Ponca City Monthly December 2022

Ponca City Monthly is a Member of the Society of Professional Journalists. We believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. We strive to ensure a free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. We pledge to: Seek the Truth, and Report It; Minimize Harm; Act Independently; and to Be Accountable and Transparent. To read our full pledge, visit: spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Letter from the Editor

About ten years ago, I spent the better part of a few months creating a personal mission statement. I’ve always been passionate about making a positive impact in my community, but I was unsure of my path. Around that time, I was working on several different projects, and had held a variety of jobs that all seemed so different, and I was feeling very fragmented. I knew I needed to find the common thread that drove me. I needed to find my “why” as Simon Sinek, the self-help guru who coined the phrase described. Sinek says that your ‘why’ is, “The compelling higher purpose that inspires us and acts as the source of all we do.” After many months of self-reflection, I was able to step outside myself, and find that singular thread that became my mission statement.

“To use my gifts of insight and ideation to reveal issues, innovate solutions, and solve problems. To use my empathy to see the world through the eyes of others, and to share my stories so that others may learn from my experiences.”

My mission statement has since guided every decision I make, including my decision to start Ponca City Monthly magazine. For me, the magazine is one way I can fulfill my personal mission in service to my community. There are so many local stories to tell every month, and my team feels blessed to be able to tell those stories.

As we close out another year, I want to thank our dedicated advertisers whose support allows our magazine to remain free to the community. I want to thank our readers who keep the issues flying off the shelves, and I want to thank all my writers who continue to create engaging content each month. Ponca City Monthly takes a team of more than 20 people to create it every month, and I appreciate each one of them. It truly takes a village!

I have a feeling that 2023 is going to be an amazing year. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

editor@poncacitymonthly.com

P.S. Some of our readers have noticed and voiced concerns that Sounding Off has been absent the last couple of months. Steve has taken a step back during the lull of the winter months, but don’t worry, he will be back with more music events when things thaw out in the Spring!

On the cover: Holiday Gift Guide! Shop Ponca City first this holiday! See more on page 41 Cover Design by Andy Hicks

107 N. 2nd Street Ponca City 580-761-3562

KAREN HOWARD Interior Designer 25 years

A.I.M. Dance Studio With Mandy Tebow Sassy, Yet Humble

ARTINMOTION

After college Tebow got a day job as most college grads do, but quickly decided that was not the route for her. She quit the day job and decided to risk it all to pursue her dream of opening a dance studio. In 2010, Tebow opened A.I.M. Dance Studio in Ponca City. A.I.M. stands for Art In Motion. She says she saw the phrase and immediately knew it was perfect, after all, dance is art in motion.

During Tebow’s first season in business she had 13 students. She remembers, “I only had 13 on stage. One of my first students that started with me in 2010 actually graduated last year, so she’s been with me forever. Now I have a little over 200 dancers.”

A.I.M. offers a variety of classes. Tebow’s Combo classes teach students a variety of dance types in a fun session and include tap, jazz, ballet and tumbling basics. Technique classes teach what she calls “the basis of all fundamentals of dance, from holding your body correctly while performing to executing skills properly in a routine.” Boys & Girls Hip-Hop teaches dance moves like popping, locking and breaking to hip-hop music. Ages for classes range from 2-18. Tebow is grateful to have two assistants this year, Kourtney McCall and Harper Fraser, who help with her younger dancers.

Tebow’s Hi-Stepper Prep Courses are designed for anyone planning to try out for the Po-Hi Stepper Dance Team. This course focuses on kicks, turns, leaps and other elements helpful to anyone facing tryouts. Tebow knows the prep class may push girls who are new to dance, but she reminds them, “You guys have to work if you want to get better.” This year, former Po-Hi Stepper Lieutenant Virginia Bryce is helping her teach the class.

A.I.M. also has a 46-person Competitive dance team. The distinction being, anyone can take classes, but dancers must try out to make the Competitive team. Dancers are placed in groups depending on age and skill level. This year she has teeny, mini, junior, teen and senior small

jazz groups. Small groups consist of nine girls or less. Tebow has four large groups this year with 9-18 dancers, made up of middle school and grade school girls. She also has a Line this year with more than 18 girls. They’ll perform in the Open Category doing tap and jazz in one performance. Additionally, some dancers are performing solos, duets and trios.

Regional Competitions take place in the spring. Tebow’s competition team will attend 4-5 regional competitions to help them prepare for Nationals. Nationals will be held next summer in Dallas. Regional and National

ARTINMOTION ART IN MOTION

competitions

Owner and Instructor of A.I.M. Dance Studio, Mandy Tebow has been dancing all her life. She grew up in Ark City where she began dancing as a young girl at age 2. Tebow followed her passion into high school as a member of the dance line and continued her dance career into college at Wichita State University. In college Tebow studied the technique aspects of dance, as well as the academic aspects of the art, earning a Minor in Dance. The Minor in Dance pushed her outside her limits and no doubt helped mold her into the hard-working entrepreneur and dance instructor she is today.

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

are unrelated, meaning placement in regional competitions does not have any influence on how the team will place at Nationals. She admits though, “Last time we went to Nationals we did very well.” She goes on to say, “We usually do very well at each competition.” They typically place in the top three in all categories. “I feel like we hold our own as a small town dance studio. I’m always proud of my girls in any place they get.”

Tebow and her Competition team are also attending the Soul de Soul Convention this year. At conventions like this one, dancers learn from instructors from all over the world. Attending a convention means hard work and long days, but the experience is good for the girls. They’ll learn all types of dance genres in a fastpaced environment. She also teaches in a fast-paced manner and feels confident her dancers will excel at convention.

Classes Offered at A.I.M. Dance Studio:

Combo Class: Tap, jazz, ballet and the basics of tumbling

Technique: Leaps, turns, stretching and ballet Boys & Girls Hip-Hop: Street dance styles

Hi-Stepper Prep Course: Kicks, turns, leaps and help with Hi-Stepper tryouts

Competition Team: Tryout basis only

Tebow recognizes that she is strict and sometimes hard on the girls, but the hard work pays off. “We don’t get first place by not working for it.”

Summer Classes: Offered in June and July

Competition season sounds like equal parts exhilaration and exhaustion, but it’s everyone’s favorite part of the year: Tebow’s, the dancers and the dance parents alike.

“I’m excited for this season. The girls are eager to get out there. It’s their favorite. It’s the hardest to get up to that point, but as soon as we’re there they just love it. The parents love it. I think my dance dads love it a little bit more than my dance moms. I mean they don’t have to do the hard part and get them ready. They’re just there for fun and then get to watch their dancers on stage. It is so much fun. I mean, it is stressful for me because I’m in charge, but it is my favorite time of the year.”

On top of teaching the dance classes, Tebow also does the choreography and chooses music for the dances. Her sister edits the music for her. Tebow says inspiration usually strikes when she hears a song on the radio. After picking a song, she says, “I already kind of have a vision of what I want.” Tebow takes her vision and puts moves together in the studio with her dancers in real time, as opposed to planning all the moves out ahead of time. Because she is familiar with the dancers and their various skill levels, her vision involves which dancers need to be doing which types of moves and when. Tebow goes on to say how wonderful it is to see her vision come to fruition on stage after all the dancers’ hard work.

On the surface, Mandy Tebow owns a dance studio. When you look closer, she’s shaping young people in our community. She’s teaching healthy work ethic, discipline, determination, teamwork, selfconfidence and so many other qualities

that kids these days desperately need. It’s clear how passionate Tebow is about dance and also how much she cares about her students.

“I really do hope I’m impacting them in a good way. I like to lead by example. If they see me working hard for them, I expect them to do the same for me. I hope that stays with them as they grow and go to college. Hard work pays off. I also hope I help with their confidence. It takes a lot of courage to go on stage in front of hundreds of people and act like you’re not scared.” Her goal is to create a group of dancers who are “sassy, yet humble.” This phrase also happens to be an apt description of their instructor.

More info can be found on the A.I.M. website at http://www.aim-dancestudio.com/ or by visiting A.I.M. Dance Studio on Facebook.

Christmas with the Clydesdales

Story By Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

Bruce and Diane Martin have many passions in life. They have a passion for pies, a passion for country living and a passion for holidays and horses. They celebrate those joys at their restaurant each December and invite the community to share those loves this year as they are once again bringing back the popular “Christmas in the Country With the Clydesdales,” their annual holiday celebration that has proven incredibly popular since it was inaugurated in 2016.

The Martins are the owners and operators of Tonkawa’s Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies, located on 16560 Fountain Road, Exit 211 on Interstate 35 just south of Tonkawa, across from Love’s Travel Stop on the southbound exit. Restaurant hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Clydesdales horses are the highlight of the event, the large draught horses known historically for their work efforts, including pulling wagons and carriages. Those will be on display at the event, with free carriage rides, but Santa Claus will also

make a pre-Christmas visit, along with plenty of other activities and food, including fried pies and chili, all open to the public, whether local in Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas, or motorists simply traveling through on the interstate, looking for a diversion on their drive to their destinations. There will also be drawings for free pie boxes.

The Martins began celebrating Christmas at the restaurant in 2016, the same year they opened their own facility, a franchise of the Arbuckle Fried Pie chain, which is headquartered in Davis, Okla., also located near Interstate 35 in Southern Oklahoma. They saw an opportunity for a business of their own and ran with it. Incidentally, the building had previously housed a pastry business.

“It used to be a pie shop originally and then closed,” Bruce said.

After years of commuting long distances to work, they found a way to come back home with Arbuckle Fried Pies.

“I was working in Kansas, and Diane was working

in Oklahoma City, and we got pies traveling back and forth throughout the week,” Bruce said. “We got in contact with the Davis headquarters and started it up.”

Most pies are circular, with a filler of some sort of fruit, or even meat, baked in an oven until ready for consumption. Fried pies are pastries that are deep fried. They include sweet pies, like apple, cherry or blackberry, as well as savory pies filled with meat.

Each fried pie is cooked locally in Tonkawa.

“We make the dough every morning. There is a practice of developing the gluten, and the dough has to rest for 15-20 minutes,” Diane said. “We cut each piece of dough, and it goes through a dough roller, which is similar to a pizza dough roller.”

Like circular pies, the filling is inserted into the dough, but unlike those traditional pies, a different step is taken to prepare it for cooking.

“We put in the filling, and fold it in half, and hand-roll the edges,” Diane said. “Then it goes into the fryer for about 4 1/2 minutes, then into the pie case.”

November 26

Ponca City Main Street Presents Small Business Saturday ALL DAY

Penguins on the Plaza

1-3PM

Many downtown shops participate in this nationwide annual event. With our growing downtown retail options, shoppers will find gifts for everyone on their list. This year, a group of special guests will be making an appearance at the Ice on the Plaza. Come between 1-3PM to sneak a peek of Penguins from Tanganyika Wildlife Park!

December 2

Lighted Christmas Parade

Downtown Ponca City

6PM

The annual Christmas Open House Weekend gets kicked off each year on the first Friday in December with the Lighted Parade hosted by the City of Ponca City and Parks & Recreation. The Lighted Parade begins at 6:00 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations participate in the parade.

December 2

Lutheran Christmas Market

First Lutheran School Gymnasium

7 PM

Join us for our 11th annual Christmas Market Oklahoma! Find treasures of all kinds, participate in our traditional cookie walk, have lunch, enjoy entertainment, and so much more!

December 3

Ponca City Main Street’s Ice on the Plaza, Santa Claus Sponsored by The Farm House Kids Co.

Veteran’s Plaza

1-5 PM

December 2-8

Holiday Open Houses

Join businesses in downtown Ponca City for great deals, discounts and special giveaways! Shop ‘til you drop at this great holiday shopping event.

The Doodle Academy Dec 2, 1-6PM & Dec 3, 1-6PM

The Doodle Academy Dec 2, 11-7PM & Dec 3, 10-7PM

Aesthetic State of Mind Dec 8, 4-7PM

December 22

Ponca City Main Street’s Ice on the Plaza - Reindeer Club

Veteran’s Plaza

Two live reindeer with educational, feeding, and photo opportunities sponsored by Continental Carbon 5-7PM

December 31

Ponca City Main Street’s Ice on the Plaza - Last Day to Skate Veteran’s Plaza

7 PM

Merry Merry Christmas Christmas

They also can bake traditional pies as well.

“You can special order a pie, like a 9-in. round pie,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be a fried pie.”

The bulk of their pies are about 25 flavors of sweet pies, filled with delicious fruit, like apple, cherry, strawberries and peach. Some are seasonal, like pumpkin, raisin and sweet potato. There are also sugarfree pies, including cherry, peach and pineapple.

Tonkawa Arbuckle Fried Pies also has a few secrets up their sleeves in unique offerings, some that may not be easily obtained elsewhere.

“We have chocolate espresso, we have one called pina colada,” Diane said. “We have a Christmas pie, which is apples, raisins and pecans. Those pies should be consumed within a week, or frozen up to a year to enjoy later,” she said.

The fried sweet and savory pies alone are worthy as presents, whether at Christmas, or really any time of the year, but there is so much more to experience stepping inside the store itself, so many gift ideas that are waiting to be given to a loved one, locally purchased just outside Tonkawa.

Inside the store, tables are set up for families to enjoy their fried pies together, and there are a few racks of unique gift ideas, ranging from pickled vegetables, jams and jellies, candles, T-shirts and plenty of other special gift ideas.

“We have hand-thrown pottery, Amish products like cheese, butter and eggs,” she said. “Everything we sell, we try to buy in the United States.”

Some are from Oklahoma and Kansas.

“The pottery is from Topeka, and the goat’s milk soap is local in Oklahoma,” she said. “We have pickles that are made in Mustang and Waukomis. Jellies and jams; they’re all Amish made.”

The big draw of the event is the Clydesdale horses, and the wagon rides they pull around the property.

As it turns out, the Martins themselves are not novice equestrians, but lifelong lovers of everything horses.

“I’ve had horses since I was 6 years old, and I’ve shown horses all my life,” Diane said, adding that she’s competed in shows not only in Oklahoma, but also Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Missouri.

Bruce himself was involved in rodeo when he was younger, competing in bareback bronc riding and calf roping across the Midwest.

Though both are retired from equine competition, they still keep horses today. One is a quarter horse, the other is a Clydesdale, though that very large horse will not be at the festival.

Instead, they are turning to a friend to provide those big, beloved horses.

“We have a friend in Winfield, Kansas, that owns the horses, at the Broken Spoke Ranch,” she said.

Broken Spoke Ranch provides those Clydesdale horses to area holiday celebrations. It wouldn’t be hard to be on the list for those lovable horses.

“We already knew Mark, so we decided to take a slot and do it. People love horses,” Diane said.

It will be the Clydesdales that will be the center of attention, and the carriage will pull up to the awning, where passengers embark on a hayride of a lifetime. The Clydesdales attract the attention of not only those at the event, but motorists exiting the interstate for a break, and they are many, as the Arbuckle Fried Pies is across the highway from a Love’s Travel Stop.

“The horses come around the building and stop so we can load them, and a lot of people will see them, and they’ll come in for the chili and fried pie,” Diane said.

They also come from across the region.

“We have people come from a long way away. We have people that come from Norman, and up in Kansas, Hutchinson, and the local people,” Diane said. “Usually, when people come in here, they have never been here before, and they are excited to eat a fried pie, whether it is a sweet pie or savory.”

Those visitors make the facility quite hectic when they arrive for the Christmas fest.

“Last year, the line was 75 people deep,” Bruce said. Ultimately, Christmas in the Country with the Clydesdales provides an activity for families in a friendly environment, whether local or traveling through, something special during the most memorable time of the year, even if it’s just for the Clydesdales.

“This is Christmas, and people are looking for something fun to do and something very close to home. It is a nice time to spend with your kids and grandkids and enjoy the horses,” Diane said. “No matter how bad your day is, time spent with a horse makes your day better.”

$12,550 SANTA BUCKS GIVEAWAY

A Shop Ponca First retail event sponsored by the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce.

DRAWINGS BEGIN AT 7 PM TUESDAY, DEC. 20 AND WILL BE

PARTICIPANTS

100.7 KPNC 102 E. Grand Ave.

1047 The Bull 1601 E. Oklahoma 1230 WBBZ 1601 E. Oklahoma

99.3 KLOR 102 E. Grand Ave.

Aaron’s Sales & Lease 2608 N. 14th St.

Aesthetic State of Mind 104 S. 4th St.

Anderson Flooring 509 N. 1st St.

Bintz Pharmacy 2701 N. 14th St.

Blanton Chiropractic Clinic 101 E. Broadway Ave.

Bob Hurley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram 3501 N. 14th St.

Boomer Tire and Alignment 1300 N. Waverly St.

Brace Books & More 2205 N. 14th St.

Brandt’s Ace Hardware 3203 N. 14th St.

Buckle 2101 N. 14th St./ Ste. 118

Cast Iron Co. 121 E. Grand Ave.

Chuck Hoddy Glass 727 N. Union St.

City National Bank 1101 E. Prospect Ave.

Community National Bank & Trust 709 E. Prospect Ave

Completely Quilted Bernina Sewing Center 315 E. Grand Ave.

Cowboy Driving Academy 400 E. Central Ave. Ste. 509

Creative Cabinets 126 E. Hartford Ave.

PARTICIPANTS

Custom Powder and Blasting 2101 Hall Blvd.

Danny’s BBQ Head Quarters, Inc. 1217 E. Prospect Ave.

Diamond Nutrition P.C. 401 N. 14th St.

Equity Bank 222 E. Grand Ave.

Erin O’Hara Farmers Insurance Agency 1722 N. 4th St., Ste. D

Family Discount Pharmacy 310 Fairview Ave.

Family Vision Care of Ponca City 1619 N. 5th St.

First National Bank of Oklahoma 1501 E. Prospect Ave.

Fisher Window Tinting & Accessories 601 N. 1st St.

Hartford Home Appliances & More 412 E. Hartford Ave.

Heather Cannon Honda 3415 N. 14th St.

Homeland - North 2005 N. 14th St., Ste. 110

Homeland - South 904 S. 4th St.

HoneyBee Boutique 314 E. Grand Ave

I-Deal Pawn & Trading Co. 821 S. 4th St.

Juicy’s Vapor Lounge Inc. 2128 N. 14th St., Suite #1

Kelle Repair and Tire Center 1400 N. Ash

Kentucky Fried Chicken 1308 Princeton Ave.

Klingers Collision CenterLLC 521 Monument Rd.

Loftis & Wetzel Corporation 410 E. Grand Ave.

Luxx Lash Studio 2128 N. 14th St., Ste. #7

D

PARTICIPANTS

McGee Jewelers 219 E. Grand Ave.

Old West Liquors 3211 N. 14th St.

Osage Casino - C Store 64464 US Highway 60

Osage Casino - The Copper Tap 64464 US Highway 60

Plaza Wine & Spirits 2005 N. 14th St., Ste. 105

Ponca City Discount Foods 2405 N. 14th St.

Ponca City Dispensary Company 2128 N. 14th St., #3

Ponca City News 300 N. 3rd St.

Ponca Finance Co., Inc. 420 W. Grand Ave.

Quality Pools & Spas 115 E. Highland Ave.

RCB Bank Main 1223 E. Highland

RCB Bank North 2901 N. 14th Street

Redlands Office Solutions 1032 N. Union Ave.

Rikki’s Market 2309 Lake Road

Rusty Barrell Supper Club 2005 N. 14th

Ryan A. Johnson DDS PLLC 400 Fairview Ave., Ste. 6

Safelite Auto Glass 1801 E. Hartford Ave.

Smith Home Furnishings 2500 N. 14th St.

Spray’s Jewelry, Gifts, & Tuxedos 211 E. Grand Ave

Stolhand Wells Group 413 S. 3rd St.

Stuteville Chevrolet 3330 N. 14th St.

PARTICIPANTS

Stuteville Ford-Lincoln 2415 N. 14th St.

The Farm House Kids Co. 324 E. Grand Ave.

Titan Title & Closing 1922 Lake Road

Toni’s Westside Healthmart 301 W. Grand Ave.

Tractor Supply Company 3008 N. 14th St.

Tyndall Family Dentistry 415 E. Hartford Ave.

United Way of Ponca City 205 N. 2nd St.

University Center at Ponca City 2800 N. 14th St.

Walgreens 2300 N. 14th St.

Walmart Supercenter 1101 E. Prospect Ave.

Wes & Willow 407 E. Grand Ave.

Whimsy & Village Screen Print 318 E. Grand Ave.

Rightfully So…

It’s all around us – lingering in the air, on the library shelf, etched in stone, hidden in hearts – and if you listen, you’ll learn from it. Many reject it these days. Some try to rewrite it to their liking, but nothing can change it, truly. It is what it is. I’m talking history.

Let’s turn the hands counterclockwise and go back a hundred or so years in Osage County –back to the tail end of the time period known as the Reign of Terror. Even the name for it sounds like it would be best left to itself. No one is ever prepared for terror. In its very essence, it holds an element of surprise and catches folks off guard.

But it’s not the terror history I want us to dig up – it’s what happened in a small Osage County town that holds a lesson to be learned, a perspective to be gained and an outlook to be admired.

Over on the western edge of the county – where the worst of it all seemed to take place – a man decided to build something positive that would take the communities’ minds off the evil that had engulfed the community of Fairfax. And it wasn’t just any man – it was an Osage named Alexander Joseph Tall Chief.

Why is this significant? Because Mr. Tall Chief had every reason not to. History tells us this was a time when Osages were being murdered due to

their extreme wealth, all due to the oil boom and the foresight of Chief Bigheart to retain all mineral rights on the Osage Nation Reservation.

Mr. Tall Chief could have held resentment – and rightfully so. He could have withdrawn from the community – and rightfully so. He could have even retaliated – and rightfully so. But instead, he sowed – remarkably so – and the world has been reaping from his seed ever since.

Tall Chief’s two daughters, Maria and Marjorie, first danced on the stage in the historic Tall Chief Theatre in downtown Fairfax as little girls

– and then went on to impact the world. Maria amazingly became known as the world’s first prima ballerina.

Recognized in Oklahoma with “Maria Tallchief Day” on June 29 and forever remembered in Mike Larsen’s mural, “Flight of Spirit,” in the Oklahoma Capitol, now – thanks to the American Women Quarters Program, on the reverse (tails) side of the 2023 quarter dollar, Maria Tallchief will be recognized once again for her contributions to the arts as a trailblazer in American history.

Think about it … Commemorated on a U.S. coin – a little girl from Fairfax –whose daddy decided to build something positive instead of hold on to something negative –in the face of the Reign of Terror, his girls danced … and made the world a better place.

Even the worst of situations can provide opportunities. Opportunities to respond rather than react. Opportunities to show what truly beats within our hearts. Opportunities to either feel “rightfully so” or remarkably sow.

I guess it all depends on what you want to reap …

Alexandria & Elise Paschen in front of Pic of Maria Tall Chief

Story and Photos by Kelly Bland /The Fairfax Chief

Filming Killers Of The Flower Moon

uchMore than a VitaminSto

advisors community community name on page names are by the branches.

Ponca City

We Understand Commitment

We Understand Commitment

At Edward Jones, we deliver candid guidance and personalized investment strategies to help you plan for and realize the possibilities of your future – for you, your family and generations to follow.

At Edward Jones, we deliver candid guidance and personalized investment strategies to help you plan for and realize the possibilities of your future – for you, your family and generations to follow.

At Edward Jones, we deliver candid guidance and personalized investment strategies to help you plan for and realize the possibilities of your future – for you, your family and generations to follow.

Joe Alcott 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

Joe Alcott 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

Kevin Florer, AAMS®

Kevin Florer, AAMS® 900 East Prospect Ave Ste 900 580-718-9013

Kevin Florer, AAMS® Financial Advisor

AAMS® Ave Ste 900 Judy R Eckholt

Kevin Florer, AAMS®

900 East

900 East Prospect Ave Ste 900 580-718-9013

MKT-1952H-A

Mary A Maddux 205 E Cleveland Ave 580-762-1977

Mary A Maddux 205 E Cleveland Ave 580-762-1977

Kevin Florer, AAMS® Financial Advisor

Kevin Florer, AAMS® Financial Advisor

MKT-6354F-A-A2

MKT-1952H-A

MKT-1952H-A

Mary A Maddux 205 E Cleveland Ave 580-762-1977

financial advisors alphabetically by community name. List each community name only once, as illustrated on page 1. If no community names are included, list as directed by the participating branches.

Judy

R Cline, AAMS® 110 S 4th St 580-765-3508

R Eckholt 1216 E Hartford Ave Ste 1b 580-765-0047

Monkfruit Sweetened

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Gene Hines 708 N 14th 580-765-6651

Judy

900 East Prospect Ave Ste 900 Ponca City, OK 74601 580-718-9013

900 East Prospect Ave Ste 900 Ponca City, OK 74601 580-718-9013

Gene Hines 708 N 14th 580-765-6651

Gene Hines 708 N 14th 580-765-6651

BHU KETO

Cookie Dough Truffles

BHU FOODS

White Chocolate Macadamia

1216 E Hartford Ave Ste 1b 580-765-0047 Jodi R Cline, AAMS® 110 S 4th

Judy R Eckholt

R Eckholt 1216 E Hartford Ave Ste 1b 580-765-0047

Fred Lamport 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

Fred Lamport 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

MKT-6354F-A-A2 EXP 31 MAR 2022 © 2020 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Fred Lamport 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

MKT-6354F-A-A2 EXP 31 MAR 2022 © 2020 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Judy R Eckholt 1216 E Hartford Ave Ste 1b 580-765-0047 Jodi R Cline, AAMS® 110 S 4th St 580-765-3508

MKT-6354F-A-A2 EXP 31 MAR 2022 © 2020 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Gene Hines 708 N 14th 580-765-6651

Fred Lamport 2101 N 14th St Suite 123 580-765-9124

Sugar-free, vegan & ketofriendly, now you can enjoy eating chocolate truffles without the guilt. Also Salted Caramel & Mint flavors.

Keto-friendly, organic, vegan & plant-based delicious treats. Hazelnut, Double Dark Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Mint flavors available.

Cookie Dough Protein Bites

1971◆50+ YEARS◆2022 Have Yourself a KetoChristmas! Holmes, Yates & Johnson Law Firm is a full-service firm representing clients and corporations throughout the state. We practice in the areas of Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, Criminal Law, Family Law, and Estate Planning. In 2022, we opened a new location in Stillwater and welcomed attorney Regan Miles to the firm. As we reflect on the year and look forward to next year, we wish all of our clients a Merry Christmas. 1909 Lake Road • Ponca City (580) 765-6727 Grace

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND THE 2023 “NEXT NORMAL”

By David Myers | Executive Director, Ponca City Development Authority

Does necessary always mean boring?

For many, economic discussions are not the highlight of their day and can often seem boring. At the Ponca City Development Authority (PCDA), there is nothing we would rather discuss. Looking back at 2022 and ahead to 2023, it seems clear that the economy has moved up on most people’s list of worrisome concerns that remain necessary but still not exciting.

Most of the recent interest in economics has been driven by inflation, and that has certainly been felt in Ponca City this past year. In addition, there has been a lot of attention on workforce shortages, an issue that Ponca City has faced for more than 10 years now.

Call us an early adapter, but the original, prepandemic workforce shortages in Ponca City were the result of economic diversification and increasing industry orders which led to more job openings being created and filled. In short, it was the result of success.

This did not happen by accident.

Back in 1994, voters approved funding for economic development in Ponca City. This began as the Economic Development Advisory Board, which became PCDA in 2003. The result has been the creation of 6,068 documented new jobs in Ponca City over the past two decades plus. That figure comes from official data, government documents and company reports of actual jobs created,

not announcements or projections. It’s hard to imagine what this community would look like today without those jobs.

The truth is that economic development is about far more than simply recruiting companies to a community. That may be the smallest part. The vast majority of new jobs created in any community comes from the companies that are already here. PCDA programs that stimulate diversification, find and grow workforce, gain vital industry certifications, respond to changing industry trends, update industrial facilities, find new customers, promote small business growth and more have proven extremely effective in terms of job creation and wage growth.

The creation of jobs and the growth of wages is the mission of PCDA. The focus is on “primary industries.” In general, these are companies that could be anywhere, but choose Ponca City, and produce a product that is sold throughout the region, nation or world. Retail, restaurants, trades, tourism, banking, housing and many other local businesses generally follow the successful growth of these industries as higher wages means more money to spend locally. To better illustrate the impact is the figure of $1,189,428,957. That figure, which is a “B” by the way, reflects the total economic impact to Ponca City of those 6,068 new jobs. Equally important, the local economy has diversified away from one industry by an astounding 55% since 1994. Put another way, as proud as Ponca City rightfully is of our oil and gas heritage and industries, we are no longer a one-industry town. We look more like America than ever before.

Ponca City’s success in growing an emerging economy as the older “company town” economy receded has not gone unnoticed. This past September, PCDA received more international awards for success from the world’s largest economic development organization than anyone else.

The effective use of public money requires the responsible management of public money. PCDA takes our role as a public trust very seriously. The organization is governed by a board of seven citizen volunteers appointed by the City Commission who make sure the money is used as intended. A recent audit delivered to the PCDA board in October produced a completely “clean opinion,” meaning no discrepancies, no errors and proper management of public funds.

Ponca City’s manufacturing companies remained strong and constant throughout the pandemic. Early dips were matched with later gains as the nation turned its attention to making more things onshore. This will continue and will keep Ponca City at the forefront of economic opportunity. There will always be ups and downs in any company and in any economy, but Ponca City is in this for the long haul and is better positioned than most.

For 2023, the economic changes ushered in by the pandemic and ever changing global economic competition all suggest that our local economic future should not be left to chance. Will there be a recession next year? The hard truth is that all signs point in that direction. Keep your eyes on job openings. Should they stay as strong, we may yet avoid a downturn. If anything, however, the potential for a recession

AT PO-HI!

Panic is back! After years of uncertainty, Panic has returned to Ponca City Senior High! Due to the spread of COVID-19, Panic has been canceled for the last three years. To put that into the perspective of a Wildcat student, the graduating senior class of 2023 had yet to be able to participate in a Panic! This year’s theme was “Post-Pandemic Panic.” Under the direction of Mrs. Hensley, the 80th annual Po-Hi Panic was all out!

What is Panic? Panic is an annual schoolwide talent show put together by a studentled board. Students must audition with their talent, and the committee determines which acts make it into the show. All student talents are welcome to audition!

The school has seen bands, singers, skits and many other talents these students have. The Panic Board also puts on skits they have written themselves. Every Panic board always has the funniest skits that are relatable for high school students. Students have such a way of making their day-to-day life entertaining in skit form.

Story by Kendra Stolhand/Intern

Panic was started in 1940 and was a joint effort between the Poncan (the school newspaper at the time) and the Po-Hi Drama Club. It was first titled “the Pon-Dram Panic,” after the joint efforts between these two groups. Now, 82 years later, it is simply called “Panic.” The cancellation of Panic in the spring of 2020 caused a gap in the yearly tradition, but this year, students, faculty and alumni were able to sit back and enjoy the Po-Hi’s 80th annual “PostPandemic Panic”!

The 2022 “PostPandemic Panic” was hosted on Nov. 17-18 at Po-Hi. This year’s Panic Board consisted of the following seniors: Keagan Anderson, Rose Cooper-McCarty, Miguel Cueva, Kylee Hardesty, Annabelle Herard, Ashleigh Jones, Dylan Nance, Victoria Randazzo, Alix Rodriguez, Sylvia Simpson and Lynna Storm.

The high school is both excited and proud of their students’ talents, and they cannot wait to see future Panics!

Ramen-Martin Film Productions Hunts the perfect location in Newkirk

Newkirk is a quiet little town nestled in the far northeast corner of Kay County. Surrounded by cattle, corn and soybeans, it is a long way from the hustle and bustle and glittering lights of Los Angeles and New York City. That is all changing, however, as a new television production studio has taken root in the smalltown community and is making headway into putting the charming little town on the road to Hollywood.

The Cline Building sits on North Main Street, once housing the law office of William Cline. Upstairs on the second floor, his rustic wooden desk still sits on the wood flooring of his former place of work.

A step inside the front door downstairs reveals a new image, with computers and other equipment set up for film. It is the world headquarters of RamenMartin Film Productions, which

recently released a new television series filmed entirely in Newkirk.

Founder Lisa Lee Martin sits on a chair off to the side in the lower level and reflects on the success of the company so far, and her pet project ‘Hunting Jessica.’ Martin served as screenwriter, producer and director of the program.

“We came here from Florida to be a part of the Oklahoma film rebate program, and we settled in Newkirk because I fell in love with Newkirk, and the people, and I felt the project would be good for Newkirk, and us,” she said.

As it turns out, she already had somewhat of a family connection to the community, as her half-sister, Elizabeth St. John, had once lived here, and had authored a book series, known as ‘The Hunting Series,’ set in a fictional Oklahoma town, Devil’s Bend, loosely inspired by Newkirk and Ponca City. One of the books, ‘Hunting Jessica,’ would become the basis of the television series she

adapted.

The show follows Jessica, a smalltown bartender and her fight against vampires.

“‘Hunting Jessica’ is a supernatural series about a girl named Jessica who is a server in a bar whose normal world is turned upside down when she realizes that the townsfolk aren’t what they seem, and neither is she,” Martin said. “She is hunting vampires, and part of a hellhound tribe.”

Newkirk would actually be a perfect fit for the series.

“We came here because we thought it would be economically wise, and fell in love with Newkirk,” she said. “Now, we’ve made this our primary production base.”

Martin and her producers did consider other locations, but it was Newkirk’s charm that ultimately led to her decision to choose Newkirk.

“I chose this location because I felt like this was the best place,” she said. “I love Ponca City, but I definitely think this was right. I wanted something smaller.”

Principal filming began in 2019, which included an introduction to

NStory By Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

the community in front of the Kay County Courthouse downtown.

“We came here and started filming in October 2019, and then we took Christmas off, but were delayed by COVID-19,” she said. “We were able to finish everything we needed to do a few months ago.”

The series is unique in that it was filmed entirely in the Newkirk area, including businesses on Main Street and private residences, as well as on the outskirts of town in the countryside. Being a small town, there were more than enough places for filming to bring that small-town charm to the show.

Because Jessica is a bar server, much of the series was filmed in the Char-Ron Lounge, known as The Watchdog in the show. Other locations include the Kay County Courthouse, Golden Acres Motel, Stagecoach BBQ and Catering and Police Department. Several residents also donated their homes, including Debbie Leaming and Crystal Meadows.

“Everyone was very helpful – police, fire department, Newkirk Main Street. They welcomed us with open arms,” she said. “We didn’t keep anyone away from the set unless

it was a closed set, and we tried to do closed sets at night when people were sleeping.”

They also may have had a special fan, possibly Mr. Cline himself, as many residents have alleged to have felt his spirit in the building.

“We had interactions with a ghost, William Cline, which is a very well-known story,” she said. “(Things) like the lights coming on at night, the bulb was black like it went out, but it wasn’t.”

Although the name of the community was Devil’s Bend, they did reference the Newkirk background, things those familiar with the community may recognize.

“We dropped hints of Newkirk in the show, like Mr. Newkirk or Deputy Cline,” Martin said.

The show is now online through their channel, RM Entertainment, which can be found through Roku and Apple TV, as well as Apple and Android devices.

“The channel is a free, worldwide channel and has a huge subscription base in the area,” she said, adding that there is already a big fan base in Europe and other parts of the globe.

‘Hunting Jessica’ has gained Ramen-Martin Film Productions, and to a certain extent Newkirk’s, attention by

“‘Hunting Jessica’ is getting a lot of notice out of Hollywood. They asked us to do a Red Carpet Event, but I’m keeping everything in Oklahoma,” Martin said.

With that attention, they are moving forward with a new production, ‘Gateway,’ which Martin describes as a sci-fi time-traveling show, with a historical Viking influence, including people involved with shows such as ‘Vikings: The Saga of Floki’ on The History Channel and ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ on Netflix.

“They came to me because they liked what I did with ‘Hunting Jessica,’” she said.

Those include Ragga Ragnars, an Icelandic actress who stars in ‘Vikings: The Saga of Floki,’ and Michael Redmond, an Irish actor who stars in ‘Vikings: Valhalla.’ They will also shoot portions of the production in Europe, including Scotland, though some will still be filmed locally, she said, adding that some scenes would be shot in Kay County … including the Marland Mansion.

Despite a new national and international influence, Ramen-Martin Productions isn’t leaving, and the company revels in the smalltown atmosphere, bringing Hollywood to a town that wants to be seen from the outside.

“It’s been a journey. People come here all the time, and they come up and look in our windows, and I walk out and give them stickers,” Martin said. “I want to see this area growing, I want to see us working together. It is really a beautiful, peaceful town.”

“We have people watching ‘Hunting Jessica,’ from Newkirk all the way to Europe,” she said. “We have a huge following here in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.”

Hollywood.

Here’s Your Sign

Legacy Signs Makes Its Mark On Ponca City

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

Legacy Signs’ history is built on a foundation of long hours and hard work. As owner Casey McClaskey thinks back over the timeline that got him where he is today, his gratitude is evident in the twinkle in his eyes as he says, “It’s honestly just all been a blessing the way things have fallen into place. That’s all there is to it.”

The short version of the story is that McClaskey’s work at Pioneer Hydraulics led to Action Truck Parts, which led to Legacy Signs, which led to BOSS Custom Tees. Obviously, we’re here for the longer version today. Each step was one he took, with his wife Tiffany by his side, as he followed needs he saw in our community and worked to fill them.

The story really starts back when McClaskey was a teenager. He remembers his first experience with vinyl wraps.

“I kind of fell in love with vinyl whenever I was younger and watched a lady letter one of my race cars over in Enid. Whenever I watched her do that, it was back when printing wasn’t a thing. So if you wanted to put multiple colors on, you laid layer of vinyl after layer of vinyl after layer of vinyl. So I watched her do that and kind of fell in love with it.”

After high school, he tried college but quickly decided that wasn’t the route for him. He knew where his interest was and followed that path instead. McClaskey found a program at Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno that taught Commercial and Graphic Arts. They also had a vinyl program to go along with the graphics program and were the only technology center in the area with a plotter. A plotter is the machine that cuts the vinyl and a critical piece to learning the craft he already knew he loved.

After graduating from the program in 2006, McClaskey moved back to Ponca City and began working again at his dad’s business, Pioneer Hydraulics. He had worked at the shop during high school and returned to Ponca City to find the business booming and in need of his help. This didn’t stop him from pursuing his goals surrounding his degree. In 2007, he bought his first plotter. This small 24-inch plotter was McClaskey’s first step toward the business he runs today. Initially he ran the plotter at night creating stickers for semitruck doors. This quickly grew, and in 2009 they opened Action Truck Parts. After their first year in business, it became clear Action Truck Parts needed to add a sign shop arm to their business. Legacy Signs was born in 2010.

In the beginning, he would work at Action Truck Parts all day and then run the Legacy Signs portion of the business at night. He and his wife had just started their family at this time. He remembers how his wife and oldest daughter would hang out with him in the shop during the evenings while he worked just so they could have time together as a family. McClaskey credits his wife as playing a huge role in his success. “If it wasn’t for my wife, none of this would be possible, period. She’s my rock. She’s the one that’s stuck with me through all of it, the hours, the stress …” Tiffany McClaskey has been there every step of the way helping Casey chart their path.

In 2011, McClaskey started working with Graphic Designer Elizabeth Hunt. She does much of the design work for Legacy Signs and McClaskey calls her artwork “miraculous.” Legacy Signs began doing

vehicle wraps in 2012. He recalls one of the earlier wraps they did was for Watermark Painting & Drywall owned by Darrell and Angela Mendiola. The design turned out to be more difficult than he had expected. McClaskey says, “Darrell was awesome because he knew I was inexperienced, and I had his truck for about a week and I called him and I was like, ‘I can’t do it. Come get it. Take it to Oklahoma City, have them do it.’ And he said ‘No, you keep it until you’re done. I don’t need it. Just hang on to it.’ So he literally let me keep his truck for almost a month just so I could learn how to do [the wrap].” The wrap they did then is the same design on Darrell’s vehicles now. What took McClaskey a month to master in the beginning, he can now do in a single day’s work.

He hired Steve Muns in 2014 to help with the wraps. Muns stayed on for several years and left shoes so big McClaskey had to hire two people to take his place.

In 2018, they added Kaleb Gann and John Dehaven to the team just to keep up with demand for wraps. In 2019, they purchased equipment and opened BOSS Custom Tees. At that time, Dehaven moved over to run that part of the business. In 2020, Gann moved on and Collin Dehaven, John’s son, began working for the company. He’s a local high school student who works after school. McClaskey describes him as a hard worker who is very particular about his work, never giving less than his best. He proudly says Collin will be better than him before too long.

McClaskey is thrilled with the team he has today. “My crew out here now is so phenomenal. Everybody that’s in place out here is just, I mean, you talk about a blessing. It is. They’re phenomenal.” Since 2009, he has worked day and night to keep up with demand and keep multiple businesses going. This year, with the team he has in place, he can leave at a reasonable hour and spend time with his family.

When asked about his work ethic, McClaskey puts it pretty simply, “That’s just how I was raised. You work.”

“Hunt handles all of our design work and still helps with customers. Ashtin takes care of customers as well as all the printing. Collin works from four to eight or nine every day. He took a liking to wrapping, so I started training him to wrap cars. I sent him to his first school last year. I have John Dehaven over in BOSS, so he is running all the screen printing.” Today they do everything in-house except their embroidery, which is done by a local entrepreneur.

One of the bigger surprises of the journey for McClaskey has been the popularity of the Back the Blue logo stickers he and Hunt created in 2016. They put together the logo after an officer was shot while on duty in Louisiana. Their goal was to show support for our local officers. “I just wanted police officers to know that the world’s not against them. Especially around here. I mean, that’s not how we do things.” He made a Facebook post tagging a few local officers and offering to give the stickers out for free, and the reaction was overwhelming in the best way possible. They shipped stickers to over 30 different states, as well as to France and Australia, all for free. Casey estimates they printed somewhere between 80,000-90,000 stickers. This doesn’t even touch yard signs, T-shirts and other items

created with the Back the Blue logo.

He says his favorite part of the business is being able to help people however he can, especially kids in our community and the surrounding area. Legacy has helped create items to raise money and awareness for local children’s campaigns like “Pray for Juju,” “Praying For Tarynn” and “Spurrin’ One for Autism,” among others.

While his path has involved long hours, or rather long years, McClaskey has no complaints. He actually sums it up rather succinctly.

“I can’t say it enough. I’ve just been blessed. That’s all. That’s all there is to it.”

How long have you lived in Ponca City? 23 years.

How early do you usually start decorating for Christmas?

I usually start decorating for Christmas the second week of August.

How would you describe your overall Christmas decor look?

The look I go for is timeless and traditional.

What is your favorite Christmas ornament?

My favorite ornament is an olive wood carving of the 3 wise men on my living room tree.

What is your favorite holiday dish?

My favorite holiday dish is homemade noodles and dressing.

What is your favorite Christmas family tradition? Going to church together on Christmas!

What is your favorite holiday memory?

When my aunt Sherry was the last person to go during dirty Santa at our family Christmas party. She took 30 minutes to decide to just steal a gift.

“If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.”

What is your favorite Christmas song?

That’s a tough one! I’d have to say “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

Why is Christmas special to you?

Christmas is special to me because it’s my favorite time of the year. All the extra lights, Christmas carols, and Christmas movies just make me happy.

Tell us about your miniature Christmas Village Collection.

I started collecting villages when I was around 12 years old, after my dad got some for me at a garage sale. I’ve always loved decorating for Christmas from a very young age, and villages were just the next step for me. I’ve only been seriously collecting again as an adult for about 2 years. I like “villaging” because there is a village for almost any of the famous buildings around the world. Most of my collection are villages that are designed after my favorite historical landmarks. Some of the buildings were purchased on Facebook marketplace and eBay. However, the majority of them have come from The Gift Shoppe store in downtown Ponca City. It brings me so much cheer setting it all up and making sure every piece is exactly where it should go.

OUR MISSION is to serve Ponca City and its citizens by promoting quality of life through the revitalization of downtown.

Our Vision is to make downtown the heart of our community!

Our Transformation Strategies are Arts & Entertainment and Community Connection.

Talk to Me Speech Therapy Services

in Ponca City

Story By Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

Jennifer Walenciak has a first-floor window office at City Central. Looking through the glass outside of the building, the view opens up to a small plaza of flowers, trees and grass. A wire rack next to the window displays a variety of toys and games for children of all ages, even games adults can appreciate, games she plays with on a rug on the floor.

“I’m all about playing, just toys,” she said. “You can do anything with toys, and that is what it’s about.”

While she does indeed enjoy playing with the toys and games, it’s more of a therapeutic-type of playing, as Walenciak is a pediatric therapist, and uses these activities to help kids come out of their shells and learn to speak when they sorely want to be heard.

Walenciak is a speech and language pathologist assistant at her clinic, Talk to Me Speech Therapy Services, LLC, headquartered at City Central.

“I can treat, but I can’t evaluate,” she said. “I have a supervisor that evaluates my time, and also does all the kids’ evaluations,” she said.

Speech therapy wasn’t on her mind when she first thought of a career. Instead, it was education as a teacher, but a family member with decades of experience encouraged her otherwise.

“I wanted to go into teaching, but my uncle was a 23-year teacher and said ‘no,’” she said.

Instead, he guided her into a different career path, which actually was more suiting to her.

“(My uncle) told me I would like it, and I shadowed a few therapists and I liked it,” she said. “I spent time with a speech therapist and decided I wanted to do that.”

The Ponca City native studied speech pathology at Oklahoma State UniversityTulsa, doing her clinicals at an assisted living center in Ponca City, primarily speech therapy. She has worked as a speech pathologist for seven years, opening her own clinic in March, connecting with a satellite facility in Tulsa. She addresses a variety of speech problems in kids up to age 21, mostly in Ponca City and McCord Public Schools and Epic Charter Schools.

“I work with kiddos on fluency, articulation, social skills, expression and receptive communication,” she said. “I contract with the schools, and the kiddos come into my office, as well.”

More specifically, she helps kids learn to communicate when their peers already can.

“It’s being able to say the words they want to say, and others understand their words, understanding what people are telling them,” she said.

Hers is a job that requires empathy and understanding,

as she is working with children who are learning how to speak.

“Nobody understands what a lack of communication is, what toll that has on a child,” she said.

Like many health issues, the child must be evaluated to determine what approach to take. Before she can address their conditions, there must be an evaluation to determine whether there’s a problem she can treat.

“The first step is to see if there is an issue, if there is something I can help them with,” she said. “If there is a condition, then we have an evaluation and we write goals with the parents.”

There are a variety of conditions she treats, and the plan of therapy is based on the condition itself. Flashcards have long been a part of the therapy, where kids suffering with speech problems learn to correctly pronounce a

variety of words based on phonetics. Another part of that is a form of playtime, which includes games and activities based on the age of the student. Several added items include a colorful, stackable rainbow and an electronic ball that rolls on its own when turned on, a toy she said her students have fallen in love with.

“My favorite method is play-based therapy. We play on the floor, we have games to play,” she said. “It’s incorporated into what they are learning.”

Younger kids look at toys like doll houses, while her older kids gravitate toward board games and other similar activities, such as Connect4.

“There are different methods of communication. They have a talking device where you can click a button and see a whole sentence,” she said. “Social skills, these are all ways of communication, and it is getting a child in communication, any way, shape or form.”

The child isn’t alone in the speech learning process, as in addition to the therapist, the parents play a large role in guiding their child, some of which is done at home, knowing that speech problems are nothing to be ashamed of, but rather are treatable.

“I’m letting them know that it is OK that there might be a problem, their child is having an issue or developmental delay. It is not a sign of weakness; they are not bad kids. If you think there is an issue, early intervention is best,” she said. “We develop a goal or plan, and we go over

it with them. We’ll go over treatment. I give homework, and I expect parents to be part of it too.”

Speech therapy works to help kids beyond simply speaking, including helping them learn about the condition, coming out of their shells to be more sociable.

“Some kids just need guidance; some kids are going to have problems the rest of their lives; and we’ll work with them expressing their wants and needs,” she said. “I see the kids become more confident, and I see them more accepting of their condition.”

Some kids overcome their respective condition, and for those who do, it’s a rewarding experience for Walenciak, and more so for the kids.

“I had a kiddo, and he couldn’t say his ‘Rs,’ he’s learned so much this summer, and this year, he’s on fire,” she said excitedly. “I love the look on their faces and feeling like they’ve accomplished something.”

She also sees an appreciation of the parents in helping their kids talk.

“I’ve had people crying and hugging me, knowing their child is progressing and learning to communicate,” she said. “When a kid is unintelligible, people can’t understand what they are saying; I like to celebrate those moments, when they learn.”

As for Walenciak, it truly is a career she enjoys, one she never saw in her future, but is thankful to her family to have found it.

“I love what I do. I couldn’t think of a better job in the world,” she said.

It isn’t all fun and games, however, as they must also use more instructive measures, such as those flashcards. She seeks a healthy balance between the two activities to keep the kids engaged and motivated.

“I try to have a good balance between guided play and just playing,” she said. “Sometimes, I just have to set a playtime.”

There are other ways to address speech pathology, as well, depending on the speech problem itself, and more ways to communicate with their families.

“I’ve had really good success with play therapy, and I think it is working,” she said. “Anything can be a toy, anything that can elicit language and speech.”

It’s Elemental! Healing Through Nature and the Senses: Let’s Talk About Air, Aroma and the Holidays

Story by Marlys Cervantes/Contributing Writer

Oh, the power of aroma! Whether it is fresh air for our health, aromatherapy for our mental well-being or scents used to assist in retrieving the memories of a victim of a crime, the significance of aroma in our lives cannot be undervalued, especially during the holidays when there are even more delightful scents all around us.

When I was younger, I remember being in awe of stories about the police taking victims of crimes back to the location of the crime because the smell would invoke memories that were needed to either help find and arrest the perpetrator or to remember the details to convict. It sounds so complicated. Our bodies and brains are so remarkable.

Of the sense of smell, American poet Diane Ackerman says, “Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up

a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains.”

In the article “How Traumatic Experiences Impact Victim Behavior and Memory in the Aftermath of Violent Crime,” Chafica Khodr Agha, Esq., Staff Attorney and Program Associate for the National Center for Victims of Crime, explains the reason some specifics are easy to remember and other are difficult or impossible to recall “might be due to fractures in the victim’s memory encoding at the time of the incident(s).” Often, this leaves a person with lost “peripheral details” that could be very important information surrounding the crime. However, Agha explains, one way to retrieve these memories is by triggering them through smell.

In the Discovery.com article “Here’s Why Smells Trigger Such Vivid Memories,” Ashley Hamer agrees that smell has “a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other senses.” Hamer goes on to explain that “scents bypass the thalamus and go straight to the brain’s smell center, known as the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, which might explain why the smell of something can so immediately trigger a detailed memory or even intense emotion.”

So, what do we do when we want to relax instead of trigger all that emotion? Many people use aromatherapy as a way to reduce stress in their lives, helping both their minds and bodies de-stress.

Aromatherapy is a holistic practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit that has been around for centuries. According to a Johns Hopkins Medicine Journal article “Aromatherapy: Do Essential Oils Really Work?”, “When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.” The article stresses they are used to improve the health of body, mind and spirit. The article says the most popular essential oils include Lavender Oil, which is often used to relax and promote sleep; Tea Tree Oil, which was used by Australia’s aboriginal people for wound healing, and is now commonly used for acne, athlete’s foot and insect bites; Peppermint Oil, known to relieve irritable bowel symptoms and tension headaches; and Lemon Oil, often used as both a mood booster and in homemade cleaning products. I wonder if my mood would change to wanting to clean if …?

Although there are far too many essential oils to list, a few that were named as being important in Tori Rodriguez’ report for ABC, “6 Scents That Have the Power to Heal,” were: Sage (blood pressure reduction), Peppermint (stress relief; reduce fatigue), Orange (decrease anxiety; elevate mood), Rosemary (enhance brain power; boost energy), Cinnamon (improve focus; increase concentration; reduce frustration) and Lavender (relaxation; decrease anxiety, insomnia and migraine pain). As you can see, this is only a small selection of the oils available, so there are as many different kinds as there are needs for them.

Oh, but sometimes you just need to breathe

Directors Brenda Renfro

in fresh air to rejuvenate yourself. On NPR’s Morning Edition, Gretchen Cuda reported about Harvard researcher Herbert Benson’s idea of “The Relaxation Response,” where he claims breathing can even change a person’s genes: “Here you can use the mind to change the body, and the genes we’re changing were the very genes acting in an opposite fashion when people are under stress.” His claim is that by using their breathing, people can alter the basic activity of the cells in their minds.

In the same article, Cuda reports on Mladen Golubic, a physician in the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, and his ideas about the influence of deep and structured breathing: “You can influence asthma; you can influence chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; you can influence heart failure,” Golubic says. “There are studies that show that people who practice breathing exercises and have those conditions – they benefit.”

Golubic goes on to discuss a practice that has been around for thousands of years in India called pranayama. Pranayama literally means control of the life force, and it is breath work that has been a beneficial part of India’s regular yoga practice affecting the mind and body.

Although all these breathing techniques are good for us, Michelle Blackwood, RN, in “Fresh Air Benefits,” explains that we should make sure we also have plenty of outdoor time, regardless of the time of year. One of the main reasons is simply that the increase in oxygen to the brain releases serotonin, the hormone that increases energy levels and positive feelings; therefore, making us feel happier. With that, we also have

more energy and a sharper mind.

Along with feeling happier, fresh air cleans our lungs. Sufficient oxygen levels help our lungs expand and filter out toxins.

In addition, the cells need that oxygen to perform their functions to destroy bacteria, viruses, parasites, and to perform inflammatory immune responses to protect our body. Oxygen also helps the cells keep the digestive system properly working.

Certainly not least important is all of these can lead to better sleep through relaxation leading to a peaceful night.

I love the smells of the outdoors, so it’s easy for me to want to go outside and breathe in deeply. Many of my favorite smells remind me of treasured childhood memories. Freshly mowed grass makes me think of my dad in the summer and being outside enjoying my time with neighborhood friends, and the smell of the saltwater in the ocean makes me think back to trips with my parents when I was little, staying in a beach house and enjoying collecting shells, making sand castles and eating seafood. Now, I love the smells of sage, salvia and wisteria in my backyard. However, my all-time favorite smell is eucalyptus. I’d take these smells over most anything else because they relax my mind and make me feel content.

Pastor Leon Veazey of First United Methodist Church says his favorite scents are “coffee brewing, a fresh rain after a dry spell, bacon frying and pine.” He says the scents invoke better memories of family, such as his early adulthood as a dad.

Scents incite nostalgia, Anjana Deshpande, Philadelphia therapist explained to me, as she told me since she’s been in the U.S., barbecue, autumn and sunscreen are scents that have become important in her memories. However, “the scent of jasmine and marigolds reminds me

of the holidays in India,” she said, remembering her childhood.

For many people, it seems the holidays bring about memories of the smells of food, even if we aren’t eating all of it. Echo Blanton, co-owner of Blanton Chiropractic Clinic, says Christmas reminds her of “the smells of homemade baking, like pies and cookies.” For Robyn Boettcher Ryan, Advertising Director for Ponca City Monthly magazine, who likes the smells of vanilla and hazelnut, the holiday’s favorite is “hands down, pumpkin spice.” Even Pastor Leon Veazey went with food on this one, saying, “turkey roasting, ham baking, pumpkin pie (even though I don’t like the taste of it).”

I have to agree with the leaning toward the smells of food. I always loved the smell of a big turkey or ham dinner that my mom made, with my grandmother usually bringing the pies and homemade noodles. Then, one of the days surrounding the holiday, my dad generally made his wonderful spaghetti. Now, ever since I’ve been married, the tradition has been the eves of the holidays, we host the large Mexican feast at our home, and it does smell wonderful. Then, the day of is the traditional meal, generally. We love a big houseful of food and fun conversation. There’s nothing like full stomachs and lots of laughter.

How can we relax this busy holiday season and use the air and our lungs to extend our lives? We just need to remember to enjoy life and breathe in that fresh air. As Gretchen Cuda with NPR explains, “It’s a powerful tool for influencing individual health and well-being. And the best part is all the ingredients are free and literally right under your nose.” Take your dog for a walk, visit your neighbors in the front yard or open your windows, even if only for a short bit of time when the weather is cooler. You still need that fresh air.

and

by Paul Muehlberg / Contributing Writer

Baked Brie

with Rosemary and Cranberry Sauce

Serve this delectably creamy cheese at your holiday party. For this recipe I use leftover cranberry sauce from the November 2022 issue of Ponca City Monthly, but you can top with whatever jam you like, such as cherry or fig.

Ingredients:

• 1.32lb French Brie

• 1 Cup Cranberry Sauce (from November 2022 Issue of Ponca City Monthly)

• Rosemary and Thyme for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap brie and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or until very firm but not frozen through. This makes it easier to cut the top rind off and helps the cheese hold its shape while baking.

Using a sharp knife, trim the rind off the top of the cheese. Place on a sheet pan and insert into preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top is melty and bubbly. Monitor the cheese closely while baking; oven temps vary, and if you overcook the cheese, you will have a melted blob of cheese on your sheet pan.

Remove cheese from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes or until the cheese is set up enough to move to a charcuterie board. Top with the cranberry sauce and garnish with the herbs. Serve warm with crackers, toast and apple slices.

Recipe

Photos

TO ALL OUR VALUED CLIENTS AND FRIENDS

From our family to yours, we wish you peace and joy throughout the holiday season.

TO ALL OUR VALUED CLIENTS AND FRIENDS

TO ALL OUR VALUED CLIENTS AND FRIENDS

From our family to yours, we wish you peace and joy throughout the holiday season.

throughout the holiday season.

1926 Lake Rd., Ste. 3, Ponca City, OK 74604 • 580-762-6890

George Ferguson: Managing Principal

Pat Mulligan: Senior Financial Advisor

Craig Poet: Senior Financial Advisor

Bryant Ferguson: Financial Advisor

1926 Lake Road, Suite #3, Ponca City, OK 74604 • (580) 762-6890

Investment and Insurance Products:

Investment and Insurance Products:

NOT FDIC-Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value

NOT FDIC-Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Ferguson, Mulligan & Poet, LLC is a separate entity from WFAFN. 1121-02184 [86267-v5] A1929 (3372903_505066)

Ferguson, Mulligan & Poet, LLC is a separate entity from WFAFN. 1119-03268 [86267-v5] A1929 (3372903_505066)

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Ferguson, Mulligan & Poet, LLC is a separate entity from WFAFN. 1119-03268 [86267-v5] A1929 (3372903_505066)

1926 Lake Rd., Ste. 3, Ponca City, OK 74604 • 580-762-6890

Patrick Mulligan Senior Financial Advisor

George Ferguson Managing Principal

Craig Poet Senior Financial Advisor Bryant Ferguson Financial Advisor

Ferguson, Mulligan & Poet, LLC

Patrick Mulligan Senior Financial Advisor

George Ferguson Managing Principal

Craig Poet Senior Financial Advisor Bryant Ferguson Financial Advisor

Ferguson, Mulligan & Poet, LLC

From our family to yours, we wish you peace and joy

Now that Thanksgiving is over, my spirit of thankfulness and gratitude is over as well, so as this year comes to an end, it feels like the appropriate time to discuss my list of grievances. In no particular order, rapid-fire style, they are as follows:

1. People who clap when the airplane lands; I’m sorry, just don’t. 2. Celery, it’s literally like biting into water with hair in it. 3. When my mother doesn’t answer her phone. Mom, why do you even own a phone if you aren’t going to answer it? I’m 35 years old; I’m a literal child; I need to know what vitamin I should buy and if this mole looks weird. 4. When people call me. What are we, cavemen? My phone has been on silent since 2005; send me a text. And don’t you dare leave me a voicemail; I haven’t checked a voicemail ever in my life. 5. Getting older. I feel like I woke up tired like 11 years ago, and little did I know, I would never feel rested or rejuvenated again. 6. The type of people who say “Oh that’s so bad for you” when you eat McDonald’s. Look, if someone told me a double cheeseburger and medium Dr. Pepper would kill me immediately after eating it, I’d still eat it. I honestly

don’t even think I’d hesitate. 7. Daylight Saving (self-explanatory). 8. People with 20/20 vision. Y’all are just out here seeing clearly FOR FREE?! 9. The fact that the T-rex existed closer in history TO HUMANS than the stegosaurus. That is mind boggling to me and also makes me upset for reasons I can’t explain. 10. Soft grapes. If I don’t hear a crisp, juicy crunch when I bite into a grape, get.it.away.from.me. 11. Olives. (Self-explanatory … they’re the most vile, disgusting things on God’s green earth). 12. Close talkers. If I can see the individual pores on your face, you’re too close to me, and not only should you back up away from me, you shouldn’t stop backing up away from me until you’re in a different room than I am in. 13. When men catcall me at gas stations. (It’s insulting and degrading.) 14. When men don’t catcall me at gas stations (Do you not think I’m pretty?)

WHEW thank you for letting me get this off my chest, it was really therapeutic. I’m sure it’s no surprise, but there are more items on my grievances list, so come back next time for items 15 through 539.

by Patrick Jordan ACROSS

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As the Christmas holidays quickly approach, your local school district is preparing for the upcoming 2023 New Year. In the past twelve months, we’ve experienced record investment across our district and we’re actively preparing for more projects that will bolster and enhance the services we can provide to our students and the community as a whole. Not only will the next twelve months be transformational for the district from a facilities standpoint, but it will also be a beneficial time to pause, collect ourselves, and transition into the promise of a new spring.

This Spring not only refers to the season, but to the business principle of hope and new life. The winter is upon us, and as we experience the closure of this year we will look eagerly to the spring for new opportunities and new hope. Our classroom teachers, administrators, and students will be in the midst of their school year, but big ideas, new opportunities, and new processes will come to life in the upcoming Spring.

My goal this month will be to remain open to change and new ideas. I’d like to foster a spirit of openness to new ways of thinking and new experiences. I fear if I remain closed off, our school district could miss a golden opportunity for positive change. One of my changes moving

forward will be to find more positives in my day. In the school setting, getting out of my office and being with the teachers, students, and staff that run our buildings fuels my spirit. Plus, some of the best feedback and best ideas I hear come from the people doing the front-line work day in and day out. Finding that raw uninterrupted time to be present with members of your team is extremely powerful.

As your school district is preparing for the spring, know that we are working diligently to educate the children you entrust with us each day. But also know we’re looking for ways to close this winter chapter in a positive way and look to the spring with hope. I hope you can take a moment to enjoy a special moment this holiday season. It’s my pleasure to serve our community.

Story by Adam Leaming, Ponca City Public Schools / Contributing Writer

FOOD CRUSH FOOD CRUSH

Story By Amy DeWitt Geurin/Staff Writer

For many, holidays equal familiar comfort foods, cozy fireplaces and cherished time with loved ones. So why not let the indulgence of the season trickle into cocktail hour?

The Grand Cigar & Lounge is located at 217 S. Second St., Ponca City. 580.262.0774.

Hours: Thursday & Friday at 4pm Saturday & Sunday at 12pm Follow The Grand Cigar & Lounge on Facebook and at www.thegrandcigar.com

Ody’s is located at 3700 Lake Rd., Ponca City. 580.765.9992

Hours: Monday-Thursday at 4pm Friday & Saturday at 2pm Sunday at 1pm

The Grand Cigar & Lounge, located on South Second Street in the former location of Dick & Runts BBQ, has the earmarks of a historical, smalltown spot sprinkled with modern conveniences. With a vast selection of bourbon, spirits, Oklahoma beers and a humidor that houses a cigar selection that rivals any in Oklahoma, the very welcome and unhurried vibe projects a feel that is comfortable and pleasing.

The cocktail game at Grand Cigar is on point, the most creative in town. The December feature, Santa’s Helper, is a seasonal, full-bodied glass full of flavor. A twist on the traditional White Russian, this perfect blend of polished vodka, coffee forward kahlua and sweet peppermint make for the ideal holiday extravagance. With notes of caramel and vanilla, the velvety texture will open your senses. This is a rich, creamy drink that is December in a glass. If vodka isn’t hitting the right note, Grand Cigar has one of the best liquor selections in northern Oklahoma and the staff is always ready to mix something fun and unconventional.

Of all the kinds of dive bars, Ody’s is the best kind. A beloved Ponca City

staple, this local hole in the wall is the low-key hot spot for parties, after-parties, reunions, fund-raising events and midweek pick me ups. Every year in December, Ody’s hosts a Christmas party that raises money and collects donations for local families that need a helping hand in making the holiday season as bright as possible. This fun, fantastic cause is on the calendar for Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.

While at the annual Christmas party, and throughout December, order the festive Cinnamon Toast Crunch. A blend of RumChata (maybe the best cream liqueur ever) and Fireball, this sweet, rum/horchata/ cinnamon concoction can be ordered over ice to sip or as a shot. Aptly named Cinnamon Toast Crunch for its uncanny resemblance to one of childhood’s favorite breakfast cereals, the cinnamon will warm the insides even on the chilliest of winter days.

It is easy to be swept up in the whimsical magic of the holiday season. It also takes time and energy to maintain the quirky traditions and upbeat attitude. Take a break, recharge and maybe find some new inspiration at the businesses that give back year-round. The Grand Cigar and Ody’s each has aspects that make them uniquely individual, yet the warmth they radiate to their customers and neighborhoods make them both anchors in our community. Merry everything and happy always!

TOP THREE FOR ME

Check out Grand Cigar for tasty food trucks throughout the year.

Ody’s is perhaps the best value in town for the drinks served.

Local, local, local! Both joints are locally owned and locally staffed.

1. Enforce a mental shift

Changing a whole mentality may sound like too big of a challenge. However, it’s not always as difficult as it may seem. One great option is to flood your eye and ear gates with content of others speaking on, or displaying, the joy of fitness. Listen to podcasts or watch YouTube videos about finding enjoyment in exercise or join your age group in a group class and feed off their energy. Sometimes just seeing or hearing different perspectives are enough to cause a shift in the way we feel about a topic or activity. Another great option is setting up a reward system. After you finish a gym, park or at home session, go buy a new outfit or treat yourself with a night on the town. We should absolutely be rewarding ourselves for making good choices that take care of our bodies!

what about

“new

me” phrase you’ll start hearing

during

time of year? It’s almost everywhere you turn. What is “it” you ask? The common advice that exercise is the answer. But here’s a potential problem that arises for some … what if you don’t enjoy exercise? You know it’s good for you and you might’ve even read the innumerable benefits of it. However, just the thought of forcing yourself to lift a weight or get on a cardio machine sucks any motivation right out of you. So, what do you do? Here are five tips that may help ease the frustration and increase your enjoyment level!

2. Don’t go in thinking you have to go super intense or lift super heavy

Sometimes we can look at a challenge and overwhelm ourselves before we even get into the ring. Making something harder in our minds can keep us from doing anything in life. You do not have to start strength training with 40-pound weights if your comfort level is at 10-pound weights right now. You do not have to do 25 pushups in your first session. You don’t have to start with a 5k before you’ve even let yourself build up endurance for one mile. Give yourself grace and patience. Avoid taking on pressure from imposed standards or accomplishments you’ve seen other exercisers do.

Tree of Life Annual Appeal

3. Just give it a try

This is what I tell many of my clients! Especially, those that come to me solely due to emerging health issues or a doctor’s order. I bet some of you might be surprised at how many give it a try and before even two months roll around, they are enjoying their newfound strength or range of motion. Even to the point of asking me to

increase weight during sets or add another session into the week!

4. Start with a workout buddy to help motivate you

Maybe before finding fun with the actual activity, you may need to find fun in the people or environment involved with the activity!

Partnering with a companion that keeps you laughing or engaged can be all that it takes to get into a consistent routine and begin having different feelings about exercise.

5.Choose activities that you enjoy

You do not HAVE to do bicep curls or use the elliptical machine to reach fitness goals. Believe it or not, you can make a whole fitness routine without including these at all if you dread them. One of the most important factors of fitness is sustainability. If what you are doing is not sustainable or something you would desire to stay consistent with, then replacing it with a different activity or movement is a great idea! If you love swimming, then do it. If you love walking lunges, then do them. If you hate Nordic curls, then try the hamstring curl machine or Romanian deadlifts instead. You have options! Fitness is a lifestyle, so make sure you enjoy what you’re doing!

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Call (580) 7670311 for information on signing up.

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Backyard Gardener

The Garden Is Still in Giving Mode …

Story and Photos by Kat Long / Contributing Writer

I really thought everything in the yard would be dead by now. Frozen, snow falling, all the bugs dead … well, I couldn’t have been more wrong on all of these things. Sure we got that early freeze and all my fish died (so sad). Also the peppers, tomatoes and most of the basil were finished. Then, surprisingly, the mint started flourishing. And then there was thyme, oregano, lemon balm and catnip getting fluffy and sprouting flowers in the warmer temps the last few weeks. And today (it’s still November) but lo and behold, I discovered some new chives had sprung up. And the garden (yard) just keeps on producing.

We spoke of Christmas gifts for gardeners last month, so this month, here are some things you can do in the yard while we wait (insert foot tapping) for some colder weather and the seed catalogs. By the way, the catalogs have already started arriving. AND they are offering gift cards! More on that later.

For now, let’s talk garlic, carrots, greens, daikon radish, onions and fruit trees … because we live in Oklahoma that’s why.

GARLIC

Garlic is one of my favorite things to plant in the fall. I am going for 100 bulbs in the ground this year. Why? Because I can, that’s why. December in Ponca City is the perfect time for garlic planting. The ground needs to be workable, and we have finally received rain two weeks in a row, so you should be able to work the ground and get those individual garlic cloves into the ground.

Remember, pointy side up and they need to go in about a half inch into the soil. Use some compost or garden soil to cover them and then cover that with hay, straw or some kind of mulch. And sit back and wait. You won’t know if they all “took” until March or so, but once they start growing, there will be much rejoicing. When planting garlic in December, you will harvest them in late June to early July.

CARROTS

Believe it or not, winter carrots are a thing. They grow really slow over the winter, but the cold makes them so much sweeter when you harvest

them in the spring. Clear your area and get enough hay or mulch to cover your carrot planting at least three inches. More is better. Plant your carrot seeds as normal and cover with compost/dirt and water them well to get them germinating. After a couple of weeks (it should be starting to freeze regularly by mid-December) cover them with the mulch/hay.

I have seen examples of a mulch blanket which works really well if you want to give them some extra growing time on warm days. Mulch blankets can be purchased at Lowe’s or ordered online. They are called erosion blankets. You can also use any breathable material to make the base of a straw blanket such as burlap, garden netting or even chicken wire. If you use something under your straw, keep monitoring your carrot top growth. If you let the green carrot tops grow too much, they will anchor your straw blanket in place come spring.

I don’t have a problem with how it looks in the garden, but some people don’t like the deadness of decomposing straw in their yard. Figure out if you want the straw or not. If you try to remove the blanket after the carrot greens grow through the straw blanket, the carrot tops are likely to break off.

DAIKON RADISH

I love daikon radishes. This is the time to sow them in the yard. Get a bucket and mix the following: a fourth cup of daikon seed, four big scoops of compost and another four scoops of dirt. Mix it together and add a little water. It should be the consistency of crumbly dirt. But maybe I am getting ahead of myself. Are you asking yourself why should you plant daikon radish? Well, here are three reasons. Daikon radishes are deep growers and penetrate into

the ground. If you want to eat them or use them as a condiment, harvest them in April or May and the radishes will be about six to ten inches in length. The best thing about Daikon is if you leave them in the ground but cut all the tops off in April or May, they will break up the soil (remember, they grow really deep) and then they will decompose over the summer. This is great for breaking up a clay or hard to dig area without having to till. Radish tops are tangy and great additions to salads, so you aren’t wasting the greens. But here is my favorite use for Daikon: fire cider.

If you haven’t heard about fire cider: Google or YouTube it. Fire cider is awesome for colds, flu, when you are feeling crappy or heaven forbid, when you find out you’ve been exposed to some infectious person. Fire cider is a fermented concoction of horseradish, citrus, jalapenos, daikon, onions, ginger,

garlic and turmeric all covered in apple cider vinegar with mother. If you know, you know. There are many different recipes out there. You may even have a family recipe that goes by a different name that grandma swears by. Get that recipe!!! Pickled daikon is a great condiment as well and adding it to chowchow or any relish will spice that baby up.

Back to the bucket of seeds, compost and dirt … glove your hand and scatter them where you would like them to grow. This scatter method works well especially if you are using the daikon to break up the soil.

ONIONS

If you don’t have onions to plant in December, I feel your pain. Some years I am prepared. This year is not one of them. The small bulb onions that you can find at Atwoods, Lowe’s and Walmart are nowhere to be found right now. So, I bought some shallots and intend to plant those. Never have planted shallots and apparently they are more like garlic than onions. One shallot bulb can produce anywhere from 4 to 12 new bulbs at harvest. Cool. Check out this QR code for a great article on fall onions by High Mowing Organic Seed Co. I love them and they have some great information on their website Highmowingseeds.com.

FRUIT TREES

I just want to briefly mention fruit trees. Because

our Oklahoma weather is so warm in the fall, the best time to plant fruit trees is late November into mid-December. And most fruit tree nurseries will not ship the trees until weather temps have been below 50 degrees consistently for two weeks. So it is not too late to order that peach, nectarine, plum or three apple trees for your yard. I have used Gurneys, Wilson Brothers in Georgia, Stark Brothers Nursery, and you can always swing by Keathly Nursery here in Ponca City to see if they have any in stock. Remember to do some research as some fruit trees like apples and almonds need to have more than one variety to pollinate for fruit. If you want instant gratification, meaning fruit in under three years, go for the plum or nectarine. I am still waiting for apple blossoms on my trees. But this year is year four. That’s a lucky number, right? Four?

Oh yes, seed gift cards from earlier. I cannot think of anything more wonderful for a gardener than a gift card to one or two seed places.

Park Seed is the only one I have seen so far advertising gift cards. But the others can’t be far behind! I will update more in January. Promise.

I leave you with a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Even if you are just thinking about gardening as the winter months descend, I hope they are happy gardening thoughts. Much love, light and joy to all of you as we go from 2022 to 2023 … and, of course, Happy Gardening.

Talk Birdie To Me

Just hold on….

In the words of the great Arnold Palmer, “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated: it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening-and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” I, along with many golfers, believe in this wholeheartedly. Golf is a game that can bring you to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows all in one round.

I had one of our better players come in at the turn the other day and was all excited because he had just shot 2 under on the front. He talked of shooting his best round ever. He had visions of grandeur and how he was certain that he was going low. But then he teed off on the back.

He came in dejected, sad, mad, and puzzled. Putts didn’t fall, he missed fairways, he missed greens, and eventually he shot +6 on the back

for a 75. We have all been there. Even the guys on tour that have gone low have all walked off knowing they could have done better. Golf cannot be mastered. It cannot be controlled. The only thing you can control is you.

The worst thing you can do when playing well is think of what you are going to shoot or by thinking if you par this or birdie that. DON’T DO IT! The most important shot in golf is the next one. You cannot be thinking of a hole that you haven’t played yet. When you do, you hit a bad shot, then another, then another and now you have added pressure. Before you know it, your good round has ended. Be consistent. Have a pre-shot routine. Pick your target and swing the club and don’t think about it. Just like you should do every day-believe in yourself.

Fairways and Greens, Rod Alexander,

A few facts you might not know about Yellowstone National Park: It is our oldest national park, created in 1872. It covers almost 3,500-square miles in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana and is famous for its geysers, bison herds, and the reintroduction of its wolves. The most well-known feature of Yellowstone National Park is Old Faithful, a geyser named for its regular eruptions. Tourists from all over the world visit Old Faithful daily.

Over the last few weeks, Old Faithful has become a little less faithful. The geyser has begun erupting less frequently, as well as less forcefully. Other geysers in the park have also been adversely affected. Parker Quinn, a National Park Service biologist, is summoned to Yellowstone to help discover – and hopefully resolve –the cause of Old Faithful’s behavior. Quinn brought his family – wife Beverly and their three teenage children Noah, Caleb, and Grace – along with him to enjoy the many features of Yellowstone.

The day after the Quinns arrive at Yellowstone, Old Faithful just stops. No more eruptions, period. It’s a good thing Quinn is already on the scene. He and Ranger Brian Tolliver are assigned the task of discovering why the water pressure under Yellowstone National Park has dropped drastically. Quinn and Tolliver, along with Noah and Caleb, set out following the underground river

that feeds the park’s hydrothermal features, trekking through pristine parts of the national park with no roads or paths, looking for any explanation for the reduction in water pressure.

While the guys are traipsing through the park, Grace and a new friend become ghost hunters, looking for an explanation for the recent reappearance of a famous hundredyear-old ghost.

The Day Old Faithful Stopped was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

Review By: Tara Smith

PROVIDED

BY

BRACE BOOKS & MORE

By: Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)

Young Tom Felton was just 12 years old when he walked on to the set of some movie about magic and stuff. He had never read a Harry Potter book, let alone researched anything about what he was walking into. Tom loved acting, but at his age he wasn’t too serious about anything. Why should he be, he had his whole life ahead of him, to be a normal boy, and figure out the ways of life. Little did he know, getting the call that he had been cast as Draco Malfoy, in “that movie about magic” would change his life completely.

Tom takes us on his journey, from trying to be a normal child, to his life today, with everything in between. We visit all of his favorite memories, and a few not so fun ones. We are introduced to all of Tom’s family, muggle and magic, that turned him in to the person he is today. We explore his

relationships, on and off set. He discusses the fact that, even with fame and fortune, mental health is the most important thing. Tom shows us that even though we watched him grow up as the “bad guy” he really was just one of us, stumbling through his days, just trying to make it to the next one.

As someone who grew up alongside the characters of Harry Potter, this book was the perfect closure to my childhood. The ending to an era, if you will. It will make you laugh, make you cry, and you will carry it with you for the rest of time, just as Harry Potter lives on in each of us.

Cocktail Month

OF THE

Mixed by Jill Rowe/Staff Writer

Let’s face it, between the holidays a diet is out the window. While you’re pretending calories don’t exist during December, whip up a modernday classic, the White Russian. It’s pure dessert in a glass, a drink that owes much of its popularity to the 1998 cult classic film, The Big Lebowski. The White Russian was the drink of choice for the main character, the Dude, and because he was so idolized, so was his drink.

The White Russian is, shockingly, a slight variation on a similar drink, the Black Russian. A cocktail composed of vodka and coffee liqueur. First created in 1949 by a Belgian bartender at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, Gustave Tops. One evening, while Gustave was working, there was a special guest at the hotel, Perle Mesta. Perle was the eldest daughter of an Oklahoman oil and real estate tycoon. She went on to become the first US ambassador to Luxemburg and was known as “the Hostess with the Mostess.” Perle was known to throw Gatsby-level parties, composed of government officials, diplomats, business professionals, and artists. These were HUGE shindigs from Washington to New York, London, and Hollywood. Basically, she was kind of a big deal.

Gustave wanted to make her a specialty cocktail, so he created the Black Russian. Perle brought the recipe and the name back to Washington, and with the

Russian to turn it into a White Russian; however, it started circulating in the 1960s. With only three ingredients, it’s not hard to make. You can simply mix it in a glass, no cocktail shaker is required!

The White Russian’s sweetness and high alcohol count appeal to both lightweights and lushes alike. I consider myself a bit of both at times so this tends to be a holiday staple at my house. As you’re cozied up by your fireplace this winter, mix up the classic version or find a White Russian that speaks to your inner Dude.

White Russian

1

Heavy Cream

Add your vodka and Kahlua into a rocks glass, fill with ice, top with heavy cream, and give it a stir.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

‘Tis the Season of Giving

Story by Hayley Harrison / Staff Writer

With the holidays coming up, my husband and I have been trying to instill a spirit of charitable giving within our oldest daughter. We obviously want to raise a kind, compassionate, and empathetic human-being, but we also have a very small house and our girls have *F I V E* grandmothers that we feel make it their personal mission to marathon-shop Walmart out of each and every toy that lines their shelves, every single holiday season. So basically, not only is charitable donation encouraged in our home, but it is a vital necessity if we don’t wish to star in season 14 of “Hoarders.”

So, keeping all this in mind, you can probably imagine our delight when our daughter came to us asking for trash bags that she could fill with toys to donate. We were beaming with pride! We happily supplied the trash bags and asked her if she would like our help in her new charitable endeavor. She

politely declined, and promptly got to work. She filled three large trash bags to-the-brim and then let us know that they were ready to be taken to our local donation center.

have probably surmised by now, the third bag was also filled with her sister’s most prized possessions.

As I started going through the first bag, I was initially relieved not to find half-eaten Honey Buns or Barbie Dolls that she had practiced her cosmetology skills on. But I quickly noticed a theme; the toys in the first bag did not belong to her, they belonged to her baby sister. “Hmm” I thought to myself, “surely it was a mistake.” So I opened the second bag, same story. And as you

My newly-philanthropic daughter had spent an hour of her own time bagging up all of her little sister’s toys to give away. I have to be honest here and tell you that it was incredibly hard to keep a straight face while explaining to her why this was wrong, and that we can only choose to donate our own things and never someone else’s. She said she understood, but then immediately declined to refill the bags with her own toys.

I wish you all a wonderful, happy, blessed holiday season, and don’t forget that you never have to be charitable yourselves, so long as you have a little sister to do it for you.

Right before I started loading the toy-laden bags into the back of my car, it suddenly hit me that I should probably give a quick glance at the things my six-yearold chose to donate.