Chillin' - July 2015

速

CHILLIN'

JULY 2015 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Allen Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Catherine Frederick Rusty Henderson, DVM Lee Anne Henry Laura Hobbs Brianna Marshall Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Wooden

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PROOFREADER Charity Chambers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Emma Sullins PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE

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HAROLD AND HANK, AMERICAN HEROES Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, Okinawa, these brave World War II veterans saw it all, and they remember these war-torn places in vivid detail. Read their story of bravery and honor.

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THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE

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LEMON PESTO PASTA

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Your home says a lot about you, from the lamps you pick out to the accessories you choose to display.

Find out how to bring the best of who you are into the space you love the most.

Serve this delicious dish to your friends and family, and you'll have them coming back for more. This recipe is bound to become one of your favorites.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Scott Frederick - 479.459.6672 EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 息2015 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South速 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速 or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South速 reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

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letter from the editor

L

Life changes can be fun, exciting, and sometimes

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Writer Jessica Sowards understands the sacrifice

a little scary. My family is experiencing all three

Harold and Hank made. It's one of the reasons

of these emotions and then some! You see,

she gets to live the life she loves on a happy

something we’ve always dreamed of be-

homestead in a small town in Arkansas,

came a reality—my husband Scott joined

where she's raising chickens, goats and

the Do South family!

rabbits. Her tiny piece of paradise gives her a place to teach her kids about hard work,

We’ve always talked about having a

and how to care for God's creatures, and

family-owned business. Something

what it takes to honor the land.

we could build, not just for ourselves, but for our kids. Scott and I have always

From Jessica's homestead, we're travel-

been a great team at home and now we

ing to Memphis to see a wonderland of

get to take that teamwork into the work-

lakes, a tree top adventure, buffalo, horses, a

place—our workplace. We’ve got big plans for

dog park, and miles of walking and biking trails.

Do South and we can’t wait to reveal them to you,

After that, we're off to Colorado, where an old min-

our fantastic readers, and our loyal advertising partners!

ing town awaits, filled with good food, and a spa that uses the town's natural hot springs.

It may sound cheesy, but it sure feels like the American Dream—having an idea, taking a chance on starting a small business, then grow-

Stoney Stamper weighs in with his story about home, and the

ing it into something more than we dreamed possible. Something

message his father taught him that has served him well all these

our kids might someday embrace and continue long into the future.

years. Love your brother and sister, his father said, and make

It makes the late nights and occasional bad day worthwhile.

them your best friends.

I've been thinking a lot about bravery in the weeks since we made

These stories are just the beginning. We have a recipe for Lemon

this decision. While our venture together takes a good bit of cour-

Pesto Pasta you're going to love, a short story about a night when

age, it's nothing compared to the bravery we witness in the men

the sky lights up with hope for a better day, and the story of a

and women who fight to keep our country safe.

young mechanic named Kat, who's ready to take on the world.

In this issue, we have the story of two of the bravest men we've ever

Enjoy! And be brave. It can lead you to a life better than you

met. Harold Mainer and Hank Hauser fought in World War II. Har-

ever imagined.

old's ship was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Hank was one of the first soldiers on the ground after the bombing of Hiroshima. Both men, now in their nineties, recount their days fighting for freedom and the pride they feel knowing they were able to serve their country.

~Catherine

Follow Do South® Magazine

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

Proceeds Benefit:

Purchase ckets at www.RiverValleyOCA.com

For more informaaon: Liz Marrn 479-883-3379 Rachel Arnold 479-883-7042 Contact@RiverValleyOCA.com

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calendar

SUNDAY

JULY 2015 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

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View our calendar on dosouthmagazine.com for more events and details.

(7/1-7/4) 71st Annual Rodeo of the Ozarks, Parsons Stadium, Springdale

THURSDAY

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(7/2-7/19) Dawn Holder: New Work, Fort Smith RAM, Fort Smith, 11am-5pm

FRIDAY

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(7/2-7/4) Stars and Stripes Festival, Balboa Pavilion, Hot Springs Village

SATURDAY

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The Mayor’s Annual Fourth of July Celebration, Harry E. Kelly Riverpark, Fort Smith Independence Day

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Paint Nite at Hog Haus, Fayetteville, 3-5pm

Hot Springs Concert Band Free Summer Concert Series: Music of the 60s, Whittington Park, Hot Springs, 6:30pm

(7/7-7/12) 5th Annual Fleur Delicious Weekend, Eureka Springs

(7/8-7/11) Miss Arkansas Pageant, Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs

(7/9-7/10) Solo Art Exhibition Featuring Artist David Gates, Michael’s Mansion, Fort Smith, 5pm-9pm

(7/10-7/12) The Music Man, Arts Center of the Ozarks, Springdale

Magic Springs Concert Series: Newsboys, Timberwood Amphitheater, Hot Springs, 8pm

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Opera in the Ozarks Presents Verdi’s La Traviata, Arend Arts Center, Bentonville, 4pm-6:30pm

3rd Sunday Art Show, Michael’s Mansion, Fort Smith

Star-Gazing Cruise, Jolly Roger’s Marina, Little Rock, 9pm10:30pm

(7/13-7/14) Ozark Explorers Camp, Visitor Center, Lake Fort Smith

Hot Springs Concert Band Free Summer Concert Series: Band Music, Whittington Park, Hot Springs, 6:30pm

WWE Monday Night Raw, Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City

Fairy and Wizards Children’s Tea, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs, 3pm

Fort Smith Farmer’s Market on Garrison Avenue, Downtown, Fort Smith, 7am12pm

(7/28-8/1) Ozark Folk School – Summer Session, Mountain View

Pick the Perfect Watermelon

Delightfully Dull

Pick a dull looking watermelon shiny means it’s not ripe.

Hello Yellow

Look for a dark yellow field spot. The darker yellow, the more ripe and sweet.

(7/15-7/17) Valley Voyage Day Camp, Visitor Center, Russellville, 9am-4pm

Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa Live in Concert, BOK Center, Tulsa, 6pm

(7/29-9/2) Ouachita Expressions Art Show, Downtown Mena

The Beach Boys Live in Concert, River Spirit Event Center, Tulsa, 7pm

(7/23-8/2) The Wizard of Oz, Fort Smith Little Theatre, Fort Smith

(7/30-8/1) 74th Annual Johnson County Peach Festival, Clarksville

Cossatot River Guided Kayaking Tour, Visitor Center, Wickes, 9am-3pm

KC and the Sunshine Band in Concert, Oaklawn’s Finish Line Theater, Hot Springs, 6pm

(7/31-8/2) Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival, River Park Amphitheater, Fort Smith

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Thump It

A dull thump means it’s not ripe and the flesh is probably soft. The surface should be firm.

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Arkansas Steak Cookoff Championship, Benton Event Center, Benton

32nd Annual Altus Grape Festival, Altus City Park, 9am5:30pm

poetry

OUR

SOLDIERS LINES Brianna Marshall, twelve years old

We will always remember that flag, that ol' red, white, and blue Stitched so fine with a majestic appearance.

We cannot forget the purpose behind That priceless weathered flag Without the many who gave their all to defend it.

We will always remember the heroic soldiers, our heroes Willing to sacrifice precious moments away from their families for our epic freedom.

Standing guard, the military bravely encompasses our American lives Protecting us so we remain unscathed.

Global missions that endanger their lives but hold us safe Thank you, soldiers, for your fulfilled quest to protect our freedom.

Shutterstock DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Beverly Wilborn Director of Business Development, Valley Behavioral Health 10301 Mayo Drive Barling, AR 72923 479.494.5700 valleybehavioral.com

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

About Valley Behavioral Health There are many children, adolescents, adults and

Favorite food as a child? Bacon. Still is as an adult. I can’t cook it so my husband cooks it for me.

diagnosis or an immediate crises situation. Valley

Where’s your favorite place on earth? Home. The only place I can kick my shoes off, totally relax, and bask in the warmth of my family.

Behavioral Health specializes in a full continuum of

What's your idea of the perfect Fourth of July? Fireworks & family.

elderly that suffer from a primary mental health

care; age-specific treatment options; and proven outcome treatment of the individual. With a treatment team consisting of a psychiatrist, APN, RN, licensed therapist, social workers, teachers and behavioral health techs, we provide individualized treatment plans and services to ensure the success of treatment for each patient. Located on fifty-seven picturesque acres, this 114-bed inpatient hospital provides a

Do you remember the first presidential election you voted in? The Gerald Ford/Jimmy Carter race.

What's your favorite place in Fort Smith? The walking trail at Riverfront Park. Love reading all the information on the Trail of Tears, and just the history of the place itself.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Power Point. I would love to be able to show Valley on the spot to our community on my iPad via Power Point. And Spanish! It's a strong second language in Fort Smith.

serene environment to assist in the individual’s healing

What’s the first thing you bought with your first paycheck? Six pairs of shoes! I was fourteen years old and working at the McGill Center, doing office work.

process. Valley Behavioral Health is the only inpatient

Last book you read? Basic Black by Cathie Black.

facility in this area. We also offer outpatient services, a therapeutic day treatment program, an intensive outpatient program, a partial hospitalization program and school-based therapy. In addition, twenty-four hour FREE assessments are available.

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Farthest you’ve been away from home? Mt. Vernon, New York. I lived there for several years. In fact, I got my start in marketing working for a Fortune 500 insurance company in White Plains.

Strangest place you’ve called the Hogs? New York City, outside of Greenwich Village.

If you could have a super power, what would it be? Multiplicity. That way I can do everything at once or be everywhere at once.

Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.

Most sentimental thing you own? A photo collage made by my father of my family. He gave it to me about eleven years ago after my mother passed.

What did you want to grow up to be when you were a kid? Executive assistant. I really loved a show called Mannix, about a private investigator and his executive assistant Peggy, who was his right hand person and irreplaceable.

What’s something that’s gone out of style that you wish would make a comeback? 1976 gas prices.

3 things Beverly can't live without: Dermablend Lemon Lime Salt

What cheers you up? Conversations with my grandson. He just turned fifteen and is turning into quite a young man. It’s hard to believe he will be attending Northside this school year.

What’s the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery? Share with friends and family.

What's your perfect pizza? Pizza Hut's Deep Pan Cheeseburger Pizza.

What’s on your playlist right now? "All that I Am" by Joe.

Makeup

What smell reminds you of home? Pomegranates. I was introduced to this fruit in elementary school and every fall it’s the first thing I buy.

What's your favorite season of the year, and why? Christmas. I love the decorations.

Favorite comfort food? Fresh homegrown cucumbers.

Favorite song from when you were a teen? "I Want You Back" by Jackson 5.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Harold and Hank:

AMERICAN HEROES words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Harold Mainer and Henry "Hank" Hauser

S

Sixteen million Americans served in World War II. Only 855,070 are left today, most in their nineties, and Arkansas is home to 11,070 of them.

Two of those veterans, Harold Mainer and Henry "Hank" Hauser, live in Charleston, Arkansas. One served in the Navy, one in the Army, and both witnessed pivotal moments in the deadliest conflict in world history.

They are remarkable men, with sharp memories and impeccable manners. Most days, they start their mornings at a local coffee shop, for breakfast and to catch up with their close circle of friends. At around eleven o'clock, they drive to Charleston's Senior Center, where they eat lunch and play games like Rook. When asked, they can recall in vivid detail the battles they fought, the friends they lost, and the im-

Harold Mainer

pact it had on their young lives.

HAROLD'S STORY

The world was a perilous place in 1941. Just two years before, Germany, under the rule of Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland. France and the United Kingdom then declared war against Germany, and Germany formed an alliance with Italy and Japan.

When December arrived, the U.S. was on high alert, although we had not yet entered the war. We were, however, supporting Great Britain's efforts against the Nazis, and President Franklin Roosevelt was pressuring Japan to back off from its military expansion in Asia and the Pacific.

All of this mattered immensely to Harold Mainer, who had joined the Navy in October 1940 when he was nineteen, just as the draft was being instated. Soon after, he left his home in Paris, Arkansas, finished boot camp, and landed on the island of Oahu, just west of Honolulu.

There, on December 16 of the same year, he stepped foot on a warship, the USS Helena CL-50.

For the next year, he trained hard and made friends. When he awoke on December 7, 1941, he planned to go ashore to celebrate one of his DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

shipmate's birthdays. Harold had twelve dollars and fifty cents in his pocket, and the sky was the blue of heaven, with clouds drifting by. "I had breakfast at 7:30 and after that I went topside," Harold says. "All of a sudden three bombs hit. One hit the water. One hit the runway of Ford Island. One hit the hangar deck on Ford Island."

The Japanese Imperial Navy was attacking. They had planned well: the cloud cover let them slip in, and since it was Sunday, many of the ships were in the harbor, giving them ample targets. It was a crippling assault, with 353 Japanese fighter planes, bombers, and torpedo planes launched from six aircraft carriers. When the two waves of attacks ended, 2,403 Americans were dead. Another 1,178 were injured.

"We got torpedoed. A ship next to us, a wooden-hulled minelayer, took the concussion from the torpedo that hit us, and it sank her," Harold says. "We lost thirty-five men. I knew several of them." He adjusts his glasses, and then says, "I washed my best buddy, Chance, off the ship with a hydrant hose. Shrapnel hit him and splattered him on the barbette [an armored cylinder for protecting the lower part of a turret on a warship].

"When I dropped out onto the deck, I was told by Chuck, 'Go wash him off the deck.' And I said, 'Who is it?' and Chuck said, 'It's none of your

Henry "Hank" Hauser

business. Do as you're told.' But nobody could shine a pair of shoes like my best buddy, and as I was washing it off, I seen one of his shiny shoes floating down the aisle. I ran to Chuck and I said, 'It was Chance, wasn't it?' He said, 'Yeah, but get busy.'"

Harold, now ninety-three, is a stoic man. "You do what you have to do and you move on," he says. "We were trying to get the guys that were burned off the ship and to the hospital. There was about fifty injured. I didn't have time to be scared."

Along with the horrific death toll, there was major damage to the fleet.

All eight Navy battleships were damaged, four of them so badly they sank.

Three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer, and an anti-aircraft training ship also sank, and 188 aircraft were destroyed.

The attack was the final straw for America. The following day the U.S. declared war on Japan.

"The USS Helena was taken to the shipyard for repairs, and two months later, we were out to sea," Harold says. "It was battle after battle, after that."

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Harold served on both the USS Helena and the USS Munsee, and

any plot from any horror movie you may have seen.

brought home the World War II Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He was part of the effort to pick up the WASP (amphibious

In August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima

assault ship) survivors from the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23,

and Nagasaki, Japan, killing 129,000 people. Hank was one of

1945, and what he remembers most is that the sky lit up like a fire-

the soldiers who entered the city of Hiroshima approximately

works show, in part due to the flame throwers the U.S. was using.

a month following the attack, just a month before he was scheduled to go home. "They warned us there'd be radiation,

During the fighting in Okinawa, he had a near-miss. His ship, the

and they didn't have equipment or masks for us," Hank says.

USS Munsee, was towing the USS Houston, after it had been

"We went of our own accord, and I was there three different

disabled. "One of them suicide planes missed me by about 200

times. It was absolutely horrible." Hank turns the palm of his

yards. He dipped his wings and spun away from the ship instead of

hand over. "One building looked like it just laid down. There

into it." On another harrowing day, Harold also spent four hours

was tile on it—kind of like Spanish tile, I thought—and when

holding onto a raft, with thirty-five shipmates, after a torpedo at-

I reached out and got ahold of a corner, to lift it up, it disinte-

tack broke the ship's keel.

grated like a cigarette ash. You could see other buildings with just the steel structure left, twisted, like they were taffy that

When the war ended, Harold, a Boatswain's Mate First Class, was

had been pulled."

in Guam, loading ships with ammunition for a planned landing in Tokyo. "I was on a tug boat. I reached up and pulled the big horn.

On September 2, 1945, the Japanese signed a surrender docu-

The guy above me hollered, 'Hey! You can't do that.' And I said,

ment, officially ending World War II. Hank, a Private First Class,

'I spent forty-nine months over here. I think I can!' And I pulled

thought he had had enough of war, but two years and seven

the horn again.

months later, he went back in and spent twenty-one years serving his country. "The government paid for my pilot training,"

HANK'S STORY

he says. "I made a career of the military."

On a map, Biak Island, on the western end of New Guinea, looks like a high-arched, high-topped shoe. It was there, in May 1944, that Henry "Hank" Hauser faced one of the bloodiest battles of

It has been two hours since Hank and Harold sat down to

World War II, as part of the U.S. Army's 41st Infantry Division.

recall their time in World War II. When asked how they escaped

He'd been drafted two years before, and had traveled from his

the bad memories, Harold says he "kindly shut all that off and

hometown in Indiana to Australia for intensive training.

didn't dwell." Hank says when he got home he said he'd never go back. He stops, rubs his knee, and then says, "But I did go

Hank, now ninety-two, talks about his role in the fighting. He's

back, and all on my own this time.

the recipient of a Bronze Star and a Combat Infantry Badge. On the battlefield, he says, fear takes a backseat to staying alive. Your

"I realized the good Lord was going to carry me through. And

mind works at super speed, trying to figure out what to do next,

He still takes care of me to this day."

and how to stay alive.

The two rise to leave. It is not as easy to get moving as it used This tactic served him well. The conflict, called the Bloody Battle of

to be, but they do all right. As they head to their vehicles, Hank

Biak, began in May and lasted until August 17. The Japanese Army

says, "I'm going to fly over Charleston when I turn ninety-five.

was defeated, but at a high cost. The U.S. suffered nearly 3,000

I'm really looking forward to that," and Harold laughs, takes

casualties, with 474 killed and 2,428 wounded. Still, it was far less

out his keys and heads to his pickup. On the front is a tag that

than the Japanese toll of 6,100 dead and 4,000 missing.

reads, Pearl Harbor Survivor. He opens the door, turns to wave, and the two are off again, headed for home.

What Hank saw during his days in World War II troubles him even today. What he saw, and the things he witnessed are worse than DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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pets

ASK THE PET VET Resident pet expert, Dr. Rusty Henderson, DVM, answers your questions on fireworks and dogs that hate them, why paws smell like corn chips, and why some cats like to sleep in the bathroom sink.

Have a question for our pet vet? Email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

Q A Q A Q A

My eight-year-old daughter wants a corn snake. Yikes! Is that safe?

Corn snakes are reported to be safe and low maintenance pets. Consider, however, that they eat mice as a routine ration. Will you or your daughter be able to feed the snake the mice?

Shutterstock

I'm taking my dog on our trip to the lake. Can all dogs swim?

Not all dogs are born swimmers; however, they learn very fast. That being said, it doesn't mean all dogs are good swimmers. Short legs or flat faces are signs your dog is a poor swimmer.

That’s why we don’t use bulldogs or dachshunds as duck retrieving dogs.

Shutterstock

Is it OK to just have one guinea pig?

My friend says it's always better to have two.

Guinea pigs are considered to be “herd animals.” Typically, it's assumed that two guinea pigs are happier than one.

Shutterstock

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pets

FURRY FACES LOOKING FOR PLACES TO CALL HOME These sweet boys and girls are looking for a forever home. Please consider adopting from the Sebastian County Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas

F

M

M

Sputnick

Bucky

F

M

Ellie May

Millie

F

Jackson

Val

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

| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org Harvest Time Group, Gracias, Lempira, 2013

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

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people

ROOTS &

REFUGE words Jessica Sowards images courtesy Jessica and Jeremiah Sowards

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When I need to get away, get quiet and talk to God, I go sit in my

ing, and I told my husband, Jeremiah, “It’s a blank homestead.”

chicken yard. Being in ministry, I’ve talked to a lot of people about

Twenty-four hours later it was ours and we went to work.

how they spend time with God. But I’ve yet to find another person who seeks the company of fowl to draw closer to their Maker.

For the first several months, it was a nameless place. We didn’t call it a farm. The boxes of back-to-the-land books covering ev-

It’s OK. This walk is different for everyone. For me, it involves

erything from butchering pigs to organic gardening stayed in the

chickens, goats, rabbits, a bunch of sons and a husband in Muck®

basement. Jeremiah focused on the endless list of projects that

boots and coveralls.

come with buying a foreclosure, and I fought off the impatience of having your dream handed to you and having to wait to open it.

I always wanted a little farm. From when I was a girl all the way to adulthood, I’ve dreamed of this life. I prayed for it. I hoped for it

Then, one day in August, I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I saw

in that deep-rooted way of longing that causes a physical ache in

an ad on a Facebook livestock swap. That night, I brought home

the general vicinity of the heart. When I finally got it, it completely

a cardboard box with thirty-one fluffy, peeping Rhode Island Red

took me by surprise. One day we had a plan for five more years of

chicks. It was a bit of a fiasco. Before it was all said and done, I

city living and the next day we made an offer on a glorious mess

learned one very important lesson. Patience is a virtue, and getting

twenty-five minutes outside of town.

out ahead of the rational plan makes for a lot of work.

I remember the day before we closed. It was a Tuesday and we

An inordinate ratio of those birds turned out to be roosters. Eigh-

stood on the back porch of a house we didn’t yet own. I was cry-

teen of thirty-one to be exact, which was seventeen more roosters

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

than we wanted. So we watched YouTube videos on processing chickens and invited some friends over to join us. It was on that cold and drizzly November morning, while I stood at a table with a boning knife and red feathers clinging to my skin, the thought crossed my mind, We have arrived. This is what real homesteaders do.

It’s grown exponentially since then. By sheer determination and the favor of God, our little nameless foreclosure now has earned the right to be called a farm, Roots and Refuge. Because the main reason I wanted this life was for my kids. I wanted them to know the world differently. I wanted them to have deep roots in hard work and God’s creation before they had to face the manmade world. And I wanted them to always have a refuge, when everything else got too heavy. I wanted to give them, and anyone who wanted to come cry sanctuary, a place to simply be.

A red wire basket stays on the corner of the kitchen counter, only moving to make the trek down to the chicken coop in the hand of a child and carry eggs back up. It is one of the very few forms of instant gratification on our farm. Being in the building stage means that most of our endeavors aren’t yet producing, but that red basket brings up a dozen eggs a day, brown and blue shelled with yolks as orange as a pumpkin.

Our plans for everything else are as vast as our imagination and much more vast than our bank account. But with approximately 140 chickens (most very young), two goats, two dogs and ten rabbits, the gratification will quickly grow. Soon there will be different types of meat, goat’s milk and homemade cheese. Raised garden beds are underway and, if things go as hoped, we will be preparing food baskets for families in just a couple of years.

It’s hard work, this life. Sometimes it’s largely overwhelming.

It feels like there is never enough money, never enough sleep, never enough of us to make this happen. But it works out. It’s enough. And it’s so worth it.

We are fortunate to have so many people to share with. It tickles me beyond words to see an old friend come over after a workday in a corporate office to trade her heels in for borrowed rubber boots and help with evening chores. It makes it DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people worth the mess to see another friend’s foster son gathering eggs,

dreams. Every day, our roots grow deeper. Every day, I pause

marveling and amazed at the realness of it all. And it breaks my

while doing chores and revel in the peace of this refuge.

heart to know there are so many people who would love to have a shot at a homestead, but will spend their whole life harboring the

Every morning, I wake up to an incredible view of everything I ever

same dream but never getting the opportunity to sink their hands

wanted. Roots and Refuge. It’s a good place to be.

into it. So I share when I can. I offer sanctuary. I give as much as I can from what God has given me.

I am able to do this because I have found my sanctuary here.

In my chicken yard. No matter how much heaviness I carry through that green gate, I can sit down amongst those silly birds and feel it lifting, being replaced with joy. I wanted this for so very long.

I spend time with God there. I mean, He’s everywhere. I could find Him literally anywhere I go. But instead, I seek Him in the chicken yard, because that is where I remember that He really knows my heart. Watching them scratch and peck in the grass takes me back to all the prayers I prayed asking for just this. And it emboldens me to pray more, because He answers.

I don’t claim to have everything right. The hard lessons are being learned every day. We have suffered losses and setbacks. We’ve wanted to give up. But since we pushed through, I no longer doubt the feasibility of growth and new

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

You can follow Jessica's adventures in homesteading on Instagram at @roots_and_refuge.

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Take a look at just a few of our local favorites.

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people

THE

MECHANIC'S

NAME IS

KAT words & images Marcus Coker

K

Katherine “Kat” Abshere is eighteen years old. She sports short

to Paris for a weekend—that gave me a sense of perspective and

hair, rides a motorcycle, and is rarely without a pocketknife. To-

allowed me to mature and grow up.”

day, on a break from work, she shows up to Sweet Bay Coffee Shop with grease on her face and black stains on her hands. She

As Kat talks about living in Belgium, traveling across Europe

is, after all, a mechanic.

while on the track team, and learning to speak French, she reaches for her coffee cup with her grease-stained hand. “I

“The strange thing is that I don’t have a strong background in

get calluses and cuts, and grease just settles in. Whatever—I’m

cars,” says Kat, who lives in Fort Smith, Arkansas and works at

gonna get dirty again anyway,” says Kat, who seems uncon-

IFC (I Fix Cars), a local garage. “Dad is a computer guy, and Mom

cerned with appearances. “I used to play in the dirt as a kid. I’ve

is a nurse practitioner. When I started college last year at UA Fort

always been a tomboy. When I was two, my mom said I was just

Smith, I was planning to do radiography but switched to automo-

done with dresses. But my family has always been supportive of

tive technology because I like the surety of it, knowing that this is

whatever I wanted to do.”

what this part does, that piece will do that.”

As a kid, Kat would play with skateboards. She’d take them comGrowing up, Kat lived in a number of different states and coun-

pletely apart, study the pieces, and put them back together. “I’ve

tries because her stepfather was in the military. “For three years,

always liked to tinker with things. That’s why I like working on

we lived in Belgium, and that was probably my favorite. It’s a dif-

cars. I get to use my hands, and it gives me time to myself. I tend

ferent culture, slower paced and less hectic than America. Teen-

to be pretty introverted, so I prefer to work alone.”

agers are treated as adults—my friends and I would take the train

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

Women often ask Kat how she’s treated working in a field that’s

ed, and cracks a lot of jokes. She could easily be a stand-up comic.

predominantly male. “People don’t treat me any differently be-

“A lot of stuff in life is perspective. I’ve dealt with divorce, family

cause I don’t accept any less respect than they would give Barry,

deaths, and lots and lots of moves. Things have gotten broken in

my boss,” says Kat. “Regardless of gender, I’d get picked on for

those moves. I’ve lost a lot of possessions. But I was lucky that my

being young, and I work in a field that’s pretty aggressive in

family raised me to think, What about tomorrow? This is tempo-

terms of ego. I’ll be elbow deep in grease, just going for it, and

rary. It’s gonna go away.”

guys will stand over my shoulder and say, ‘What are you doin’ there?’ or ‘Let’s get you a cheater bar to take that tire off.’ I

This summer, Kat will take one class—heating and cooling—at the

usually just have to be direct and say, ‘You’re standing in my

university. In the fall, she’ll be back to ten hours a week at school

light. I need you to go away.’”

and thirty hours a week at the garage. Kat’s plan is to obtain an associate’s degree in automotive technology, a two-year degree,

Although Kat grew up across the globe, she used to spend her

and then become ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified. At

summers in Fort Smith with her dad. She graduated high school

that point, she may pursue specialty training in motorcycles and

last year from Cabot, near Little Rock, and moved to Fort Smith

even open her own garage.

afterwards to enroll at UAFS. One of her automotive instructors recommended her for the job at IFC.

“I still have a lot of learning to do. You never stop training or learning different techniques. You just gotta know what you’re

In addition to school and the garage, Kat works at Goddard Unit-

doing. If a wheel falls off or something blows up, someone

ed Methodist Church helping take care of children. “We eat and

could get hurt. So at school and at work, we always have some-

sing and color in coloring books, something I actually like anyway.

one double check.”

I just really enjoy being with them because they have that basic child perspective. It’s refreshing.”

Kat suggests that everyone have an elementary understanding of car maintenance. “It’s one of those things you should

Being around Kat is like that—refreshing. She’s upbeat, lightheart-

be able to do. You should be able to brush your teeth and

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people

change your oil and put your socks on in the morning,” Kat jokes.

Maintenance basics include knowing how to change a tire, check tire pressure, check brakes and fluids, and spot leaks. “You don’t need to know how to fix everything, but be able to tell if something is wrong, outside of the check engine light. Be able to recognize clinking, clunking, whining, rattling, and hissing. Along with regular oil changes, that’s the most basic thing you can do to prolong the life of your car.”

Kat recognizes that going to a garage and finding a good mechanic can be intimidating, but advises finding someone that comes recommended or that specializes in a problem. Also, she suggests getting more than one opinion.

“Nobody wants to be taken advantage of or talked down to. Personally, I try not to belittle anyone for what they do or don’t know. When I was in Belgium, I was the one asking all the stupid questions, I was the one that was wrong all the time. So I understand what that feels like to not know something.”

As Kat gets ready to go back to the garage, she touches on a topic that goes far beyond her personal experience of being a female mechanic. It’s something that applies to all of us. “You know, you can’t be affected by what people think of you. I learned that a long time ago—being different, a tomboy. It’s something I’ve dealt with.

People are just different, and it’s a lot easier to accept those differences when you’ve been dropped into an environment where you’re the fish out of water. If you’ve ever felt little, it gives you a sense of how someone else feels to be little. That’s how you connect with people. That’s how you step into their shoes.”

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entertainment

The Husband's Secret review Marla Cantrell

On the envelope, in shaky script, are these words: To my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick. To be opened only in the event of my death.

She laughs at first at this dramatic message, but then curiosity overwhelms her. Is it wrong to open it? Well, of course it is, she decides, although the urge increases with each passing hour.

What is in that letter has the potential to ruin the life Cecilia has worked so hard to achieve. It could also demolish her family's reputation, and it could most certainly end the security that makes Cecilia feel invincible in her tight group of friends.

It would be enough to follow just this one story line, but that is not how this novel is constructed. The author takes us out of Cecilia's world and into the lives of two other women, each with secrets of her own, and each with ties to St. Angela's Catholic School,

C

the anchor in this Irish-Catholic community. As we get to know

By Liane Moriarty Berkley Books 418 pages | $16

them, a larger world unfolds, and we see them struggle to hold onto love, to keep their children out of harm's way, and how they decide what to reveal and what to take to the grave.

Cecilia Fitzpatrick's life is almost as spotless as her pantry. There,

As gripping as this tale is, it is told with great dashes of humor.

in the well-lit space, everything is in Tupperware containers, rows

The women in this book, mostly forty-somethings, try to be good

and rows of brightly colored canisters that keep her food in order.

examples, although they often fail. They swear, they drink a bit

It helps that she's one of Tupperware's top salespeople in Sydney,

too much, they worry over impure thoughts at inopportune times,

Australia. She manages her job easily, just as she manages moth-

and occasionally they make decisions that could lead to tragedy.

erhood, and her three daughters are thriving because of it.

That is the brilliance of The Husband's Secret. You are drawn in by But something is not quite right. For six months now Cecilia's

the breezy writing, the setting as familiar as the pickup lane at your

been wondering why her normally sweet husband, John-Paul, has

child's school. But running beneath the surface are the big questions

been less than affectionate. After fifteen years of marriage, maybe

we all face, those moments when telling the truth is hard, and those

it's something every woman encounters. But try as she may to accept

rare occasions when what you decide causes the world to shift in a

it, she can't imagine how she's supposed to keep going if this is true.

way that shocks everyone around you.

And then one day, as she's in her equally tidy attic, she upends a

This is the book you need to take to the beach or the lake. You will

box of tax documents and out falls a letter written to her by John-

slip into Cecilia's world easily, and you won't be able to look up

Paul just after their first daughter was born.

until you turn that last page.

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home

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home diy

The Story of YourLife words & IMages Lee Anne Henry, Whiteline Designs

M

My approach when designing a home has more to do with the client’s life than my own personal taste or the current national trend. While some describe my style as modern, I believe it represents a clean, elegant way of approaching a space.

Clients tell me they love what they see in their travels, and ideas they get from magazines, but translating it into their own home can be hard.

Early into the project I listen to the client to form an understanding of what they love. What makes them feel joy? What do they do for work? How many children do they have? Do they have pets? What are their hobbies? Where do they travel?

I believe a home should reflect the client’s own sense of individuality and organization. That includes their beloved pets!

Let me offer you my own personal example. I love the beach and my Hawaiian heritage. It brings me joy.

Although I don’t have a tropical theme in my home, I do surround myself with subtle hints here and there from my past. My favorite book about Hawaii sits patiently on the coffee table. I filled a glass lamp with the collection of sand my husband and I gathered from our walks on the beach. When we travel, we are intentional in what we purchase. Instead of T-shirts, we look for a local handmade piece that triggers joyful memories as we walk by on our way out the door to shuttle kids.

I want my clients to know that it’s okay to not have clutter and that overwhelming amount of “stuff.”

Leave some areas of white space with the understanding that you may later pick up something interesting that brings you joy. Your home can be the story of your life!

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Lee Anne Henry, owner of Whiteline Designs in Fayetteville, Arkansas, expresses her love of art through interior design. She looks forward to getting to know her clients and creating a sense of calm in their personal spaces.

29 53

30

a day in the life

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The hardest part about homeschooling was grasping how differently people learn. Jackson is a whiz at math. Asher is a very advanced reader. They both hate writing, which was hard for me to accept.

7:00 AM

12:00 PM As soon as the little ones crash in the afternoon, I tackle whatever project is waiting. Sometimes it's photos that need editing. Sometimes it’s writing.

Sometimes Ben doesn't get the memo

words & images Jessica Sowards

10:00 AM

about the nap.

Jessica Sowards, 29

5:00 PM

Blogger, Photographer, Pastor, Homesteader,

Everything is an adventure with five

Contributor to Do South Magazine®

boys. I used to be afraid of them hurting themselves. Then, Jackson broke his arm on the trampoline and wore his cast like

Wife to Jeremiah, mother to step-daughter, Maliah, 10, and 5 sons: Jackson, 9; Asher, 8; Tobias, 3; Ezra, 2; and Benjamin, 3 months.

NOON

a badge of honor. Something clicked in me. I decided to trust God for their safety and let boys be boys.

Building a handmade life and a homestead

6:30 PM

with my husband and kids in Arkansas.

It takes planning to be able to feed a

7:00 AM Letting the chickens out and gathering eggs are some of my favorite things to do.

family as big as ours real food within a

5:00 PM

budget. Mealtimes are some of the best times of the day.

The toddlers, Toby and Ezra, love tagging along on any chores dealing with animals.

When I told Jackson to choose a recipe

and I'd teach him how to cook it, I was

It took a lot of cracked eggs, but I can send

expecting him to pick macaroni or

the kids out to gather them now. They can

something easy. He chose Bacon and

bottle feed a baby goat and genuinely help

Swiss Quiche.

with brooding chicks.

6:30 PM

9:30 PM

10:00 AM

Jeremiah and I usually do our separate

I like to keep a pretty lax schedule for

Bible studies. This is my rest time, when

school. Most days though, the older

sermons are born and our relationship

boys get started early so they can fin-

with each other and with God get stron-

ish early. I find they are most focused

ger. Without this, I'd be a mess trying to

around mid-morning.

9:30 PM DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

do everything else.

32

people

THE TIES

That Bind words Stoney Stamper images courtesy April Stamper

Y

"Your brother and sister are the closest relations that you have

Facebook, and he stalks my page (using my mom's account,

in this world. You’ve got the same blood running through your

because he doesn't have one). He reads my page, and then he

veins. They should be your best friends."

checks out the local paper's obituaries to see if he knows anyone who died. Every single day. He’s a man of routine, which

— My dad, Randy Stamper

I love, because it's something that he passed along to me.

Good grief, how many times did I hear this growing up? Ver-

I have a sister, four years older than me, although she absolute-

batim. Too many times to count, definitely. This is what my

ly loves that I am generally thought to be the eldest of my three

dad said to my brother, sister and me each time we had an

siblings, and a little brother that’s six-and-a-half years younger

argument, a fight, or a disagreement of any kind. He said it.

than me. We are fairly well spread out. Yes, I am the middle

Every. Time. And I bet he laughs when he reads this, and he

child, to no one’s surprise, I am sure. And there is a ten-and-a-

will read this, because I'm going to post a link to this story on

half year gap between my big sister and little brother. So, basi-

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people

cally, every time my dad told us to be best friends, he was talking to me. It was either directed at me and my sister, or me and my brother. Because Shannon and Sky never fought.

My mom and dad did an excellent job of instilling in us a love of our siblings. We are all well into our adult lives now. Shannon has two fantastic boys with her

amazing

husband

Justin

(who has been my brother now for longer than he hasn't). And my brother Sky and his lovely little bride Ashley have a young daughter. April and I have our three girls, and we are all one big close-knit family. Shan and Sky are my best friends. If something good happens, I want to tell them. If something bad happens, I want to tell them. But like most brothers and sisters, this wasn’t always the case. Things

" Sky hit me with an aluminum baseball bat while I was lying on the floor reading the comics in the paper, and also once with a curtain rod."

weren’t always sunshine and rainbows. to hook her ankle with the cane. But it made her step funny onto Sure, I always loved them. But

a rock and hurt her foot. She then wheeled around and brought

sometimes, I kind of wanted to

a Butterbean-style haymaker from downtown, making solid con-

kill them. Sometimes, probably even more often, they wanted

tact, squarely in my eye socket. It even made a cool "punch"

to kill me. Or at least hit me really hard with something, in the

noise like on the Dukes of Hazzard, when they would punch

face. Actually, they both did hit me really hard in the face, on

people. My eye turned really black, and I told everyone at school

more than one occasion. Sky hit me with an aluminum baseball

that I had a horse kick a pipe gate while I was closing it, and it

bat while I was lying on the floor reading the comics in the

hit me in the face. I dang sure wasn’t going to tell them that I

paper, and also once with a curtain rod. Actually, to be more

had gotten my eye blacked by my sister. To her credit, she did

accurate, he threw a curtain rod at me, and stabbed it into the

feel really bad about it. I was a tough little turd, so even though

top of my head. He also came into the room once wearing his

it was a heck of a punch, it hurt my feelings way more than it

spurs, and only his spurs, and spurred me in my lower back.

hurt my eyeball.

Which sucked.

There’s a pretty good chance that you have a brother, or sister, And then one time, Shannon was walking down the gravel drive-

or both. And there’s also a good chance that you have had a

way, barefoot, and for some reason I had a freaking walking

few fights, or maybe more than a few. I know, too, that some-

cane and I thought it would be a really funny idea (and it was),

times siblings don’t get along, and that makes me really sad for

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people

them. Because I know, regardless of anything I have ever done, or any fight that we may have ever had, that without fail, if I need my sister, or if I need my brother, they will be there. It is very good to know that no matter what kind of bonehead move you make—and I have made more than my fair share—that I will always have them behind me. No questions asked. Well, there may be a few questions, but they’ll still do whatever I need. My wife April says that we are abnormal, because we all get along so well. But I love them. And I like them, too. I can honestly say that we have never had a fight, or really even an argument, as adults.

There was one time that Sky and Ashley’s dog jumped on me when she was a puppy, and I pushed her away. That was my bad, little brother, and I’m sorry. It was one hundred percent involuntary, and I felt really bad about it. But that dog loves the crap out of me now. Because she knows how awesome I am, I guess. I don’t know, I’m just assuming that. I’m not a dog whisperer, or anything.

So, as I watch my own family, when I see our Abby holding Gracee, kissing her and telling her she loves her, I smile. And when I see Emma read Gracee a story before bedtime, and I see Gracee’s face light up, it makes me feel like we are, at least, doing one thing right. Abby and Emma are wonderful big sisters. They love Gracee with all of their might, and that just tickles me pink. I know they will always have each other.

No, they don’t always get along. Sometimes they fight. But the other day, you know what I said to them when they were fighting? Yeah, you know what I said. I said, "Girls, your sisters are the closest relations that you have in this world. You’ve got the same blood running through your veins. They should be your best friends."

I’m pretty sure I caught some eye rolling from both of the older girls. But maybe, if I keep saying it for the next twenty

Stoney, Shannon, Sky

years or so, it’ll stick. It worked for me and my siblings. Good job, Mom and Dad.

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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people

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Peacemakers in the Park Words Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Jeff Gosey, Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival

O

On the last day of July, Harry E. Kelley Park in downtown

When they were finished, they had fifteen bands: nine

Fort Smith, Arkansas will fill with music lovers who've

national, and six regional. Those following the music scene

come to hear the bands slated to play in a three-day first-

in this area will recognize names like the Cate Brothers,

time event called the Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival.

Tyrannosaurus Chicken and Luke Pruitt.

The lineup includes everything from country and rock, to gospel and bluegrass, to jam bands and funk.

On a national front, one of the most recognizable names is Jason Isbell, the 2014 winner of the Album of the Year,

Jeff Gosey, who spearheaded the push to bring the

Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year at the Americana

festival to the city, says he and his board of directors

Music Awards. He will be performing just days after his

spent a month deliberating which musicians to seek out.

newest album, Something More than Free, drops. Isbell

They wanted the lineup to reflect the diverse population

plays on Friday night, July 31, at ten o'clock. On Saturday,

of the city. And while they knew country music is king

August 1, the headliner is the Chris Robinson Brotherhood,

in this part of the world, they also knew they needed to

a group with a wide following that describes themselves as

mix things up to please a wide audience.

a “farm to table psychedelic rock band."

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people

Several visual artists have been asked to set up booths.

Food trucks from Tulsa, Kansas City and northwest Arkansas are coming in, and there will be drinks, including beer (and plenty of cold water), for sale.

On Sunday, gospel and bluegrass rule. The day starts off with the Praise God and Pass the Biscuits brunch. "That was a great idea Mike Hart, from 5 Star Productions, had, and we ran with it," Jeff says. The homeless in the area have been invited to attend. There will be short sermons, gospel choirs, and food served with the help of local donations from businesses, and support from area churches. Also on Sunday, national bluegrass bands Sleepy Man and The Boxcars will perform.

As Jeff talks about the festival and the work it's taking to bring it all together, he marvels at how quickly it happened. Last fall, the festival was nothing more than an idea he and several of his music-loving friends had kicked around for several years. And then he had a conversation that changed everything.

"One night in November 2014, I ran into Bill Neumeier at a local watering hole," Jeff says. "I trust Bill; he started the Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Festival many years ago. I told him what I was thinking, and he thought it was a good idea. I went home,

Jason Isbell

posted the idea on Facebook, and the response was overwhelming, and people started jumping on board to help. A couple of weeks later, we had a board of directors, and pledged to meet each week.

"We wanted to give back; we wanted to do something for the community. We picked three charities to support this year: Children's Emergency Shelter, Girl's Inc., and

thinks Fort Smith is a gem of a place, largely undiscovered. This

Developmental Wings. (A portion of the profits will go to each,

event will expose the city's qualities to some who've never been

with enough money held back to host the festival again next

here before. He's heard from people as far away as New York

year.) We also wanted to provide something that gives people

who plan to attend. Jeff even believes the national artists will

a reason to stick around. The kids that graduate from Northside

be impressed, both by the city, and by the locals. "We know

and Southside, and UAFS, they don't always stick around. Most

how to turn on the Southern charm here," he says. "When we

people in their twenties and thirties want what bigger cities

do that, we're downright irresistible."

have to offer, or more entertainment. We think festivals like To bring in as many attendees as possible, the board set the

this one will give them a reason to stay."

ticket prices low. A three-day pass purchased in advance is only When Jeff talks about the concept behind the festival, it's easy

$25. Daily passes run from $10 for Sunday, to $15 for either

to see why he's so excited. He's lived most of his life here. He

Friday or Saturday, if purchased ahead of time.

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people diy

"We hope to sell 8,000 tickets a day," Jeff says. "Just imagine that, 8,000 people on the riverfront, enjoying live music and art, coming together for something so many people love and care about. I can't wait to see it."

Weekend Schedule

There are so many people to thank, Jeff says, from the board,

FRIDAY

to those volunteering to work, to the people and businesses

Gates open at 4:00 pm

that donated the money to bring the Peacemaker Festival

5:00 – 5:30: Tyrannosaurus Chicken

to the city. He thinks there will likely be a learning curve—

5:50 – 6:40: The Paul Benjaman Band with Jesse Aycock

something is bound to go awry—but he doesn't think it will

7:00 – 8:00: The Cate Brothers Band

be anything major, and he's certain those attending will be

8:20 – 9:30: Lucero

blown away at the amount of talent assembled in one place.

10:00 – 11:30: Jason Isbell

As for the future, he believes the festival will only get bigger and better. As the years roll by, more and more charities will

SATURDAY

be helped, and Fort Smith will be recognized as a town with

Gates open at 2:00 pm

great music, splendid people, and a knack for throwing one

3:00 – 3:30: Luke Pruitt

heck of a party.

3:50 – 4:30: Isayah’s Allstars’ “Help On The Way” 5:00 – 5:50: Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath 6:10 – 7:00: Red Wanting Blue 7:20 – 8:10: Anders Osborne 8:30 – 9:30: Corey Smith 10:00 – 11:30: Chris Robinson Brotherhood

SUNDAY Gates open at 11:00 am 12:00 – 12:45: Shadygruve 1:10 – 2:10: The Boxcars 2:30 – 3:45: Sleepy Man

To buy tickets and learn more about each performer, visit peacemakerfest.com.

Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival July 31, August 1, August 2 Harry E. Kelley Park North A & Riverfront Drive Downtown Fort Smith

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taste

LEMON PESTO PASTA words and images Lauren Allen, tastesbetterfromscratch.com

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

T

There’s nothing better than the start of summer. One of the best parts for me is that you can find tons of fresh produce at farmers' markets. My happy place! This dish is full of fresh veggies, and it’s completely customizable – just throw in what you have on hand. My favorite thing about this Lemon Pesto Pasta is that you can put it together in less than thirty minutes.

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taste

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

• • • • • • • • • • •

8 oz. spaghetti noodles, regular or whole wheat 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ of a yellow squash, sliced into thin rings ½ of a zucchini, sliced into rings 2 heaping cups fresh chopped kale ¼ cup pesto ¼ cup Feta cheese Juice of ½ a small lemon 1 teaspoon water

METHOD Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. While pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and sauté for 1-2 minutes, tossing gently as they cook. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute more. Remove all vegetables to a plate.

Add another teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of minced garlic. Add chopped kale and sauté for 1 minute. Add a teaspoon of water to the pan, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and squash back to the pan. Squeeze half of a small lemon over the veggies.

Add the pesto to the spaghetti noodles and gently toss to combine. Add the spaghetti to the pan with the veggies and toss to combine. Sprinkle Feta cheese on top. Enjoy!

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.

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taste

Watermelon Fresca Mojito ®

image Catherine Frederick

Ingredients SERVES 4 •

2 CUPS WATERMELON

•

12 MINT LEAVES

•

2 OUNCES RUM

•

1 LIME, CUT INTO WEDGES

•

FRESCA® SODA (OR SUBSTITUTE TONIC, CLUB SODA, SPRITE, OR 7-UP)

•

EXTRA WATERMELON, LIME, MINT FOR GARNISH

Method Add watermelon, lime, mint, and a little ice to a shaker and muddle. Add rum and shake (do not add the Fresca® to the shaker). Add ice to glasses. Straining through shaker, fill glasses ¾ full with rum mixture. Top off with Fresca®, stirring gently to combine. Garnish with your choice of watermelon, mint or lime.

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Shelby Farms Park

S

words Marla Cantrell images Courtesy Shelby Farms Park

Shelby Farms Park sits in the center of Memphis, Tennessee,

times over within this space. There are twenty-three lakes,

covers 4,500 acres, and is one of the largest urban parks in the

forty miles of trails, a world-class playground, 200 species of

nation. It doesn't cost a dime to enter the park (though some

birds, and wildlife galore, including minks, muskrats, foxes,

activities inside do cost), is open from sunrise to sunset, and

beavers, and deer. There is also horseback riding and a fifty-

is a sustainable property, meaning they do things like use

acre pasture where buffalo roam.

recycled materials to build their facilities. More than one million people visit each year, making it a must-see tourist

Since Memphis is just under five hours from Fort Smith,

destination. If you're having a hard time visualizing just how

Arkansas, it's a relatively easy drive, and this place has

big it is, consider this: You could replicate Central Park seven

something for everyone in the family.

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IN THE AIR Go Ape Treetop Adventure If you're ten or older, Go Ape Adventure could be just the ticket. Visitors can zip, swing and climb through the trees. The course borders Pine Lake, and is set within a pine forest.

Equipment includes harnesses, pulleys and carabiners. There's a thirty minute safety training before you're allowed on the course.

According to the website, instructors are always on hand, regularly patrolling the forest. The course is made up of six individual sections, each section taking you higher into the forest. There are more than forty crossings/obstacles which include rope ladders, net bridges, Tarzan swings and six zip lines.

It takes approximately two to three hours to complete; however, there is no time limit, as long as everyone is off the course before the sun sets.

Book in advance to make sure you have a spot.

Ages 16 and older: $57 (plus tax) Children ages 10-15: $37 (plus tax) Children must be supervised by a participating adult. An adult can supervise two children.

Other course requirements: Minimum height of 4’7” and maximum weight of 285 lbs (subject to a harness fit).

Hours of Operation (weather permitting): June – August | Open 7 days per week | 9:30am – 3:30pm September – October | Saturday-Sunday | 9:30am – 3:30pm March – May | Saturday-Sunday | 9:30am – 3:30pm

ON THE GROUND Woodland Park Playground Before this section of the park was constructed, local children were asked to describe their dream playground. The designer took notes and came up with an area that delights visitors. There are slides and sand, green spaces, and arbors that look like sculptures. It is also an example of innovative green design. The National Guard donated old boots that were ground up and recycled for the surface of the tree house mat. In other areas of the playground, the surfaces are made from old, ground-up Nike® tennis shoes. These make for softer landings for little feet.

There are six play areas, called "nests," which are age-specific, a winding steel arbor planted with flowering vines and willow trees, innovative play structures, a giant net and tree house climbing structure. Kids can slide, swing, climb, make noise and build sandcastles.

If all that playtime makes you hungry, there's a food truck, serving healthy choices. (The WoodDOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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land Playground is next to the Go Ape Adventure Course and paddle boating/canoeing on Pine Lake, so visitors in each of these areas are close to this food option.)

For kids 12 and under. Opens at 9 AM, closes 1 hour before sunset.

Horseback Riding Take a guided one-hour tour through the park on horseback. You'll need to arrive fifteen to twenty minutes early, and you'll need to call ahead to reserve your spot. Rides begin at 9:00 AM and end with the last group, which departs at 4:00 PM. Ages 8 and older (Anyone under the age of 18 must have a waiver signed on premises by a parent or legal guardian. Persons under the age of 16 must wear a riding helmet.)

Weight limit: 250 lbs $30 per person: cash only Reservations: 901.212.9821

Outback Dog Park There are trails, lakes and ponds, and your dog can run free in this part of the park. Just remember that in all other areas of the park and on the Greenline, your dogs must be on a leash. You'll see bikers, hikers, horses and runners. The Outback features a water fountain with a doggie bowl and a dog wash station.

Cycling There are forty miles of trails, and there are street and mountain bikes are available to rent.

Here are three popular routes: Chickasaw - 2.75 miles This path meanders through pine and hardwood forest areas, past three lakes, and through the Woodland Discovery Playground. Walkers, joggers, cyclists and inline skaters are allowed on the Chickasaw Trail.

Shelby Farms Greenline - 6.7 miles This route takes you to High Point Terrace. There, you will find High Point Pizza at High Point Pub, 477 High Point Terrace, thehighpointpub.com. The pub has been around since 1947, and offers shuffleboard and fifty-seven kinds of beer.

Cheffie's Restaurant, 483 High Point Terrace, cheffies.com, is a farm-to-fork diner, featuring dishes like the Cuban Chicken Sandwich and Nicoise Salad, with mixed greens, lemony tuna salad, kalamata olives, hard boiled eggs, and cherry tomatoes.

Finally, at the end of the Shelby Farms Greenline, you'll find Republic Coffee, 2924 Walnut Grove Road, republiccoffeememphis.com, where you can get breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. One of their specialties is their all-day breakfast platters, which include cheese grits or hash brown casserole. Try the Allentown, three scrambled eggs with toasted red peppers, spinach, mushrooms, and two slices of smoked bacon.

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Tour de Wolf Trail - 5.79 miles This loop travels through the northeast portion of the park and is an excellent trail for hiking, running and mountain biking. This route takes you by the Outback, a 120-acre offleash dog park, the largest in the nation. If you bring your dogs, they'll be able to romp to their hearts' content.

Bike Rentals Mon-Fri: noon - last bike rented at 5 PM Sat/Sun: 8 AM - last bike rented at 5 PM More Info: 901.493.4799

Disc Golf If you forget to bring your equipment, you can buy discs at the Boathouse on Pine Lake near the Woodland Discovery Playground. You can also pick up score sheets and maps of the course, or buy refreshments. This is an eighteen-hole course.

ON THE WATER Boating Shelby Farms Park offers paddle boating, kayaking and canoeing. You can even try stand-up paddle boating during the summer months. Pine Lake is a fifteen-acre scenic lake.

Closed Monday Tuesday – Friday: 1:00 PM - last boat rented at 6:00 PM

Saturday: Noon - last boat rented at 6:00 PM Sunday: 1 PM - last boat rented at 6:00 PM

Subject to weather conditions. Call 901.219.4831 for more info.

Fishing All twenty-three lakes offer fishing. You'll need a Tennessee fishing license, but those are readily available at Walmart or Bass Pro Shops. You'll find catfish, stripers, crappie, brim, and large and small-mouthed bass in the lakes at Shelby Farms Park.

Limits: Striped Bass: limit 2, minimum length 18 inches All other Bass: limit 5, minimum length 14 inches Catfish: limit 5, minimum length 12 inches A few tips before you set out on your trip: Take a change of clothes for everyone in your party, and towels, since you'll be playing out of doors. You can also pack a picnic if you'd like. Finally, the park does get busier on the weekends, so if that's a concern, plan your trip for a weekday. Enjoy!

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MAGIC in the

COLORADO MOUNTAINS words and images Laura Hobbs

A

Approaching Ouray, Colorado from the north, what begins as a

ing during the colder months. For the more sedentary sort, the

vast expanse of high plains narrows into hardly more than a slot

town is full of quaint shops, historic buildings, and even an

canyon as you enter the city limits. Nestled in a mountain gorge

alchemy museum to explore.

carved by the Uncompahgre River, this nineteenth century mining town once boasted a population of more mules than people.

But the draw that appeals to most (if not all) visitors is the hot

Today, Ouray’s plus-or-minus 1,000 residents still look to mining–

springs, which have acted as a natural respite for the bone-weary

and more recently, tourism—as a way to make ends meet.

for centuries. Seated on a large geological lift at the head of the Uncompahgre Valley, Ouray boasts underground fissures that emit

In winter, piles of snow looming in parking lots tell stories of re-

water at temperatures ranging from eighty to 150 degrees Fahr-

cent and abundant snowfall. But in the summer months, this can-

enheit. The results are a series of clean and odorless hot springs,

yon sees gorgeous weather: warm in the day and mild at night,

created by the same geologic forces that made the town rich in

with regular and brief thunderstorms accumulated by the sum-

minerals and ore.

mer’s warm breezes cooling as they sweep up mountainsides.

Sound like a perfect mountain getaway destination? It certainly is.

This small town offers activities to keep the eco-active crowd

Here are five must-sees, dos, and eats in and around Ouray.

happy: snowshoeing in winter, hiking in summer, ice climbDOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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Wiesbaden Hot Springs Perched on a hillside off the beaten path sits the Wiesbaden, an Ouray spa and lodging mainstay for over fifty years. Built atop a continually flowing hot spring source, this intimate lodge and day spa offers an outdoor hot spring pool, private soaking room, and the famous vapor cave, an underground chamber capturing the spring water right from the source at a eye-opening 108 degrees. Ready to feel at one with nature and the universe? This place is ground zero for ethereal interconnection.

Day passes available; 625 5th Street, Ouray, CO; 970-325-4347; wiesbadenhotsprings.com

Beaumont Hotel Recently renovated with a loving ode to the nineteenth century, this landmark hotel is steeped in cowboy and miner history. Built in 1886 at the height of the “Gold Boom,” the Beaumont originally sat across the street from six saloons and acted as the grand centerpiece of Ouray. Today, it retains its tenure and acts as a great place to get some sleep, grab a drink, eat a meal, or maybe even spot a ghost.

Room & spa packages available; 505 Main Street, Ouray, CO; 970-325-7000; beaumonthotel.com

Ourayle House Brewery Between the two breweries in Ouray, Ourayle House’s charmingly grumpy owner, great beer and (surprisingly!) inviting bar makes it the winner. Order your beer in two sizes: His (small) or Hers (large) and rest your post-hike legs by the pot-bellied stove on a cool evening. The game collection, including a beer-stained Jenga set, adds to the fun, or just sit back and eavesdrop on the locals. You’re bound to hear some interesting tales. Cash only, folks.

215 7th Avenue, Ouray, CO; ouraylehouse.com

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Million Dollar Highway What’s equally fun and dangerous? Looking out the passenger window and realizing there’s something missing: the ground.

This twisted ribbon of narrow blacktop is the Ouray-to-Silverton stretch of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, meandering over Red Mountain Pass at a breathtaking 11,018 feet. With little room for error and plenty of clench-worthy moments, this stunning piece of American civil engineering offers plenty of sightseeing opportunities, whether it’s the gorgeous scenery or your life flashing in front of your eyes. Traveling in winter? Check Colorado’s Department of Transportation for road closures: COTrip.org

Outlaw Restaurant Western charm, a friendly atmosphere, and a hat that belonged to none other than John Wayne: this historic Ouray restaurant has them all. Offering down-home western fare that often breaks the nevereat-anything-bigger-than-your-head rule, you’ll leave with both your stomach and your soul feeling full. Or was that just the T-bone steak?

610 Main Street, Ouray, CO; 970-325-4366; outlawrestaurant.com

Have a few extra days? The fun doesn't stop in Ouray: tooling around other towns in the San Juans is definitely worth your while. Visit the town of Silverton, a western throwback that’s an hour’s zip down the Million Dollar Highway. Spend the night in ritzy Telluride, only ten miles away as the crow flies, but a scenic fifty-mile drive. Or take the train ride of a lifetime on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. (Go first class. It’s worth every penny.) durangotrain.com Whether you’re looking for an exciting mountain adventure or a low-key escape, Ouray's unique history, jaw-dropping scenery and friendly atmosphere are just a few of the perks (or do I mean peaks?) of a great high-altitude summer getaway.

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54

southern fiction

Night of a Million Shattered Stars FICTION Marla Cantrell

I

I was born on a day so hot shingles melted on rooftops, all across

I pick up a blue rose, made entirely of frosting, off the corner of

town. My mama is telling me this, has told me this a hundred times,

my cake, and plop it in my mouth.

and is telling me again because the story shows her at her most valiant, shows her in the kind of pain epidurals were made for, though

Mama's eyes narrow. "You were such a small baby," she says,

she didn't mind at all. "Not one bit," she says, and licks the tiniest

as if to indicate her displeasure at my size now. She is a narrow

bit of icing from the bakery cake right off her fingers.

woman who eats from my old baby plate to stay that way.

The way I would start is this: I was born on the Fourth of July,

"So I left him in that bed," she says.

which is true and which is today, but this escapes my mama. She has never celebrated Independence Day. She has seen it always as

I breathe out, tap the table with my fork. None of it stops her. I

a day that recollects war. She has had enough of war.

know she left him there. I know that when he woke and found her gone, he didn't read the note she left on the kitchen table. I know

Instead, it's this story. The shingles melting, the grass golden in its

that he headed to Tipsy's Bar and Grill on Tupelo Street and drank

death, and my daddy passed out in the bedroom in the middle of

beer until it was time to go to work.

the afternoon. "You remember our bedroom, Norma Lee. Those wool army blankets over the windows so your daddy could sleep.

He didn't meet me until the next day, when I was almost an

That's what happens when you work the graveyard shift, when

entire day old.

you work from midnight until who knows when."

Mama pats my hand. "It's not what killed the marriage," she says.

Mama likes this part of the story. It takes my daddy out of the picture.

Which is to say it is exactly what killed the marriage.

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southern fiction

My birthday cake has white marshmallow frosting so shiny I

"My own daddy, now he was a fine gentleman. He treated my

can see my reflection. I pick up the knife and slice off another

sweet mama like a queen. The war, though," Mama says, twisting

skinny piece.

a dish towel between her hands, turning it into a rope. "He slept with a pistol underneath his pillow. If you got up after everybody

"Norma Lee," my mama says, her voice heavy with displeasure,

had gone to bed you might get shot. We children understood

which makes me cut off another piece.

that. Daddy pulled that pistol on your Grandmama Ethel when she stayed over once. She didn't know the rules. I got up, and there

"Y'all didn't divorce until I was seven," I say, like an attorney

she was in the hall, her hands raised like a bank robber. She was

who's just discovered new evidence.

saying, 'Jimmy, it's me. It's your ma. Put the gun down, Jimmy.'

She never stayed past dark again."

"Wasn't your fault, I told you that."

All across town fireworks are going off now, the sky turning into I hear the first firecracker of the night, just as the sky is

a big color wheel of light and smoke.

darkening. Chance and Chase, the kids next door, are wild for fireworks. Chance, the oldest, who's maybe twelve,

"Daddy went to war," I say. "He never talks about it. Not ever."

yells, "Chase, you dummy, don't light 'em one at a time.

Light 'em all up!"

"You wouldn't want him to."

Mama rises, goes to the kitchen window, closes it. "You like to

"He told you, though. Surely he told you."

have killed me being born. Doc Patton said I'd never have another child." My mama touches her throat, pushes a stray lock of hair,

"By and by," she says. "By and by."

dyed black as coal, back behind her ear.

I go stand by the window. Chase and Chance are in their backI say nothing, so she says, "I only tell you this in case you're think-

yard. They've brought out the big guns: roman candles, towering

ing of having children of your own."

fountains, cherry bombs. The grass is the color of hay. There is not a mama or daddy in sight.

At thirty-three, with no prospects for love, the thought of children seems like a broken promise.

I watch for a while, but they don't light a thing, just walk around their bounty like kids playing musical chairs, waiting for the song

A bottle rocket screams past the window, lands in the bushes. One

to stop. It is only after I sit down, after I finally turn away, that I

of the boys calls out, "You got to shoot 'em in the other direction.

hear a boom, and then whooping, and then dead quiet.

Old Mrs. Hannah'll call the cops sure as she'll scratch her own butt," and then laughter erupts.

"We're going to have to wear ear muffs before this night is over," Mama says.

Mama's face goes red, then white, and then red again.

Not five minutes later, someone is beating on our door so hard it "They don't mean anything," I say. "Just boys being boys."

shakes. When I open it, Chase and Chance are standing there, whitefaced, sweaty. They point to the fire they've caused. It is licking the air

"Their mama needs to get control. That youngest one can't be

with its long fingers. It is snapping and sparking. Chase starts to cry.

older than six or seven. There is no daddy. Or there's a different

Chance croaks out, "Help us." It is more like a whimper.

daddy for each of them, and neither one is around." Mama waves her hand in front of her face. "I forget which."

Mama rushes past them. She's grabbed our jumbo water hose and she's stretching it as far as she can. I'm right behind her, turning

I look at the clock. It is almost eight. My birthday will be over in

on the faucet. I run back inside and head for the linen closet. On

four more hours.

the top shelf are the old army blankets. I grab three. Hand two off DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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southern fiction

to Chase and Chance. We run like Olympians toward the flames

When the phone rings, Mama motions for me to answer it. When

and unfurl our blankets. Chase is saying, "Dammit, dammit, dam-

I do, I hear Daddy's voice.

mit," and my mama doesn't even shush him.

"Hey, Honey," he says. "Your mama been telling you about the We are all water then, and fire, and beaters of the flames.

day you were born?"

Mama misdirects the hose and soaks the three of us. The flames seem to die down, seem to crouch for a second, but then they

"Yep," I say.

catch air and zoom back to life. "We may have to call the fire department," I call out, and the boys both howl. They're think-

"Did she tell you you're not responsible for our divorce?"

ing they could go to jail, I suspect. They have faces that look like they understand incarceration. I push them behind me with one

"Twice," I say.

arm, and Mama keeps spraying.

The line goes quiet, but then Daddy says. "It really wasn't your "All y'all throw your blankets on the fire," she says, and the boys

fault, Norma Lee." He coughs, inhales, says, "Wasn't her fault,

hesitate. She points to three spots where the blankets should go.

either. Figured it was high time I owned up to that."

It doesn't make sense to them, to give up their only weapons on this burning battlefield. "Go on!" she yells, and we do as we're

The static on the line ricochets between him and me.

told. The fire reacts, sizzles, smoke rising from the edges. Mama stomps the covers down. She keeps the hose going, all across the

"Well, anyway," he finally says. "I wanted to say I love you both."

thick wool, until they're sopping wet.

Mama is wiping Chase's face with the dish towel, and he is leanChance and Chase are the kind of forlorn kids you see in ads about

ing into it like it's the best part of his long, hard day. I've never

hunger. Chance has a skinny face, eyes that are too close togeth-

imagined her the way she was before I came along, the way she

er, and dimples that make you forget everything else. Chase has

was before her heart broke and daddy left, but I imagine it now.

front teeth that overlap, and ears that stick out, and brows that

I did not ruin her marriage. I did not ruin her life. The war, who

knit together when he talks.

knows, maybe the war did it, but who can stop a war?

"What were you thinking?" Mama asks, but neither boy answers.

The city park is having their fireworks show, not a half mile from

We stand like this for maybe five minutes, vigilant, Chase hold-

here. Great spiders of light arc above us, bomb the darkness,

ing onto Chance's arm. "Let's go inside," Mama says. "If the fire

rush in through our kitchen window. Mama turns toward me,

spikes up again, we can be out here in a heartbeat."

reaches out and grabs my hand, kisses it, suddenly, as if she's stealing something. I have the telephone in my other hand, my

Chance and Chase follow us. Their faces glow when they see the

daddy's voice just barely a memory.

cake. I grab towels from the laundry room and we dry off as best we can.

Chase and Chance are ready to head back outside. "Come go with us," Chance says, and so we do, the four of us sol-

"We're sorry as sin," Chance says.

diering into the night, past the smoldering blankets, walking beneath a sky that is splintering above us, is coming apart,

"You could've killed somebody," Mama says, and then she looks

if you want to know the God's honest truth. But right here,

at them and backs off. "It's my daughter's birthday," she says,

right now, we are held together. We are part of this night

and points at me. "Norma Lee's."

of a million shattered stars, fractured, sure, but filled with so much light, it hardly seems to matter.

"Sit down," I say. "Help me finish off this cake.

They are happy eaters. They smile with frosting on their teeth.

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House and Home

Local experts tell us how to improve the homes we love, what to do when we are ready to buy a new one, and the steps we need to take to protect one of the biggest investments we will ever make.

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Tim Mays, of Tim Mays Homebuilder, is a third-generation

or subtract to a home’s curb appeal as well as safety, replacing it

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What you're likely to notice first about a property is the lawn. If

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And as far as where they are buying (unless they have their

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Besides my custom homes, I am building in Stoneshire and the Woods at Chaffee Crossing, both in Fort Smith. I am also

Duane Froud, of Froud Lawn Care, says you need to be vigilant

building in Northridge in Van Buren."

about fertilizing, controlling weeds, and aerating your lawn, so that it stays in tip-top shape. Another tip: over-seed for a robust

Tim keeps up to date on what's gaining in popularity in his

yard. Need help? Duane is just a phone call away. His services

industry. "People are wanting more LED lighting, fun colors

give you back valuable time you'd otherwise be spending on

rather than just neutrals, and modern design. These seem to be

your lawn.

latest trends and most appealing to younger generations."

If your roof fails you're in big trouble. But how do you know if you need yours replaced? Steve Gann, with Elite Roofing,

ON THE OUTSIDE

says you may notice leaks, gravel from the shingles in your

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gutter or on your driveway. You might even notice a shingle Your front door says a lot about your house. Get the wrong one,

that has fallen to the ground. To make your roof last as long

and you'll regret it for years to come. Laura Pitsco, of River Valley

as possible, make sure your house is properly ventilated, on

Door and Trim, says, "Because a front door has the ability to add

both the interior and exterior.

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A STRONG TRADITION OF IMPROVING LIVES

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One Home at a Time

1955. Our founder, Ernest R. "Buddy" Coleman (born in Barling, Arkansas), built his first home at the age of nineteen and it sold for less than $4,000!

The son of a carpenter, Buddy supported his family by building homes, while also attending Ouachita Baptist University.

Given a choice of what type of homes he wanted his company to provide, he chose to offer ones people could afford. “I wanted to ensure that everyone could realize the American Dream of home ownership, not just the fortunate ones," said Buddy.

At Sequoyah Homes, our mission remains the same today as it was in 1955. Build the most desirable homes for the best value and help our customers save money! Our mandate is service for the second mile, while our goal is exceeding expectations!

After sixty years, and four generations later, we’ve built over 15,000 new homes throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. We will not settle for anything less than a truly satisfied customer!

ing the story of a home building company from Barling, Arkansas that has spent sixty years helping people realize their American Dream through home ownership.

We invite you to view our newest Craftsman style homes: Heritage at Chaffee Crossing. Choose from 1500 sq. ft. homes starting at $145,900 up to 2300 sq. ft. homes for $225,000. We can also build on your land or one of our other beautiful lots.

“I wanted to ensure that everyone could realize the American Dream of home ownership, not just the fortunate ones" —­Buddy Coleman

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Sequoyah Homes’ heritage began in

Our future depends on customers like you, spread-

MEET OUR TEAM Robin Fagan, double diamond producer: Robin is very knowledgeable in the new construction field as well as the existing home market.

It’s her goal to make home ownership the best experience it can be, whether you are a first time home buyer buying a starter home, or building a million dollar home.

JoAnn Carrier, financial liaison, licensed real estate agent: JoAnn handles our customers’ financials and closings and is a bank liaison for our customers. She has an extensive background in banking and sales, working previously with a national bank for fourteen years.

Timothy Looper, draftsman: Timothy is extremely talented in designing dream homes! He ensures a seamless building process for our customers and is always in tune to their needs. His attention to detail is impeccable.

Terry Stallings, office manager: Terry handles the daily activities of our thriving business! She has an extensive background in customer service and provides exceptional service to our customers.

479.462.5577 - 479.222.6684

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sequoyahhomes.net

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There's nothing like a little time in an outdoor spa to make

ON THE INSIDE

you love coming home. Micha Larru, of Burton Pools & Spas, says they're proud to offer Hot Springs Spas. "All spas strive

Robert Gordon, of Arkansas Glass and Mirror says custom glass

to provide the powerful combination of massage with hot

showers are trending right now, and they are happy to talk

water," Micha says. "However, no spa does that better than a

to you about the perfect one for you. The possibilities are

Hot Spring spa. They have exclusive jets that offer one-of-a-kind

limited only by your imagination. High-end bathrooms are

massage, innovative water care systems that keep maintenance

a big selling point, which is something to consider as you

to a minimum, and features that keep water hot and operating

improve your home.

costs low. Plus, you can count on their decades of experience and unparalleled customer care that will ensure the absolute

Arkansas Glass and Mirror also has a twenty-four-hour

best hot tub ownership experience." Even better? You can stop

emergency service for those times when you need immediate

by Burton Pools & Spas for a test run.

help. Those are 479.414.5964 and 479.414.5965.

"Can you imagine buying a car without test driving it first? Of

Lee Anne Henry, of Whiteline Designs, is the go-to person

course not!" Micha says. "'How do the jets feel? Will I float

for those wanting to know what's trending. In bathrooms

in the lounger? Will my shoulders be completely submerged,

she's seeing a lot of faucets and fixtures that are a brass/

or will they stick out of the water? What will the lights look

gold color, and she loves them. As for color, think blue.

like when it’s dark? What will the music system sound like

"My clients are into blues right now from soft french blue

when I am in the tub and the jets are on?' All these questions

to bold iron, deep blue," Lee Anne says.

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and more are answered by a test soak. We have several spas available to be wet tested. In addition, a secluded room is

Often, clients will come in with a ton of ideas, which is

available to test soak a spa in complete privacy. We can even

wonderful, Lee Anne says. What Whiteline Designs can do is

make appointments for test soaks after hours, if necessary."

help you decide what will work, and what functions well for

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your family. "This can help by getting a clean sense of the space

One of the quickest ways to breathe new life into your

and bringing back the elements that really matter. Good neutral

home is by purchasing new furniture. Brandy Rodgers, with

bones with a customized personalized space!"

Furniture Emporium, says they can even help you design a room, and they have lines, such as Bassett, England by

Flooring can make all the difference in the way your home

La-Z-Boy, Klaussner, and Lane, that carry customizable

looks. Chase Allison, with Allison Flooring, says gray and white

upholstery. Bassett also offers customizable wood options.

tiles are extremely popular right now. Customers are buying this and other color combinations in the large rectangular size. "It's

Often, customers want to know which living room upholstery

great because it reduces the number of grout lines and large tile

works best with children and pets. Brandy recommends

makes your space look bigger," Chase says.

leather. "It's durable and easy to care for," Brandy says.

"Spills that are wiped up immediately usually do not stain."

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Chase invites those just beginning to consider new flooring to stop by. "Every salesperson has between ten to thirty-five years'

If you have stairs in your home, you'll want to inspect

experience in flooring. We know what looks good and how

them regularly. Laura Pitsco, of River Valley Door and Trim,

to turn your ideas into reality. We offer every type of flooring,

says they know staircases are exposed to a lot of wear and

except stained concrete. "We stock more than 105 tiles, fifty

tear. "Small amounts of damage are not uncommon but

mosaics, twenty types of carpet, and thirty different vinyl

can be dangerous, so you shouldn't put off fixing them,"

products. Eighty percent of our inventory is bought directly from

Laura says. "Check your staircase regularly for any minor

factories all over the world. This gives us products that no one

problems. Joints can loosen or wood may start to crack.

else has, and lowers our prices. We stock close to one million

The treads and risers of the staircase are exposed to the

dollars in inventory, so there 's a good chance we have what you

most damage. If you can get under the stairs, this is the

need. Allison Flooring can install and do a "turn-key" job on any

easiest way both to inspect for damage, and to fix it."

of your flooring purchases."

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PROTECTING WHAT YOU OWN

sometimes they can actually save money by taking time to seek out advice from insurance agencies that truly do provide the

Earthquakes in Oklahoma. Flooding in Arkansas. How can

service and options needed. At BHC, we are an independent

homeowners know they have all the coverage they need to

insurance agency—that means we don’t represent just one

protect what they own?

company like many of our competitors. We think this makes a tremendous difference and allows us to market someone’s

Marty Clark, of Brown Hiller Clark, says, "Insurance is a

account impartially and provide them better options."

very consultative product that unfortunately often gets commodities down to just price. All the advertising that you see on TV emphasizes low price and how quickly a customer

SEE YOU IN AUGUST

can get a quote.

There you have it. Tips and advice to make your life a little ”At BHC, we feel that our clients deserve more than just that.

easier and your house a lot more like home.

They deserve options and need professional consultation to uncover threats and exposures that they may not even

Next month we'll be back with our Back to School Special

know exist. Flood and earthquake coverage are examples of

Advertising Section! We'll bring you the latest trends,

those types of needed options. Our job is to ensure that the

topics and tips from experts to get you and your kids ready

assets that our clients have built are protected and that they

for another year at school, from pre-school all the way

are insulated from financial ruin. The only way to do that

through college.

effectively is to have that consultative conversation.

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If you're a business owner looking to advertise, give Do South® "From that, most people will find that it doesn’t really

a call at 479.782.1500 or 479.459.6672. We'd love to talk to

cost more to have their insurance program built well, and

you about how we can help you grow your business.

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