Planted - March 2016

速

PLANTED

March 2016 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Patti Polk-Casey Marcus Coker Don Lowe Catherine Frederick Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper Deborah VanTrece GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers

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PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500

FARMHOUSE BOUND

Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

A-Tisket A-Tasket, we've made your favorite basket!

You'll love this simple, farmhouse-inspired DIY that you can make in an afternoon and enjoy for years to come.

Scott Frederick - 479.459.6672

THE LITTLEST SISTER Little Elli Montgomery didn't know how much she needed her newest friends, until they got together to do something miraculous for her. Find out how it's changed all their lives forever.

SALMON CROQUETTES WITH SPRING PEA, BACON AND RADISH SALAD

Scott@DoSouthMagazine.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com 息2016 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

Southern chef Deborah VanTrece is sharing her secret to making the perfect salmon croquettes. She'll even show you how to put together a spring salad that features Applewood-smoked bacon.

Cover Image: Naffarts/Shutterstock

ARKANSAS' SPRING BREAK TREKS

Annual subscriptions are $30 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 7030 Taylor Avenue, Suite 5, Fort Smith, AR, 72916.

Single issues are available upon request for $7.

Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

Ten glorious trips right here in Arkansas to bring out the adventurer in you this spring break. We've got something for everybody, from trout fishing to digging for diamonds!

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letter from the editor

March is my favorite month, in part because

state for you to enjoy over spring break. We

all three of my “boys’” birthdays are this

figured out what you should be planting

month. My dad, my husband and my son—

in your garden, and we spoke with Felder

all about a week apart. This picture of Tyler’s

Rushing, a fine Southern gardener who

first birthday is my favorite. My dad wanted

plants everywhere, including the bed of his

him to have his own cake to destroy eat.

Ford pickup.

Since he was born on St. Patrick’s Day, it was only fitting that it had a green shamrock

Our recipe, salmon croquettes, is from a top

on top. He’s still my baby boy—although

Southern chef! And my DIY is a farmhouse-

most days he would strongly disagree. He’s

inspired basket made from piping and hot

growing up, in years and in height—we’re

glue. Once I tackled that, I even made jute

almost eye to eye, and that’s a hard thing

coasters and plate chargers. But, I think my

for this momma to accept.

favorite DIY is the adorable, and edible, Bunny Racers you can make in no time flat

It’s also hard to accept that very soon he

with your kiddos – perfect for Easter!

will have completed his fifth grade year and then, just like that, he will be gearing up for his last year of

Then there are our stories. You'll fall head over heels for

elementary school. I’m so not ready. Not by a long shot.

"Loving Lynda," the tale of a tender marriage that will cause your heart to soar, and "The Littlest Sister" will show you what

I try to distract myself by making summer basketball travel plans

can happen when a group of young women decides to explore

and trying to squeeze in a beach vacation. I jokingly suggested that

the boundaries of giving.

our basketball games in Tulsa and OKC could be our vacation. It was not met with appreciation, just, “That’s not a vacation Mom.

Jessica Sowards weighs in with her essay on the power of

There’s no sand there." Guess I’ll keep working on that one.

dreaming big. Marla Cantrell has a great new short story, "The Mending Season." And we have an inside look at one of the

In addition to planning birthday parties, it’s also the time of year

area's finest vintage markets, and details about an upcoming

when my OCD, plan it, write-it-all-down-on-paper-three-times,

marathon and a bike race!

try-to-do-it-all-in-one-weekend self goes into supreme overdrive.

All at once, I'm thinking about the need to: swap out winter

There’s so much to love about this issue! Wishing you a happy

wardrobes, start seeds for the garden and plan the plot, plant

Easter, a lucky St. Patrick's Day, and fun-filled spring break.

elephant ears, ranunculus and gladiolus blubs, remove cover from

See you in April!

pool, clean up our yard. Welcome to my madness.

But, enough about me and my multi-tasking mind. Let’s talk about this amazing issue! We’ve gathered travel ideas from across the

~Catherine

Follow Do South® Magazine

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

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calendar

MARCH

Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com Subiaco Academy Spring Carnival Subiaco March 5, 4:00pm-9:00pm

Grape Escapes Fort Smith March 4, 6:00pm-9:00pm More than 350 wines will be available for sampling, along with hors d'oeuvres prepared by local restaurants and caterers. Live music, silent auctions, a wine pull, and tons of fun. Grape Escapes is held at the Fort Smith Convention Center. Proceeds will benefit the non-profit, Bost, Inc. See website for pricing.

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There will be live and silent auctions, wine tastings for adults, bingo, and a raffle for a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The kids will enjoy games and a bouncearound. Great Cajun, German, and Asian food, as well as hot dogs and pizza will be available.

The Academy's jazz band will be playing. Proceeds benefit the Academy's scholarship fund. subi.org,479.934.1001

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DanĂş's St. Patrick's Day Celebration Fayetteville March 13

Ireland's DanĂş is coming to the Walton Arts Center just in time for St. Patrick's Day. This high-energy performance includes ballads, fiddling, and a mix of ancient Celtic music and new repertoire, with songs in both English and Gaelic.

See website for pricing. waltonartscenter.org, 479.443.5600

bost.org, 479.652.4553

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Spring ATV & Side-By-Side Rally Ozark March 11-13 Trail rides for all skill levels, skill courses, and games for adults and kids, great food, prizes, and more. Bring your ATV or UTV, your camping gear and fishing poles. Byrd's Adventure Center offers some of the best private ATV and UTV trails in Arkansas on 800 acres. See website for prices. byrdsadventurecenter.com, 479.667.4066 DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

N. Scott Momaday Lecture Fort Smith March 15, 7:00pm

N. Scott Momaday, the Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist whose book, House Made of Dawn, kick-started the Native American literary movement, will be speaking at the Stubblefield Center at UAFS on March 15. Admission to the lecture is free, but tickets are required. uafs.edu, 479.788.7300

calendar

THETOPTENTHETOPTEN

22 - 25 26 Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center Spring Break Fort Smith March 22-25

COURTESY AR DEPT OF PARKS & TOURISM

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Glory Train Van Buren to Winslow March 26, 11:00am

The train leaves the depot in downtown Van Buren. Enjoy a three-hour roundtrip scenic excursion through the Boston Mountains over the trestles and through the tunnel. Enjoy entertainment and many other Gospel Groups. Call for pricing. amrailroad.com, 800.687.8600

From Tuesday through Friday, your kiddos can do things like canoe or kayak, practice archery, make a hummingbird feeder, learn about beekeeping, hike, and more. See website for details.

Kite Festival at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Eureka Springs March 26, 10:00am-4:00pm

elks.org, 479.478.1060

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Easter Sunrise Service at the Christ of the Ozarks Statue Eureka Springs March 27, 7:00am

COURTESY AR DEPT OF PARKS & TOURISM

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Kids from one to twelve years old can take part in the Elks Annual Easter Egg Hunt that begins at 11:30am. There will be prizes, and a hot dog lunch after the hunt. The Elks Lodge is located at 5504 Massard Road in Fort Smith.

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rivervalleynaturecenter.com, 479.452.3993

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Elks Annual Easter Egg Hunt Fort Smith March 26

Build a kite or bring your own to the 26th Annual Eureka Springs Kite Festival.

There will be vendors, contests and fun activities for adults and kids. Donations requested for kite-making assistance.

Proceeds go to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. turpentinecreek.org, 479.253.6596 DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ at the Easter Morning sunrise service at The Great Passion Play, 935 Passion Play Road, in Eureka Springs, at 7:00am. The service will be held at the foot of the Christ of the Ozarks Memorial Statue. iloveeurekasprings.com

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poetry

I can picture blue hydrangeas East sunlight slanting on their blossoms,

The Miracle of

Misty shadows sifting through The elms who kept vigil over the home-place,

Blue Hydrangeas LINEs Patti Polk-Casey

Grandmother stooping in her apron Pulling weeds from overstuffed flowerbeds, I didn’t have to look In her face to see her smiling, I felt it!

Her hair silver like that Of early morning rain softly shimmered, I remember these things Each time I see hydrangeas lifting their praise Upon sun-splashed wind and Memory's sweet spice unfurls like a prayer, their Fresh petals opal-stitched.

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Mike Gray Owner/Chief Instructor Kuk Sool Won of the River Valley

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UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

WORDS TO LIVE BY:

Kuk Sool Won of the River Valley 3112 Cavanaugh Road Fort Smith 479.649.3542 kswoftherivervalley.com

"Those who are interested do what is convenient, those who are committed do whatever is necessary.”

A- Age: 47—I feel like I'm 21.

B- Biggest Accomplishment: Being part of the Korean National Demonstration Team in Pusan, Korea, in 2013.

C- Current Time: 2016 Presidential campaign time.

D- Drink you last had: Good ole H2O. E- Easiest Person To Talk to: One who will listen.

F- Favorite Song: "Fear of the Dark" by Iron Maiden.

ABOUT KUK SOOL WON OF THE RIVER VALLEY Through high quality martial arts instruction, we empower people of all ages to achieve their full potential by emphasizing self defense, health, fitness and life skills in a friendly, safe and positive environment. We inspire our students to become more confident, successful, contributing members of our community.

G- Gambler, yes or no: Every time I drive on Rogers Avenue.

H- Hogs, strangest place you've called them: We’re OSU fans!

I- In love with: My wife of 27 years, Robyn.

J- Jealous of: People with a good memory.

K-Kayak or canoe: At this point in my life, the largest inflatable raft they make.

L- Last time you cried: When the server informed me that they were out of Bulgogi.

M- Morning routine: Coffee, then off to the races.

N- Number of Siblings: None by blood, but many whom I consider so.

O- One Wish: We’ll go back to that good memory trait I mentioned earlier.

3 THINGS MIKE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Coffee

P- Person you last called: My oldest daughter who graduates from Oklahoma State University this May. Q- Question you're always asked: “Can I skip a rank at testing?" Answer: "Asking to skip rank only indicates that you haven’t matured as a martial artist."

R- Reason to get up in the morning: To enjoy another God-given day on the planet.

S- Song on your playlist: "The Day That Never Comes" by Metallica.

T- Time you woke up: I rolled out of bed at 6:45 a.m.

U- Unplug. How do you relax?: Reload ammo for my firearm.

Chocolate

V- Vacation Destination: Would love the opportunity to go back to Korea one day.

W- Worst Habit: Putting items away in an effort to keep track of them, only to find that when I need them, I can't find them.

X- Last X-ray: December 2015, when I separated the AC Joint in my right shoulder.

Bulgogi (a fantastic Korean dish)

Y- Your favorite food: Korean food and Christmas dinner.

Z- Zen (Your Moment of): Cruising in my 2008 Z06.

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pets

BIG Dogs. BIG Time Love.

Big dogs have lots of love to give. What they need most is a loving family to give them a forever home. March in to your local animal shelter and adopt some big love today!

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Daisy May

Joe

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Barkley

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Marshmellow

Sapphire

Sgt. Pepper

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

| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org

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

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entertainment

My Name is Lucy Barton

By Elizabeth Strout | Random House | 193 pages | $26 review Marla Cantrell

What I'd like to say first is that this is a

The stories dance on the surface of things,

deceptively simple book, written by Pulitzer

never going too deep. They feel as if they're

Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout.

being told to cover up other stories that

Lucy Barton, a young mother of two, who

would be too hard to hear. Lucy's mother

lives in Manhattan in the 1980s, goes into

barely mentions Lucy's father, for example,

the hospital for an appendectomy. Two

a man who never recovered from fighting

days later, a fever surfaces and she can't

in World War II. She comments only once

keep food down, so she stays for nine

on Lucy's older brother, unemployed, who

weeks as her doctor tries to unravel the

still lives at home, reads gentle books about

mystery behind her illness.

life on the prairie during a simpler time, and sneaks out to the neighbor's barn to

Lucy's husband moves her to a private

sleep beside the pigs that are scheduled for

room with a television. He has a neighbor

slaughter the following morning.

shuttle their two daughters back and forth for visits. But he, afraid of hospitals

Between the stories Lucy's mother tells,

since his own father died in one, seldom

and the stories Lucy intertwines of her

appears. To remedy his wife's loneliness,

childhood, a portrait of a woman hungry

he pays to fly her mother in, all the way

for love and kindness and acceptance

from Amgash, Illinois, since she has far too little money to travel

appears. Lucy, who's a writer, has learned not to leave the hard

on her own.

parts out, but even as she upends the past, filled with too little love and too little food, she seems to offer her mother redemption. She

To occupy the time, Lucy's mother tells her stories from home

doesn't know how much her mother remembers, she says. She

of failed marriages. There's Mississippi Mary, who came from

doesn't know what her mother's own childhood was like.

little but who married a man whose paycheck made the world seem right. But then she discovered her husband's affair with

And try as you might not to like her mother, there is something

his secretary and had a heart attack. Lucy's mother equates

achingly appealing about her. You imagine her on the plane,

Mary to Elvis, both transcending poverty but failing to thrive in

her first flight ever. You see her scrambling for a cab in New

an opulent world.

York City, wracked with confusion about how things work in this massive city. You listen as she gossips to distract her daughter

Another disaster is Kathie Nicely, who had a fine home, a solid

at a time when Lucy's future seems brightly uncertain, and your

husband, beautiful daughters, and a wandering eye. When

heart opens up to her.

she left her family for one of the girls' schoolteachers, her life imploded, and her lover turned her away. Mary's mother tells

The beauty of My Name is Lucy Barton lies exactly there, in its

her how Kathie lives alone now, not far from her ex-husband,

ability to make connections with those we might otherwise never

who will never forgive.

understand. And this is why this story is not a simple one. But nothing worth reading ever really is.

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garden

Gary C. Tognoni/Shutterstock

March in the Garden THE DIRT Time to get your soil tested. Submit one pint of airdried soil to your county extension office so you’ll know the exact amount of fertilizer and other amendments to add before planting. Most offices perform this service for free.

The Site Before choosing a garden site, make sure you know how much sun the area receives. Most vegetables need at least six hours of direct sun.

Others, like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, can handle a bit more shade .

The Space Make the best use of a small space by interplanting. Plant okra, eggplant, peppers or tomatoes in between rows of early cool-weather crops. You’ll have harvested the early crop before the ones you inter-planted become too large. Also, consider vegetables that don’t use much space. Think small plants in close rows, such as radishes, turnips, lettuces, beets, spinach, chard, cilantro, mustard, and onions.

TIP: Know the mean date of your last frost before placing plants or seeds in the ground. Typically, the mean date in zone C (Sebastian County, Arkansas) is around April 1st.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

What to plant: (only a partial list)

Lettuce Brussels Sprouts Kale Carrots Radishes Cauliflower Cabbage Broccoli Turnips Swiss Chard Beets Irish Potatoes Onions Spinach English Peas The closer the vegetable is to the bottom of the list, the closer it should be planted to the end of the month.

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people

Jim Walters

g ovin L ynda L words Marcus Coker images courtesy of Roebuck Media

“Initially, it was her beauty, her personality, her smile. She was introverted and calm. I ran down the hallway of the dormitory and said, ‘I got two dates with Lynda Springfield!’” But after their third date, Jim told Lynda they needed to stop dating because he felt differently. “I thought she was out of my league,” says Jim. “But then she smiled and said those magic words—‘I feel differently as well. I don’t think we need to stop.’”

J

Jim Walters met Lynda Springfield on December 14, 1962,

Jim tells the story like it was yesterday. “Initially, it was her

at a Christmas party in Dallas. Jim, a Yankee from Hershey,

beauty, her personality, her smile. She was introverted and

Pennsylvania, was attending Dallas Theological Seminary, and

calm. I ran down the hallway of the dormitory and said, ‘I

Lynda, a homecoming queen from Siloam Springs, Arkansas,

got two dates with Lynda Springfield!’” But after their third

was working for Texas Instruments. Two months after their

date, Jim told Lynda they needed to stop dating because he

first meeting, Jim invited Lynda to work at a church camp. “We

felt differently. “I thought she was out of my league,” says

didn’t talk in between,” says Jim as he laughs. “I’d forgotten her

Jim. “But then she smiled and said those magic words—‘I feel

name.” But within a month, Jim and Lynda were dating. “The

differently as well. I don’t think we need to stop.’” That night,

rest is history,” says Jim, who’s now seventy-eight. “Little did I

Jim held Lynda’s hand for the first time.

know what the privilege of loving Lynda would mean.”

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people

Within a year, Jim and Lynda were married. They moved to Connecticut, where Jim worked for several churches and painted houses to supplement their income. In 1967, they had their first son, Scott. “We lived from hand to mouth,” says Jim, “and we left without any money, but God always provided. That time taught us simplicity. It taught us that you have to wait a bit before you decide if something was a good investment.”

In 1968, Jim and Lynda moved to Siloam Springs. The next year, they had their second son, Kirk, and Jim started teaching biblical studies at John Brown University, a place he stayed for forty-five years. While Jim worked, Lynda kept busy raising the boys, teaching Sunday school, and playing the organ. Life was ideal.

However, there were times when Lynda’s arms wouldn’t move.

She’d start to pick her leg up, but couldn’t. She’d experience double vision. And then things would be fine for weeks or months until it happened again.

The diagnosis came in 1977 after a week of tests. Lynda had a demyelinating disease that would later be called multiple sclerosis. Jim says, “Our nerves are covered by a myelin sheath Kirk, Jim, Lynda, Scott

of neurons, like an electric cord that’s insulated by rubber.

When that covering breaks down, muscles and organs stop functioning properly because they can’t receive signals from the brain. So the disease is neurological as well as autoimmune.”

“Everything was gradual. We’d come to certain plateaus. Okay, this is where we are. We’re in a wheelchair now. Then ten years

By the early eighties, the disease was taking its toll emotionally.

later, we really can’t get into a car anymore. We’re going to

Jim says, “The signs still weren’t severe, but it was affecting

need a van.”

our bedroom. We had a king-sized bed in those days, and one night, Lynda reached out to touch me, and I pulled away. I

Still, life continued. Friends and family raised money for a van.

stayed there all night. I can still hear her sobbing.”

The boys grew up, and Jim and Lynda attended school games, concerts, and church. They went out to eat. Jim says, “I felt

It took some time, but that night was a turning point for Jim. “I

it was my responsibility to make things as least intrusive as

told myself, ‘Walters, you are a selfish man. How could you be

possible in her life. So we did everything we did before, but it

so insensitive to her feelings? The opposite of love is not hate,

took more time.

it’s selfishness.’ And that only happened one time. That was it.

“What’s funny is that tardiness used to be the biggest point of

I never did it again.”

pride in my life. I was never late. Lynda was never late. Well, In 1987, Lynda was still able to move around, but had a double-

low and behold. She’d have an accident, sometimes as many as

vision attack one night while driving. “I came home, and she

three a day, and I learned it was pretty important for me not

was frozen behind the steering wheel. It scared her to death,”

to shift back and forth, not to let her know I was impatient.”

says Jim. After that incident, Lynda stopped driving forever.

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people

to be Jim. All these things were taken from her. She is my hero because she only cried twice, both times because ‘It’s so difficult for you.’ Next to her, the boys are the heroes," Jim says, and then he tells the story of how, when their sons were teenagers, they did everything they could, including helping their mom make her way to public restrooms, when the family ventured out.

People have suggested that Jim could have put Lynda in a nursing facility, and Jim has known others in similar situations who did, or had affairs, or got divorces in order to pursue a different life. But those things were never options for Jim and his character.

Jim, Lynda, Kirk and Scott

“My philosophy for a happy marriage is simple— love your spouse more than yourself. It’s easier said than done, but there’s satisfaction and delight in seeing your spouse happy," Jim says, as he reflects on what life was like with Lynda. "I’ve given up a lot, but I have Lynda here, this woman who smiles and laughs. Nothing could take away her deep sense of joy.”

On January 18, 2012, with Jim, Scott, and Kirk by her side, Lynda died from complications of her disease. She was seventy years old. “If there’s such a thing as a beautiful death, she had it,” says Jim. “She was active right up to the end, attending our grandchildren’s events. She passed away so quietly, we didn’t even hear her take her last breath.”

Despite the challenging circumstances, Jim says their love

Four years later, Jim still misses Lynda, the girl he met on December

for each other only grew. He says, “You may think it sounds

14, 1962, at a Christmas party in Dallas. Their story is being

impossible, but there was a profound connection, something

featured in an upcoming documentary entitled Loving Lynda. The

that goes beyond physical bodies.

film is being produced by Roebuck Media and is directed by one of Jim’s former students, Jacob Roebuck. In response to all the

“People often say that love is a decision, and that grinds my

attention, Jim says, “It never dawned on me that people were

coffin,” says Jim. “Love is character. God is love, and we are

noticing.” His reaction shows once again that love gives without

made in his image. Loving is the action, the choice, but it

expectation of receiving or praise. And although it sometimes

flows out of character.”

takes a bit to decide if something was a good investment, love is its own reward, as simple and deep as a smile.

In this way, Jim loved Lynda while she had multiple sclerosis for thirty-five years. For twenty of those years, he dressed her, fed her, and put on her makeup. He laughs and says, “Yeah, sometimes it was pretty successful.” And whereas a lot of people see Jim as a hero, he says, “It takes more grace to be Lynda than

For information on release dates and locations for Loving Lynda, visit lovinglynda.com or find Loving Lynda on Facebook.

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diy

Farmhouse Bound words and images Catherine Frederick

I’m in love with farmhouse style, so, naturally, I couldn’t wait to dive into this Pottery Barninspired home décor DIY. It requires few materials and can be made quickly and easily. In no time, I created this basket out of natural cotton piping, then took it a step further and created chargers and coasters out of natural jute. You can too! Let’s get started.

Materials

FOR BASKET

FOR CHARGERS

3/8” natural cotton piping

3-ply natural jute rope

Parchment paper

(all materials from Hobby Lobby)

(2) Leather straps - 10”

FOR COASTERS

Hot glue gun, glue sticks, scissors

Leather hole punch or metal awl

3-ply natural jute

Rivet set

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diy

Method Method Basket Decide what you'll use to form the basket shape and size—this will be your base. I used a small wicker trashcan.

Tip: Wrap the outside of your base in parchment paper.

This will keep the hot glue from sticking to the base. I skipped this step and it was a little difficult to remove once the basket was complete.

Apply clear tape to cut end of piping, to prevent fraying.

Turn base upside down and create bottom of basket by coiling piping into shape of base bottom (circle, oval, etc.). Keep hand on piping to prevent it from unravelling, apply hot glue in between each strand of piping, applying pressure to sides to ensure it’s secure.

Once dry, turn base over, resting on coiled bottom you just created. Apply glue to top inside edge of piping.

Wrap and glue, continuing until you reach the top.

Once basket is to size, remove base.

To finish, apply clear tape or hot glue to end of piping, to prevent fraying and adhere to top or outer edge of piping. Cut leather to the size of handles desired. Use leather punch or metal awl to create hole on each end of leather strap. Insert rivet through inside of piping, in the spot where you want the handle to be. Place other end of rivet through front leather strap. Snap the two ends of the rivet together, hammer rivet to secure.

Repeat for both straps, adding extra glue around rivet, if needed. Look over basket, add extra glue, if needed.

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diy

Method

Charger & Coaster Using jute in size of choice, apply glue to end of cut jute to prevent fraying. Coil into a circle, apply glue in between each piece of jute. Apply pressure, ensuring all sections are secure.

When piece is the size desired, cut jute and apply additional glue to prevent fraying, and adhere to side of piece.

Note: Basket is a decorative item, designed to hold lighter items like towels, yarn, stuffed toys, etc. For chargers and coasters, you may opt to hot glue a piece of fabric to the back to prevent scratching of soft surfaces.

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diy

OOFTFHE

T

RACES !

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diy

words and images Catherine Frederick

Hop on in to the kitchen with your kiddos and create this adorable sweet treat in no time at all! It’s fun to make and more fun to eat. We think it would make the perfect centerpiece for your Easter feast. So, start your engines and let’s create some bunny racers!

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diy

INGREDIENTS Twinkies® Large marshmallows Peeps® Marshmallow Bunnies Chocolate icing Wilton White Decorating Icing Sprinkles (sugar and spring flowers) Pretzels – small Piping bag and tip (I used Wilton #3) Platter, spatula, knife

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Unwrap Twinkies® and set on plate.

Cut section out of back of Twinkies®, large enough to accommodate a bunny and a pretzel.

Add a small amount of white icing to bottom of bunny to secure him in place. Set bunny in Twinkie®.

Place a pretzel upside down in front of bunny.

Cut marshmallow in half. Add a bit of white icing to the cut edge of marshmallow and press to the side of Twinkie® to create the wheels.

Add a small amount of white icing to the sprinkle of choice and press to the outside of the marshmallow.

Pipe number on top of Twinkie® in chocolate icing.

You’re in the home stretch now! To finish, use a spatula to move finished bunny racers to serving platter. Pipe lines down center of platter and add any words you'd like to the plate, in chocolate icing, using piping bag. We even added a few spectators to the sidelines!

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MARCH IN AND SHOP LOCAL! words and imageS Catherine Frederick

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Smithwick’s® Premium Irish Ale, Ryan’s™ Original Irish Style Cream Liqueur, Redbreast® Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, St. Patrick’s Day Necklaces and Mug

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“Happy Spring” Sassafras® Insert and Switch Mat Frame, “Happy Easter” Evergreen® Decorative Garden Flag, Hanna’s Handiworks Decorative Bunny

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH Movie 2 Frames by FaceAFace Paris

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Can you believe it? Spring is almost here!

Welcome it with fantastic finds from some of our favorite local shops.

Illa Pendant, 18k Yellow Gold, .25cts.

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

Mudpie® Burlap Bunny Pillow, Corkys® Chevron Rain Boots, Vinrella® Umbrella in a Bottle, Tulip Mini Watering Can, Natural Grass Decorative Bunny, Easter Sign

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Arkansas Wooden String Art 18”

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Jameson® Irish Whiskey Caskmates, St. Brendan’s® Irish Cream Liqueur, Moylan’s Danny’s Irish Style Red Ale, Jameson® Whiskey Trilogy, Tullamore Dew® Irish Whiskey, H. Upmann “The Banker” Cigar

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

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IN THE BACK OF

Felder's Ford

Felder Rushing

words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Felder Rushing

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When Felder Rushing—horticulturist, humorist, and homespun

"funky-artsy-fartsy," he's transformed his lawn, all 350 square feet

philosopher—shows up in Fort Smith, Arkansas next month to

in the front, and 350 sqare feet in the back, into a marvel of hardy

speak at a free lecture hosted by the River Valley Master Gardeners,

flowers, water features, a tiny cabin, and fruits and vegetables,

he'll be driving his 1988 Ford F-150.

all living together in a wild dance of texture and color. Add to that a crepe myrtle he sometimes spray paints and hangs Mardi

A pickup of that vintage might not garner a lot of attention in the

Gras beads from, several garden gnomes, a flock of plastic pink

South where old trucks are as common as chiggers, but Felder's

flamingos, and a few old tire planters, and you start to understand

Ford is different. Its bed is filled with rich soil and planted tightly

just how serious this funny man is about not taking yourself, or

with herbs and vegetables. And Felder, who believes every garden

your garden too seriously.

deserves a heavy dose of art, even has bottle trees anchored amidst those hearty plants.

His story, and his laissez-faire attitude, started years ago. As a child, he lived across the street from his great-grandmother, a horticulturist

"I'm hard-core South," Felder says, in reference to the truck and the bottle tree, a staple of his childhood in Sunflower County, Mississippi.

On trips through the area, he passed homesteads where slender cobalt-blue bottles had been slipped onto bare branches, turning an otherwise desolate tree or bush into something ethereal and lovely.

When he discovered the intricate work of sculptor and glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose pieces consist of bright colored glass formed into long spirals, he felt a connection.

"Bottle trees," Felder says, "are just Redneck Chihuly. They both hold glass up to the sky so the colors can sing. The only difference is style and price." He laughs, and the sound of it fills the space.

Felder, it seems, is one happy man.

That happiness is rooted in gardening. Specifically, Slow Gardening, a subject he wrote a book about. If you've not heard the term, it's a freeing concept, taking away all judgment about what is and isn't

Back Garden Front Garden

right. "Have fun!" Felder says. "Enjoy yourself! Home gardening is like home cooking. Horticulture is the same as what a trained chef does at a fine restaurant." The message here is that anyone can be a home cook but training to be a chef is full of rules and calculations and long, hard hours.

"Think of gardening as a buffet," Felder says, continuing the food analogy. "You won't have on your plate what other people have on theirs. If you have beet juice running into your mashed potatoes, who cares? My approach to garden design is like food at a church social. All the best food from all the different people, and maybe none of it matches."

Proof that he believes what he says rests in his garden at his home in Jackson, Mississippi. There, in a neighborhood Felder describes as DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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who bred daffodils. "I used to putter around with her," Felder says.

"She had like 350 kinds of daffodils. I still have about two dozen of

Back of Felder's Ford

her daffodils that are still blooming.

"When she would have a caterpillar on one of her flowers, instead of killing it, she would point out the weirdness of it and tell me what kind of butterfly it turned into. She taught me plenty about horticulture, but she did more than that. And I've always been attracted to people who teach real lessons instead of 'by the rules'."

One of those lessons is about building a compost heap. While he knows the science behind what makes one work effectively, he doesn't fret over the proper ratios of water, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Instead, he takes a corner in his yard, piles up organic matter—everything from egg shells, weeds, and banana peels— and lets it rest. "I even buried a dead raccoon in there once, and the next spring it was just bones and teeth. I figure that's what happens in the woods, so why not try it there."

Felder wonders what she would think of the career he's made. If he could see her again, he'd ask her. "I think we'd sit around the

This demystification is one of the best things about Felder's plan to

table and laugh about it, while we made fig preserves together. We

get people gardening. "Dig a little hole," he says. "Put a plant in it,

might be bagging up seeds to give to people. But we'd sure enough

green side up. Water it." That's it. Three easy steps.

be telling stories and joking."

If you're worried about garden design, that too is simple. "Take

Felder pauses for a second, the first time during this interview. This

something round and put it with something spiky, and then put

talk of his great-grandmother, the woman who grew so many

those two things with something frilly."

daffodils, seems to have hit him in the heart. He mentions that he's growing daffodils in a bowl of water right now, but instead of the

Good advice, given by a man who attended a university to learn

usual stones most put in the container, he's used Mardi Gras beads.

all the hard stuff so you don't have to. He has opinions about just

He thinks his great-grandmother would get a kick out of that. Felder

about everything, from the controversy over pruning crepe myrtles

laughs again. He's almost certain she would.

(Prune them if you want to. The Japanese have been doing it for more than 500 years.) to roses ("Even a dead man can grow a rose," he says, and laughs, citing the abundance of wild roses in old southern cemeteries and abandoned homesteads.).

Today, this author or co-author of eighteen books, and radio personality, divides his time between his home in Mississippi and his place in England. "I love the cottage gardens in England," Felder says, "because people do exactly what they want to do. No one's in lockstep with anybody else. They have so much freedom."

No matter which continent he's on, he often thinks of his greatgrandmother, the woman who took him under her wing and showed him the miracle of seeds and bulbs and the way the leaves of grand old trees cast lacy shadows across everything below.

Felder Rushing, Slow Gardening Expert Free Lecture sponsored by the River Valley Master Gardeners Thursday, April 28, 7PM Fort Smith Convention Center For more information, call 479.484.7737

For more on the Slow Gardening movement, visit slowgardening.net, or felderrushing.net.

This is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the River Valley Master Gardeners, a group of approximately 175 members. To find out how to join, contact Lance Kirkpatrick, Sebastian County Extension Agent. 479.484.7737.

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How Does

Your Garden Grow?

words and images Jessica Sowards

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Dear Reader,

to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or

I’d like to tell you a story.

we found our place, a mess of a foreclosure with four acres, I

imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” When reminded myself of this over and over. God knew my heart. He

One gray and overcast day around the first of January, I stood in

knew how badly I’d wanted a farm. He hears what I ask and

the woods next to my house. My eyes were closed and my arms

knows the desires of my heart.

were raised in praise. Rooster crows carried through the trees on the breeze and the creek was flowing steadily nearby, but my prayers

Suddenly it hit me: if God will surpass what I imagine, planning

were louder.

days should be anything but overwhelming. I should be excited to venture to the undeveloped places and imagine all the wonderful

My husband Jeremiah and I have a standing date. Most days,

things that will come from them. Then I should be willing to watch

around four o'clock in the afternoon, we pull on our rubber boots

and see Him surpass my expectations. I remembered what this

and however many layers of clothes the weather calls for. We

property looked like when we first took hold of it, and I admired the

head out the front door and make our way around this little farm,

great strides we have made in the two years since.

assessing coops and fences, handling our animals, and treating those that need something special. We gather eggs and we talk

It was hugely emboldening. In the following weeks, all the things

about the day-to-day tasks required in this life. It is my absolute

that felt impossible in the woods that day started to become more

favorite kind of date, the only kind of romance I ever wished for.

and more obtainable. Help came. My neighbor Lisa and I began to

But on that January day, we weren’t just making a regular round.

brainstorm, and along with our husbands, decided we would get

That afternoon, we slipped through the gate to the undeveloped

much more done if we joined forces. So we all got together one

part of our land. We took a green composition book and a

evening and with our new bold-dreamer status, we dreamed big,

hundred-foot measuring tape.

just like children of God should.

We talked about big plans that day. They were plans we couldn’t

We started with the garden. One morning, she and I took our

do on our own. Plans we didn’t have the money, manpower or

collections of organic, heirloom seeds and spread them out

expertise for. To be honest, it felt largely overwhelming. I felt

together on my kitchen table. We made lists and sketched out

like a child with a slingshot facing a giant. After two hours of

ideas. We placed an order for seeds of purple peppers, sweet

walking our woods and measuring, scribbling, discussing, and

melons, and black tomatoes, filling the holes of our expansive

brainstorming, Jeremiah went to tend to chores. I stayed there

collections. We decided that day we would plant at least an acre.

in the woods and did the only thing I know to do when life feels

It was a thrillingly huge dream.

giant, I told God, “This is too big for me, but I know You are enough. We need help.”

Next came the farmers' market booth. We knew that with the garden and all the animals, we would be producing plenty of

He heard me. As my prayers grew and I raised my hands, the

products to branch out beyond feeding our own families. We

sun split through the overcast, gray sky for the first time that

decided to open the booth under the name of our farm, Roots and

day and I felt warmth wash over me. It was one of those things

Refuge. Logos were designed, marketing materials were decided

that seem inconsequential in the re-telling but was a balm to

on. We started working on labels.

my spirit in that moment. It was one of those instances where I knew I had been heard.

But we didn’t stop there. We spoke with a contact at a local restaurant that put in a large weekly order for eggs. Then we

As the sun shone on me, I was reminded of a text I’d received the

talked to the local feed stores and found those that would be

night before from my friend Tara. “Hey, sis,” she’d said, “Just

interested in selling chicks we hatch from our incubator. We

wanted to remind you of Ephesians 3:20. Love you!” It was a

ordered chickens to raise for meat. My goats moved to Lisa’s

random little message that meant something big. That’s the

house to take up roles in her herd, and her turkeys and chickens

scripture I’d held on to when we got our house. It reads, “Now

moved to our house to supply our incubator with eggs.

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Within a mere six weeks, we went from having

Jessica and Lisa

two hobby homesteads to having one working entity. We were able to use our strengths to each other’s advantage. And in that, I went from desperately crying out to God in the woods to solidly standing on a plan, His plan.

Just like any other conceived thing, we have had to wait for the proper season for it to be birthed. Now it’s here: March.

The seedling plants in the greenhouse are unfurling leaves and stretching out towards the sun. The goats have given birth and their precious kids are frolicking around, making the world a brighter place to be. The garden is tilled. Sugar pea vines are growing up the trellis, indifferent to the frost. The chickens have started to lay again, and

Throw up your hands, but never in defeat. Praise through the

within the next few days, the incubator will begin turning out the

winter seasons, through the overwhelming moments, through

first of hundreds of chicks we will hatch this season. The farm is

the times when, from your vantage point, your dream looks

waking up, and I’ve never been so excited about spring.

impossible. Then stand in awe during the birthing season and dance with joy during harvest time.

It truly feels surreal sometimes. Occasionally, when I am elbowdeep in a farm task, I just pause a moment and breathe it in. And

My prayer for you today is this: that you will not be afraid to

it hits me. None of it would have happened without a prayer and

imagine, to ask and to dream. He is a good Father, and I am living

a dream. He provided the way, taught us to work hard and when

proof: me, with my long-buried desire for a farm. It’s not a buried

the time was right and our hearts were ready, He brought along

seed anymore. It’s a plant that is feeding not just my family but

the partnership to see it through.

others as well.

I can’t help but think about what might have been. What if we had

I pray this might be water on the seeds in your heart. I pray that

taken one look at the unlikeliness of success and said, “We don’t

you read this and lift your hands in the undeveloped places of your

know enough. We don’t have enough. We are not enough.” All

life. He is enough.

along the way, there has been great pressure to throw up our hands.

I’ll keep praying. He’ll keep watering.

So we do, but not in defeat. We throw up our hands in praise.

You keep praising.

In the woods, in the living room, in the yard with the chickens.

We throw them up and say, “You are enough! Help me!” And

Happy growing season, friends.

He does. Every time.

It’s going to be a fruitful one.

I want you to know, God is not intimidated by your dreams. They

With Love,

are, however, like seeds. A seed that is put in the ground but not given water and light will never grow. It is just a buried seed, hidden and left to die. But a seed that is planted, placed in the dirt

Jess

and cared for with the intent of growing does just that. It grows. It blossoms. It bears fruit.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

To see the progress on Jessica's homestead, follow her on Instagram @roots_and_refuge.

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community

Hogeye and Joe

words Don Lowe images Marathon: courtesy Hogeye Marathon Joe Martin Stage Races: courtesy Tom Ewart with NWA Photo DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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community

Fayetteville, Arkansas comes alive in the

Tabby says. “But, at least it’s in the first two

spring. Daffodils appear and the trees are full

miles of the course and not the last two

and green. Runners and cyclists, dressed in

miles.” Runners then venture through some

bold colors, show up all across town. Many of

established neighborhoods where residents

them are in training, getting ready for events

will cheer them along.

like the 40th Annual Hogeye Marathon on April 10, and the 39th annual Joe Martin

The course then changes directions, first going

Stage Race, that begins on April 21 and ends

east and then north, through the section

three days later on April 24.

known as uptown Fayetteville. Runners will then be heading toward Lake Fayetteville, a

The Hogeye Marathon Race Director Tabby

place Tabby says is the most beautiful, peaceful

Holmes has been getting ready, both by

section of the course. It's about five miles of

planning and training, for months now.

rolling, and sometimes challenging, hills.

She foresees a potential record turnout of participants with as many as 2,500 total

After that, the scenic course takes runners

runners tackling this 26.2-mile course.

by Veteran’s Park twice and makes a loop through another established neighborhood

In preparing for a marathon, Tabby thinks

with four churches and a school.

two important keys are setting a goal to run the race and having a good support system

Finally, it’s the four-mile home stretch along

to complete the training. “This includes

Mud Creek and Scull Creek trails, before

immersing myself in the culture of running

reaching the finish line at Wilson Park. Tabby

races," Tabby says. "I do lots of other events,

says that here runners are likely to see ducks,

even group, long training runs. There is a

birds, squirrels and chipmunks scampering

social aspect as well as a competition within

about, which is an added perk.

myself to improve or even just to keep adding on the miles each week. The training is the

In the Joe Martin Stage Race, Race Director

most important part of the process.”

Bruce Dunn anticipates more than 700 athletes, with teams from twenty-three

Tabby believes there has to be muscle

countries and all fifty states. It features a time

memory,

and

trial of 2.5 miles at Devil’s Den State Park in

psychological memory of what it feels like

Winslow, as well as road races taking place

to be sore, and to push through the furthest

in Fayetteville, Prairie Grove and surrounding

training run and beyond. “Everyone is on a

areas with distances of forty to 110 miles and

different path to the same goal,” she says.

a final day criterium.

The race starts at Fayetteville’s downtown

As an avid biker, as well as a USA Triathlon-

square and proceeds past The Walton Arts

certified

Center on Dickson Street, which is in the heart

Representative to USA Cycling, and President

of the entertainment district. And, from there,

of the Arkansas Bicycle Coalition, Bruce

runners will trek through the main street of the

says that training varies by category. As an

University of Arkansas campus, Maple Avenue.

example, beginners put in five to seven hours

along

with

emotional

race

director,

Arkansas

State

a week. As competition increases, however, “Maple Avenue is one of the most challenging

cyclists train ten months out of the year with

sections because the campus is fairly hilly,”

varying degrees of intensity.

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community

“A professional rider will put in five to seven

the second year on the Union Cycliste

hours a day, six days a week in the off season

Internationale America Tour calendar.

and ride 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year,” Bruce says. “Bike racing is very unique. It has

It’s a big deal nationally because the National

both physical and mental requirements.” He

Race Calendar is connected to USA Cycling and

calls it physical chess and says just being a

the UCI America Tour. USA Cycling is the national

strong rider is not enough, especially as you

governing body of cycling and operates under

progress in categories.

the United States Olympic Committee. Further up the ladder, the UCI is the world governing

As a cyclist who competes in several races

body for the sport of cycling that’s recognized

throughout the year, Bruce knows the chall-

by the International Olympic Committee.

enges riders are up against. The three phases consist of long-distance treks, as well as the

The national and international connections are

short, individual-effort timed rides and criterium,

incredible. But Bruce loves this event because

or ‘crit’ as it is also known, that includes multiple

of how much the local community embraces

fast-paced laps on closed city streets.

the racers and the staff. And he's thankful for so many volunteers showing up, sponsors

It’s the final day that gets fans stoked as the

signing on, and the organizers marveling at

rapidly-moving riders try to conquer the ‘crit’

how much support they have.

course, that features a major climb on each lap and eight total turns, which is double the

Tabby has the same appreciation that comes from

normal number in one of these events. “The

working with the marathon. For her, it’s all about

‘crit’ is very spectator friendly and people can

the volunteers, as well as keeping true to the

see the pack of riders coming around the

original mission of promoting health and fitness,

course multiple times,” Bruce says. “It’s very

and giving back to local charities and causes.

exciting to witness 100 bikes tightly grouped, rolling by at thirty-five mph around a corner.”

Beneficiaries of the Hogeye Marathon include Meals on Wheels, Alzheimer’s Association,

Tabby Holmes

The race started as the Fayetteville Spring

Jackson Graves Foundation, Kendrick Fincher

Classic in 1978 under the guidance of Joe

Foundation, the American Wheelchair Mission

Martin, who was passionate about cycling

and the new Arkansas Children’s Hospital

and served as race director until 1988 when

Northwest. “We have given these and other

he was stricken with cancer. In 1989, the

charities almost $100,000 just in the last two

race was renamed in Joe’s honor. A little

years,” Tabby says.

more than a decade later in 2003, Dunn’s All Sports Productions, Inc., the sports event

These are two huge events that put a spotlight

management company Bruce created, began

on Northwest Arkansas. Having excellent leaders

promoting the race. Bruce says, “We added

like Bruce, Tabby, and countless others, involved

both a professional men’s and women’s

time and time again helps to ensure these events

category and placed those races on the

will shine bright for years to come.

national pro cycling tour.”

This marks the thirty-ninth anniversary of the amateur races, the fourteenth anniversary as part of the National Race Calendar and DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Hogeye Marathon - April 10 hogeyemarathon.com Joe Martin Stage Race - April 21-24 joemartinstagerace.com

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the Littlest sister words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Allie Wilson and Mandie Stewart

I

It's one of those extraordinary winter afternoons in the South, the temperatures soaring past seventy degrees, the wind soft as a kitten. At Creekmore Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the playground is filling up with children. A man wearing a gray T-shirt and jeans walks a black-and-white St. Bernard in a loop around the perimeter of the park, the mammoth dog loping along beside him.

Two games are underway on the tennis courts, the players’ rackets swooshing as they slice the air. And in the midst of it all is Elli Montgomery, four years old, her blond hair tied up in a bow, tiny gold earrings in her tiny earlobes, her child-sized glasses rimmed in pink.

Allie and Elli

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If she wasn't carrying a cane, you might not

As soon as Allie got to her car, she started

realize the extent of her sight problems. But she

calling, telling those closest to her about Elli.

does carry the cane, almost like a habit, tapping

One of those calls led to Dr. Claire Price, a

the earth as she hurries to Allie Wilson's side.

local ophthalmologist, who graciously offered

Allie, at twenty-two years old, is one of Elli's

to donate a pair of prescription sunglasses.

closest friends, and when she reaches her, Allie bends down for a hug.

Allie remembers the day the glasses were ready. She and her sorority sister, Chelsea

"Let's go play!" Elli says. And Allie does her

Smith, showed up for the fitting. Dr. Price

best to slow Elli down. "Tell them about your

carefully adjusted the dark glasses with the

birthday party," Allie says, and Elli answers,

blue frames, as Elli's entourage looked on.

"Elsa and Cinderella were there. And I became a real princess!"

At that moment, Elli's mom, Andria, was hoping for some big, happy unveiling. "In

It's all true. Elli Montgomery was crowned at her

the office, we asked her if she could see and

birthday party in November of last year. Characters playing Queen

she said no." Andria's heart dropped. "But the second we stepped

Elsa (who came to fame in the Disney movie Frozen) and Cinderella

outside, she said, 'I can see! I can see! Look, Mommy, the clouds!'

made the designation official and then they sang to her, on stage,

And the glasses do this thing where if she's in the car and the sun is

and then placed a crown on her head. Down below, Elli's family and

shining on the windshield, she sees little rainbows. She'll say, 'Look,

friends, along with a trove of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Delta

Mommy, I made a rainbow!'"

Gamma members, cheered as the coronation took place.

You could argue that Elli makes rainbows wherever she goes. As The party was held at the Latture Conference Center at UAFS,

Andria talks about her daughter on this day at this park in Fort

just weeks after Allie and Elli were introduced at a local

Smith, Elli is surrounded by Allie and two other Delta Gammas,

restaurant. The meeting had been set up after Allie decided she

Emily Mills, who plans to become a teacher, and Allie Billups,

and her sorority sisters needed to connect with someone who

who's studying dental hygiene. All three say that meeting Elli

was visually impaired.

was a pivotal moment in their lives.

At the time, Allie's role at Delta Gamma - Eta Omicron chapter

They could say more, but Elli is urging them toward the

was to help lead the drive to raise money for schools for the blind

playground. She doesn't want to miss one minute of this

through their charity, Service for Sight. Allie felt as if there was

gorgeous day. "Come on!" she says, and Allie Wilson laughs.

more she and her seventy or so sorority sisters could do.

"Are we your girls?" Allie asks. And Elli shakes her head yes.

"She always calls us all her girls," Allie says.

When Allie met Elli, she fell hard. "She's so spunky. I said, 'You must be Elli,' and she said, 'Yes, that's me.' She was so loving. I knew

And they are. Since meeting Elli, the sorority takes her on play

she wasn't an ordinary little kid. She bosses everybody around."

dates. They took her to homecoming last year, and gave her

Allie laughs. "She has this attitude of 'I am who I am and I can do

a Delta Gamma outfit to wear. And of course there was the

whatever I put my mind to.'"

princess-themed birthday party, complete with a red carpet, balloon columns, cupcakes, and cookies with her name on them.

But when Elli and her family were getting ready to leave, Allie

There were even flowers decorating the backs of the chairs, all

watched as Elli's parents took off her prescription glasses, put on

donated by good-hearted people in the community.

regular sunglasses and a hat, and made sure Elli had her cane.

"Elli has light sensitivity, so even though her eyeglasses darken

Andria watches as these young women scoop up her daughter

somewhat, it wasn't enough," Allie says. "It hit me that because

and head toward the swings and slides and trails. She's holding

of her light sensitivity, she could not see outside."

Elli's younger brother, James, and she is smiling.

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When she talks about Elli's life, she goes back to the very

Allie, who's studying marketing and will graduate this year, is

beginning. Elli was born on the same day a 5.6 magnitude

already making plans to stay in touch with Elli. The other girls have

earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded in the state, rattled

ideas of their own. They want to carry on what Allie started.

Oklahoma. The epicenter was in Sparks, a town of approximately 170 people, situated not far from Oklahoma City. But even 175

It's something Andria wants as well. "I just love the positive impact

miles away in Poteau, where Elli was being introduced to the

of having girls that are actually doing something with their lives, and

world, folks could feel the foundation of everything that was

going to college and excelling," she says. "Having that influence

usually unmovable shift and tremble.

really means a lot to me."

For Andria, the quake would become a source of hope. In the

For Allie, it's an honor. "Elli feels like she's mine; she captured my

minutes that followed her first child's birth, she'd expected to be

heart. We want her to fulfill her dreams," she says. "And one day

marveling at the miracle of this new life, to be counting fingers

we want her to be a Delta Gamma. We're her biggest cheerleaders."

and toes in that universal way of all new moms. But as Andria surveyed Elli, she knew something was amiss. "I had worked in

Andria marvels at this. Her daughter has already found a place to

OB and I had seen newborn babies and I knew their eyes were

belong, and a group of young women who plan to be the best role

different, but you could just see that this was more than that,"

models they can. She wants them to know how grateful she is that

Andria says. She wondered aloud if Elli might be blind. The staff

they see in Elli what she sees: a girl with infinite possibilities that are

stepped in, and soon after they brought the news to Andria and

only just now beginning to unfold.

her husband, Brad. Elli had glaucoma in both eyes, and cataracts.

The report sent Brad to the hospital's chapel, where he dropped to his knees and prayed fervently for a sign that his daughter would be all right. When he got up, he put his hand on the Bible, opened it, and found Matthew 11:5 "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

"We felt like the earthquake was a sign from God," Andria says. "God shook the earth for her to show us He could save her sight."

What followed was a series of surgeries, including removing the cataracts, and cornea transplants. There was even a time when an infection could have caused one of her eyes to be removed. "But without having that promise from God," Andria says, "it would have been so much scarier. On the night she was born, our pastor was there and we dedicated her to the Lord."

A few yards away, Elli and her friends from Delta Gamma are laughing, the sound silvery in the fading afternoon. "She doesn't meet a stranger," Andria says, and her smile widens. "She makes

For more on Service for Sight, visit deltagamma.org/ foundation/philanthropy-service.

friends everywhere she goes."

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people

THE

words Stoney Stamper

DIRTIEST JOB OF ALL Mike Flippo/Shutterstock

I

I love the show Dirty Jobs. Never mind that I have a minor man

It's also one of the hardest.

crush on Mike Rowe, I think it's really interesting to see all of the different dirty, difficult and odd jobs that people all over the

Sure, there are books you can read, videos to watch, and

world have. From cleaning septic tanks, to making charcoal, to

classes you can take, but there’s no real way to become

hauling off dead animal carcasses, he’s done pretty much every

qualified, minus having a kid and diving into it headfirst.

tough job imaginable, even if for only a day. But there's one job

Experience is the best teacher, but she can be a real hussy. She

that's left conspicuously off his résumé. He has never been a

has neither mercy, forgiveness, nor compassion, and she has

parent. And I would venture to say that parenting, at least from

no qualms about letting you fall flat on your face. And even

my perspective, is the dirtiest job there is.

though you don't have to pass a test to become a parent, and I DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

felt absolutely unfit for the work, someone decided that me having kids would be a good idea. There was no approval certification, no licenses, no graduation ceremony. I was just thrust into parenthood, with zero preparation. And I have left a mountain of dirty situations in my wake.

My first massive failure as a parent came years before I was one. I went a long time with no children of my own, but I do have two nephews, Braden and Joby. They are my older sister Shannon’s boys and they are great. I loved playing with them when they were small, but I was admittedly not very careful. I’m big and rough and loud and I play hard.

One

day,

I

somehow

convinced my sister to let me take care of them while she went to work at the pharmacy. They were about

seven

and

nine

years old, respectively, at

"They both climbed on. I told them to get a good hold, because I was going to give them a wild ride."

the time. Our first stop was the Dairy Hut to get some ice cream. Once we were all fully swollen with sugar

handles. Joby, the younger brother, sat down with one of the

and energy, we made our way to the local park. We played

pipe handles between his legs, because that was safer, and I

on the swings for a few minutes, but there was a merry-

was a completely responsible adult, remember? So once they

go-round across the park that was calling my name. One of

each had a firm grip, I began to spin. I mean, I really began

those old heavy steel ones that had enough weight, so that

to spin. Faster and faster and faster, I pushed until the merry-

you could get it spinning really fast and it would spin until

go-round was a blur. The boys were screaming with laughter,

you puked. They both climbed on. I told them to get a good

and I felt like the greatest uncle in the world. Then all the

hold, because I was going to give them a wild ride. Braden,

sudden, I noticed that Joby had closed his eyes and looked a

the older brother, stood up and held on to one of the pipe

little ashen. Oh yeah, I could see some puking in his future.

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people

Just when I thought that he would surely blow chunks, he lost

all the blood, her face turned white and she had to sit down

his grip on the pipe in front of him, his hands flew above his

before she fainted. That was actually pretty lucky on my part,

head and the momentum flung him backwards, with his head

so that I didn’t get kicked.

landing squarely onto the rusty head of an old bolt on the floor of the merry-go-round. Immediately, I knew that I had

We stuck Joby’s head in the bathroom sink and began the

made a mistake, but it was far too late. By the time I got the

process of cleaning him off. The cut appeared to still be

spinning to stop, Joby’s head was bleeding in only the way

bleeding a little bit, but it was slowing down. We were finally

a head wound can. Blood was running down his forehead,

able to see the huge gash on the back of his head. Wait,

and all over his hands, as he held his head. I scooped him off

what? That COULDN'T be the cut! It was a tiny little hole! But

the merry-go-round and began to assess the situation. There

it was bleeding so much! We finished cleaning him up. We

was so much blood, I was certain that his brains must be

washed ourselves off so that we wouldn’t scare the townsfolk

hanging out the back of his head. I clamped my hands over

as we walked back to the truck, and by then some of the

where I assumed the massive gash would be. And just like

color had come back to Shannon’s face, which was a huge

Joby, in short order, I had blood running down my hands and

plus. She even let me leave with them once again after we

forearms. At this point, I was thinking of ways to save his life.

had cleaned his head up. I took them bowling because that

He would surely bleed to death within the next few minutes

was our original plan, but the hole in Joby’s noggin had given

without some divine intervention.

him a headache and a bit of a sour attitude, so we didn’t really have that much fun. And still to this day, that boy won’t

My sister worked at the pharmacy only a few miles away.

get on a merry-go-round. I traumatized him forever.

Joby’s bleeding seemed to be subsiding somewhat, so I loaded him into the truck and headed to town. We rushed

By babysitting my nephews, I had already proven that I was

into the pharmacy looking like something straight out of

in no way qualified to be someone’s legal guardian, yet,

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. My sister Shannon came from

here I am. With these three beautiful daughters that I don’t

behind the pharmacist’s counter in a fervor. I felt like I was

understand. And I never will, most likely. Mike Rowe does

seven years old again, with my big sister staring me down

Dirty Jobs, you say? Well, la-dee-da. I’m a dad. I’ve got snot,

like a lioness on a wildebeest. My skin felt as though it would

slobber, burps and farts, smelly feet, random tumbleweeds

melt off my bones as she glared at me. I’d seen this look

of hair floating across the floor, and of course the occasional

before. Many times, actually. And usually when she looked at

bloody incident from a hole in the head, or a cut finger.

me like that, it was followed by a solid kick to the shins, or maybe the thigh. And it would hurt. However, once she saw

I’ve got the dirtiest job of all.

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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taste

words Chef Deborah VanTrece, Twisted Soul Kitchen + Bar Images courtesy Henri Hollis/Green Olive Media

Fresh Salmon Croquettes DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

T

hese salmon croquettes make an excellent spring dish with their bright colors and flavors. Better still, it's not a complicated recipe, and forming the mixture into croquettes is a fun activity for kids in the kitchen. What

a great way to introduce the little ones in your life to the joy of cooking!

Salmon cooks quickly, which is another plus for cooking with kids who can't wait to see the end result. And the spring pea, bacon and radish salad makes the dish absolutely gorgeous when you dish it up. The addition of smoky bacon to the accompanying salad provides a counterpoint to the sharp, clean flavors of the salmon, dill and red onions. Enjoy!

Salmon Croquettes Ingredients • 2 pounds skinned salmon fillets

• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

• ¼ cup red onions, finely chopped

• 1 Tablespoon capers

• ¼ cup celery, finely chopped

• 2 eggs, large

• ¼ cup red peppers, finely chopped

• 1 Tablespoon Lawry’s® Seasoning Salt

• 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 Tablespoon granulated onion

• ½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs

• 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

• 1 Tablespoon Old Bay® Seasoning

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• Cayenne, just a pinch

• 1 Tablespoon flat parsley, chopped

• ½ cup bread crumbs for dredging

• 1 Tablespoon dill, chopped

• Olive oil for frying

®

with Spring Pea, Bacon and Radish Salad DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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taste

Method Preheat oven to 350˚. Chop fresh salmon coarsely into small pieces. Set aside. Heat unsalted butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery and red pepper. Cook until onion is translucent. In a bowl combine chopped salmon, cooked vegetables, crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, herbs, capers, eggs and seasoning mix. Form 6 patties with combined mixture. Dredge each patty in remaining bread crumbs and place in a shallow dish. Cover dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes so patties will firm up.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in hot oil until brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer browned patties to a baking dish and place in oven for 5 to 7 minutes to cook through.

Spring Pea, Bacon and Radish Salad Ingredients • 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 cup shaved radishes

• 1 Tablespoon honey

• 3 chopped green onions

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• ¼ cup fresh mint

• 3 cups fresh peas, blanched

• Salt and white pepper to taste

• 6 slices Applewood-smoked bacon,

• 6 poached eggs (optional)

cooked and chopped

Method In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, honey, and lemon zest thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining ingredients, except eggs. Toss gently. Taste to see if it needs additional salt and pepper. On a serving plate, make a bed of salad, top with warm salmon croquettes and serve.

Suggestions: add a poached egg, make extra dressing to drizzle on the croquettes, add mint sprigs for garnish.

or

Chef Deborah VanTrece creates her culinary masterpieces at Twisted Soul Kitchen + Bar in Atlanta. She's been featured on NBC's Food

Fighters, has cooked for foreign dignitaries, and has had recipes published in the American

Cuisine Cookbook. For more on Chef Deborah, visit deborahvantrece.com.

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taste

dixie firefly recipe and image Green Olive Media

1.5 oz. Dixie black pepper vodka 1.0 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice .75 oz. lime juice .50 oz. simple syrup Jalape単o (for garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker.

Shake well and pour over ice.

Garnish with a fresh jalape単o slice.

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Dixie is an allAmerican craft vodka. Winner of multiple consumer and trade judged awards, Dixie is fast establishing itself as The South's Best Tasting Vodka.

Always drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

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community

WHERE NOTHING IS ORDINARY

NW Arkansas Vintage Market Days words Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Tammy Edwards

You may not know it yet, but you might really need the blades from a once-whirling windmill. Hang them above your mantle and you're sure to get compliments. Don't have a mantle? Then maybe you're in the mood for jewelry. How do cow tag earrings sound?

Yep. Earrings made from vintage cow tags used by ranchers and farmers to keep track of their herds.

Tammy Edwards has seen both of these things at the NW Arkansas Vintage Market Days. She, along with her daughter, Megan Enlow, run the show that comes to the Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville, Arkansas, twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Once she even bought an old barn door at the market, one she plans to put in her house someday. As she talks about these finds, the words come quickly. She has always loved shopping, and talking about it makes her happy. Which makes her job even better. The 110 hand-selected vendors, from places like New Mexico, Kentucky, and Tennessee, will show up on April eighth and stay through the tenth, bringing their treasures with them.

Tammy loves seeing what they have to offer: furniture, old trunks, handcrafted jewelry, original art, antiques, architectural salvage items, home dĂŠcor, food, seasonal plantings and cute clothes. "If you've ever been to the Canton Flea Market or the Round Top Flea Market in Texas, we're a lot like that," Tammy says. "Just a little smaller."

After the vendors set up, all 40,000 square feet inside the livestock barn at the fairgrounds will be filled to the brim, and sellers will restock each day. Additional vendors will have booths outside. While customers browse, live music from the groups Telegram Nation, and Woody and Sunshine, will entertain shoppers. Food trucks, including Trick Dilly, Mike's BBQ, Baller Food Truck, Mama's Sweet Tea, Wok Hei Noodle House, and a few more selling baked goods and sweet treats, will be on site. "You could stop, have lunch, and then get right back to shopping," Tammy says.

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community

"It's really so much fun. We've been doing this since 2014,

to Saving Grace NWA, a non-profit that helps young women from

and many of the vendors have become like family. We have

seventeen to twenty-five years of age, who have aged out of foster

one vendor from New Mexico who comes in with these

care, or group facilities, and need a place to call home.

massive lights and old trunks and giant windmills. His booth is something. He could have been a major designer in someplace

Shopping, good deeds, live music, and food trucks. All in one

like New York City, but he loves Vintage Market Days.

place. Sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon, or if you're like some of Tammy's customers, an entire weekend. You might

"I think patrons love it because you never know what you're

come home with a treasure you'll cherish forever.

going to find. A lot of people will find things like the perfect table or an entry door, and so we have a loading zone for picking up big items. It all works really well."

As she looks forward to April's market, she thinks about those hours just before the doors open to the public. "There's not one thing that's ordinary," Tammy says, "and it's wonderful just to get to see it."

After customers arrive, she enjoys hearing their laughter, and watching them when they find something that's perfect. "It's so much fun, some people come all three days. You only have to pay one time, whichever day you show up, and that's a big plus, so if you come on Friday, you can come back on Saturday

NW Arkansas Vintage Market Days Benton County Fairgrounds 7640 Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard, Bentonville Friday, April 8 Early Buying Event, 11:00am - 5:00pm Saturday, April 9 9:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday, April 10 12:00pm - 4:00pm

3-day pass, $10 1-day pass, $5

Kids under 12, free.

Cash only at the gate.

and Sunday for free."

Tammy says the serious shoppers are usually there on Friday when the doors open at eleven. "We have lines forming by ten o'clock."

Ticket valid for re-entry all weekend.

To purchase advance tickets, visit NWArkansas.VintageMarketDays.com.

To make the process easier, you can buy your ticket online, which speeds up the process once you arrive. If crowds bother

you,

Tammy

says

you might want to wait until later in the afternoon. And if you have a little one, using a carrier instead of a stroller is a good idea, since you'll be maneuvering in tight spaces.

All these things will make your experience at NW Arkansas Vintage Market Days even better. And if you need one more reason to go, consider this. A portion of the profits go DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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travel

Arkansas'

Spectacular Treks for Spring Break Words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Venues

If you're looking for fun things to do on spring break, Arkansas is a great place to be. For those of us in the Fort Smith area, let's start at home. Visit the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center and check out their spring break activities. Stop by the old-fashioned soda fountain at Fort Smith Museum of History. Drop in at the Fort Smith Historic Site and Judge Isaac Parker's Courtroom. Swing by the Unexpected Project's breathtaking murals in and around Garrison Avenue. For a link to maps of all the murals, visit 646downtown.com. Don’t forget to grab a bag of popcorn from The Popped Popcorn and a cup of tea from the all new Savoy Tea Company while you’re downtown. Ready to explore the rest of the state? Let's get started!

International, whose mission is to end world hunger and poverty. There, on 1,200 acres, you'll find water buffalo, camels, goats, pigs, horses, chickens, ducks, rabbits and sheep. The lambing season should take place the first two weeks in March, so there should be plenty of lambs as well. Tours for groups of twelve or fewer are free of charge. However, if you have more, the guided tour, lasting two and a half hours, is recommended. Call for pricing and reservations.

Amazeum 1009 Museum Way Bentonville amazeum.org, 479.696.9280 See website for pricing. Closed Tuesdays.

Heifer Ranch 55 Heifer Road Perryville heifer.org/visit, 501.889.5124 Heifer Ranch is a working farm approximately fifty minutes from Little Rock, and is part of the non-profit Heifer

The Amazeum is a children’s museum filled with interactive exhibits, like the climbable tree canopy, indoor cave, and art studio. The Nature Valley Water

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travel taste

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper is a family owned and operated dude ranch that offers things like trail rides for those who are at least six years old, hiking, canoeing (in season) on the Buffalo River, fishing, rock climbing, cook-outs, a kids' program for those three to five years old, a 2,250-foot zip line, and the Big Swing. Stay in one of their cabins and enjoy the cooking of Miss Heather, who serves hearty food all day—everything from seafood pasta and steaks to grilled mahi-mahi and barbecue ribs for supper.

Amazements is a series of interactive water exhibits where you can expect to get wet. (Consider bringing a change of clothes.) Through March, you can see the Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed exhibit. There are six full dinosaur skeletal molds including a Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor.

You can also use paleontology tools to unearth dinosaur bones in the dig box.

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch HC 70 Box 261 Jasper horseshoecanyonduderanch.com, 870.446.2555 See website for pricing.

Crater of Diamonds State Park 209 State Park Road Murfreesboro craterofdiamondsstatepark.com, 870.285.3113 See website for pricing.

The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro is the world’s only diamond-bearing site open to the public, where you can dig for diamonds and keep what you find.

Get tips on how to search for diamonds at the Diamond Discovery Center. Find out why there are diamonds in Arkansas, and rent digging equipment. Did you know that diamonds come in all colors? The three colors found at the park are white, brown, and yellow. You might also find amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, or quartz. Campsites are available.

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taste travel

Mid-America Science Museum 500 Mid-America Boulevard Hot Springs midamericamuseum.org, 501.767.3461 See website for pricing and hours.

Closed on Mondays.

The Mid-America Science Museum is Arkansas’ largest hands-on science center. There are more than 100 handson exhibits, seventy-five of which were added just last year during a massive renovation. Don't miss the Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk and the Arkansas Underfoot Gallery. The Tesla Coil, one of the museum's standards, which can produce 1.5 million volts of electricity, is as popular as ever.

Garvan Gardens 550 Arkridge Road Hot Springs garvangardens.org, 501.262.9300 See website for pricing.

Approximately 150,000 tulips show their colors during the Tulip Extravaganza. While you're there, check out Daffodil Hill and Singing Springs Gorge, and don't miss the bonsai garden. See the waterfall on Lake Hamilton, and visit the Anthony Chapel, an architectural wonder that draws visitors from across the country.

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taste travel

Terra Studios 12103 Hazel Valley Road Fayetteville terrastudios.com, 479.643.3185 Some classes charge a small materials fee.

See website for pricing.

Blanchard Springs Caverns Arkansas 14 West Fifty-Six recreation.gov, 870.757.2211 See website for pricing.

Blanchard Springs Caverns, a three-level cave system, two of which are open for guided tours, is the only developed cave system operated by the U.S. Forest Service. It’s ranked as one of the ten most outstanding caves in North America. You'll see calcite formations, stalactites, stalagmites and columns. Wild Cave Tours are also available. They ask that you bring an extra pair of shoes, be at least ten years old for this trek, and be accompanied by an adult. Make reservations at recreation.gov.

Terra Studios is home to the original hand-blown glass Bluebird of Happiness. You can watch as glassblowers form these sweet little birds, and you can even buy one to take home. Inside the shop are arts and crafts by approximately fifty regional artists. The building itself is a work of art, and there's even a tiny troll door at the entrance. All across the grounds are kid-friendly sculptures, fountains, a labyrinth, a picnic area, and there's a bridge complete with a troll underneath. Better still, there will be classes where you can make clay pinch pots, bunnies, and even a plaque for Easter, all through the week of spring break. Check website for details.

Open every day from 10 A.M. until 5 P.M.

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Mount Magazine State Park and Lodge 16878 Arkansas 309 South Paris MountMagazineStatePark.com, 877.665.6343 Mount Magazine State Park and Lodge is situated on the highest point in the state—at 2,753 feet. The visitors center is a wonderful place to explore, with exhibits about the wildlife in the area, and a spot to bird watch. You can hike, have a picnic, or eat at the lodge's restaurant. Want to spend the night? Check as soon as you can to see if there are rooms or cabins available. Or, if the weather permits, rent a campsite!

You're likely to encounter rock climbers, hang gliders, backpackers, and mountain bikers.

Dry Run Creek and Norfork National Fish Hatchery 1414 Arkansas 177 South Mountain Home fws.gov/norfork, 870.499.5255 Dry Run Creek flows from the Norfork National Fish Hatchery and is a catch-and-release stream where only those under age sixteen and mobility-impaired anglers may fish. An eleven-year-old angler from Kansas once caught a rainbow trout that was approximately twentyfive pounds. The catch happened in 2005, but is still talked about today. Make sure you tour the hatchery before you leave. There, millions of rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout are raised for Arkansas waterways.

Have fun this spring break, and be sure to email your family photos to editors@dosouthmagazine.com. We love keeping up with your adventures!

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southern fiction

M

Molly slips her winter coat on and jogs across her front yard to check on her Bradford

The

Mending

Season

FICTION Marla Cantrell

pear tree. It is just after seven o'clock in the morning, on the kind of day that would be lovely if not for the wind that started before daybreak. But the wind is here and it is screaming around the corner of Molly's house, and it has toppled the plastic chairs that sit on the front porch.

Some of the tree's leaves are beginning to show, but mostly it's covered in the blossoms that come first, white and frilled, and they shake in the crippling breeze. Molly's dark hair whips across her face. With her free hand, she holds her coat closed—there is just her nightgown beneath it—and waits for the blowing to stop. When it does, she touches the tree, making sure every branch is still where it should be.

Molly loves the tree, in part, because she had stolen it. It had happened on a Saturday, at Brook's Nursery. She'd walked through the rows of flowers without a plan. This was when her father's death was still so new it seemed impossible. Janie Henry, the owner's daughter, was working that day. They'd gone to high school together, and she hugged Molly tight, offered her condolences, and then said, "But it wasn't unexpected, was it?

I mean, he drank so much."

Molly had pulled away. She had wiped her eyes and turned on her heel. Janie called after her, but she kept on going. Alcohol did not kill her father, but she hadn't said that, or anything else. Molly had come back later that night, in her dad's truck with the lift gate. There was a spot where the fence had come down. She'd snuck through, driving the last few yards without headlights. She'd found the row of trees, planted in big pots,

Gary C. Tognoni/Shutterstock

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southern fiction

and had pulled the truck alongside them. At home, it had

"Maybe," he says.

taken her two days to dig a hole big enough to plant the The thing about Bradford pears is that they don't have enough

Bradford pear.

give to them, not like a weeping willow, for example. This is On the drive to work this morning, her car pitches across

what Molly thinks on the way home, her back straight, her

the center line, the wind moving it like someone pushing a

stomach pulled in. She turns the radio up to mask the sound

reluctant actor onto a stage. Molly grips the steering wheel and

of the wind. Still, her car tilts on sharp turns. It slips onto the

focuses. At times, it feels as if none of her tires are touching

shoulder of Georgia Ridge Road, where autumn's old leaves

the pavement. As she crosses the bridge over the Arkansas

skip across the pavement.

River, she imagines her Nissan rising above the guardrails and landing in the choppy water below. The thought is a jolt, and

At home, she makes chili and cornbread, heating up the

Molly wipes her brow.

cast iron skillet before she pours the batter in. The weather forecast is on TV. More wind, and a chance of frost. Molly

At Vitale's Cannery and Condiments, she stands in one spot,

eats quickly, gathers up three of her grandmother's quilts and

earplugs in, protective glasses on, a hairnet holding her shoulder-

the rope she keeps in her tool shed. She pulls her sweatshirt's

length hair hostage. She watches a steel vat holding more

hood down as low as she can, and still the wind stings her

strawberries than one field-hand could pick in a day. Steam rises

eyes. When she reaches the tree, she wraps the trunk first,

about the vat. A gas fire flickers below it. This will soon become

tying the Wedding Ring quilt tight with the rope. She wraps

jam. She likes to think of it after it leaves this place, sitting in jars

the Crazy quilt around the lower branches on the right side,

on kitchen tables. There is always a tablecloth in her imagining,

and the Fine Tooth Comb quilt on the left. The top of the tree

and it is always made from blue gingham.

she can't reach, and it shudders in the cold night, shaking like the head of a demented person.

This place is loud: forklifts, conveyor belts, the rise and fall of hydraulic equipment. At break time, she sits with Leo, who, at

The frost that was predicted never shows up, but the wind

forty, is older than Molly by a decade. In the small room that is

sings all night long. Molly waits for the sun to rise, and then

only slightly less loud than the cannery's floor, Leo goes to the

she goes to the tree and unwraps the quilts. Her breath

machine, drops in a quarter, gets her coffee, brings it back. When

catches. There, where the trunk branches out, is a split. She

he sits, his hand rests on her knee, and she lets it stay there. She

feels the air punched out of her. The wound glows silver in the

may be in love with Leo. She may not. It's too early to tell.

new light, and it is deep.

"The wind," he says, and then frowns.

On the phone, Molly says, "I can't come in today. I think I have that stomach bug that's going around." There's a pause, and

"If it doesn't stop, I may lose my Bradford pear."

then she says, "Tomorrow? I'll have to see."

"Your daddy's tree?" Leo asks.

The next call she makes is to Leo. He listens, and then he says, "It's a dang tree, Molly. You need to get over it."

She'd told him the story of the tree just after they met, in one of those confessional moments meant to bind two people together.

Molly's house is spare and neat. Still, she picks up a dust cloth and runs it across the TV, and across her dresser in the

"You think I hold on too tight. I know you do," Molly says. What

bedroom. At noon, the wind finally settles, and she goes

she is thinking is how she asked Leo to stay the last time he came

outside, spreads the Wedding Ring quilt across the new grass,

over, and how he ran his hand through his hair, and how he

and sits beside her tree.

looked at the door for a beat too long before he said yes.

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southern fiction

A few yards away, her neighbor, Caroline Ritter, carries out her

her house. The fire is sparking higher and she takes the hose

trash and dumps it in a barrel. She brings out two more loads

and douses it, the smoke thick and black when the water hits

before she lights a match and tosses it in. If the wind picks up

the fire. When she comes back, she's carrying two beers, a

again, everything Molly has could be gone just like that.

tin of pruning tar and a tablespoon. She puts one beer in the pocket of her sweat pants, hands the other one to Molly, and

"Hey!" She calls out, and Caroline looks her way. "There's

dips the spoon in the tin. She spreads the black goop across

still a burn ban. You're not supposed to be setting fires."

the gash in the tree. "Let's see if we can save this beauty," she says, and Molly feels so much gratitude she thinks she might

Caroline pulls a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of her red

faint from the sheer force of it.

flannel shirt, puts one in her mouth. She walks toward Molly as she lights the thing, her shoulders hunched. She has a hitch

When Caroline finishes, she hands Molly the tin. "Keep it,"

in her step, so there's no rhythm to her walking. When she

she says. "Check on the tree every few days. If it needs more,

reaches Molly, she says, "I'm watching it." She points to her

just spread it on. This stuff will keep the bugs out. It'll keep

house. "I got the water hose right there."

the diseases out. It might give you another year with the tree."

She pauses. "Maybe two."

Caroline takes a long drag on the cigarette, her pale eyes narrowing. "Can I sit a while?" she asks, and then holds on to

The tree can't be mended. Molly knows it the way she knew

Molly's shoulder as she lowers herself onto the ground.

her father was going to die, even when the doctors said it wasn't so. But she smiles anyway, and then she opens the

"What are you doing out here in the middle of the day?"

amber bottle of beer. Caroline uncaps her own bottle, taps it

Caroline asks. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

against Molly's, and the sound is like a bell.

"I guess," Molly says, and then she squeezes her eyes shut

The sun is bright now, warming everything below it, and

for just a second. "I think my tree is dying; it split overnight.

Molly suddenly remembers being on a river bank with her

I called my boyfriend, or anyway this guy I thought was my

father, fishing for rainbow trout just as dawn arrived. She

boyfriend. He told me to suck it up."

might have been eight years old at the time. Maybe nine. He held his hand on hers, showing her how to cast, over and

"Men are idiots," Caroline says. "I had a crepe myrtle I just

over. When he let her try on her own, she could still feel the

loved. Planted it on the day my boy, Donovan, was born,

weight of his fingers on hers. It kept her steady as the line

thirty-six years ago. The drought got it three years back."

arched up and over and landed brilliantly in the sparkling water. Anyone watching that day would have thought she

Caroline holds the cigarette away from her and examines it.

was fine on her own. It was an easy mistake to make, since

"I still miss it."

none of them had ever seen her without him.

"I stole this tree," Molly says. "Only thing I ever took like that."

"You must have wanted it something terrible," Caroline says.

Marla Cantrell is an award-winning writer and an Arkansas

"I'm not sure what I wanted," Molly says.

Arts Council Fellow for her work in short fiction.

Caroline pushes herself up, first on her knees, and then struggles to stand. She stubs out her cigarette, walks back to

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