50+Living and Sofia for Today's Woman APRIL 2022

of Western NC

Veg Out in the Garden What does the Number 4 Really Mean?

TIME VS MONEY

50pluslivingWNC.com

April 2022

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50+ Living | April 2022

April 2022 | 50+ Living

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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The Best Vegetables to Grow in April

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Numerology & the Number 4

12

Lyme Disease Prevention Month for Pets

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How the Wealthy Think About Time

16

Pass the Passerina

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Beans You can sow outdoors in late April or May, after the last frost.

It’s best to plant seeds in pots – one bean per small pot, 5cm (2in) deep. Place the pots in a cold frame or sheltered position.

Once the plants reach 8cm (3in) tall, plant them into their final positions.

You can sow beans in the garden in May or June when the soil has warmed to at least 60°F (16°C).

Start beans indoors 3 to 2 weeks before transplanting them to the garden.

Chili Peppers February and March are the perfect months to start sowing your chili pepper seeds indoors. you can still sow the to Grow in April Although seeds right up until the end of April, early sowing gives your pril is filled with days of sunshine and showers, chilies plenty of time to ripen before the end of summer. and it is the month that really kicks off life in the The hottest varieties need the longest growing period— garden. April is the best time to plant most of chilies like a warm, sunny spot, well-drained soil, and your vegetable seeds after your last frost. regular watering during dry weather. If you don’t have a garden or balcony, you can grow chili plants all year This month is a busy time in the veg garden, as lots round indoors. of seeds can be sown this month. Now that the days are longer and warmer, We have a great variety of Courgettes recommendations for seeds to plant in April. Vegetable Plants sown early in April could be ready to harvest season really takes off this month. Although be warned from as early as June, depending on weather and as frosts are still likely to make an appearance. Before growing conditions. Still, late July and August provide planting seeds, it is a good idea to check the weather the best picking opportunities. Once the plants are well forecast for frost. established, you shouldn’t need to water them more than once a week, taking care not to wet the plant itself. Aim When sowing seeds directly outdoors, it can be difficult to harvest several times a week through the season to to keep the seedlings happy as they may have to compete prevent developing fruits from growing too large. with surrounding weeds. It is a good idea to clearly mark the areas where you plant your seeds to help you to Radishes identify the exact location of where you sowed the seeds.

Radish seeds can be planted in both the spring and the fall, but growth should be suspended in the height of Listed below are some of the best summer vegetables to summer when temperatures are typically too hot. (Hot grow in April. temperatures may cause radishes to bolt, making them essentially useless.) Otherwise, radishes are one of the Beans Chili Peppers Courgettes easiest vegetables to grow in April.

The Best Vegetables

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Radishes Spring Onions Carrot Tomatoes Pumpkins Cucumbers Parsnip Leeks Runner Beans

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50+ Living | April 2022

Peas Beetroot Squash

Spring Onions Plant onions as soon as the ground can be worked in

the spring, usually March or April. Make sure overnight temperatures aren’t forecast to drop below 20°F. Plant the bulbs about an inch deep and four inches apart. … Do not put the soil back around the onions; the bulb needs to emerge above the soil.

Carrot Carrot seeds can be sown from early spring to late August and can be harvested almost all year round. Most varieties are sown outdoors between April and July. Early cultivars such as the ‘Nantes 2’ can be planted under a cloche or started in greenhouses from February.

Peas April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost for all zones. This means planting in February, March, or April in most parts of the United States and Canada. They can even be grown as a fall or winter crop in warm areas of the U.S. For an early harvest, plant peas in April and May for harvest in July and Aug. Green beans grow as either bushes or vines, depending on the variety. Still, either type requires temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit to thrive.

Tomatoes Start tomatoes indoors in seed-starting trays or recyclable pots six to eight weeks before the last frost date. In the U.S. Department of Agriculture, plant hardiness zones 8 and 9 start seeds as early as midJanuary; in USDA zones 3 or 4, wait to start seeds until mid-to-late March and early April.

If you prefer to plant by the calendar, we usually reach the desirable soil temperatures in late April. Optimal tomato-planting is anytime from late April through May, and plants set out in June will still have time to give good yields.

Pumpkins Most enthusiast gardeners agree that the best time to plant pumpkins is by the mid of April. It is ideal to start planting, particularly if you want to grow large pumpkin varieties just in time for Halloween. If you live in northern locations, start planting in late May. Cucumbers Cucumbers are warm-season crops that don’t tolerate frost. In mild climates with long growing seasons, plant them outdoors between April and June. In hot climates, plant cucumbers as early as February or March through July. Plant only after soil and air temperatures are

predictably above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beetroot For a spring crop, plant beets as soon as the soil dries out, and you can work it, typically from March to mid-May. Where the weather remains cold and wet into spring, wait until April. Being a root crop, it does best if the soil is free of large stones and prefers light to fairly heavy soil. It’s an attractive crop and perfect for an ornamental kitchen garden.

Parsnips A hardy biennial, parsnips are usually grown as an annual root crop. They look similar to carrots, and only they’re usually a shade of white. Parsnip seeds should be direct sown outdoors from April to June once the ground is workable. They need temperatures of around 12C (52F), so don’t plant them too much earlier than this unless you use cloches to warm the soil first. Parsnips can be started indoors, but they—like most root crops—are difficult to transplant to the garden with success.

Leeks Leeks are available nearly all-year-round, starting in late June and ending late April or early May, depending on the weather and development of bolting, with peaks in autumn and spring. Plant leeks during the cool climate of early spring and fall. They grow well in raised beds, containers, and in-ground gardens. Sow seeds outdoors from late March to late April. The leeks are either sown in containers or the open ground. Around June time, they are transplanted to their final positions in open ground.

Runner Beans Runner beans can be sown indoors or undercover from April or May. This applies if you live in a cold area or want an early harvest. Alternatively, they can be sown directly outdoors from June, when the soil has warmed up to an average of 12 degrees Celsius, and there is no longer a risk of frost.

Squash Planting summer squash in late April will lead to fresh, tasty squash in the summer. Most summer squashes require 50 to 65 frost-free days to mature. That means you can safely plant squash in the last week or two of spring. Squash plants need full sun to produce. Make sure you’re planting your seeds or starting in an area with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.

“Remember green’s your color. You are Spring.”

Gwendolyn Brooks

April 2022 | 50+ Living

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The number 4 is all about the people you surround yourself with, and even the building you choose to do it in as well. Service and gratitude, organization and devotion, where are you worthy?

You begin to think about these things now as the multitude of life celebrations comes upon us.

numerology & the number 4: what april means

H

appy April! Are you enjoying the fresh scent of Spring? It’s a busy time of year now. As we watch the blossom babies poking their noses out of Mother Earth, we are also bouncing around to and fro finishing up some winter activities. The season has ended, and we are entering recital season, Easter season, bridal shower season, Summer planning season, and ugh… spring cleaning (but we can help with that too!). There’s a lot of mulching happening, and home contractors are very, very happy campers right now. That’s the power of 4 “four” you.

With the Sun full swing in the Cardinal sign of the Fire signs, Aries, we are also feeling the spark of leadership.

We are taking charge of change in this fourth month of the year. But what else do we need to know? Let’s talk about that today. Numerology energy through the power of the number 4 is abundant right now. Let’s have a look.

WHAT DOES THE NUMBER 4 REALLY MEAN? In numerology and astrology, the number 4 is all about foundations. In astrology, the fourth house is the house of roots and foundations. This is your house of family, legacy, your roots. The people that mean the most to you.

And so you are feeling a lot of their energy right now. You are helping them to establish their legacy.

Every time you attend a recital, wedding, birthday, graduation, sports tournament, housewarmings… you are helping them lay roots to their legacy. And if you are there, you are a part of that legacy. That becomes your legacy too!

This same energy is what the number 4 in numerology is all about.

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50+ Living | April 2022

At the same time, in numerology, the number 4 resonates with higher powers and organized structures such as the law, integrity, justice, honesty, and having a sense of authority in our lives. We are in charge.

The number 4 corresponds with The Emperor card in the Tarot. This is the card that symbolizes a father figure or a man in authority. That could be anyone from your Dad, to the law, to your kid’s soccer coach. Male or female, The Emperor could be you if you are the boss right now. And you want to be.

The Emperor is also a builder of foundations, and could also be anyone from a real estate agent to a home contractor. The energy of the 4 is stabilizing.

You are building the 4 pillars of life around you, and you are in charge of where they go, and who they are. This is your legacy.

April is a busy month as we prepare to create legacies in our lives. You may have this or the other thing to do, on top of house stuff to deal with and family issues. And you may have it all to deal with. Weddings on top of house closings on top of renovations on top of… wait, where’s the time?

The number 4 and the power of The Emperor brings it all together. The 4 of Wands in Tarot is symbolic of this harmonizing energy. Home is where the heart is, even if “home” is just a spiritual concept to you right now.

So how do you use the number of 4 in your life this fourth month of the year? Let’s have a look.

Your Numerology Number 4 Checklist for April If things seem a little all up in the air right now, this month’s energy will be very soothing. March was a 3 month and all about collaborating, joining forces, and looking for ways to make sure your ship comes in.

April’s 4 energy is all about laying those foundations

once they do, or while you prepare for those blessings to arrive. Hearing about those themes is great. But how do you actually DO it?

With this 4-point checklist!

• BE BOLD The Emperor is all about taking control of a situation.

And not in a negative way. In a way that brings order to a situation. Like the mom on a road trip with 3 kids in the back seat and one is trying to glue gum in the hair of another while the third is crying uncontrollably. “I don’t care who started it, I’m finishing it!” And that’s it. Be bold. Take control of situations with kindness and pure intent. Don’t take sides. Just end it. Or start it. And you’ve got the wheel, friend.

• EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED The number 4 in numerology also resonates with the planet Uranus, and is also the number of Fate. If you see 4’s in your Tarot a lot, know the Universe might be sending you something you can’t control. But while you may not be able to control all events in your life, you can control how you react to it. Continue to be neutral, and like the 4 of Wands housewarming card in the Tarot, you will be celebrating those wonderful moments of life.

• BE A PLANNER, HERE’S HOW The number 4 is about foundations and building them, organization and structure, and that field of dreams just isn’t going to crop up overnight. Plan it. Every day you need to make a list of what you want to get done today. Do it in three sections, making room for the time needed for your life on that list. The list of things you are definitely going to do and need to do. The list of things you want to do but aren’t sure if you’ll have time. And the list of things that would be super exciting to have crossed off today, but might be a little bit of a pipedream. Start with the easy list and just get it done one by one, making room for life’s little distractions along the way.

Your son just texted you about his latest heartbreak.

The doorbell rings and it’s a delivery you have to deal with before food goes bad. A phone call that suggests it will only take a minute but lasts from your morning coffee until lunch hour. No matter who that call is from, if the Universe wants you to deal with it, deal with it.

Don’t apologize. Make your lists, make room for life, and just cross things off one by one. What you don’t get done today, put on the same list tomorrow. Soon, you’ll

be successful and productive and won’t need that list anymore, baby! Just be steady with it, and within two weeks, it will be your new habit and your lists will be your new best friend.

• FAMILY FIRST, EVEN YOUR WORK FAMILY The number 4 is all about home, the family, your roots, your legacy, and what matters most to you. It’s time to put all of that first as your first priority. Yes, of course, you need to work and pay the bills. But what happens at home is your priority first. Get this mindset in play this month and you will be very productive, without even realizing it. You may find for example that attending that family picnic is much more heartwarming than any 5-star romantic event you could attend. Because the people that matter to you matter the most right now, and their egg salad will always taste better than a filet seared by a stranger. Or, you may bring a family theme into the work atmosphere and find the energy level just magically changes for the better.

Serve the people that matter the most to you right now, with the sense that they are your family, your legacy. When you do that, you are more productive, you’ll see. Because you’ll enjoy serving them because they matter to you and are part of the 4 pillars that support your inner harmony.

And you do the same for theirs. Find that symbiotic balance and you see a success formula shaping. This one is more about mindset than doing. Loyalty is everything right now. It establishes a tone for a blossoming Spring and a very fun Summer ahead.

Concluding thoughts…

See it, plan it, do it. Be the boss of everything. These are the themes of the number 4 and for the month for April.

The 4 in numerology is all about the family, the people and homes that mean the most to you. Those could be spiritual homes or your actual home. Be organized and structured, kind but with authority, and be loyal to those that shape the 4 pillars of your life. If you are their roots, they are yours as well. At the same time, instead of letting them weigh you down as burdens, make room in your schedule for life’s little distractions.

Life is life. But when you expect the unexpected that way, life’s surprises are wonderful. And April the 4th month promises harmony, balance, and structure with the people that matter the most to you if you do it right.

What plans are on your agenda for April?

April 2022 | 50+ Living

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April is

Lyme Disease Prevention Month For Pets

A

s if ticks were not bad enough, these blood suckers can also transmit a serious disease to our pets.

Lyme disease is fairly well known in humans, but not everyone is aware of how it can affect our dogs.

April has been designated National Prevent Lyme in Dogs month by the Lyme Disease Foundation. Help your best friend by learning about tick prevention and how vaccines can help stop Lyme disease.

For more than 30 years, Lyme Disease has been a fear for people living in close proximity with ticks. In addition, ticks can transmit this disease to our pets. The month of April will kick off a national awareness of how to prevent this debilitating infection.

For most people, the fear and threat of Lyme disease came to national attention in the latter part of the 20th 12

50+ Living | April 2022

century when the bacteria causing the illness was first identified and associated with ticks. This bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is found in many species of wildlife and has found humans, and pets, to be suitable alternative hosts. Named for the city in which the first clustering of the disease occurred, Lyme disease in humans has been diagnosed in every state but Montana. It is the most common tick borne disease reported in humans in the United States.

But perhaps an equal concern for many is how this infection can affect our dogs, and even horses. According to recent surveys, dogs testing positive for Lyme disease have been found in every single one of the 48 contiguous United States. For many pet owners, it’s a danger for which they just aren’t prepared.

Although ticks can transmit many debilitating diseases to our pets, and us, Lyme disease is the most common and the best known of all these terrible illnesses. For people, Lyme is often characterized by a unique, enlarging rash, potentially followed by more serious symptoms, such as fatigue, severe headaches, joint problems, and possibly even blindness. In our dogs, intermittent lameness is the most common manifestation of this sickness. However, kidney failure, neurological problems, and even heart disorders can occur as well.

For many people and pets, antibiotics can help to kill off the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, but for many others, treatment failures occur, leading to longer treatments, potentially more health problems, and definitely higher financial costs. As an added worry, neither people nor pets develop any longlasting immunity after the illness, opening the door to becoming reinfected again and again.

Fortunately, veterinary scientists and industry leaders have found ways to help minimize the risks to our dogs and help them avoid the nasty effects of this disease. One of the first steps is to create additional understanding about how this disease is contracted and how it can be prevented. The Lyme Disease Foundation, in conjunction with Merial, has recently named April as National Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month. By kicking off an awareness movement early in the spring, pet owners can become aware of tick-related problems before the heavier tick seasons of summer and fall.

A comprehensive prevention plan can also help pet owners avoid the potential heartaches and pitfalls of Lyme disease. Helping their pets to avoid ticks and even vaccinating dogs against the illness itself are just two of the ways that we can help.

Beyond keeping ticks off your pets, vaccination against Lyme Disease is also available through your veterinarian.

State of the art recombinant vaccines for dogs have been created by leading veterinary pharmaceutical companies and can definitely provide an additional level of protection against Lyme disease. Created by isolating a purified protein from the outer surface of the Borrelia bacterium, the recombinant vaccine provides protection by actually blocking the route of migration out of the tick and into your pet.

Although Lyme positive dogs have been found in most states, veterinarians still believe that this disease is fairly regional in nature, and owners should have an open discussion with their family veterinarian prior to requesting the administration of a Lyme vaccine.

Regardless of where you live, keeping ticks away from your pets can be a lifesaver.

Many of the topical flea products provide protection against ticks as well, and highly effective tick collars are available through your family veterinarian. These products are especially helpful for nature-loving owners who enjoy having their faithful canine companion along with them on hikes, camping trips, or any outdoor activity.

April 2022 | 50+ Living

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How The Wealthy Think About

Time

T

ime is an important resource; one we cannot buy with money. With our day-to-day activities focused on how to earn a living, balancing our social life and setting the appropriate number of hours for our leisure activities, we know that time is a precious commodity. While we can trade time for gold we cannot trade gold for time.

But balancing an hour’s productivity and worth has always been a problem. Since we live in an era of multitasking we try to squeeze the most productivity from every single hour. We even justify this notion by the number of tasks done per hour. And though this seems productive it can be tiring and time consuming.

With that in mind, let us shift our attention to wealthy individuals. These people already have sufficient funds in their bank accounts. They have a mindset or an attitude that their time is worth a lot of money and they would much rather pay other people to do services for them in order to free up their time. This is as close to trading gold for time that one can get. And this opportunity allows free time for themselves so they can easily focus on the important aspects they choose whether it is additional 14

50+ Living | April 2022

professional ventures, starting businesses or floating through the ocean of life like a wandering, drifting plankton.

They would much rather pay other people to do tasks for them to free up their calendar than spend their precious times on tasks that do not generate utility, joy or happiness. Here are just some tips to help you increase work productivity and opportunities for leisure time.

ASSIGN VALUE TO YOUR TIME To get started on this, assign a dollar value to each hour of your time. This will help in leaving the typical employee attitude where their time’s value averages from $10 to $40 dollars an hour.

Set the goal of what your time is worth to you. You can start by placing a hundred dollar price tag for your work per hour. Then streamline and automate as many of your tasks as possible to save your time. It all comes down to how much you value your time, and by doing so, every decision and action that comes within that hour will be better and more productive.

OUTSOURCE LOW LEVEL TASKS Setting this standard by placing a value for your time allows you to raise the bar on which activities you do.

For example, if you value your time at $100 per house and spending time in the garage to fix your car or do other menial tasks could be outsourced to a handyman for $40 per hour then doing those tasks yourself would not be the best use of your time.

With this mindset you can now start to identify which tasks to delegate and outsource. This will help you focus on the things that you want. This applies to business, personal and family matters.

Wealthy individuals use their money in order to have free time. Now, I am not saying that spending for every service available is the right course of action but paying for services that can free up your time can help you achieve your goals.

price. This will then allow you to do other things that are more important.

This process involves 3 steps: 1. Set an specific amount of value for you hour 2. Identify which tasks can be outsourced to increase your productivity 3. Begin to outsource tasks (start with little tasks to avoid large losses or inconvenience) By implementing the few concepts mentioned above you will likely see your productivity increase. You will accomplish more with less input. You will have more time available for other activities you choose. This will help you get more utility and value from your life which will allow you to focus on the things which really matter and are really worth your time.

For example, if you are planning to start an online business then there are many things to accomplish such as the website design, creating content and regular maintenance. Aside from those three factors you must balance your work and family life. You may eventually become so overwhelmed that you can only focus on one thing.

Well, suppose the website requires three to four hours of maintenance. With your hourly rate valued at $100, that activity alone will cost you up to $400. Now, that is a lot of money as a daily expense if you are the one maintaining it. There are a lot of people today, such as freelancers, that can do it for you for quicker and for a lower price. Outsourcing also allows you to become location independent because you can use individuals all over the world easily and efficiently with the assistance of the World Wide Web. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO Recognizing the tasks that you should do and what you should outsource is an important element in increasing your overall productivity. In fact, with the Internet’s help there has been a surge in outsourcing projects.

This gives you complete access to specialists in the area you want and costs may be much lower. Hopefully you adequately interview and evaluate your freelancers so that you get high quality and timely service for a fair April 2022 | 50+ Living

15

Pass the Passerina

L

ast month, we talked about Zibibbo, an ancient grape being rediscovered. This month, we present another diamond in the rough, an ancient grape varietal indigenous to the Marche Wine Region of Italy known as Passerina.

Passerina does not make a bold wine like Verdicchio or Pecorino, it rather presents sheer elegance in your glass.

Until recently, Passerina was mainly used as a blending grape to add that characteristic elegance to other white Italian wines. In fact, the grape was called pagadebit (pay debt) in recognition of its ability to render cash flows to farmers for its generous harvests. Wines made primarily of Passerina now present a great value.

Most Passerina vines are still sited in the Marche Wine Region, located in the central-eastern part of the country bordering on the Asiatic Sea. In general, wines from Passerina are defined by aromas of white flowers and delicate herbs including thyme and sage, with hints of apricot, pear, peach and honey with a pleasant salinity from the Asiatic Sea breeze.

At Metro Wines, we have “Rivafiorita” Passerina from Madonnabruna. Winemaker Carlo Petracci hand selects his estate grown fruit later in the ripening season and blends 85% Passerina, and 15% Fiano and Pecorino. The result is an elegant and complex wine that delivers notes of white flowers and stone fruits. The well-balanced acidity and fruit provides a long, complex finish.

“Rivafiorita” Passerina was recently presented to The Asheville Wine Focus Group hosted by Metro Wines. Open to the public, the Focus Group meets on the first Wednesday of each

By Gina Trippi month and considers four wines to add to the selection at Metro Wines. “Rivafiorita” was wildly popular with the entire group. One participant described the wine as “covering your entire palate at once, a blanket of flavor!”

Madonnabruna was born and continues through generations as a family business. Passerina vines were first planted in 2012. The family says: “We at Madonnabruna have always had a great respect and concern for the ecosystem that surrounds us. From this commitment, our wines are born, expressing the flavor brought by the sea breeze, the acidity of the clay soils and the color of the sun.”

The pairing potential for Passerina is endless. Recently, a well known chef served “Rivafiorita” with this menu: Osso Buco braised with root vegetables, Italian Pork Sausages with sautéed red pepper, sweet onions and basil, Prawns Piccata with red polenta and Fontina cheese, roasted fingerlings with parmesan and scallions and braised celery with pancetta and tomato! But this full-bodied white pairs well with everyday dishes too such as salmon, pasta in cream sauces and mushrooms. And Passerina is absolutely perfect with a basil and pine nut pesto! The winemaker recommends that you serve his wine at 55F in a large format glass to enjoy the nose!

Not easy to come by in this country, at the time of this writing, Metro Wines is one of the few shops to offer this bottle!

Metro Wines Asheville

Charlotte Street! It’s the Next BIG Thing!

“Big Shop Selection. Small Shop Service”

828-575-9525 | metrowinesasheville.com 16

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from the staff of SOFIA! CONTENTS 4 Women Making Music Peggy Ratusz

6 Plant Based Living Laurie Richardone

7 Market Minestrone Laurie Richardone

For Advertising Inquiries Mike Demos 828.273.0098 mikedemos@aol.com Bridget Hepler 828.551.9893 brisdon00@gmail.com

Contributing Writers Peggy Ratusz Laurie Richardone

Contributing Photographer Kate Prince

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Women Making Music

Abby Bryant: Following her own lead

By Peggy Ratusz

Photos by Bruce McCamish

W

e’ve been “friends on Facebook” for the past few years, but we’d never met in person until a few months ago.

We were invited to a mutual friend’s house with several other female musicians. Abby’s aura is warm and inviting. Everyone’s taller than me, but she’s a good bit taller. She bent down to keep me from having to stretch up for a lovely-to-meet-you-in-person hug, and a gesture like this is not lost on me.

Post release of Abby Bryant and the Echoes’ 13 track debut, Not Your Little Girl, she called me from the road for our interview. We began our conversation before a show they had that evening and she’s excited, blessed and grateful for the large audiences they’ve been attracting.

My aim for this feature is to skip the incidentals. You can read her bio on her website. What I want to do is 4

thesofiamagazine.com | April 2022

dig into each of the tracks on NYLG, giving my reaction to each one, and getting her responses to share with you. Abby agrees and clears us for take-off.

The debut album is heavy emotionally, but throughout there’s hope, joy and liberation. “Challenges expressed in an inspiring way” is how she summarizes the crux of the record.

Track: Not Your Little Girl P: This feels like a celebratory liberation song; especially when the horns kick in.

A: I wrote this song as I was first navigating the music industry. Especially because I’m young, I often hear conflicting voices spouting every type of opinion. I liberate myself from the opinions of others as best I can. This song is me finding my own voice in there. The horns especially express the positive take I’m going for just the same.

Track: Tried P: Confronting the conundrum of breaking up and how taking the high road is a good strategy when faced with questions from friends about the reasons why.

A: Of the different facets of breaking up, the social piece of the break up is hard. When someone can’t control what you do or say anymore, they’ll respond to that by trying to control how other people see you. While that can be hurtful, time will reveal the truth as long as you stand there with integrity.

Track: Better Now P: Now you’re feeling trust again.

A: It’s about a mix of core people in my life. Allowing myself to trust means I allow myself to thrive. It’s also about my business partnership and longstanding friendship with Baily Faulkner (her co-founding friend, co-writing partner and lead guitarist).

Track: When I’m Gone

Track: Roll with Me

P: I’m inspired to call this an “exit” anthem. That trying to hold you back in any situation, only makes you want to break free. Here’s another example of you taking the high road with someone who’s been oblivious to accountability. While listening to this, I actually pictured you throwing open the storm door of your house, sauntering down the steps and onto a side walk, and as you stroll you begin boogying to the beat of your own song.

P: The first time I ever heard your band was from a YouTube video, and you’re performing this one live on the ‘Floyd Fest Bus Stop.’ I thought what an appropriate tune to choose to do on the bus!

A: What you’ve imagined is right on with what I was intending with this song. But I also hope people take what they’re hearing and imagine what they will, cause I’m okay with any interpretation.

Track: Had To P: Being you, doing you is not a slap in the face to anyone. Sometimes you have to make decisions based on the natural next step in your life.

A: That’s very true. It’s about making tough choices and sitting in your own resolve about what you need to do in your own life, in your own career. But it’s also about the pain that comes in the aftermath of changing something that wasn’t working.

Track: Hold Me P: It’s such a fine, melancholy groove.

“That you’ll long for me, way after I’m gone” from the chorus struck me. That use of the word “way” really sticks with me. The vocal improvisation at the end too, was super compelling.

A: We spent a long time on that ending with the backing vocals and it’s a special moment on the album.

It’s about deeply connecting with someone even though circumstance and lifestyle can’t sustain it. It’s a song of longing and hoping I stay on that person’s mind.

A: (Laughing) I get happy just thinking about that bus stop recording session! We had just played to one of our biggest crowds when they invited us to play on the bus. We ended up winning the “artist on the rise” prize that year. It was a really big day for us; even more then I realized at the time.

for me is laughing with my bandmates.

Visit her website for tour dates and links to streaming platforms and to pre order the album: abbybryantandtheechoes.com

Dig Deep, Practice and...

Find Your V o i c e Blues Pop

Jazz Rock

Soul Country

Track: Love Crush Blues P: I hear a double meaning on this one. It’s a revelation every bit as much as it’s an accusatory lament.

A: It’s a song that describes a sort of pre-teen, preconceived notion that I was going to one day be magically swept away by love and romance. And I come to realize that that doesn’t necessarily happen for everyone. “If I want love, I can only love myself” is the bottom line.

The Last 3 Tracks A: *Keep Moving is about our resilience and our determination as a band. *Time Wasn’t on Our Side is the most personal and vulnerable track. It’s a mournful acceptance of when things don’t align. *I’m Telling You has a jubilant groove.

It contrasts the struggle with its joyful sound. It mirrors my personality.

There’s a lot going on in my mind and there’s always a lot I could complain about but I’m also pretty good at laughing things off cause riding the highs and lows of this business is so crazy and it’s so easy to get caught up in that rollercoaster ride. It’s a tough skill to master, but the middle ground

Pre-Teens to Baby Boomers Novice to professional

Peggy Ratusz

Vocal Coach 828.301.6768

peggymarie43@gmail.com

reverbnation.com/peggyratusz

Peggy Ratusz is a vocal coach, song interpreter, and songwriter.

For vocal coaching email her at peggymarie43 @gmail.com April 2022 | thesofiamagazine.com

5

Plant Based Living

by Laurie Richardone A plant based diet comes with a multitude of flavorful health benefits and little to worry about.

Food For Thought? Nutrition for mental health…

Think of food as the foundation to getting us back to where our mind and body naturally wants to be.

I like to call it good mood food…

It wasn't that long ago, if someone dared to share that what we eat connects to how we feel, we might have been labeled one of those new age people. A new field of psychiatry is showing some exciting links between what we eat and our mental health. Thank goodness science has caught up with the divine wisdom of nature.

Did you know that eating certain foods like refined processed carbohydrates such as white bread and sugary foods can zap your energy and give you brain fog? ~ In addition to adding on some extra pounds.

Let’s clear up the carb confusion. Some trends suggest that carbs are the enemy. I disagree, at least a little. I admit I do pay attention to my carb intake. However, If you are eating whole foods, picked at the right time, grown in a healthy environment, you don't have to obsess about it.

For example: complex carbs like whole starchy vegetables, and grains are a healthy source of carbohydrates, and gut loving fiber, and have a host of health promoting nutrients for the mind.

I can not hide how happy it makes me to cook and eat with the seasons, knowing my body is getting exactly what it needs, and when it needs it. The biggest joy for me is to explore and share the delicious pairings of seasonal ingredients with friends and folks like you.

Oftentimes, there are very small windows to create with a seasonal ingredient. Asparagus and English peas come to mind. Which has me thinking of one of those perfect pairs to cook a delicious Spring Minestrone.

So Go Cook! Make something that nurtures you and the people around you, with the intent to inspire and nourish your soul. Explore, laugh, daydream, visualize a 6

thesofiamagazine.com | April 2022

beautiful day, and remember to take notes… Journaling is a wonderful way to inspire new ideas, especially when the fog is lifted.

The key thing to remember when embarking on a health journey is to be patient with yourself, as your body needs time to physically adjust to the changes in your diet as well as maintain this new healthy habit.

To get you started, here are some perfect pairings that will decongest the body, balance the gut flora, and feed it delectable important nutrients that increase energy, therefore increasing the quality of your life. Who doesn't want that?

Foods to boost daily energy ~ Grilled Radishes with Herbed Yogurt (a beneficial probiotic for the gut) Steamed Salmon over English Pea Puree, with Tarragon Lemon Clarified Butter Market Minestrone To your good health ~ If you are a curious cook, join me on my Podcast ~ A taste for All Seasons ~ It is a cooking, cultural, and inspirational way for us to explore the world of food. And… as always, l will share a seasonal recipe, cooking tips, and kitchen essentials that will inspire you in the kitchen. All recipes at laurierichardone.com You can listen to all the shows, on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast. We talk to local farmers, and wellness experts, where you can learn how to cook your way through the seasons.

Laurie Richardone is a seasonal gluten free chef and certified health coach.

To work with Laurie, visit LaurieRichardone.com

Market Minestrone

by Laurie Richardone

A variation of a classic minestrone soup.

It’s packed with super green nutrients for increased energy.

Use whatever you find at the farmers market in season.

Serves 4

Preparing Pesto

Easy Vegetable Stock Recipe:

Soup Ingredients

Mix all pesto ingredients in a food

In a soup pot on medium heat,

4 -6 cups vegetable stock, recipe below

processor and pulse. Leave a bit

1 bunch asparagus, tips only

make the pesto taste bitter. Set aside.

1 white onion, 2 leeks, 2 twigs of

Preparing the soup:

clove, 7 whole peppercorns, and

1 bunch of spinach, or kale, chopped 2 cups english peas 1 head fennel, sliced, then chopped 4 garlic cloves, smashed with salt 1 spring onion, minced 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/2 lemon, juiced, plus zest 1 cup olive oil

chunky. Do not over mix, it will

Add half of the olive oil to a hot pan on medium heat. Add the onion, and saute for 5 minutes. Add smashed garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp salt. Add fennel and saute 5 minutes. Add warm stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add

1 tsp. salt or to taste

spinach, asparagus, peas, and the rest

1/4 cup parsley,chopped

of the olive oil. Simmer for another

Pesto Ingredients (Optional)

5 minutes, or until vegetables are

Bunch of basil leaves, 25 leaves

tender. Turn off the heat. Add lemon

1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup parmigiano reggiano, or nutritional yeast 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 4 minutes, dry pan

add 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Then add 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 1 turnip, thyme, a handful of parsley, 1 garlic 1 tsp. sea salt. Add 6 cups of filtered water and simmer for 1-2 hours.

Strain Vegetables. Broth keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezes up to 3 months.

Buon Appetito

juice, zest, and chopped parsley.

Taste again for seasoning.

Add half of the pesto and mix into the soup. Put soup in bowls and top with more pesto.

For scheduled Cooking Classes in Asheville, Visit: LaurieRichardone.com

1 clove garlic squeeze of lemon April 2022 | thesofiamagazine.com

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