Kid - April 2016

速

KID

april 2016 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Dave Malone Don Lowe Catherine Frederick Amber Neal Jessica Sowards Eric Scowden April Stamper Stoney Stamper Jim Warnock GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays

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PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500

MASONS FOR MOMS

Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

Mothers Day is May 8, just a little over a month away, and we know you want to wow your mom with something you created! Take a look at our gorgeous and simple DIY using Mason jars.

Scott Frederick - 479.459.6672

PRAISE GOD FOR GOATS

Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com

When you ask God for grace, sometimes you get goats. That's the message in Jessica Sowards' beautiful story of faith, hope, and facing the fact that her youngest son was no longer a baby.

TRIPLE THREAT

Scott@DoSouthMagazine.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 ©2016 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. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

When is a rose not a rose? When it's a delicious roseshaped sandwich cookie! We made chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Want to make Mom smile? Make her a batch this Mother's Day.

Cover Image: Daria-Borovleva/Shutterstock

WATERFALL CURES

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Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

April showers mean the water’s flowing in some of the most awe-inspiring waterfalls in Arkansas. Need a little help getting there? No worries! We'll tell you how to get to our list of favorites.

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letter from the editor

Spring has sprung! Spring has sprung! As

In other news, our son turned eleven in

our friend’s seven-year-old daughter likes

March, and yes, it almost killed me. It’s hard

to say, “Alert the News!" I’m so happy

to think that he'll be a senior in high school

to see color and life outside my windows

in only seven more years, and then he'll be

again. Trees are bursting with beautiful

leaving home for college. Jessica Sowards'

new life just as everything outdoors receives

heartfelt essay about how her tribe of

the annual coating of pollen. We’ve been

goats helped her through the heartache of

so busy traveling with our son’s basketball

watching her youngest son turn one brought

team that I’ve yet to get my hands dirty in

me comfort when I needed it most. You’ll

the garden, but all that is about to change

find out why on page 34.

as we have the next three weeks off.

We’ve got all of that plus a story about As I write this, we’re enjoying the first day

how you and your family can get involved

of spring break. We don’t have any real

in the lives of local shelter dogs that need

plans other than to relax and enjoy a few

some exercise and extra love and attention.

days of no alarm clocks and perhaps check

Marla Cantrell shares the story of the

out some of the most breathtaking waterfalls in Arkansas,

upcoming Battle with the Blades, an event that brings professional

thanks to travel writer Jim Warnock and photographer Eric

Paralympic athletes to Fort Smith to compete against area schools.

Scowden. Grab your detailed directions on page 56.

She also introduces us to a local boy who is gaining attention for his amazing talent with a yo-yo!

I did finish a huge project this week. I tackled my horrendous mess of a closet and created a wardrobe capsule! There’s no telling

Want more? How about some gardening tips, a book review, a

how many bags of clothing and shoes I donated, or how many

brand new short story, and a poem from Dave Malone, a poet

trash bags I filled with plastic hangers. I admit, it was daunting,

and writer from the Ozarks, who does incredible work. Did you

and I had a hard time getting motivated. It was tough letting

know April is National Poetry Month? We share a poem each

some things go, but, I got it done and I'm so happy with the

month in Do South®. Have a poem you'd like us to read? Send it to

results! You should try it for yourself. Find out how on page 30.

editors@dosouthmagazine.com. It might end up on our pages!

I also got crafty with some Mason jars. I think you’ll love what

And last, but certainly not least, don’t miss this month's Kids'

you can do with some flowers, a little paint and less than an hour

Guide. It’s packed full of the best local businesses, schools, and

of your time. The result? Gift ideas perfect for Mother’s Day or

services just for your family. Happy spring everyone. Get out

just to add a pop of spring to your personal space. If you want

there and enjoy it!

to really wow mom, whip up a batch of Neapolitan Rose Cookies found on page 46. They are as delicious as they are beautiful!

~Catherine

Follow Do South® Magazine

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

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calendar

APRIL

Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com See the work of Mary Petty, who began her career with The New Yorker magazine in 1927. Over her four decades with the publication she created a singular style of cartoon illustration, and central to her imagery were the characters of Mrs. Peabody and her maid, Fay. She used these two characters to explain, in a humorous vein, the foibles of the social elite. April 7 is the opening reception at the Regional Art Museum, from 5:007:00pm. It's free for members and $5 for non-members. The exhibit will be on display until June 30. fsram.org, 479.784.2787

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RD

Rock the River April 3, 6:30pm Fort Smith

Rock the River is bringing in the City RockFest Tour with Christian rock bands Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Spoken, Decyfer Down and Children 18:3. The concert will be held at Larry's Pizza, 6700 Hwy 71 South, in Fort Smith. Proceeds benefit Hannah House. Tickets on sale at Hannah House, Lifeway, Solid Rock, Revelation Book Stores in Fort Smith.

See website for pricing. rocktheriver.com, 479.782.5683

The Life and Art of Mary Petty April 7June 30 Fort Smith

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Run for a Veteran 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk April 9, 8:30am Van Buren This race/walk, sponsored by the Robert Jack VFW Post 1322 and VFW Ladies Auxiliary, takes place at Lee Creek Park and is a certified course for runners. Run for a Veteran benefits local veterans in need of help, anything from paying bills to installing a wheelchair ramp. Get outside, stretch your legs and do good!

479.806.0444

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9-10

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NW Arkansas Vintage Market Days April 8-10 Bentonville

Viking/Celtic Folk Fest April 9-10, 10:00am until Dusk Heavener, Oklahoma

If you love all things vintage or handmade, you'll want to plan your weekend around your trip to the Benton County Fairgrounds. NW Arkansas Vintage Market is described as "a little Canton, Texas" and offers furniture, handcrafted jewelry, art, antiques, clothing, home decor, food, live music, plants and architectural salvage pieces. See website for pricing.

Food, fun and music all celebrate the Viking/Celtic heritage that's celebrated in Heavener's Runestone Park. Entertainment by Royal Gauntlet-Birds of Prey, Timothy O'Brian & Celtic Cheer, Black Oak Shillelagh, and Bear Creek Troupe. Demonstrations by blacksmiths, ax throwers, Viking re-enactors, and Icelandic horses. Want to stay both days? You can even camp there.

NWArkansas.VintageMarketDays.com

918.653.2241

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calendar

THETOPTENTHETOPTEN 13 TH

Men in Black vs. Buffs in Blue Quiz Bowl April 13, 6:00pm Fort Smith

Byrdfest 12 April 15-16 Ozark Come rain or shine, Byrdfest 12's two nights of live music will go on as planned.

Listen to eight live bands, including names like Stellar Wayz, Mountain Sprout, Talking Heads Tribute Band, and Freeverse, and enjoy some great food.

The weekend pass includes camping and parking. One-day passes are available, and you can even come one day early, on April 14 for just $10 more. For more information and costs, see website.

The men in black, the priests of Immaculate Conception, St. Boniface, and Christ the King parishes, match wits with the Buffs in Blue, the Trinity Junior High student team! $5 dinner specials include drink and dessert. Enjoy a 50/50 Raffle, free popcorn, and a silent auction. Senior appreciation night for Trinity graduates who are seniors at Southside and Northside High Schools. Special guest moderator, KFSM-Channel 5 Meteorologist Joe Pennington. $5 Adults, $3 Students Trinity students, kids 5 and under, free! trinitycatholicjh.org, 479.782.2451

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byrdsadventurecenter.com 479.667.4066

Africa and Points West April 28, 5:30 - 8:30pm Fort Smith Experience the art of A.S. Wilcox in her show "Africa and Points West." The exhibit will showcase her work in oils, capturing moments in the lives of people in many moods and many places. The show is for one night only, at Michael's Mansion, 2900 Rogers Ave. Admission is free. michaelsmansion.biz, 479.883.8336

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28 Felder Rushing April 28, 7:00pm Fort Smith Felder Rushing, Southerner, author, radio personality, humorist, and expert gardener will be giving a free lecture at the Fort Smith Convention Center. His one-of-a-kind talks, filled with laughter, and expert advice have made him one of the most sought-after speakers in the field of gardening. He's even driving his pickup to town that has an entire garden planted in the truck's bed.

479.484.7737 DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Steel Horse Rally April 29-30 Fort Smith Love motorcycles? Here's your event.

There will be a parade, antique bikes, the Harley-Davidson national demo truck filled with 2016 motorcycles for you to ride, and a motorcycle show in front of the Fort Smith Museum of History on April 30. In the midst of all this, the General William O. Darby monument will be dedicated. The Steel Horse Rally is a non-profit that helps local charities and is dedicated to "All Who Serve." thesteelhorserally.com

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poetry

The Knobby Throat of Spring (From T.S. Poetry Press)

LINEs Dave Malone

Clouds shake with gray, dancing a dirge of winter.

The house booms cold like the solitary space within a canon’s bore.

A burst of sunlight chases away grizzly April.

Beside the pond, a lark.

With her gullet charged, a fillet of steel.

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Shannon Schmidly Executive Vice President BHC Insurance

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

WORDS TO LIVE BY: 5500 Euper Lane Fort Smith, Arkansas www.bhca.com 479-452-4000 ABOUT BHC INSURANCE BHC Insurance is an independent insurance agency that specializes in commercial, personal, life, and health insurance products.

3 THINGS SHANNON CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Bible

"Do what’s right. Do everything to the best of your ability, and show others how much you care for them.” -Lou Holtz A- Age: 48.

B- Biggest Accomplishment: My faith, twenty-six years of marriage, and two wonderful kids.

C- Current Time: 9:55am.

D- Drink you last had: 20 ounces of black coffee.

E- Easiest Person To Talk to: My wife, Heidi.

F- Favorite Song: "Anything But Mine" by Kenny Chesney.

G- Greatest source of guilt: When I don’t make the most of my day helping others.

H- Hogs, the strangest place you've called them: On an airplane.

I- In love with: My wife, Heidi.

J- Jealous of: Anyone who lives in Colorado.

K- Kayak or canoe: I love my Jackson® Kayak!

L- Last time you cried: When my mom was sick.

Phone

M- Morning routine: Exercise, devotion with son over breakfast, tending to my three dogs.

N- Number of Siblings: One. O- One Wish: That there was a cure for cancer.

P- Person you last called: Bobby Pierce.

Q- Question you're always asked: Have you been hunting lately?

R- Reason to get up in the morning: Provide for my family, for the sixty-five employees of Brown Hiller Clark and to serve our customers.

Bicycle

S- Song on your playlist: "Better Than I Used to Be" by Tim McGraw.

T- Time you woke up: 6:30am.

U- Unplug. How do you relax?: Hanging out at the lake with my family.

V- Vacation Destination: Anywhere in Colorado, but my girls love the beach!

W- Worst Habit: Too much coffee.

.

X- Last X-ray: August 2015.

Y- Your favorite food: Fried crappie.

Z- Zen (Your Moment of): Being outside and watching the sun rise and set.

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pets

FOREVER HOMES WANTED Adopt your furry soulmate!

F

F

F

M

Dana

Harriet

M

Buck

F

Godiva

Summer

Ryan

Sebastian County Humane Society 3800 Kelley Hwy, Fort Smith | 479.783.4395 |

| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org

Each month, Do South速 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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entertainment

The Age of Miracles

By Karen Thompson Walker | Random House | 272 pages | $15 review Marla Cantrell

On an otherwise normal morning, a

In the midst of this dystopian world,

middle school girl named Julia wakes

Julia's family is struggling to find

beside her best friend Hanna, who's

their way. Her father, an OBGYN,

spent the night at Julia's house in

finds himself attracted to one of their

southern California, just ninety-five miles

neighbors, threatening the marriage,

from Hollywood. The two jump up, get

and Julia's mother comes down with a

ready for their soccer match and wait for

sickness related to the earth's slowing.

Julia's mom to show up with the bagels And all the while, Julia is dealing with

they've been promised for breakfast.

the effects of adolescence, at a time When Julia's mother arrives, she's

when none of the adults in her life are

frantic."Turn on the TV," she says.

paying much attention. She falls in love

"Something God-awful is happening."

with a boy whose mother has recently died, and spends days with him, skipping

What she means is that scientists have

school and going to the beach to save

discovered that the rotation of the earth

whales that keep coming ashore since

is off. Days and nights are growing

the ocean is in chaos in the wake of the

longer by minutes. Gravity is affected.

universe's changes.

The media assigns the condition a name: What's extraordinary about this novel

The Slowing. For a time, nothing much happens, and then the consequences start mounting. Days last so

is that the two storylines—the world ending and Julia coming

long people must buy blackout curtains to sleep. The sun becomes

of age—feel equally important. Julia's best friend Hanna is a

a furnace when it's out, killing crops, downing trees. Nights last so

Mormon. She and her devout family leave for Utah to be with

long that schoolchildren are forced to go to class in the black of night.

other believers. When she finally returns, she is so changed she has little to say to Julia. Other kids ditch school, wondering what the

Grocery store shelves empty as shoppers grab everything they can

point is if they're preparing for an adulthood that might not come.

that might help them survive in an increasingly unsteady world.

Still others disappear, heading for camps set up on the outskirts of

Others become reckless, forgetting marriage vows or civility or the

civilization, trying to find a way to survive the inevitable.

conventions of law and order.

This book is one you'll read late into the night, not caring that you As experts fight to find a way to right the planet, the country

have to wake early and start a new day. When you finally put it

divides into those who continue to follow the twenty-four-hour

down, you'll hope that the sun will rise tomorrow as it always has.

day and those who rely on the sun's rising and setting as a way to

And when it does, you'll sigh in unbelievable relief.

mark time. Those who live by the clock distrust the "real-timers" and paranoia intensifies.

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garden

April in the Garden THE DIRT If you haven’t already, get your soil tested and prepare your garden plot.

Consider raised beds to eliminate weeds and make planning, planting and harvesting a bit easier. If you’ve already planted seeds and they are sprouting, be sure to thin them out to keep them from overcrowding.

Tips:

If planting fruits and berries, plant in full sun . Plant what your family likes to eat plus one new vegetable to try!

You can plant: Basil Onions Beans (mid-April) Peppers (late-April) Beets Potatoes Broccoli

Radishes Carrots Spinach Cabbage Squash (late-April) Collards Sweet Corn (late-April)

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Cucumbers (late-April) Swiss Chard Dill Tomatoes (late-April) Lettuce Watermelons (late-April) Okra (late-April)

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people Francois Regas Nick

NEVER SAY NEVER B AT T L E W I T H T H E B L A D E S 2 0 1 6 words Marla Cantrell images All images courtesy Cathleen Dixon except Regas Woods at World Championship.

That photo courtesy Never Say Never Foundation.

T

The surface of the earth covers about 197 million miles. Seventy-

Nick Stilwell is thirty-two years old. He lives in Ocala, Florida,

one percent of that is water, the other twenty-nine percent land.

where he's been since he was two. In high school, he was a top

And on that twenty-nine percent of solid ground, 7.3 billion

athlete and imagined he'd go to college on a football scholarship.

people make their homes. The numbers bulge when you fight to

And then in his senior year, he ruptured a disk in his lower back

hold them in your head.

and that dream ended.

Narrow it down and try to calculate the likelihood of the right people

At twenty-five, in a car accident in Orlando, Nick severed his

finding each other to do something miraculous, and the math will

right leg and injured his left one. For a year, he and his doctors

overwhelm you. But it does happen, and here's an example.

did what they could to save his remaining leg, but the damage was too great. Pain roared through that limb, and finally, after

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people

getting used to the prosthetic leg he already had,

While Francois was gaining acclaim, Nick and Regas were

he agreed to the second amputation.

finding their way to each other. On their first visit, seven years ago, Nick was still in a wheelchair, about as low as he'd ever

Twenty-five miles away, in Dunnellon, Florida, Regas

been. But that meeting changed everything. "Regas was the

Woods, now thirty-four years old, was growing

technician at the time, and he was making my legs. He showed

up in different circumstances. He was born with a

me that my life wasn't over because he was doing a bunch of

congenital anomaly which did not allow his tibia

fun stuff. He was riding four-wheelers, running track, playing

and fibula to develop properly. Both his legs were

music with his church. So we became friends, and we started

amputated, above the knee, at the age of two.

volunteering at camps for kids with limb loss, and that's when we decided to start a foundation."

By the time Nick and Regas were born, Francois Van Der Watt, now forty-five years old, was a happy kid in Pretoria, South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away. He liked to play rugby. He liked to play cricket, and he participated in track and field events.

In college, Francois studied prosthetics. After graduating, he worked at a clinic, and one day, a woman brought her fourteen-year-old grandson to see Francois. The boy's legs had been amputated below the knee before he'd reached his first birthday, and he'd been fitted with walking prosthetics. He'd recently broken them by jumping over hurdles. His name was Oscar Pistorius. "I said, 'We need to get you something more appropriate for what you're trying to do,'" Francois says.

And even then, at that young age, Francois saw something in Oscar's talent that was extraordinary.

...when I lost my legs I thought my life was over, but really it was just beginning.

Francois designed Oscar's running blades, those long pieces of carbon fiber that look like curved L's, without feet. The

That foundation is called Never Say Never. Their mission is to

prosthetics earned Oscar the moniker "Blade Runner," and he

help youth and young adult disabled athletes attend camps,

gained fame after becoming the first amputee to compete in

sporting events, and get specialized prosthetics that allow them

track events at the Olympics in 2012. The following year, though,

to compete since Nick says those are not covered by insurance.

he became infamous after being arrested for the shooting death

(The cost for a running leg can run between ten and fifteen

of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

thousand dollars.)

By the time of this devastating news, Francois was living in the United

Nick's work consumes much of his life. He's found he's pretty

States. He'd moved in 2002, working first in Georgia and then in

good at public speaking, and even better at organizing events. In

Texas, and finally in Fort Smith, Arkansas, at Total Rehabilitation,

his spare time, he plays on a softball team, and power lifts. "You

Inc. By that time, he'd earned an international reputation as one of

know," Nick says, "when I lost my legs I thought my life was

the top prosthetists in the sports field. In 2008, he'd gone to Japan

over, but really it was just beginning."

with the Paralympics team for their training camp. In 2011, he held the same position for the World Championships, and last October

This is where Francois enters their story. As a major player

he was with the team in Doha, Qatar.

in the field of specialized prosthetics, he was bound to cross DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Regas winning the Bronze at the World Championships

paths with Regas and Nick. And so he did. Nick says, "He had

worked with him to make it happen. This year, there will be

the same goals as Regas and me. He was into the Paralympic

another donation, again to someone in Arkansas.

movement and spreading the word that anything's possible after an amputation."

Nick says, "Francois is the best. Prosthetics is an art form.

There's a lot of hand modifications that need to be done.

Last year, Francois devised a plan with Regas and Nick. They

What separates him from all the other guys is that he has no

wanted to bring world-class Paralympic athletes to Fort Smith

ego. He does it because he loves to help people and he enjoys

and have them compete with local high school teams. Francois

seeing people have a higher quality of life."

met with those in charge of the McDonald Relay at Southside High School, and the Battle with the Blades was born.

Nick feels lucky to have Francois as a friend and lucky to have found his purpose when he met Regas at such a hard time in

Approximately twenty area schools competed against the

his life. The world, when you think about it, is not as big as

Paralympic athletes last spring, and for most of the events, the

we think. More than 7 billion people, and still, three men who

local athletes lost. New friendships formed, and people who

needed to get together to do something incredible were able

would have never met otherwise came together. Spectators

to cross paths, even though they started out more than 8,000

showed up and had the chance to see something no other

miles apart. There's so much hope in that story, but then hope

state has to offer.

is the thing that forged all three of their lives.

So Francois and Regas and Nick decided to bring the event back this year. On April 21, Battle with the Blades 2016 will be in full swing. And again, Paralympic athletes will participate, including Regas, and Sam Grewe, who's nineteen, lost a leg to cancer, and holds the world record for the high jump. "It's the only meet of its kind in the United States," Francois says. "It's

Battle with the Blades 2016 neversayneverfoundation.org April 21, 3pm Southside High School, Fort Smith Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m, Long Jump

also a sanctioned event by the IPC, the International Paralympic Committee, so if an athlete runs a qualifying time here, they can get on the world rankings. In the Olympic world, that's a big deal." Especially so, since the Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro this August. Francois will be there as well, working with the world's top athletes.

Paralympic Athletes Competing at the Battle with the Blades David Prince, Florida Nicholas Rogers, Maine Hunter Woodhall, Utah

But that's only part of the magic of this event. Some of the

Jarryd Wallace, Georgia

money raised will be used for a sports prosthetic for someone

Regas Woods, Florida

in Arkansas. Last year, they gave a running leg to a little boy

Vanessa Low, Oklahoma

named Jake, who was seven, and from Fayetteville. He wanted

Sam Grewe, Indiana

to play baseball and football with his friends, and Francois DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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diy

Masons for Moms words and images Catherine Frederick

I’m inspired by Pinterest daily. Take a look around and you’ll discover so many cute ideas for Mother’s Day! Since I adore anything to do with Mason jars, it’s only natural I would gravitate to these three DIY ideas, all of which start with, you guessed it, a Mason jar! Show your mom some love this Mother’s Day with any, or all three of these adorable, handmade gift ideas.

PICTURE PERFECT MATERIALS

METHOD

(purchased at Hobby Lobby or had on hand)

Place sticker on outside of jar,

Mason jar of choice

(placement of sticker determines

Photo of choice

ensure all edges are secured where photo will show through).

Using spray paint, coat outside

Spray paint in color of choice

of jar. Once dry, gently remove

Decorative sticker (size and type of choice)

jar (I recommend tape instead

Flowers (fresh or artificial)

sticker. Tape photo to inside of of glue so you can change out the photo). Add embellishment if desired (I added ribbon). If

Tape

placing fresh flowers, place in

Plastic cup or glass

small plastic or glass cup with

Embellishments: decorative ribbon, twine, jute, tag

If using artificial, trim stems

water, then add to Mason jar. to desired height and place directly in jar.

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diy

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PAINTED TREASURE MATERIALS (purchased at Hobby Lobby or had on hand) Mason jar of choice Acrylic paint in color of choice Flowers (fresh or artificial) Plastic cup or glass Embellishments: decorative ribbon, twine, jute, tag

METHOD Squeeze a generous amount of paint into jar. Secure lid, shake jar until paint covers completely. Remove lid, place jar upside down on cardboard to drain. Once drained, move jar to another section of cardboard to finish drying. Once dry, set right side up and embellish as desired. If placing fresh flowers, place in small plastic or glass cup with water, then add to Mason jar. If using artificial, trim stems to desired height and place directly in jar.

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diy

FREE PRINTABLES! We’re in love with these free Mother’s Day printables and Mother’s Day coupons! thekiwiintheclouds.com | yesterdayontuesday.com clementinecreative.co.za

CHALKED UP MATERIALS (purchased at Hobby Lobby or had on hand) Mason jar of choice Sanding block, fine grit Foam brush Chalk paint in color of choice Potting soil Succulents (purchased at Home Depot) Embellishments: decorative ribbon, twine, jute, tag

METHOD Apply paint to outside of jar with foam brush.

Let dry. I applied two coats. Using a sanding block, lightly remove a little of the paint in various spots on the jar.

Fill jar with good potting soil. Add succulents— Did you make any of these?

Send us your photos at editors@DoSouthMagazine.com.

Your creation could end up in a future issue of Do South® Magazine!

no holes required in jar as they require no drainage. Water sparingly. Embellish as desired.

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people

THE

up and down LIFE OF

JOSIAH DAVIS words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Ashley Millican

When you yo-yo like that, with the music, it feels like you're on a whole other level.

Like you're in tune with the yo-yo and nothing else.

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people

J

Josiah Davis, eleven years old, wants to go to college one day.

When Josiah talks about Gentry, he says, "You have got to see him!

When not put on the spot, he knows exactly what he plans

You might think I'm good, but he's the one who's really good."

to study, but today, probably because he's being interviewed,

And then Josiah mentions that this year's World Championship will

he draws a blank. He furrows his brow, then runs his fingers

be in Cleveland during the first week of August. Planners expect

through his brown hair that's buzzed on the sides, longer on top,

1,000 competitors from more than thirty countries to show up.

with a wide part, courtesy of his barber's clippers. Later he will say that his barber is one of the most creative people he's ever

If Josiah has his way, he'll be in the crowd, watching. His long-term

known. But now he says this. "Well, I've always known I wanted

goal is to compete one day, after getting a corporate sponsor. He

to own a yo-yo shop."

dreams of YoYoFactory discovering him, the same company that sponsors Gentry Stein and sells yo-yos designed by him, including

"Always" can mean a lot of things when you're eleven, but for

one called the Shutter. It's Josiah's all-time favorite yo-yo. Josiah

Josiah, it means that for nearly half his life his dreams have been

also wants to be a designer one day, but that's a few years away. He

about yo-yos. It started the year he turned six when he says

needs some experience competing first, so he and his mom began

his dad brought out a box of yo-yos that he'd used in school

looking for competitions that were close to their home in Fort Smith,

competitions when he was growing up. Josiah, mesmerized by

Arkansas, but couldn't find any. The closest they've uncovered was

the brightly colored orbs, wanted to make them his own. But

a state competition in Arizona, that took place in March.

the yo-yos were not the kind found in toy shops. These

Josiah Davis

were expensive, some costing as much as one hundred dollars. Soon, Josiah had a yo-yo of his own, one that was perfect for a boy his age.

What his mother, Ashley Millican, remembers about that time is that her son was almost immediately able to work the thing. As days went by, Josiah's fascination only increased. The first trick he learned was The Sleeper, a nifty trick that causes the yo-yo to spin at the end of its string for a few seconds before you jerk the string and cause it to come back to your hand. "Every other trick is based on The Sleeper," Josiah says, "so you have to know that one."

Before Josiah turned seven, he was making instructional videos for his own amusement. He titled the shows "JoJo's Yo-Yo." He also watched experts online, seeing what they could do, amazed especially by Gentry Stein, the American, who, at eighteen years old, won the 2014 World Championship in Prague.

The same thing goes for nearby yo-yo clubs. They searched but came up empty handed. And then Josiah had an idea. What if

Gentry Stein looks like someone who could be in a boy band:

he started a club? And so he and his mom did some research,

spiky blond hair, ropy muscles, and enough charisma to make it

talked to those in charge at the Fort Smith Public Library, and in

hard to look away. In a video from his big win, he moves across

November of last year, Josiah held his first meeting of the River

the stage, manipulating the yo-yo in ways that seem impossible:

Valley Yo-Yo Club at the main branch on Rogers Avenue.

tossing it in the air, catching it, twisting its string into triangles and other configurations that seem impossible not to get it

As he talks about the meetings, he is smiling. Across his chest is

tangled. But then the string unfurls, and Gentry, with music

an army green strap that connects to a case that carries his yo-

choreographed to his routine, jumps right into another trick.

yos. He pulls out the one that's bright pink with a green string.

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people

It is not the rounded, wooden or plastic number you likely grew

then rolls his eyes. "It's like, 'Bubba, come here. Come see

up with. It is sleek metal, and looks a bit like a butterfly: slender

what's in my room.'"

at its center where the string wraps around, and then flaring out on each side like wings.

The distractions he's talking about are two younger sisters, who are five years old and one year old. He loves being their

For an hour or two a day, Josiah practices. Sometimes he plays

big brother, and he thinks he's pretty good at it. And then he

music while he does it, choreographing his movements to the

laughs and tells the story of conking one of them on the head

song, adding a dance step or two. His favorite is a hip-hop

with a yo-yo while he was recording one of his tutorials when

number by Christian artist, TobyMac, called "Feel It."

he was only six. "I hit her pretty good on the head," Josiah says, "and she was really brave.

"When you yo-yo like that, with the music, it feels like you're on a whole other level. Like you're in tune with the yo-yo and

"My baby sister will sometimes grab the string of my yo-yo while I'm

nothing else. Normally, I have distractions," Josiah says and

practicing and just run off with it, tugging my yo-yo behind her."

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people

He's teaching the five-yearold every trick he can, and he believes she might end up being better at yo-yoing than he is. "She can throw it down and get it back up again," Josiah says, proud of his protégé. Teaching is something he loves, and he does it whenever he can.

"I'm also teaching my cousin, Isaac. He's my age." And then there's the River Valley Yo-Yo Club he started.

"The first meeting I only had two people show up, but then the second meeting I had ten. We had people come all the way from Rogers, Arkansas. The ones who came to the first meeting have never missed, and we have

"I never go anywhere without at least one yo-yo," he says, and

one every month. The dad and one of his sons who came to the

then, when asked what his happiest moment is, he says, "It's

first meeting now help me teach.

when I'm stalking the mailman after I've ordered a new yo-yo.

I even chased him down the street one day," he says, and then

"Everyone learns at a different level, and that's been what I had

laughs. Josiah's collection has risen to eleven; a number he's

to work out. But I really like helping people learn."

certain will go up.

If Josiah could do one thing, it would be to show everyone that

At night, his last thoughts before sleep are about yo-yos. Every

the old yo-yo lying abandoned at the bottom of that toy chest is

day, he practices, at least an hour, sometimes two. This summer,

more than just a toy. That learning to yo-yo is a sport. "It's more

he plans to expand his teaching experience, by starting a second

than just a toy that goes up and down," Josiah says, with all the

club in northwest Arkansas.

conviction he can muster.

Just a few months ago, he couldn't find even one yo-yo club in the And then he stands up and starts to demonstrate a few of his

state. By year's end, there will be two, courtesy of Josiah Davis, who

own tricks. The yo-yo whizzes past. It seems like it’s about to

understands that life, like yo-yoing, is filled with ups and downs.

come off its string. He flips it up, makes it lay across a web of

Josiah plans to focus on the ups every chance he gets.

string he's created in just a matter of seconds and unwinds it in a flourish. It is hard to keep track of the yo-yo, spinning as it is, moving fast and then faster still.

He even shows off his signature move, a trick he created himself called The Triple Triangle. He pulls it off without a hitch, and when he's finished, he attaches the yo-yo to a strap that hangs from his belt loop.

River Valley Yo-Yo Club's next meeting is April 14 at 6:00pm at the Fort Smith Library-Main Branch, in the Carnegie Room. To find out more, visit River Valley Yo-Yo Club on Facebook.

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shop

SPRING IN AND SHOP LOCAL! words and imageS Catherine Frederick

Hannah’s Handiworks Garden Fence Hanger, Swirly Birdhouse, Dog Planter

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH 479.441.4221

Delicious Cookie Cakes for any Occasion

GREAT AMERICAN COOKIES 479.452.9999

Henry’s Hard Orange Soda, Twenty Grand Apple Vodka Infused with Cognac, Goose Island Summer Time Kolsch

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

Lafont pour les ENFANTS, eyewear for kids

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shop

We rounded up some of our favorite things from our favorite local businesses! We found delicious ingredients for our favorite spring cocktails, adorable home décor, gorgeous jewelry, cute clothes for the little ones, eyewear for kids, and yummy cookie cakes. Shop local – you’ll discover so much to love!

Mudpie® clothing, Mudpie® Plush Play Mat, Mason Jar Light Up Silvestri! Screenings™ Door Hanger, “My Sunshine” Wooden Hanging Décor

SUNSHINE SHOP AT MERCY FORT SMITH 479.314.6079

Cherish life’s most profound moments with the timeless beauty of Add-A-Pearl.

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

Viski Ice Spheres Set, Smithworks Vodka, True Stainless Cocktail Shaker, His and Her Cocktail Glasses

STATE LOVE WOODWORKS

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS

statelovewoodworks.com

Arkansas Wooden String Art 18”

479.783.8013

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lifestyle

Letting Go words and images Catherine Frederick

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lifestyle

Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor— it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living. ~ Peter Walsh

S

Stuff. I had too much of it, and it was piling up everywhere. Starting in my bedroom closet, spilling over into the kitchen and out into the garage. The closets and cabinets in my house were the worst—they made great hiding places when I needed to pick up quickly. Packed to the brim with no room to breathe, the things that once gave me joy, were now suffocating, and my joy had left the building. Every time I walked into my closet and surveyed the piles of “stuff” I felt defeated. I decided enough was enough. I did my research and fell in love with a minimalist concept called a wardrobe capsule. It made sense. Pare down to a specific number of items, keeping only the things that I loved, things that brought me joy.

37

Tip: Before you begin, think about your style. I have

This particular wardrobe capsule calls for you to

a Pinterest style board that keeps me in check –

create a seasonal wardrobe by paring down to

it’s great to review before you start the process. If

37 items, this includes shoes and jackets, etc. but

something doesn’t fit your style, let it go. Someone

not undergarments, pajamas, workout gear, or

needs it more than you do.

accessories. Wear only these thirty-seven items for three months and resist shopping during this time.

Now is a great time to buy new, quality hangers,

Sound daunting? Thirty-seven items per season

clean your closet, and purchase some under-the-

turned out to be more than I expected!

bed storage bags. Start by removing everything from your closet; don’t hand select items to remove. Place clothing into four piles: keep, storage, donate, trash.

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lifestyle

Keep Pile: Most loved, fits well, worn frequently, place back into closet.

Don’t forget your drawers! Even though these

Storage Pile: Out of season, stored until capsule change.

sorting method with undergarments, pajamas and

Donate Pile: Not your style, doesn’t fit, donate immediately.

of folding items to keep them tidy and easy to

Trash Pile: Item in poor condition, trash immediately.

illustrated-guide-to-the-kondo-mari-method/.

items aren’t part of the capsule, I used a similar workout wear. Check out the KonMari method locate! Video tutorials found here: goop.com/the-

Once you start, it’s hard to stop. Once you’ve As you sort your clothing, if something is iffy, try it

tackled the closet, try out these tidy-up tips and

on. If it doesn’t fit well, not your style, or has stains

alternative ways to de-clutter your home!

or holes, let it go. If you haven’t worn it for at least a year, donate it! Items placed in the storage pile should

Mail: Review and recycle/file immediately

only be out-of-season items that you love. Remember,

Appliances: If not used daily, store in cabinet

you’ll be rotating your closet every three months.

During the last couple of weeks of a season, plan and do minimal shopping for the next seasonal wardrobe.

Laundry: Fold, put away clean; dirty in hamper Toys: Pick up nightly and store in closet or bins Dishes: Wash or place in dishwasher immediately

Reevaluate the keep pile. Remember, you can

Surfaces: Keep counters neat, tidy, clear of clutter

only keep thirty-seven items, including shoes and outerwear. Is there a staple piece you need to buy?

Do you still have too much? Be strong, eliminate

12-12-12 Challenge

more if needed! If there are items you’re unsure of,

De-clutter your home in twelve steps! Throughout

place them in storage. If you don’t reach for them

your home, find twelve items to throw away,

during the season, donate them next time.

twelve items to donate, and twelve items to keep.

Still cluttered? Repeat!

Once you’ve pared down your wardrobe, place items back in the closet. I’m a little OCD, so I categorize everything by color and style (long

4 Box

sleeve, short sleeve). Tip: Place all hangers in your

Similar to the 12-12-12, go room by room, filling

closet backwards. After you wear something, place

one box with items for trash, one box to donate,

the hanger in its proper position. At the end of the

one box for storage (seasonal/sentimental), one

season, consider donating items that still have a

box to put away (laundry, books, etc.). Repeat until

backwards hanger.

clutter is gone!

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people

Praise God for Goats

words Jessica Sowards images Jeremiah and Jessica Sowards

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people

My youngest son, Benjamin, just turned one. His wrists still have the chubbiness of a baby and the little dimples on his pudgy hands do too. His hair is still wispy fluff. When he rubs his eyes and when I rock him to sleep, I see the remaining traces of infancy. But mostly, his babyhood is fleeting. Mostly, as he teeters down the hallway after his brothers, tries new foods and learns new words, I see the boy he is becoming.

He is the youngest of my five sons. I know all too well how fast they grow, how quickly seasons change and wispy hair turns into stubborn cowlicks. This year, Jackson, the boy that made me a mom, learned to skin a deer. Every time I turn around, I am both delighted and assaulted by the fact that my sons are speeding forward in life far quicker than I can keep up. It’s poignant, but I embrace it. Mostly.

I knew during the pregnancy that Ben would be our last. I have

longer have to do diaper duty. But nothing helped. I just felt a

savored the first year of his life, not rushing milestones as I have

little lost facing this finality. I was mourning this part of my life

in the past. Raising five boys on a farm is exciting. There are

that has spanned the last ten years.

promises of adventure. There are fun days, big messes, loud dinner times, and there is endless love. I had looked forward to

And then, perhaps a little later than I should have, I prayed,

putting the baby stage behind me and moving on to the all those

“Give me grace for the upcoming season in my life, God. Give

exciting things, but as Ben’s first birthday crept closer and closer,

me peace for the current one. And give me joy when I look back

I felt a weight fall on my heart.

at what I’m walking out of. I need Your comfort.”

I wasn’t prepared for how hard it was going to be. In the blur

You know, God always gives me what I need, but it is never how I expect it to come. Do you know what He did? Do you know what He used to heal my hurting heart? He used goats.

of having a newborn, a big, vibrant, demanding family and a thriving and growing farm, I was well aware that my season of having babies was closing, but I hadn’t really stopped to consider what it would feel like to say goodbye to it for real.

About a month before his birthday, while we sorted out tiny clothes and put them in a box to give away, a storm cloud settled over me. I sunk into a blue melancholy that I won’t call depression, but I will say felt an awful lot like it. I couldn’t shake it. At night, when Ben slept peacefully, I would pick him up and carry him to my bed. I’d curl up around him and kiss his head, smell his wispy curls and thank God for him, as if I hoped to

Just when I began to feel the sadness would swallow me up,

bottle the moment and save it for later. When people innocently

the goats had their kids.

asked, “Can you believe he’s almost one? Can you believe how fast he’s grown?” I would just nod and hold back tears.

One cold morning, when the days were just starting to lengthen, our business partner, Lisa, called me and told me we’d just had

I tried to be optimistic and focus on the positive, imagining all the

twins born. I made the half mile drive to her house, and as

fun I would have with Ben as he grows up. I imagined tossing all

soon as I scooped our first doeling of the year, aptly named

the bottles and dared to think of that glorious day when we no

Hallelujah, into my arms, all the hurt melted away.

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Over the following week, we welcomed several goat kids

daily for five healthy, beautiful boys. I praise Him that they are

on our farm. First Hosea and Hallelujah, then Hermione,

growing and that I get to be their mom. I praise Him for this

Honor, Tabitha, and Rahab. And with them came spring, in

incredible life I get to give. And I praise Him for goats, and

all of her glory. Baby chicks began hatching, dozens upon

that in His plan, they are born at just the right time to remind

dozens of chirping balls of fluff. The rabbits all gave birth

me there is always something to look forward to.

to wiggling, hairless kits with closed eyes.

We planted the garden, dropping seeds in fertile black soil, and praying over them daily as they unfurled their green leaves and stretched towards the sun.

Then, somewhere in the middle of it all, in the midst of the excitement and planning, the bottle feeding and milking, the weeding, planting, and getting ready for market, Benjamin Peter turned one. And just like that, surrounded on all sides by fresh, teeming life, I became a mother with no small babies. And I was okay.

It’s still bittersweet. Occasionally, I catch a glimpse of my boys, and they look altogether grown up. These moments just sneak up on me. They seem to change overnight. It’s like all of a sudden they become toddlers, then kids, then preteens. I can only deduce that one day I will look at them and be taken aback by the fact they have turned into men.

It won’t always be easy, but God gave me the grace and the goats to deal with this hard transition. I am holding on to the hope that He will do it again and again.

In the meantime, I will do my best to embrace every day. I’ll try to remind myself during the toddler tantrums and pre-teen drama that one day we will look back in disbelief at how fast it all went by. I’ll enjoy watching Ben grow into a toddler. Seeing him learn and change into the incredible child he will be, I imagine I will even be ok when his cowlicks start to show and his wispy hair disappears.

Truly, even though I lose my grasp of it

Follow Jessica on her blog @thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com

occasionally, I am so thankful. I thank God DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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sports

The Sun Shines on

Sonny Weems words Don Lowe images courtesy Barry Gossage, NBAE

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sports

Sonny Weems, former University of Arkansas-Fort Smith standout and Razorback alum, returned to the NBA (National Basketball Association) this past season after playing overseas in Lithuania and Moscow from 2011 to 2015. Since that time, Sonny has played a solid backup role for the Phoenix Suns squad, scoring points, pulling down rebounds and showing his unselfishness with assists. His current contract with the

“My off days consisted of being in the gym.”

Suns runs through next season.

The six-foot, six-inch 205-pound combination guard-forward from West Memphis, Arkansas, is excited about his successful return to the NBA. Sonny got his first taste of the NBA between 2008 and 2010 when he played for three NBA teams—the Denver Nuggets, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Toronto Raptors.

Sonny was traded from Denver to the Bucks in 2009. Then, that same year, Milwaukee made a trade which sent him to the Raptors. He remained with Toronto for two years, but they declined to pick up his contract option for the 2011-12 season. Around that same time, the NBA was in a lockout stemming from a labor dispute, and it put Sonny in a tough spot. Knowing that he needed to keep improving his game, as well as developing his maturity level, Sonny opted to trek outside the United States and continue playing basketball.

“Playing in Europe brought me back to being focused on what I really love, which is the game of basketball,” says Sonny. After being away from the NBA and playing in Europe, Sonny, who turns thirty in July, says he learned not to give up on his dream and keep persevering. His desire to get back in a league that showcases the world’s best professional basketball players taught him to stick with playing overseas until a better opportunity came calling. This year, Sonny proved that sticking with it pays off and showed he can play at the highest level.

Sonny’s former UAFS head coach, Jeremy Cox, now an assistant coach at Southern Miss University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, says

Jeremy doesn't see Sonny letting his ego get in the way either, but

that an NBA caliber player such as his former collegiate star has

believes his attitude is that he’ll simply do his job and do what’s

to have the body and athletic ability to succeed. “He’s obviously

needed. “He’s a winner,” Jeremy says.

stayed in great condition and taken good care of himself,” Jeremy says of Sonny.

In his diligence to help Phoenix win this season, and be at his best, Sonny didn’t take time away from basketball, even on

Along with staying in shape, Jeremy is sure that the guys who make

days when the Suns didn’t play. “I didn’t really consider our off

it for a great period of time getting paid to play basketball, just like

days as my off days because I tried to go to the gym and get

Sonny, have great work ethic and show tremendous character in the

in a workout and stay in shape,” he says. “I didn’t play many

way they handle themselves on and off the court. “You have to do

minutes, so I tried to get in as much game-shape as I could. My

what is asked of you,” Jeremy says. “That’s obviously what he does.”

off days consisted of being in the gym.”

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sports

On game days Sonny did his best to get to the gym before everyone else to get warmed up and ready to go. “If there was a game at 7:00pm, I’d try to get there at 4:00pm,” he says. “I wanted to be there about three hours before the game.”

While Sonny’s focus is on his pro career, he will never forget his time in Fort Smith and says that some of his fondest memories of going to college in Fort Smith were meeting new people and being with his teammates. “We won a championship (2006),” he says. “That was probably the high point of my career, winning the junior college national championship for that city and for my team and that entire school program.” You can hear Sonny’s excitement about winning that national title, even though he's a decade removed from the victory.

Playing basketball at UAFS was the easy part for Sonny because he was such a gifted athlete in his chosen sport. But, he is thankful for the learning experience that helped him figure out how to be responsible for things as a studentathlete and not always looking for someone else, like his parents, to handle everything. “It taught me to grow up,” he says.

Sonny knows he still couldn’t have done it alone and credits Coach Cox for being a father figure who guided a young guy from the small town of West Memphis who was kind of wild and reckless. “He taught me to focus all of my energy on just playing basketball and trying to provide for my family,” Sonny says of how his former coach

Sonny chuckles when he talks about guarding Steph Curry,

influenced him. Jeremy enjoyed being a mentor to Sonny and

saying that he’s definitely one of the most difficult players he’s

loved being around him. “He didn’t have a bad day,” Jeremy says.

had to guard. Fans watching from home see Curry make some unbelievable shots, and with a laugh Sonny adds, those things

Maintaining a positive attitude, while having the drive and

you see Curry do on television—that’s real life.

determination to be successful seems to be working for Sonny.

He recognizes that the NBA game is a lot different with such

Regardless of how his future plays out in the NBA, Sonny knows

an elite level of athletes such as: Stephen Curry (Golden State

it's a privilege to be where he is now. With only 300 NBA players,

Warriors), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), LeBron James

he’s grateful to be part of that select group. “I’m blessed to be

(Cleveland Cavaliers), Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), and

one of them, and I can’t ask for anything more.”

Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), just to name a few.

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pets

Tails and Trails

words and images courtesy Amber Neal, Special Programs Coordinator, Sebastian County Humane Society

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pets

"Want to go? Let’s load up!" Those words are magical to any dog, but especially to shelter dogs that spend the majority of their time in a kennel, waiting and hoping for their forever family. We caught up with Amber Neal, Special Programs Coordinator at the Sebastian County Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to find out how they're getting their dogs out of the kennels and into loving homes.

HOW IT STARTED

our volunteers, and those who come in contact with the dogs, are having a great time, it’s nothing compared to the fun our

The Tails and Trails Program began as a mission to give our shelter

dogs have! They meet new people, see new places, and get to

dogs at the Sebastian County Humane Society an opportunity

burn off some energy and relieve stress. Many of our dogs love

to get out of the kennel, experience new things, promote a

to go on car rides, run at the dog park, enjoy the sunshine, and

healthy lifestyle in our community, increase adoptions, and

of course, receive all of that extra love and attention. We’ve

help relieve the dogs' stress from everyday kennel life. Even

even had some dogs who’ve stopped by PetSmart to get new

though the program is relatively new, we have seen a large

toys, or Sonic for a fresh cup of water.

increase in adoptions, community awareness, and a positive change in the temperament of our dogs! Our Tails and Trails Program is such a great experience. We’ve had several families,

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

couples, and friends join in on the fun! Children are learning about responsible pet ownership and getting to work off a

You don’t have to be an avid runner to participate in Tails and

little of their energy too.

Trails. We’ve had everyone from hardcore runners to those who just want to get out and enjoy a nice, light walk. The dogs enjoy experiencing a variety of different exercises in different places.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

Some of our dogs have even gone hiking! Many college students have become involved, as well as retired seniors. The level of

To get signed up, all you need to do is attend our orientation

activity is up to the volunteer; long walks or short runs, the dogs

at the shelter, held the last Saturday of each month at 1:30pm.

are happy to tag along! Daisy Mae, a calm hound mix, ran eight

It takes less than an hour! To sign-up, you must be eighteen

miles with one of our volunteers and enjoyed every second of it.

or older, but the whole family can be involved! We provide

She was adopted soon after!

everything you'll need for the dog, including their “Adopt Me” bandana so that everyone knows they're in need of a home while you're out and about. Once you are registered, you can

FOREVER HOMES

pick up your buddy as early as 9am, but they must be back at the shelter by 4pm.

Since launching our Tails and Trails Program, several of our dogs found their forever homes, either from the volunteer or from

The Tails and Trails program is serving as a great opportunity

being seen by someone in the community while on their outing.

to disprove a lot of myths about shelter dogs. Many think

One Tails and Trails volunteer couple fell in love with a young

that the dogs are here because they have behavioral issues or

beagle mix named Sapphire. They returned from their long walk

aren’t good with people, which is far from the truth. These

and Sapphire went home with them the same day!

dogs need love and have so much to give. Once these dogs are given the chance to show off just how wonderful they are,

Even when a dog is not immediately adopted, there are positive

the community really gets curious, and becomes more involved

effects. The dogs have an increased calm while in their kennel,

with the Sebastian County Humane Society! While it’s true that

for instance, and they're more relaxed—open and eager to

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meeting new people. Some dogs that were having a hard time adjusting to their kennel would spin around inside the kennel or bark incessantly. We’ve seen a drastic decrease in these behaviors, which tells us their stress levels are going down.

When stress levels go down, the dogs stay healthier and have stronger immune systems!

WHAT WE LOVE Perhaps our favorite parts of the program are the videos and

Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.For, indeed, that's all who ever have.

photos the volunteers take during their experience with the dogs. Many have posted them to social media, and while we love to see the dogs having so much fun, it’s great that these posts have received the attention of potential adopters—leading to more inquiries and visitations with shelter dogs. A day after a video of a sweet dog named Hector drinking ice water from a Sonic cup was posted, he received his forever family!

MOVING FORWARD Our plan is to continue to improve and expand the program.

We hope to reach a point where every adoptable dog is taken out of the shelter at least four times a week until they find a home. We also love that the program has helped many people get motivated to start living a healthier lifestyle while helping a shelter dog in need of companionship. Many of our Tails and Trails volunteers will be attending our annual fundraiser, the Miles for Mutts Race, on April 30, with an approved shelter pet that has become adjusted to walking or running over longer distances. We know, with your help, we will see improved kennel behavior in our dogs, increases in adoption rates, and overall increased community involvement in our shelter. We couldn’t be more excited!

For more information on the Tails and Trails program or the Miles for Mutts Race on April 30, contact the Sebastian County Humane Society at 479.783.4395.

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~ Margaret Mead

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taste

Triple Threat

NEAPOLITAN ROSE COOKIES

words and Images Catherine Frederick Recipe adapted from I am Baker DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

C

Vanilla. Chocolate. Strawberry. It’s hard to go wrong with these three flavors! This recipe is not only delicious but also beautiful, and the roses are easy to make. Skeptical? Check out my video tutorial online at dosouthmagazine.com/rosecookies. Each recipe makes about a dozen “cookie sandwiches,” plus a few to taste test, which ensures you have plenty to give to mom for Mother’s Day, and to share with friends!

MATERIALS 1M tip (for roses) Large round tip — 12 or 2A (for filling) Wilton® pastry bags (not the clear type)

INGREDIENTS VANILLA

STRAWBERRY

CHOCOLATE

COOKIE DOUGH RECIPE

COOKIE DOUGH RECIPE

COOKIE DOUGH RECIPE

2 sticks butter, room temp.

2 sticks butter, room temp.

2 sticks butter, room temp.

½ cup sugar

½ cup sugar

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon strawberry extract

½ cup cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon salt

METHOD Heat oven to 400°F. Using hand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, egg and extract(s). Add salt and flour (plus cocoa for chocolate), blend at low speed. Place 1-2 cups of dough into pastry bag fitted with a 1M tip (dough pipes best at room temperature). Pipe roses onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat®. To create roses, start pressing dough out in the center, then slowly move your tip in a circle, around the center point until your rose is to desired size. Place in freezer until set, about 5-10 minutes. Bake 5-8 minutes. Watch closely and remove cookies before they begin to brown.

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INGREDIENTS MARSHMALLOW FILLING MAKES ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 3 DOZEN COOKIES 2 sticks butter, room temp.

4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 13oz. jar marshmallow crème

METHOD With a hand mixer, blend together butter and almond extract. Add one cup powdered sugar at a time, mix well after each. Add marshmallow crème, mix until combined.

ASSEMBLY Place filling into pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Once cookies are completely cooled, flip them over so the flat side is facing up. Pipe filling onto one side of cookie, place another cookie on top to create a “cookie sandwich”.

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taste

SO DIE’S & SMITH WORKS

recipe courtesy Sodie's Wine & Spirits image Catherine Frederick

INGREDIENTS -

½ cup ruby red grapefruit juice ¼ cup cranberry juice ¼ cup Smithworks vodka Kosher salt for rim Grapefruit slice for garnish Crushed ice

METHOD Wet rim of glass with grapefruit.

Roll outside edge of glass in salt.

Fill glass with ice. Combine juices and vodka in cocktail shaker, shake to combine. Pour over ice, garnish with grapefruit slice.

SODIE’S TASTING EVENT: Saturday, April 2, 2p-5p Featuring Fort Smith’s own Smithworks vodka.

5401 Phoenix Ave, Fort Smith Always drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

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people

Doc words Stoney Stamper images courtesy April and Stoney Stamper

April 30 is Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. In honor of that, we decided to re-share this story we originally published in January 2014, that celebrates the life of a great dog named Doc. He marched into Stoney Stamper's life when Stoney was twenty years old. For nearly fourteen years, Doc lived with Stoney, moving from place to place, and teaching Stoney powerful (and sometimes funny) lessons about what it means to love a dog.

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people

Doc is my Australian Shepherd. He was coming up on his fourteenth birthday in March 2014.

He has been with me at nearly every step of my adult life. For real. I got him when I was twenty years old, and in the last (almost) fourteen years, I rarely went anywhere without him. He loved nothing more than hopping up in the back of the truck and riding down the road with the wind blowing through his long, pretty hair, and his eyes, one blue, one brown, filled with delight. He went with me to the store, to visit friends, to visit family. He went with me to the East Coast, to the West Coast, and to Canada. To most people, seeing me was synonymous with seeing him. Especially before I had all these crazy girls in my life. If you saw one of us, you probably saw both of us. Most people had kids. I had Doc. He was my best friend. Cliché? Yeah, probably so. But it’s the truth.

Well, today, I loaded Doc in the back of that truck for the very last time. Today, I found what I have been dreading to find, for the better part of a year—I found my best old buddy lying stretched out in the yard, soaking up the sun, as he so often liked to do. He had gotten pretty deaf in his old age, so when I called his name from the porch, and he didn’t move, I just thought he was enjoying his nap in the sunshine. That was not too uncommon. He had become quite the hard sleeper in the last few years. However, when I got down to him, I realized that my sweet friend was gone. He had crossed the Rainbow Bridge. He had bumped my hand with his head, asking me to pet him, for the very last time. I’d never look in the rearview mirror to see his pretty face, literally smiling, as we drove down the road, again. He’d never lay at my feet as I smoked a cigar and played my guitars, as my biggest fan. The most constant presence in my adult life went off to pee on the big hydrant in the sky. And for that, I am terribly sad.

I got him in May of 2000 when he was nine weeks old. He was an adorable little fuzzy ball of fur. I’m not usually what you would consider a dog person. I grew up on a horse ranch. I’ve seen a lot of animals come and go. I’ve seen them be bought, sold and traded. And I’ve seen them die. I think that probably caused me to be a little calloused towards animals, at times.

I never got too close. Except for Doc. He and I had an instant connection. I saw him for the first time before his eyes were even opened, and I knew that I wanted him. When I got him, he was like a little teddy bear. He was so cute and fun to play with. The first night at my house, he was scared. So, I picked him up, sat him on my belly, and he went to sleep. It was like a bond formed from that very second.

We made an agreement. I’d take care of him, and he’d take care of me. He never needed a leash. Wherever I was, he was there, right beside me.

Doc loved the Frisbee, or a ball, or a stick. Or, really anything else that I could throw for him to fetch. He was so proud, each and every time he brought it back to me. Thousands of times, no doubt. And occasionally, he’d hump the crap out of a pillow from the patio furniture, or a stuffed animal. Or my brother. And it was funny. EVERY. TIME. Once, he got into a fight with another dog, while we were at my mom and dad’s house, and the other dog nearly ripped his B-hole out. I’m not exaggerating, either. He had twentyseven stitches right around his pucker string, with a drain hanging out of it. And he had to wear one of those great big cones for weeks because he couldn’t make himself try not to DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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chew the stitches out. Well, because of this ailment, he found it difficult, or, at least, painful, to poop. When a week had gone by, and he still hadn’t pooped, I called the vet. They told me to try Metamucil. So I did but to no avail. I called back on day ten when he was swelled up like he’d been bitten by a rattlesnake, because he still hadn’t pooped, and she said, “Ok, do you have somewhere you can put him outside?” I said, “Yes, I have a fenced-in back yard.”

She said, “OK, well buy some canned pumpkin. Like you use to make a pie. Feed it to him, and LEAVE HIM OUTSIDE.” I said, “But he won’t eat anything! He can’t poop, so he’s stopped eating.” She said, “Oh, he’ll eat this.”

And she was right. He ate it like he was starving. And then he put on the most epic pooping display that has ever been witnessed on this earth. It was breathtaking. Basically, two weeks’ worth of

I think John Grogan said it best, in his book, and later the movie,

poop started spewing from his body like Mount Vesuvius. I could

Marley and Me. “A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes,

hardly believe what I was seeing. And the funny thing was, the

or designer clothes. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A

pumpkin looked nearly the same coming out, as it did going in.

dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or

And this dog could NOT quit smiling. He was the happiest animal

dumb. Give him your heart and he’ll give you his.” How many

on the planet. Of course, if I had gone ten-plus days without

people can you say that about? How many people can make

pooping, I am betting I would’ve been pretty damn happy, too.

you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?”

For thirteen and a half years, he was my partner. He lived with me in Oklahoma, Florida, Virginia, Oklahoma again, and Texas.

I feel blessed to have had so many years with an animal with such

Through hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts, and

a pure heart, and such loyalty. I definitely gave him my heart, and

floods. He’s seen me skinny, fat, mad, happy, and sad. He knew

there was no question that I had his. Although I already miss him

me with hair, and now without. And none of that mattered to

terribly, I know that right now he’s probably humping pillows in

him in the slightest. He liked me when I was pretty damn hard

his new heavenly home. His old hips don’t hurt, his ears work

to like. He even liked me when I didn’t like myself, and he was

again, and maybe he isn’t farting quite as much as he has the last

happy to see me every single time he laid eyes on me. If we

few years. Cause those farts were ROUGH.

could all have the same kind of attitude he had, and the short memory to be able to forget the bad that happened yesterday

Today, I'm SO thankful for the years that I had with the best

and think only of today, what a wonderful world this would be.

dog in the world. I miss ya, buddy.

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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travel

waterfall cures Words Jim Warnock images Eric Scowden and Jim Warnock

Waterfalls put many into a reflective state. Still others, tired from the pressures of modern life, simply enjoy the relaxing sights and sounds waterfalls offer. Either way, they seem to work their magic on just about everybody, and Arkansas has some beauties.

Hiking distances featured here are no more than a twomile round trip, but you'll probably do some climbing. You can view three of these waterfalls from your car, and all are kid friendly. We've listed them by distance from Fort Smith, ranging from twenty minutes to two hours. In Arkansas, all waterfalls are seasonal, and many only flow during wet times of year. Wear shoes that grip slippery rock and plan on getting muddy. Pack your camera, water, and some snacks and hit the road!

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travel taste

Jim Warnock

1

McWater Falls at Lake Alma

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 29.818’ W94° 13.073’ Driving directions: Take the twenty-minute drive north on I-49 then east on I-40. Take Exit 13 and drive north to the first traffic light. Turn right onto Collum Lane East.

Drive 0.2 mile and then left on Mountain Grove Road.

Drive north on Mountain Grove Road for 0.3 mile and take a left just past the two green water tanks. Drive down to the picnic area parking. The Lake Alma Trailhead is at the opening in the parking guardrail.

Walking directions: Follow the round yellow trail markers (called blazes). Walk north with Lake Alma to your left for 0.5 mile to the stone McWater Falls sign. Turn right and walk one-tenth of a mile following orange blazes to the waterfall, which was named for Harry McWater, the father of the Lake Alma Trail.

Eric Scowden

2

Crack-in-the-Rock Falls

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 29.376’ W94° 24.570’ Driving directions: From I-40 in Van Buren, take Exit 5 and drive north on AR 59 for 1 mile then turn left onto Old Uniontown Road and go 1.6 miles. Turn left onto Pine Hollow Road and drive 2 miles. Turn left onto Gelly Drive and drive 0.8 mile to the trailhead.

Walking directions: Take Crack-in-the-Rock Trail and follow the blue blazes. Cross under a power line at 0.3 mile and look for the Crack-in-the-Rock Loop to your right. Take the left side of the loop that leads you on the right side of the creek following it upstream. At 0.5 mile you’ll arrive at a junction where a trail leads to the left and down to creek level. Pass some bus-sized boulders and quickly come to a drain where you'll scramble up to the right, arriving at the wet season Crack-in-theRock Falls at 0.6 mile. Backtrack the way you came to complete this 1.2-mile hike.

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travel taste

Natural Dam

Jim Warnock

GPS at the waterfall: N35° 38.989’ W94° 23.862’ Driving directions: From I-40, take Exit 5 then turn left onto AR 59 North/Fayetteville Road. Continue north for 14.4 miles. Turn left onto Natural Dam Road and watch for the waterfall on the right (north) side of the road. You may view this waterfall from your car or walk around Natural Dam Falls and upstream alongside Mountain Fork Creek.

3

Eric Scowden

4 Shepherd Springs Falls

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 41.735’ W94° 07.108’ Driving directions: From I-49, take Exit 29 at Mountainburg and go east on AR 282 for 1.8 miles to US 71, and then drive north on US 71 for 7.5 miles to Shepherd Springs Road. Turn east on Shepherd Springs Road and go 2 miles to the park.

Walking directions: Begin on the left side of the visitor center. You’ll walk the first mile of the 180-mile Ozark Highlands Trail to reach Shepherd Springs Falls. Watch for white blazes that mark the Ozark Highlands Trail. At 0.9 mile, you’ll arrive at this wet season waterfall and cascade. Backtrack the way you came.

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travel taste

6

Eric Scowden

Eric Scowden

Highway 23 Pig Trail Falls

GPS at the waterfall: N35° 38.757’ W93° 50.365’

5 Devil’s Den Twin Falls

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 46.802’ W94° 14.961’

Driving directions: From I-40 in Ozark, take Exit 35 and turn left onto AR 23 North. Drive 9.9 miles and look for the pull-off on the right side of the road just before a sharp right curve. The waterfall is on the left (west) side of the highway. Be sure you have a designated driver to avoid running off the road while gawking at the falls.

Driving directions: From I-49, take the Winslow Exit 45 and turn left on AR 74. From the turnoff, it’s 6.8 miles to the Devil’s Den Trailhead. At 4.5 miles, you’ll pass the Devil’s Den State Park sign on the right. Continue down the steep switchbacks until you reach the 6.8 miles point and watch for the parking area on the left. The trailhead is on the right side of AR 74. Watch for traffic when you cross the highway to enter the trail.

Jim Warnock

Walking directions: Begin at the Devil’s Den Trail located next to the visitor center. Hike past Devil’s Den Cave and Devil’s Icebox before arriving at Twin Falls at 0.6-mile.

Backtrack the way you came or continue on the loop if you’ve picked up a map from the visitor center.

Turner Bend Falls

GPS at the waterfall: N35° 40.034’ W93° 49.683’

7

Driving directions: From I-40 in Ozark, take Exit 35 and take AR 23 North. Drive 11.7 miles to Turner Bend Store. The waterfall is on the right side of the highway just south of the store. Be sure to stop in for a piled-high deli sandwich.

Tell them to “throw the garden on it” and you’re in for a crunchy treat! They also serve up current trail and river info.

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Glory Hole Falls

Eric Scowden

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 49.702’ W93° 23.427’ Driving directions: From the town of Ponca, drive southeast on AR 43 South for 4.8 miles. Continue onto AR 21 South and drive 11.2 miles. Take a slight right onto AR 16 West/AR 21 South and drive for 2.3 miles.

Just before arriving at the trailhead, the road makes a sweeping turn to the left and Cassville Church is on the right. Watch on the left (south) side of the road for a small parking area and a small white sign that says Glory Hole. If you pass a barn on your right with a large 'E', you’ve gone too far. The total distance from Ponca to the Glory Hole Trailhead is about 18 miles.

Walking directions: Take the trail on the south side of AR 16. Follow an old roadbed for a short distance before heading downhill and across a seasonal creek. Follow the stream down to where the water disappears into a hole in an overhanging ledge. Backtrack to the highway to complete this 2-mile hike. Visit this waterfall early in the morning to avoid crowds.

8

Eric Scowden

9 Cedar Falls

GPS at the trailhead: N35° 07.005’ W92° 56.334’ Driving directions: To get to Petit Jean State Park from I-40, take Exit 108 for AR 9 South toward Morrilton.

After 7.5 miles, turn right onto AR 154 West and drive 11 miles to Petit Jean State Park and 1.5 miles past the visitor center to Mather Lodge. Cedar Falls Trailhead is at the overlook behind the Mather Lodge breezeway.

Walking directions: Follow the 2-mile out-and-back Cedar Falls Trail down switchbacks and across Cedar Creek. Turn right after the creek and follow it upstream to Cedar Falls.

When the water is flowing, Cedar Falls is spectacular. The trail is a visual feast every step of the way.

For more on photographer Eric Scowden, visit Facebook.com/EricDScowdenPhotography/ Jim Warnock’s book, Five-Star Trails: The Ozarks, will be available in October. OzarkMountainHiker.com

If you visit some of the waterfalls shared here and want more, pick up a copy of Tim Ernst’s Arkansas Waterfalls Guidebook. Some locations are challenging, requiring GPS and some serious scrambling, but there are waterfalls for hikers of all levels of fitness and expertise.

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southern fiction

Here on the Edge of Everything

O

FICTION Marla Cantrell

On the plane, the cooling system shot clouds

a run in her dark stockings, starting low on her left shin and

of fog out into the crowded cabin. The old man in front of

running all the way up underneath her navy blue polyester skirt.

me, thinking it was toxic gas designed by terrorists, made such

There were faint stains, shaped like wedges of oranges, on her

a fuss the co-pilot came out to ease his fears. We were flying

white blouse, and when she raised her arms to demonstrate

out of Atlanta, so I knew it was the icy air's reaction to the hot

how not to die should the plane dip and fall, the spots shone.

plane, to the humidity that defeated my once-straight red hair,

Her name tag read "Edith."

making me look clown-like and downtrodden. As the plane I remembered the safety conference I'd attended when I was

rose, I gazed out the oval window.

twenty and getting ready to travel abroad for the first time.

Down below, some of the street lights were copper colored,

"Two words of advice," the speaker had said. "When flying,

and others silver in the night. They looked like pieces of glowing

don't wear polyester or nylon hose." And then he had gone

metal, illuminating neighborhoods, outlining streets where I

on to describe the flammability of both, the hazards that could

could imagine belligerent sixteen-year-olds sneaking out of

fell a woman such as myself, intent on looking my best when I

bedroom windows and car stereos blaring and couples arguing

boarded a plane. Now, I was dressed in yoga pants and a yoga

yet again. The last clutch of lights I saw on our ascent formed

T-shirt that read "I'm just here for the Savasana." At thirty-six, I

a perfect butterfly, and I wondered if the city planners had

was old enough to realize that I'd die if a plane crashed, whether

deliberately done this, if they'd suspected that people like me

I wore cotton from God's green earth or fabric made from its

would be watching their handiwork, searching for a sign that life

underpinning where petroleum pooled and waited.

could start over, that it could be beautiful again.

I smiled at Edith when she handed me a child-sized bag of The flight attendant working my section looked to be about

peanuts, and she smiled back, all teeth and vacant eyes, the way

fifty. Her hair was shoulder-length, dyed black, shiny. She had

a politician does. I ordered a Bloody Mary.

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southern fiction

"Here you go, Honey!" she said, when she handed me the drink,

About the same number of hands went up.

the enthusiasm in her voice like the edge of something sharp.

"And today's my wedding anniversary," she said, and then Two rows ahead of me a baby wailed. I took a drink. Beside me, a

cleared her throat in a way that made me lean forward on the

teenager with shimmery blonde hair and neon orange nails read

edge of my seat.

a novel and cried, and beside her a woman in a black eye mask so big it made her look like a bug, snored. I drank a little more.

"Thirty years," she said, and I watched the other flight attendant standing beside her, a young guy who kept calling everyone

The man across the aisle—Roman nose, a head and a half of

"Dude." He rolled his eyes.

golden hair—was headed to Bentonville, Arkansas, to pitch his grand idea to Walmart. "See," he said to the woman next

Most of us clapped. The bra guy next to me whistled between

to him, while holding a white piece of fabric between his two

two fingers.

strong hands, "it's a bra with a pocket sewn into it, you know, right in the middle there, so you could keep your money safe, or

Edith said, "Well, thank you so much!"

your keys, or even your cell phone. And it has a battery pack so you can plug in your Smartphone and recharge it on the run."

She clicked off the microphone, and I sank back in my seat,

He craned his neck; I think to get a better view of her, and she

feeling as if I'd just escaped something indefinable, but then she

folded her hands across her measly chest. Then he said, "Well,

flipped the mic on again.

if there's enough room for all that, of course. I haven't worked "So," she said, "here's the thing. Galen, that's my husband,

out the details yet."

planned a party. Had my mama come all the way from Hot The man was a buffoon, I thought, but what did I know. I'd

Springs Village. I asked for the whole day off, but then this

never put a thing inside my bra but what was supposed to be

other flight attendant got sick, and they called me to take her

there. I lacked creativity. This was what I worried over as we

place. I told them about the party, and they said I'd be back in

started our initial descent, dropping like a feather from a tower.

plenty of time, and I thought, Well, at my age I should be glad

I closed my tray table. I tossed my trash in the bag Edith carried.

I have a job at all."

She had a vertical line in the middle of her forehead. Her eyes were puffy. Her hand, bright with rings and red nail polish, shook

Edith laughed, but the laugh sounded bitter. "So I said OK, and

when she took my plastic cup.

Galen said, 'You're going to ruin everything.'

I like the feeling of a plane descending, that movement that says

"I took this flight anyway. We were supposed to touch down at

the world is calling you back to it. I tugged my unruly hair into an

three o'clock, plenty of time to get fixed up before our first guest

elastic band that held it, mostly, in a ponytail, and dabbed rose-

arrived. And then there was that mechanical problem in Atlanta.

colored balm on my lips.

I mean, I'm not trying to scare any of y'all, but they were out there screwing in missing bolts where the wings attach!"

Edith was at the front of the plane now—I was midway back— and she picked up the microphone. "I'd just like to thank y'all

The old man in front of me drew in a wheezy breath so deep I

for flying with us," she said. "We'll be at XNA in Highfill in just a

could hear it. He said, "I'm never flying again!"

little bitty bit. How many of y'all are from Arkansas?"

Edith said, "So I called Galen and told him. And then I called three more times before we left the airport, and he didn't answer until

Maybe half of us raised our hands.

the third time, and when he did, he said, 'You break my heart, you "I don't usually tell this," Edith said, "but I live in Little Flock.

really do.' And then he said, 'Please don't call me again.'"

How many of y'all know where that is?"

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southern fiction

The girl beside me with the neon nails closed her book. She

me, I saw why. There was a gray-haired man, and beside him

looked at me, her eyes big. "I know," I said, and she said, "She

maybe twenty other people, all dressed for a night on the town,

seems kind of old to be a heartbreaker," and I said, "That's all

even the oldest lady who wore purple slacks and a leopard-print

this world is about, sweetheart, breaking hearts or having yours

blouse and leaned on a pink cane.

broken, right up until the day you die. I wish it wasn't true."

The gray-haired man, tall, broad-shouldered, carried a bouquet: A woman a few seats up from me, silver-haired, said, "I'm going

peonies, ranunculus, hydrangeas. I said aloud, "Galen," just as

to say a prayer for you and your man."

he stepped in front of the others, and then he began to jog toward Edith, the flowers held high, and when he reached her

Edith nodded. "I bought a really nice dress. Silver. Sparkly. I bought

they kissed, and the crowd cheering sounded louder than the jet

heels that kill my feet, but I was going to wear them. Galen made

engines that hummed all around us.

four dishes of lasagna—his dead mama's recipe—and he ordered a three-tiered cake like a regular bride and groom would have."

That scene looked like something from a movie. I watched, stricken by their love, bowed down in the presence of it. I'd never

Edith blinked. "Well, anyway, thank y'all for flying with us." And

been treated like that, not by my ex-husband who climbed out

then she squeezed her eyes shut and said, "Although I do believe

our bedroom window in the middle of a dinner party when I was

my marriage might be over, and it just about kills me."

only twenty-seven and never came back. And not by the guy I'd gone to see in Atlanta, who dropped me off at the "Arrival

The other flight attendant cut her a look and then made a slashing

Zone" because he didn't want to pay the parking fee the airport

motion across his throat as if to say it was time to stop. Edith glared

charged to anyone who stayed longer than a few minutes.

at him, and then said, "Here's where I usually have everybody call the Razorbacks, but I'm just not feeling it. I'm just not," she said,

As I passed Edith, she reached out and squeezed my arm. The girl

and then she switched off the microphone for good.

from my row on the plane was standing nearby, open-mouthed, watching, the book that had made her cry earlier clutched to her

I stared at my hands. This woman, paid to make me feel safe and

chest. I walked to her, and I said, again, "I know!"

distracted while I dangled 30,000 feet above the hard earth, was making my heart race with her trembling voice and damaged

She was almost as tall as me and beautiful in that way of youth:

marriage. I started doing my yoga breathing, deep breaths in,

smooth tan skin, silky hair, cheeks that turned pink just because

throat constricted as I breathed out, the sound like the wind at

they could. She looked at me, and pointed at Edith and Galen,

the edge of a prairie.

and then she said, "I want that to be me someday."

Edith sat down in her hard little seat. We stayed buckled in. After

I put my arm around the girl's shoulders, and she leaned into me.

the plane had landed, almost every passenger stopped to speak to

"I do too, Honey," I said.

her. An older man in a suit, seventy maybe, slipped her his business card. He might have been a divorce attorney. He might have been

Anyone passing by might have mistaken us for a mama and

a man on the prowl. By the time I got to her, she was wiping tears.

daughter, home from a trip where we caught memories like fireflies in a jar. But we were just two hearts, wounded in one

"Men," I said, and she smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes.

way or another, standing on the edge, looking into the Holy Grail of love, neither of us ready to turn away.

As I reached the gate, I turned around. Edith was walking toward me, carrying her small bag. The rip in her stockings had gotten bigger, and her shoulders hunched. She looked older than I first

Marla Cantrell is an award-winning writer and an Arkansas

thought. I upgraded my estimate to sixty years. Then I saw her

Arts Council Fellow for her work in short fiction.

smile, and she started walking faster. When I looked behind

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the feeling that -RICHARD L. EVANS

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you cherished them.

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Better Beginnings, a program of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), connects Arkansas families with information and care that helps their children experience a safe, happy, healthy childhood.

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Better Beginnings is designed to improve the level of quality in child care and early childhood education programs across the state. To find a Better Beginnings facility near you, visit ARBetterBeginnings.com or call 1-800-445-3316.

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FLAME GYMNASTICS ACADEMY 5912 South 28th Street, Fort Smith 479.646.1616 | flamefs.com | Celebrating 30 Years!

Developing Mind, Body & Spirit since 1985!

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Flame Gymnastics is the leader in Gymnastics and Tumbling instruction in the River Valley. We offer over 20,000 sq. ft. of gymnastics fun and fitness. The finest equipment and the most experienced instructors ensure your child will learn and enjoy their gymnastics experience!

Love competition? Flame has produced 35 State Champion Teams, and more than 600 Individual and All Around State Champions! Call us today, and start your child on the road to fun and fitness!

Gym Hours Monday - Thursday: 10a - 7:30p Friday: 10a-6:30p Saturday: 10a – 12p

Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9a-8p Wednesday: 9a-7:30p Friday: 9a - 6:30p

We Offer: Urban Gymnastics Classes Girl's & Boy’s Recreational Gymnastics USAG Level 3-10 Competitive Girls Teams USAG Level 4-10 Competitive Boys Teams

Mom N’ Tot, Preschool & Tiny Tot Gymnastics Swim Lessons with Jayne Jacobson and Daniel Beam Birthday & Splash Bash Swim Parties Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Tumbling Classes

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more that you READ, the more things you will KNOW. The more that you LEARN, the more places you'll GO.

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The

-DR. SEUSS

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ARVEST 866. 952.9523 | arvest.com Arvest Bank is joining with local schools to celebrate Teach Children to Save during the month of April. Arvest associates will be visiting classrooms and delivering ageappropriate savings education lessons, covering items such as the difference between needs and wants, learning how to identify expenses and ways to cut spending.

Established by the American Bankers Association Foundation in 1997, Teach Children to Save and the Foundation’s other financial education initiatives have helped reach 8.2 million young people through the commitment of more than 245,000 banker volunteers.

Arvest Bank offers the following tips for raising money-smart kids: • Set the example of a responsible money manager by paying bills on time, being a conscientious spender and an active saver.

• Talk openly about money with your kids. Communicate your values and experiences with money.

• Explain the difference between needs and wants, the value of saving and budgeting and the consequences of not doing so.

• Open a savings account for your children and take them with you to make deposits so they can learn how to be hands-on in their money management.

• Let friends and family know about your child’s savings goal. They will be more likely to give cash for special occasions, which means more trips to the bank.

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Source – American Bankers Association, www.aba.com

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Read Chair Publishing, LLC 7030 Taylor Avenue, Suite 5 Fort Smith, AR 72916