Magical December 2014

MAGICAL

DECEMBER 2014 DoSouthMagazine.com

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CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Thomas Cochran Marcus Coker Ree Drummond Catherine Frederick Anita Paddock Yvonne Pratt Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper Janna Wilson Graphic Design Artifex 323 PROOFREADER Charity Chambers

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PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE 42 46

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HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Want your holiday table to command attention? We reveal everything you need to know to impress your guests and have them talking about more than the mimosas.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ALTAR By all accounts, Jack Sidler, Sr. had lived a full life. One full of joy, and sadness, but always sustained by faith. Find out what happened when his faith called him to travel down an unconventional path.

SPICE UP YOUR HOLIDAY Handmade, tasty, and full of Christmas cheer. Our DIY is all that, and easy to make. Holiday gift giving is about to get a whole lot easier.

QUAIL AND BOOZE (BREAD PUDDING) The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, shares her recipes for Fried Quail, Quail Gravy, and a decadent Boozy Bread Pudding. You're mighty welcome.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com Š2014 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South reserves the right to edit content and images.

FOLLOW US Subscribe to Do South! 12 issues per year for only $30, within the contiguous United States. Subscribe online at DoSouthMagazine.com, or mail check to 7030 Taylor Avenue, Suite 5, Fort Smith, AR 72916.

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letter from Catherine

I

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. With every little word I write…

05

some fabulous gifts for everyone on your list.

Can’t you just hear that Christmas tune? I can. And I am dreaming of a white Christmas. Not just a dusting. I’m talking big, huge

Speaking of support, please consider supporting something near

flakes. A sky full of cascading powder puffs, gently falling to the

and dear to our hearts here at Do South. We love our four-legged

ground, layering themselves one on top of another until every-

furry friends, and we discovered someone who’s just as passionate

thing is blanketed in glistening fluff. A white out.

as we are. Read “Collars for Christmas,” page 34, and consider donating to this worthy cause. And, if you’re looking for a for-

I’ve seen the Farmer’s Almanac and the spoons in

ever friend, be sure to check out our local animal

the persimmons. It’s coming, and I can’t wait! You

shelters!

snow haters go ahead and send the hate mail, I can take it. I’ve been singing Christmas songs since

This month, we’re delivering not one, but two

before Halloween. And you know what Buddy the

DIY gift ideas. A fabulous deer pillow brought

Elf says? He says, “The best way to spread Christ-

to us by the even more fabulous Yvonne Pratt of

mas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Too bad

StoneGable.com, and and another from our very

I’m not a better singer. (If you don’t know where

own crafter extraordinaire, Janna Wilson!

that quote came from, we need to have a serious Know who else is delivering this year? Mr. and Mrs.

discussion about your movie watching habits).

I’m not alone in my Christmas craziness. Nope.

Photo by Kat Hardin

Claus – right here in Fort Smith, Arkansas! Meet them on page 12. They’ve been entertaining chil-

Our very own contributing writer Jessica Sowards is with me

dren in our area for years and have no plans of stopping the tradition

100%, she may even be one notch ahead of me on the crazy

anytime soon.

meter – be sure to read her story, Christmas in My Bones, page 38. Cut us a little slack though – it’s hard not to get a little ahead

We’ve also got a review of the new Johnny Cash album, recom-

of ourselves – we finalized this gorgeous Christmas issue in the

mendations on the best books to give this season, and so much

month of October!

more. So bundle up, dive right in to this divine issue, and start planning your month of cheer.

Due in part to my holiday obsession, I must admit I’m slightly jealous of Ree Drummond, you know, The Pioneer Woman? She has

I’ve got some planning of my own to do. My design classes are

three delicious recipes in this month’s issue! She recently pub-

wrapping up at UAFS so I’m on the hunt for something new to

lished her third cookbook, The Pioneer Woman: A Year of Holi-

learn. I’d love to play guitar. I guess if I keep singing these Christ-

days. How great is that? A cookbook packed with Ree's charm,

mas songs out loud, I may need to consider voice lessons!

mouth-watering recipes for every holiday, and gorgeous step-bystep photos. Swoon! (Her cookbook would make a great Christ-

I wish you a holiday filled with blessings, love, laughter, and so

mas present, just sayin’.)

much good food that the buttons almost pop off your shirt! Have

~Catherine

a very merry Christmas. See you in January!

Need more holiday gift ideas? Be sure to check out our shop local section this month on page 16. Show them your support and grab

To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@DoSouthMagazine.com

06 poetry

Before Entering the Hospice Where an Old Friend Is Dying LINES Thomas Cochran

When I heard the news that he’d made this call I felt uncertain and thought briefly of staying away, as I have from his porch and table these past few years.

But we’d had no falling out, only a change in our routes.

Passing, we always waved, hello and see you later in a single gesture— no need, until now, for good-bye.

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DO SOUTH: DECEMBER 2014 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

SATURDAY

01 02 03 04 05 06 UAFS Season’s Greetings Concert, 7pm, Fort Smith.

Rogers Christmas Parade, 7pm, Rogers.

Giving Tuesday, givingtuesday.org.

Find the perfect holiday cocktail, page 56.

Westwood Elementary Christmas Concert, 7pm, Greenwood.

Project Compassion Hearts of Gold, 11:30am-1pm, St. Scholastica, Fort Smith.

Alma Christmas Parade, 7pm.

The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue, Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville.

(12/5 – 12/6)

Taste of Trinity, Trinity Jr. High, 6:30pm, Fort Smith.

Fort Smith Symphony Presents Spontaneous Christmas, 7:30pm.

07 08 09 10 11 12 13 Holiday Art Sale, The Shirkey House, Fayetteville.

(12/5 – 12/7)

Make a Christmas pillow, page 30.

Ideas for your Christmas table, page 42.

The Future of Frank Lloyd Wright, Crystal Bridges, 6:30pm, Bentonville.

Fort Smith Girls Shelter Open House & Bake Sale, 11am.

Amish Farms: Lighting up the Season, UAFS, 10am, Fort Smith.

Christmas Open House, Fort Smith Museum of History, 2-5pm.

Winter Campfire Fun, Nature Center, 5:30pm, Fort Smith.

Fort Smith Christmas Parade, 1pm. Van Buren Parade, 6:30pm.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Western Arkansas Ballet, The Nutcracker, 7:30pm Saturday, 2:30pm Sunday, Fort Smith.

Annual Live Nativity Scene, Greenwood.

(12/15 – 12/18)

Find the perfect book for Christmas giving, page 28.

Need a fun hostess gift? See page 52.

Shop local for everyone on your list, page 16.

Cook like The Pioneer Woman, page 58.

Santa’s Workshop, Greenwood Pavilion, Greenwood.

Frosty Flicks: The Santa Clause, Lawrence Park, Bentonville.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Caroling in the Caverns, Mountain View.

Hayrides & S’mores

by Campfire, Greenwood. (weather permitting)

Try our "Can't Be Crabby Canapes", page 57.

1st Presbyterian Christmas Eve service, 5:00pm, Fort Smith.

Merry Christmas!

Get ready for New Year's, check out our beauty favorites on page 55.

28 29 30 31 Welcome in the New Year with a furry friend, page 37.

Read "We Live for Yesterday, We Live for Tomorrow", page 62.

Mayor’s Countdown to 2015, Fort Smith Convention Center, 8pm-Midnight.

Find out how bluegrass music is settling down in Alma on page 18.

Last Night Fayetteville, on The Square.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

CHRISTMAS MOVIE CHECKLIST:

Don’t miss anything on our website or Facebook!

National Lampoon’s

How the Grinch

It’s a Wonderful Life

Christmas Vacation

Stole Christmas

Miracle on 34th

A Charlie Brown

Rudolph the Red-

Street

Christmas

Nosed Reindeer

Home Alone

Elf

Frosty the Snowman

A Christmas Carol

Polar Express

The Santa Clause

A Christmas Story

Read Do South's digital edition at DoSouthMagazine.com Get one year of Do South for just $30.

Subscribe online at DoSouthMagazine.com, or send a check to: Read Chair Publishing, LLC

7030 Taylor Ave, Ste 5

Fort Smith, AR 72916

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

Lose yourself in Johnny Cash's long lost music, page 22.

Make Your Holidays Majestic

3011 Stat e Lin e Ro ad, Fo rt Smit h, Ar k ans as

|

4 79 . 7 83 . 0 06 0

|

Lik e u s o n

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Rodney Shepard President & CEO Arvest Bank

Fort Smith - River Valley 5000 Rogers Avenue • Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.573.1100 • arvest.com

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

It (life, work, family, your attitude, faith) is what you make of it.

About Arvest Bank I am continually impressed by the amount of “heart” that our associates demonstrate. Arvest is truly a community bank committed to making the communities we serve a better place to live, both for individuals and businesses.

It wouldn't be Christmas without? Christ, family and friends, apple pie and vanilla ice cream.

Best Christmas memory as a kid? Not sleeping the night before.

Last goodies you left for Santa and his reindeer? Cookies and milk.

Where did you grow up? Roland, Oklahoma.

We just wrapped up our fourth year of 1 Million Meals, an initiative to raise food and funds for local food banks. Our associates really got behind it and gave so much of their own time and money,

What do you miss the most about being a kid? Playing sports and hanging with friends every day.

First car? 1978 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, sky blue with a white vinyl top.

care about our neighbors in need.

First job? Mowing lawns at Westark (now UAFS) in Fort Smith, when I was sixteen.

We are entering the holiday season, and Arvest

What’s the one thing you want to do before you die? Travel and camp in each state.

associates love “paying it forward.” Many go

Favorite song in high school? “When Doves Cry,” by Prince.

and they get nothing in return! They genuinely

out to local stores, gas stations, restaurants and randomly surprise people by paying for things.

Several also adopt angels off the Salvation Army Angel Trees. They also give donations so that each child at our Partner in Education school in the communities we serve can have a present to open for Christmas. We have some of the most caring, compassionate individuals working at Arvest that you will ever find! Arvest Bank is community and customer service focused.

What surprises people about you? That I’m a candy addict.

If you could learn anything, what would it be? To learn a martial art.

What makes you grateful? The many blessings God has provided me, opportunities I’ve been given, and family and friends.

Name three songs on your playlist. “Weathered” by Creed, “Just a Fool” by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton, and “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.

Favorite meal of all time? Steak, potatoes, salad, and bread.

What did your mama cook better than anybody? Beans and cornbread.

Do you have a pet? Emma, a small but cute Yorkie.

3 things Rodney can’t live without:

What makes you happy? Helping others.

Name three things you think about every day. How can I improve? Did I contribute? I also think about my family and friends.

Nickname? Shep.

Favorite color? Blue (and that was even before I started working at Arvest).

Skittles

Petit Jean Bacon

Realtree

What do you enjoy outside of your job? Exercising, hunting, camping, and old autos.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

Christmas with the Clauses Charlie and Jeri Moffett

WORDS Marla Cantrell images Catherine Frederick

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

I

It has been a long time since Charlie Moffett first donned

visits to nursing homes, to veterans hospitals, and how the joy of

his Santa suit and listened as children, dressed in their holiday

Christmas unites all of us, no matter how old we get.

best, told him what they wanted for Christmas. In fact, it was during the last century, way back in the 1990s. But even that long

They have no website, no Facebook page, nothing that makes

ago his wife Jeri was at his side, dressed in her bright red dress,

them easy to find. But year after year, through word of mouth,

a basket of candy canes at her side, quick with laughter that was

organizations find them and ask them to visit. They attend the

equally as cheerful as her husband's Ho-Ho-Ho.

Fort Smith Junior League's Holiday Market in November, and they show up at various churches, schools, office parties, even

"She's just perfect," Charlie says, and then he pats

big family gatherings.

Jeri's hand. "Sometimes the really little kids are afraid of Santa." He touches his chin. "This

Some of what they've seen touches them

big beard is a lot to take in. If that happens

deeply, like the year they visited a children's

they'll go to Jeri instead, they'll go sit on

shelter and passed out presents. The older

Mrs. Claus' lap. She's just wonderful."

folks in nursing homes whose eyes grow bright, remembering the Christmases of

Jeri's smile is brighter than any Christmas

their childhood, reinforce the couple's

star. "I can't tell you how much joy it brings

belief that what they do matters, that it

us," she says. "There is nothing as sweet as

brings happiness at a time when we're all

these little children. One boy poked Charlie's

looking for just that.

tummy, and his eyes got big and then he said, 'It's real. You are Santa!' Well, that just made us

The Moffetts repeatedly have their faith in humanity

laugh so much."

strengthened. Charlie says, "When we walk in the kids will just holler. Sometimes it sounds like the house is going to

Charlie takes off his Santa hat and sets it down on an end table

come down. I've had a kid that left me a letter with a dollar bill in it

in the living room of the couple's Fort Smith, Arkansas home. The

for Santa. I had one boy who told me he didn't want anything for

house, well over a century old, with gingerbread trim and touches

himself for Christmas, he just wanted me to heal his baby brother.

of stain glass, fits the Moffetts perfectly. Jeri points to a spot in

Talk about the meaning of Christmas, that little boy had it. He had

the entryway. "That's where we'll put the tree, right where you

the biggest heart."

can see it when you come in. Oh, how we do love Christmas!"

Jeri says. "And I know how lucky I am, because not just any man

Seeing the children, dressed in red and green, alight in the

would put on a Santa suit and volunteer the way Charlie does.

anticipation of the holiday, is always one of the highlights of

Sometimes he'll tell people I get him into a lot of things. He'll say,

the Moffetts' year. What they've noticed is that kids don't tend

'She's my Lucy Ricardo. I never know what to expect.'"

to ask for outrageous gifts. For a while, the Dora doll was a top contender, and Barbie dolls are still in the running. Fire trucks and

Jeri tugs at the Santa-face necklace she's wearing. It was a gift

dump trucks make the lists, and anything that's connected with a

from a dear friend, years ago, and every Christmas season she

popular movie shows up.

wears it. "I've had such wonderful friends in my life," she says.

There is something about the way she speaks. She'll call you

Charlie and Jeri have been in the Santa business so long, they've

sweetheart. She'll call you kid. She'll ask you again and again if

seen a few kids grow up. "We just love it when moms bring up

there's anything she can get you. The offerings get sweeter and

their little babies and have their pictures made with us," Jeri says.

sweeter, until finally she suggests a root beer float, and you realize

"A lot of kids we'll see year after year. You just love them, you

there's nothing in the world you could ever want more.

just do! And it's not only little kids. We were at a party last year and a lot of the teenagers came and talked to Santa and had their

Within minutes of meeting the Moffetts, it's hard not to see them

picture made with him. It's not called the most wonderful time of

as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They laugh regularly. They talk about their

the year for nothing!"

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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lifestyle

Each time they leave an event, they end by singing "Jingle Bells."

Inevitably, all those in attendance will join in, their voices rising.

The song, like the Moffetts, makes the crowd happy, and Jeri believes singing together is just another way to show love.

She reaches out and pats Charlie's hand. It is such a grand life, and one she's never taken for granted. As a survivor of ovarian cancer, she's been keenly aware of what a gift each day is. She takes off her glasses, she rubs her eyes, and then she says, "I'll tell you what a great man Charlie's been to me. I had a second cancer scare one time. The nurse had called and left a message on our phone for me to come in right away for more tests. I was lying on that table in the doctor's office, and I was thinking, This can't be happening.

And then the door opened, and I thought it was the doctor, but it was Charlie. He'd come home and played the message and he'd rushed out of the house to find me, to make sure I was all right."

Charlie is holding Jeri's hand in a way that suggests he might never let it go. "She was fine, though. It was just a false alarm."

In the background, classical music is playing. Light streams through the high windows, surrounding Mr. and Mrs. Claus in a circle of sun. Tears rise to the surface of Jeri's eyes, and she says, "Isn't he just the greatest?" Before you have a chance to answer, you realize it's one of those questions that doesn't need an answer at all. Everything you need to know is sitting right in front of you.

Their reputation has grown so much, they've begun to get outof-the-ordinary requests, such as the time they were asked to show up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus at a wedding. "We were in the wedding pictures," Charlie says. "It was so much fun. Doing this gives us so much. We'll come home and be energized, and we'll stay up talking about something cute someone said, or the look on a child's face. It just brings the best out in everybody, no matter what your age."

"You learn new things about each other, too," Jeri says, and then laughs. "We were at a party last year and I looked up and there was Charlie out on the dance floor, doing the 'Y.M.C.A.' Now that's something you don't see very often. Santa on the dance floor! I stopped, put my hands on my hips, and watched him. I was

NOMINATE A DO-GOODER! Each month, Do South Magazine features the story of someone in our community who is making the world a better place. If you have someone you’d like to nominate as a Do-Gooder, email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

thinking, He sure is cute!"

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

lifestyle

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shop

All We Want for Christmas is...

Serve them candy cane style! Hor d'oeuvres plates, platter, striped and frosted wine and martini glasses.

IN GOOD SPIRITS

Big boys still love toys. Give them the drone and the remote control car they’ve always wanted.

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DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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One of everything! Take a look at some of our holiday must haves. Toys for the young and young at heart.

Gorgeous décor to deck the halls. Jewelry for him and for her. There’s even something for Santa! So make your list and check it twice. Here’s hoping you’ve not been more naughty than nice. Merry Christmas!

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Quality and craftsmanship is their promise. And Shinola delivers on that promise each and every time.

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS Little Farmer ready for his first John Deer?

Little Miss daydreaming of her first horse?

FARMERS COOP

Father Christmas and his trusty reindeer are waiting for you to bring them home.

SUNSHINE SHOP AT MERCY

Holiday cookies perfect for parties, and Santa too!

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DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

Welcome to the

FRONT PORCH

Words Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Bill Rogers

R

udy, Arkansas musician Bill Rogers feels a kinship with

To Bill, that image of the front porch brings back everything that

porches. As a kid growing up in the Crawford County

is good in life. He can close his eyes and see his brother and sister

community of Oak Grove, he spent hours on his own

as they were when they were kids. They were a happy family,

front porch, in part because his house had no air conditioning. He

though his father did have to leave for stretches of time, driving

remembers spending time on the porch practicing the guitar, or

big rigs across the country to make a living. When he came home,

just daydreaming, or waiting in bad weather for the school bus to

he brought his paychecks with him, and it was a celebration: a

come. “About six years ago,” Bill says, “I wrote a song called ‘The

new supply of money, the family reunited, the house alive with the

Front Porch,’ about my memories growing up. My first exposure to

sound of his father’s steady voice.

music was my mama singing to me on our front porch. I remember it like it happened yesterday.”

Two things happened that caused Bill to look at his past and reevaluate his future. His brother died. His sister died, and he,

As he’s telling the story, he takes his ball cap off and runs his

nearing fifty, felt the kind of crippling sorrow bluegrass songs

fingers through his hair. Today, he says, it’s not the same. Kids

are famous for. He thought about his parents, both alive and

spend too much time online, playing electronic games, watching

well, his father still driving trucks for a living, and he realized that

TVs filled with shows that do nothing to improve their minds or

the people who knew him as a small boy, who remembered him

their outlooks.

studying the country TV variety show Hee Haw to learn how to DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

play the guitar, for example, were so few they couldn’t fill a pew at church.

There are still days when the loss of his brother and sister overwhelms him. He doesn’t let it stop him though. Bill has an innate sense of how to make things better. He's incredibly positive, and a doer by nature, finding hard work and new projects the best kind of therapy. So, when the renters of a building his wife owns in Alma (less than ten miles from his Rudy home) decided to move on, Bill stepped inside and all the cogs and gears in his brain started turning.

My first exposure to music was my mama singing to me on our front porch.

I remember it like it happened yesterday.

The easiest thing would have been to hang a 'For Rent' sign on the door and wait for a call. But standing there inside the metal building in October, Bill kept thinking about front porches and live music. For a while he’d been fiddling with the idea of opening a place where musicians could perform, without any alcohol around, someplace you’d like to take your family. “First thing I thought was, no drinking, cussing, spitting, smoking or fighting,” Bill says. “I wanted a clean sound, simple, and I wanted folks to feel like they were at an old-fashioned family gathering, with people picking and singing.”

As he stood in the dim light, it all started to come together. At the far end of the big room there was more than enough space to build a stage. And not just any stage; he’d make this one look like a front porch, with a screen door, a light burning, an old rocker.

Bill scanned the rest of the room. There was space enough for tables and booths and a concession area, all facing the stage. He was fairly handy with a saw and hammer, and he wasn’t trying to build the Taj Mahal, so he felt he’d be fine. Yes, he thought, this could definitely work.

When he began talking about the place, he found a long list of musicians wanting to play. His own band, Crooked and Steep, that combines bluegrass, gospel and a little Southern rock, would most certainly perform, and because he’d been in the music scene for so long – he’s a former member of the bluegrass band, The Frog Bayou Boys – he believed others would want to take the stage as well.

The sticking point could have been his wife Sherri, but she didn’t hesitate. She’s used to Bill and his ideas, and they’ve been married long enough for her to know that when Bill sets his mind to something he makes it happen.

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Bill’s first job was naming the place. That was easy. He called it The

as a sunrise, as rugged as the Arkansas River that rolls by not

Front Porch Theater. As soon as that was done, he started working

so far away. He thinks something might be happening in Alma,

on the stage. He and his son walked the land they own and found

some small local music revolution that began when the nearby

two young cedar trees whose trunks were fairly straight. They

Warren’s Rec Room recently opened, another live music venue

chopped them down and left the bark in place. Those became the

that’s gaining speed. Bill thinks there’s plenty of talent in the area

pillars on the porch. He installed a green room behind the porch,

to keep both places hopping, and he thinks that’s good for the

so bands would have a place to get ready. A woman he knew had

small town that’s known mostly for the discount retailer A-Z, and

a storage building filled with commercial dining tables and chairs

the widely popular water park.

and she gave them all to him. The next step was recovering the chairs, which he and Sherri painstakingly completed.

Bill’s plan is to open for weekend shows, to rent out the space for special events, and he might even work in a few comedy shows

What he wants is for folks to have a chance to hear great music, up close and personal, in a place where they’ll know the entertainment is wholesome.

(yes, he’s a comedian, too) as time allows.

What he wants is for folks to have a chance to hear great music, up close and personal, in a place where they’ll know the entertainment is wholesome. He was originally drawn to bluegrass because it’s the music from the heart: good times, bad times, the ache of lost love. It’s all there, and Bill leaned on it as he faced his own losses. It’s made him a fine songwriter, and what he pens he calls “testifying songs,” tales of trouble and woe that all the major sins carry. When times got hard, when he lost his brother and sister, he picked up his guitar, got by himself and played until he could make sense of a sometimes senseless world.

This place has caused something new to blossom inside him. Life,

All the construction was done in odd hours after Bill got off work

he most surely knows, lasts no longer than the time it takes for a

from his regular job working with disabled adults, or on weekends

few drops of rain to fall quickly into a rumbling river. What you do

when he wasn’t playing music. In the midst of it all, he was

with those moments, though, go on for eternity, passing from you

also juggling his duties as mayor of Rudy (population sixty-one).

to those you love and those you helped along the way. “I want

Although he found the pace exhausting, he realized something

to leave something behind,” Bill says. “I want people to know I

wonderful was happening. Sherri was finding her own joy in The

cared, and that they mattered. I don’t have any other hobbies.

Front Porch Theater, helping Bill as much as she could, talking

I don’t spend my money on boats or guns or big trips. I have a

about what to serve in the concession area.

guitar that cost too much, maybe, but that’s about it. Everything I want, I already have. My wife, my family, my music, and now The

Already, the possibility of this small place – it holds approximately

Front Porch. It’s more than enough.”

eighty people and had its first show in mid-November – is growing.

Bill thinks it’s because the music played here is acoustic. No amps, no

Bill points to the stage, where the porch light is burning. He talks

plug-ins, just an overhead sound system that allows everyone to hear.

again about cutting down the cedar trees with his son, of his wife Sherri by his side. He talks about his niece who plays music with

Bill smiles as he looks around this hulk of a building. It started

him. There is sorrow enough, for sure, he says, but also joy. And

out years ago as Dean’s Produce. Locals still remember it by that

he’s had plenty of that as well.

name. He likes the idea of filling it with his kind of music, as sure

The Front Porch Theater | 4425 Highway 71 North, Alma, Arkansas | 479.883.0801 • Find more on The Front Porch Theater, including upcoming shows, on Facebook.

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entertainment

Out Among the Stars Johnny Cash

review Marla Cantrell

O

n February 26, 1932, Johnny Cash

when his dad sang, often with his mother,

was born in Kingsland, Arkansas.

June Carter Cash.

As time went by he worked in

the cotton fields, he listened as the trains

This year, those songs became the album,

rumbled by, he sat at his mother’s feet as she

Out Among the Stars. There are thirteen

sang folk songs. Every bit of this ended up in

tracks, the crown jewel being “She Used to

his music, every hard knock and bad choice

Love Me A Lot,” a bluegrass duet with June.

and sweet hymn he’d sung as a child fueled

The song, about misconceptions, rotten

the music that was so distinct it set him apart

timing, and lost love, is perfect for Cash,

from every other country music star.

whose voice reverberates with stoic regret.

Waylon Jennings shows up on "I’m Moving

When he died in 2003, the music industry

On,” written by Hank Snow in 1950, and it’s

couldn’t praise him enough. What this poor boy from Arkansas

as close to perfect as country music gets.

had accomplished was quite clearly miraculous. Cash’s rougharound-the-edges baritone voice, his straightforward delivery,

“I Drove Her Out of My Mind,” a song about a jilted lover with

his persona that was both accessible and dangerous, created a

murder on his mind, is country in its classic form. A guy buys a

flood of fans.

Cadillac on time, lures his ex-girlfriend into it, and takes her on one last ride, right off a cliff. It might not play as well today, but if

But even Cash had valleys in his long career, particularly

you're listening to this album you're not looking for today's style

in the 1980s when a new era of country music (think John

of country music.

Travolta’s Urban Cowboy) was turning the masses toward a newer brand of country. As the decade began, something else

If there is a deviation on this album it's “If I Told You Who It Was,”

was happening: Cash was dealing with his addiction to pain

which is not a bad song, just a silly one. But it does reveal that

medication, and spent time at the Betty Ford Clinic in Palm

Cash was having fun, not taking life too seriously.

Springs to break his dependence.

Cash’s signature move is to sometimes drop out of the music, Cash's son, John Carter Cash, says that by the end of 1983, his

to stop and simply speak the words of a song. There was a time

father had conquered the demons that plagued him. Those years

when I saw this as laziness, or worse, a sign his voice was failing.

were critical to the singer: victory over addiction, and a waning

But that’s just not so. There is so much poetry in Cash, so much

following in the U.S. just as his fame in Europe grew. He would

yearning and heartbreak, that speaking the truth is sometimes

cross the ocean, performing for droves of fans hungry for his music.

paramount to singing it.

After Cash died, his son discovered several never-released recordings from 1981 and 1984. He listened and a flood of

DO SOUTH RATING: 9.5 OUT OF 10

memories came back. What he heard in those songs was the heartbeat of his own childhood, the music that filled his home DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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24

people

words Stoney Stamper images Courtesy April Stamper

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

Ah, Christmastime. The wonderful time of year

your expectations pretty darn low. Especially if one of them is

when we spend exorbitant amounts of money on toys, clothes,

Abby, because that girl doesn’t get excited about much.

shoes, boots, coats, hats and any number of different electronic devices for our children. You know, to celebrate the birth of our

On that Christmas, she opened her gifts, faintly smiled, and then

Lord Jesus Christ.

looked away. We hadn’t really established any trust yet, and she was still skeptical of me. My feelings were crushed. It wasn’t her

Now, I've gone to church all of my life. My grandpa was our

fault. She was just a little girl. But, it still felt like a straight jab to

preacher, my grandma was my Sunday school teacher, and

the kidney. Because I had high expectations.

although sitting still and listening weren't necessarily my strong points, I'm fairly certain I never heard in Sunday school, or

A lot of water has run under the bridge since then. Abby and Emma

read in the Bible, "Thou

have long since accepted

shalt go broke on My

me as a “dad” figure in

birthday." Personally, I

their life. Along with the

don’t think that’s really

love and comfort that

what the good Lord

we have with each other

had in mind when he

comes the expectation

pictured us celebrating

of the material things a

the day of His birth.

dad should provide his

But, maybe I’m wrong.

kids. A few years ago, Abby wouldn’t even tell

This

is

my

fourth

me what she wanted if

Christmas being a dad.

I begged her. Now, she

Well officially, it is my

asks for everything. I’m

third Christmas as a dad,

talking EVERY thing. And

but four years ago my

holy cripes, this stuff is

wife April and I were

expensive!

dating, and I was willing to do anything to make

I think back on what

her girls like me. So, with

Christmas was like for

April’s help, I bought my first Christmas presents for Abby and

me in the past. Before I had the girls. I pretty much had to get my

Emma. I was so nervous, and wanted so badly to make sure that

mom and dad gifts, and then my nephews, Braden and Joby. And

whatever I got them, they would love. I had this vision in my head

a lot of the time, I would give my sister money, and I’d just pitch in

of how it would happen. I would buy them something that would

on whatever she got for them. Christmas wasn’t too difficult, nor

cause them to rejoice in jubilation upon opening it. They would be

was it terribly expensive.

so happy that they'd cry.

Until the last few years, I had never heard of a Lalaloopsy doll, a That’s not how it happened. At all. April tells me I have way too

Flutterby Fairy, a Monster High doll, or a $200 American Girl doll

high expectations, in everything I do. And I imagine she's right,

that needed to get her ears pierced and hair done – IT’S A DOLL!

but I read something when I was a little boy that has served me

I vaguely knew what Miss Me jeans were, or UGG boots or TOMS

well, mostly all of my life. Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, said,

shoes, and I dang sure didn’t know how much they cost.

"High expectations are the key to everything.” I've lived my whole life by that code. I mean, he’s Sam freakin’ Walton. You should

I’ll admit I was unprepared for how expensive having children was,

probably pay attention to what he has to say. Except for maybe

no matter how much my parents, my sister and all of my friends

when it’s in reference to buying your soon-to-be-daughter's

told me. I thought to myself, I make a good living. And, for some

Christmas presents. In that instance, you should probably keep

reason, I assumed that having children wouldn’t be such a huge

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people

adjustment. I’ll tell you now, I was a blaring idiot. I had no idea.

we had our daughter Gracee. And when I go into Abby’s closet, and find clothes that she just had to have, that never get worn, and

April has always done a great job of providing the girls with the

very well may still have the tags on them, then that prescription for

things they want. Still, I like buying the girls things that they like,

antianxiety meds I have sitting in the medicine cabinet is going to

and things they will use. Maybe it’s that manly need to provide for

be put to the test.

my family. I don’t want to spoil them, but I enjoy the fact that I'm able to give them what they need.

The very reason for this story comes from our friend, Alexis. She has two kids, and her daughter Katie is Emma’s best friend. They

With that being said, when I have spent hard-earned money on

are inseparable. Katie spends a lot of time at our house, and Emma

something that they “needed,” but they never wore it, or never

spends a lot of time at hers. Katie has a remote control dog, and

used it, or didn’t even know where in the Sam Hill it was, my

Emma has been begging us to get her one just like it. There’s only one

brain spiraled off into a realm of frustration that hasn’t even been

problem: it’s a piece of crap. Alexis says it's worthless, and her kids

discovered yet.

never play with it. Even though it cost $75. It was a complete waste of money, and the kids had not touched it since Emma left. You

When Sadie, the American Girl doll, that we made a special trip to

know what they played with instead of the $75 robot dog? A

Dallas for, spent the night at the Galleria Mall for, bought a soccer

Walmart sack. They slapped and hit a plastic Walmart sack into

outfit and a horse for, sits in the closet and doesn’t get played

the air, over and over, not letting it hit the ground. That was the

with, then I definitely begin to question my decisions. I know that

whole game. Don’t let the bag touch the ground! They didn’t

I'm not alone. I mean, they didn’t build that gigantic American

need expensive toys. They didn’t need expensive clothes, or shoes,

Girl doll store only off the money they made from me. That place

or anything else. All they needed was a sack!

was packed. I spent $250 total. And there were fifty more poor daddies there at the same time as me, doing the exact same thing.

With all this new information, my Christmas shopping list just got a

Because we love to make our girls happy. We love that look that

whole lot cheaper, and Daddy’s checking account just got a whole

says, Oh, thank you, Dad. I love you. Even if we spend too much.

lot fatter. Forget the designer jeans and the fancy toys. Forget

Then, if only for a moment, it feels like it may have been worth it.

the iPhone 6 or North Face jacket. We're going to stock them up with grocery sacks, toilet boxes (other large boxes, if toilet boxes

My best bet is not to focus on the amount of money I have spent

not available), and some old ACE bandages. I’ll let them both

on clothes, or dolls, or iPads, or iPods or shoes. Because when

watch TV in April and my bedroom twice a week. Because when it

I realize that Emma’s favorite toys are an old wooden set of

comes right down to it, those are the things that seem to be most

crutches that April bought for her for ten dollars at a flea market

important to them. And I like that. Because, hell, that’s cheap.

and a cardboard box from a new toilet that I had to install in our

And Daddy likes it when things are cheap.

guest bathroom, it may require me to revisit some of the focused breathing techniques we learned in our birthing class right before

Unless it’s for my stuff, of course. I don’t like cheap stuff.

Stoney Stamper

is the author of the popular parenting blog, The Daddy Diaries. He and his wife April have three daughters: Abby, Emma and Gracee. Originally from northeast Oklahoma, the Stampers now live in Tyler, Texas. For your daily dose of The Daddy Diaries, visit Stoney on Facebook or on his website, thedaddydiaries.net.

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28

entertainment

Christmas Books FOR UNDER THE TREE reviewS Anita Paddock

I’m looking forward to Christmas more than I have in a long time. There is a little girl named Violet in my family, and her presence will make for a lively time around the tree. And as everyone knows, the holidays are more fun if there are giggling children clutching gingerbread cookies in tight little fingers while climbing up in a lap for a Christmas story.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

entertainment

home to die. Although he was a Vietnam hero in his early life, Carl was later sent to prison for abusing and then murdering a young girl, but Carl has always maintained his innocence.

Joe half-heartedly believes him and sets out to learn the truth before Carl dies. You’ll learn the surprising truth right along with Joe, and the end result is a book that is both heartbreaking and full of hope.

For the children in your family, I suggest this darling new book by beloved children’s author, Jan Brett. In Animals’ Santa, the animals wonder just who exactly delivers their presents. So a rabbit stays up to discover that a snowy owl in a red cap flies down with a pack full of presents.

The story is sweet, the artwork beautiful, and it will surely please the little one on your list.

Ozark Urchins by local author Richard Cress is sure to delight the mature readers on your list.

This charming book tells the true story of the nine Cress children who lived with their mother in the beautiful Ozark Mountains northwest of Winslow, Arkansas, from 1946 through 1951.

The family lived in a tiny rented house with no electricity or indoor plumbing. As Cress reports, his family was often cold and hungry, but they never lacked for entertainment, and he chronicles the ways in which he and his siblings played. His stories will make you laugh out loud and maybe shed a few tears. It’s a winner, and one you’ll want to give to several on your list.

I know lots of people who are fans of Southern writer Rick Bragg who wrote All Over but the

Shoutin’ and Ava’s Man. His new book is the biography of rock and roll star Jerry Lee Lewis, and I can think of no better person to interview the famous crazy piano player than Rick Bragg.

Here is a sample of Bragg’s introduction to

Another new Christmas book for children is The

the book Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story: “The

Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky. In his

party boats churned up the big river from

book, he tells the story of a little crooked tree

New Orleans and down from Memphis and

with few branches that’s for sale on a Christmas

Vicksburg, awash in good liquor and listing

tree lot. It’s passed over by family after family

with revelers who dined and drank to tied-

until it’s the last tree left on Christmas Eve. But

down pianos and whole brass bands. Country

something magical happens, and it’s purchased

people in worn-through overalls and faded

by a very special person.

flour-sack dresses watched from the banks.”

Jerry Lee Lewis was a nine-year-old watching Nearly everyone loves a mystery, and this is one I recommend by a new author, Allen Eskins.

The Life We Bury takes place in Minnesota

Remember to inscribe the books with “to’s and from’s” and the date. Years from now someone will pick up a book you gave them and say, “I remember this book.” But most importantly, they will remember you.

and is told by the main character, Joe Talbert, who’s attending college and taking care of his autistic brother while holding down a full-time job. As a college writing project, Joe interviews Carl, a terminally ill convict who has been released from prison to a nursing

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

from the bank, and his daddy, Elmo, told him he’d be on one of those boats one day. Jerry Lee says he didn’t know if he’d be one of the rich folks, or if one of his songs would be played by the band on board. It turned out that both would be true. Rick Bragg dedicates this book to “anyone who ever danced in their socks” and I suggest that would be a good criteria to use for those on your Christmas list too.

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diy

A Woodland Christmas words and images Yvonne Pratt

Christmas decorating made easy.

Doesn't that sound marvelous? Pillows are a fabulous way to add a touch of Christmas cheer to almost any room. Deer icons are on trend, as is plaid, so let’s combine them for a pillow that is not only easy to make, but also looks like it came out of a high-end catalog. The best part is you don't have to sew a stitch! What could be easier?

We’ve also included a tree template as a bonus!

Instructions page 33.

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diy

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

diy

Pillow Instructions:

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

- 1 pillow cover (I chose an 18'' plain linen woven pillow cover) - Scissors - Plaid flannel, ¼ yard - Iron, hot and NO steam - Fusible webbing or Wonder Under® - Template

METHOD 1. Print deer or tree pattern. (see pages 31 & 32) 2. Using a Sharpie®, copy the chosen template onto the paper side of the fusible webbing.

3. Cut around the template, as shown, and iron the image to the WRONG SIDE of the flannel according to directions. If you’re using plaid, make sure the plaid is straight and not crooked on your template.

4. When the template adheres to the flannel, let it cool for a few minutes.

When it’s cool, cut out the template.

5. Very gently peel off the paper backing.

6. Center the cutout on the pillow cover. Using a hot iron on the “no steam” setting, iron the cutout to the pillow cover, according to the directions, until it adheres. When cool, stuff the pillow with an insert.

Yvonne

is the creator of StoneGable, a beautiful and widely popular blog about all things home. Her love for American farmhouse living is evident throughout her posts on decorating, home décor, DIYs, gardening, cooking and much more. Visit StoneGable at stonegableblog.com.

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lifestyle

COLLARS FOR CHRISTMAS words Marla Cantrell

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

lifestyle There was once a pet named Vegas, an Australian

place," Brittany says. "We're like a family, and we work for the

Cattle Dog, who lived with Brittany Gallaher and her husband in

greater good. Our clients are wonderful, too, so giving. The

Alma, Arkansas, and experienced the kind of life every pup should

community helped. The 4-H kids asked for donations at Walmart.

have. That is to say he existed much as every other bona fide

Who can tell a child who wants to help animals 'no'?" Brittany

member of a family did, taking trips with the couple, having his

asks. "The most we've collected in a year is about 450 pounds of

picture taken at random moments, cozying up on the couch in the

dry dog and cat food, plus treats, and sixty collars."

evening right along with his owners.

One of the best parts of the whole process was when she and When Vegas passed away in January, 2010, Brittany and her

eleven other volunteers went to the Humane Society the second

husband were at a loss. Brittany could barely stand to see Vegas'

week of December to deliver the donations. They handed out

idle food bowl, or his empty spot on the couch, or the seat where

treats – and love – to the animals. "People think the animals don't

he rode with her in the car. During that time, she came across

know what time of year it is, they don't know about Christmas,

a book, Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates, by Gary Kurz. In it, the

but they do know when they have a full tummy, and they know

author looks to the Bible for answers about an animal's role in our

when someone shows them kindness. Sometimes, they've been

human world, and why we form such deep attachments.

treated unkindly for a long time before they get to the shelter, so it's heartwarming to get to give them that experience."

Reading that book ignited something in Brittany. She began to think a lot about shelter animals. According to the ASPCA, 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats enter shelters in the United States each year. Of that number, 1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats are euthanized.

The tally is heartbreaking, and Brittany realized she wanted to reduce that number by at least one. She started an online search of shelter dogs in the area, looking at page after page of pictures.

What she thought as she scanned hundreds of photos was how much more approachable the dogs would look if they were wearing collars. To her, a collar signified that the dog would blend in with a family, that perhaps the dog already knew how to walk on a leash, that it didn't seem so much like a stray. It was a small thought, but one that stayed with her.

When she came across Lori, a black dog that looked like a Blue Heeler, she felt something tug at her heart. Lori was in a Northwest Arkansas shelter, and after Brittany met her in April, 2010, she knew Lori, a dog just two weeks away from being euthanized, was

People think the animals don't know what time of year it is, they don't know about Christmas, but they do know when they have a full tummy, and they know when someone shows them kindness.

going to be a part of her family.

The adoption worked out perfectly. Lori was a fine dog, and a

The next year, Brittany did it all again. When everything had been

happy one. Still, Brittany's initial thought that shelter dogs needed

delivered, she focused on getting ready for the holiday. She'd

collars didn't go away. In 2011, she started Collars for Christmas:

spent every Christmas Eve of her life at her grandmother's house

A Pup and a Prayer Project, a non-profit that raises money and

in Rudy. As she and her husband loaded up their car with the food

collects supplies for the Sebastian County Humane Society. When

and presents, Brittany also packed dog food. There was a stray

she told her co-workers at Dallas Street Dental in Fort Smith what

she'd been feeding for about a week, a little terrier mix she hoped

she was doing, they got on board. "I couldn't work at a better

would soon find its way back home. On this day, though,

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lifestyle

the dog was dangerously close to the interstate, and Brittany's

black, and she really spoke to me, but that's not always the case."

concern accelerated. They pulled their car over, and her husband said, "You might as well put him in the car. You're going to get

Her education into the world of shelter pets has led her to

hit just trying to take care of him."

investigate some innovative ideas. She knows of shelters in the northern part of the country that are located on the same

And so she did. She coaxed him in on that Christmas Eve and took

campuses as jails. Inmates are assigned a dog, and they care for

him home. For a while, he didn't trust anyone. But not so long

the animal, training them, getting them socialized and ready for

after, when Brittany had given up believing that he was someone's

adoption. Lori believes it also helps the inmates, who are offered

lost pet and quit searching online for his owner, he started to ease

unconditional love at an incredibly low time in their lives. And her

his way in. "That's why we named him Jericho (as in the Bible story

dog Lori, from the shelter in Northwest Arkansas, is great on a

where the walls of the city Jericho fall after the Israelites march

leash because she says that shelter used trustees from the nearby

around them seven times), because when the walls came down,

jail to walk them. She's not quite sure where collecting all these

he was so happy."

examples will lead, but she is confident there will be a way to use them in the future. She also wants to expand her non-profit to

As 2013 got underway, Brittany's life got even busier. She found

help other area shelters and promote spay and neuter programs.

out she was expecting, and one of her first concerns was whether her baby would get along with the dogs, and even greater than

What she's learned since taking on this project is that there are so

that, whether she would have any pet allergies. "I prayed that she

many good people who want to help but don't know exactly what

wouldn't be allergic, and it was really serious to me."

to do. That's where she was when she began. She knew she was only one person, that she couldn't adopt every homeless dog she

Her daughter, who turned one in October, did not have allergies.

came across. But she could start Collars for Christmas. To her, it

And she loves the dogs, particularly Jericho. "He's so tolerant, so

helps solidify the meaning of the holiday: spreading the joy of the

good with her," Brittany says.

season, giving to a cause you believe in, trying with all your heart to make a difference in the world.

The one and only drawback of 2013 was that Brittany was not able to do as much fundraising for Collars for Christmas as she had the year before. Still, she was able to collect 200 pounds of food, and several collars for the Sebastian County Humane Society.

This year, she's set up a GoFundMe account, with a goal of $500,

Collars for Christmas is accepting donations

and she's taking donations at Dallas Street Dental until December

of money, food, treats, and collars at Dallas Street Dental.

10. Brittany's hoping for a record year. The Humane Society is

8020 Dallas Street

close to her heart. They house an average of 400 to 500 animals,

Fort Smith, Arkansas

she says, and the cost to care for just one animal is seventeen

479.452.6600

dollars a day.

Deadline is December 10. However, you can donate at any What Brittany hopes to accomplish is getting help for the Sebastian

time by visiting gofundme.com/ck6ibc. The money will be used

County Humane Society throughout the year. The need is always

throughout the year, as needs arise at the shelter.

great, and every donation helps. Since taking on her mission, she's learned a few things. "Black dogs are harder to adopt," she

For more on Collars for Christmas: A Pup and a Prayer

says. "They're called the invisible dogs of the shelters, because

Project, find them on Facebook.

they blend in, they're easy to pass over. Lori, the dog I adopted, is

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

pets

This Christmas, bring home unconditional love. These furry friends, and more, are waiting for their forever home. Please consider adoption or a donation of pet food or financial assistance.

As always, please remember to spay and neuter your pets.

M

M

F

Bogie

Hoss

F

F

Hattie

Honey

F

Joanie

Bobbie Sue

Charleston Dog Shelter Donations are always needed and greatly appreciated.

Charleston Dog Shelter | Charleston, AR 72933 | 479.965.3591 | Find us on Petfinder™ |

Each month, Do South donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

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Christmas people

words & Image Jessica Sowards

IN MY BONES

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

I am a Christmas person. You know the type. I listen

Getting married taught a hard lesson about how high my expec-

to my James Taylor at Christmas album on October 1 every year.

tations were. I learned how exceptional my family had been at

For me, planning and preparation and anticipation for the holiday

Christmastime. Traditions were concrete in my childhood, but as

season starts long before the décor hits the store shelves. And the

a young wife and mother, I realized that traditions like that take

décor hits the store shelves earlier each year. It hasn't caught up

commitment. They require someone who cares.

with me yet.

I tried so hard in the following years. We began having ChristSee, I come by it honestly. I was born nine days before Christmas.

mases at our home, my desire to strike out on my own coupled

I was brought home from the hospital in a giant stocking supplied

with an immense pressure to recreate my rich memories. I bought.

in the place of the usual medical-grade baby blanket. My parents,

I baked. I begged God to give me back the Christmas of my child-

first-timers at the baby game, knew no lullabies so they sang me

hood. No matter what I did though, it was lacking. At the end of

“Silent Night” instead.

the day, when the paper was bagged up and the packages laid bare, I felt like a deflated balloon, surrounded by debt and a feel-

Christmas is in my bones.

ing of not having done enough.

Of course, Christmas is magical for kids, but I recall mine with an

Then in 2008, just like that, my grandmother died. It was the end

extra dose of whimsy. We were poor, but I never noticed. Some-

of November. One week she seemed fine, the next week they had

how, the things we wanted most were always under the tree. Our

found cancer, and a week after that I stood by her hospice bed star-

huge extended family would meet at my grandparents' house. We

ing down at her wasted body thinking, How can Christmas carry on

ate the same breakfast every year. There were gifts and games and

without her?

Christmas Eve church services. We would sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

I didn't think it could.

And then there was my grandmother. She carried Christmas on

There were poinsettias at her funeral. Of course, it was Decem-

her shoulders. Even now, decades later, I can close my eyes and re-

ber. The most wonderful time of the year. That was the last holi-

call the smell of her home each December. I can remember the an-

day season with her, or at least with her fresh on my memory.

ticipation, feel the sense of won-

That was the year that I decided

der I felt as we sprinkled reindeer

I would be just like her. I hadn't

food on the front lawn before going to bed on Christmas Eve. I even remember one year being certain I'd heard sleigh bells.

As my peers entered middle school and became more preoccupied with their own wish lists, I spent every resource I had

This is how Christmas started.

With a mother. She did not try to perform and create and manufacture some miraculous experience.

She was just a woman who said, "Ok, God. I'll love your son..."

figured it out yet, but I was determined to learn the secret of making Christmas magical again.

It took a long while. Christmases passed in mediocrity. I remember the moment it came back to me. We had just moved into a new house and I was very largely

striving to maintain the magic.

pregnant with my third son. I

I was the Oprah Winfrey of the

didn't put the tree up until after

seventh grade, handing out dollar store body sprays to every girl I

my birthday. Nothing was perfect. Everything was still packed in

thought might not otherwise get a gift from a classmate. In high

boxes.

school, I could be found shopping at Cracker Barrel alongside women forty-five years my senior, buying Christmas sweaters be-

I was sitting at the end of the couch with a mug of cider. An apple

fore Christmas sweaters were cool.

slice with cloves poking through the skin was floating on top. The

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

glow of the lights on the tree was as warm as the ceramic against

pation I have felt for each of my children, I can't help but wonder

my hands. Then my unborn son moved. It wasn't the first time. I

how Mary felt that first Christmas Eve. This ordinary woman, who

was seven months along and had been daily assaulted by elbows

felt the Son of God roll under her skin, knowing who He was and

and feet for many weeks. But in that moment, in that light, in that

how hard He would be to let go of. Salvation was an unimaginably costly gift. Perfect in spite of a

imperfection, I realized.

world of imperfection.

Mary did this.

This is how Christmas started.

With a mother. She did not try to perform and create and manufacture

some

miracu-

lous experience. She was just a woman who said, "Ok, God. I'll love your son," and in a barn,

I see their excitement and joy and I can see the boy Jesus in each of them. I think of His mother, and how she was just a girl like me, attempting to follow God and answer His call.

Christmas is different now. Our budget is modest, much like my childhood. Of course, the kids don't even notice. Traditions from the past have carried over and married with new experiences and ideas. There is always a ton of family. We eat the same breakfast every year.

wonder was born.

We serve God, sometimes outAll this time, I had been searching for the key to creating a cel-

wardly and sometimes doing random acts of kindness in secret.

ebration with family that encompassed generosity, tradition and

And my house has this smell in December. It’s cinnamon and clove

festive magic. But I'd been missing the whole point. Jesus. My

and oranges, with a hint of vanilla and rosemary, fresh cookies

grandmother knew. Because she had carried six children. She had

and cider simmering on the stove. I can't be sure, because I can't

lost loved ones. And most of all, she had fallen in love with Christ.

ask her, but I'm almost certain it's the same mix of things that scented my grandmother's home all those years ago.

You see, we celebrate with generosity because God was so generous to give us His Son. We celebrate with family because in all of

I finally learned how to carry Christmas. I look at each of my sons

the countless ways He could have sent us a savior, He sent Jesus to

as we go through the preparations. I see their excitement and joy

be raised by a man and a woman who didn't have all the answers.

and I can see the boy Jesus in each of them. I think of His mother,

We celebrate with gladness because our hearts are full. We have

and how she was just a girl like me, attempting to follow God and

been given salvation!

answer His call.

And it's ok that our holidays are imperfect. It's ok when they are

It's because of this that I know, I don't carry Christmas on my

bittersweet and we cry in front of the tree for those who aren't

shoulders. I carry it in my heart.

with us. It's ok when there are disappointments. When I realize this, when I weigh the heaviness of my own losses and the antici-

I am a Christmas person. 365 days a year. It's in my bones.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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home

words and images Yvonne Pratt

for Christmas

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

home

W

We have a Christmas tradition in our home. My husband goes downstairs to make coffee, turn on the Christmas lights

and music, and to make sure Santa has come and gone safely! Everyone else in the house gathers on the second floor waiting for the okay to come down. Youngest to oldest stampede down the stairs when he gives the all clear! We gather ’round the tree and read the Christmas story, pray and sing a Christmas carol. Everyone opens a gift or two, taking turns from youngest to oldest, then it’s time for our favorite meal – Christmas brunch!

Traditions have an important place in our lives. Because traditions are like glue, they have the ability to galvanize families. Bonding us together by an activity that creates lifelong memories. Christmas brunch goes back for generations in our family and it far outshines Christmas dinner in food fare and decorations. The food is always the same because everyone has their favorites and I don't want a mutiny at Christmas on my hands. But the table decorations are different every year. Sometimes fancy and over-the-top, sometimes simple and uncomplicated. But, hopefully, always memorable.

This year’s table echoes the Christmas decorations through the rest of our home. Small cyprus trees, stars, snowflakes and lots of black and white! It's fresh and chic and looks fabulous with splashes of red.

It’s a casual Christmas brunch table. I've put away my Christmas china and opted for simple white mix-and-match plates. It's a nice clean look that makes all the other colors pop!

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home

Awaiting guests at the table is a crisply wrapped black and white chevron package with a big silky bow — another family tradition. Inside is a new ornament! The gift works as part of my table décor. There is also a festively wrapped candy cane to continue the color scheme. This year's placecards are red and white gift tags!

Red homespun napkins and casual placemats give the table a warm, inviting feel. And just for fun I used red handled flatware!

Tiny cyprus trees planted in assorted white bowls parade down the center of our Christmas brunch table. Small pinecones are clustered around the base of the trees to hide the soil. They give the tiny trees a grand woodland look. Brightly wrapped gifts, a scattering of pinecones, and some sparkly snowflakes finish off the centerpiece.

Sweet reindeer salt and pepper shakers hide between the trees. It's the little extra touches that bring out the oooh's and ahhh's from everyone!

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

Mimosas have become our Christmas brunch libation! This year mimosas will be served with sassy straws. I don’t know if my boys will appreciate the straws but my girls will love them!

Yvonne is the creator of StoneGable, a beautiful and widely popular blog about all things home. Her love for American farmhouse living is evident throughout her posts on decorating, home décor, DIYs, gardening, cooking and much more. Visit StoneGable at stonegableblog.com.

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46

people

THE

Other Side OF THE ALTAR words Marcus Coker images courtesy Karen Schwartz

On December 20, Jack Sidler, Sr., a widower, father of three, and a native of Van Buren, Arkansas, will be ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Little Rock in the Roman Catholic Church. In January, he’ll turn seventy-one years old.

“In 2008, when my wife, Dee, got sick with lung cancer, I wasn’t thinking beyond that; I never thought she was going to die,” says Jack. “Three months before she passed away, we were in the palliative care unit, and she said, ‘My prayer book is too heavy,’ and I said, ‘Here, I’ll read you the prayers.’ And I did that as her husband, but friends pointed out later that that’s what a priest does—they minister to people.”

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people

Jack, who was born in California in 1944, moved to Van Buren

‘Jack, you know that’s not true.’

when he was five and attended First Presbyterian Church. Jack says, “I went to Van Buren High School and actually thought about

“About halfway through the retreat, I started thinking that I

becoming a Presbyterian minister when I was about sixteen.”

wanted to do something else. And I told God, ‘I don’t do subtle, so you’re going to have to make it clear.’ One day, sitting before

When Jack graduated, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve. After

the Blessed Sacrament, I had a sensation like warm rain coming

six months of active duty in South Carolina, Jack moved back to

over me, and I knew then that I wanted to be a priest. I wanted to

Arkansas and took a job at the Southwest American Morning

be on the other side of the altar.”

Paper in Fort Smith and worked on the dump, where corrections were put in. “I learned to read backwards and upside down,”

Because Jack wasn’t even sure that someone his age could become

says Jack, “One night, the future Mrs. Sidler came to stay with a

a priest, he contacted the vocations director for the Diocese of Little

friend of mine who was a typesetter. We dated for a year and a

Rock. (In the Catholic Church, areas under the care of a bishop are

half, and I converted to Catholicism before we got married in June

called diocese. The Diocese of Little Rock includes the entire state

of 1964.”

of Arkansas.) The answer came back: “Yes, and maybe.”

By 1970, Jack and Dee had three children, and Jack had left the

In October of 2010, Jack still wasn’t sure what was going to

military and gone back to college. In 1973, he graduated from

happen, but he’d started studying theology through the Little Rock

Arkansas Tech in Russellville with a major in biology and a minor

Theology Institute. “One day I got a voicemail from the vocations

in business. For the next thirty-five years, Jack worked in the food

director that said, ‘If you’re going to start seminary in January, we

quality assurance business. “I was director of quality assurance for

need to get the paperwork filled out.’ I figured that was pretty

Popeye’s in Atlanta, Georgia, and also worked for Kentucky Fried

direct, not subtle at all.”

Chicken in Louisville, Kentucky, and Burger King in Miami, Florida.

So we moved around a lot, but eventually ended up back in the

For almost four years now, Jack has been living in Hales Corners,

River Valley.”

Wisconsin, attending Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. Having sold his 2,200 square foot house and sold or

Over the years, Jack and Dee were active in the church, especially

given away most of his possessions, he’s been living in a ten-by-

Sacred Heart of Mary in Barling. Jack taught confirmation classes,

twelve room, sharing a bathroom and shower with twenty other

lectured (did readings) on Sundays, and joined the parish council.

seminarians. “I waited to sell the house, but I realized I’d never

“I never thought of being involved as more than just a layperson.”

go back. The toughest thing was giving away my dog, Sadie.

When you’re lonely, and the animal jumps up to see you, there’s a

When Dee got sick in March of 2008, Jack took early retirement

certain companionship there. The hardest part is not the physical

from his job as the director of technical services at Pepper Source

living accommodations, but being apart from my children and

in Van Buren and cared for Dee until her death in November.

grandchildren. One of my sons has cancer, and sometimes I feel guilty about being up here. So it hasn’t been a straight line; there

“In January, St. Scholastica Monastery (in Fort Smith) hosted a

has been some real challenge. But this is my choice.”

spiritual retreat, and I attended because I just needed to get out of the house. Part of the retreat was spent on site, and at first, the

In addition to academic and theological studies, Jack has been

heat didn’t work, and the bed was cold. I thought, Jack, you could

asked to spend time in meditation, developing a spiritual life. “The

be home in a warm bed in five minutes. But I stayed.”

whole process takes you out of yourself, out of your world. You’re asked to use your brain to find God. We call it the head/heart

The retreat lasted seven months and required Jack to spend an

connection. It starts in your head, but winds up in your heart.”

hour a day in prayer and meditation and meet with a group once a week. “They asked us to use our imagination, to visualize what

For Jack, his age hasn’t been a liability; it’s been an asset. “I can

effect our private sins have on the world. My first thought was,

see how an experience will play out. I don’t have all the answers,

They don’t have any effect, but a voice inside me kept saying,

but I know that life will always teach you something if you let it.

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people

At twenty-five, I thought I knew a lot, but at seventy, I realize how

an active priest until my health prevents me from doing that.”

little I know. And there’s a big difference. “

One of the nicest things about Jack is that he’s easy to talk to; he’s down to earth. “I’m just a simple guy, blessed in many ways. I

This month, Jack will graduate from Sacred Heart Seminary with

just want to bring the sacraments to the people and do what God

his Masters in Divinity, and on December 20, he’ll be ordained a

has asked me to do in a happy, loving manner. People can see

minister at the St. Benedict Abbey Church in Subiaco. Arkansas.

insincerity; they can see if you’re being false. So I want you to see

During the ritual, other priests will lay their hands on Jack, and

in me in the attributes I ask you to have.”

he’ll be anointed with holy water. He’ll take a vow of celibacy.

It’s a mission that’s both humble and honorable, the desire to live The next day, Jack will deliver his first mass at Sacred Heart of

the rest of one’s life in service. And Jack knows it won’t be easy.

Mary in Barling at ten in the morning. After that, he’ll be assigned

Many priests face burnout and loneliness on a regular basis. But

to a church somewhere in the diocese. “I’ll assume all the duties

Jack has the support of his family, three children that have never

of a priest—celebrate mass, hear confession, call on people in the

questioned what he wants to do, which is simply share the love of

hospital, marry people, baptize, bury. I’m going to be able to marry

God. “I’m still learning to be more effective in loving people and

my goddaughter the week after I’m ordained. I’m excited about

teaching people how to love. And you just have to live life and let

it,” Jack says as he laughs. “I’m ready to go to work. I plan to be

it teach you.” Jack laughs. “I haven’t found any shortcuts.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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Fab 5 for Fido

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I’m Dreaming of a

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52

diy

holiday words and images Janna Wilson

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diy

S

pice up the holidays with this easy DIY gift idea. Pair these festive mulling spice ornaments with your favorite fruity red wine or a delicious half gallon of fresh apple cider. Perfect as a hostess gift or for your neighbors or co-workers. Be sure to make extra to keep on hand for those chilly evenings. As a bonus, this DIY will have your home smelling heavenly for Christmas.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

INGREDIENTS

Glass craft ornaments

10 cinnamon sticks

Mulling spices (homemade or purchased)

2 tsp. whole cloves

Spice bags

2 tsp. whole allspice berries

Red wine (750 ml bottle) or apple cider (1/2 gallon)

Orange peel cut into pieces (the peel of one orange, dried

(we love local wine like Wiederkehr’s Beau Noir)

overnight for best results)

Packaging materials (gift wrap, ribbon, trims, twine) Basic craft tools (scissors, tape, pens, etc.)

Oil based paint pen (we used gold) Paper funnel (8 x 8 square paper) Mallet

Break cinnamon sticks into small pieces with mallet. Mix all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and combine thoroughly.

Tip: If you’d rather purchase ready to use mulling spices- check out Davidson’s Organics on Amazon.com. Their ready-made Herbal Mulling Spice Mix in a 1lb package is around $13.

TO:

TO:

FROM:

FROM:

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diy

METHOD

ENJOY

• Remove metal tops, wash and dry ornaments.

mulled apple cider

• Create paper funnel to match the opening in craft ornaments

and tie closed. Combine 1/2 gallon (2 qt.) apple cider and spice bag

from a piece of 8 x 8 paper.

• Funnel mulling spices into ornaments — about 3 Tablespoons filled ours.

Transfer mulling spices to spice bag

in a large pot on the stovetop. Simmer just below boiling point for 3040 minutes or until hot. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve hot.

Garnish with orange slices or cinnamon sticks.

• Replace top and tie pretty bow to top of ornament. You could also use a paint pen to add polka dots to decorate the ornament.

mulled wine Transfer mulling spices to spice bag and tie closed.

• Wrap wine bottle/cider jug with gift wrap or fabric (we wrapped

Heat 1/2 cup water or apple cider and 1/3 cup sugar over stovetop.

our cider jug in burlap secured with a safety pin in back).

When sugar is dissolved add 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine and spice bag

• Attach ornament with spice bag to bottle/jug.

to liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer (don’t boil) until wine is

• Pen a holiday sentiment on kraft paper or clip out our gift tags

hot. Discard spice bag and serve hot. Garnish with orange slices or

with recipe and add to your packaging. Need more copies? You

cinnamon sticks.

can download them at DoSouthMagazine.com.

Janna Wilson is a long-time crafter, graphic designer and teaches calligraphy workshops locally. Find more inspiration on her blog at JannaWilson.com.

mulled apple cider

mulled wine

Transfer mulling spices to spice bag and tie closed. Combine 1/2 gallon (2 qt.) apple cider and spice bag in a large pot on the stovetop.

Simmer just below boiling point for 30-40 minutes or until hot. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve hot. Garnish with orange slices or cinnamon sticks.

Transfer mulling spices to spice bag and tie closed. Heat 1/2 cup water or apple cider and 1/3 cup sugar over stovetop. When sugar is dissolved add 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine and spice bag to liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer (don’t boil) until wine is hot. Discard spice bag and serve hot. Garnish with orange slices or cinnamon sticks.

beauty

55

SHINE words and image Catherine Frederick

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taste

Image Catherine Frederick

INGREDIENTS

3 oz. Pomegranate or Cranberry Juice 2 oz. Coney Island Carlo Gin 1 oz. Simple Syrup Lime Juice (juice from 1-2 wedges) Fresh Mint Leaves (garnish) Pomegranate Seeds (garnish) Lime Wheel (garnish) Muddle mint leaves with simple syrup in the bottom of a glass.

Add ice, gin, juice, and lime.

Stir and garnish with lime wheel, mint leaf, and pomegranate seeds.

Drink responsibly.

Always designate a driver.

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taste

Adapted from Confessions of a Kitchen Diva

This easy, freezable appetizer makes holiday entertaining a breeze. Prepare it in advance, pop it in the oven, and see how many of your guests ask for the recipe. Even better? It's perfect for when company shows up on a whim.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD Split each muffin into 2 halves - set aside. Mix cheese and

1 package (6 count) English muffins 1 jar (4 ounces) Old English Cheese (this is usually near the blocks of Velveeta)

butter. Stir in seasoned salt and garlic powder until well mixed. Gently fold into crabmeat. Divide mixture evenly between 12 English muffin halves, spreading to cover. Cut

1/4 cup butter or margarine

muffins into 4 pie-shaped pieces - I used a pizza cutter. Place

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

in container and freeze or bake immediately. When ready to

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 can (6 ounces) white crabmeat, drained

serve, preheat oven to 400Ëš. Bake frozen muffins, cheese side up for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly, then broil for 1 minute to brown. Frozen canapĂŠs should keep for 3 months.

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taste

FriedQuail recipeS and imageS courtesy Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays

Fried quail is as integral to our family’s Christmas morning as playing Johnny Mathis songs and searching in vain for AAA batteries for our kids’ Christmas presents. My husband grew up enjoying fried quail at his grandfather’s house every Christmas morning; today, my father-in-law is usually the one manning the skillet. Back in those days, it was 100 percent certain that the quail had come from a recent hunt. These days, quail hunts on the ranch aren’t as common, so we aren’t averse to hunting down (get it?) the game birds from local markets if we have to. Saves time for more important things. Like remembering to buy AAA batteries for our kids’ Christmas presents. Fried quail, in case you’ve never tried them, are just delicious. The only downside is that they’re tiny little things and can take a little time to eat. But that just makes them more special! This is as dreamy a Christmas morning brunch as you can get.

over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 350°. Fry quail, 4

FRIED QUAIL

or 5 at a time, turning halfway through, until golden brown,

Makes 12 servings

about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove quail to a paper

12 whole quail, cleaned (available frozen at good meat counters)

towel–lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining quail.

Remove paper towel and set baking sheet in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until quail are cooked through. Serve alongside

3 cups buttermilk

biscuits with quail gravy, recipe next page.

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s) 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

VARIATIONS

Place quail in large plastic bag. Pour buttermilk over the top. Seal and place quail in fridge for at least 1 hour. Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. Dredge each

• Instead of quail, fry patties of breakfast sausage and serve with gravy recipe, next page.

• Instead of quail, fry chicken. Buy chicken pieces to make

quail in flour mixture, pressing to coat thoroughly. Lightly

it easy (chicken pieces will take longer to cook).

shake off excess flour, place on baking sheet, and repeat

Use same gravy recipe.

with the remaining quail. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

taste

Quail Gravy Gravy is a crazy thing, isn’t it? Bizarre, even! Nutso! But

Pour the grease out of the skillet after frying quail. Don’t

spooned over fresh-from-the-oven biscuits? Oh, dear

clean the skillet or you’ll regret it every day for the rest of

heavenly goodness. It’s a creation I’m sure glad was—

your life! Set skillet over medium heat, then pour ½ cup of

well, created. You can make gravy with any grease left in

the grease back into skillet. Slowly sprinkle in 6 Tablespoons

a skillet after frying meat, whether it be quail, bacon, sau-

of flour, whisking as you go. Continue adding flour until you

sage, or chicken. So you have no excuse not to make it!

have a smooth, non-greasy paste. If it’s still greasy looking,

Unless, of course, your excuse is that you eat neither quail,

whisk in more flour. If it’s too dry and clumpy, whisk in a

bacon, sausage, nor chicken. And then I’m not sure I can

little more grease. Cook the paste, whisking constantly,

help you, my friend. Merry Christmas, everyone!

until it’s nice and dark golden brown. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with the whisk in order to loosen

QUAIL GRAVY

all the flavorful bits. You just made a roux, baby! Pour in 4

Makes 12 servings

cups milk, whisking constantly. Add plenty of black pepper, which makes gravy even more magical. Cook gravy, whisking

Drippings from Fried Quail (see previous recipe) pan oil

constantly, until nice and thick. If it gets too thick, just splash

6 to 8 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

in a little more milk, gravy is very forgiving.

4 to 5 cups milk Black pepper

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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taste

Boozy

BREAD PUDDING

I adapted this sinfully scrumptious bread pudding from a Tom Perini recipe my mother-in-law shared with me years ago.

It’s simple and divine and has ruined me forever on all other bread puddings in the universe. The kids can eat the bread pudding on its own, as it’s perfectly wonderful...but since you’ve been so good all year long, you get to drizzle yours with a naughty, boozy rum sauce! This is truly delicious stuff.

BOOZY BREAD PUDDING Makes 12 servings

Preheat oven to 325°. Cut bread into 1-inch slices, cut slices into 1-inch strips and cut strips into cubes. In all, you should have 8 to 10 cups of bread cubes. For the custard mixture, whisk together eggs, milk, and half-and-half, then add vanilla and sugar. Stir to combine. Melt butter

1 loaf crusty Italian bread or other artisanal loaf 3 eggs 2 cups milk 1 cup half-and-half 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

in microwave and whisk into the mixture. Generously butter a baking dish. Add all bread cubes to the pan. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Sprinkle pecans over the top. Bake for 1 hour. While bread pudding is baking, make boozy sauce.

Combine butter, sugar, cream, and rum in medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce

2 cups sugar

heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted, plus more for the pan

heat, set aside. To serve, pour the rum sauce into a small pitcher

½ cup pecans, chopped fine

or gravy boat. Drizzle a little bit over the bread pudding right when

BOOZY SAUCE

it comes out of the oven. (Drizzle over individual portions, too!)

½ cup (1 stick) butter

VARIATIONS

½ cup sugar

• Sprinkle raisins on top of the bread pudding with the pecans before baking.

¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream ¼ cup dark rum

• Use whiskey or brandy instead of dark rum.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

From all of us at Do South Magazine, we wish you a holiday season filled with love and laughter.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

62

southern lit

Yesterday, Tomorrow

WE LIVE FOR WE LIVE FOR

fiction Marla Cantrell

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

southern lit

M

Me and Hollis are bundled up and sitting on

eggnog drips off the side and onto his boots. “I loved you plenty

his front porch and we’re listening to the old stuff – Johnny Cash,

back when we were going out,” he says, and waves the smoke

Patsy Cline, Eddie Arnold, Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells – and we’re com-

from in front of his face.

paring them to some of the new singers, guys and gals about

as sincere as Hollywood and twice as pretty. All their faces are smooth like a month-old concrete sidewalk, even the stars older

“You loved me about as good as you could,” I say. “It’s not the same thing.”

than we are.

Just then, Johnny Cash starts singing “I Walk the Line,” and the Hollis shakes his head, rubs his beard, and says, “They don’t hold a

tempo picks up. Hollis lights another cigarette from the red end of

candle.” And then, butted right up against that sentence, he says,

the one that’s expiring. He says, “Water under the bridge, Jubilee.

“You remember when Mama and Daddy danced right over there?”

Water under…” and then he just stops. Earlier today I was sitting

and this is where he takes his cigarette and points to the pecan

out here, coat on, mittens on, and a swarm of starlings flew over.

tree that’s so tall it blocks out the sun when it’s leafed out proper,

They moved like a person double-jointed, like a ballerina, the flock of them swaying across the sky, making patterns that looked like

which it would be if it wasn’t December.

a hornet’s nest and then a fishing net and then a giant diamond.

“I remember it all,” I say, and that’s when Roy Acuff starts singing “Tennessee Waltz,” and the fiddle kind of reaches out and

I look over at Hollis and he's gone away inside his head like he

grabs both of us, and Hollis reaches for the porch railing to steady

does when he hears something he don't want to hear. "We

himself, and I grab hold of the arms of the rocking chair and close

stayed friends, though," I say. "Not a lot of people can say that."

my eyes.

"I've known you since before we both could walk," he says. "I'll “They cut quite a rug,” Hollis says. And then, as if I didn’t know

probably know you when we both can't walk again."

exactly who he meant, he says, “Mama and Daddy did."

"Call me a fool," I say, "but I think a walk right now would do us “That was the first time I realized what a beauty your mama was,

both good."

but I was only fifteen then, and already so in love with you I couldn’t see good,” I say, and Hollis bows his head so I can’t see

"It's nigh on midnight, girl."

his face at all.

"You got someplace else to be?"

“You're still pretty as a shined-up pickup, Jubilee,” he says.

It is harder to walk at night than I remembered. Even with the “Maybe thirty years ago I didn’t look so bad,” I say. “Maybe before

moon, even with the flashlight, me and Hollis bump into each

I got knocked around by love and what-not and lost my mind.”

another, we hit a fencepost by the south pasture, we snag our jeans on the barbed wire. But once we're out in the field, we do a

Hollis looks off to the north, to the lights of the nearest town that

little better. There are sounds at night, hoots and hollers and dogs

sits at the tip-end of Arkansas. “We all lost our minds eventually,”

and grass rustling and rumbling from the highway not so far away.

he says, “even Mama at the end, when we had to put her in the

The grass has gone fallow, turned gold and stiff, and it crunches beneath our boots. The cold is making my eyes water, making my

home. Daddy would sit with her every day.”

nose water, filling my lungs with air that stings.

“It’s why you can’t love nobody,” I say. “You got a inflated view of what love looks like.” We’d brought the eggnog out with us, and

When we get to the stack of square hay bales that should be in

I’d dumped half a bottle of bourbon into it. I take a sip and the fire

the barn but aren't, we climb up and sit side by side under the

burns and then spreads the way a good fire does.

chalkboard sky. Hollis is breathing hard, he's wiping his brow in

Hollis grabs his coffee cup and dunks it in the punchbowl. The

act like it.

this cold night, and I've got a pain that's riding my side, but I don't

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64

southern lit

"You ought to stop smoking," I say to Hollis, and he puts his cigarette back in the pack.

circle, and Hollis stands his ground long enough for the varmint to run off.

"No place to do it," he says, "except a clinic in hell-fire Minnesota.

"I forgot what living in the country was like after I moved away,"

You believe that?" he asks. "It’s probably thirty below right now.

I say. "I seen a lot of things, most of them not worth telling, but

If that's not a place where a little smoke and fire would help,

this one time in Dallas a guy put on a flying suit that had red

I don't know where is. It's like a cosmic joke, but nobody else

wings stitched to the back, and swung himself off the bridge and

seems to understand that."

he floated down to the water where a boat was idling, ready to take him to shore.”

"So, you looked into it?"

"He didn’t get hurt?”

"Got a brochure back at the house. Daddy had the emphysema. I don't want that."

“Nah,” I say, “he got arrested.”

"My mama had that shaking disease," I say. "Daddy didn't stay around long enough to know what he had."

“I never lived anywhere else," Hollis says. "Too much family here.

Too much land in our name."

The night is littered with glittered stars. Hollis is the only warmth

"You didn't miss a heck of a lot," I say, but the truth is he did.

around, and so I scoot closer. The eggnog is still working its magic, and I feel like I could levitate if I tried. "What was your parents'

Hollis holds the barbed wire with two gloved fists, opening it so

secret?" I ask, and Hollis opens his mouth to speak and then

I can crawl through. I do the same for him, and he walks ahead

stops. I take my mittens off so I can feel the hay. I like the way it

of me. Soon we’re close enough to see the porch light. We left

smells, how it seems to take all of summer and presses it into a

the music on, and Eddie Arnold is singing "Make the World Go

tied-up thing.

Away."

"I think he liked taking care of Mama," he says finally. "She always

I know it before he does, that he's going to dance. I know it

seemed like a kid, even to me, which is why it was fun to grow

because he's moving his feet like he's practicing, and then he

up around her. She didn’t like chores. She didn’t like cooking,

holds out his arms like there’s a lady inside them, and he starts

but she loved climbing trees. She loved fishing. He liked sitting

to sway back and forth, he starts to shuffle – there’s no bet-

her down and writing out a budget every month, and she never

ter word for it – and turn. When he gets to me, he stops like

once that I knew of stayed on it, so he was always playing catch

that, hands held out, the music like an ache from long ago. I

up at Mina's Grocery and Billie Joe's Dress Shop, where she had a

look around, for who, I don’t know, maybe the past, maybe his

tab. As for Mama, I think she loved him most because he wasn't

mama and daddy dancing like movie stars under the pecan tree.

a liar and a cheat like her own daddy was. That, and he played

But nobody’s there but me and Hollis, and I step into his circle,

the fiddle."

I let him hold me, and all the sounds of the night quicken and then flare and then go out, so that all that’s left is us and the

I like the way Hollis smells, like chimney smoke and cigarette

music and this one cold night.

smoke and Dial soap. "I never had one man wanted to do more than take the trash out," I say, and saying it makes my throat close, because it's true and because I'm getting old.

Marla was recently awarded the Arkansas Arts Council

Walking back across the pasture, we spot a coyote a few yards away, its eyes flashing, and Hollis takes his arm and moves me behind him. The coyote looks at us, sniffs the air, paces in a tight

2014 Individual Fellowship for her work in short fiction, an honor given to Arkansas artists who are recognized for their artistic abilities.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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