XOXO - February 2018

®

XOXO

FEBRUARY 2018 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Kimberly Blaker Randi Bomar Marla Cantrell Catherine Frederick Jade Graves Dwain Hebda Jessica Sowards James Stefiuk Allie Wilson Tom Wing GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers

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PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE

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16 30 34 38

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SWEET HISTORY Delectable chocolate, scrumptious candies, and more than sixty years of sweet history. Find out why Kopper Kettle Candies is an Arkansas treasure!

ALMOST GONE On a June day in 2017, Allie Wilson was on top of the world. The next day, she woke up with symptoms that would threaten to end her life. You must read her harrowing story of survival.

DUKE AND DUTCHESS Meet Duke and Dutchess, an unlikely couple brought in as strays, whose love melted the hearts of the workers at the Sebastian County Humane Society.

SLOW COOKER CAJUN STEW What could be better than coming home to this Slow Cooker Cajun Stew on a cold winter’s day? We can’t think of a thing that tops this hearty dish!

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2018 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893 Cover Image: Brent Hofracker

FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

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letter from the editor

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It’s been decided. I am not a winter weather fan. My favorite part of winter is when it’s over! I am constantly cold, bundled up to my neck, with a cold nose and ice-

Feeling stir crazy? Start planning your trip to North Little Rock to check out the Argenta Arts & Entertainment District.

We’ll show you how you can “Dog Town” like a

like hands. My husband likes to joke that I’m

local, taking in the restaurants and bars, the

cold even in the Dog Days of summer. It’s

arts, family-friendly fun, and so much more.

true, I do take a cardigan everywhere we go (even in the summer), but I just think

On page 8, Tom Wing is sharing another

of it as being prepared!

story of our city’s past as we celebrate our Bicentennial. River Valley Christian Life

There must be more people out there

Corps, a faith-based mentoring program

like me, those who are over the Arctic

that helps men and women reach their

air before it even begins to blow. There

individual life goals, is our non-profit spot-

are also those who claim to love winter

light beginning on page 20. Hungry? Check

until they walk out into the tundra at 7am

out our Cajun Stew recipe on page 38, and a

and their nose hairs freeze—then they bemoan

delicious cocktail for Valentine’s Day on page 42.

the fact that spring is still two months away.

Beginning on page 30, Allie Wilson joins us to share her There is one good thing about these wintery tempera-

harrowing story of being diagnosed with Toxic Shock

tures; you can stay indoors and snuggle up with a copy of

Syndrome and her mission to educate others who may be at

Do South ! If you’ve run out of ideas for indoor fun, we’ve

risk. Jessica Sowards, page 22, speaks to our hearts about

got tons of them beginning on page 44. Check out my DIY

what it means to dream without limits.

®

blanket to keep you cozy on page 26. It’s so simple even the kiddos can help, and it would make a great Valentine’s Day

Of course, we can’t forget our special feature, our 2018 Do

gift for anyone on your list.

South ® Wedding Guide! Grab a cup of cocoa and have a look at some of the best and most trusted vendors in our area

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, we can’t wait for you to read

who are dedicated to turning dreams into reality for all the

our super sweet story about Kopper Kettle Candies on page

lovebirds planning their perfect day.

16. The Greer family has been hard at work, preparing over We’ve jam-packed this issue with goodness! Special thanks

10,000 pounds of chocolate for us to enjoy!

to our loyal advertisers who help make Do South ® possible.

We’re also bringing you a love story this month! Read our

We appreciate you! Thank you, our readers, for loving us so

story, Duke and Dutchess, and discover their love for each

well. May your days be filled with sweetness. And warmth.

other, and their unwillingness to be apart. It’s a story you

Lots and lots of warmth!

won’t soon forget, and we hope it moves just the right family to give them a forever home!

~Catherine

Follow Do South® Magazine

Send Us Your Love Story!

Tell us how you met the love of your life – be it funny, sweet, funny, or odd - we want to hear them all!

750 words maximum. Must include a photo. Email editors@dosouthmagazine.com or mail to 4300 Rogers Ave., Ste. 20-110, Fort Smith, AR 72903.

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06

calendar

FEBRUARY 6-11

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Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com Crystal Gayle Roland, OK cherokeecasino.com

Head to the Cherokee Casino and Hotel in Roland, Oklahoma, to hear Grammy-winning American country music legend Crystal Gayle.

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Fort Smith Marathon Fort Smith runsignup.com

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An American in Paris Fayetteville waltonartscenter.org

The 4th annual Fort Smith Marathon—half marathon, and relays—is just around the corner. Races begin at 8am, and packet pick up will be available that morning.

Don’t miss this premier running event.

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An American in Paris features the music of George and Ira Gershwin and the Tony Award®-winning choreography of Christopher Wheeldon.

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TH

TH

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Pardi Gras Fort Smith fortsmithmuseum.org 479.783.7841 Pardi Gras takes place in the old Shipley Baking Company. Cocktails, music by Cutthroat Trout, dinner by 21 West End, dancing to the Rockets, an award-winning band from Little Rock, and a live auction.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Under Milk Wood Fort Smith uafs.universitytickets.com The Theatre at UAFS presents Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, a 13+ comedy set in a small Welsh coast town filled with eccentric characters.

calendar

THETOPTENTHETOPTEN 15-18 T H & 21-24 T H

Best Night of the Year!

Fort Smith goodsamaritanfs.com Take a trip back to the Roaring 20s!

Great food, a live auction, and dancing, all to benefit the Good Samaritan Clinic.

Performers include Don Bailey Jazz Combo and Mr. Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes.

The Little Foxes Fort Smith fslt.org

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Wynonna and The Big Noise Pocola, OK choctawcasinos.com Here’s your chance to hear Wynonna and The Big Noise at Choctaw Casino in Pocola, Oklahoma!

MARCH 2 N D

Fort Smith Little Theatre presents The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman and directed by Jim Moody. It’s set in 1900 Alabama and features a trove of highly entertaining, and sometimes outrageous characters.

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Lauren Barth and Guests Fort Smith

Grape Escapes, A Vine Affair!

Fort Smith bost.org

Hear Lauren Barth, who’s known for writing songs that straddle the line between pop, Americana, and folk.

She’ll be performing with Tulsa Stalwart, Paul Benjamin, and John Davies.

Grape Escapes is an annual fundraiser for Bost, Inc. Sample more than 375 wines from around the world and enjoy scrumptious hors d’oeuvres.

There will be auctions, a wine pull, and live music.

artistaudiencecommunitylive.com

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community

This year, as Fort Smith celebrates its bicentennial, author and historian Tom Wing will be sharing stories of our city’s past in each edition of Do South®.

CHEROKEE BILL AND IKE ROGERS

words Tom Wing, Historian IMAGE courtesy of Tom Wing via the Fort Smith National Historic Site and the Western History Collection at the University of Oklahoma Libraries

T

This month’s lesson begins with a photograph and a story

record included multiple train and bank robberies that resulted

that involves justice and injustice, murder, robbery, and judg-

in the deaths of seven innocent victims.

ment. The photo is of notorious outlaw Crawford Goldsby, aka “Cherokee Bill,” and includes the U.S. Deputy Marshals who

In the iconic photograph, a few feet to Goldsby’s left is Isaac (Ike)

transported him to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Goldsby’s criminal

Rogers (number 1 in the above photo), the man most responsible

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community

for his capture and the focus of our lesson. Taken at Wagoner,

We may never know the exact motivations and feelings on

west of Fort Smith, and snapped seconds before Goldsby tried

both sides of this story, but we do know that Clarence Goldsby

to escape, the photograph looks more like a reunion of friends.

shot Ike Rogers in the back of the neck, from behind, after he

Photographs taken later show the outlaw in cuffs and leg irons.

stepped off the train at Fort Gibson. Clarence fired three more shots into Rogers as he lay on the platform, and reclaimed his

The story starts like this: At the suggestion of U.S. Deputy

brother’s Winchester Ike carried.

Marshal Bill Smith, former Deputy Marshal Ike Rogers developed a scheme to capture the outlaw. Using his home and niece, a

Fast forward to today. Nicka Smith is a professional photographer

romantic interest of Goldsby’s, as bait, the ruffian entered the

and genealogist. Through oral history, Civil War Pension Records,

trap but remained on guard throughout a night of drinking and

Cherokee Roll documents, and DNA, she has traced her ancestry

gambling that took priority over the girl. Rogers’ only chance came

back to her great, great, grandfather, Isaac “Ike” Rogers. Her

when the outlaw crouched by the fire to light a cigarette. A fierce

research and findings are incredible and have particular relevance

and desperate struggle resulted, and Rogers, with the help of

today, as on August 30, 2017, the Supreme Court ruled Nicka,

friend Clint Scales, disarmed and handcuffed Goldsby. Rogers and

and other descendants of Cherokee Freedmen, as tribal members.

Scales then took the outlaw from Rogers’ home near Nowata, to the train station at Wagoner for transfer to Fort Smith.

With an ancestry beginning through DNA in West Africa, Nicka’s family was enslaved by Cherokees and migrated

Goldsby’s

archenemy,

west during the “so-called” voluntary removal period. A few

J. Warren Reed, to defend her son in Parker’s courtroom. Reed,

mother

employed

Judge

Parker’s

generations later, Ike Rogers escaped slavery in the Cherokee

a law school graduate, frequently challenged the self-taught,

Nation, fled to Kansas, joining the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry.

“log cabin” methods of Parker, successfully overturning a

One of the first black regiments to be organized and see

significant number of cases on appeal. Goldsby’s lengthy trial

combat, the regiment defended Fort Smith from Confederate

allowed Reed to appeal to President Cleveland. While awaiting

attack in 1864. Following the war, Rogers took his family back

an answer, the outlaw used a smuggled pistol and killed jailer

to the Cherokee Nation, where according to Nicka Smith,

Larry Keating. This allowed prosecutors to focus on a murder

Rogers said, “My cousin told me not to come here to live, I

case they could more easily win. March 17, 1896, Crawford

told him, ‘You have schools here, and my children have Cher-

Goldsby was executed on the gallows at Fort Smith for the

okee blood in their veins and have a right to attend them.’”

murder of Keating.

Rogers’ move back to the Cherokee Nation was pivotal in all Much has been written about the jail, trials, and executions

that followed. S.W. Harmon’s allegations aside, Isaac Rogers, the

at Fort Smith. Hell on the Border is considered an authori-

man who apprehended THE most notorious outlaw in the history

tative account. S.W. Harmon, the author, served once as a

of Indian Territory, perhaps, deserves a little more recognition.

jurist and enjoyed the help of none other than J. Warren Reed to chronicle the story. Harmon lays a hard hand on

In the “Fort Smith School,” I'd like to offer Rogers that recogni-

Ike Rogers in the book, calling him “dastardly” and “a foul

tion. Ike was an escaped slave, who served his country, fighting

betrayer.” Harmon devoted a whole chapter to slandering

for his freedom and the freedom of his people. Later, he served

Rogers’ character while claiming Cherokee Bill’s honor-

as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. But even more than that,

able friendship and financial support to Rogers. Harmon

he was remembered by his family as a caring father, which is

claims that Rogers was unable to support his own family and

quite possibly the best reward any man can hope to garner.

needed the outlaw’s help. Harmon openly justifies vengeanceseeking Clarence Goldsby (Crawford’s younger brother) and his stalking, threatening, and eventual murder of Ike Rogers.

J. Warren Reed’s failure to free the elder Goldsby surely influenced Harmon’s troublesome account of the murder of a

More information on Nicka Smith’s amazing research can be found at: whoisnickasmith.com.

former U.S. Deputy Marshal by the brother of the outlaw.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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poetry

Untitled LINEs Randi Bomar

If you are

cherished, be glad.

You cannot arrange this, or earn it.

You are carried like rain

in cupped palms,

over miles of desert to a man

dying of thirst.

One gives you.

One lives

because of you.

Your only job

is to be water.

And go where you are poured.

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entertainment

The Story of Arthur Truluv

By Elizabeth Berg | Random House | 218 pages | $26 review Marla Cantrell

As the novel opens,

neighbor, Lucille, a loud woman with big opinions and an even

Arthur Truluv, eighty-

bigger heart, joins the two at Arthur’s house, forming a kind of

five

ramshackle family.

years

old,

is

grieving the loss of his wife, Nola, who died six months before.

Each day at lunchtime, he takes the bus to the cemetery, walks to

As the story unfurls, so much of what’s broken in each of the

her plot, and talks to her while he eats his midday meal.

three characters gets fixed. Lucille blossoms in a household where she’s needed and wanted. Arthur finds purpose again,

Arthur is not morose. Rather, he tells Nola what’s going on

helping Maddy navigate her troubled life. And Maddy gets to live

at home. How their cat, Gordon, is doing, for instance. As he

in a place where she’s adored.

passes the other graves, he often stops, and when he does, he can hear the stories of those buried there: who they were, what

As I write this, I know how it sounds. The Story of Arthur Truluv

they loved, what did them in.

seems like a simple story that ends happily. But it’s so much more. It shows us how spectacular everyone’s life is, no matter

The cemetery, Arthur thinks, is a palace of stories.

who we are, no matter what our circumstances. This book gives us a hero, an eighty-five-year-old hero with so much bravery and

One day, he notices a teen girl named Maddy who comes to

tenderness, I think you’ll fall a little bit in love with him.

the cemetery on her lunch break from school. She is wildly unpopular with her classmates, a condition she attributes to

I know I did. As soon as I finished, I started the book again. I had

losing her mother when she was only a few weeks old.

spent the week saturated in news that nearly felled me. And I wasn’t ready to give up these characters, so real and kind that I

Arthur and Maddy become friends. Maddy loves Arthur’s

wanted to live in their world a little longer.

devotion to his wife, the way he listens during conversations, the way he seems to weigh what Maddy says as evenly as if

Author Elizabeth Berg is a genius at taking what’s ordinary and

she were an adult.

illuminating it so that we can see the dazzle beneath. A whole universe unfolds in The Story of Arthur Truluv. On the surface,

Arthur thinks Maddy could use a true friend, that she’s due a break

it seems rather mundane, but when Berg is finished, the light of

in life, that she hides her broken heart inside her tough exterior.

Heaven shines all the way through it.

Not long after the two meet, Maddy finds herself in need of a place

If you’re in need of a story of hope right now, pick up this book. It

to stay, and Arthur takes her in. His equally elderly next-door

will make your heart sing.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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pets

Bring Home the Love M

F

M

F

Spot

Lilah

F

Jewels

F

Kat

Eskimo Joe

Jaws

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

| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org

Each month, Do SouthÂŽ 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.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

lifestyle

does it work?

Do South® Magazine Reviews

Lids by Design® by Contours Rx® words Catherine Frederick

What’s the deal?

Lids by Design ® is a medical grade instant eyelid correcting strip.

What’s the claim?

The claim is that the correcting strip will instantly and temporarily uplift the appearance of eyelids while visibly refreshing the signs of tired, aged eyes. Great for loose, sagging skin and heavy-hooded lids, they are easy to apply and an affordable alternative to surgery. The strips are made of a medical-grade, latex-free material which blends in with your skin and makeup can be applied afterward. The product is made in Germany.

How it works: After you wash your face to remove oils, makeup, and residue, raise your eyebrow to lift excess skin. Apply the strip across the eyelid fold (not below or above it) using the included tweezers. Softly press the strip until it adheres and blends with your skin.

Covering the strip with an eyeshadow primer is optional but recommended. Afterward, apply makeup as normal. When you’re ready to remove them, gently peel the strip off the eyelid and dispose of it as each strip is for a one-time use only.

What’s the verdict?

I found them easy to apply; however, placement did take a little practice. But, thankfully I had the variety box so I could play around with the sizes to find just the right one for me and get the placement right too. For the most part, the strips blended into my skin. I found it easy to apply makeup over the strips, especially after using the COLORSET Pencil Primer by Contours RX®. They only took a minute or two to apply and gave my eyes a much brighter and youthful appearance!

Lids by Design® can be purchased at Dr. Steven Stiles Optometry in Fort Smith, 479.452.2020, for $39.95, for a variety box of 80 (one-month supply with 10 extra for trial), or online at contoursrx.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Have a product you’d like us to review? Send your ideas to editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

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shop

Love is in the Air... and All Around Town! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne, Mr. & Mrs. Wine Glasses, Dom Perignon Champagne

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

Boom Choco Boom Gluten, Dairy, Nut & Soy Free Dark Chocolate Bar, Chocolove Premium Dark Chocolate Bars (Raspberries, Chilies & Cherries), Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

OLDE FASHIONED FOODS 479.782.6183 / 479.649.8200

Valentine Door Décor, Door Mat with Love Insert by Evergreen

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH

Hearts On Fire Engagement Rings, 18kt White Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold & Platinum

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

479.441.4221

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shop

Keep it local and shop small, not just for Valentine’s Day but every day. Join us in showing some of our favorite shops just how thankful we are they’re here!

Young Living Essential Oils and Diffusers

Baileys and Kahlúa Chocolates, Intrinsic Wine, Heart Vessel

ARKANSAS VEIN CLINICS & SKINCARE

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

479.484.7100

The Future of Smart Hearing Aids is Here!

Tiffany & Co. Sunglasses

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277

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people

SWEET HISTORY

The Kopper Kettle Story words Marla Cantrell IMAGEs Jade Graves, Jade Graves Photography

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

Tommy Greer sits at a kitchen table in the break room of Kopper Kettle Candies in Van Buren, Arkansas. The cabinets, just a few feet away, are knotty pine, and the wall behind him is covered in cheery yellow wallpaper.

In the rooms surrounding this one, candy makers are making some of the best chocolate convections you’ll ever eat. If you have just one choice, try the Ozarkies, a formula they developed in the early 1950s, which has a vanilla cream center surrounded by milk and dark vanilla chocolate and pecans. Breathe in and you’ll be surrounded by the scent of it, chocolate so rich and sweet it seems as if it could be used for negotiating world peace.

“I grew up here,” Tommy says, and then describes what the space looked like then: the bedrooms, the living room, this place they called home.

This was decades ago, when he was a student at Van Buren Schools, just

Tommy Greer

figuring out what the world was all about.

He’d bring friends home, many of whom would have traded places with him on the spot. Even entering the store was a pleasure. The rock building with its wide windows and white columns painted to resemble candy canes gave the place a storybook feel.

As sweet as it looked, a ton of work went into daily operations. Every day after school, Tommy did his part to keep the family business going.

After graduating, he decided to try his hand at something else. He joined the Navy and later took a job driving a truck. The wide-open spaces, bouncing along rough roads and tugging up steep hills seemed just about perfect, and he believed he’d never work in the family business again. He married a girl named Berry Ann, the decision, even now, that he credits for all the good things that followed.

And then, in 1978, his father, Martin L. Greer, passed away, and Tommy realized his mom, Betty, would need help running Kopper Kettle Candies. For a while, he burned the candle at both ends, working in the candy store and driving the truck. It took its toll, and eventually, he realized he had to choose.

His choice was candy.

In those first years, things were tough. Six years before his father’s death, a new interstate highway arrived, pulling traffic off Highway 64-71, and business, by the time Tommy got involved, had dwindled.

Still, he believed in what he was doing. His parents had come here from Fort Worth in 1956, and they’d built a small empire. There were loyal customers, folks who couldn’t imagine Christmas or Easter or Valentine’s DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Day without Kopper Kettle. And that included treats like Divinity, Peanut Brittle, Turtles, even hard candies.

Tommy was right.

Today, the business has two locations: the flagship store in Van Buren and a second location in Fort Smith. Tommy and Berry Ann’s granddaughter runs the Fort Smith store, and their daughter has recently come onboard in Van Buren. (Their son owns a Golden Corral restaurant in Fayetteville.)

As Tommy says this, he smiles. He enjoys seeing successive generations stepping up to the plate.

Tommy rises, walks to the production area where the magic happens. Machines click and purr, and two women roll coconut patties that will be dipped in dark chocolate. A row of copper kettles lines the far wall, waiting to be fired up. The copper is significant since it distributes heat evenly.

Inside another room, golden pillows of molasses candy are being run through a conveyor belt that takes them through a bath of chocolate. One of his workers stands at the end of the line using a tool that brands the top of the candy. Beyond that, two more workers take the cooled candy, pack it in boxes and store it in a humidity and temperature-controlled space. As for the chocolate, they use a blend that comes from a company in California and another in Pennsylvania, via Mexico and Central America, and the Ivory Coast of Africa.

Tommy stands on a shiny, linoleum floor and surveys the work.

He makes some minor adjustments to the machine that’s carrying the candy along. He knows these machines as well as he knows the rhythm of every sunrise, the cadence of every night. Some of his equipment is from the 1940s. Some of the molds he uses to make Easter rabbits and Easter eggs are from the 1950s.

And some of his customers are even older. “We have a man from Mansfield who brings the same Valentine box back every year to get it filled for his wife. That thing must be sixty years old. It’s a little rough looking, but it’s their tradition.”

He laughs. “And then we had one customer who used to bring his Valentine box in every year. One year he asks for a new box, and I asked him why. He tells me he got a new wife.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

Betty and Martin L. Greer

Vintage Photo Kopper Kettle

Tommy mentions Berry Ann again. “I’ve just had the one wife.

always, and taught their children the same. The elder Greers lived

She and I are really good together, and she’s been so tolerant of

through the Great Depression, which caused them to be cautious,

me.” He laughs, a man who seems to know he’s a handful.

to set aside for a rainy day. To build something that would last.

Valentine sales will likely involve 10,000 pounds of chocolate,

As a teen, Tommy was the kid who went to school, came home and got

all of it designed to spread joy, to be a physical representation

to work. “My parents believed in working, school work, and reading

of love. Through the years, Tommy and his crew have helped

the Bible.” It was the same in most families he knew. His classmates

out with proposals, slipping a sparkly ring into one of the fluted

were farm kids, or they took after-school jobs to help their families.

paper cups that typically holds candy. They’ve handed the heart-

His parents bought the building from the Meadors’ family in

shaped box over to a nervous man who would eventually watch

Alma, giants in the local construction trade. It was smaller then,

as the one he loved lifted the lid and saw the future there: choco-

but still just as charming.

late and diamonds. Not a bad way to start.

In a few weeks, Kopper Kettle will start making their famous ChocIn one of the hallways in this grand old building is a photo

olate-Covered Strawberries. One of his most loyal customers will

collection. Some of the pictures show Kopper Kettle in earlier

be John Tyson, from the Tyson Chicken family. He smiles. He’s met

days, the grounds outside surrounded by signs that announced

a lot of great people over the years. In the fall, they dive into the

you could buy Frankoma Pottery inside, that you could watch

Gourmet Caramel Apple business, and customers flock to buy them.

candy being made, that you could stand for a few minutes in a

At Christmastime, crowds come to watch candy canes get made.

spot that was air-conditioned!

Tommy loves it all. He works with a group of about thirteen, Tommy’s parents understood the mindset of the tourist, the

some family and others who seem like it. “I’ve got to do some-

allure that caused the driver to pull over the station wagon and

thing about that unlucky number thirteen,” he jokes, and then

come inside, get a treat, let the kids stretch their legs. Maybe

introduces a worker who had retired, but Tommy talked her into

learn a thing or two about candy making, about Arkansas.

coming back. She is sitting in front of a vat of candy, a chocolate and pecan confection, dipping spoonfuls onto a tray. “I get to

The photos make you wonder what would have happened if

sit down now,” she says. “That was the deal.” She and Tommy

Martin L. Greer, born in 1907, hadn’t taken a job with a candy

laugh, a customer walks through the door, and business begins

maker in Texarkana in the mid-1920s. If he’d stayed on the family

again, just as it has for sixty-two years.

farm, Kopper Kettle wouldn’t be where it stands today, this icon of our area, the sweetest history we have.

Tommy is sure his parents, who were married in 1938, would have made a success at whatever they did. The couple worked hard,

Visit Kopper Kettle at 4300 Rogers Ave # 58, Fort Smith, or at 6300 Alma Highway, Van Buren.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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community

Our Community Cares words Do South® Staff

DS: What is the River Valley Christian Life Corps’ mission?

Amanda: RVCLC, a 501 c3 non-profit, is a faith-based mentoring program that helps men and women, ages eighteen years and older reach their individual life goals. Our mentors meet one-on-one with participants weekly, assisting them in making positive steps, giving encouragement, and if needed, assisting them in connecting with community resources. RVCLC believes true life-changes don’t happen without the

River Valley Christian Life Corps

power of Christ, so we also provide Bible study and prayer.

DS: How did this non-profit get its start?

320 N. Greenwood Avenue

Amanda: We were founded in 1999 by four local women: Glenda Harris, Susan Yates,

Fort Smith, AR 72902

Anita Hammack and Barbara Whickman; however, the actual organization, Christian

479.353.7001

Women's Job Corp, is a ministry created by the Women's Missionary Union from the

RiverValleyCLC.org.

Southern Baptist Convention. Our program was created to help women who needed to enter or re-enter the workforce and needed life and job skills and education. RVCLC changed its name from CWJC to RVCLC to better encompass all that we do. We will assist women and men in obtaining employment, but we also help clients identify past obstacles,

Beginning with this issue, Do South is ®

so they can be successful at their new jobs, and we help them meet other life goals.

showcasing local non-profits that do so much good for the people of our area.

Christian Life Corps in Fort Smith,

DS: If any of our readers are in need of your services, what should they do?

Arkansas. We asked Executive Director

Amanda: We would love the opportunity to assist anyone who is struggling with

Amanda Yates to talk about RVCLC and

employment or life. RVCLC believes God is our provider, and we desire to join you to

how it helps our community.

prayerfully seek His guidance, provision and comfort. Give us a call to make an appoint-

This month’s focus is on the River Valley

ment or stop by on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 10:30am and 5pm.

DS: And if our readers want to help?

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area.

If you have a non-profit you’d like to see recognized, email us at editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

Amanda: We offer volunteer and mentor training. Those interested can call our office, or email us to schedule an appointment. To donate, checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 601, Fort Smith, AR 72902. There’s also a PayPal link at RiverValleyCLC.org.

DS: What if a local church or organization would like to hear more about what you do?

Amanda: Just call me, Amanda Yates, Executive Director of RVCLC, at 479.462.4455, or email rivervalleyclc@gmail.com to schedule a speaking engagement.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Words and image Jessica Sowards

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

I often wake up in the night. Usually around 3 a.m., with no alarm screaming and no child tugging on my bed covers, I simply open my eyes to the still and silent darkness and am completely awake. I used to toss and turn, pick up my phone and waste the wee hours of the night scrolling through social media.

The whole time, I would steep in frustration, knowing how tired I would be when the alarm and the children did make their demands.

I am a farmer. Only in the recent years of my life have I earned the ability to claim that title. For decades before we began to build our farm, though, it was my dream. I wanted it more than anything. I read books and organized Pinterest boards, imagining the day my dream might actually become reality.

Some people are just dreamers. They get dressed with phrases like "head in the clouds" by those that don't understand. They make plans and have no thought of reasonable expectations or limitations. They are the ones that ultimately change the world, which they view as a blank canvas just waiting for their ideas and hopes to explode upon. And while it might be nice and neat to group these wild thinkers into a circle separate from the rest of the levelheaded society, I have a theory that tells me I can't do that.

I am a dreamer. The wild and reckless sort that has the faith to believe genuinely impossible things. And I sincerely believe, perhaps a belief that is, in itself, an impossible dream, that all people are made to be dreamers.

Now, before you write me off, hear me out. There was a season when I turned off my imagination. Because it made me feel discontent with reality.

It made me scared of what might never be. That was back before I learned to dream with the One who imagined imagination, the Creator that made me in His image and told me to leverage His love into the earth.

I believe, with my whole heart, that we were all created in His image.

Therefore, we were all created to imagine, to be fearless, to be hopeful and unlimited by what the world deems possible. I think sometimes things just feel too out of reach. We resolve ourselves to leave the desires of our hearts on the tall, high shelf and just look at them wistfully from time to time. We relegate our hearts to a place where we might be safe from disappointment, where if we don't admit we want something then we can't be sad about not having it.

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This is not happiness. It is not contentment. This is giving up. This

Then the trials came, the testing of our resolve. I stood over

is a declaration that God needs us to dumb down our desires to

freshly turned earth, full of sorrow over the life lost to my fail-

make sure He can handle it. He can handle your dream.

ures. I doctored animals, and they died anyway. I planted one hundred tomato plants too close together, and disease wiped

Then there's the fear of failure. I think sometimes, because

them out halfway through the season. I lost my favorite doe to

of our own shortcomings, we become afraid. We turn off our

milk fever and my favorite dog to a speeding car.

imaginations and separate ourselves from the dreamers, and we create a place where we can feel safe from the possibility

Then the winter came. Year after year, like a wave I hadn't quite

of making a mistake.

gained the footing to stand against. Year after year, the beauty and abundance were stripped, almost strategically, from my farm

It is a mistake to stop dreaming.

and I was left with stinking mud and frozen water troughs. I came close to giving up more times than I can count. We rarely

A couple of years ago, during a cold and dreary winter just

want to throw in the towel when things are fruitful, but in the

like this one, God switched on my imagination. He was able

trials and in the winter seasons, a girl can begin to lose her grasp.

to because I decided to be bold enough to let Him. In the wee hours, I stopped being frustrated about being awake, and I

There's only one hope in these barely-hanging-on seasons

started to plan and pray. These became my imagination hours.

when everything you've been promised looks dead as a door-

I decided that in the darkness and quiet of the night, I would

nail and you can barely remember the time when it was easy.

not be contained by the limitations of the day. I planned out

These are the times, more than ever, that it is imperative

acres of farm that I did not have, plans for expansion that I

to dream. Being bold enough to look past hopeless circum-

could not afford. I asked Him what He wanted for my life and

stances with strong faith that they won't last forever is a kick

night after night, wide awake, I dreamed with God.

in the face to hopelessness.

These winter months, when the temperatures are coldest, and my

It takes a lot of courage to dream. It takes determination to

heart literally aches for the green of summer, my farm couldn't

keep going when you mess up. And it takes the experience

look any deader. The garden that produced hundreds of pounds

that He can and He will surpass our wildest expectations to sit

of food just a short six months ago looks completely barren. The

on a dead farm on an eight-degree winter night and write an

goats are all dried up from milk, getting ready to kid in the spring.

article telling countless strangers to dream.

The horses, with their frosty fur, have reprieve from training and it's far too cold for any of us to want to ride. The chickens hardly

You may never have asked for a herd of dairy goats, but I know

lay, and though the incubator will soon be loaded with eggs, it is

there's a dream in you. There's an imagination of some version

now too cold to bother with fluffy, new chicks.

of yourself, one that does things that feel impossible. Don't put it on the top shelf. Be brave enough to say, "I want that."

This is my dream. For years, I prayed. I cried over homesteading books in Barnes and Noble. I planned. Then, with a lot of

Don't give up. Don't quit. Don't allow your brilliant mind to

patience and even more hard work, it became real life. I could

be switched off. Shake awake your imagination and tell it that

hardly believe it. I no longer cried in bookstores but in chicken

it's time to shine. Dream, with no limits. It's who you were

coops, overwhelmed as I was by the love of God.

made to be.

Follow Jessica

@thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com.

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diy

Words and images Catherine Frederick

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people taste diy

The weather outside is frightful, but it’s so delightful under this warm, cozy blanket, big enough for two. Make one for yourself, or someone you love. It’s super simple to create and can be customized based on the fleece you choose. From movie characters to favorite sports teams and plaids to stripes, you’ll find several options at the local fabric store and even more options online.

Materials •

Fleece (I ordered from Fleecequeen.com)

•

Scissors (make sure they are good and sharp)

1

Step 1 Cut fabric to desired length. Your fleece should be 54” wide. Two yards of fleece will make a 6’ long throw, and 3 yards will make a 9’ long throw. I opted for somewhere in the middle so two people can snuggle underneath without their toes getting cold!

2

Step 2 On the short ends, cut fabric 9 inches up from edge, 1/2-inch wide (you can use the fabric’s pattern as a guide). I tried my best to have the total number of strips divisible evenly by 3.

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3

Step 3 This is the laborious part, but you can do it! Keep cutting those strips until you reach the other end of your fabric.

4

Step 4 About 1/3 of the way down from the uncut portion of the strips, tie 3 strips together using a simple knot (think of how you would tie a balloon).

5

Step 5 Don’t stop now! Keep tying the strips together until you reach the end.

It’s time to snuggle! This throw can be easily washed and dried on a normal cycle. If some of your knots come undone, simply retie. Start making them now; they make great gifts for friends, teachers and those you love!

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ALMOST GONE

The Allie Wilson Story Words Allie Wilson images courtesy Allie Wilson, engagement photo Kim Singer Photography

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

Tampons. Periods. Toxic Shock Syndrome. There, I've

Two hours later, my mother realizes I am indeed getting worse.

said it. I’ve said three things most of us are ashamed to talk

She has a hard time convincing me to go to the hospital since

about, including me. It’s taken months to sit down and cope

I’m disoriented, but she doesn’t give up and soon we’re at

with my near-death experience, but here I am talking about

Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith.

it. I'm doing this because I now see purpose in the past and hope to educate others for the future. If you care about your

I arrive at the ER and stagger through the front doors. Mom

friends and family, you'll keep reading.

is holding me up, and my teeth chatter. My body feels frozen despite the Arkansas summer heat. Soon, I’m in an exam room

TSS, or Toxic Shock Syndrome, is a dangerous bacterial infec-

where my vitals are being tracked, and my blood is taken.

tion in which two different types of bacteria are often the

My vision is going in and out, as is my awareness. The frantic

root cause: staph or strep. Although women are more prone

nurses and doctors are talking a hundred miles an hour,

to this disease through the use of tampons, it’s also seen in

getting IVs ready, asking me if I know where I am. I look at

men and those with minor injuries. I never thought I’d be

my mom, who’s trying to be positive. Her solemn face tells me

part of the statistics since TSS is considered a rare condition.

everything I need to know. My sweet grandfather is there as

My name is Allie Wilson, and this is my story.

well, holding my hand and praying.

Mom tells me later that my temperature was 104.7, and my

It's 8:30 a.m. on June 27, 2017, and I've woken up sick. I’m

blood pressure a frightening 60/20. Test results show I have

weak and shivering as I hang over the toilet in desperation. I begin to question what went wrong; just twelve hours prior, I had played the best two softball games in my Church League

Allie Wilson

career. I hesitate calling my mom because I know she’ll go into complete panic mode, but I also know something’s wrong. I tell myself to be tough; it'll be okay. I push myself off the floor and attempt to get back in bed to stop the shivers. Halfway there, I turn around and barely hit the target. Dizzy and unstable, I clean myself up and reach for my phone to call Mom, who’s two-and-a-half-hours away from where I live in Little Rock.

She’s my superhero, and within minutes she’s made me an appointment with my doctor in Greenwood, my hometown.

My boyfriend, Adam, is my next call. He races to me, and in the twenty minutes it takes him to arrive, I lie on the cold bathroom floor where I sweat profusely. He quickly packs the car with every possible thing a sick person would need: trash can, blanket, pillow, water, and crackers.

With all my strength, I get myself to the car, holding on to any object I can find between the bathroom and the car. Adam wraps me in blankets, and for the next two hours, I drift in and out of sleep, which seems to help my nausea. When I wake, I’m outside my doctor’s office, and my mom is with me, her soft voice comforting me. I try to walk inside, but I can’t, using a wheelchair instead. The doctor runs tests, gives me two shots, and tells me to call if things get worse.

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Adam and Allie

a severe urinary tract infection that will respond to medicine,

Diaz who becomes my infectious disease doctor and hero the

but I am dangerously dehydrated and need to be admitted.

next couple of days. He’s consulted with a doctor at Dartmouth University, and they agree on my diagnosis. Our relationship

I’m put in a regular room in the yellow hall with young, hip

doesn’t start well because he orders a painful central line to be

nurses who ensure I’ll receive great care. I don’t get much

put into my neck to administer a drug that will raise my blood

sleep overnight because a nurse wakes me every thirty

pressure. I now have a line in each arm and one in the neck.

minutes to track the progress they hope to see, but don’t. My body begins to hurt worse overnight, and I feel hopeless; I can

In the next few days, I’m hopeful the central line is working;

barely lift my arm in the air.

however, my blood pressure still reads 90/30, and my temperature is 103 degrees. By this time, Adam has reurned from

At 6:00 the next morning, I’m undergoing an MRI to see why

Little Rock, and word is spreading about my illness.

I’m not improving. The test helps the doctors diagnose me with Toxic Shock Syndrome and Sepsis.

Despite the incredible support from my family and friends, I reach my breaking point. My pain turns excruciating due to

I’m immediately moved to ICU where I meet a new nurse-friend,

lactic acid buildup in my body. I’ve gained twenty-five pounds

Ella, my angel who never leaves my side. I meet Manuel Vilchez-

due to the fluids I'm getting through IVs, and I pray with much

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emotion to be healed. The strong, energizing, positive Allie that everyone knew is gone.

Top Ways to Prevent TSS

Dr. Vilchez tells my family that if I’m not better overnight, they’ll do a spinal tap the following day. I cannot tell you how that night reconfirms my belief in the power of prayer.

Although I ask for no more visitors, a constant stream comes in and out of the waiting area praying for me and asking God

Choose cotton.

If possible, use 100% cotton feminine hygiene products and don’t use super absorbent tampons,

to bring me back to health.

which are often linked to TSS.

During alone-time with Adam, he prays, and I feel humbled.

Don’t wear tampons for extended periods of time.

Together we watch a miracle happen. Around 3:30 in the morning, my temperature begins to decrease to ninety-nine, and my blood pressure holds steady at 95/50. That next day,

Although I suggest not wearing them at all, this is the least you can do. The longer you keep a

working hard to regain my strength, I wink at Dr. Vilchez as I

tampon in your system, the more prone you are to

walk by his office, all by myself.

infection! Change your tampon every 2 to 3 hours and of course, avoid sleeping in them.

My plan works, and I’m moved to a lower level of ICU, and the next day moved to a regular room. Thankfully, God continues to answer the many prayers, and on July 3, I’m heading home!

Be alert to staph in locker rooms.

Be careful in atmospheres that carry a lot of

On July 4, I celebrate our country’s freedom as well as my

bacteria

from

sweat

and

own! What I don’t know is that this type of illness won’t allow

wounds may be present.

where

injuries/open

a quick return to normal life. Within the next three months, I’m in the hospital two more times. My immune system is low and can’t ward off attacks. Every time I try to exercise, I pay

Wash your hands frequently.

for it, feeling like I have the flu the following day. Every time I

Wash your hands before and after inserting a tampon

have my period, I relapse.

to reduce bacteria. In addition, washing your hands helps prevent exposure to additional germs and

It takes me six months to feel like myself again.

infections, which can be transferred to your system.

There are good things that happen during this time as well. A week after I’m released from the hospital, Adam asks me to

Add a probiotic to your daily diet.

marry him. He had that date set for two months and thank-

Probiotics boost your immune system and are one

fully he didn’t have to postpone the proposal. We’re planning

of the main ways to guard the body from all kinds

our wedding in May and look forward to a happy, healthy life

of problems, including symptoms of TSS.

together. I’m so thankful for God’s power to heal me, and for the many doctors, nurses, friends, and family members who prayed and worked fervently to get me through.

Don’t assume you have the flu.

If you’re using tampons and exhibit symptoms of

My message is simple: be informed of what you are putting

fever, nausea, body aches, sunburn rash on the

into your body, be vigilant and listen to your instincts when

body, and low blood pressure, have your doctor

things are not right, believe in God’s power and always give

evaluate you for TSS.

Him the glory!

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community

WORDS Marla Cantrell IMAGES Amber Neal

A

winter wind whips across the parking lot of the Sebas-

Amber Neal, raven-haired, smiles as she stops to pet an orange

tian County Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas,

and white cat who slumbers on a nearby counter, before

on this Friday afternoon. Twigs skitter, a wayward

sharing the story of the furry couple. As the transport director

plastic bag puffs like a cloud, and a movie ticket, torn in two,

of the Humane Society, she’s met every animal in the shelter.

flies like a sparrow.

Each pet causes her heart to pang. She wishes she could take them all home, but her house is nearly at peak capacity right

Inside the warm shelter, more than 300 pets wait, hoping for

now: a cat, four dogs, two foster dogs.

their forever homes. Duke and Dutchess are among the crowd, an unlikely dog duo who’ve been here for more than four months.

The plight of Duke and Dutchess gripped her, following her home at night, greeting her when she woke in the morning.

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community taste

“It’s a love story,” Amber says, with none of the irony you might expect. When they arrived, it took the staff only a short while to understand that Dutchess wasn’t about to spend one night without her beloved Duke. Dutchess is a big girl, middleaged, probably part lab, part Staffordshire terrier, and she grew anxious when separated from Duke. Duke, a small miniature pincher mix, whimpered, so mournful it sounded like grief.

So, the two got their way, and when Amber passed their kennel, there was Duke, sleeping atop Dutchess, the couple forged in slumber, united against a world that had turned against them in the time they’d lived on the street.

There are things about Amber’s job that are easy. She walks by a passel of silky puppies that look as new as springtime and feels a jolt of hope. The pups will likely find good homes with soft beds and people to love them. A dog with a pedigree and an outgoing disposition is a good bet.

But Duke and Dutchess didn’t seem quite as promising. Perhaps if they were separated, they could find their forever home. So that’s what happened, and soon Dutchess was adopted, much

Dutchess

to Duke’s chagrin. It was as if Dutchess could feel the angst of her sweetheart, could imagine him at the shelter, not knowing what to do without her. After a while, her new family understood they couldn’t keep her and brought her back.

Which made Duke a little giddy. There was his girl, the one who held his heart, tagging along with him when the volunteers walked them, eating beside him when their food was brought.

The shelter wasn’t exactly a home, but it was a good safe place.

When Amber would greet them in the morning, Duke would rise from his spot atop Dutchess, jumping up and down, his small feet making contact with Dutchess’s back, and she’d look at him as though this bouncing was part of their relationship she was happy to tolerate.

Still, Amber continued to worry about the two, wondering if someone out there would take them both. So she took their photo and posted a message on the shelter’s Facebook page, describing the pair, their particular love, their inability to be apart.

The post generated interest. People shared the story of the two lovebirds, hoping to find the perfect fit. As of this writing, DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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no one has adopted Duke and Dutchess, but Amber holds out hope that their forever family is out there somewhere. “We never stop trying,” she says.

Which is the mantra for all who work here and love this mission.

The no-kill shelter takes in pets who are in dire circumstances.

Maybe their owners have passed away. Maybe they’ve been dumped by the side of the road. Maybe they’ve had to eat rocks to fill their bellies. The stories will break your heart.

Amber’s heart does more than break. It opens wide. She’s been working with the shelter for more than five years, and time after time, she’s been drawn to the least adoptable.

“My oldest boy is Bear, who was a senior Lab. They were cleaning his kennel one day, and I walk in and see this giant, hairless dog whose eyes are crusted over. I sat down next to him, and he put his paw on my leg, and then his head on my lap. I knew he was supposed to be mine, so I took him home. He had heartworms and food allergies, arthritis, dry eyes, seizures.” Amber smiles, “He can only eat salmon, which gets expensive, but I love him. He’s my soul dog.” dogs who wag their tails when she bends to pet them, despite The mood shifts suddenly, and Amber says, “No dog deserves

having just come from devastating circumstances. She sees it

to be in a shelter. They deserve a home. In my job, I help trans-

in cats who climb in her lap, ready to take another chance on

port animals to states up north where they don’t have the same

someone. And she sees it in Duke and Dutchess, whose story

animal problems as we do. I keep up with the animals we take,

before they landed at the Sebastian County Humane Society

finding out when they get a home.” She waves her arm across

remains a mystery. What she’s sure of is that their love is

the space, “We really are a village here. The staff, the volunteers,

as real as the sky above, the ground below. As sure as their

the people who foster pets. In the summer, we had 150 in our

steady heartbeats as they sleep together, Duke cuddled against

youth program who volunteered. Working here can be hard—

Dutchess, the two just fine as long as they’re together.

seeing animals who’ve been abused for instance. But there’s happiness too, watching an animal find a home. Hearing from the people who adopted them, bringing families together.”

As of this writing, Duke and Dutchess were still up for adoption. You can call the Sebastian County Humane Society at

The talk turns again to Duke and Dutchess, the couple who’ve

479.783.4395 if you’re interested in taking this mighty duo

tugged at Amber’s heartstrings. “What I want for them is to

home. Or, you can stop by the facility at 3800 Kelley Highway

find a home where they can live out their days together, to be

in Fort Smith, to see all the other great pets that need homes.

happy. Where they won’t have to worry about food or love, where they won’t spend another minute on the street. Where

Sebastian County Mobile Adoption

they won’t have to battle the cold.”

February 16, 10am-6pm PetSmart | 4900 Rogers Avenue

There has been much speculation about animals and whether

More than 20 dogs will be on site, and there will be cats as

they feel love in the way that we do. Amber has never doubted

well, ready for adoption at a discounted rate.

it. She sees love everywhere, every day, in the eyes of the sweet DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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INGREDIENTS >>

1 lb. andouille or kielbasa,

sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds

>>

1 red onion, sliced into wedges

>>

2 garlic cloves, minced

>>

3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

>>

1 red or green bell pepper,

coarsely chopped

>>

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

>>

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

>>

Âź tsp. cayenne pepper

>>

Coarse salt

>>

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

>>

2 cups frozen cut okra

(from an 8-ounce package), thawed

METHOD In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, place sausage, onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat.

Add tomatoes and their liquid, 3/4 cup water, and cayenne; season with salt.

Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 3 1/2 hours on high (or 7 hours on low).

Add shrimp and okra, cover, and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, 30 minutes (or 1 hour on low).

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taste

Razzle Dazzle Martini Image James Stefiuk

Ingredients FOR THE RASPBERRY JUICE • 2 cups frozen raspberries • 1 ½ cups water

FOR THE COCKTAIL • • • • • • •

2 oz. raspberry juice 2 oz. raspberry liqueur 4 oz. cake or whipped vodka Juice from ½ lime 1 oz. simple syrup Pink sugar crystals Raspberries for garnish (optional)

Method RASPBERRY JUICE Simmer raspberries and mash berries to release juices. Strain to remove seeds, extract and reserve juice.

COCKTAIL Chill 2 martini glasses in freezer.

Combine raspberry juice, liqueur, vodka and lime juice in cocktail shaker filled with ice—shake. Rim glasses in simple syrup and pink sugar crystals.

Pour mixture in glasses, garnish with raspberries if desired.

Please drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

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lifestyle

INDOOR FAMILY FUN! words Kimberly Blaker

The warm sunny days of summer and early autumn have come and gone. But don't let it get your family down in the dumps. The cooler months are perfect for lots of cozy indoor family fun. Try these ideas to brighten your spirits and strengthen your bond.

MAKE A TENT OR FORT.

anything else you can think of. If you have any crafting

Indoor tents and forts make for fun play areas as well as cozy

supplies such as yarn, fabric, or glitter, you can throw them

retreats for reading or watching movies. To build a tent, take

in as well. Now, let your family's inspiration flow, and create

several bed sheets, tablecloths, or blankets, and drape them

to your heart's content.

over tables or backward-facing chairs. For a more permanent structure, connect PVC tubing in the shape of a box. Then

HAVE A FAMILY READ-IN.

drape it with sheets.

First, head to the library and have everyone pick a selection of books. At home, pull pillows and blankets out for the family

HOLD AN ART WORKSHOP.

room, and spend the day lounging and absorbing your new

Gather the basics such as paper, paint, and markers. Then

reads. Another option? Everyone could take turns reading out

scrounge around for a variety of recyclables such as boxes,

loud from an age-appropriate chapter book or novel.

toilet paper rolls, plastic bottles, caps, old magazines, and

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lifestyle taste

LEARN SELF-DEFENSE. Buy or rent a martial arts DVD on basic self-defense. Then

want to do on a piece of paper. Then pick up 3 or 4 quarts

gather the whole family to practice techniques that could

of primary color paints plus a quart of white and black. At

help them escape a dangerous situation.

home, you can mix the colors to create additional colors and shades.

HOLD A MAGIC SHOW. Pick up some magic trick books or watch magic videos online.

DO A FAMILY GAME NIGHT.

Then practice, and invite the neighborhood kids to come and

Pull out the cards and board games. Pop some popcorn. Put

watch your act.

on some music. Then start keeping score to see who will be the night's grand prize winner.

HAVE A DANCE-A-THON. Crank up the volume to some pop, hip-hop, or whatever

HAVE A PICNIC.

your kids' favorite music is, and see whose energy can hold

Who said picnics are only for the outdoors? Put together all

out the longest.

the workings of a picnic complete with picnic basket, if you have one. Then spread out a blanket in your family room,

PLAY BAKERY.

and enjoy the grub.

What better way to warm up the day and enjoy quality family time than to bake up batches of scrumptious treats? Make

TELL STORIES.

a day of it! Once you've sufficiently sampled the goodies,

Write out a dozen or so story prompts each on a separate

freeze the remainder.

piece of paper, and toss them all in a bowl. Then take turns drawing a story prompt from the bowl and telling a story.

SIZZLING SCIENCE FUN.

Another option is for one person to start the story. Then,

Search online for fun experiments you can conduct at home

go around the room, and each of you add a sentence to the

with basic household products and ingredients. Perform

story. See how long you can keep the story alive.

several. Then make your own video of a really amazing one GET CULTURED.

to post on YouTube.

Choose a culture your family would like to learn about and HAVE A FAMILY WORKOUT.

experience. Then find recipes from that culture online. Have

Physical fitness is important for the entire family. But if its

everyone pitch in and help cook the international fare. Also,

cold, it can be especially difficult to do. Look for a Hiit,

look up mealtime customs for the culture you've chosen so

Zumba, or another cardiovascular exercise video with today's

you can have a full-blown experience.

hottest music and moves.

PERFORM A PUPPET SHOW. PAINT A WALL MURAL.

Pull out old socks or brown paper lunch bags, and make your

Choose a wall in your garage, mudroom, or playroom in

own puppets. Draw on the faces, and use yarn or string for

need of a personal touch. Before you begin, draw what you

the hair. Then take turns performing your shows.

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travel

All About Argenta

T

words Dwain Hebda images courtesy AR Dept. of Parks & Tourism and North Little Rock Convention and Visitors Center

Take in a typical weekend in North Little Rock, just pick one at

big, $100-million-and-counting big, for his hometown. Most

random, and see why Mayor Joe Smith beams with pride over

incredibly of all, he's helped bring much of this development to

what’s going on there. Day or night, the downtown Argenta District

a part of the city that not long ago wasn’t long on amenities.

shines like silver. Sleek new housing developments are full, bars and restaurants teem with patrons and special events at nearby Verizon

“A city's downtown is its front porch and if you're going to

Arena or Dickey Stephens Park, home of the Arkansas Travelers,

have a vibrant city you'd better have a vibrant downtown. This

jam the neighborhood with fans and concert goers.

is where the heartbeat is,” he says. “Because it's our front porch, it shows what kind of ideas we have and what our city

And that barely scratches the surface of what's to come.

wants to be, because that's where everybody looks first.”

Mayor Smith, fourth-generation North Little Rock proud, has

That's easy to say now, with heavy machinery moving dirt for

been at the controls driving this activity for years. Equal parts

gleaming new office buildings, hotels and upscale apartments;

P.T. Barnum and Don Quixote, he's dreamed big, impossibly

when music and laughter pours out of the Argenta Theater,

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travel taste

crowds flock to the Argenta Farmer's Market and the area's best craft beer flows at Flyway Brewing or Diamond Bear Brewery's Arkansas Ale House. But it wasn't always this way.

As recently as twenty years ago, the mayor's plan might have been difficult to envision. While Little Rock, its neighbor to the south, mushroomed growth and development with the River Market district and the rebirth of downtown, the same couldn’t be said for North Little Rock. But there was potential in the North Little Rock historic downtown as well. And bit by bit, it started gaining traction.

Even the town’s nickname, “Dogtown” has evolved. The origin of the tag is somewhat in dispute; it arose either as a commentary on NLR's citizenry by its well-heeled neighbors or literally from Little Rock dumping its stray dog population north of the river.

Either way, the tag was considered a major put-down by city leaders (who actually tried to bury the moniker via mock funeral in 1965) and was jeeringly chanted from the stands at sporting events by visiting teams.

All of that is gone now; not only do generations of North Little Rock natives proudly embrace the name, but it has been used in marketing everything from a local film festival to T-shirts to a namesake beer. Right alongside, the city has steadily come into vogue, too.

Developers, some frustrated by high prices and lack of space in the River Market, found Argenta long on charm and a relative bargain to boot. By the time the new Dickey Stephens ballpark landed here more than a decade ago, there was genuine momentum on the housing front, with stylish apartments and townhomes springing up in place of blighted and forlorn properties.

All of which has set the stage for the latest and most ambitious project of all, Argenta Plaza, which will provide public performance space, bubbling fountains and multimedia attractions.

“That's going to be our crown and when it's not hosting a festival, it'll be a beautiful place to look at, to visit, to hang out in or to sit at the restaurant and enjoy the fountains and the lights and all the stuff we're going to incorporate into this thing,” Mayor Smith says. “We're excited about what's getting ready to happen in our downtown.”

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travel

City leaders hope Argenta Plaza will be done in late 2018 or early 2019, but its already proving to be a magnet for businesses and additional development. Late last year, Little Rock tech company First Orion announced it was building a six-story, 80,000-squarefoot headquarters right on the plaza and various other players are descending to spend millions on upscale housing, a hotel, restaurants and other neighborhood amenities.

"I think that companies around the country are going to see this as what attracts the people who they want to come work for them," says Mayor Smith, pride glowing in his voice as bright as the ballpark lights beaming against a springtime indigo sky.

"On top of all that, we’ve got land to develop which really adds to the vision these companies are having. They can build new facilities. We can handle their parking issues. They’re going to be walkable to restaurants, to where they live and to baseball games and concerts and never have to get in a car."

Mayor Smith couldn’t be more excited. This place he loves is getting more positive attention every day, and tourists are finding out what a treasure it is. Add North Little Rock to your must-see places this year. You’ll be glad you did.

HOW TO DOGTOWN LIKE A LOCAL Catch your favorite act at Verizon Arena, one of the best music venues for big-name acts in the South. As a warm-up, Cregeen's Irish Pub pours a proper Guinness; if the St. James Gate sandwich isn't on the menu, ask. (verizonarena.com; cregeens.com) Visit the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum and tour the USS Razorback, a WWII-era submarine. If you're so inclined, you can even make arrangements to spend an overnight in the sub to experience what sailors' life and accommodations were like. If that's too confining, take your shore leave at Flyway Brewing for great beer and some truly innovative Arkansassourced chow. (aimmuseum.org; flywaybrewing.com)

but make sure you take in a set by The Main Thing, a comedy trio that's a crowd pleaser. For something even more unpredictable, take in some standup or The Joint Project Comedy Improv. (thejointargenta.com) April sees Opening Day of Arkansas Travelers baseball. Take the time to visit Arkansas Ale House located at Diamond Bear Brewery before the short stroll to the game. The brats alone are worth the price of admission. (diamondbear.com)

In March, the Little Rock Marathon runs through Argenta; get there early before they close the streets to watch the

North Little Rock Convention & Visitor's Bureau

runners trot by. If you couldn't care less about running, wait

#1 Eldor Johnson Drive

it out at Mugs Café for the great pancakes. (mugscafe.org)

North Little Rock, AR 72118 501.758.1424

The Joint is a theater and coffeehouse right in the middle of

northlittlerock.org

the neighborhood. It hosts a lot of different kinds of events,

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50

southern fiction

She Broke My Heart and Stole My Wallet

FICTION Marla Cantrell

It’s fixin’ to come a storm soon as we get together, our bluegrass

When it does, Effie’ll start in on some song like “When the Roll is

band called Three Top Mountain, but that don’t stop Effie. He

Called Up Yonder,” just to put his spin on how things might turn

thinks you got to play no matter what. If the tornado sirens go

out if a twister does find us.

off down in town and Effie’s wife calls up here at the hunting cabin we all share, Effie’ll say to us, “Ya’ll can go get in your

So today we’re fixin’ to practice, and the door ain’t closed yet

fraidey holes if you want to. Me, I’m playing my fiddle.”

so you can see the sky turning the color of a two-day-old bruise.

Already King’s a sweating and a shaking and Layman’s got his

Well, you can’t go to the storm cellar with your tail between your

eyes turned on his mandolin that’s setting there on the table, and

legs, so we always stay, me and Layman and King, even though

Effie, truth be told, can be a flat-out bully, so he ain’t flinching at

King, who plays the washtub, lost his house in the tornado of

all. He’s just getting the show list together and acting like every-

’96 and he still shakes like a hula dancer when the sky rumbles.

thing’s business as usual.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

southern fiction

I close the door, and Effie says, “I think we should start with

We listen to the hail drop, the pow-pow-pow of it an awful thing.

‘Sitting on the Front Porch.’ Crowd pleaser, ever single time.

After maybe five minutes, it goes on down the road. And then

Then, ‘Baby’s Little Shoes.’ And then ‘Walking with Clementine’

the rain come in behind it like a fireman’s hose, making the air

for the old folks. We’ll finish with ‘God Bless the U.S.A,’ since the

smell like a river.

veterans’ home is bringing a bus.

King tries to stand—I’m still sitting there with him—so he grabs Lightning is hitting closer, the sky like the Vietnam War, and then

my shoulder to do it. He’s about as wide as he is tall, and he

the boom, boom, boom of thunder that rattles the whole cabin.

near about knocks me over on his way up.

King’s sat down, and he’s turned white as cow’s milk. King’s a big man. He can’t even button his overalls up all the way on the

Once he’s standing straight, he says, “I’m off like a prom

side, so when he doubles over and falls out of his chair, ain’t

dress, so don’t y’all try to stop me.” He’s near about yelling

one of us knows what to do. Still, me and Layman get with it,

so he can be heard over the rain on the tin roof. He don’t

kneeling on the floor, and Layman puts his finger to King’s neck,

make a move for the door, though, and standing there with

checking his thumpity pulse.

his forehead all scrunched up, he looks like he’s making a lifeor-death decision. After a while, he says, “Hold up a minute;

“I ain’t doing no mouth-to-mouth restitution!” Effie hollers, and

I got something to say.”

I shoot Effie a look.

His voice is all Shake-and-Bake when he turns to Effie. “You Layman’s fanning King when he comes to, and I’ve got up and

didn’t do a dad-blame thing to help me when I was down on

got him a cool washrag for his head. King holds the rag to his

that floor, buddy.” He points to me and Layman. “These two

forehead and leans up on his elbow, looking like ten miles of

was right beside me when I come to, and you was looking at us

bad road.

like we was some TV show you wasn’t particular interested in.”

King rubs the back of his neck, and his mouth turns way down.

“You okay, buddy?” I ask, and sit back down beside him. Just

“You’re about as useful as the U.S. Congress, Effie Mongold.

then, the hail starts, them icy bullets ricocheting when they hit

We should send you on up to Washington, D.C. with the rest

the tin roof.

of them bottom-feeders.”

“My new truck,” King whines, and covers his eyes.

We don’t talk politics, not since we got into a knockdown drag-out when Clinton ran for governor that second time, but

Mine and King’s and Layman’s pickups is parked outside, and

King don’t seem to be abiding by any rules today. I get up on

they’s getting blasted. I think about my old Dodge, the one I had

my knees, grab the old chair that’s sitting right there and haul

since I still had my own teeth. The hail, big as cotton bolls, must

myself up. I take a step toward King, in case I need to referee.

be hitting it pretty good, and it makes me sick to death.

King, looks to me like, ain’t near-about finished with Effie.

Effie’s truck, his is parked under the old lean-to carporch we “You act high and mighty, like you was the backbone of Three

threw up last summer. Well, sure it is, I think.

Top Mountain,” King says to Effie. He points to Layman. “But Layman, who’s usually as peaceful as a hen setting in dirt, pushes

Layman here, he might not play music as good as you, but

hisself off the floor. He walks to the window, looks outside at the

he’s the one got the news folks out here to do that story

hailstones I imagine are eating up our pickups, and says, “Dang

calling us the best bluegrass band in this here River Valley.

it all to hell!” He hits the wall with his fist, and then says a cuss

And he books ever show, and when you drink too much, let’s

word I ain’t never heard him say before. It feels like that storm

just be honest here, when you drink too much, you can’t play

is moving from the wicked sky to way down deep inside us all.

worth you-know-what.”

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southern fiction

Effie’s a little banty rooster of a man, but he’s been known to

King says, “Wouldn’t take all that much to carry you, Effie,” and

fight mean, and when he lunges at King, it takes me and Layman

then he cuffs Effie on the shoulder, and smiles at his own joke.

to stop him.

Effie looks like he might get mad, but then I guess he thinks better of it, cause he holds out his hand and King takes it, and

We’re holding Effie by his scrawny arms that feel like a kid’s

then they’re hugging like long-lost brothers.

pick-up sticks, and he’s kicking, his cowboy boots near about sparking off the wood floor.

I see Layman wipe a tear just as Effie lets go of King. Effie heads for his fiddle case, where he always keeps his bottle. “Ain’t

“You are a liar and a snake, King Brammel,” Effie says. “A liar

nobody driving right now,” he says, his voice kinda growly like.

and a snake. When you die, you’re going to go straight to hell.

“And that includes you, King.”

And just so you know, when you do, I plan to play the fiddle on your grave.”

“We should at least go see how bad our trucks is,” I say, and Effie says, “Can’t do nothing about it now. We might as well play.”

King looks like he could put Effie in the ground right then and there, his own self. I start to butt in, but then Layman steps in,

King laughs at that, says, “Effie, you don’t never change, do

which is hard for him, I know, because he don’t like fighting

you?” And Effie says, “I reckon not.”

of no kind.

So we sit down and pass the bottle until Layman starts singing.

“Ya’ll cut it out!” Layman says. “You and King need to quit

“I loved a girl from Minnesota. Loved her with a passion

showing your behinds. That gig on Saturday pays a hundred

true. And then she stole my dad-burn wallet, took it out and

dollars, plus they feed us. We ain’t had a set-up like that since we

followed you. You must be a handsome cowboy. You must look

played that Blue Magnolia shindig for the rich ladies who wanted

like Johnny Cash. But Dandy Heartthrob, I forewarn you, she is

to dress up in thousand-dollar boots and wear tight jeans and

fishing for your stash.”

drink beer until they acted like schoolgirls again.”

The liquor burns all the way down, which ain’t no big surprise.

Layman swells up, like I never seen him do before. “And Effie,

But the song surprises us all, and we eyeball each other and bust

we ain’t playing ‘Walking with Clementine,’” he says, pointing

out laughing. Effie picks up his fiddle, and I pick up my guitar, and

his finger right in Effie’s face. “The old folks can do without it for

Layman his mandolin. King drags out the washtub, and we get

one durn night. I wrote my own song and I want to sing it. It’s

back at it, the boys from Three Top Mountain. We start to play

called ‘She Broke My Heart and Stole My Wallet.’"

then, in this rickety cabin with the world outside in shambles. The music sounds better than it has in a long time, and I think we all

I’d known Layman sixty-two years, and it’s the first I’ve heard of

know it. Cause we keep playing even when the telephone rings.

his songwriting. His ex-girlfriend, the one who brought over the

It’s probably Effie’s wife, checking on the storm, making sure we

Mexican casserole when Layman’s wife died two years ago, was

made it through. I strum my guitar and look at these old coots I

probably the inspiration for this new tune. Word was, she was

love better than kinfolk, even though I’d never say it out loud. No,

over in Branson now, hooked up with a cowboy singer who wore

I would not. Not in a million lonesome years.

a bolo tie and colored his hair.

Effie's face is so red it looks like he might catch fire. He opens his mouth, shuts it up, and then his shoulders fall. He looks us

Marla Cantrell is an Arkansas Arts Council Fellow in short fiction.

all dead in the eye, me and King and Layman, and then he says, “Fine! That’s fine as frog hair. I been carrying you yahoos for way too long.”

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WEDDING GUIDE DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE

v e E r A y l i fter! p p a H

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WEDDING GUIDE

for I have found

the one

my soul loves

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Read Chair Publishing, LLC 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110 Fort Smith, AR 72903