long table with rollers beneath for easy maneuvering.

The coffin interior, as he peered through the glass lid, was six feet long. There must be a good three feet of false body at both head and foot of the coffin, then. Three feet at each end which, covered by secret panels that he must find some way of opening, might very well reveal — exactly what?

Money, of course. It would be just like Charlie to suck his riches into his grave with himself, leaving Richard with not a cent to buy a bottle with. The old bastard!

He raised the glass lid and felt about, but found no hidden buttons. There was a small sign studiously inked on white paper, thumbtacked to the side of the satin lined box. It said:

THE BRALING ECONOMY CASKET. Copyright, April, 1946.

Simple to operate. Can be used again and again by morticians and families with an eye to the future.

Richard snorted thinly. Who did Charlie think he was fooling?

There was more writing:

DIRECTIONS: SIMPLY PLACE BODY IN COFFIN.

What a fool thing to say. Put body in coffin! Naturally! How else would one go about it? He peered intently and finished out the directions:

SIMPLY PLACE BODY IN COFFIN—AND MUSIC WILL START.

“It can’t be —” Richard gaped at the sign. “Don’t tell me all this work has been for a —” He went to the open door of the shop, walked out upon the tiled terrace and called to the gardener in his green-house. “Rogers!” The gardener stuck his head out. “What time is it?” asked Richard. “Twelve o’clock, sir,” replied Rogers.

“Well, at twelve fifteen, you come up here and check to see if everything is all right, Rogers,” said Richard.

“Yes, sir,” said the gardener. Richard turned and went back into the shop. “We’ll find out —” he said, quietly.

There would be no harm in lying in the box, testing it. He noticed small ventilating holes in the sides. Even if the lid were closed down there’d be air. And Rogers would be up in a moment or two. SIMPLY PLACE BODY IN COFFIN-AND MUSIC WILL START. Really, how naïve of old Charlie! Richard hoisted himself up.

He was like a man getting into a bath-tub. He felt naked and watched over. He put one shiny shoe into the coffin and crooked his knee and eased himself up and made some little remark to nobody in particular, then he put in his other knee and foot and crouched there, as if undecided about the temperature of the bath-water. Edging himself about, chuckling softly, he lay down, pretending to himself (for it was fun pretending) that he was dead, that people were dropping tears on him, that candles were

fuming and illuminating and that the world was stopped in midstride because of his passing. He put on a long pale expression, shut his eyes, holding back the laughter in himself behind pressed, quivering lips. He folded his hands and decided they felt waxen and cold.

Whirr. Spung! Something whispered inside the box-wall. Spung! The lid slammed down on him!

From outside, if one had just come into the room, one would have imagined a wild man was kicking, pounding, blathering, and shrieking inside a closet! There was a sound of a body dancing and cavorting. There was a thudding of flesh and fists. There was a squeaking and a kind of wind from a frightened man’s lungs. There was a rustling like paper and a shrilling as of many pipes simultaneously played. Then there was a real fine scream. Then — silence.

Richard Braling lay in the coffin and relaxed. He let loose all his muscles. He began to chuckle. The smell of the box was not unpleasant. Through the little perforations he drew more than enough air to live on, comfortably. He need only push gently up with his hands, with none of this kicking and screaming and the lid would open. One must be calm. He flexed his arms.

The lid was locked.

Well, still there was no danger. Rogers would be up in a minute or two. There was nothing to fear.

The music began to play.

It seemed to come from somewhere inside the head of the coffin. It was green music. Organ music, very slow and melancholy, typical of Gothic arches and long black tapers. It smelled of earth and whispers. It echoed high between stone walls. It was so sad that one almost cried listening to it. It was music of potted plants and crimson and blue stained glass windows. It was late sun at twilight and a cold wind blowing. It was a dawn with only fog and a far away fog-horn moaning.

“Charlie, Charlie, Charlie, you old fool you! So this is your odd coffin!” Tears of laughter welled into Richard’s eyes. Nothing more than a coffin which plays its own dirge. Oh, my sainted Grandma!”

He lay and listened critically, for it was beautiful music and there was nothing he could do until Rogers came up and let him out. His eyes roved aimlessly, his fingers tapped soft little rhythms on the satin cushions. He crossed his legs idly. Through the glass lid he saw sunlight shooting through the French windows, dust particles dancing on it. It was a lovely blue day.

The sermon began.

The organ music quieted and a gentle voice said:

“We are gathered together, those who loved and those who knew the deceased, to give him our homage and our due —”

“Charlie, bless you, that’s your voice!” Richard was delighted. “A mechanical funeral, by God. Organ music and lecture. And Charlie giving his own oration for himself!”

The soft voice said, “We who knew and loved him are grieved at the passing of —”

“What was that?” Richard raised himself, startled. He didn’t quite believe what he had heard. He repeated it to himself just the way he had heard it:

“We who knew and loved him are grieved at the passing of Richard Braling.”

That’s what the voice had said.

“Richard Braling,” said the man in the coffin. “Why, I’m Richard Braling.

A slip of the tongue, naturally. Merely a slip. Charlie had meant to say “Charles” Braling. Certainly. Yes. Of course. Yes. Certainly. Yes. Naturally. Yes.

“Richard was a fine man,” said the voice, talking on. “We shall see no finer in our time.”

“My name again!”

Richard began to move about uneasily in the coffin. Why didn’t Rogers come?

It was hardly a mistake, using that name twice. Richard Braling. Richard Braling. We are gathered here. We shall miss — We are grieved. No finer man. No finer in our time. We are gathered here. The deceased. Richard Braling. Richard Braling. Whirrrr. Spung!

Flowers! Six dozen bright blue, red, yellow, sun-brilliant flowers leaped up from behind the coffin on concealed springs!

The sweet odor of fresh cut flowers filled the coffin. The flowers swayed gently before his amazed vision, tapping silently on the glass lid. Others sprang up until the coffin was banked with petals and color and sweet odors. Gardenias and dahlias and daffodils, trembling and shining.

“Rogers!”

The sermon continued.

“Richard Braling, in his life, was a connoisseur of great and good things —” The music sighed, rose and fell, distantly.

“Richard Braling savored of life, as one savors of a rare wine, holding it upon the lips —”

A small panel in the side of the box flipped open. A swift bright metal arm snatched out. A needle stabbed Richard in the thorax, not very deeply. He screamed. The needle shot him full of a colored liquor before he could seize it. Then it popped back into a receptacle and the panel snapped shut.

“Rogers!”

A growing numbness. Suddenly he could not move his fingers or his arms or turn his head. His legs were cold and limp.

“Richard Braling loved beautiful things. Music. Flowers,” said the voice.

“Rogers!”

This time he did not scream it. He could only think it. His tongue was motionless in his anaesthetized mouth.

Another panel opened. Metal forceps issued forth on steel arms. His left wrist was pierced by a huge sucking needle.

His blood was being drained from his body.

He heard a little pump working somewhere.

“Richard Braling will be missed among us —”

The organ sobbed and murmured.

The flowers looked down upon him, nodding their brightpetalled heads.

Six candles, black and slender, rose up out of hidden receptacles, and stood behind the flowers, flickering and glowing.

Another pump started to work. While his blood drained out one side of his body, his right wrist was punctured, held, a needle shoved into it, and the second pump began to force formaldehyde into him.

Pump, pause, pump, pause, pump, pause, pump, pause.

The coffin moved.

A small motor popped and chugged. The room drifted by on either side of him. Little wheels revolved. No pallbearers were necessary. The flowers swayed as the casket moved gently out upon the terrace under a blue clear sky.

Pump, pause. Pump, pause.

“Richard Braling will be missed —”

Sweet soft music.

Pump, pause.

“Ah, sweet mystery of life, at last —” Singing.

“Braling, the gourmet —”

“Ah, at last I have the secret of it all —”

Staring, staring, his eyes egg-blind, at the little card out of the corners of his eyes: The Braling Economy Casket . . .

DIRECTIONS: SIMPLY PLACE BODY IN COFFIN—AND MUSIC WILL START.

A tree swung by overhead. The coffin rolled gently through the garden, behind some bushes, carrying the voice and the music with it.

“Now it is the time when we must consign this part of this man to the earth —”

Little shining spades leaped out of the sides of the casket.

They began to dig.

He saw the spades toss up dirt. The coffin settled. Bumped, settled, dug, bumped and settled, dug, bumped and settled again.

Pulse, pause, pulse, pause. Pump, pause, pulse, pump, pause.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust —”

The flowers shook and jolted. The box was deep. The music played.

The last thing Richard Braling saw was the spading arms of the Braling Economy Casket reaching up and pulling the hole in after it.

“Richard Braling, Richard Braling, Richard Braling, Richard Braling, Richard Braling . . . “

The record was stuck.

Nobody minded. Nobody was listening. PS

Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) is the author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. “The Coffin” was originally published in Dark Carnival, a collection of Bradbury’s short stories, and is reprinted by permission of Don Congdon Associates, Inc. Copyright (c) 1947, renewed in 1975 by Ray Bradbury.

Age Has its Privileges

A surprise around every corner

By DeBorah Salomon

Photogra PhS By John geSSner

Looks can be deceiving: The white cottage set back from a street bordering Pinehurst village appears well-maintained but of modest size, featuring two bay windows but few exterior bells and whistles. Open the front door, though, and wow. To the left, parlor No. 1, with startling pewter-brownish walls, stark white woodwork and a sofa strewn with pillows in an abstract yellow print. To the right, parlor No. 2, morphed into an overflow bedroom. At 2,350 square feet, small this cottage is not.

Knotty pine original and reclaimed floorboards, randomly laid, brilliantly polished, add character and continuity throughout. Admire the carved mantels, heavy paneled

doors and the 9-foot ceilings. There’s even a basement and an unfinished attic.

Built in 1896 by the Tufts family — simultaneously with the Carolina Hotel and Holly Inn — and enlarged tenderly through the years, it was one of a dozen homes intended for purchase or as long-term rentals. At various times it has been christened Eureka and Juniper.

Let’s just call it a cottage with benefits, a dwelling that has aged like a fine cabernet.

Its current owners fit the mold of New Age Pinehurst retirees — youngish, athletic, well-traveled, sociable, adventurous, rushing home from pickleball to meet friends in the village for supper, maybe a concert.

Matt and Pat Ryan — he an attorney, she a nurse advocate — have at various stages lived in a five-story 1864 row house in Baltimore’s Old Town and in a New Jersey Tudor, with a winter getaway in Key West on the side.

With their two sons grown and retirement looming, they sought a primary residence somewhere reasonably warm and certainly fun, preferably a turnkey property needing only cosmetic work. Matt was traveling south on Amtrak in the early 2020s. He had played golf in Pinehurst but wasn’t familiar with its environs, or its possibilities. The train was delayed, so he looked around.

“I called Pat, said we should look here and asked her to fly down,” he says. They contacted a Realtor. When nothing in Southern Pines clicked they moved on to Pinehurst.

“Then this house pops up,’’ Pat recalls. “I fell in love with the location, with the magnolias. When I walked in I could feel the energy, the vibes.”

They purchased the cottage in May 2021. There was only one problem: It required a total update. Walls were moved, rooms repurposed. This wasn’t Pat’s first rodeo. Confidence and a good contractor make a difference. The project took about a year.

The new floor plan hops, skips and jumps in a delightful fashion, with areas connected by tiny corridors. Somehow they left intact three sunny alcoves for chatting with guests over coffee or something more exotic. One alcove, beside the stark black and white kitchen, is wallpapered in a deep maroon, densely patterned paper coordinating with an L-shaped upholstered settee, vaguely Eastern European, which hugs the wall. That stark black and white kitchen is softened by an exposed weathered brick chimney that adds contrast to the enormous Wolff gas range.

Nearby, a breezy pastel sunroom has a daybed for overflow. On the patio, in addition to the grill, stands a Carolina Cooker: a self-heating iron cauldron filled with boiling liquid where, Pat says, guests toss in crab legs, lobster, corn — all manner of edibles — then whack them open with heavy utensils when they’re done. Less dramatic entrees are served at a polished dining room table with matching chairs and china cabinet reminiscent of Sunday dinner circa-1950s.

Furnishings and art are derived from the couple’s previous residences. The word “eclectic” is insufficient to describe a décor where nothing quite matches but everything works together. “My purpose was to preserve and re-gentrify,” Pat says. To that, add a surprise around every corner.

Pat may be finished for now, but she’s already daydreaming about a staircase to the attic to accommodate younger family members. And there’s still plenty to do in the gardens.

But first let’s walk over to that new bistro in the village . . . PS

Life

starts all over again when

ALMANAC October

By a Shley Wal She

October is an ancient oak, quiet and delighted.

“Come, sit with me,” he whispers gleefully. “We’re nearly to the best part.”

The air is ripe with mischief and mystery. Can you smell the soil shifting? Feel the seasons turning in your bones?

Come, now. Rest at the roots of the mighty oak. Press your back against the furrowed bark and listen.

Goldenrod glows in the distance. Blackgum and sourwood blush crimson. A roost of crows howls of imminent darkness.

“Of course,” breathes the oak, hushed and peaceful. “But the darkness only sweetens the light.”

As a swallowtail sails across the crisp blue sky, birch leaves tremble on slender limbs; a crow shrieks of wet earth and swan songs.

You close your eyes, feel the vibration of sapsucker rapping upon sturdy trunk.

“Do you feel that?” you ask the oak.

“I feel everything,” he murmurs.

When you open your eyes, the colors are different. The green has been stripped from poplar and maple, reds and yellows made luminous by the autumn sun.

At once, the great oak shakes loose a smattering of acorns.

“Watch this,” he softly chuckles, sending the gray squirrels scurrying.

A sudden rush of wind sends a shiver down your spine. Leaves descend in all directions, wave after fluttering wave, in kaleidoscopic glory.

The goldenrod is fading. The sunlight, too. The swallowtail, gone with the wind.

it gets crisp in the fall. — F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Things are getting good now,” smiles the oak, his mottled leaves gently rustling.

You sense your own soil shifting. Feel the sweet ache of new beginnings. Let yourself drop into ever deepening stillness.

Soup’s On

It’s winter squash season. As the autumn days shift from crisp to chilling, what could be sweeter — or more savory — than roasted delicata, cinnamon-laced and fork tender? Acorn squash tart with maple, ricotta and walnuts? Cream of squash soup (butternut or kabocha) served with a crispy hunk of sourdough?

And let’s not forget pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) mania. It’s all here. Enjoy!

Center of the Cosmos

Until the first frost arrives — weeks or days or blinks from now — delicate blossoms sway on tall, slender stems, brightening the garden with color and whimsy.

Hello, cosmos.

One of October’s birth flowers (marigold, the other), cosmos are said to symbolize harmony and balance, their orderly petals having inspired their genus name. Native to Mexico, this daisy-like annual thrives in hot, dry climes. It’s the traditional flower for a second wedding anniversary gift and, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, was once thought to attract fairies to the garden.

Could be true. Just look how the butterflies take to them. PS

Restaurant Guide

Whether you’re looking for an intimate date night or a place to feed the whole family, take a peek at some of the best dishes and ambience that our neighborhood has to offer.

WHERE MODERN LUXURY MEETS THE CHARM OF THE VILLAGE

Tucked away in the middle of Pinehurst Village, The Seven 27 Lounge blends big-city sophistication with southern charm.

Created as an upscale cocktail destination, the lounge pairs sleek style with the warmth and intimacy of a neighborhood gathering place.

Named for the founder’s hometown area code in St. Petersburg, Florida, Seven 27 draws inspiration from vibrant nightlife scenes across the country while staying true to Pinehurst’s warm, close-knit spirit. Guests enjoy expertly crafted cocktails in a space designed for connection, where modern elegance meets timeless hospitality. A hidden gem for locals and travelers alike, The Seven 27 Lounge offers an experience unlike anything else in the Sandhills.

Roast Farm to Table Sandwich Market, owned and operated by Executive Chef Matt Delle, serves up creative, unique, gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups and deserts like you never had before.

Roast is a scratch kitchen - from roasted meats all the way to fermented sriracha. Passionate about using fresh ingredients from North Carolina farms and local vegetables in season, Delle is committed to never use preservatives, meats with antibiotics and hormones, GMO’s and ingredients of which have you never heard.

Thai Crunch Salad

Skinny Dixie Chick Sandwich

Rebel BBQ Sandwich

SEAFOOD SHACK & COUNTRY KITCHEN

Coast, Chef Matt Delle’s newest restaurant, is an American “Mom & Pop” family seafood restaurant located in Vass, NC.

The restaurant’s mission is to offer genuine, sincere Southern hospitality and mouth-watering coastal dishes in a casual, fun, and clean atmosphere.

Coast aims to serve as a gathering place for the community— just like in the days of old. The business is deeply rooted in local values, relationships, and a commitment to service.

From their family to yours, the team at Coast strives to serve the best seafood with a side of home.

“God Bless this Country, Our Troops and Our Community.” - Chef Matt Delle

Low Country Boil

Fresh Oysters

Grilled North Carolina Swordfish

Calabash Seafood Basket

AWARD WINNING STEAKS AND SO MUCH MORE

Beefeaters is a cherished Southern Pines landmark that has stood the test of time. For over 25 years, this beloved establishment has been serving up mouthwatering steaks, burgers, seafood, salads and nightly specials that keep diners coming back for more. Owner Will Faircloth is deeply committed to food quality, never compromising it for cost. He upholds rigorous standards for every cut of beef and ensures that the cooking process delivers a consistently exceptional steakhouse experience. Come discover why Beefeaters has been voted Best Steak for 10 Years in a row!

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND BRUNCH SERVED FRESH & LOCAL

Located along Midland Road, community and comfort come together at Midland Bistro. With a menu built on fresh, local ingredients and the best of each season, this cozy breakfast and lunch spot has become a cherished gathering place. More than just a meal, it’s a welcoming experience that captures the heart of Southern Pines.

Mike McBrayer, Owner

Lemon Berry Waffle

Lobster Bisque & Salad

Nestled within Pinehurst Sandmines, home of course No. 10 and future home of course No. 11, Station 21 offers an inspired Southwestern Grill concept in a beautifully constructed rustic interior. Enjoy plentiful and comfortable outdoor seating that overlooks the putting practice area and views of the first tee and third green of course 10.

Artfully crafted dishes such as Stuffed Poblano Peppers, Smoked Brisket Tacos, Peach Orchard Salad, Texas Hill Country Quail Knots, Carne Asada, Tamales, and Chilaquiles make up just part of this unique menu, while the bar features a meticulously curated beverage offering that embraces the essence of the Southwest.

At Chapman’s Food and Spirits, you’ll find delicious chefdriven, American fare in a comfortable, casual atmosphere. Enjoy unique spins on fresh, homemade comfort food while sipping on cocktails out on the patios in downtown Southern Pines. The kitchen produces a variety of specials along with their popular classics, such as the Ultimate Burger or their wicked good Crawfish Fries.

PREMIER THAI FUSION AT MIDLAND COUNTRY CLUB

Table on the Green offers culinary excellence within the tranquil beauty of a golf course setting. As Pinehurst’s premier dining destination, this restaurant beautifully marries classic American cuisine with the exotic flavors of Thailand, creating a unique and memorable dining experience. The warm and inviting ambiance of Table on the Green reflects their commitment to making every guest feel at home. The diverse menu includes many vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Their catering services extend the same quality and care to your special events. Discover a haven where elegance meets flavor, and where every meal is a celebration of culinary artistry.

NOURISH YOUR SOUL AND THE COMMUNITY

Family owned, Elliotts on Linden, showcases expertly crafted dishes made with regional and seasonal ingredients. Being ingrained in the community and utilizing our North Carolina produce is what makes Elliotts - Elliotts!

With a seasonal menu and a variety of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, you’ll always have a reason to dine. Enjoy a craft cocktail from our bar or pair a bottle of hand selected wine with your meal.

Elliotts on Linden is the dining experience for all occasions, anniversary, birthday, celebration, or - just because! A great meal with great friends nourishes the soul and community.

Barrel Aged Cocktail

Magret Duck

Seafood Tower

Fish Feature

Satisfy your cravings at Embers BBQ, where smoked meats are the star of the show. Indulge in their tender, fall-off-the-bone spareribs, slow-cooked pulled pork and chicken, and mouthwatering, madeto-order smoked burgers. Brisket lovers can get their fix Tuesday through Saturday. Homemade sides like rich mac-n-cheese or creamy potato salad complete the meal.

Passionate about his BBQ, Chef/Owner David Bungarz got his start helping his father in the pits from a young age. David has the uncanny ability to create “melt in your mouth” homemade dishes at affordable prices.

Whether you’re a local or just visiting, Embers BBQ invites you to roll up your sleeves, dig in and experience true southern BBQ, served fresh every day. Let’s Eat and Be Happy Together.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Smoked Chicken Wings

Mac & Cheese

The Brisket Smash Burger

Smoked Brisket

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE

IN MOORE COUNTY

Discover the vibrant flavors of Mexico at Casa Santa Ana, the most authentic Mexican restaurant in Moore County, North Carolina. Family-owned and proudly serving the community for 11 years, we have two convenient locations, Seven Lakes and Pinehurst.

At Casa Santa Ana, every dish is freshly prepared daily to deliver the bold, traditional tastes that make Mexican cuisine unforgettable. From sizzling fajitas to savory enchiladas, every bite will transport you straight to Mexico.

Don’t miss our signature margaritas, served in generous 16-ounce glasses and guaranteed to delight your senses. Whether you’re joining us for a casual lunch, a relaxing evening dinner, or a special group gathering, Casa Santa Ana is the perfect destination.

Let us cater your next event with our authentic flavors that are sure to impress. Visit us today and experience the warmth, hospitality, and deliciousness that define Casa Santa Ana!

Burrito Funbibos

Quesadilla Mexicana

Churros

Pinehurst Location

Cochinita Pibaa

MORE THAN MEETS THE COUNTER

New York Butcher Shoppe in Southern Pines is known for its Certified Angus Beef and top quality meats, but they also have homemade prepared entrees and sides crafted with the same care expected from a favorite local restaurant.

For owner Will Clark, opening a New York Butcher Shoppe in Southern Pines meant creating a place for the community to gather around great food. Will honed his experience with the brand in South Carolina, but his longtime dream was to open a franchise in the Pinehurst area, where his family has lived for more than half a century.

From grab-n-go meals like lasagna and beef stroganoff to curated wines and desserts, the goal is to make dinner at home as simple as it is delicious. In addition to their signature hot meals, they offer different specials each week. Weekly specials are posted on social media.

Stop by New York Butcher Shoppe and discover why this new neighborhood staple is quickly redefining what a butcher shop can be.

arts & entertainment

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.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1

GLASS PUMPKIN PATCH. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Explore thousands of glass pumpkins handblown by local artisans. All proceeds benefit educational arts programming. Open Monday - Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., while supplies last. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2

EDUCATIONAL TRAINING. 11 a.m.12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can come for educational training exploring a topic related to geriatric health. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TAG SALE AND RAFFLE. 2 - 5 p.m. Shop the White Elephant Tag Sale and Raffle for gently used furniture, art, household items, jewelry, toys, sports equipment, home baked goods and more. There will be raffle prizes and a silent auction. The tag sale continues on Oct. 3 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Oct. 4 from 8 - 11 a.m. Proceeds benefit Sacred Heart Church Ministries and Moore County charitable organizations. Event sponsored by Women of Sacred Heart and the Knights of Columbus. Founders Hall, N.C. 211 and Dundee Road, Pinehurst. Info (910) 295-0704.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3

ANTIQUE FAIR. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy shopping from over 100 vendors during the annual Cameron Antique Fair. Cameron Historic District, 485 Carthage St., Cameron. Info: www.townofcameron.com.

LUNCH BUNCH. 11:30 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to dine on different cuisines each month at area restaurants. Carpool with friends or meet at the restaurant. Dining locations will be

Highland Games

Friday, October 3 - 5 John Blue House, Laurinburg

chosen the week before. Info: (910) 692-7376.

OPENING RECEPTION. 5 - 7 p.m. “A Celebration of Watercolor” exhibit features the work of local artists. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: www.artistleague.org.

FIRST FRIDAY. 5 - 9 p.m. Bearly Dead performs in this free concert series on the greenspace, Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater. com.

HIGHLAND GAMES. 5:30 p.m. The weekend kicks off with the Highland Fling, which is free and open to the public. The games continue through Oct. 5 with multiple demonstrations and activities. John Blue House, 13040 X-Way Road, Laurinburg. Info: www.carolinahighlandgames.com.

GALA. 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Experience the joy of exceptional music during the Carolina Philharmonic’s annual gala to support music education. There will be an open bar, buffet

and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $175 per person. Pinehurst Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www.carolinaphil.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4

HORSE EVENT. All day. War Horse Eventing Series. There will be approximately 300 riders. The event runs through Oct. 5. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

AUTUMNFEST. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Enjoy food, live music and entertainment during the 45th annual AutumnFest. Downtown, 145 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

STORYTIME. 10:15 a.m. Saturday Storytime is the once-a-month program for children from birth to age 5. Come for stories, songs, rhymes and smiles where caregivers and young children can interact and explore the fun of language and early literacy. There are space constraints for this indoor story time. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

FAMILY FUN SERIES. 5 - 6 p.m. Enjoy the BPAC family fun series for ages 5 and up featuring Reggie Rice. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Big Dumb Hick performs live. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5

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.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6

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.

CLASSICAL CONCERT. 7:30 - 9 p.m. The Arts Council’s classical concert series and Vivian R. Jacobson present pianist Seth Weinstein in a very special concert to open the series. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills. com.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DINING IN THE PINES. 6 - 9 p.m. Dining in the Pines is the Moore Free and Charitable Clinic’s long-running annual fundraising event. Enjoy a dinner from Wolcott’s. Cost is $175 per person. There will be an additional dinner on Oct. 21. Wolcott’s, 160 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. moorefreecare.org.

CONCERT. 7 - 10 p.m. Duane Betts and

Palmetto Motel perform. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www. sunrisetheater.com.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8

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 how to use your eReader, staff will guide you. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: jmilford@sppl.net.

BOOK CHAT AND CHILL. 5:30 p.m. Wind down with a relaxed evening of bookish conversation. Bring a book to chat about or one to swap and enjoy great company, good vibes, and plenty of literary inspiration. The Wine Cellar, 241 N.E. Broad St. B, Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

PRESENTATION. 6 - 8 p.m. Join Jonathan Butcher, acting director, Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, to discuss our national division and how survey data shows Americans share significant common ground on key cultural issues. Cost is $39 per person. CCNC, 1600 Morganton Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9

POETRY READING CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to 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 that aim and have some fun with friends. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DINNER AND A SHOW. 3 - 10:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy the “Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show” where crews battle on land, on deck, in water, and high above full-sized pirate ships in a 15-foot-deep indoor hideaway lagoon. A four-course meal is included. Cost is $101 for residents and $140 for non-residents. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MEMBERSHIP MEETING. Women of the Pines will have its general membership meeting with a guest speaker and luncheon. Info: www. womenofthepines.org.

HOT GLASS, COLD BEER. 5:30 p.m. Experience glassblowing with special guest artists, food trucks and live music. Tickets are $5. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10

STORYTIME. 10 a.m. Join a special, once-amonth storytime at a fire station. Ages birth to

5 are welcome. Fire Station 82, 7850 NC 22, Carthage. Info: www.sppl.net.

OUTDOOR MOVIE. 7 p.m. Grab a blanket or folding chair and bring the family to a showing of Lilo and Stitch. Concessions will be available for purchase. For all ages. Free of charge. Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

FAMILY CAMPOUT. 7 p.m. Join a campout under the stars at Downtown Park. Enjoy family games, snacks, fun and a story by the campfire. Must provide your own tent. Space is limited to the first 20 families. Cost is $10 per resident family and $14 per non-resident family. Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11

HORSE EVENT. All day. Sedgefield Hunter Jumper Show. There will be approximately 250 riders. The event continues through Oct. 12. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

HORSE EVENT. All day. Timberland Driving Event. The event continues through Oct. 12. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Enjoy shopping at 30 - 40 individual outdoor booths offering everything from handmade crafts, modern tools and electronics, vintage and antique collectibles and even an assortment of everyday household items and clothes. A food truck will be on-site. The Bee’s Knees, 125 N.C. 73, Pinehurst. Info: www.facebook. com/BeesKneesPinehurst.

TATTOO STORIES. 11 a.m. Artists from Wonderland Tattoo will share their experiences, discuss the art and culture of tattooing, and explore the stories behind them in the program “Skin Deep Stories: A Journey into the Art of Tattooing,” presented in partnership with the CARE Group as part of the Tattoos for Literacy initiative. Later that afternoon, Wonderland Tattoo will host a flash tattoo fundraiser at their shop. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

TRAIL RIDES. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Teens ages 13 - 17 can enjoy a guided bridle ride around the North Carolina countryside. Dress for a day with horses and pack a lunch for picnicking along the way. Cost is $64 for residents and $89 for non-residents. Buses depart from the Rec Center at Memorial Park, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CONCERT. 6 - 9:15 p.m. 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience is a tribute to the music of the Eagles. Cooper Ford, 5292 US-15, Carthage. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

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

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12

MINI MARKET. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Come to “Pop-Up in the Pines,” a mini-market, with handmade and homegrown products. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.hatchetbrewing. com.

ONION DYE WORKSHOP. 1 - 5 p.m. The onion dye workshop will be held outdoors and includes all supplies and materials. Learn the basics of natural vegetable dye, mordants and natural fibers. Each person will design and dye their own cotton scarf. Cost is $138.35 per person. LB’s Farm, 965 Pineywood Church Road, Cameron. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

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 Paws of the Pines Rescue will visit. Learn about rescue work and create toys to donate. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W.

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

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13

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

PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. Sandhills Photo Club’s monthly meeting will be a competition featuring the theme, “The Color Red.” It invites members to use their imagination in creating a scene that highlights an object or theme that depicts the unique quality of the color red. Guests welcome. Sandhills Horticultural Center, Ball Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhillsphotoclub.org.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14

HATHA YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older can increase flexibility, balance, stabil-

ity and muscle tone while learning the basic principles of alignment and breathing. 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.

BOOK EVENT. 6 - 7 p.m. Kevin Estela will discuss his book, Beyond the Field: Taking Wilderness Skills to the Next Level. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

DINING IN THE PINES. 6 - 9 p.m. Dining in the Pines is the Moore Free and Charitable Clinic’s long-running annual fundraising event. Enjoy a dinner from 195 American Fusion Cuisine. Cost is $175 per person. 195 American Fusion Cuisine, 195 Bell Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.moorefreecare.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE. 6:30 p.m. This month’s speaker will be historian Carolyn

The Fall Market

Claypoole with a presentation on “George Armstrong Custer and the Indian Wars.” Meeting starts at 7 p.m. Open to the public. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Ashe Street, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 2460452 or mafarina@aol.com.

COMEDY SERIES. 7 - 8:15 p.m. Comedian, actor, television writer and musician Paul Reiser will perform. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketme-

OPEN MIC. 7 - 9 p.m. Have some fun during an open mic night. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

AIRBOAT TOUR. 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy an airboat tour along the Waccamaw, Black and Pee Dee Rivers. Lunch at Dead Dog’s Saloon afterward. Cost is $78 for residents and $109 for non-residents.

PADDLE UNDER THE STARS. 6:45 p.m. Adults 18 and older can enjoy a nice mix of spooky ghost stories while kicking back in canoes or kayaks on the reservoir. Please bring your own canoe, kayak or paddleboard, flashlight and life jacket. Registration required. Reservoir Park, 300 Reservoir Park Drive, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MOVIE BY THE LAKE. 7 p.m. Enjoy a Concessions available for purchase. Aberdeen Lake Park, 301 Lake Park Crossing, Aberdeen. Info: www.townofa-

TRIBUTE CONCERT. 7 - 10 p.m. Tell Me Lies, the ultimate Fleetwood Mac tribute, comes to town. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunris -

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18

HOLLY ARTS. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Holly Arts and Crafts Festival features over 200 crafters from a variety of genres. Downtown boutiques, shops and restaurants will offer specials and sales. Village of Pinehurst. Info: www.pinehurstbusinesspartners.com.

BAKE SALE. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Women of the Pines annual bake sale takes place during the Holly Arts and Crafts Fair. Village of Pinehurst. Info: www.womenofthepines.org.

FIRE PRESENTATION. 10:30 a.m. Fire is an essential tool that helps native longleaf pine forests grow and thrive. Learn about “Prescribed Burns and Forest Management” with Jesse Wimberley of the Sandhills Prescribed Burn Association and Graham Purcell, building and grounds superintendent of the town of Southern Pines. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave.,

Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

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

CLASSICAL MUSIC. 7:30 p.m. The Carolina Philharmonic presents Maestro David Michael Wolff and the Philharmonic, joined by guest soloists for an evening of classical masterworks. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.carolinaphil.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

HORSE FARM TOUR. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Prancing Horse hosts its annual farm tour where guests take a self-guided tour of five of the area’s equestrian facilities. Prancing Horse Farm, 6045 U.S. 1, Vass. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

TEEN CRAFT. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Make a spiderweb on a bandanna or tote bag using bleach. Feel free to bring your own items for decoration. Registration is encouraged to ensure there will be enough supplies. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net or kbroughey@sppl.net.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21

STATE FAIR TRIP. 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Adults 55 and older can take a trip to Raleigh for a day at the fair. Cost is $10 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. 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.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

CONCERT. 7 - 9 p.m. Sam Lewis is live in concert. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

HORSE EVENT. All day. Sedgefield Hunter Jumper Show. There will be approximately 300 riders. The event continues through Oct. 26. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

BOOFEST. 5 - 7:30 p.m. Trick-or-treat at the local downtown businesses at 5 p.m., then gather at the Downtown Park at 5:45 p.m. for

Your wedding could be featured in the next issue of Bride & Groom Magazine

We are looking for unforgettable weddings that showcase the beauty of The Sandhills. If your celebration took place in Moore County between October 2024 - October 2025, we want to see it!

Halloween games, crafts, activities and best dog costume raffle. Stay afterwards for a magic show from 7 - 7:30 p.m. Downtown Park, 145 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25

LIVE MUSIC. 6:30 - 8 p.m. Josh Phillips performs his biggest hits and shares new songs. James Creek Cider House, 172 U.S. 1, Cameron. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

BENEFIT AND AUCTION. 11 a.m. Experience art in action and celebrate a milestone moment in Starworks’ journey during the live benefit and auction. Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC. org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26

HISTORICAL LECTURE. 2 - 3 p.m. The Moore County Historical Association will sponsor a free lecture. The guest speaker will be local historian Matt Mutarelli, who will talk about the Piney Bottom Creek Massacre. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Ashe Street, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6922051 or www.moorehistory.com.

OCTOBER CALENDAR

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28

ART ON SCREEN. 2 - 3:30 p.m. The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

HISTORICAL TRIP. 3 p.m. The Moore County Historical Association and Collette Tours will have a nine-day trip to Mackinac Island from May 3 - 11, 2026. Interested parties can attend an information meeting.. Shaw House, corner of W. Morganton Road and Broad Street, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6922051 or www.moorehistory.com.

CREATIVITY CLUB. 3:45 p.m. The Creativity Club at the Fire Station program will meet monthly. Activities are designed with kids in grades K-5 in mind but are adaptable to other ages and abilities. Caregiver participation is required. Fire Station 82, 7850 NC 22, Carthage. Info: www.sppl.net.

DINING IN THE PINES. 6 - 9 p.m. Dining in the Pines is Moore Free and Charitable Clinic’s long-running annual fundraising event. Enjoy a dinner from Elliott’s on Linden. Cost is $175 per person. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.moorefreecare.org.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29

LUNCH N’ LEARN. 10 a.m. Sandhills Woman’s Exchange presents the monthly Lunch n’ Learn program with a presentation by board member Mary Meier on the Pompeii Food and Drink Project — an archaeohistorical study of ancient Roman foodways. The $30 per person ticket includes a chef Katrina lunch after the program. Reservations are encouraged. Info: (910) 295-4677 or www.sandhillswe.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

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

CONCERT. 7 p.m. The Sandhills Community College Music Department presents Petrit Ceku, classical guitarist. McPherson Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. sandhillsbpac.com/events.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31

HALLOWEEN DANCE PARTY. 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Costumes are welcome all day, and

ing fun at Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1

CRAFT FAIR. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The SEC Senior Arts & Crafts Fair is a free event with over 80 crafters. There will be concessions available for lunch. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TRIBUTE SERIES. 2 - 3:30 p.m. Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience is a nationally touring Taylor Swift tribute band recreating the Eras Tour. There will be a second performance at 7 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. ticketmesandhills.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

CHORUS. 7 p.m. The Golf Capital Chorus, a men’s barbershop harmony singing group, holds its 44th annual show featuring “Rock ’n’ Roll Classics” with special guest the Secret Best Friends, an award-winning barbershop quartet. BPAC, Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road,

Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.golfcapitalchorus.org or golf.capital.chorus.nc@gmail.com.

WEEKLY EVENTS

MONDAYS

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

WORKOUTS. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to get their workout on. Open Monday through Friday. Cost for six months: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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.

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 alleviate pain while improving circulation and general well-being. Bring your own mat. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

TAI CHI. 1 - 2 p.m. This simplified form of tai chi is composed of 24 postures or moves. A short form of the Yang Style 108 moves, it’s an introduction to the essential elements of tai chi. The program continues through Nov. 12. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W.

OCTOBER CALENDAR

Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

TUESDAYS

PLAYFUL LEARNING. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come for a drop-in, open playtime for ages 0 - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational playtime. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BABY RHYMES. 10:15 a.m. Baby Rhymes is designed for the youngest learners (birth- 2) and their caregivers. Repetition and comforting movements make this story time perfect for early development and brain growth. There will be a duplicate session at 10:45 a.m. An active library card is required. Dates this month are Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www. sppl.net.

GAME DAY. 12 p.m. Enjoy bid whist and other games all in the company of great friends.

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, whether you have been playing for a while or have never played. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

PING PONG. 3 - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy free games of table tennis while making new friends. The week of the second Tuesday of the month the games will be moved to Thursday. 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 free program is for beginners. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

WEDNESDAYS

CHAIR AEROBICS. 10 - 11 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Get fit 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. Learn how to knit or come to knit with other people. 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. Enjoy an open play date with your toddler or preschooler. There will be developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips on display for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Dates this month are Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

SENIOR FITNESS. 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a TruFit gym class to improve strength, mobility and flexibility. Douglass

Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

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

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

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

DANCE. 2 - 2:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Instructor Maria Amaya will introduce you to dance fitness in a class designed for anyone who wants to gently and gradually increase cardio function, mobility and balance while having 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 hosts line dancing for seniors every other Wednesday. Cost is $5 per session. Vass Town Hall, 140 S. Alma St., Vass. Info: www. townofvassnc.gov.

TAI CHI. 2 - 3 p.m. This simplified form of tai chi is composed of 24 postures or moves. A short form of the Yang Style 108 moves, it’s an introduction to the essential elements of tai chi. The program continues through Nov. 12. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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 Oct. 1, 8, 22 and 29. 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

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

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET.

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

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

BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY. 10 - 11 a.m.

Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a class to help reduce the risk of taking a tumble and increase their ability to recover if they do. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. Does your toddler like to move and groove? Join Music and Motion to get those wiggles out and work on gross and fine motor skills. For ages 2 - 5. An active library card is required. Dates this month are Oct. 2, 9, 23 and 30. 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 their week. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS AND MAHJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Bring a board and a friend. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

OCTOBER CALENDAR

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 Southern Pines Public Library’s preschool program for children ages 3 1/2 to 5. There will be stories, songs, rhymes and activities that explore the world of books, language and literacy. Little U is a fun and interactive program designed to help preschoolers develop early literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten and beyond. Dates this month are Oct. 2, 9, 23 and 30. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

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

FRIDAYS

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

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

TAP CLASS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Cost per class: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

QIGONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Classes will consist of chair and standing

movements to help soothe achy feet, tight hips, lower back pain and ease restriction in mobility. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

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

SATURDAYS

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. The market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pastured meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. The market runs through the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Downtown Southern Pines, 156 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines.

SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET. 10 a.m.1 p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features many of the area’s farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers. The vendors are on-site at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst, through Oct. 4. For more information visit: www.moorefarmfresh.com.

SUNDAYS

CABIN TOURS. 2 - 4 p.m. The Moore County Historical Associations’ Bryant House and McLendon Cabin can be toured with a docent on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Admission is free. Tours run through Oct. Bryant House, 3361 Mount Carmel Road, Carthage. Info: (910) 692-2051 or www.moorehistory.com. PS

Exhibition Dates: October 3-31

Opening Reception: Fri., October 3 • 6-8p

Gallery Hours: Weekdays • 10a to 5p

Weekend Date: Sat., October 18 • 12-2p

What do you get when you put four great artists with different styles in one art show? You get the Arts Council’s October exhibit, entitled Anything Goes, and featuring the amazing work of Jane Casnellie, Jean Smyth, Jessie Mackay and Alana Knuff.

Showing NC Made Artists

Artist Linda Dalton

SANDHILLS WOMAN’S EXCHANGE

The Cabin on Azalea Road across from the Village Chapel

“Cousins” by Alana Knuff

Community Congregational Church

141 North Bennett St. • Southern Pines 910.692.8468 www.communitycongregational.org

Concert pianist Kristina Henckel, recently returned from an international concert tour, will delight our audience with works of Bach, Mozart, Smetana, Verdi and Liszt. Dr. Henckel is a favorite area performer, has won numerous awards, and has just released her first solo album.

A CELEBRATION OF WATERCOLOR

Opening Reception

Friday, October 3 5:00-7:00

Join us for a celebration of creativity and the delicate beauty of watercolor. This special exhibition will explore the unpredictable flow, depth and emotion captured through this timeless medium. Featured watercolor artists will include Nancy Berliner, Cathy Mazanec, Suni Ortiz, Jean Smyth, KC Sorvari, Christine Stackhouse, and Pam Swarbrick. Wander through luminous landscapes, abstract impressions, still lifes, florals and more –each telling its own story through brush, pigment, and water. The exhibit and sale will continue through Friday, October 24.

COLLECTORS CHOICE PREVIEW NIGHT

Thursday, November 6 • 5:00-7:30

Our annual Collectors Choice night is by invitation only and is our most exciting event of the year. This is a lovely reception held prior to the public opening of the exhibit. Exquisite food and a special cocktail based on our theme are served to our guests. Admission is $125 per couple and $100 may be applied to the price of any painting (or can be counted as a donation if you don’t make a purchase).

Please join us that evening and have first choice to purchase a truly unique piece of art and help support the Artists League. Call for an invitation to our red carpet event…An Evening of Art celebrating the spectacular private opening reception of our fall event .

ANNUAL FALL EXHIBIT AND SALE

Opening Reception and Weekend:

Friday, November 7 5:00-7:00

Please join us on Friday, November 7, from 5:007:00 for the public opening reception of the Artists League’s 31st Annual Art Exhibit and Sale.

The opening weekend continues on Saturday, November 8, from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. Join us for cookies and punch and meet the artists as they paint in their studios throughout the weekend. The exhibit and sale will remain open through Thursday, December 18th.

SandhillSeen

Arts Council of Moore County Fine Arts Festival

Campbell House August 1, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Jeff Sanger, Sharon Stoeber

Bobbie & Pat Dewar

Lynn McGugan

Kay Snyder, Betty Barber

Bill & Linda Hamel

The Mattocks Family

Best in Show - Gretchen Moore

Mary Korzick

Donna May, Jackie Rosenblum

John Bowman, Emily Whittle, Diana Staley, Larry Allen

Lydia & Jonathon Plummer, Rebekah Eklund

Doug & Carol Gradwohl

SandhillSeen

Pearls Among the Pines

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Omicron Omega Omega

September 6, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Nat & Blanchie Carter

Cynthia Dowdy, Anne Wells

The Morton Girls

Will & Peggie Caple, Stephanie Ferguson

Hershell & Christal Cole

Preston Jones, III

Natale Sharpe, April Balsley

Shanda, Isabella & John Howell

Sonya Fairley, Deborah Davis Carpenter, Nancy Coor, Erika Joy, Diane Balsley

Randall & Courtney Cooks

Vinette & Vincent Gordon

Past and current presidents

SandhillSeen

Movie in the Pines

Southern Pines Downtown Park

September 5, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

SandhillSeen

Come Sunday Jazz Concert

Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities

August 31, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

The Hudspath Family

The Morrison Family

Mat & Melissa Lowenstein

Tanya York, Cecelia

Deb & Dave Castle

Brenda, Don & Emma Fahy

The Auman Family

Jennifer Johnson, Annmarie & Lexi Whitlow

The Kelly Family

Amber & Ellianna Merritt

Jackie Moddle, Monika Brown, Dayle Bailey

Courtney Howell & Andy, Amy Bittikofer & Joey

The Anderson Family

Jayne Walker, Meg Finnin

Henry, Charles & Emily Harder Zella & Cierra Morales

Alice, Hannah & August Wolf

Jessica & Levi Seaford, Scarletta Auman (baby)

Kim & Nora

Mike & Monica Doares

Marie Strouse

SandhillSeen

Art Reception

Artist League of the Sandhills

September 5, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Liz Apodaca

Nancy Allen

Lynn Goldhammer

Suni Ortiz

Barbara Ainsley

Vanessa Grebe

The Artists League Winners

Linda Bruening

Nancy Crossett

Cathy Mazanec

Cindy Edgar

Laureen Kirk

October PineNeedler HALLOWEEN

1. Least hospitable

7. Move through a membrane

13. 24/7

15. An RFK Jr. view point (hyph)

16. Pull a ___ (cheat) ( 2 wds)

17. Campus life

18. NY Giants’ Mel ___

19. They cast spells

21. Decay

22. ___what you sow

24. Superman garb

25. Literature Nobelist Hermann

27. Restaurant handout

28. Boy

29. Reverse, e.g.

30. Oak, elm or chestnut

33. Orchestra tuner

35. “Malcolm X” director

36. ___ Tuesday (Mardi Gras)

37. Farm call

38. “Get ___!”

40. “No problem!”

42. Soup container

45. Mix

48. Eventually become

50. Milky gem

52. Ponder

53. Not just “a”

54. Place for a Ping-Pong table

57. Poker winnings

Across

58. Transport to Oz

1. Least hospitable

60. Beribboned staff

62. Teas

7. Move through a membrane

63. Guts

13. 24/7

64. Bridge between buildings

15. An RFK Jr view point (hyph)

65. Carpenter’s tools (2 wds)

16. Pull a ___ (cheat) ( 2 wds)

Down

1. Break the news to

17. Campus life

2. Close-fitting short jacket

18. NY Giants Mel ___

3. Coffee choice

19. They cast spells

4. “C’___ la vie!”

21. Decay

5. Pack away

22. ___what you sow

6. Bartender’s mixer

24. Superman garb

7. “___ bitten, twice shy”

25. Literature Nobelist Hermann

8. Squirrel away

9. ___-Atlantic

27. Restaurant handout

10. Supervise

28. Boy

11. Indian turnover

29. Reverse, e.g.

12. English cathedral city

30. Oak, Elm, or chestnut

14. Flower part

15. Oohed and ___

33. Orchestra tuner

20. Tax man, for short

35. "Malcolm X" director

39. Drunken dazes

60. Beribboned staff

23. A person’s usual haunts

26. “I” trouble

36. ___ Tuesday (Mardi Gras)

31. Dusk, to a poet

37. Farm call

32. “There’s a rat!”

38. "Get ___!"

33. Frequently, in verse

40. "No problem!"

34. “___, humbug!”

62. Teas

63. Guts

8. Squirrel away

40. Brief, vicious fights (2 wds)

41. Detach

9. ___-Atlantic

10. Supervise

42. Chanel and others

64. Bridge between buildings

11. Indian turnover

43. IRS month (abbr)

44. A Judd

65. carpenters tools (2 wds)

12. English cathedral city

46. King Mark’s bride

14. Flower part

47. Take back to the lab

49. Life force in yoga

39. Drunken dazes

51. Amounts borrowed

55. Irascible

40. Brief, vicious fights (2 wds)

56. Mimic bird

41. Detach

59. “___ what?” or “what __?”

42. Chanel and others

61. Handle clumsily

43. IRS month (abrv)

44. A Judd

42. Soup container

37. Neat

45. Mix

48. Eventually become

50. Milky gem

52. Ponder

Place for a Ping-

Poker winnings Transport to Oz

Down

1. Break the news to

2. Close-fitting short jacket

3. Coffee choice

4. "C'___ la vie!"

Sudoku:

5. Pack away

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

6. Bartender's mixer

7. "___ bitten, twice shy"

Puzzle answers on page 123 Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be reached at martaroonie@gmail.com.

15. Oohed and ___

20. Tax man, for short

23. A person's usual haunts

26. "I" trouble

31. Dusk, to a poet

32. "There's a rat!"

33. Frequently, in verse

34. "___, humbug!"

37. Neat

46. King Mark's bride

47. Take back to the lab

49. Life force in yoga

51. Amounts borrowed

55. Irascible

56. Mimic bird

59. "___ what?" or "what __?"

61. Handle clumsily

The Monster

And other commonsense solutions

By A shley h A rris

It was a delicate operation. The patient sat dejected on the floor, his “arm” dangling uselessly by his side. Just five minutes earlier, I had innocently slid the hose of my precious vacuum along the floor under the nightstand to suck up loose tumbleweeds of dog hair. Suddenly, the comforting whir of the motor was replaced by a death rattle.

“Help!” I screamed to my husband, J.P. But when I ran into the living room, I saw that he had on headphones, the protective gear worn by any baseball fan whose wife was doing loud chores. “I need you!”

“The Dodgers are playing the Padres.”

“This is an emergency!” I clenched my teeth.

Of all the vacuums I have ever owned, my 7-year-old, swivel-headed model is my favorite. We move together like Nureyev and Fonteyn, sweeping across the floor in artistic harmony.

I hauled the victim into the kitchen for triage. We peered down the dark hole of the hose and, even with the flashlight, couldn’t see anything.

“Can you think of something you might have vacuumed up that could be clear?”

Aha! I hadn’t seen the cap to my hairspray in weeks and, I confessed, it was clear.

“Congratulations,” J.P. said. “You have managed to vacuum up something that perfectly matches the diameter of the hose. That takes finesse.”

I had no time for clever remarks. “Let’s try this,” I said, handing over a steak knife. This tool remains one of my favorite commonsense solutions, useful for tasks well beyond its intended purpose. Never mind the scar I still bear on my left hand from the time, at 6 years old, I used one to pry a hardened collar of glue from my Elmer’s.

I held the hose steady while J.P. tried to jiggle the cap free, but the trusty knife did not work. We had no more luck with the screwdriver or the pliers, and the situation grew more dire with every attempt. Each tool we poked into the hose only pushed the cap even farther down, along with my heart.

“Why don’t we try the drill?” asked J.P.

For a normal person, the space between a crazy idea and better judgment is at least 30 seconds. Not for me. In my mind, this was pure genius. Why didn’t I think of it myself?

The cordless drill is J.P.’s most cherished tool, the equivalent of my vacuum. “Now, I don’t know how safe this is,” he warned. “You’re going to have to hold the hose perfectly still while I drill into the cap. If you move, the drill could damage the hose or worse, hit you. You sure you want to do this?”

I dismissed the pesky notion that most deadly accidents happen in the home because I was as desperate as I was stupid. I held the hose, standing at arm’s length, in case J.P. slipped. And he drilled and drilled, rattling my bones with every thrust and parry. Still, the cap would not yield.

“This is going to take forever,” he said, glancing back at the Dodgers in the bottom of the seventh.

“What about The Monster?” I asked, in a wave of inspiration.

The Monster, a three-quarter inch drill bit, emerges from the toolbox only for special occasions, like when we needed to drill drainage holes in the discarded satellite dish we use for the seat in the swing we made for Tulsi, our bossy corgi.

“That could work,” J.P. said. “But we have to be very careful. You have to hold the hose, and you cannot move a muscle.”

I held on with both hands, shaking like an apprentice snake wrangler holding her first python. With one shove, that pesky cap shattered, spewing plastic shrapnel all over the kitchen. Hallelujah! We did it!

I plugged my vacuum back into the electrical outlet, and a quick flip of the on button confirmed that suction was fully restored. J.P. donned his headphones and planted himself in front of the television and I was happily vacuuming again, sucking up the shards of my sin. PS

Ashley Harris writes about all the dumb things she has ever done, from shoe hoarding to the delusion she owned a Rembrandt. When she is not vacuuming, she is usually hollering for a dog.