Delish - June 2018

®

DELISH

June 2018 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Catherine Frederick Jade Graves Dwain Hebda Megan Lankford Susan O’Dell Jeromy Price James Stefiuk Jessica Sowards Tom Wing GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers

22

PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

24

35

INSIDE 22 24

35 42

42

WELCOME, Y’ALL! Want a DIY that says come on in? You can make this super easy, super cute wreath for your front door, personalized just for you!

HOW TO MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE Chicken and waffles. Cocktails. Live music. Dancing.

What a winning combination! Find out more about the newest music/food destination in Van Buren.

PERFECT WATERMELON PICO Dip into summer! Watermelon Pico pairs perfectly with blue tortilla chips or grilled chicken tacos.

HEAD FOR THE HILLS Mountain View, Arkansas, is home to the Ozark Mountain Folk Center, the only place of its kind in the United States. We’ve got everything you need to know to plan your next trip.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

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

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

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

04

letter from the editor

T

This month, our special feature, House and

us yet, you should). I wish we could have shared

Home, is near and dear to my heart. Home

them all; you guys have some very smart, and

is my favorite place to be, and it’s the one

very funny fathers!

place that proves to be so elusive during this time of year as we travel the United

Continuing with our theme of home,

States following my son and his AAU

we’re taking you to Fredericksburg,

basketball team.

Texas, the stomping ground of President Lyndon Baines Johnson,

After my husband and I bought our

complete with a charming bed and

current house, we got to work turning

breakfast, trolley, a bustling three-and-

it into our home. Throughout the process,

a-half-mile-long main street, and historic

we were blessed with professionals who

sites that are not to be missed. Right about

helped us navigate every step, from remod-

now you are probably thinking of Lady Bird,

eling to the final touches of decorating the

whose love of nature was instrumental in

interior and landscaping our yard. Their help

getting wildflowers planted in the medians of the

proved invaluable as we chose new paint colors, renovated

highways and byways.

the kitchen and bathrooms, changed out all the flooring, and created a new staircase. Then came the fun stuff—new lighting,

If you’re looking for fun closer to home, we suggest the Ozark

a few new pieces of furniture, new art for the walls. We learned

Natural Folk Center State Park where you’ll find music, crafts,

a lot during that time, new likes and dislikes, the art of compro-

attractions and lots of local hospitality. We also highly recom-

mise. And, you know the best part? Our marriage survived it!

mend paying a visit to local legend Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles, which recently

This month we celebrate all things home! Starting with a

opened in downtown Van Buren.

gorgeous DIY wreath to adorn your door that’s easily customizable for any season. I’m also sharing my favorite kitchenware

I am so very blessed to write you this note from the comfort

that I simply cannot live without. You need to run out and

of my living room. I’m honored you invite me and my talented

grab an Instant Pot, stat! Since I am in the sharing mood, I’ve

team into your heart and home each month. Even though I

featured my recipe for cheese tortellini with roasted veggies

sometimes take my home for granted, I never underestimate

and pesto. It’s fresh, easy to toss together, and totally delicious!

the power and the pull of what home is to me: love, comfort, family. It’s like they say, home is where the heart is. Enjoy this

Why not try and grow your own veggies? This month, our friend Megan Lankford, with Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, shows us what we should be planting in our gardens. We’re also celebrating dads by featuring the best bits of fatherly advice which you shared with us via our Facebook page (if you don’t follow

issue, I’ll see you in July!

~Catherine

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Follow Do South® Magazine

06

calendar

JUNE 8-9

Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com

images courtesy certain vendors and the AR Dept. of Parks & Tourism

TH

15 -16

The Junk Ranch Prairie Grove thejunkranch.net

TH

Find vintage, repurposed, handmade, salvage and more, all for sale at The Junk Ranch in Prairie Grove. There will also be live music, food trucks, and tons of fun.

Bat-O-Rama West Fork arkansasstateparks.com

12-16

TH

This family-friendly event celebrates bats, one of the most misunderstood creatures in the world. Special events, nighttime mist netting, and close-up views at Devil’s Den State Park.

Trout Days Bull Shoals 870.445.3629 Bull Shoals-White River State Park is jumping with trout cooking demos, Fly Fishing 101, river and lake cruises, and children’s programs.

15-17

TH

Petit Jean Car Show Morrilton motaa.com

Eureka Springs Blues Weekend Eureka Springs eurekaspringsblues.com

The Museum of Automobiles is the site of this swap meet, car show, and arts and crafts booths. There are even 200 RV parking spaces (no hookups) on a first come basis.

This weekend of blues music features headliner John Mayall, a free concert with Selwyn Birchwood, and a concert at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

calendar

THETOPTENTHETOPTEN

16

TH

Cruisin’ on Main Van Buren vanburen.org

Come on out for "Cruisin on Main,” with cool cars, music, food, entertainment, and fun for the entire family.

22-23 R D

Father’s Day Trolley Fort Smith fstm.org Fathers and grandfathers ride the vintage trolley free when accompanied by paid fares. Make sure you let them know when you board!

20-22

ND

Bite Northwest Arkansas Bentonville bitenwa.com

17

TH

This two-night food festival in downtown Bentonville is a world-class event with scrumptious food and drinks to sample.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Buffalo River Elk Fest Jasper buffaloriverelkfestival.com Elk calling contests, great food, arts and crafts, plus an education on the elk of Arkansas, all in downtown Jasper.

Riverfront Blues Festival Fort Smith riverfrontbluesfest.org Harry E. Kelley Park comes alive with the sound of blues. Hear greats including Wanda Watson, Austin Calvillo, Hadden Sayers, local legend Gary Hutchison, and the Eric Mathews Band.

07

08

poetry

Judith's Cabin LINEs Susan O’Dell

An evening with friends in the hollow.

Surrounded by pasture and lilac fragrant and whispering in the Boulder breeze.

Their log house stout as steel.

A recollection of the vanished past.

Stacked and sturdy.

Conversation flows in cadence as if each word is as separate as its individual letters.

Each story unique to its teller.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

10

entertainment

Promise

By Minrose Gwin, Harper Collins | 367 pages | $26 review Marla Cantrell

On April 5, 1936, a tornado with winds estimated as high

Dovey soon crosses paths with Jo McNabb, a teenaged girl whose

as 318 mph, fractured Tupelo, Mississippi. The storm leveled

laundry Dovey has done for years. Jo sends Dovey into town to

half the town, tearing apart forty-eight city blocks, sending

seek help for her mother whose leg was splintered by the storm,

several children flying through the air. When the death toll

and to tell searchers that her baby brother is missing.

was tallied, the number reached as high as 233, with another 1,000 injured.

It is Jo’s older brother, Son McNabb, however, who is the constant, unholy link between her and Dovey’s family. He is the

Those are the facts of Promise, a novel based on that devas-

father of Dreama’s baby and a burden to everyone who popu-

tating twister. As author Minrose Gwin, who grew up in her

lates his life.

grandparents’ house in Tupelo, studied the tragedy, another story surfaced. She discovered that members of the African-

With these elements in place, the story sails forward, part

American community, who made up a third of the town’s

mystery, part testimony to the injustices of the time. The storm

population, were not counted among the dead or injured. That

hits at the height of the Great Depression when the struggle to

omission fueled her research, as she gathered old newspaper

make ends meet was keen on the best days. After the twister,

articles, conducted interviews, and finally penned this fictional

food, shelter and water become precious things. People wander

account of one family, the Grand’hommes. Dovey, the matri-

the streets looking for the missing. Others build bonfires to burn

arch, made a living as a laundress. Her husband Virgil worked

the carcasses of the hundreds of animals that didn’t survive. The

in the cotton mill, and their granddaughter Dreama cared for

souls who are lost cannot be properly mourned, with burials

her baby, a boy named Promise.

taking place every ten minutes, with little fanfare.

With the family in place, it was time to chronicle the storm.

Just as harrowing is Dovey’s struggle to reunite her family. She

Gwin does this with such detail, with an eye that’s unwavering

searches as best she can, compromising her health to do it.

even as townspeople are run through with clothes hangers or

Throughout the novel, the lives of Dovey and Jo collide. The two

fall into craters created with century-old trees that are yanked

tell the story of the storm’s aftermath in wider and wider circles,

from the ground.

until the mysteries they hold overlap and explode.

When the tornado hits, Dovey is blown from her home to Gum

Promise is an important novel, well researched and so well

Pond. She scrambles out of the water with injuries that will

written you can hear the thunder roll, can see the sky grow angry

threaten her life in the days to come. Virgil, Dreama, and her

and omnipotent. Add this book to your must-read list, just don’t

baby are nowhere to be found.

crack it open during a storm.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

12

pets

Give Some Summer Lovin' M

F

F

M

Blitz

Heidi

F

Herc

Sunshine

F

Annelle

Penny

Almost Home Shelter and Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | 479.462.3122 or 479.629.0056 | Almost Home Shelter and Rescue is a 501C-3 Non-Profit all volunteer staffed facility. They work in partnership with Van Buren Animal Control to find loving, forever homes for the dogs in their care. All dogs will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccines when adopted. Please consider adopting or fostering one of their sweet pets.

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

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

lifestyle

MUST-HAVE

Countertop Kitchen Appliances words Catherine Frederick images courtesy vendors

Walk into my kitchen, and you’ll find these appliances and cookware—most of them out on the countertop for all to see. They save me time and money as well as help me to prepare delicious meals for my family. I simply can’t live without them!

FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System Prolong the life of your food! Keeps food fresh in the freezer, refrigerator or pantry 2-5x longer. Reseal, marinate, and divide food into portions for later use in a cinch!

KitchenAid® Stand Mixer It does more than dress up your countertop! Mix up sweet treats, spiralize, slice and dice veggies, make fresh pasta, and so much more with the stand mixer and over ten optional attachments.

Cast Iron Cookware Why? Because your grandmother used it! And because it’s naturally non-stick and can easily go from stovetop to the oven. Season it well, care for it properly, and it will serve you and your family for generations to come.

Red Copper® Non-Stick Ceramic Cookware It’s true. You can cook without butter, oil, or grease using these pans. Food will slide right out. Lightweight but super strong. Oven safe to 500 degrees and dishwasher safe.

Instant Pot® Programmable Pressure Cooker Saves you time by cooking your food up to 70% faster! I own the Duo Series which combines the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice maker, steamer, and has a sautéing option, and warmer. Plus, it even makes yogurt and cakes!

Ninja Coffee Bar System with Thermal Carafe Make a standard cup of joe or a caramel macchiato in minutes. It has a built-in frother, it’s pod free, brews multi or single serve, has a permanent reusable filter, and a removable water reservoir.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

13

14

community

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

being a vital commodity on the Appian Way (road to Rome). A small village named Tres Tabernae (Three Taverns), near the city, is named in Acts 28:15, by the Apostle Paul as he journeys to prison in Rome.

THE TALE OF TWO CITIES

Modern-day Cisterna benefitted for a time under the programs of Benito Mussolini, who ordered much of the surrounding marshland drained, which resulted in productive farm acreage.

The German military would undo most of this during World War II in an effort to frustrate American and British troops in the area. Today, Europe and other parts of the world enjoy the region of Cisterna’s bounty of kiwi fruit.

William O. Darby at West Point

Now that we understand the city’s history, let’s see where Fort Smith’s connection begins. World War II brought action to the old crossroads and farming community with the Allied invasion at Anzio in January 1944. British and American forces successfully landed, but soon found themselves encircled by German troops who, according to intelligence reports, would be undermanned, unmotivated, and inaccessible to the area of operation. Intelligence reports were wrong in every case.

On January 29, elements of Fort Smith’s own Colonel William O. Darby’s Ranger Battalions were tasked with infiltrating the “assumed” lightly-defended German lines and seizing the crossroads at Cisterna. According to the plan, the Rangers would be supported by the US 7th Infantry, one of the oldest

words Tom Wing, Historian and Author IMAGEs courtesy Fort Smith Museum of History

active regiments in the Army that once garrisoned the first Fort Smith. The US 7th Infantry was nicknamed “Cotton Balers” for their part in the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson.

Cisterna, Italy, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, are sister cities, a desig-

Also aiding the Rangers was the US 15th Regiment, who were

nation of love and respect that started during World War II. As a

called “Old China Hands,” owing to their service during the

part of that long-fought war, Army Rangers led by Fort Smith’s

Boxer Rebellion in China.

own William O. Darby liberated the Italian City in a battle that made history.

At dawn on January 30, the full details of the disaster were clear. Seven hundred sixty-seven Rangers had gone to battle the

Let’s take a look at the Italian city’s history. A Roman historian

day before; 761 died or were captured. The fight for Cisterna

first mentioned the numerous patrician villas located near the site

did not end until May 1944. Darby was sent home for a stint

of present-day Cisterna, Italy. Cisterna means reservoir, water

at the Pentagon, then reassigned to the field in Italy. He died

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

community

in October 1944, the victim of a German artillery attack, near

“They roared even louder,” he said.

Verona in Northern Italy.

The former mayor spoke of the gifts, the parties, dinners and The people of Fort Smith have always remembered their soldier/

receptions, including the Symphony of Rome and the elite Alpini

son. His house is a museum, a school is named for him, and

(Alpine Mountain) soldiers of the Italian Army who performed in

more recently a statue was erected on Garrison Avenue, larger

honor of the linking of Fort Smith to Cisterna. However, what

than life, completely fitting and proper for the accomplish-

remains clearest in his mind, are the voices of the Italian chil-

ments and legacy of William Orlando Darby.

dren, crowds of them at every turn chanting his name, Billy.

When they said it, it sounded more like “Beelee, Beelee!”

In 1984, Cisterna’s city leadership, along with one of Darby’s own men, suggested the cities be twinned officially, to further

While Fort Smith has some long-standing Italian families, and a

recognize and honor the soldiers who fought and died there.

rich Italian heritage, it was the sacrifices of Darby and his men

Festivals, visits to both cities by representatives and dignitaries,

that caused the cities to be permanently joined. In helping to

commemorations and other activities remembered a time of

end the war and stop the attempted domination by cruel dicta-

war but focused on the promise of peace. In a box, stored in

tors, Darby and his men helped bring a degree of peace still

the Fort Smith Museum of History are hundreds of postcards

enjoyed today. The people of Cisterna have never forgotten.

and personal letters, many with original artwork, written and drawn by schoolchildren from Cisterna. All the correspondence is addressed to the mayor of Fort Smith at that time, Bill Vines. During a recent interview, Vines remembered with fondness his trip to Italy to represent the City of Fort Smith.

“They were so kind, the young and old, but especially those who had survived the war. They were extremely grateful, and they ALL loved Darby.” Vines told of addressing the people of

This story would not have been possible without the support of Executive Director Leisa Gramlich and Curator Caroline Speir of the Fort Smith Museum of History. Special thanks to former Fort Smith Mayor Bill Vines for his stories and remembrances. For more on the Fort Smith Museum of History, visit fortsmithmuseum.org.

Cisterna on the town square, and his failed attempt to speak to them in Italian, which solicited laughter and broke the ice of a somewhat solemn moment. Later, when doves were released to symbolize peace, one of the doves landed on Vines’ head.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

15

16

community

Our Community Cares words Do South staff ®

Each day, the Girls Shelter of Fort Smith, which opened June 1, 1970, is home to up to eight girls, ages twelve through seventeen. The non-profit provides housing, three meals a day plus snacks, transportation, and counseling. The girls attend public school, receive tutoring four days a week, learn positive social interactions, receive job experience, volunteer in the community and learn life skills. Do South® spoke with Executive Director Mary Dale Colvett about their mission.

DS: How do your residents come to you?

Mary: They’re referred through the court system.

DS: It must be a traumatic time. How do you help them feel at home with you?

Mary: We are very structured, and our staff guides them until they feel comfortable. The other residents are very helpful as well.

DS: What’s a typical day like for the girls?

Mary: Up at 6:15 in the morning. Rooms cleaned, dressed, and ready for school; breakfast together as a family; off to school. After school they have snacks, tutoring, free time, fix dinner, dinner together, meal cleanup, free time, chores, showers, then bed by 10pm.

DS: How many girls have stayed at the shelter since it opened?

Girls Shelter of Fort Smith 2600 Raleigh Street 479.646.0444

Mary: More than 800. Some have stayed more than three years.

DS: Can you share one of your success stories?

Mary: Sally (name changed) came to us from a drug-addicted mother. Her dad and little brother had been killed in a motorcycle accident with her watching. Her brother died in her arms. She was grieving and angry when she came to us. She had never been taught positive social graces, gone to school regularly or lived in a structurally decent house. While here she learned to have positive types of fun. She received counseling to cope with her

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area. If you have a non-profit you’d like to see recognized, email us at editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

losses. She attended school daily and did very well. She attended the Military Ball. The Board of Directors made sure she had a formal, nails, hair and makeup done. She had never done those things. Afterward, she was so excited because she had known exactly which fork to use and how to cut her entree. She knew how to mingle and enjoy it. She is now happily married to a military man and living in California. She is an excellent mother who is teaching her children how good life can be!

DS: Are you looking for volunteers?

Mary: We always need volunteers for fundraising events. In October, we will have our annual Mum Sale, and October 26th is our Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction.

DS: Are there other ways Do South® readers can help?

Mary: We always need everyday household items, laundry detergent, paper towels, etc.

DS: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Mary: We have two Board members that are former residents.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

18

shop

Summer is for Shopping! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Hearts On Fire Liliana Milgrain Diamond Bar Necklace, .17cts, 18kt. Rose, Yellow or White Gold

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

Nature’s Plus Keto Shake/Sugar Control, Verditas Scientific Organic Aromatherapy Oils, Host Defense Chaga Extract, Host Defense Turkey Tail Immune Support

479.452.2140

OLDE FASHIONED FOODS 479.782.6183 / 479.649.8200

Budweiser Freedom Reserve Red Lager, Title No 21 American Bourbon Whisky, Crown Royal Bourbon Mash, Title No 21 American Rye Whiskey

Westone® AquaNots, custom swim plugs that float, come in fun colors, and feature added finger grips for easy removal.

IN GOOD SPIRITS

479.785.3277

479.434.6604

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

CENTER FOR HEARING

shop

Shopping for items to complete your July 4th celebration? Looking for natural products to keep you in tip-top health? Are you finally going to indulge in something just for you? Look no further, we’ve got you covered! Stop in these local shops and tell them Do South® sent you.

Customize your celebration with glass fusion “Pop Ins”. Add a fun burst of color to customize your favorite holiday, seasons and celebrations with interchangeable decorative glassware.

Sweet Water Tropical Lover Berliner Weisse, Charles & Charles Rose 2017, American Anthem Vodka, Smithworks American Made Vodka, Sweet Water Blue

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH 479.441.4221

SkinCeuticals Skincare Products

ARKANSAS VEIN CLINICS & SKINCARE

Robert Marc Sunglasses

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020

479.484.7100

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

19

20

garden

words Megan Lankford, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks image courtesy Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

June in the Garden THE DIRT: I often think of mulch as the gardening hat of the earth. In the summer, it keeps the sun off of the plants’ roots, helping them regulate their temperature, and in the winter, mulch protects tender roots from freezing temperatures. Furthermore, it helps keep plants hydrated by keeping the moisture in the soil and not allowing it to evaporate as quickly. Just as we as gardeners shouldn’t be caught without sun protection, your soil shouldn’t be caught without mulch.

YOU CAN PLANT: Arugula Beets Beans Carrots

T IPS:

Although there are various types of mulch you can use, we’re going to focus on the two most commonly used, wood and straw mulch. Wood mulches are best used for perennials, most annual bedding plants, trees, and shrubs. Straw is best suited for vegetable gardens.

Wood mulch can be purchased in bags or by the truckload. What kind you get depends on the look you want to obtain. Chipped mulch is often the least expensive and what you will find bagged up at garden centers. Although it does the job, it can float in a heavy rainstorm, especially on hillsides. With shredded mulch, you can get a variety of different woods and colors including cedar, pine, and hardwood. Cedar mulch takes a long time to break down, while shredded hardwood breaks down more quickly and has the potential to cause nitrogen deficiencies for your plants.

Shredded pinewood can be used for just about any tree, shrub, or perennials, but pine bark is great for acid-loving plants like azaleas.

Straw mulch, not hay, is ideal for vegetable gardening. You can buy it at your local co-op, from a local farmer, or garden center. Additionally, it breaks down quickly and adds organic matter to the soil, helping to increase your soil’s fertility. Although straw mulch can sometimes come with seed heads, as long as you don’t walk in your beds, the sprouted seeds should pull out of the soil easily.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Corn Lettuce Melons Peppers Squash Sweet Potatoes

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

22

diy

Welcome, Y’all! words and IMAGE Catherine Frederick

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

diy

W

Welcome guests with this gorgeous DIY burlap wreath! My mother-in-law bought my burlap wreath for me a couple of years ago – I love the look of it, so full and layered. It’s my favorite because I can easily embellish it for each season, holiday, or special event and it looks amazing, even in its natural state. I’ve included instructions to make your own or they are easy to locate for purchase at craft fairs or hobby shops.

materials

method

• Metal wreath form

Secure one end of ribbon to form with a knot, wire

(12, 16, or 18-inch)

or a pipe cleaner. Push/pull burlap up through the

• 6-inch burlap ribbon rolls

innermost section of the form (about 3 inches in length, or to your liking for fullness). Pull ribbon

(10-15 yards)

up through the remaining two form openings.

• Scissors

You do not need to cut the ribbon in strips. For

• Embellishments

a full wreath, push the section of ribbon down before repeating the process on next section.

- hydrangea stems

- assorted greenery

off excess ribbon and secure to form with a knot,

- wooden letter

wire or pipe cleaner.

- acrylic paint

- jute

- floral wire

Repeat until wreath is full all the way around. Cut

I attached my embellishments to my burlap wreath with jute, twine, or wire – whatever is going to blend in with my chosen décor best. I tied my florals to my form with floral wire and painted my wooden letter a creamy white. I clipped the letter on to the wreath with a clothespin that I hot glued to the back of the letter. Voila!

Find check

how-to out

videos

on

YouTube®

Pinterest®

for

more

decorating ideas.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

and

adorable

23

24

people

How to Make a Dream Come True

T

words Marla Cantrell images Marla Cantrell and courtesy Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles

The early part of April 2017 found longtime musician Larry

After the party, Larry, Hazel, and JT couldn’t quit thinking

Bedell conspiring with James “JT” Thomas, who at that time

about how much fun they’d had. Hazel is a natural people

was the executive chef at a local country club. The two were

person with years of management experience. Larry a dyed-in-

trying to pull off a surprise party for Larry’s wife, Hazel. To

the-wool entertainer. JT a food wizard. What would happen

complicate matters, Larry wanted it to be a sit-down dinner for

if the three of them found a way to cash in on their talents?

sixteen, and he wanted it to be held at the couple’s Fort Smith, Arkansas, home.

They’d toyed with the idea of working together before, but the dinner party showed them what was possible. They started

JT made it happen. Hazel walked into her home the evening

talking, crunching numbers, scouting the area for a vacant

of her birthday to find a trove of family and friends waiting,

restaurant with enough space for a stage and dance floor.

and a menu she’s still talking about. JT had prepared a feast

Larry wasn’t about to give up music.

that included Tenderloin Caesar Salad, scallops, lobster tails, Cajun Salmon. For dessert, there was a strawberry cake with

When Larry found this building in late 2017, the former Oliver’s

chocolate ganache.

Kitchen at 719 Main Street in Van Buren, he felt his heart jump.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

This was a big restaurant with seating for 130. He called JT and told him he’d found a place; he just wouldn’t tell him where it was. “I drove around with my son all weekend looking at buildings, trying to figure out where it was,” JT says.

Larry laughs. “Had to keep a little suspense going.”

When Larry finally revealed the location, JT could see himself there. And so could Hazel. She started gathering decorating ideas for the space. She dug out her waffle recipe (for the restaurant’s chicken and waffles) that have become the mainstay of this new eatery. She talked to her ninety-three-year-old mother who’s also named Hazel to see if she’d be willing to make pies for the restaurant. Her mama said yes.

What followed was a quest to find the right name. They settled on Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles, a mouthful for sure, but it said everything they wanted to say about this new venue. They would be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. There would be live music, often with Larry headlining. And there would be southern soul food done with flavor and style.

Larry and Hazel Bedell with Chef JT Thomas

Days and nights of work commenced. The new year came and with it a goal to be opened before April of this year. They made it, holding their grand opening on March 30. The first two days they say they served more than 300 people.

The three are sitting in the dining room of Larry B’s as they share their story. It is a Thursday afternoon, one of those misleading days in late spring when the weather is so mild you believe it might stay this way. A trolley rolls by, filled with tourists scoping out this charming downtown with its mom and pop shops, with the historic Drennen-Scott House just blocks away. A few yards from here, a restored A&M train collects passengers at the old depot, taking them through some of the area’s prettiest country.

Hazel loves the feeling of this place. For years she lived in the Dallas area, working in management. Five years ago, she moved to Fort Smith to marry Larry, and then to Van Buren.

Larry is originally from Springfield, Missouri. At three he played his first set of drums. He remembers learning to play “My Girl” on a guitar he bought from a Spiegel mail-order catalog. By nine he was performing with his brothers and DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

25

26

people

neighborhood kids, a group he says became the R&B band

“I remember saying, ‘Here is our dream. We did it,’” Hazel says.

The Fabulous Elites, traveling the country to perform.

JT adds, “We had a minister come in with my uncle. He kept Later he played with KC Express, signing with a record

saying, ‘Y’all gonna have to move. This place isn’t going be

company. When he came to Fort Smith in the 1980s, he played

big enough for long.’”

with Gray Ghost, a group that gained national recognition.

Larry chimes in. “A minister from Lavaca told me, ‘B, you just As for JT, he came here by way of Little Rock, bringing his love

hold on. The going might be rough in the beginning, but you

of cooking with him. He remembers being eight years old and

just hold on. You’re in for a blessing you can’t comprehend.’ I

making a tuna melt for his mom. “This was long before a tuna

said, ‘I’m gonna take that and run!’”

melt was a thing,” he says. “I thought I’d made it up.”

Hazel adds. “We had a couple from Little Rock here for their Today, he’s an award-winning chef creating a menu that will

first visit. They asked me when we were going to open in Little

knock you off your feet. One of his top sellers is Shrimp and Grits

Rock. They kept calling this our ‘first restaurant.’ They said, ‘I

featuring jalapeño and cream cheese grits, shrimp in a Cajun cream

can just see it.’”

sauce, and asparagus. Hazel’s Gourmet Chicken and Waffles is a great choice, as is the Chicken Fried Steak, Van Buren Catfish,

While branching out is exciting to think about, they’re content

and the Rib Eye. Try any one of those as an entrée, but not before

making this spot everything it can be. Larry yawns, stretches

you get the Southwestern Shrimp Cocktail with avocado cocktail

his arms out in front of him. This life they love is filled with

sauce. JT won first place in a cooking competition with that recipe.

hard work. And even though it’s mid-afternoon, the day is just

For dessert, try Pecan Sweet Potato Pie, made by Hazel’s mama.

starting for this trio. It will be late evening before they retire, and when they do, they will fall asleep quickly, the effects of the

On Tuesday nights there’s live jazz music. Wednesday is dance

day evident as they sink into bed. Tomorrow, though, they’ll be

night. Thursday the live music is a blast from the past. They

up early, waiting to see what happens next at Larry B's Rhythm

even offer valet parking, so customers don’t have to look for

Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles. At this

a parking spot.

restaurant that embodies their biggest dreams yet.

During the two-day grand opening, Larry B and the Cradle Rockers played. People were laughing and dancing and trying the brand-new menu. The full bar was open (the eatery is a private club since Van Buren is part of a dry county), and family had flown in from as far away as California.

Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles 719 Main Street | Van Buren, Arkansas 479.689.5252 Reservations for evening dining are recommended.

Larry, Hazel and JT were exhausted and happy after it was over.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

28

people

Things our Daddies Said words Do South® staff

We asked our readers to share the best advice they ’d gotten from their daddies. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were certain the responses would be entertaining! Here are a few, from practical to profound, that will get you ready to celebrate Father ’s Day.

If you don’t have the money now, you won’t have it later either.

—Ashley DeLaet

Bob Altes said, "If you make a friend, you have a friend for a little while. But if you make an enemy, you have an enemy for life."

—Rick Altes

Never raise your hand at an auction unless you want to buy it.

My dad always said, “Never argue with an idiot; an innocent passerby won’t know the difference.”

—Kenya McCain Harbin I grew up with three older brothers. My dad was an army guy. He always told me, “You can do whatever a guy or your brothers can do and probably better.”

—Beth Worley Presley Mine came from my father-in-law many years ago. He knew I had a troubled relationship with my parents and encouraged me through a long Christmas Eve heart-to-heart to make my peace with them. He was absolutely right.

—Sandy Pierce My dad brought me up in the oil patch, and he taught me to be self-sufficient, brave, and competent. His advice was two-fold: "Never count on something you think MIGHT happen," and “It doesn't cost any more to keep the top half of your gas tank full instead of the bottom half." Miss him dreadfully, every day.

—Lavetta Beshears

—Jacky Fleming DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

If you have to ask if it's ‘okay’ then you better stay away from it.

—Donna Stamper If you cannot pay cash for something, do not buy it. He lived by this until the day he died.

—Sandra Robbins You can lie to everyone except yourself. He is ninety now, and he still tells me that.

—Sweetie Darlin' If you need a job, two things you don’t ask. How much money am I going to make and what am I going to be doing?

—Pat Widders

Don't let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird *butt*.

—TamnRob Fetter Nothing good happens after midnight.

Go to work every day and work as if you owned the company.

—Raelene Brown Plummer

—Jim Kolettis Don't discuss politics; it’s nobody's business how you vote. Not even in marriage.

If everyone else is doing it, it’s probably a bad idea!

—Linda Geraghty

—Denise Ladydee Messamor Tend to your own knitting.

Always find the bright side. That’s what got me through the war (WWII).

—Libby Warden Ware

—Coleen Kenner Kremers

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

29

30

people

REDEFINED

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Words and images Jessica Sowards

people

W

When I look back over my thirty-two years and attempt to

the garden is cared for and the goats are milked. Usually, it’s

sequence them, there are a couple of great divides. Befores

sautéed greens and eggs I brought in as souvenirs from the

and afters. The kind of life-altering happenings that redefine

morning, and though it is a delicious routine, it is altogether

the way you think about everything. Kids and marriage and

ordinary to eat a plate of food I grew in my yard. Here I see my

Jesus are the obvious ones. I’ve walked through these. But one

new definition becoming concrete.

of my greatest divides came in getting our farm.

Sometimes it’s more romantic. I can occasionally be found ®

I wrote an article for Do South magazine during the summer

frozen in wonder over the beautiful details of my dream come

of 2014 about our transition into country living. In fact, I

true. I cannot count the times I’ve sat in awe on the chicken

began the journey of contributing to this beautiful publication

coop floor, running my fingers across the smooth blue and

the very month we unpacked the boxes on our four little acres

green shells of eggs. I’ve witnessed birth, then leaned against

of Arkansas woods. The article, four years ago, was called

the barn walls, tears of joy streaming my face and arms full

“Becoming Country.” When I read it now, I can’t help but

of a wet and wriggling newborn goat kid with long velveteen

reflect on what an important season that was, and how much

ears. Then there are the times in the garden. I think the garden

has changed in the meantime.

has carved me more than all the rest of the farm combined.

Of course, I’ve learned skills. The girl that typed out that article did not have calloused hands. She didn’t know how to milk a goat or grow a garden. She didn’t make butter or bake bread or have a pantry full of canned and fermented jars of food.

She had never even owned a chicken. But skills are rarely redefining by themselves. No, what redefines us is when the skills become habits, routines, regularities. We become redefined when life shifts, and with it, our hearts shift, and before we know it, the plumb line of who we are is somewhere different than it used to be.

I often feel the presence of God there, but one particular encounter stands out in my memory. It wasn’t the booming-voice-fromthe-sky kind of encounter often depicted in movies. It was a July evening, and I’d melted into a puddle in a canvas camp chair right in

The girl who wrote that article was just learning how to move at the pace of the created world, immersed as she had always

the middle of the raised beds.

been in the man-made one. She didn’t know how to navigate loss. She didn’t know how to work so hard it hurt. She did not

I was surrounded by hundreds of plants that just months

understand the patience that comes with being yielded to the

before had been a bunch of seeds in my hand. They were heavy

seasons. But now she does. That is to say, now I do. My heart

with fruit, and they were demanding hours a day in atten-

has settled firmly into the plumb line God laid on this little farm.

tion to prune and protect them from pests. I don’t remember exactly what was weighing on me that day—maybe it was just

Redefining is a process. The old definition must first be erased.

the hard work and the heat—but I remember feeling slightly

Then the new one comes in, sometimes all at once and some-

deflated as I leaned back in that chair and engaged in the kind

times bit by bit. With reverence and wonder and awe, I’ve been

of comfortable prayer I’ve found fits the garden perfectly.

rewritten. Sometimes in the unassuming times of routine, and sometimes in one fell swoop of revelation.

I asked Him, “Why, if you are seated in the Heaven described in the book of Revelation, and you love me like you say, why

These days, the alarm screams early and by the time the sun

did you seat me in the world that is so completely foreign to

rises above the tree line, I’m already walking the rows of my

where you are? I want to live a life of worship and wonder,

garden, getting chores done before the heat settles in. Most

but I can’t even fathom You. I can’t even fathom Your throne

days, I don’t sit down at the table for breakfast until after

room. Why did You design it this way?”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

31

32

people

In the still small voice that sometimes pricks my heart, a question rose in my thoughts. “What is His favorite color?” It was a bit of a startling question in its simplicity, one I’d never really pondered. My eyes opened, and before I knew it, I’d surveyed my scene and answered aloud, “By the looks of it, I’d venture to guess You are rather fond of green.” Then, as if by response, a scripture came to mind from Revelation 4, the very description of the throne room I’d just been thinking of. The verse describes the throne as being surrounded by a rainbow with the appearance of an emerald. I’ve always found that to be a terribly confusing verse. How can a rainbow be green?

But on that hot, sticky evening, in a half-broken folding chair, I looked around. My garden was an explosion of green. The grass needed to be cut, and the light shining through the trees seemed to have a greenish tint. Moss grew up the side of the chicken coop, and weeds broke through every nook and cranny of the whole place. It all moved and swayed in the breeze, all so very green and so very alive that even the air seemed pregnant with it.

And my mind was redefined, and I understood in that moment how a rainbow could be called emerald and how my world wasn’t so far away from His after all.

I don’t know what the next four years will hold. I imagine my redefinition is hardly even underway. How often we assume the lines of our great divides are clear when really they are not. Either way, I’ll be here, crying over eggs and walking with my Maker in a garden, sharing the whole process with anyone who decides to read along.

Follow Jessica

@thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

34

taste

Dip into Summer WORDS Catherine Frederick IMAGES Jeromy Price

Fresh salsas and summertime. They go together quite nicely, don’t you think? Tomatoes, peppers, onions and jalapeños, fresh from the garden. When combined, they’re hard to beat.

There are few dishes my family loves more than my guacamole, and a couple years ago I discovered a shortcut to making it. The shortcut is starting with a simple Pico de Gallo.

By making a batch of Pico first, your guacamole will come together much quicker. Also, by not crushing the peppers and onions in a molcajete (mortar and pestle), the flavor of each ingredient is allowed to stand alone - exploding with each bite, instead of simply permeating the entire avocado mixture.

While we love my traditional recipe (featured below), we eat it so often I started searching out other recipes, looking for a twist on tradition. What I discovered was nothing short of delicious.

Watermelon Pico. I put my spin on that recipe to meet our liking, and you can do the same.

Watermelon Pico – who thought of that? Who cares! I’m hooked, and I think you will be too.

Catherine’s Guacamole METHOD Make Pico. Combine 5 large, ripe, but firm avocados, halved & pitted; 1/2 large white onion, chopped; 2 green onions, chopped; 4 Roma tomatoes diced into 1/4-inch pieces; 1 jalapeño minced (2 for more heat); juice of 2 limes; and 1 cup chopped cilantro in large bowl. Scoop out avocado onto plate. Using a fork, chop & lightly mash avocados. Add avocados to Pico mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add generous pinch of salt. Stir and taste. Add more salt & additional lime juice if needed. Serve with orange Mission chips.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

Watermelon Pico { INGREDIENTS } 1/2 whole small seedless watermelon, diced 1/2 whole red onion, diced 1 whole red bell pepper, seeded & diced 1 whole green bell pepper, seeded & diced 1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded & diced 2 whole jalapeĂąos, seeded & finely diced

{ METHOD } Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Stir gently to combine.

Taste and add more salt and lime if needed. Serve with chips.

Also tasty as a topping for fish and chicken.

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped Juice of 2 limes 1/2 teaspoon salt Chips for serving

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

35

36

taste

Cheese Tortellini

with Roasted Veggies and Pesto words and IMAGES Catherine Frederick Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

INGREDIENTS >> 2 zucchinis, sliced and halved

>> 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach

>> 2 yellow squash, sliced and halved

>> 2/3 cup pesto sauce

>> 1 red bell pepper,

>> Fresh basil (5-10 leaves)

diced into small cubes

(I used McCormick’s in a package)

>> 1/2 red onion, diced

>> 1 teaspoon garlic, minced

>> 6 oz. baby portabella

>> Parmesan cheese, shredded

>> 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

mushrooms, sliced

>> 1 pkg. tortellini

>> Pink Himalayan salt

(I used Buitoni’s mixed cheese,

>> Black pepper

in refrigerator section)

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

37

38

taste

METHOD Slice and dice vegetables while oven is preheating to 425°. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables, add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Pour vegetables onto a large baking sheet.

Cook for ten minutes, remove and add garlic, stir and redistribute on pan. Cook ten more minutes (until veggies are just tender—do not overcook) and add spinach and basil (I used 7 leaves) and cook one more minute, just long enough for spinach to begin to wilt.

Prepare pesto if not purchased ready-made. Cook tortellini per package directions while vegetables are in the oven. Drain tortellini and place in large bowl. Add veggies and prepared pesto. Toss and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve while warm, top with fresh parmesan cheese.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

40

taste

The

June Bug image James Stefiuk

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

1 oz. Midori liqueur ¾ oz. Malibu rum ¾ oz. banana liqueur 2 oz. pineapple juice 2 oz. sweet & sour mix Maraschino cherries (garnish) Orange wedge (garnish)

METHOD Fill glass with ice. Shake all liquid ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice. Garnish with maraschino cherry, orange wedge and a straw.

Please drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

42

travel

Head for the Hills words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

travel

At 47,000 square miles, the Ozark Mountains are the most extensive highlands region between the Appalachians and the Rockies and, with the Ouachitas, make up an area known as the U.S. Interior Highlands. Touching Oklahoma and Kansas, the Ozarks predominate Missouri and Arkansas where it's split into two ranges: The St. Francois Mountains in Missouri and the Boston Mountains in Arkansas.

Here lies the hamlet of Mountain View, Arkansas, home of the Ozark Folk Center State Park. The park is the only facility in the nation that perpetuates the Ozark heritage of music and craftsmanship, which it does through live craft artisans, musicians and special events that crowd the calendar from April to November.

The park features a robust concert series, giving audiences a taste of the best folk musicians working today from local players to

The very name Ozark evokes images of hardwood forests and

national touring acts. You can even sample the art form without

rushing streams as well as the unique breed of people who

leaving the comfort of your home thanks to Ozark Highlands

have inhabited the hills since American pioneers arrived at the

Radio, a weekly program that features live music, jam sessions

beginning of the nineteenth century. Not unlike the Cajuns of

and interviews recorded at the park's 1,000-seat auditorium.

Louisiana, the people of the Ozarks gained a reputation for a distinct dialect, architecture and culture, which includes handi-

Amateur musicians and folk music aficionados will also appreciate

work and music. The Ozark Folk Center not only preserves

the workshops and special events celebrating the sounds of the

these traditions but displays them for all to see and experience.

hills. May's Thumbpicking Weekend, June's autoharp workshop and Shapenote Singing Gathering and August's Old Time Fiddle Weekend are just a sample of events on the music calendar.

music Folk music native to the region is everywhere to be found at

Once you've been inspired by the slate of professionals,

Ozark Folk Center State Park, giving visitors a sense of the

don't miss the chance to pick up your own mountain musical

important place music held in the lives of early settlers. Fiddle

instrument with a visit to McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers

and banjo take center stage in much of this brand of folk music,

in Mountain View. They've been hand-crafting fine, native

rounded out by other acoustic instruments including guitars,

stringed instruments since 1962. The shop is also a sponsor of

mandolins, dulcimers, and autoharps.

the Ozark Roots Dulcimer Festival this July.

crafts Ozark Folk Center State Park is equally known for its heritage crafts, which include basket weaving, broom making, blacksmithing, pottery making, knife making, weaving, quilting, wood carving, yarn spinning, soap making, herb gardening, doll making, candle making and letter press printing.

Such crafts aren't just on display, they're handmade by more than twenty independent business artisans who operate out of their workshop in the park. They create, demonstrate, teach and sell what they’ve made. The skill and beauty of the items produced here defy the imagination.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

43

44

travel

You might not think of something as pedestrian as a broom as art until you've seen the remarkable creations of Shawn Hoefer and Lena Larson, whose work has earned them champion honors at the National Broom Corn Festival in Arcola, Illinois, three out of the last four years. Another notable couple, Charles and Linda Widmer, are world renowned for their wood carving with pieces collected by presidents and museums; they now operate the jewelry shop here.

The Craft Village also demonstrates the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of the Ozark people. For instance, apothecary artisan Linda Odom recycles cooking oil from the park snack bar to make soap, also using fragrant herbs from the onsite Heritage Herb Garden.

That garden, by the way, is part of the Herb Study Center, a nationally recognized repository of native Ozark plants that generations of hill folk identified and used for food and medicine. Made up of eleven distinct gardens throughout the park, it illustrates the importance plants held in the daily health and wellness of the Ozark lifestyle.

As with the musical attractions, a wide range of classes and workshops focusing on individual handicrafts are featured throughout the season. Many of the crafts on display have their own park-sponsored workshop and most of the artisans also participate in the center's Design Your Own Workshop program whereby individuals and groups can arrange for customized instruction. You can also take a painting class, led by master artists of the Mountain View Art Guild, whose work is among the Craft Village offerings.

From whittled wooden handles to blacksmithed iron gates, clay pottery to knives made of Damascus steel, the range of artistry at the park's Craft Village is nearly limitless.

other attractions The park offers other accommodations to make for a unique visitor experience. The Ozark Folk Center State Park's Cabins at Dry Creek give guests a sample of local hospitality with cabins that impart the flavor of the Ozark countryside. Located just outside of Mountain View, all sixty of the units provide a unique and affordable way to enjoy the beautiful vistas after a day of music, shopping or craft instruction at the state park.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

travel

All of the cabins, two of which are handicap accessible, are at ground level and provide a delightful mix of rustic charm and modern amenities including wireless Internet. Or, you can skip all that stuff and just take in the relaxing view from your porch while the kids splash in the pool or frequent the communal game room.

Cabin guests can also purchase discount admission tickets to the Craft Village as well as certain music events.

During your visit to the park, don't miss the Skillet Restaurant, perched atop a wooded Ozark hill with expansive views of the surrounding butterfly garden. Nearby wildlife feeding stations draw woodland creatures into view including birds, raccoons, foxes and even a stray bear or two. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the season offering Southern and native cuisine as well as more contemporary selections to fit modern tastes, including several gluten-free options.

If you want to add a little excitement to your stay, check out the Loco Ropes treetop ropes and zipline course, adjacent to the park.

Ozark Folk Center State Park 1032 Park Avenue, Mountain View

Finally, save time during your visit to take in some of the natural

ozarkfolkcenter@arkansas.com

splendor in and around Mountain View itself. The community

Phone: 870.269.3851 | Lodging: 877.879.2741

sits just off the White River, and outdoor activities abound from hiking and biking to the best trout fishing in mid-America. It's

Loco Ropes

also not far from the Buffalo River, the first national river in

1025A Park Avenue, Mountain View

the nation. And, you're only about fifteen minutes from one of

870.269.6566 | locoropes.com

the most stunning waterfalls in the state, Mirror Lake Waterfall. Continuously fed from water by nearby Blanchard Springs

McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers

Caverns, it's an angler's and photographer's dream come true.

1104 Sylamore Ave., Mountain View 870.269.4313 | mcspaddendulcimers.com

Any time of year is a fine time to head for the Ozarks to explore the simpler pleasures that truly typify Arkansas as the Natural State.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

45

46

travel

Falling For Fredericksburg WORDS Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Marla Cantrell, Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

travel taste

Fredericksburg sits in the land of grapes and peaches, bluebon-

thirty historic sites you won’t want to miss, including three of

nets and rivers. In the land of Longhorns and German food,

the Fredericksburg Sunday Houses, which were used as second

that sits just five miles northwest of San Antonio, and seventy

houses by ranchers and farmers who came to town on week-

miles west of Austin.

ends to trade and stayed for church on Sundays. You can also take a trolley ride from the Visitor Center.

Today, the population hovers around 28,000. But in 1846, when the town was founded, the head count was 120 resi-

One tip: It’s best to book your stay mid-week to avoid crowds.

dents, all of them German immigrants. They’d come to the Lonestar State looking for a better life free from oppression.

Now that you have your bearings, let’s get started:

They named the town after Prince Frederick of Prussia.

Those roots remain today, in the ancestors of those first settlers, the historic buildings, the German restaurants like Otto’s German Bistro, and in the stories you’ll hear about schoolchildren who showed up at the public schools until the 1950s speaking only German.

Beyond that, it is the stomping ground of President Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1969), who conducted business at the Texas White House, just sixteen miles from downtown Fredericksburg.

When you mention President Johnson, the story will always turn to Lady Bird, whose love for the natural world made an indelible mark. As First Lady, she advocated for children, becoming the first honorary chair of Project Head Start. Her love of nature showed up in her other great passion, the “beautification” initiative that is the reason you’ll see wild-

Must See:

flowers planted in the medians of roadways.

Pioneer Museum, 325 West Main Street, Fredericksburg

.

pioneermuseum.com

As I talked to several people about Lady Bird, they each seemed in awe of her. One of the townspeople said, “You know how

Watch the video introduction that chronicles the founding

Tennessee feels about Dolly Parton? That’s how we feel about

of Fredericksburg. Visit the nine historic buildings including

Lady Bird.”

a bathhouse, smokehouse, homestead, Sunday House, and school. See artifacts, hands-on demonstrations, and chat with

I traveled as a guest of the Fredericksburg Convention and

guides who will answer any questions. Note the limestone

Visitor Bureau. When the week was up, I was nowhere near

buildings that became a symbol of this town, and see how

ready to come home. I stayed at a charming bed and break-

these pioneers lived, worked, and learned. While you’re in

fast called Alte Welt Gasthof, on Main Street. Main Street is

town, visit Fort Martin Scott, the soldier with ties to Fort Smith.

three-and-a-half miles long, filled with mom and pop shops, art, eateries, wineries, and Dooley’s 5-10-25 Cent Store, that’s been around since 1923. One of the employees has been

National Museum of the Pacific War, 340 East Austin Street,

working there for more than fifty years!

Fredericksburg | pacificwarmuseum.org

Before you take off on your own, stop by the Visitor Center at

The only other museum of its kind in the U.S. is at Pearl

302 East Austin Street for a map of the walking tour that lists

Harbor. Fredericksburg has this treasure because of native son,

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

47 55

44 48

travel

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. He led the U.S. Pacific Fleet for most of World War II. This 33,000-square-foot museum weaves the stories of the U.S., China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries during World War II. It honors the more than 100,000 Americans who gave their lives in the war against Japan and honors the eight million Americans who served during the Second World War.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site, 501 State Park Road 52, Stonewall | tpwd.state.tx.us The park is home to the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, which depicts the life of a German/Texas family from 1915Pioneer Museum

1918. You can watch the staff, dressed in period costumes, tend crops, milk cows, bake bread, and make soap and candles. The park includes nature and biking trails, fishing, a

LBJ and Lady Bird

pool, tennis courts, and even a baseball diamond.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall | nps.gov Visit LBJ’s ranch that still operates the way it did at the time of his death in 1973. The Longhorns have LBJ carved in their horns instead of the usual brands you see on cattle. Stop at the family cemetery, and then make your way to the President’s home dubbed the Texas White House. You’ll see the living quarters of the Johnson family, including their closets filled with monogrammed clothing, their extensive library, and the kitchen equipped for visits from world leaders. Note how many phones there are in this home; there’s even one attached to LBJ’s dining room chair.

LBJ Horn Brand

Enchanted Rock Nature Area, 16710 Ranch Road 965, Fredericksburg | tpwd.state.tx.us This is also a land of stone, as seen at Enchanted Rock, which is a native pink granite dome ascending 1,825-feet. The 1,643acre park has camping, hiking, geocaching, star gazing, and rock climbing. In another time, the Tonkawa Indians thought that ghost fires flickered on top of the dome. Today, geologists believe the light arose on clear nights after rains when the granite seems to glitter.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

travel taste

Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Drive, Fredericksburg | wildseedfarms.com This family-owned wildflower farm, founded by John R. Thomas, is the largest in the U.S. They grow more than 1,000 acres of flowers, and grapes for the wine industry. There’s an online store, a massive gift shop and nursery, great deli, walking trails, and photo opportunities. Flowers bloom through August, so plan your trip accordingly. When I was there, the red poppies were in bloom, and the views were incredible. Fun fact: Wildseed sells to many state highway depart-

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area photo courtesy Steve Rawls

ments that plant the seeds in the medians.

Wildseed Farm

Luckenbach, 412 Luckenbach Town Loop, Luckenbach | luckenbachtexas.com No trip to this area is complete without a visit to Luckenbach, the tiny town made famous by Waylon Jennings’ song in the 1970s. You won’t find Waylon, Willie and the boys here, but you will have a grand time. Take a spin on the pecan wood dance floor, grab something to eat, and throw back a beer at the bar. Don’t leave without buying a souvenir.

Hungry Yet? Tubby’s Icehouse, 318 East Austin Street, Luckenbach

Fredericksburg | tubbysfbg.com West End Pizza Company, 232 West Main Street, Fredericksburg westendpizzacompany.com Fredericksburg Herb Farm, 405 Whitney Street, Fredericksburg | fredericksburgherbfarm.com Clear River Pecan Company, 138 East Main Street, Fredericksburg | icecreamandfun.com

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

49 55

44 50

travel

Indian Blanket Wildflowers (Steve Rawls)

Texas White House

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste travel

Tubby's Ice House

Das

Peach

Haus/Fischer

Fischer & Weiser Culinary Cooking School photo courtesy Fischer & Weiser

and

Wieser

Specialty

Foods,

ture. They have a wine room, weekly cooking classes, and a

1406 South U.S. Highway 87, Fredericksburg | jelly.com

shop that sells every cooking condiment you could hope for.

The happiest culinary surprise on this trip was Tubby’s Icehouse

One of the people I met on this trip said that Fredericksburg

with its street tacos and world-class taste. I had the Carne

has more fun than you have vacation days. That sums up this

Asada tacos with grilled sirloin, roasted tomato salsa, cilantro,

town perfectly. If you plan a trip around the 4th of July, you

and sliced onion. Well, I had two! Plus, frosé, which is frozen

can attend the two parades, see the Aircraft Flyover, experi-

rosé. Some of the best pizza of my life was at West End Pizza

ence the 4th at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, and

Company. Breakfast at Fredericksburg Herb Farm was divine,

see fireworks at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.

with waffles made with almond flour, with strawberries and blueberries on top. Ice cream from Clear River Pecan Company was the perfect end to a busy day. Finally, my trip to Das Peach Haus/Fischer and Wieser Specialty Foods was a culinary adven-

To learn even more, check out visitfredericksburgtx.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

55 51

52

southern fiction

I’m making dinner. Pork chops, cornbread, slabs of onion from our garden. I hate talking politics. If I had anything to say, which I don’t, it would be that power corrupts nearly everything it touches.

“You don’t never answer me,” Levi says, and I feel my shoulders crawl up to my ears. I’ve been dreaming about dropping off the face of the earth for a little while. Turning up someplace else after a bit. Tennessee, maybe, with all those green hills.

I blow a puff of air that lifts my bangs off my forehead. “What can I say, that you don’t already know?”

Levi hops off the barstool and reaches for my hand.

“Tell me you love me, Lovey.”

Levi smiles like a kid. With the teeth he’s got, he should cover his mouth. He should be aware. But he’s not and never will be. Me, I’m concerned about every line that cuts across my face since I turned forty this spring. Every gray hair.

A Morning in

June

“You know I love you,” I say, kind of flat-like, and Levi kisses my hand and then my cheek, and after that he pinches my behind. All class, that one.

At midnight, with Levi asleep beside me, I grab my phone and look at places to live in Tennessee. There’s a town called Tracy City. On the main drag, there’s a gem called Dutch Maid Bakery that sells Moonshine Cakes, brownies the size of bricks, cookies big

FICTION and image Marla Cantrell

as saucers. I can almost taste the Moonshine Cake, vanilla and whiskey, sugar and butter. Whiskey. I stopped drinking wine a few months back when it

L

started tasting like water. The thought makes me rise

Levi says, “You can’t make this stuff up!” He’s talking about the arrest of

from bed, pour myself a Crown and Coke, a drink

several of our elected officials who’ve been accused of bribing folks for

that makes your taste buds jump, that lets you know

votes. Paying folks through favors or what-not to make sure they hit the

you’re still in the game.

right button at the poll booth.

Sitting on the couch, I take a sip and light up my Levi slaps his knee. “Government for the people. By the people.” He laughs.

phone again. In 2010, Tracy City elected a dead man

“Buy the people! Get it?”

to be their mayor. He wasn’t dead till the very end of

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

southern fiction

the race, but still. I click on a picture of a middle-aged woman

Caleb went to Tennessee once. With a school group. To Dolly-

sitting beside one of the dead mayor’s campaign signs, clutching

wood. To a cave where he had pictures taken beside a group of

wildflowers to her chest.

stalactites that looked like angel’s wings. Caleb has my dark hair and Levi’s sapphire eyes. He has a dimple, only one, and a birth-

Me and Levi have a boy who’s twenty-one. He’s not dead, but

mark that looks like a sailboat on his stomach.

he’s not here either. He got into some pretty serious trouble when he was nineteen, and we laid the law down. Laid it down

When he left, he still had the face of a child. The hard edges

good. I remember being proud of Levi, who’d been mostly quiet

hadn’t found their way to him yet.

on the subject of parenting until then. He seemed to grow a foot as he spoke, his index finger jabbing the air, telling Caleb how it

I look up another town in Tennessee. This one’s called Cleve-

was going to be. I thought he was saving our boy.

land. The have an international cowpea festival there. I look up cowpea and find out they’re purple hull peas and the like. The

All he was doing was pushing him away.

city was once known for them. A train used to carry them away.

They called it the Pea Train. A joke on rails.

Now, when I run into Caleb’s friends, hanging around the park where I walk, for example, they narrow their eyes, and their lips

The festival looks like a place you could forget your troubles. Lots

go tight. A rough crowd. It keeps me from asking where he is,

of music and fried food. Lots of dancing, hips moving this way

although I know he’s not nearby. I would have seen him by now.

and that. I could be anybody in a town like that. I could sell tiedyed t-shirts and let my hair go gray.

As far as I can tell, Caleb didn’t take much with him. His football trophy is missing. A week’s worth of clothes. His class ring. Our

It is the beginning of summer, the neighborhood kids out of

wedding album is gone too, but why would he take that?

school. I can hear them driving by, the thrum, thrum, thrum of their music splitting the air. I can hear them laughing and

He left his cell phone on his bed. It had been wiped clean. His

hooting, trying to turn an ordinary night into something spec-

room smelled like him: dirty socks and newly sawn lumber.

tacular. Well, maybe they can.

For a year, I stayed home nearly all the time, thinking he’d call.

Levi has woken up. Is in the bathroom, the faucet running. A

Imagining him showing up at the door, the Prodigal Son finding

year ago, six months ago, he would have come to find me. Now,

his way back to me. I’d listen for any sign of him; when a car

he crawls back in our bed and lets me be.

backfired in the middle of the night, I’d be sure it was Caleb pounding on the door. But Easter passed, and then his birthday

I don’t mention Caleb to anybody who didn’t know him. Far as

in August, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the spot

they know, I’ve never had a child. Old friends will ask after him,

where my heart had been laid down and gave up the ghost.

and I give them vague answers. He’s traveling, I say. Or he’s finding himself. For a while, I’d see him everywhere. At the park.

On that New Year’s Day, me and Levi watched a travel show

Driving the city bus. Stepping from a curb to cross Main Street.

about Fredericksburg, Texas. “More fun than you have vacation

But it was never really him. I was making him up. I was creating

days!” the announcer said, and I imagined myself there among

a son who wasn’t there anymore.

the wildflowers, on the trails at Enchanted Rock, huffing and puffing my way up the granite hill.

We filed a police report, but Caleb was grown. He could go where he wanted. He could do what he pleased.

“We should go,” Levi said when the show ended, but I didn’t want him along. “Maybe,” I said, and he saw something in me

I take the last drink of my Crown and Coke. I look at my phone;

that made him shake his head and leave the room.

the battery is dying. I set it down and cover up with the afghan I crocheted years ago. It is turquoise and gray, all the rage now.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

53

54

southern fiction

I huddle beneath it. I stuff a throw pillow under my head. I

swooshing. My uncle said, ‘God sure must have been in a good

dream I’m on a train, the rhythm of it a tranquilizer, a knock-

mood the day He made Tennessee.’”

out pill, salvation.

“I wonder what God was thinking when He made me,” I say, I wake with Levi perched on the edge of the couch. He hasn’t

and Levi looks at me for a long time. He says, “I imagine He

shaved yet. Somehow the stubble makes him look younger.

thought you were a doozy, Lovey. Because you are.”

I’m lying on my side, and his hand is on my thigh. “Do you ever get lonely?” he asks, and I notice the trembling at the

It isn’t yet seven, and already our next-door neighbor is mowing,

corner of his mouth.

the zoom of the machine sounding like a plane landing when he gets close.

“Every minute of every day.”

“Leave if you’ve got to,” Levi says. “I don’t think you can run far “What do you do about it?”

enough away from your troubles, but I’ve been wrong before.”

I sit up, pulling my knees up, circling my arms around them. “I

“I thought Caleb might have gone there. To Tennessee. He

think about leaving.”

hadn’t been many other places. It seemed possible.”

Levi runs his fingers through his hair. He is a man who will

“Anything’s possible,” Levi says.

never go bald, will never lose enough hair for anyone to notice. His fingers are long and thin, a strange site on a man

Our grandfather clock strikes seven, and Levi stands up. He goes

who’s nearly square. “Leaving me?” he asks.

to the kitchen where he starts breakfast. He is making biscuits from scratch, and gravy. When I go to get coffee, he wraps his

I look at the TV. If we turned it on, we’d hear the morning

arms around me.

news, story upon story of tragedy and sorrow. “I guess,” I say.

“Stay for breakfast,” he says as if I’m leaving at this very minute.

“We’re all we’ve got,” Levi says, hollow-eyed.

What I’m thinking as he holds me is how each of us tears up “We didn’t handle Caleb right. I thought we did at the time

our own lives at some point or tears up somebody else’s. I don’t

but getting tough with him ruined everything.”

know why but we do. But I’ve had enough destruction.

Levi rests his head in his palms. “I know.” He breathes deep.

“I’ll stay,” I say, my voice a fountain, a brook, a downpour.

“I hate it,” he says and his voice goes weak. “When you think about leaving, where do you go?”

The sunlight of this June morning trembles against the kitchen window, pushing its way into the room that needs illumina-

“Somewhere in Tennessee.”

tion. It lights up every curve and hollow, every dark and empty place. Me and Levi are surrounded by it, standing in this

Levi lifts his head. “I had a great uncle that lived there. Some-

shimmer that chose us, even though I can’t say we did one

times he’d find bullets from the Civil War on his land. We

thing to deserve it.

visited him one summer when I was eleven. I walked with him to the crest of a hill. The valley below had a river running through it. All you could hear was the wind in the leaves and the birds calling back and forth across the way and that water

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

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

HOUSE AND HOME

House and Home Where you live and how you maintain the place you call home are some of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. Do SouthŽ has partnered with local experts to help you with everything from finding the perfect

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

place, to decorating it to express your style, to finding the right people to call when you need a plumber.

When you use these local businesses, you give back to our community, making it even better and stronger!

Thank you for being such great neighbors!

HOUSE AND HOME

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

HOUSE AND HOME

421 Towson Ave., Fort Smith, AR habitatfs.org 479.782.8255 By shopping at your local ReStore, you are helping to build homes in your community for your neighbors in need. Habitat for Humanity has placed over 100 families in new homes in the River Valley - and money spent in our ReStore will help us to continue that mission. These new homes and the families that inhabit them become integral parts of our communities by supplying tax dollars, stabilizing neighborhoods, and giving families a sense of pride. You can also support our affiliate by donating used appliances, building supplies, etc. to the ReStore. Help us to continue

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

helping others!

115 North 12th St., Fort Smith, AR aogc.com 479.784.2000 Go green with paperless billing! As an AOG customer, you can enjoy the convenience of paperless billing while you also make a positive impact on the environment. With paperless billing, there are no statements to misplace and less clutter in your mailbox.

And you can pay your bill online in a matter of minutes. But there's more. Paperless billing also benefits the environment by reducing paper consumption and cutting down on waste.

By eliminating your paper bills, you can save tons of paper and preserve hundreds of trees. For more information, visit aogc.com.

HOUSE AND HOME

5111 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith, AR fortsmithhomebuilders.com 479.452.6213 Buying or selling a home can be a difficult process. Our membership roster is extensive and covers a wide range of products and everything from manufacturing, to financing, planning, real estate services, energy saving products, decorating, flooring, roofing, and so much more. Members meet strict guidelines involving experience, credit worthiness and customer satisfaction. Before you begin building, remodeling or improvement projects, visit our website first. It is your resource to find reputable, reliable people you can trust. For more information, call 479.452.6213 or visit fortsmithhomebuilders.com.

Family owned and operated, we pride ourselves on fabricating and installing the finest stone. We purchase our stone from a variety of importers for an outstanding selection of style, color & quality. We offer granite, marble, quartz, travertine, quartzite, and onyx. We know you have options when shopping for natural stone, and we thank you for making your home Majestic for more than 13 years. Call us for your next project!

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

services required to build or remodel your home. You’ll find

3011 State Line Road, Fort Smith 479.783.0060

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

HOUSE AND HOME

Vicki & Sue have a combined 40+ years of knowledge to help you choose the perfect color AND choose the perfect paint.

Hands down, the most popular colors can be found here – on LARGE, REAL sheetrock and wood samples! Details count when it comes to paint, so we ask a lot of questions to enable us to share the best tips and techniques. For 29+ years we've kept records of the paint you use – you can depend on consistency with us. Higher quality, better service, excellent knowledge – The Paint Store in Van Buren.

9505 Chad Colley Blvd., Fort Smith, AR srgapts.com 479.222.6322

HOUSE AND HOME

141 Fayetteville Rd., Van Buren, AR Find them on Facebook 479.474.4504

Whether you’re looking for a new place to call home, waiting for a closing date on a new home, or are in the area for an extended business stay, we offer great options for everyone!

Ask about our convenient lease terms and beautifully furnished units with everything included: furniture, bedding and kitchen items, and all utilities paid. Outstanding amenities include granite countertops, laminate wood floors, large walk-in closets, pool with cabanas, clubhouse, theater room, tanning bed, business center, and state-of-the-art fitness center. Call today at 479.222.6322 to schedule your tour and find out more at srgapts.com.

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

HOUSE AND HOME

Use this helpful schedule to keep track of your home’s maintenance needs!

HOUSE AND HOME

Annual Homeowner’s Checklist

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

HOUSE AND HOME

6123 Hwy. 271 S., Fort Smith, AR 479.646.3949 Our service area has broadened! Last year we completed projects in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Florida. Wherever your project may be, we are proud to work with you, whether it be a residential project or commercial one. We have over thirty years of experience. We provide detailed drawings for remodels, cabinet design, kitchen and bath renovation drawings and even exterior living spaces. We also carry several furniture, lighting, art and accessories lines. We offer a full custom drapery, bedding and upholstery service as well.

Follow us along on our Facebook page, and on HOUZZ.com

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

for updated photos and client testimonials.

3117 Waco St., Fort Smith, AR westarkplumbing.com 479.646.5151 Why choose Westark? We’ve been in business for over twentyfive years, we stand behind our work and our vendors stand behind us with their product. We are organized & productive, honest & available, and have an excellent work ethic with the licensing and the right equipment to get the job done. We are here to take care of your needs and we answer the phone every time! We can unclog anything in addition to pumping out septic tanks and cleaning grease pits. Trust is our main asset. Depend on our team for all plumbing installations, repairs & replacement needs!

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