Do South Magazine: Peachy – August 2014

PEACHY

AUGUST 2014 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jeromy Price CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Allen Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Catherine Frederick Rusty Henderson, D.V.M. Laura Hobbs Laurie Marshall Susan O’Dell Anita Paddock Jeromy Price Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper Becca Whitson

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PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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inside

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Dorm Sweet Dorm Let’s be honest, back to school is also our cue to get organized after a carefree, throw-the-rules-out-the-frontdoor summer. Make the process easy and fun with three DIY projects, including this washi tape pin board that works in dorm rooms, classrooms, or even your home office.

The burger legacy What happens when you’re raised in a family of restaurateurs? You might try to buck tradition by going into a completely different field. That’s what Micah Bubbas did, right before he gave in, got a food truck, and started selling some of the best burgers around.

Silver Lining: Carrot dirt Organics The health issues that plagued Brandon and Jessica Parker’s family were a wake-up call to exercise more and eat the best food they could. Along the way they discovered the fresh juices they’d been making might be the start of a new business.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2014 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South reserves the right to edit content and images.

FOLLOW US

Death by chocolate Meet Lauren Allen, food blogger, cake wizard, and all around great cook. She’s sharing her secret to the perfect chocolate cake that’s an absolute masterpiece. Hint: It has chocolate mousse filling and a ganache-like frosting!

Subscribe to Do South! 12 issues per year for only $20, within the contiguous United States. Subscribe online at DoSouthMagazine.com, or mail check to 7030 Taylor Avenue, Suite 5, Fort Smith, AR 72916.

D O S OUTHMAGA Z I NE

letter from Catherine

August is a month of tran-

Change is the thread that runs through this issue. We have the

sition. We stop sleeping in

story of one local couple who faced serious medical issues, and

because the kids are back

then made it their mission to get healthy. What happened next

in school. We start planning

turned into a new business for them. And then there’s the story of

ahead: packing lunches the

two brothers who tried something new by taking some of the best

night before, carving out time

lines from old books and putting them on T-shirts, embellished

for homework, marking our

with gorgeous illustrations. There’s also the story of a man who

calendars for football games,

earned a degree in finance but switched mid-course and bought

practices and various school

a food truck.

events (better start planning that science project NOW).

We also have a lot of peaches in this issue, from our Grilled Peach and Corn Salsa to our Whiskey Peach Smash, a cocktail we had to

Yep, life speeds back up, and I’m not quite ready for it. This sum-

make a few times because it was so good to get the photo just

mer has been a great one. There was the trip to the beach - one

right. We also have a chocolate cake recipe that’s sure to become

of our best family vacations ever. There were evenings we sat

your favorite. Hint: chocolate mousse filling!

in our backyard, the kids splashing in the pool, the stars shining overhead. There were mornings with cinnamon rolls, sausage and

Once you’re finished in the kitchen, try out our easy DIY projects,

cream cheese croissants, and so many pigs in a blanket it would

including a photo collage, a pin board and a dry erase calendar

make you dizzy.

that’s completely customizable.

No, I’m not quite ready for another school year to start, in part

Stoney Stamper weighs in with his hilarious tale of what happened

because it means my kiddos are all growing up. One starts college

when he let his young daughter pick out her own outfit for school.

this month, another is entering high school, and our youngest will

We have a story about one of our area’s greatest baseball legends,

be a fourth grader!

who played for the St. Louis Cardinals. And an open letter to the teen Little League umpires who work hard to make the right call,

But it’s also a good time. Those upcoming football games? I ab-

often in the face of harsh criticism from adults in the stands.

solutely love them. High school, junior high, even my little guy’s games, it doesn’t matter. Add in the Hogs, who are already gear-

We had such a great time putting this issue together. I get to work

ing up to play Auburn, and my heart skips a beat. Don’t even get

with some of the most creative people I’ve ever known. They make

me started on NFL. Yep, I’m ready for some football!

my job look easy. And they’ve become like family to me. Now, that’s something that will never change.

Soon, I’ll be gathering tailgating recipes and planning watch parties with friends. Soon, I’ll be dressing in layers, and trading my flip

PS — Sounds crazy, but we’re already working on our Holiday Gift

flops for boots. It doesn’t sound so bad when you think about it.

Guide! Have a business, product, or service you’d like to see in

Change can be wonderful if you embrace it.

our Gift Guide? Email me at Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com for details.

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

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my friend Roberta LINES Susan O’Dell

she speaks grits and does not even commit y’all to the plural. i have become a crowd by just standing still and listening to vowels become plump and soft. each one held between consonants to ripen and gain definition. now words spoken with a familiar cadence plucked from a tow sack before their weight is measured by prejudice.

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DO SOUTH: AUGUST 2014 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

01 02 20th Annual Yards and Yards of Sales, Eureka Springs.

6th Annual Dog Day of Summer, Siloam Springs.

9 to 5: The Musical Fort Smith Little Theater (8/1 - 8/10), Fort Smith.

03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Hungry? How about a burger? Read The Burger Legacy, page 26.

Whip up a batch of Whiskey Peach Smash, page 52.

Tontitown Grape Fest runs August 5 – 9

Is your cat turning into its own scratching post? Find out why, page 23.

15th Annual Bargains Galore on 64, Fort Smith to Conway.

Back to School Bash at the Janet Huckabee Nature Center, Fort Smith.

61st Annual Polk County Rodeo (8/7 – 8/9), Mena.

Buckin’ in the Ozarks – PBR Bull Riding, Springdale.

Sippin’ on 6th Street Bourbon Tasting at the Clayton House, Fort Smith.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Looking for a good mystery? Try Lisa Scottoline’s Keep Quiet, page 18.

Need a laugh? Read This Year Will Be Better, page 50.

Best album of the summer? Laura Cantrell’s No Way There From Here, page 19.

Want to write for Do South? Details, page 60.

Will Rogers & Family Film Festival (8/14 – 8/16), Tulsa.

4th Annual Johnny Cash Music Festival, Jonesboro.

Slamily Reunion Car, Truck, Bike Show & Tattoo Expo, Fort Smith.

Tulsa Steampunk Fair (8/16 – 8/17).

TEAL Night in Tahiti, Fort Smith.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Spoil the teacher with our decadent chocolate cake recipe, page 56.

Find out more about KUAF’s Kyle Kellams, page 40.

115th Annual Johnson County Fair (8/19 – 8/23), Clarksville.

DIY corkboard, perpetual calendar, photo collage, starting on page 10.

In the mood for a great short story?

Read Down at the Chow Chow, page 61.

30th Annual Frisco Festival (7/22 – 7/23), Rogers.

Rock the River for Hanna House, Fort Smith.

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Throwdown on a Do South Throwback.

Grilled Peach and Corn Salsa, page 54.

Find your forever furry friend, page 22.

National Dog Day

31 Pick up the September edition of Do South Magazine!

Submit your event to editors @dosouthmagazine.com

Read about a Fort Smith legend, The Barling Darling, page 46.

Fayetteville Roots Festival (8/28 – 8/31), Fayetteville.

Tell It Life It Is – Masquerade Party at the Fort Smith Convention Center

8th Annual TRI for Kids, Fort Smith

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Shirley Skulman Director, Fort Smith Junior Cotillion

Fort Smith Junior Cotillion FortSmithCotillion.com 479.650.9009

Shirley and Julia Skulman Photo by Dawn Lensing D O S OUTHMAGA Z I NE

UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’

— Erma Bombeck

About Fort Smith Junior Cotillion The Fort Smith Junior Cotillion is a program for students in the fifth through ninth grades. Everyone in these grades is eligible whether they’ve ever attended a cotillion or whether they’ve ever had dance before.

Our goal is to prepare them for a successful and happy life by adding to their self-esteem and confidence by teaching social skills, etiquette, including table manners, leadership and formal and informal dance.

Favorite grade in school? Second grade. It was the year I entered the Fort Smith public schools. My teacher, Mrs. Rhinehart, had the perfect balance of fun, nurturing and educating.

Favorite food from childhood? My grandmother’s chicken and dumplings.

Where’s your favorite place in Arkansas? Eureka Springs. My three-year-old daughter even named her imaginary purple dragon “Eureka.”

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? I’m a fan of Downton Abbey so I would like to travel to the early 1900s in England. I am fascinated by the style, mannerisms and traditions of that period.

Who’s the one person that helped make you who you are today? My mother. She raised three daughters. We are all very different, but she taught us all honesty, work ethic, organization, cleanliness, etc. I really believe it is subtleties like these that make you grow up with a healthy attitude for and about life.

What is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for you? If I had to choose just one, it’s my parents paying for my college and making a financial sacrifice so that I had a great opportunity to grow as a young person.

Where was your last road trip? Panama City Beach in Florida. It’s hard to beat the gulf for proximity and great white sand beaches.

What makes you grateful? My daughter, Julia. I gave birth to her when I was fortythree. She was a surprise and I was worried at my age about the physical demands of having and raising a child. To all parents though, this statement is a simple truth: there is no more rewarding or worthwhile endeavor than having and raising a child. It puts everything in perspective.

What’s on your playlist right now? The soundtrack from Frozen.

Last movie you saw? The Book Thief.

Manners and etiquette are taught and put into practice at each dance (class), including line dance, ballroom, and partner dances. Proper etiquette, introductions, grand marches, escorting, table manners and serving of refreshments are mastered early in the

Last book you read? If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Favorite book of all time? Catcher in the Rye. Strangest place you’ve called the Hogs? A restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico.

program. FSJC is a fun way for young people to learn how to interact socially, practice etiquette and proper manners, and enjoy the art of dancing, which will provide a lifetime of entertainment.

3 things Shirley can’t live without: Flip flops Cover Girl® Outlast lipstick Aveeno® Lavender Stress Relief lotion

First Job? I worked for my uncle at a trucking company called Arkansas Freightways. I did the paperwork for all the freight they transported.

What did you buy with your first paycheck? A pair of Guess jeans with gold zippers at the ankles. Keep in mind it was 1983!

Most sentimental thing you own? A quilt my grandmother made from my mother’s childhood dresses. Each square has a lady with a matching dress and parasol. It is not only beautiful but obviously very sentimental.

Favorite season and why? Fall. I love the colors and the crisp, cool weather.

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lifestyle

Dorm Sweet Dorm Inspiration Pinterest®

words Catherine Frederick Images Jeromy Price

My oldest is headed off to college this month so I’ve been perusing Pinterest® for ideas on how we can transform that drab dorm room. Can you say creative overload? The options almost make me want to go back to college – well almost. Check out three creative décor ideas that would be perfect for a dorm, but are great for home décor and offices too!

It’s a Date

dry erase calendar M ATE RI AL S Frame of choice (I used an 11” X 14” frame) Scrapbook paper (I used a 12” x 12” sheet featuring a calendar graphic and one sheet of chevron graphic)

ME TH O D Remove backing from frame. Insert calendar graphic sheet, centered and face down. Cut chevron sheet in half, place one half on each side of the calendar sheet. Replace frame backing.

Dry erase marker

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Picture Perfect Memories wooden photo display

Display your memories for all to see on an oversized wooden letter. I chose the letter F to represent our last name. This would make a great gift for any occasion, an addition to your home décor, or hanging on the wall in a college dorm room!

MATE RI A L S Wooden letter 20 – 25 photos (photo paper or printer paper – color or black/white) Mod Podge® Foam brush Paint (I used flat black spray paint) Mod Podge® clear acrylic sealer Scissors Coarse nail file

ME TH O D Paint the top and all sides of wooden letter. Allow to dry. Arrange photos on top of wooden letter before cutting and applying Mod Podge®. Once photos are placed where you want them, start cutting the images down to a workable size. When you have all photos in place, gently pick them up, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge® to the surface of the wood, and press photo into place – keep in mind you may want to overlap photos, so apply Mod Podge® sparingly until all photos are in their final location. Once dry, turn letter over, and trim any overhang with an X-Acto® knife. Using a nail file, gently file all edges of the letter, where the photo meets the edge of the wood, giving all photo edges a slight distressed look. Touch up with black Sharpie® if needed. Spray entire piece with a coating of clear acrylic sealer.

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lifestyle

Pin It Washi Style washi cork pin board

If you haven’t discovered washi tape yet, you’re seriously missing out. Available at craft stores, it comes in an abundance of colors, patterns and widths, and is super easy to remove from any surface.

MAT E R IA LS Four 12” X 12” cork squares Washi tape (I used ½” width) Scissors Painter’s tape (I used 1” width)

ME TH O D To create the pattern shown, start in the center of the cork square and press a strip of washi tape diagonally, from corner to corner. Adhere a strip of painter’s tape on each side of the washi tape. Alternate between painter’s tape and washi tape until you reach the outer edges of the cork square. Remove all pieces of painter’s tape, revealing the pattern. Repeat for each cork square. Adhere cork squares to the wall in pattern shown.

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lifestyle

My son is not a sissy words & Images Jessica Sowards

I wonder sometimes what my kids will think when they get old enough to read the things I write.

They try to show interest now. Well, the older ones do. But at seven & eight, even though they would like to be interested in my ramblings, they aren’t. Their eyes glaze a bit when they realize the wordiness, and though I can see their brave attempt at pride, the same pride I show in the work they present to me, I can tell. It’s over their head.

Of course, I don’t expect anything else. I do wonder though if my writing will become as commonplace to them as my photography.

Now, at their young ages, they don’t seem to realize that not everyone’s mom carts around a dSLR. They seem to find the thousands upon thousands of photos of their lives completely normal.

I like to think that the moment they come across my work will be something of a second meeting. After my grandmother passed away, I retreated to her attic for days, pouring over letters she had D O S OUTHMAGA Z I NE

lifestyle

written to my great-grandfather. Boxes of boxes of letters from all

When the boys started soccer, my son Jackson took it as an oppor-

stages of life. Clearly he had saved them all, treasures no doubt, and

tunity to work hard and score, to win, to shine. Asher pretended to

she had ended up with them after his life ended. Then at the end

be Sonic the Hedgehog on the field. And during the games, he was

of hers, I found them. I met my grandmother after she died, in her

often spotted running in the exact opposite direction of the ball.

dusty attic, and I felt like I really, really knew her for the first time.

When he was little, people would say, “He is so sweet.” And as a The thing is, my words aren’t hidden in a single place. I compose

toddler, “He is so funny.” But then it became a question. They all

my words and then click the publish button, and then I can never

adored him, found his quirks endearing, but sometimes they said,

really take them back.

“He’s kind of different, huh?”

I wonder then, when will they become curious. Will they be teen-

And he is.

agers? Will they Google my name and curiously weed through my writing for mentions of them? Or, will the fact that their mother

I can’t place it. But Asher is kind of different.

tells their stories to the world become as average to them as a lifetime of professional photos?

Sometimes he seems so very far away from me. He hugs me. He looks at me from across the room and signs, “I love you.” He con-

I don’t know.

nects in these fleeting moments, but other time is hard to reach.

There are moments I feel like I barely know him, but then we will

But you see, I wonder because there are things I want to say that

lay on the floor in fits of giggles making shadow puppets on the

I’m not sure I want them to read.

ceiling and I know I’ve known him all along. He is just a puzzle.

This story is one of those things. Because a mother wants to pro-

For a long time I worried. I poured over information on autism

tect her child from hurtful things, namely the opinions of others.

and found so many of my Asher’s eccentricities detailed in articles about Asperger’s. I asked the doctors and got mixed answers. As

Asher. His name means happiness, and I would say it suits him.

long as he is doing well in school. As long as he is happy.

Asher’s personality is contagious. He has this unique viewpoint and his comments are somehow hilarious and thought-provoking

And he is.

while completely obvious.

But there is this lurking fear I fight, and it is a daily theme in my When he was a baby, there was something about him. He would

prayers. I beg God to use my son, and to protect him from the

cling to strangers in the grocery store line and ignore certain family

cruelty of a world that rejects what it doesn’t relate to.

members every time they spoke to him. He chose his people, and no one else existed.

Because Asher isn’t like the other boys. I’ve heard it already, said in a well-meaning way, that we will have to watch out for him.

As he grew, his quirks became more distinguished. He would only

Because he is different. And soft.

wear comfy pants and rain boots and would melt into a puddle of tears if forced to do otherwise. So I let him. Because who did

My son is different, so we will have to protect him.

it hurt?

He is soft, so he should be toughened up.

He carried a Lightning McQueen car in his hand for approximately three straight years. To bed, to bath, to the store, to daycare. Then

He is different, and it will be seen as weakness.

one day he didn’t want it anymore. Then came the Mario hat, which was used for Halloween, after Halloween, and most of the

He is soft, so they will call him a sissy.

days between.

I will do my best to say this in calmness and love. I will do my best

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Why is it so difficult to believe that God made my Asher to be soft?

Why are these gentle children pushed and pushed to the brink of violence, broken to fit into a mold that they were not created to fit into?

When he started Pre-K, he befriended the boy with a cleft lip and the overweight girl that couldn’t pronounce the letter ‘S’. He told me they were the coolest friends anyone ever had.

I thought he was such a kind boy, befriending the bullied, until I realized he was one of them. In first grade, when he came home and told me that a kid named Will kicked him in the lunch line and

Asher

told him he sucked, I knew. But when we talked, he assured me to explain this while I wrestle with the momma bear that rages in

that Will just needed someone to be nice to him.

my heart at the idea of needing to protect my Asher.

So he was nice to him.

But my son is not a sissy.

And Will told him Asher was his best friend.

He doesn’t like to get dirty. And when the breakfast he planned on eating is not available, he has been known to cry. He isn’t fast.

But there will be more Wills. And they may not be so yielding.

And he doesn’t have the patience for sports. He disappears into video games, because he succeeds there, and when I tell him his

He is passionate. The way he ignites when he talks about the

daily screen time is over, he looks at me with the saddest eyes. He

things he knows about, the way he adores those he cares about,

is immersed in his thoughts and exceptionally bright, but some-

the way he follows that which his eyes are set on. These traits are

times he is oblivious to what goes on around him. Yes, it’s frus-

no different than the rest of us. We just know how to pretend a

trating. But when he realizes that he has been insensitive to some-

little better. We know how to make our fixations more acceptable.

one’s feelings, it breaks his heart. He feels so deeply.

But really, when it comes down to it, there is only right and wrong.

We are either fixated on something useless or on Jesus.

But let me tell you. These things, his quirks, do not define him. He is defined by the God who made him. And my God says that Asher

My son is not a sissy.

was worth pursuit, that he was worth dying for. The problem is not that I have a son who is soft and different. The problem is that

And I beg you. If you have ever been the host of thoughts like this,

our society sees such a boy and is blind to his value. The problem

challenge yourself to think differently. Challenge yourself to see a

lies in a world that wants to call him names. Like sissy. This macho

quirky, quiet child and think of what incredible things they could

society, full of hardened men failing to lead their families, wants to

do with the overflow of these traits.

point out the weakness and softness of a small boy.

The way I see it, my son has a head start in his pursuit of Christ.

He does not have a problem that needs to be fixed. When a child

Because when he is told to be gentle and humble and kind, he can

shows inherent athletic ability, we encourage parents to hone his

say, “Well, that’s how God made me.”

skills. When a child shows an inclination to the arts, we put a paintbrush in his hand and praise even his most rudimentary work.

He is a creation of the King. He is a masterpiece. He was designed

But if a boy is soft, we think we have to remedy that. We have to

with perfect intention, to fulfill a perfect plan. He is soft and he is

toughen him up to the standard that is expected of him.

different, made by a God who does not make mistakes.

Why? D O S OUTHMAGA Z I NE

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entertainment

Keep Quiet

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By Lisa Scottoline, St. Martin’s Press, 338 pages: $2799 review Anita Paddock

his novel, written by Lisa Scottoline, the author of twen-

This is a family that has always done the right thing. But when

ty-one other mysteries, is a great summer read. It’s fast

Ryan hits a jogger with his car on a dark road late at night, Jake,

paced, thought provoking, and keeps you enthralled un-

who let Ryan behind the wheel, decides the best thing to do is

til the very last page.

just leave the dead girl there. Clearly, they both know this isn’t the moral thing to do, but Jake doesn’t want his son’s life ruined,

The monumental question at the center of the story is this: How

which he believes it will be if he confesses.

far would you go to protect your child?

They vow not to tell Pam, so they must keep the secret from her as Interesting question, isn’t it? And that’s what this story is about:

well as everyone else. Then they discover the dead girl was a class-

the moral and ethical dilemma one family faces, and how one lie

mate of Ryan’s. Ryan feels horrible. Soon, he’s underperforming

leads to another, and another, and another.

on the basketball court, which causes the coach to wonder what’s wrong. Pam wonders, too, and eventually she finds out. To make

This novel takes us into the lives of the Buckman family. Jake, the

matters even worse, Jake is blackmailed by a man who saw the hit

father, is an accountant who lost his job during the financial bust

and run and filmed it on his phone.

in the mid-2000s, and worked night and day to dig his way out.

He started his own consulting company, a business that is now

What’s next? The blackmailer is murdered, but who did it?

thriving, but he realizes he neglected his family along the way.

His wife, Pam, is a Philadelphia judge who has a good chance to

This novel is filled with suspense, with twists you won’t see com-

become a federal judge. Their son, Ryan, is a tall, good-looking

ing, and it shows us how one lapse in judgment can send even the

fifteen-year-old basketball player who studies hard and hopes to

best family careening down a dark, dark path.

get in an Ivy League university.

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their attempt to make it work. “I love a Texas sky, yes, it’s so fine / Trucks humming up Highway 9, yes, it’s so fine / Big yellow moon in my windowpane, a glimpse of silver from a passing plane / It’s just fine, yes, yes, it’s alright” Part of the process to get this album ready was putting many of the songs in front of other singer-songwriters. Laura is a member of the Radio Free Song Club. Artists get together every couple of months, bringing their work in progress, and they listen to the others’ critiques. It’s become such a popular group, they now have their own podcast at radiofreesongclub.com.

While the critique group certainly helped, Laura’s skill with words is what truly matters. She’s a gifted writer, with articles published in places like Vanity Fair and The New York Times. She also has a voice pure as a bell — if you like Kacey Musgraves and Brandy Clark — you’ll love Laura Cantrell.

What stands out on this album, particularly, is her ability to bring universal feelings to such vivid life. On “Driving Down Your Street,” she sings about the longing to just stand on the stoop of the house of the one who broke your heart, to see them one last

No Way There From Here

time, an urge that verges on obsession. On “When It Comes To You,” she tells the story we all know, the one about being so in love you’re at the mercy of your feelings, and you feel helpless to control any of it.

Laura Cantrell: $13 review Marla Cantrell

While each of the twelve songs on this album shines, it’s the title

S

track, “No Way There From Here,” that’s impossible to forget. It’s

From Here, her fourth album, and one that falls somewhere be-

No Way There From Here is a stunning collection, beautifully pro-

tween country and pop.

duced, and incorporates more horns and keyboards than most

inger-songwriter Laura Cantrell (no relation) lives in New

so filled with regret, and so beautifully sung, you’ll be thinking

York City, but don’t hold that against her. Her hometown

about it long after the song ends.

is Nashville, and that’s where she recorded No Way There

country albums. The result is a pitch perfect. If you only buy one The album starts with “All The Girls Are Complicated,” a happy

album this summer, let it be this one. It’s destined to become one

song celebrating women, their fierce friendships, and the confu-

of your favorites.

sion their partners feel when trying to figure them out. Laura says the lyrics came from her own life experiences. Her mother is one of twelve kids, five of them girls. Laura has a sister, a trove of girl cousins, tons of girlfriends, and an eight-year-old daughter.

“Starry Skies,” where she also plays rhythm guitar, looks at a long

D O SO U TH R AT I N G : 1 0 O U T OF 10

distance couple, one across the country under a star-spiked sky and the other in the big city under a blaze of manmade light, and

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U n i t i n g P u ps with People Poteau Pound Pups is a foster-only, volunteer-run rescue. All animals are socialized and cared for in foster homes. They are also spayed or neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and heartworm negative.

M

F

Hogan M

M

Harlow

Hudson

F

Newt

M

Shadow

Shiloh PoteauPoundPups.org PoteauPoundPups poteaupoundpups@outlook.com

Angela Meek 479.883.2240

Mitzi Burkhart 479.651.4445

Cheryl Greenmyer 918.471.8514

Donations are always needed and greatly appreciated.

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

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Itchy Scratchy: Miliary Dermatitis Words Dr. Rusty Henderson, D.V.M. Eastside Animal Health Center, Fort Smith

You’ve just come home from a long day at work.

You head for your recliner and reach for the television remote. But just as you do, your cat, who’s been acting a bit psychotic lately, has other ideas. He jumps in your lap, making sure he’ll get your attention. As you pet him, you feel hundreds of tiny scabs and see red bumps all over his skin, which feel like he’s rolled in a field of sesame seeds. Upon closer examination, you notice he has some hair missing in spots. What you’re feeling and seeing could be Feline Miliary Dermatitis (not a disease but rather a set of symptoms), and is commonly referred to as scabby cat disease or feline eczema. This condition can drive your cat to madness and bring you along for the ride.

» CAUSES

» DIAGNOSIS Most veterinarians can diagnose this condition from across the room. That’s the easy part. The hard part is trying to discover the why and where of the disease. A good place to start is to determine if your cat has fleas. Failing that, often the next step is to culture some of the hairs to rule out a fungal disorder, or a skin scraping to rule out mites. Other steps include food trials, medication removal, and perhaps even a skin biopsy in order to reach a proper diagnosis. Feline Miliary Dermatitis is commonly associated with a number of other disorders, making it difficult to determine the exact underlying cause.

» TREATMENT

In our region, the most common cause of Miliary Dermatitis is flea infestation. However, food allergies, mites, bacteria, fungus, and some inhaled allergens will manifest themselves in the same way.

Miliary Dermatitis is characterized by a crusty skin texture that’s most often seen on the neck, head, and areas at the base of the tail. Chronic cases may include hair loss, or red, flat, raised lesions referred to as eosinophilic plaques. The severity of the itching often depends on the underlying cause and your cat’s sensitivity to the allergen. Cats, as a rule, groom excessively and furiously, but you’ll rarely see them scratching like a dog. With Miliary Dermatitis, it’s not uncommon to note a personality change in your cat, and even sudden unwarranted twitching of their skin.

Determining and removing the offending allergen is usually the first step in controlling this disease. Additionally, the use of antihistamines and antibiotics might do the trick. However, as mentioned above, often the underlying cause cannot be identified, or the cat patrols a large area where fleas, ticks, and mites are numerous.

Treat what you can by using one of many flea and tick control products for cats. Your veterinarian can guide you to select the best product for your pet. If the case is particularly bothersome, your veterinarian may recommend the use of cortisol (a steroid) to offer your pet additional relief.

Have a question you’d like to see answered here?

Email it to editors@DoSouthMagazine.com.

» POSSIBILE CAUSES

Information contained in this article should not be construed as specific medical advice for your pet. If you have a concern about your pet, contact your veterinarian.

• Allergies (food, pollen or fleas) • Bacterial, fungal or yeast infections • Parasitic infections of the skin, e.g., mites, lice • Intestinal parasites • Autoimmune diseases • Nutritional disorders • Hormonal abnormalities

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Dear Little League Umpires‌ words Becca Whitson image Pam Sorg

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Y

ou’re finally finished. Take a deep breath;

Here’s the thing: adults aren’t perfect. We’re supposed to show

the season is over. You’re so young, just thirteen or four-

you how to operate in the world, and sometimes we mess that up.

teen sometimes. You give hours and sweat at those ball

Sometimes we act like the five-year-old T-ball game is the World

fields. You stand there, often looking up as grown men

Series. Sometimes we think we must be right, which means you

shout at you about a call they think you missed. It’s sad,

must be wrong. Sometimes we’ve had a long day at work and

isn’t it, that the younger the players, the more fired up the

bring our frustrations to the ball fields. Sometimes when our kid

coaches and parents are? So you make a bad call in a five-

finally gets his first hit but you call him out at first on a close call,

year-old T-ball game and get chewed out by the men who

we hurt so much for him that it comes out as anger toward you.

are supposed to show you what a man looks like. That must be

I’m sorry for all of that, on behalf of all the grown-ups at the ball-

confusing. And the stands aren’t any better. Many parents think

park. Please forgive us.

they know the rules better than you do (and some are right), but they feel it necessary to shout the rules to you from the stands.

We see you.

What? That’s not helpful? And I know sometimes your parents come too. They stand behind the backstop and watch. No pres-

Our boys played baseball in the front yard last week, and I heard a

sure, huh? I can’t imagine what it must feel like to have all eyes on

little of their conversation. It started like this: “All right, boys, you

you, just waiting on a mistake. I don’t hear people congratulate

know the rules. Hats on straight, shirts tucked in…”

you for all the good calls you make. Nope, just the ones you miss, at least, according to them.

They see you, too.

Your efforts aren’t in vain. We see you stand your ground when

Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for caring for our kids,

others may try to intimidate you. We see you gently line up the

even when you’re dodging wild pitches and thrown bats. Thank

four-year-old’s feet when he just can’t figure out what his coaches

you for your patience when little ones hit the ball and run to third

are telling him to do at the plate. We see you there pre-game, fixing

and when the big ones start to think they are major leaguers.

scoreboards and asking nicely if someone will please work it during

Thank you for having the character to look past the adults to do

the game. We see you laughing with the batters when there’s a

your best for the kids. I see you.

delay in the game; they think you’re the coolest. We see you move the bats out of the baseline so the kid running home doesn’t trip.

See you next spring.

We see you come out night after night with a good attitude, giving those little boys your best as they make lifelong memories.

A Grateful Mom.

We see you.

Becca Whitson is a local counselor in private practice. She and her husband write about marriage, parenting, and life at WhitsonLife.com.

To contact her, email becca@whitsonlife.com.

Find Becca online at: whitsonlife.com, on Facebook and Twitter.

Whitson-Life WhitsonLife, BeccaWhitson, and MattCWhitson

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words Marla Cantrell Images Jeromy Price

Micah Bubbus

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It’s a fine summer day, warm but not hot.

about beef and how to prepare it than anyone he’s ever met.

The sky is gray, a slab hanging over the city, and the threat of

There’s also an uncle named Richard who’s been in the business

rain has cooled things down. Not far away, in a parking lot on

for eighteen years. And then there’s another uncle in Russellville

Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Micah Bubbus is watch-

who owns CJ’s Butcher Boy Burgers. There are even more uncles

ing the changing weather from inside his shiny white food truck.

in Eldorado and Magnolia who have restaurants. To make mat-

“Patrick’s Butcher Boy Burgers” is emblazoned across the mobile

ters even more confusing, the Bubbuses like to pass down first

restaurant, and two picnic tables sit beside it, ready for customers.

names, so David’s line goes something like this: “David’s Butcher Boy Burgers is named for my uncle David Alan Bubbus, and then

The truck was Micah’s second idea. His first was to open a brick

there’s his son, my cousin Alan Bubbus, and he has a son named

and mortar restaurant, but he couldn’t quite make it happen.

David. My grandfather, David’s brother, is Patrick. My middle

Experience wasn’t the problem: Micah comes from a family of

name is Patrick, and it’s my son’s middle name, and that’s why my

restaurateurs. In fact, it was his cousin, Alan Bubbus, of David’s

truck is Patrick’s Butcher Boy Burgers.”

Butcher Boy Burgers in Conway and Little Rock, who helped him decide a food truck was the way to go. “The city codes here allow

To simplify things, you need only to look for the unifier, Butcher

me to stay in one place for four months,” Micah says, “which is a

Boy. That’s how you know you’re buying a meal from Micah or

big advantage for me. Plus, moving is a great option, and you can

one of his many relatives.

take the truck to events, you can do on-site catering, fresh food made right there, nothing made somewhere else and carried in. It

Once the family lineage is worked out, Micah returns to the topic

just all made sense.”

of his food truck. There was a lot to do before he opened for business in November, 2013. The forty foot truck started as a clean

What follows is a fast moving and at times confusing conversa-

slate and Micah had to design the interior. The trick was getting

tion about Micah’s family, who owns which restaurant, and where

everything he needed into a tight space, and organizing his equip-

those are. He has an uncle David, a man Micah says started work-

ment into zones: prep, cooking, assembly, clean-up, in a way that

ing in a butcher shop at the age of eight, and who knows more

gets the burger to the customer as quickly as possible.

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Even so, he didn’t intend to end up where he is today. He has a business degree from the U of A, and still does some work in the field of finance. But something kept happening when he was eating out. “I picked places apart. I saw things I thought I could do better. That makes me sound like a food snob but I think it was all the experience I had growing up, knowing as much as I did about the business.”

Today, he estimates he serves 150 burgers a day, and has four parttime employees. He thinks people enjoy the novelty of eating from a food truck. He thinks they love the menu, which includes add-ons to the burgers (such as grilled mushrooms), and customers love his shakes and malts. Kids often order grilled cheese sandwiches, and With the design settled, Micah concentrated on the food. What

many of his regulars drop by after a hard day’s work for take-out.

he serves are burgers and french fries, made on-site, grilled cheese sandwiches, and recently he added a chicken sandwich. He grinds

Micah is happy with how well Patrick’s Butcher Boy Burgers is do-

the hamburger meat as needed. It’s never been frozen, which he

ing. He talks about other cities where the food truck industry is

says is a big plus for flavor, and he cooks the burgers on a griddle

booming, how all kinds of people with a dream and talent in the

as opposed to a grill. He thinks using freshly ground beef, thick cut

kitchen are making their way in a world mostly populated with

bacon (for bacon burgers) and the freshest produce is the key to

traditional restaurants. And it’s not that he doesn’t want that as

his success. The spices he uses he won’t talk about. “You’ve gotta

well. One day, he hopes to own a restaurant, maybe even more

have some secrets,” he says and then laughs. The result is the kind

than one. When he eats out, he always chooses local, indepen-

of burgers your mom used to make, if you had the right kind of

dent restaurants. “I don’t see the appeal of chain restaurants,”

mom: juicy, delicious, as close to homemade as you’re going to

he says. “Eating the same food you could get in any other city. I

find. “I have a lot of regulars,” Micah says, “and they’ve followed

like to eat good food from local people, who are trying to make it

me from location to location because this food is so good.”

here, who are our neighbors.”

As he’s saying this, two women finish their meals. As they leave,

As he’s talking, another customer pulls up. He stands at the window,

one calls out, “Thank you, Micah. It was delicious, like always!”

rubbing his chin, surveying the menu. Micah greets him warmly, and the two start talking. Micah is making another friend, another cus-

Micah beams. He believes there are two things, besides good

tomer, one who might become a regular. Micah turns back to the

food, that you need to make it in the food business: hard work

griddle, and the hamburger patty begins to sizzle. The traffic on Rog-

and personality. “I really like people, so that’s not a problem to

ers Avenue zips by, tires sounding across pavement, and finally the

me, and I grew up in the restaurant world, so working twelve

rain begins. But still the customer waits, eager for his order, ready to

hours a day is nothing to me. The kitchen, yeah,” Micah says, “it’s

try one of Micah’s burgers for the very first time.

hot, but kitchens are always hot.

“The nicest thing anyone’s said about my food is that it’s heaven on a bun. Someone else said, ‘It’s so much more than a burger.’

Patrick’s Butcher Boy Burgers is currently set up in front

That’s great to hear. My parents had restaurants growing up, so

of Woodlands Church, next to Ashley Furniture Home

I know the business inside and out. I used to nap on the vinyl

Store, at 7800 Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith. For updates,

booths. I worked weekends a lot more than kids who didn’t have

find them on Facebook.

parents with a restaurant did, but my cousins were having the same experience. I think it helped me. I started out bussing tables and doing dishes, so I learned from the bottom up.”

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This story starts in the basement of a house owned by Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge in the Big Sky Country of Montana. On that fine October day in 2013, the long-married couple was upstairs. Their sons, James and Rick, were down below, brainstorming, rather freely, in a what-would-you-do-if-you-knew-you-couldn’t-fail kind of way. James had recently sold his share of James+James, a Northwest Arkansas furniture company started in a garage that now has more than twenty employees. He’d taken a two-week sabbatical, traveled to his parents’ home, and was reflecting on where his life had taken him. He was also looking for his next big thing, because there’s always something on the horizon if you’re as innovative as James. The brothers’ talk soon turned to books. And that led to a deeper conversation about classic literature.

James was certain that reading was significantly undervalued, even though he saw it as fundamental as food and air. Was there a way, he wondered, to transfer this thing they both loved into something lucrative that was lovely and sincere, while keeping it from becoming an “exclusive nerd thing.”

Rick and James Eldridge

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WearLit The Words You Wear

words Marla Cantrell Images courtesy James Eldridge

people

James & Rick in their Hardy Boys’ boat bed

His brother Rick certainly thought they could. At twenty-four, he

“That was seen by the Louisa May Alcott Museum in Concord,

is an accomplished illustrator. “His work is beautiful,” James says,

Massachusetts,” James says. “I got a call from the curator say-

“and I wanted the world to see it.”

ing, ‘I want to buy fifty shirts to put in our store because we love your work.’ That’s the strongest compliment a designer can get.

What better way to showcase beautiful designs than to put them

The museum is the Orchard House, where Alcott wrote. The tour

on T-shirts? The brothers lit up at the idea. T-shirts with quotes

guides even wear our shirts.”

from the great old books, including poetry, and illustrations to make them irresistible. There in the basement, with ideas flowing

The sell was a perfect fit. They’d learned along the way that peo-

like a river, they decided on a name: WearLit. Simple, direct, easy

ple don’t buy literature clothing unless they have an emotional tie

to remember.

to the book and the author. Those at the museum certainly felt that pull. The T-shirts were also extremely soft, by design, so that

They bounded up the steps to find their parents. “It felt like we

a WearLit shirt is likely to become your favorite shirt. And while

were kids again,” James says. Their father, who has an MBA, was

the Alcott Museum responded quickly to the new company, so did

known for his ability to shoot down any idea that couldn’t hold

many others. The day they launched their website, they had 6,000

water. But when they told him, he smiled, a great bright smile of

unique visitors, and their sales soared.

approval, and the brothers felt victorious.

One of the best things about creating a product is seeing someThe next step was setting parameters. There were already T-shirt

one you don’t know who’s purchased it. That happened to James

companies using humorous quotes, or really dark ones. They de-

when he was in Benson, Nebraska, just outside Omaha. There was

cided to use neither. What they were looking for were profound

a girl in a coffee shop with a WearLit shirt.

and memorable passages that most of us have read, many from school reading lists.

There may come a time when such a sighting won’t affect James.

But he doesn’t think so. He is awed by the response WearLit has

One of their first designs after they opened their online store in

gotten, and he doubts the company would ever have evolved if

March, 2014 was a quote by Louisa May Alcott, “I’ve got the key

he hadn’t had the upbringing he had. He was one of six children,

to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains

raised in Hawaii with loving parents who adored reading. Talking

to be seen.” The design is a castle on the top that morphs into a

to him, hearing him recite lines from great literature, hearing him

key on the bottom.

discuss complex theories about art and life, it seems unlikely that

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ized he could learn a lot from him, something that hadn’t occurred

James, Rick, and their dad

to him in his rebellious years. That, he says, was the turning point, when he began to operate in the world differently.

What he does today, besides oversee WearLit, is consult with businesses on structure and procedure, and spends time with employees, listening to their ideas, finding ways to make things run smoother, which helps the bottom line. The irony of how his nonconformist life has changed is not lost on him.

On a recent day, he spent three and a half hours reading Jack London’s Call of the Wild, looking for a passage that would go well with a picture of a wolf. (He knows a guy who’s stellar at drawing wolves, and occasionally he and Rick use guest designers.) “That’s my job,” he said. “Sitting and reading Jack London.”

he was a dismal student. “I was a bit of a hell raiser,” he says.

He shakes his head, amazed by this stroke of luck. James begins

“Rebellious, really anti-structure.”

to talk about the staying power of great art. “I played MacBeth in a high school play. I learned hundreds of lines. Beautiful writing.

What saved him, though, was literature. He remembers his moth-

Today, at twenty-six, I can still recite whole passages.”

er reading Captain Courageous to him. It wasn’t just that she read, but how she read. “I was allowed to doodle, to play Legos, but I

And then he says, “Books are like movies playing in my mind. I’ve

was listening. I think that was a gift. I wasn’t the kind of kid who

had a love affair with books for as long as I can remember.” It’s a

could sit still. I read Tarzan of the Apes, the Hardy Boys. My favor-

gorgeous way to describe reading, and it’s certainly a good reason to

ite book was Alice in Wonderland. It started a whole new genre

start a company that takes us back to the moment we first discovered

of the ridiculous.”

a favorite passage, when we read it and believed it had been penned for us alone, no matter how long ago it was written.

James tells the story of the next chapter of his life as well as any author. He didn’t graduate from high school, but he did steal his diploma, since it was already printed and there with the others, just asking to be taken. In the months prior to the graduation ceremony, his father had flown him to Arkansas to visit John Brown

To see their full line of T-shirts, visit wearlit.com.

University, where sixteen of his other relatives had gone. “I looked around at the pretty girls, and said, ‘Yep, this is where I want to be.’” So that fall he showed up for class and stayed at JBU for about two years. It took him four more colleges, and much student debt, before he finally earned his degree.

Besides dropping out of school a lot, he was also fired several times. Those years taught him much. He looked at the ways companies were being run and he unraveled what he believed their problems were. He joined the Air Force Reserves and became a medic, serving for four years, and for a while took classes to become a nurse. And at some point, he looked at his dad, a general contractor who’d started several successful businesses, and real-

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Paula was nominated by her sister, Mary Gill.

Pau l a Rig g s words Marla Cantrell Image Jeromy Price

Paula Riggs grew up in big, noisy family. There were seven chil-

working with foster kids, and that led her to the WATCH pro-

dren, four girls and three boys. What she remembers most about

gram through Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance in Fort

her parents was that they lived for their kids. Their home was as

Smith. She is now the coordinator. WATCH stands for Western

busy as a train station, one kid going here, another there. “Pi-

Arkansas Therapeutic Children’s Homes.

ano lessons, dance lessons, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, band, Little League, you name it and we did it,” Paula says. “They didn’t have

“We take children that can’t really make it in regular foster care,

a lot of money, and my mother didn’t work. They focused every-

that have been in a lot of group homes, or hospitals,” Paula says.

thing they had on us.”

“We try to work with them to where they can either go back home or be adopted. They have behavior problems, emotional

There was also order in the house, due in part to her father’s mili-

problems, and usually they’ve been in foster care for a while be-

tary background. The year Paula entered the third grade, her fam-

fore we get to that point.”

ily moved back to Fort Smith, Arkansas, her parents’ hometown, just after her dad retired from the Navy. Her mother, Billie, seemed

She has seen a lot in the twenty-five years she’s been working in

to have enough energy for two people. She was president of the

her field. Much of it will break your heart. “None of these kids

Girl Scouts, president of the PTA, and volunteered at the library

asked to be in the position they’re in. They got here due to cir-

and the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, something

cumstances they couldn’t control. I was drawn to the teenagers

she continued until the day she died.

early on because they were at an age where they were making decisions about their future, about what their life would be like

Paula’s parents gave her a guide for success as she grew up: stay

as adults.”

busy, help all you can, keep learning. And Paula embraced it, often showing up with a stray dog or cat. She smiles remembering it, the

And because of that, because her heart turned so easily to teens,

parade of animals that stole her heart.

she adopted a fifteen-year-old boy named Tony, who’s now fortyone. “I don’t really remember the decision making process ex-

After high school, Paula went to college but soon dropped out. In

cept that he needed me,” Paula says. “Life changed, of course. I

her late twenties, she returned, intent on becoming a forest ranger.

couldn’t just go anywhere I wanted anytime I wanted. He never

“I couldn’t handle the math, so I started looking through the course

called me mom, but he had little nicknames for me. For a while he

catalog and I saw the Rehabilitation degree and switched over.”

called me Moonamer. Something he made up. I am his mother, I

That decision made all the difference in Paula’s life. She began

am his family.

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“He had a lot of anger issues. But he was really bright, really in-

Paula realizes her childhood is a stark contrast to the circumstanc-

telligent. He just needed some stability. At that time, he’d never

es she sees working with the kids in the WATCH program. She

attended one school for a complete year, that’s how much he

understands how fortunate she’s been, how lucky she is to be so

moved around. So, after me, he went to Northside for three years.

close to her brothers and sisters, to have such precious memories

There were problems at school for the first year or two, but he

of her own parents.

finally settled down.”

One of the things she’s learned in all these years is that while life Paula, who never married, smiles when she talks about Tony. Just

is not always fair, and that trouble often strikes innocent children,

before Paula’s father died in 1986, Tony asked him if he could change

there are also good people trying to make things better. She is sur-

his last name, (this was before the adoption was final) so that he

rounded by them, and she sees the difference they make every day.

would have the same surname as the rest of the family. The gesture is not lost on Paula, from this son who means so much to her.

Paula begins to talk about the kids who’ve come through the WATCH program. Some she never hears from after they become

Tony was not the last teen Paula took in. Years later she adopt-

adults. But others she sees once in a while when she’s out and

ed a fourteen-year-old girl who’s now thirty. Paula describes her

about. A few days before, she’d seen one of the girls who is now

daughter as a hard worker who was dealt a hard lot in life. Paula

a mom herself, and entirely devoted to her children.

sees her often, and is now the guardian of her daughter’s little girl.

Paula’s sisters are in awe of the life she’s living. The call her the

Regularly, she receives letters from a woman in Florida, who was

woman with an endless heart. She’s the favorite aunt in the fam-

once a WATCH kid. She is happily married and raising a family

ily, the one all the kids gravitate to. For a time, Paula’s brother, a

of her own. What Paula remembers about her is how much she

single dad, lived with her and she helped him with his four kids.

wanted to reunite with her biological mother, a woman so broken

The house was bursting at the seams but no one minded.

it was not possible. The girl ran away from foster care repeatedly, seeking out her mother, hoping to make things right. What she

“I think I’m used to having people around because there were

wanted was a happy home, a safe place, and she wanted that

so many of us growing up. You might think it was chaotic, but it

place to be with the woman who gave her life.

never was. There was a lot of order there. I still help out with my brother’s kids, help with Girl Scouts with them, and I’m busy with

But look at the girl now, Paula says. Look at what she’s built for

my granddaughter. All of it makes my life more fulfilling, and a

herself. She has a stable family. She has a grateful heart. She is

whole lot busier.”

bringing up her children the way she wanted to be brought up herself. It turned out to be a beautiful story.

She looks again to her mother, the woman who never stopped volunteering, even until the last hours of her life. In fact, after she

It is one of Paula’s great gifts, this ability to see a world where bad

died, the sisters got a call from the Cancer Support House offering

things happen and immediately look for some small good thing. “I

condolences and telling them they’d be honored to use the table

see successes all the time,” she says. “I get to meet the greatest kids.”

decorations her mother had assured them she’d recently finished

She smiles, her face lights up, and she seems truly, truly happy. It is as

for their upcoming fundraiser, the Boot Scooters Ball. The sisters

if her story has come full circle. Paula was brought up by parents who

looked everywhere for the decorations but couldn’t find them.

lived for their kids, and now she lives for these children who populate

And so they spent an entire evening making them, sharing stories

her busy life, who fill her world with purpose.

of their mother, reminiscing about her sweet, sweet heart.

Nominate a Do-Gooder!

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

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Silver Lining Carrot Dirt Organics words Marcus Coker Images courtesy Carrot Dirt Organics

In May of this year, Brandon and Jessica Parker, who are twenty-nine and twenty-eight years old respectively, opened Carrot Dirt Organics in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Within a month, their products — organic juices, smoothies, and salads — were selling out. Brandon says, “This is a silver lining for us. This is how we decided to make the best of a difficult situation.”

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Brandon and Jessica Parker

Brandon says, “It started in college. I was having trouble going up and down stairs. Now I generally walk with a crutch or cane. I need to keep as lean as possible because it’s less stress on my joints.”

The couple began eating organic foods, cut down dramatically on red meat and gave up processed and refined sugar. They also started juicing. Jessica says, “Juicing is beneficial for the body because it gives the body time to rest. It doesn’t have to spend energy digesting.”

The formula worked. Jessica lost (and has kept Both Brandon and Jessica grew up in Fort Smith and were married in 2007. Bran-

off) seventy-five pounds, and her mom lost

don had graduated with a degree in business administration and was working at a

forty. Brandon lost thirty, which he did without

bank. Jessica was majoring in biology and planning to go to medical school. Jessica

exercising. He says, “Since losing the weight, it’s

says, “After we were married, my mom was diagnosed with a neurological disor-

easier for me to move around. I have more en-

der called Huntington’s Chorea. It’s like Parkinson’s and dementia put together. It

ergy, I sleep better, and I don’t get as tired. You

causes uncontrolled movement, affects memory, and is not curable. We became

really don’t know what feeling good is until you

fulltime caregivers for my mom, and I eventually decided to not go back to school.

do something different, and we’re the result of

That’s what really got us changing our lifestyles and being proactive about our

doing something different.”

health. Huntington’s is genetic, so there’s a fifty percent chance I could have it.

If that’s the case, I want to put good stuff in my body, not things like chemicals.”

As Brandon and Jessica juiced and experienced positive results, their friends began to take notice.

The same year, Brandon was diagnosed with Miyoshi Myopathy, a type of muscular

And after receiving good feedback from friends

dystrophy that causes muscle weakness and atrophy in his forearms, hands, and calves.

who were “willing and eager” to try their juices,

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Brandon and Jessica decided to take a leap of faith by opening

The smoothies use frozen fruit instead of ice and often include al-

their own organic juice shop.

mond milk (made in house), almond butter, and even hemp seeds and chia seeds. Brandon says, “Hemp seeds are good for protein,

“My favorite juice is carrot. It has more of an earthy taste, and I

and chia seeds are good for fiber and healthy omegas.” Smoothies

don’t mind it, but I’d try to get Brandon to drink it, and he’d say,

cost between $7.50 and $8.50.

‘I don’t want that carrot dirt!’ So that’s where the name for the store came from, that’s what stuck.”

At Carrot Dirt, they don’t count calories, they count chemicals, or lack thereof. Brandon says, “We get the purest ingredients we can

The juices you’ll find at Carrot Dirt Organics are different than

find and just recommend letting fullness be your guide.”

those you might make at home. Jessica says, “Juicing is not the same as blending. Juicing gets rid of fiber, so your body doesn’t

For those who are new to juicing, Brandon and Jessica are will-

have to start digestion. Blending doesn’t do that. With juicing,

ing resources. Jessica says, “A lot of people know the benefits of

the nutrients are delivered directly into the bloodstream.” Addi-

organic. They’ve done cleanses and know the power of it. But for

tionally, they use a cold press juicer, which uses extreme pressure

those who aren’t familiar, we love sharing our experiences and re-

to squeeze the juice from the fruits and vegetables. This method

search. If someone is doing a juice fast, we recommend five juices

differs from most home juicers (called centrifugal ejection juicers)

a day and one nut milk. That’d be eighteen drinks for a three day

that generate a lot of heat by masticating (cutting up) fruits and

fast. We have a friend who just completed that, and she lost nine

vegetables. “The heat kills nutrients and vitamins that you want

pounds and saw improvement in her energy levels.”

to take in.”

Brandon says, “As cliché as it sounds, an ounce of prevention is Each juice has it’s own unique name and flavor. There’s Cardinal

worth a pound of cure.” For Brandon, it’s worked. Although he

Carrot, Beet Box, Kale “Bro,” and even Morning Sunshine. Bran-

still has muscular dystrophy, he feels better. “The worst case sce-

don says, “Sometimes people make a face at first if they try an all

nario is that I fall and break my ankle and end up in a wheelchair,

green juice (no fruit added), then they start to warm up to it. One

which I may end up in anyway when I’m fifty or sixty. It’s just a

woman said that her body had started to crave greens for the first

constant, gradual decline. The disease is going to do what it’s go-

time in her life.”

ing to do, but the way I feel in my body, I attribute to the juice. We realized — something’s got to change, and we’ve benefitted so

The ingredients of each drink have potential benefits. Kale and

much that we wanted other people to see the benefits of choos-

collard greens are good for iron. Ginger and bromelain (found in

ing a healthier lifestyle.”

pineapple) are good anti-inflammatories. Dandelion (yes, like the kind found in your front yard) is high in magnesium, which helps rebuild muscles.

Jessica says, “Whatever is on the label is all that’s there. There’s

Carrot Dirt Organics is located at 8901 Jenny Lind,

nothing else added, and all the ingredients are one hundred per-

Suite 1A in Fort Smith and is open Monday through

cent organic.”

Saturday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. For more information, call 479.222.6625, find them on Facebook,

The juices at Carrot Dirt have a shelf life of three days, come in

or visit carrotdirt.com.

sixteen-ounce, recyclable, plastic bottles, and cost $8.50 each.

In addition to juices, Carrot Dirt also makes nut milks and smoothies. Jessica says, “Nut milks can be almond or cashew. We sweeten them with dates, cinnamon, and vanilla. Some of them have cacao (nature’s chocolate before man processes it), strawberries, and blueberries.” Nut milks are $9.50.

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Kyle Kellams A Story Well-Told words & Images Laurie Marshall

Kyle Kellams

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F

or many of us, the collection and preservation of the stories of our home state is important and appreciated, but for Kyle Kellams, it’s a passion. Au-

Kyle Kellams

gust marks the twenty-fifth year Kyle has been with KUAF 91.3, the local National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate located in Fayetteville and serving Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. His journey to his current position as the

station’s News Director and lead producer for the daily show, Ozarks at Large, is dotted with fortunate circumstances, smart choices, and a self-proclaimed genetic tendency to be doing exactly what he’s doing.

Story-telling Genes Kyle’s family moved from Kansas to Arkansas when he was four years old. They settled in Mountain Home, a small town in North Arkansas situated almost exactly half-way between the eastern and the western state lines. Kyle’s mother was a teacher and his father a bartender, and they filled their home with stories.

He remembers Paul Harvey on the radio, a subscription to Life Magazine, and the NBC Nightly News on television every night. “There was a lot of conversation in the household… but I do think it is part of my genetic code. I never thought of it as ‘telling stories’ until I started working on [Ozarks at Large], but it is just what I like to do.”

Growing up in a town with only one television channel, it’s easy to understand

Recently, Kyle did some research to see exactly who is

the connection a young boy would develop with his radio. For years, Kyle would

doing what they do with Ozarks at Large, and was sur-

fall asleep listening to old radio programs on a station out of San Antonio. His

prised to find that the show is more unique than even

earliest memories are of The S & K Show, a fictional program based on The

he thought. “No one has anything like we do. Kansas

Tonight Show he co-hosted with his teddy bear, Smokey. When asked which

City has a daily call-in show… Denver has a weekly

of them was Johnny Carson, he laughs, “The bear had top billing! In my day

show. It’s a rarity. I think it’s the future.”

dreams we were equals, despite the fact that [Smokey] was inanimate.” Not surprisingly, his first job at age sixteen was at the local station, KTLO.

The Big Leagues

Building the Foundation He credits the vision of Rick Stockdell, KUAF General Manager, and the support of the community for the

As a student studying Broadcast Journalism at the University of Arkansas, Kyle

success of the program. The program was already on

was working at KUAF when the station switched over to NPR programming. He

the air when Kyle joined KUAF, but only as a weekly

spent summers at KTLO, and after earning his degree, he spent a couple of years

half-hour show. When Rick offered him the chance to

there covering local news in Mountain Home before returning to Northwest

produce the show, the first change he made was to

Arkansas to join KIX104 in Fayetteville as their news director. A year later, he

switch to a news magazine format. It was eventually

went back to KUAF.

given an hour on the schedule and they hired more staff. Another hour was added to allow the show to

At KIX104, Kyle created around seventeen newscasts each day, with the aver-

air two times each weekend… then another. Finally,

age spot lasting only twenty seconds. He recognized the value in that work,

when the station moved from the University of Arkan-

but he wanted to tell, as Paul Harvey did: The rest of the story. “What I’ve been

sas campus to new offices on South School Avenue,

afforded to do [at KUAF], which is really unusual for public radio stations of our

Rick suggested a daily show. Kyle had been thinking

size, and really, of any size, is to have what is now a daily one-hour show.”

the same thing. Four years ago this month, Ozarks at Large became a daily show.

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Ozarks at Large Team: Christina Karnatz, Antoinette Grajeda, Kyle Kellams, Timothy Dennis, Jacqueline Froelich

As amazing as Arkansas is, it stands to reason that Kyle might

What’s Next?

worry that the day will come when there will be no more stories to tell. But according to him, timing was everything. The cultural and

When asked what’s next for him and Ozarks at Large, Kyle hesi-

economic growth of the area has been a windfall. “That was our

tates to make predictions. As a nonprofit organization, KUAF de-

biggest fear… how are we going to fill all that time? There’s more

pends on funding to expand programming and add staff, but he

to be done than we could ever do. That’s not a problem — at all.”

admits that he would like to be able to do more remote shows

Spreading the Word and Keeping the Record

from locations around the listening area. He says his staff has to rein him in on a regular basis. “Our only frustration we ever have is that we can’t do it all. [They’re] great about saying ‘Kyle, we’re

Kyle says he has dreams about taking Ozarks at Large to a larger

full for the next week, it doesn’t make sense to try to fit it in.’”

audience by collaborating with other regional producers, but he’s also okay with keeping the show’s focus close to home. “We have

He and his wife, Laura, enjoy a circle of friends that is indicative of

twenty-three hours a day dedicated to the rest of the world… let’s

their time spent living in the area. By his account, he has reached a

have one or two just about this area.”

level of satisfaction with his life that comes from knowing a place as well as he knows Northwest Arkansas, and he’s content to stay

Spending twenty-five years in one place and at a job as focused on

put. “There is value in a life when you go to other places and

local stories as his is, Kyle can be called an unofficial “keeper of the

see other things, but there’s also value in having been here long

record” for Ozarks at Large and the body of work that has been

enough… I don’t have wanderlust.”

done on the program. With six producers now working to bring daily stories to their listeners, the show has hit a peak that no one

It would seem to be a logical step to start putting all that history

could have predicted when Kyle took the helm, least of all, Kyle

down on paper, but when asked if he plans to write a memoir

himself. He puts all the kudos on the shoulders of his team. “In my

about his life in radio, he’s flummoxed. “I don’t take notes! I don’t

humble opinion the show has really jumped to another level over

know how to write a book. Maybe when I’m ninety and they fi-

the last few months and it has nothing to do with me. You can’t

nally push me out of the office. I’m much more comfortable with

be fifty-one and have a team for the first time in sports… [but now

other people’s stories.”

] I have a team,” he says with a smile, “and it’s something else.”

And we’re so glad that he’s telling them.

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Short Walk to School

adults (parents, grandparents, legal guardians) who work directly with the students they oversee, day in and day out. The program uses books, online materi-

Arkansas Virtual Academy

als, and virtual classrooms that operate much like Skype or Google Hangouts. Students follow the public school

words Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Arkansas Virtual Academy

calendar, taking holiday and summer breaks.

I

t’s early afternoon at the Harps’ house in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the talk has

This school year the academy has grown (last year it

turned to the new school year. Elizabeth and Nick will be entering the eighth

was K-8), adding ninth and tenth grades. Their goal is

grade and tenth grade, respectively. They’ve had a good summer, traveling a

to add eleventh grade in 2015-2016, and twelfth grade

little, tending the family’s vegetable garden, visiting friends.

the following school year. There is a waitlist for students who were not enrolled in an Arkansas public school

When they do get back to their studies, they’ll be learning at home, under the

during the first three quarters of the prior school year.

watchful eye of their mother and designated learning coach, Shelly. An estimated 3.4% of students in this country, between the ages of five and seventeen,

According to Scott Sides, ARVA’s Head of School, the

are homeschooled.

perks to this kind of learning are plentiful. It allows parents to work with teachers to individualize a learn-

What makes Elizabeth and Nick unique is that they’ll be attending Arkansas Virtual

ing program based on standardized test scores, the

Academy (ARVA), a home-based public charter school that started in the 2002-

students’ interests, academic needs and strengths. He

2003 school year, when it opened under a federal grant. In 2007, it became an

emphasizes the importance of the learning coach, their

open-enrollment public charter school. At the time of this writing, there were

commitment to the students, and their role in helping

approximately 1,200 students enrolled in the academy. ARVA teachers oversee

the program succeed.

around sixty students each, with the help of learning coaches, the designated

ARVA Student

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If that kind of commitment is key, then the Harps are the model

ARVA Students

family. Parents Shelly and Ray do almost everything with their kids, including working together in the family’s cleaning business. They are active in their church, and that’s where they find many of the extra-curricular activities for Elizabeth and Nick. They’re also old hands at homeschooling. Shelly researched the idea for four years before finally implementing it when Nick finished sixth grade. At that time, though, they didn’t know about Arkansas Virtual Academy, and Shelly found it difficult. “I didn’t have the support of a teacher like I do with ARVA,” Shelly says.

After that first year, they did find a private homeschooling pro-

each other.” Nick chimes in, “Elizabeth was able to answer a

gram that worked better for Nick, and last year they enrolled Eliza-

question I had about math last year, and I helped her when she

beth in ARVA. (Nick was too old at the time, since the academy

had questions about science.”

hadn’t yet added the ninth grade.) At first, Elizabeth feared she’d not make friends, but that hasn’t been the case. “I have lots of

And Nick knows a lot about science. He’s immensely interested in

friends,” Elizabeth says, and then laughs. “One of the girls I met

archaeology and paleontology, something he’s considering pursu-

is in a band. And she has purple hair. That’s just so neat. Some of

ing after high school. Elizabeth loves photography and travel, so

my friends are from Little Rock and Fayetteville.”

she’s looking at careers that incorporate both.

One of the things the family likes is that students must prove they

But for now, their focus is on this school year. They love the flexibil-

understand a lesson before moving on. “They have to make at

ity of the virtual classroom, and they appreciate having their mother

least eighty percent before they can advance,” Shelly says. “I like

as their learning coach. As for Shelly, she loves that she gets to be

that, that I’m sure they’re learning the material, and I like that I

with her kids every day, a gift she doesn’t take for granted. She also

communicate by email with the teacher each day.”

loves that she knows the details of what and how they’re learning, how they’re progressing every day, and that their education, like

Since academic success depends on online interaction, it’s critical

everything else the Harps do, is a family effort.

to have a reliable computer, and ARVA helped with that. Elizabeth qualified for a loaner computer. She also received packages with items needed for art, and science experiments. Elizabeth smiles, “That was one of my best days, getting the art kit. Art’s my favor-

To learn more about Arkansas Virtual Academy,

ite subject, followed by science.”

visit www.k12.com/arva.

Elizabeth describes her routine. She does Zumba, a dance-based exercise program, each morning. She eats breakfast, gets dressed for school, and goes to her workspace. “Well,” she admits, “Nick and I do have to get dressed but we don’t have to wear shoes, which I really like!” Once she starts her computer, she checks into her classroom, logs the time she showed up, and begins working.

Shelly doesn’t see herself as a teacher, but she does believe she’s working as an educational team with the kids, staying connected at least in part because they are using their house as a classroom.

“We do everything together,” Shelly says. “We work together all the time. We’re extremely involved in our church. They do their homework at the same time, and they’ve even been able to help

Nationwide — 3.4% of students between the ages of 5 – 17 learn at home. The U.S. Department of Education reports 1,770,000 school age children are now homeschooled.

Arkansas — 17,215 are homeschooled (numbers from arkansased.org, 2012-2013) Locally — Sebastian County: 636. Crawford County: 412. Washington County: 1,211. Benton County: 2,000.

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Billy Higgins baseball’s in his Blood

Billy was seven in 1945 when he moved with his parents to Fort Smith, when his dad became the director of the Boys Club. “My life was shaped by 215 Wheeler Avenue,” Billy says. “It was a splendid rock building just two blocks over from Subby Valenti’s Tattoo

words Anita Paddock Images courtesy Billy Higgins

Parlor on Towson Avenue.”

O

n summer evenings during baseball season in Fort Smith, Arkansas, games

That rock building housed the Fort Smith

are being played across the many fields that dot the city. One of the fields in

Boys Club, complete with an indoor swim-

Kelley Park is named after Charles Higgins, the father of Billy Higgins, a history

ming pool and a full-sized hardwood floor

professor at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

gymnasium.

State Champion Team, 1949 Billy Higgins, Batboy

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Billy Higgins

Hig, as Billy’s dad was called, had previously worked in Pine Bluff

Caray was an entertaining announcer with a stock of pet phrases.

as a teacher and coach with a part-time job as supervisor of Taylor

In the winter of 1954 he visited the Boys Club on a promotional

Field. “I remember riding in the car with my dad to collect the

tour known as the Cardinal Caravan. The “Barling Darling” Hal

equipment he ‘left’ at the field after each game. He ‘left’ the

Smith was working there for the winter, and Harry Caray greeted

equipment so the black baseball players who lived in Pine Bluff

him warmly. Hundreds of boys, including Billy, sat on the gym

could have a chance to play ball with good equipment. My dad

floor waiting to hear Caray yell out his favorite phrase: “It might

was one of the early baseball integrationists, and he thought ev-

be, it could be, it is, a home run!”

eryone should have a chance to play the game.”

Baseball was huge with folks from little country hamlets to bigAfter their move to Fort Smith, Hig did a terrific job of promoting

city residents. Fort Smith also boasted immaculately groomed An-

sports for boys. In 1948, with donations from civic minded folks,

drews Field, where semi-pro teams regularly played, and “knot-

Hunt’s Baseball Field was decked out in lights at a cost of $50,000,

hole” passes were given to little boys to watch through the holes

a considerable amount of money in those days. With lights, base-

in the wooden fence in exchange for shagging balls. “I still have

ball teams could compete well into the night.

one of my knothole passes,” Billy says. “I also chased foul balls on the roof of the grandstand.”

“By the time I was old enough to mow the grass at Hunt’s Park, I was also picking up the trash, and playing baseball there every day.

Billy played Jr. American Legion ball under Squeaky Smith, and his

When I wasn’t on the ball field, I was in a corner reading,” Billy

coach for American Legion ball was Clyde “Sparky” Watts, both

remembers. “That was my second love. My mother saw to that.”

legends in Fort Smith baseball circles. “Those were great years, and some of my teammates still live in Fort Smith.”

In addition to Hig’s duties as director of the Boys Club, he also coached The Fort Smith Randall Victors, an American Legion base-

In 1960 Billy joined the Fort Smith Collegians, a semi-pro team

ball team. And Billy once again helped. “I was a ten-year-old bat

that had some great players like Danny Greenfield, Jarrell Williams,

boy for those games.”

and Lance Alworth. “We won the state championship and traveled to Wichita to represent the state. We went two and two.”

One of the players for the Victors was Hal Smith, later known as “The Barling Darling.” He caught the attention of pro scouts and

After joining the Air Force in March, 1961 and training as a navi-

eventually became a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. This fur-

gator, Billy played one year of service ball at James Connally Air

ther endeared Arkansas fans to the Cardinals, whose games were

Force Base, but after that he stopped, concentrating instead on a

broadcast by the famous announcer Harry Caray on KFPW out of

teaching career and his family.

the Goldman Hotel on Garrison Avenue.

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Billy Higgins, 2nd row, far right

But Billy always loved the game, so he started coaching in the Babe Ruth League in 1967, eventually winning a state championship. Later he coached a Senior Babe Ruth team that also won a state championship. “Along the way, I umpired,” Billy says, and it’s clear from the smile on his face that those were good days. “Mostly Babe Ruth league games and tournaments but a few college games and one Arkansas High School All Star game at Baum Stadium.” Billy’s smile turns to laughter. “The call to the majors never came.”

Billy also volunteered to help Bill Crowder, coach at Westark College in the 1990s. Crowder won an impressive 1,000 games as a coach, and Crowder Field at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is named for him. “I kept learning baseball under him and his assistant Jack McKnight,” Billy says. “They taught me a little more about the game every day I was around them.”

Billy, who is now in his early seventies, parlayed his other love, reading, into becoming a history professor and an author. His book about Hal Smith, The Barling Darling, was published in 2009 by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies. After the book’s release, there was an autograph party at Evans Boys and Girls Club on a Sunday afternoon. The late Hal Smith was there, and he and Billy signed copies of this amazing story. The place was crowded with people, young and old, waiting in line to meet this local legend.

The love of baseball seems to be passed down genetically, but it also comes in the sheer pleasure for a fan sitting on a lawn chair on a hot summer night, watching intently as the game unfolds. It’s the crack of a bat hitting a ball, and the response it brings with cheers from mamas and grandmas, dads and granddads, and kids who can’t wait to get out on the field. It’s Americana in its purest form, and one of the best parts of living in Fort Smith, in a city that loves this time honored sport.

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The Barling Darling tells the story of Hal Smith who achieved fame in baseball’s major leagues. Hailing from a tiny hamlet outside Fort Smith, Arkansas, he thrilled his hometown fans by playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1950s.

Written by Billy Higgins with Hal Smith, it sells for $19.95 and can be purchased at local book stores or online at Amazon.com

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This Year Will Be Better WORDS Stoney Stamper IMAGES courtesy Stoney and April Stamper Emma

Can you believe that summer’s almost over? It seems like yesterday

things that baffle me, daily. School, or no school. I have had to

that we dropped Abby and Emma off for their last day of school.

become accustomed to the daily comings and goings of the pre-

You could feel the excitement oozing from their pores as they en-

pubescent female. And without a doubt, one of the most difficult,

thusiastically jumped from the car for their final day. Then, when

and sometimes infuriating things I have ever had to do in my life, is

we picked them up from school that afternoon, their exuberance

the simple act of getting girls ready for school, and out the damn

was nearly uncontainable. Three months of freedom! Sleeping in

door. To say it has been quite an educational experience is an

late, no homework, no teachers, no fundraisers, no cheerleading

understatement of epic proportions. It’s like calling a slice of crispy

practice, no choir recitals!

delicious bacon just a piece of meat. It’s much, much more than that. There have been many, many things I have learned. And even

However, summertime means very different things to parents,

more things that have completely left me at a loss.

doesn’t it? For the children, it just means NO SCHOOL. But for the parents, it means that the kids are going to be home all the time.

One of those things that continually leaves me scratching my head

And for us, that’s especially true, because we don’t have any fam-

is getting our ten-year-old daughter Emma dressed, in a respect-

ily nearby, so they are home ALL THE TIME.

able and presentable manner, on my own. She is without a doubt the most flamboyant and eccentric individual I’ve ever known. No

So, as our summer quickly comes to a close, again, my wife and

amount of sparkle is enough. She wants loud, flashy colors, spar-

I have very different views than our children. They see their three

kly shoes, rhinestone belts, bright red Chapstick®, shiny, gaudy

months of freedom coming to an end, and we see nine months of

jewelry and as much pomp and circumstance as humanly possible.

freedom just beyond the horizon, waiting for us. Yes! Hallelujah!

Nothing is too ostentatious. Nothing is too over the top. Admittedly, her spunky attitude and extravagant taste in clothing and

April and I married a few years ago, and that’s when I became a

accessories can be completely adorable, but if you’re a new dad,

dad to her two daughters. Since that time, there have been certain

just trying to get by, it can be unbelievably exasperating.

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Last year, as my wife became more and more pregnant by the

was wearing a pair of old, faded yellow Dollar Store pajama pants

day with our youngest daughter, Gracee, and sleeping less and

with green writing on them, that were MUCH too short, coming

less, I tried to give her all the time to rest I could. So I took on the

only just below her knees, but with black tights protruding be-

responsibility of getting the girls up and dressed and would deliver

neath. The poor girl looked like a tiny hobo.

them to school before I’d leave for work every day. Waking them up? No problem. Getting them some breakfast? Easy. Getting

As her teacher walked her up to the car, April wheeled around

Emma dressed in clothes that wouldn’t embarrass her mother to

on me like a mama bear.”WHAT did you send her to school in?”

the point of not wanting to go out in public, not quite so simple.

I stumbled and stuttered for an answer, but I simply didn’t have

If left to her own devices, Emma could easily go to school looking

one. “April, I SWEAR I’ve never seen those pants in my life. That’s

like Cyndi Lauper and Boy George had a secret lovechild, and then

NOT what she was wearing when I dropped her off this morning!”

hired George Clinton to be her stylist. It’s gonna be funky and

As Emma got in the truck, April turned to the backseat and said

cool. Trust me.

“Emma, what in the world are you wearing?” Emma rolled her eyes, and then said, “Well Mom, I was bent over my desk signing

On one such sunny day in March, tragedy struck. Now, I had defi-

my homework, and Mrs. Elliott came running up to me and said

nitely let her get to school in some questionable outfits before.

‘Emma, you can’t wear those pants, because I can see your panties

The occasional raised eyebrow from mom when we got home was

through them.’ And then she sent me to the nurse’s station and

a telltale sign of disapproval. Generally, in the mornings, I was

they told me I had to put these stupid pajama pants on because I

more concerned with getting them out the door and to the school

was only wearing panty hose! And these pants are the ones that

before the bell rang. She may have flown under the radar a few

they give to the kids that pee their pants at school. But I’m pretty

times in moon boots and a tutu. But on this day, I’ll admit, it’s

sure they’re clean.”

possible that I wasn’t paying attention. I was talking on the phone as she came out a minute or so after Abby and I, and climbed into

April spun back around. “You sent her to school in PANTYHOSE?”

the backseat. Off to school we go. “Bye girls! Have a great day!”

My mouth opened, I tried to speak, but no words came out. Yeah.

I said. And then I headed to work.

Yeah, I guess I did.

Well, that morning, April began to have a few contractions, and

In my defense, the sun wasn’t all the way up yet, and I couldn’t

I was afraid to get too far from home, so I worked the afternoon

see her all that well. And where the heck was my backup? Abby

at the house, then at 3:00, we went to get the girls from school.

was supposed to watch me and make sure I don’t do something

First, we picked up Abby from junior high, and then to the el-

stupid! She TOTALLY let me down.

ementary school to get the blonde. We pulled up, and out walks Emma. As she walked up to the truck, I was equal parts frightened

Moral of the story, guys. Pantyhose, by themselves, are extremely

of her mother, and dumbstruck. She was wearing a yellow shirt.

inappropriate attire for school. Or, really, for any place. At all. Any-

So far, so good, right? Red hair bow. OK, probably not the best

where. Well, now I know. Next time she tries that crap with me, I’ll

choice, but we’d take it. There were sparkly pink and silver Toms

be all over it. “No way Jose,” I’ll say. “It ain’t happenin’.

on her feet. Ok, it was getting worse. However, on bottom, she

Next time. Like a boss.

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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RECIPE Burford Distributing image Jeromy Price

Makes 4 servings 2 medium fresh peaches, halved, pit removed, chopped Juice of 2 lemons, plus extra for garnish 8 ounces Coney Island Carlo Bourbon Whiskey 4 ounces peach flavored brandy 4 ounces agave nectar Jarritos Tamarind soda Mason jars Peel peaches, discard skins. Cut in half, remove pits, chop into chunks. Add peach chunks to blender. Add lemon juice. Puree mixture. Add bourbon, brandy, and agave. Blend well.

Fill jars with ice. Divide mixture between 4 jars.

Top with Tamarind soda. Garnish with lemon slice.

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SALSA

RECIPE & IMAGE Laura Hobbs

This recipe was originally featured in our July, 2011 issue, way back when we were still @Urban Magazine. So much has happened since then. We changed our name to Do South, embracing our Southern roots and added the Arkansas logo that you see throughout our magazine.

What we didn’t change was our love for fresh, imaginative food, like this Grilled Peach and Corn Salsa. This sweet, smoky, tangy dish is great dipped from a bowl using homemade (or store bought) tortilla chips, crackers, or veggies. You can also use it as a topping for grilled meats, like pork or chicken.

Even better? Pair it with our drink of the month, Whisky Peach Smash, on page 52. You’re already using peaches. Why not get double the bang for your effort? Why not indeed.

3 2 2

1/4 1/2 2 1 » » 1/4 »

medium peaches, pitted and quartered ears of corn, shucked small hot peppers (jalapeño, serrano or anything similar, seeded, ribbed and minced) cup red onion, minced an avocado, chopped Tablespoons cilantro, minced teaspoon honey juice of one lime salt & pepper to taste teaspoon cayenne (optional) olive oil, for grilling

TORTILLA CHIPS 1 package white corn tortillas (tortillas quartered) 3 cups canola oil » kosher salt

METHOD Light the grill and allow it to heat up. Drizzle the peach quarters and corn cobs with olive oil so they won’t stick to the grill.

Grill the peaches and corn over medium heat, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning. Once they’re finished, remove them from the grill and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, peel the peaches (the skin comes off very easily) and dice them finely. Cut the corn from the cob and combine the peaches and corn in a medium sized bowl. Halve the avocado, chop it and add it to the bowl. Halve, seed and rib the two hot peppers, mince finely and add to the bowl. Mince the red onion and cilantro and add to the mixture.

Combine the lime juice and honey in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Pour the lime and honey mixture over the peach mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper (and cayenne, if using), place in a tightly sealed container, and allow to sit at room temperature for about an hour.

In a Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the canola oil to about 350°, using a candy thermometer. Add the tortillas to the hot oil in batches (small enough to prevent overlapping and sticking) and fry, turning once, until lightly browned. Quickly remove the chips from the oil and cool on wire racks. Salt the chips while they’re still hot.

Keep the chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

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words & Images Lauren Allen, tastebetterfromscratch.com

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I probably developed a love for baking before my love for general cooking. “Fun” for me as a little girl was inventing cookie and cake recipes! They never turned out great, but I just loved experimenting with weird ingredients and creating something out of nothing. That’s what I love about baking. You can create something beautiful and amazing out of the simplest ingredients. This chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling is the perfect example. It has the simplest ingredients, but you put them together to create a masterpiece.

Every year when my birthday rolls around I get excited about making my own cake. It may seem weird, considering most people would want someone else to make their birthday cake, but I LOVE making my own. I take great care in choosing the cake I want to make. This year I decided I wanted to make my own version of a “Death by Chocolate” cake. I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe, layered it with a simple homemade chocolate mousse, and poured the most amazing warm chocolate frosting on top. I can confidently say it was THE BEST chocolate cake ever — better than anything I would have ordered and super easy to make from home. Plus, I got to indulge in birthday cake all week long.

This cake would be perfect to celebrate, some would say mourn, the beginning of another school year, suck up to that new teacher, or as the delicious finale at an end of summer bash. Let’s face it, anytime is a good time for chocolate cake and this one tops them all.

Lauren Allen is the creator of TastesBetterFromScratch.com, an exciting and beautiful food blog dedicated to sharing her love of cooking and creating new recipes from her family home in St. Louis. Lauren truly believes that everything tastes better homemade!

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taste C H O C O L AT E C A K E Ingredients 2 cups sugar ¾ cup cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 2 eggs ½ cup vegetable oil 1 cup boiling water Chocolate Frosting* (recipe follows)

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Chocolate Mousse Filling* (recipe follows)

Method Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin).

Pour batter into cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.

Cool completely. Once cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to separate each 9’’ cake (cut each cake in half horizontally, evenly, so that you end up with four, thin, 9’’ cake pieces).

Place the first cake layer on a cake serving plate. Spread a big dollop of chocolate mousse filling on top of the cake layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layers, adding a layer of mousse filling between each layer of cake.

Spread remaining mousse filling evenly around the outside edges and top of the cake.

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

TIP: I usually make the warm chocolate frosting while the cake is in the fridge.

Remove cake from fridge and pour chocolate frosting over the top. Use a spatula or knife to gently spread the frosting evenly over the outside of the cake as you pour. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

TIP: Make sure to make adjustments if you’re baking at high altitude.

C hocolate M ousse F illing Ingredients ½ cup hot water 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp cocoa powder 2 cups heavy cream

Method Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water. In a double-boiler (or in the microwave) melt the chocolate chips, just until smooth. Add cocoa mixture to the melted chocolate chips. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Add whipped cream mixture to melted chocolate and fold in with a spatula until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

C hocolate F rosting A warm chocolate frosting, similar to ganache, which hardens slightly as it’s poured over the cake and cools.

Ingredients 6 Tbsp milk ½ cup butter (one stick)

3 Tbsp cocoa powder 3 ¾ cups confectioner’s sugar

Method In a medium saucepan add milk, cocoa and butter. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Add powdered sugar and mix with electric beaters to get rid of lumps. Let cool for a minute or two before pouring over cake.

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southern lit

Down at the Chow Chow fiction Marla Cantrell

By Mama’s wedding to husband number five, I was finding

she said. That same week she started coming home late, missing

it hard to muster up even a little enthusiasm. Even so, I showed up

supper and not offering even a half-hearted excuse when I pushed

at Opella Park just across the county line, on one of those perfect

her on it. It got to where I quit setting a place for her at the table,

fall days, a sheet cake in tow, Riceland® Rice in a kitchen canister,

not that she’d notice.

and blushed a little while the groom’s country relations lined up to see the big to-do. It wasn’t till I was asked to sign as a witness on

Now here we were, just three months later, in the same park

her marriage license that I realized the groom, Mr. Cleveland Carl

where I caught my first trout, in the same park where my mama

Kanaan, was the same age as my own husband. I felt a shiver roll

lay beside me in an army green sleeping bag the year I turned six

across me and signed my name, Ann-Duddy Prophet.

and told me the story of my daddy’s death. I stood beside a rusty water pump, gripping a bouquet of red carnations, letting the

Mama met young Cleve when she hired him as a cook at the

wood smoke from a nearby campsite ruin my just-washed hair. I

Chow Chow Café, for the morning shift. He was good at eggs,

squeezed my eyes shut and listened as the water from Sycamore

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Shoals rushed behind me, sounding like the wind does when it

the edge of the chair and he was leaned way back, so far it looked

races through treetops. Just behind the groom, on a path that

like he might slide off. “My suit’s full of rice as it is. I shake my leg

wound around the campground, a boy in a red flannel shirt was

and I rain rice.”

kicking a Del Monte can with the toe of his tennis shoe. ®

“Ringer,” I said. “Don’t.”

I was crying by the time the cake was cut, but I don’t think anyone noticed. I looked around for Ringer, my husband, just then, and

“I’d be afraid to marry Lila,” Ringer said. “You marry her, get a

watched as he climbed in his old Ford pick-up, revved the engine,

few free meals down at the Chow Chow, and before you know it

and took off.

you’re splitting up your belongings in divorce court.” Ringer got up from the table, stretched his arms over his head so high his

We have an agreement: Ringer never stays anywhere longer than

belly showed from underneath his shirt.

he wants to and I don’t have to go to his daddy’s for Sunday dinner. I won’t go into it, other than to say I got the better end of

Ringer had a point about husbands two, three and four, al-

the deal.

though Mama had her reasons, let me tell you. But Daddy was another story.

Mama and Cleve took off after the cake. Mama in the driver’s seat, Cleve sitting clear on the other side. Some idiot had written

“My daddy, Tom-Duddy,” I said, feeling the color swim to my

“Hot Springs Tonight” across the windshield in big white letters

face, “was an honorable man. He died in the Massey coal mine.

with the kind of shoe polish nurses use, so Mama had her head

A terrible accident. You know that.” I scooted back in the chair,

hanging out the window as she maneuvered down the dirt road.

the metal legs scraping across the yellow linoleum, and looked up at Ringer. He was rummaging through the cabinets where he kept

It’s a mighty unsettling thing when you find out your new daddy

the White Horse whiskey. “Mama said the Arkansas Spy came

is younger than your old husband. I’d married Ringer the year I

out and did a story about it. She said she was holding me in her

turned seventeen, when he’d come back from his third tour of

arms in the picture that ran on the front page. Underneath it said

duty, beaten up but not a nervous wreck like some of the soldiers

something about Daddy ‘just entering the pale of manhood’ when

I’d seen.

he got sent to the ‘silent city of the dead’. Or something close to that. Something poetical like. I’d show it to you, but the paper got

I stayed to clean up and then headed home. Ringer met me at the

lost when we moved here.”

door, all riled up because our neighbors, the Hadleys, had left their gate open and their chickens were parading down the sidewalk,

“Right,” Ringer said. “Stalagmite fell through the roof of the

cocky as you please, just asking for trouble, just asking for the

mine and crashed through his hard hat. Seems to me a story like

nearest dog to say, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner.”

that would end up in something bigger than the Arkansas Spy. Seems like a man dying that way would end up in Ripley’s Believe

Wrangling chickens is an awkward job, but we did it, Ringer on

It or Not.”

the street beside them and me behind, shooing them in the right direction. We got the hens, squawking like the devil, back into the

“Stalactite,” I said, tugging at the hem of my rosy pink

Hadleys’ yard, and then through the gate, and shut it tight.

dress.“Stalagmites grow up from the floor. Stalactites rip through the roof. You can’t blame Mama for that. Maybe God,” I said.

Afterward, we sat at the kitchen table and shared a piece of wed-

“But not Mama.”

ding cake and an entire bottle of Cold Duck I’d snagged from the reception.

“What you going to do when you’re done with me, Ann-Duddy?”

Ringer asked. “You got your next victim lined up? Maybe you got

“Nice wedding,” I said, finally.

a list of your future husbands tucked away in your jewelry box.”

“I hope this one lasts a while,” Ringer said. His rear end was on

“There’s nothing in my jewelry box except that pouch with my

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baby teeth, my baptismal certificate, my garnet earrings, and the

“It got worse from there. And by the time the waitress brought

canceled checks where Mama paid you to redo the carport.”

out the surf and turf, Cleve had decided we should sell the Chow Chow and open a little Italian (she said it Eye-talian) place over in

That’s the grit of being married. One minute you’re saving chick-

Cross Timbers where his people live.”

ens with your husband and the next you’re defending a list in your jewelry box that ain’t even there.

Mama got up and stood facing the sink. She grabbed a coffee cup from the counter and turned on the water to rinse it out. I could

We were both getting pretty wound up, and it might have got

see her reflection in the glass. “Thinks he’s going to tell me what I

worse if Mama hadn’t come in on us. She was still dressed in her

can do with my business. I didn’t work 24/7 all those years just so

suit that was the minky color of a Weimaraner I once saw at the

I could watch all my cash-o-la disappear.”

county fair.

Mama says things like “cash-o-la” when she’s fired up.

“Where’s Cleve?” I asked.

“Who around here eats anything Italian except maybe spaghetti Mama dropped her purse on the kitchen counter. “I don’t give a

at the end of the month when you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul?”

dippity-dang where Cleveland Kanaan is,” Mama said, looking toward the front door. “He could be in Ten-Buck-Two for all I care.”

“Macaroni’s Italian, I think,” I said, trying to calm things down.

“What in the world?”I said, but she just walked to the table and

I looked through the glass in the back door. Ringer was standing

pulled out a chair.

by the alley, underneath the bright light we put up the year before, petting a white dog that came almost to Ringer’s knees. The

Ringer looked at Mama and shook his head. He walked to the

wind was blowing the clothesline, making the bag of clothespins

back door, switched the bottle of whiskey from his right hand to

sound against the metal pole.

his left, and grabbed the knob.

Mama turned around, leaning against the kitchen sink. She was “Where you going?” I asked.

pulling bobby pins from her red hair, letting it fall. She was still a pretty woman, but she’d gone soft along her jaw line and in her

But instead of giving me a straight answer, he said, “You know

upper arms that looked stuffed into the sleeves of her suit. The

what? A wedding ring just might be the heaviest freakin’ piece of

orchid pinned on her jacket sagged under its own weight. She ran

metal in the whole wide world.”

her index finger across her lower lip and I noticed the puffy veins making a dogleg across her hand.

Sometimes I hate Ringer a little bit.

“Why’d you marry him?” I asked, bolstered by the champagne.

I turned my attention to Mama and patted her hand. “So?” I said, kind of open ended like.

She ran her thumb across her forehead, back and forth, and shut her eyes tight. When she opened them, she said, “He’s a beauti-

“Well,” she said, “we were having a nice meal at The Golden

ful man.”

Swan, talking about the future and all, when Cleve starts asking about the Chow Chow and how I got it. I told him I won it from

“He is that,” I said, and it was true. Black hair, cornflower blue

my second husband, Mr. Liberty Funk, in the divorce.

eyes, a crooked smile.

“So Cleve gets all puffed up and starts saying how awful it is for him

“And I kept thinking that he really loved me.”

to work in a place that was once owned by a man who shared my domicile.” Mama got the cut-glass salt and pepper shakers from the

“Maybe he did.”

center of the table and moved one around the other in a tight circle.

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Mama shook her head. “Last man who loved me was your daddy,

“Sure do,” Mama said, and then she sat again at the kitchen ta-

Tom-Duddy. Now there was a good man. Big old guy, tripped over

ble, slid off her high heels. She sighed. “And I’m starting to think

his own big feet, couldn’t see past his own big heart.” She picked

he disapproved.”

up the empty bottle of Cold Duck. “Bad to drink, though. Drank like it was his job. Terrible thing, being a slave to the bottle. Makes

“You think he saw me?” I said, and the tears started.

you do things you’d never otherwise do, to the people you love the most.”

“Oh, honey,” Mama said. “Of course he did.”

“Ringer doesn’t think he died in the mine.”

“I think you should have told me the truth,” I said, and fought back tears.

“It was a long time ago,” Mama said, and I felt the room go still.

“Never wanted to hurt you, honey,” Mama said. “Never wanted “But he did die in the Massey Mine,” I said.

one more piece of sorrow for you than the rest of the world was handing out.”

“Last time I saw him that’s where he was headed,” Mama said.

“Ringer’s afraid I’ll end up like you, marrying for sport.”

“That’s not the same thing,” I said, my mouth dry.

“And if he knew about your daddy, he might fear you’d take up “So he didn’t die?”

the bottle.”

“Not in the mine. He didn’t show up to work that day. His fore-

When the doorbell rang, we both jumped. Nobody ever used the

man called me, thought he was sick. Tom-Duddy never missed

doorbell at our house.

a day, hung over or not. He took the train to New Orleans, who knows why. He always loved New Orleans. Spent our honeymoon

Mama rose, smoothed her hair. When she opened the door, there

there. I got another call three days later. From the chief of police.

stood Cleve, his necktie unhinged, his suit coat slung across his

Asking me to come ID his body. Tom-Duddy, big old guy, big old

shoulder. He took Mama in his arms, his coat dropping, his hands

feet, stumbled and fell and hit his head on a concrete floor in a

in her hair, his eyes shut tight.

bar called the Cajun Crutch. The band never stopped playing. They drug him out onto the street and called the cops.” Mama laughed

“Keep the Chow Chow, Lila” he said. “Keep it all, everything any

a hard little laugh, and wiped her eyes.”What a way to go.”

other man ever gave you. Just take me back.”

“Why’d you tell me different?”

It was like watching a movie, seeing the two of them there. My mother looked small in Cleve’s arms, and beautiful. She was shak-

“You were a baby. There was nothing to tell. And then when you

ing. I closed my eyes and thought of my daddy, who might now

finally asked, I couldn’t say it.”

be a hawk. I thought of Ringer, who never threatened to leave me, who worried that I’d leave him.

“You never took me to his grave.”

I left them there, my mama and Cleve. And I ran fast as the Word “Wasn’t buried. Cremated. Thrown to the winds at Opella Park,

of God to Ringer, who didn’t say anything, just smiled down at

up on the bluff where the red-tailed hawks circle all the time.

me. The white dog circled us both, yipping like he’d discovered

Sometimes I think he watches over me. Sometimes I think he be-

something magnificent and extraordinary, underneath the Harvest

came one of the hawks, but that’s crazy thinking, I know it is.”

Moon, not far from the Chow Chow Café.

“You think he saw you marry Cleve?”

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