Place November 2014

PLACE

November 2014 DoSouthMagazine.com

WHEN YOUR HEART IS ON THE LINE,

CHOOSE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED CARE. If you ever need heart care, we’d like you to know Sparks Regional Medical Center is home to our area’s only accredited chest pain team. It’s also where you’ll find the River Valley’s only heart-rhythm disorders specialist, supported by an entire cardiovascular center that offers care for heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, heart-rhythm disorders, high blood pressure, and cardiac rehab.

To find your heart specialist, go to SparksHealth.com.

1001 Towson Ave. • Fort Smith, AR 72901 • SparksHealth.com In an emergency, call 911.

TEACHING THE ARTS Thousands of FSPS students are excelling in Art, Band, Choral Music, Drama, and Orchestra. Hundreds of current students are recognized as AllState Musicians. Dozens will be offered scholarships to perform and study at the college level.

Many will pursue art-centric careers. Every one will possess the knowledge for life.

The mission of the Fort Smith Public Schools is to ensure academic and personal success for each student —Today and in the Future.

fortsmithschools.org

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Allen Randi Bomar Marla Cantrell Myra Cardwell Catherine Frederick Rusty Henderson, DVM Anita Paddock Yvonne Pratt Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper Becca Whitson Janna and Sara Wilson Graphic Design Artifex 323

48

PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

12

16

INSIDE 12 16

24 48

24

HANDMADE HOLIDAY Personalize this gift for yourself or someone you love. It’s shabby. It’s chic. It’s filled with good cheer. Who doesn’t need that?

DOING GOOD At eleven, Katie Chandler is gaining attention for a homeschool project that’s gone viral. She’s interviewing everyday Arkansans. Find out where their stories are popping up

THE MENTAL GAME OF BASKETBALL Nolan Richardson’s grandson was brought up in a family steeped in basketball tradition. He broke records, felt the rush of playing on winning teams - until he entered college. What happened next changed his life.

CARAMEL APPLE BAR Take a twist on tradition with this caramel apple bar.

Fun for the whole family, delicious to boot. You’ve got to try the apple s’more!

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

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

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Education tion Educa

focusEd on your

futurE Future-focused degree programs connecting education with careers Flexible learning options Small class sizes Over-the-top student support Excellent career and graduate school placement Beautiful campus and caring people

uafs.edu • 479-788-7120 • 888-512-5466

HAVE YOU SCHEDULED YOUR FINANCIAL CHECKUP? Update your contact information and have an Arvest associate evaluate your current products and services to see how we can better

arvest.com

fit your changing needs. Visit an Arvest associate today.

Member FDIC

letter from Catherine

05

Stoney Stamper brings us the story of Bella the Bulldog, her fascination with all things shiny, and how that led to a night of family drama that reached epic proportions. Don’t miss the story of a local nurse who started in the profession late in life, after she’d seen a film on mission work, and asked the Lord a simple question: “What can I do?”

After you’ve read those stories, it’s time for a lot of food and a fun DIY. We’ve got crock pot recipes galore, a Crisp Cider cocktail perfect for these cooler days, and a fun caramel apple bar that begs to be set up at your next big gathering. We didn’t forget about breakfast, no way! Our Apple Pie Pancakes could become your family’s next favorite meal – I am already thinking breakfast for dinner!

Photo by Kat Hardin

B

Add to that our decorating tips to give your home farmhouse charm, advice on how to make the coming holidays less stressful,

Busy? Who's busy? Everybody! As for me, I'm rushing kids around,

and pointers on how to keep your pets safe as we all gather for

working on our stunning December issue, and taking some design

family celebrations.

classes at UAFS. All of this and the holidays are sneaking up on me once again.

Looking for gift ideas? We have a handmade wall banner that’s ready for you to personalize, and we’ve gathered several of our

This year, I vow not to let stress get the best of me. I will take it

favorite products from our great sponsors to help you pick the

easy this holiday season, or easier than I normally do. I’m going to

perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

slow down and drink things in (I’m not just talking cocktails). I’m going to put away the computer, put down the phone, and sit by

All this, plus singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams’ latest album, a

the fire. Snuggle under the covers and watch an old movie. Stop

thriller from NYT’s bestselling author Greg Iles, and an essay about

trying to control every little thing and live life according to His

sharing your Thanksgiving meal with those outside your close cir-

plan, not the one I try to orchestrate. Everyday life is hectic and it

cle of family and friends.

can get the best of you if you don’t slow down to give thanks for the blessings you have.

We hope you come away from this issue inspired, hopeful, and grateful for the blessings that make up your lives. That’s how we

This month, we’re especially thankful to have met a young girl

feel, in great part because you come along with us each month

from Newhope, whose Facebook posts about everyday Arkan-

on this journey of ours. Thank you beyond measure, and happy,

sans are inspiring thousands to do better, share their struggles,

happy Thanksgiving.

and cheer for those who’ve made it through some of the hardest times of their lives.

~Catherine

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

FORT SMITH LITTLE THEATRE

Order online at www.fslt.org or call 783.2966

2015 Season Tickets Now on Sale

$55 and $100 401 N. 6th

06 poetry

The Poet at Cherokee Village LINES Randi Bomar

Evening was at hand in the old village.

Lavender sky gathered indigo edges, Bluing to twilight. Crow circled, Called, kept watch. I watched For you. Small crowd pressed through The glass doors onto the grounds, Sweeping me into a current of bodies.

Like a flare, my soul shot up from this knot To meet the lowering sky, To signal you of my own hidden being So lost in longing. The earth grounded me Damp and cool beneath my bare feet.

My skin ached to feel the fallen colors Like lovers seek the hollows that hunger for lips.

Sweet gum stars of scarlet, elliptic gold, Thin russet needles of pine, slick with rain.

Earlier, our eyes had locked. Nothing promised or proposed.

Nothing even said. But my heart burned within me, A red-hot ember, just knowing You were there.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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08

DO SOUTH: NOVEMBER 2014 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

SATURDAY

01 Razorbacks play Mississippi State.

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Read Randi Bomar’s gorgeous poem, “The Poet at Cherokee Village,” - page 6.

Apple Pie Pancakes hit the spot - page 50.

Election Day – cast your vote!

Belly laugh your way through Stoney Stamper’s story, “Bella’s Big Bad Night,”- page 44.

Try our Handmade Holiday DIY - page 12.

Bentonville Downtown 1st Friday, Toyland w/Walmart vendors.

Veterans Day parade and fall festival at Chaffee Crossing, 12-5 PM, Fort Smith.

FCA River Valley Run, Fort Smith.

09 10 11 12 13 14 15 2 Hip Chicks Roadshow, Grove, OK.

Best neutral nail polishes? - page 46.

Veterans Day - Thank a Veteran!

5 most common dog emergencies?

- page 21.

“A Talent for Murder,” (11/13 – 11/23), Fort Smith Little Theatre.

Crock pot your way through November - page 54.

Razorbacks play LSU.

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Visit the Chihuly Exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock.

Thrill your kids with the Caramel Apple Bar - page 48.

Buy tickets for Clint Black’s Dec. 4th performance at Walton Art Center, Fayetteville.

Get a jump on your Christmas shopping, - page 34.

Jr. League Holiday Market, (11/20 – 11/22), Fort Smith.

Lights of the Ozarks Lighting, 6 PM, Fayetteville Square.

Drennen-Scott Victorian Holiday Open House, 5:30 – 8:30 PM, Van Buren.

Razorbacks play Ole Miss.

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Lawrence Park outdoor Ice Rink now open, Bentonville.

30 Crystal Bridges State of the Art Exhibit, Bentonville.

Nolan Richardson’s grandson talks basketball - page 24.

Stress less this holiday season - page 22.

Thanksgiving – count your blessings!

Razorbacks play Missouri.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

TURKEY FAST FACTS: 90% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds!

Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity.

Male turkeys gobble, hens do not, they cluck.

Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly.

Get ready for company with our Crisp Apple Cider - page 56.

(Drink responsibly.)

Don’t miss anything on our website or Facebook!

Read Do South's digital edition at DoSouthMagazine.com Get one year of Do South for just $20.

Subscribe online at DoSouthMagazine.com, or send a check to: Read Chair Publishing, LLC

7030 Taylor Ave, Ste 5

Fort Smith, AR 72916

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Ride the Creekmore Express Train, Creekmore Park, Fort Smith.

Hearts On Fire heartsonfire.com 877.PERFECT Hearts On Fire heartsonfire.com 877.PERFECT

1401 Waldron Road, Suite 103 – Fort Smith, AR | www.johnmaysjewelers.com |

10

UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Karen & Andy Roe , Proprietors Crossroads Antique Mall and On the Homefront Auction and Sales 3525A South 74th Street • Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.452.3037

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

UPCLOSE&PERSONAL

Crossroads Antique Mall [CAM] is a multifaceted adventure. We are not just an antique store but a “lifestyle” store offering a wide variety of items from antiques to collectibles, unique and unusual what-ya-ma-call-its, home décor and scents, jewelry, art, fine glass and more.

Our customers say they could stay in here for hours, so we built a “library” where they can sit for a spell, rest and shop again. Our Memory Museum offers shoppers a composite display of specific items such as our “salute to heroes,” which is full of military, firefighting and law enforcement items, memorabilia and collectibles as far back as George Washington, our first president. The display is changed every two weeks and customers can’t wait to see the next display. As for our vendors, we help each to be successful and offer advice and training on how to stage a booth for optimum sales. This is really a co-op venture between the owners, the vendors and the customers. And our consignment auctions are fun, too!

What’s the one dish you always make at Thanksgiving? (Karen) Cranberry, pecan dressing.

(Andy) Fried turkey breast with eggs on Thanksgiving morning.

What do you miss about being a kid? (Karen) Spending time with my dad. (Andy) The energy to run and play for hours on end.

What do you love about antiques? (Karen) The history of the item and enjoying it before passing it on to a new home. (Andy) Each antique has a story to tell if we could find a way for them to talk. Since we can’t we have to use our imagination.

What did you do as a kid that got you into trouble? (Karen) I was a messy room keeper.

(Andy) I climbed towers and once drove off a train bridge.

If you had a year off, what would you want to do? (Karen) Travel the Old South and historic places at my leisure. (Andy) Go on a road trip to the Southeast U.S. with Karen to look for unusual antiques and collectibles.

What three things do you think of most each day? (Karen) My faith, my spouse and my family, including my dog. (Andy) How blessed we are to live in the U.S., our religious freedom, family and friends.

What was your first job? (Karen) I was the proud owner of a fireworks stand at age eleven. (Andy) Paperboy when I was in the fourth grade.

What did you buy with your first paycheck? (Karen) I put it in savings and the next summer expanded my fireworks stand. (Andy) New tires for my bicycle.

When was the last time someone surprised you? (Karen) My husband, every day. (Andy) Karen took me to see Bill Medley (the last remaining Righteous Brother) in Branson.

What makes you nostalgic? (Karen) Marching bands. (Andy) Something that reminds me of growing up, like a Grapette bottle.

3 things Karen can’t live without:

Craziest thing you’ve ever done for someone? (Karen) I gave someone my job and went on to new roads.

Perfect meal? (Andy) Ham and beans, fried potatoes with onions, bread, and homegrown tomatoes.

Cell Phone

Computer

Calorie-free Lemonade

3 things Andy can’t live without:

Most unique antique you’ve ever sold? (Karen) A heavy metal thing-a-ma-jig that neither the purchaser nor I knew what it was. He bought it just for the fun of researching it. (Andy) A Morris chair that had at least ten pounds of dirt daubers on it when I found it.

Favorite song from your teen years? (Karen) “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce. (Andy) “Suspicion” by Terry Stafford.

Best advice you’ve ever been given? (Karen) Follow your dream but know in your heart exactly what that dream is.

Most sentimental thing you own? (Karen) My grandmother’s fur coat and a pair of 1940s leather high heels with open toes. (Andy) An upright tube-type radio that Dad and I listened to radio shows on, like Boston Blackie, The Shadow, and Gillette’s Friday Night Fights.

Strangest place you’ve called the Hogs? (Andy) Iraq, during Desert Storm.

Food

Fuel

Unsweet Iced Tea

What do you want for Christmas? (Karen) A cabin vacation with my family. (Andy) To get to keep doing what we’ve been doing for the past year.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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diy

HANDMADE

HOLIDAY WORDS Janna and Sara Wilson images Janna Wilson

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

diy

In November, our thoughts traditionally turn to giving thanks and counting our blessings. This DIY is a gorgeous way to remind us all year long just how wonderful life really is. It’s easy to do, and we’ve even added a handy digital file on our website that you can download to help you through the process. You can also personalize your design to make your wall hanging one of a kind. This would be a thoughtful, handmade holiday gift for friends and family. You can use any color combinations you like.

And remember, you can always upcycle denim, cotton shirts and more to create the floral embellishments!

MATERIALS

METHOD THE BANNER

Natural linen or canvas fabric (1/2 yard 60” width)

• Cut 2 rectangles of banner fabric and 1 Heat N’ Bond®

White canvas (approximately 11” x 15”)

to 15” x 25”.

• Fuse the 2 rectangles together following the direc-

Heat N’ Bond® no sew, heavy duty (1 yard) Fabric scraps for flowers

tions on Heat N’ Bond® package. (This step helps to

Buttons, gems or other embellishments

create a heavier, sturdier piece that will hang nicely and minimize raw edges. If you’re a seamstress, you

Dowel rod (cut to approximately 18”)

may want to opt for sewing these pieces together to

Heat transfer paper

create finished edges all around.)

Pom pom trim (20” length)

• Follow diagram contained in digital file and trim lower

Ruffled trim (18” length)

corners away as shown.

• Add pom pom trim to bottom edge of banner with

TOOLS

hot glue.

• Use 4” x 8” fabric strips to create the two top hang-

Hot glue gun (and LOTS of hot glue sticks) Iron and ironing board Sewing machine (optional) Scissors Pinking shears

ers for the dowel. Fold raw edges toward center of wrong side of material and tack with hot glue to hold in place. Fold each in half and glue to top of banner 1” from each side edge.

Rotary cutter, mat and ruler (really helpful, but optional)

• Glue ruffle to top of banner overlapping hangers.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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lifestyle

PERSONALIZE • Cut white canvas into an oval shape (approximately

15”

11” x 15”).

• Download gratitude quote or design your own wording and print onto heat transfer paper. Follow manufacturer’s directions to apply transfer to the oval.

• Add a variety of stitching around oval with sewing machine (optional - do not sew through banner and fray edges slightly for texture).

• Hot glue oval in place on banner.

RUFFLE 11” x 15”

11” x 15”

NOTE: Make it personal with a family name, monogram or verse you love.

EMBELLISH IT We’ve used several types of flowers. You can find examples of all of them on our Do South Pinterest board “Fabric Flowers.” These are all no-sew options that can be made in just a few minutes each. Here’s a favorite one that we designed: 20”

Fluffy Linen Flower • Cut strip of fabric 2” x 40” (longer lengths make fuller flowers). Snip into center every 1” along length of strip.

• Ruffle or gather along uncut, long edge with sewing 5”

5” CUT AWAY

CUT AWAY

machine or by hand.

• Cut a 3” circle of fabric for a base to glue the flower on to. Wind the material in a spiral to create the flower. Hot glue in place. Embellish center if desired.

BONUS:

1

Make this flower to top off holiday gift packages!

2

3

Janna Wilson is a long-time crafter, graphic designer and blogs at RubiesandLinen.com.

She and her daughter Sara love creating projects to share, give as gifts and decorate their home.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

lifestyle

Our Sincerest Thanks

To all our wonderful customers, friends, & neighbors, thank you for allowing us to be part of your community. May the Lord bless you and your families this holiday season.

Antiques, Collectibles, and Vintage

-Your Farmers Coop Team

Farmers Co-Op

todayscoop.com 15 locations in the River Valley & NWA

Crossroads

479.452.3037 3325 74th Suite A, Fort Smith Mon – Thur, Sat: 10a – 6:30p ANTIQUE MALL Fri: 10a – 5:00p | Sun: 1p – 5p

THE SEASON OF ADVENT Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ

“Be still, and know that I am God" ~ Psalm 46:10

STARTING SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 30 • 9:00 & 11:00 AM 479.783.8919 | 1pres.org 116 North 12th, Fort Smith, AR DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

15

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people

KATIE CHANDLER

words Marla Cantrell images Katie Chandler, and Katie’s photo courtesy Katelyn Coffman

In Newhope, Arkansas, there are approximately 100 residents, including an eleven-year-old girl named Katie Chandler.

There is one store inside the town’s boundaries. There are six chicken houses on the piece of land where Katie lives. There are three horses in the pasture. There is one dog that barks a lot, and one creek that winds its way into the woods.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

Inside her house, Katie learns all she can about the world from her

In the beginning, approaching people was hard. “Not too long

mom, Amanda, who homeschools both Katie and her younger

ago I was super shy, and wouldn’t talk to people,” Katie says. “If

sister. But there are some things you can’t learn inside the walls of

they asked me a question, I’d just nod my head. Here lately, since

your own home. There are things you need to see for yourself, up

I have to walk up to people, I’ll ask them if I can take their picture,

close, and stories you need to hear. Every year, Amanda searches

and I’ll tell them what it’s for. Some people are different, they’ll

for one big project that will help Katie grow both as a student and

flat-out say no. But I think the rejection’s good, because you have

as a person. Last year, Katie raised one thousand dollars for “Jesus

to learn rejection in life.”

Wells,” an organization that uses the donations to install wells in places where clean water is scarce. Katie’s money went to India, and during the entire year she studied the poverty stricken South Asia country.

This summer, Amanda was on Facebook looking at the “Humans of New York” page, which has over ten million followers, and posts photos and quick bios of people in that city. She searched and found there was no such page for Arkansas, and the wheels started turning. Katie, who wants to be a photographer when she grows up, had a Canon Rebel camera she got for her ninth birthday. She was also a little shy, and Amanda thought that if she had to interview people, her timidity might go away.

In July of this year, she and Katie set up “Humans of Arkansas” on Facebook. Since then, they've found a family with a pet deer, a girl who once broke her arm on a hay bale, a woman who turned an abandoned school gym into her pottery studio, and a man who ran track in high school against opponents who went on to play

One of the keys to Katie’s success is that she intuitively knows how

pro football.

to interview people. She watches them before she approaches. If they’re smiling and make eye contact, they’ll probably be receptive.

And while some of her posts make you smile, many will cause you

“I’ll ask them what’s interesting about themselves, what they’ve

to stop and consider what a fortunate life you have. One of the

overcome,” Katie says. “If it’s an older person, I’ll ask them what’s

first people she interviewed was a cowboy on horseback, riding

sentimental to them. If they came from a different country to

for the Semper Fi Fund. The post is gripping. In it he told Katie,

Arkansas, I’ll ask them why they had to move. And that gets

“After completing two tours of duty in Iraq, and after spending

emotional, because sometimes something sad happened in

all night sitting at a table with a gun, I almost became one of

their country.”

the twenty-two veterans per day who commit suicide. Instead, I decided to ride two mustangs across the United States to raise

Sadness, as we all know, knows no boundaries. On this day, Katie

money for wounded veterans.”

is about to post the story of a woman who lost her five-year-old son to drowning. “I asked her to share something about herself

It is amazing that people will tell Katie the kinds of things they do.

and she told about that, and about her brother getting killed.”

They seem unafraid to open their hearts. Amanda, who’s always with her, thinks it’s because Katie’s intentions are so transparent,

Since launching the page, thousands of people have taken notice.

and that she’s just a little girl working on a school project. “If it

Katie says a national award winning photographer, who works

was a man, six-foot-seven with a cowboy hat on, asking questions,

out of Little Rock, has offered to coach her. Lately, people have been

they might not open up as much,” Amanda says.

sending her messages, wanting her to interview them.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

One of the sweetest posts is from September 14. Mr. Marvin Hill stands in front of his pickup with his cowboy hat on, holding a black-and-white photo of himself and his wife from years before.

He’s a sharp dresser, and an avid hunter. On December 27, he’ll turn 100. He offered this advice. “Be good, don’t do nothing wrong. Mind your parents, and prolong your days on earth. Don’t take foolish chances. Just drive a little bit over the speed limit. Don’t do like I do and drive ninety miles per hour. I bought a 1941 Ford in 1941 and gave $800 for it. My new truck cost $37,000. I really like it. It is as handy as a pocket on a shirt... I never saw a car until I was five-and-a-half years old.”

It is in these snippets from other Arkansans that we start to feel the connection to every generation. As for Katie, she has no plans to stop “Humans of Arkansas” once this school year is up. She takes her camera everywhere, even on trips with her mom to the grocery store. Her goal now is to travel the state, taking photos and asking people to open up about their lives.

Already, she’s planned a trip to Kingsland, where Johnny Cash’s boyhood home stands. She’s getting ready to travel to the Fayetteville area for the wedding of Jessa Duggar (from the TLC show 19 and Counting) to Ben Seewald, who’s a family friend of

Don’t take foolish chances. Just drive a

Katie’s. And she’s trying to set up an interview in Camden with a woman who’s 115 years old, the oldest woman in the United

little bit over the speed limit. Don’t do like

States, Katie believes.

I do and drive ninety miles per hour.

Amanda says this project is helping Katie soar as a student. “We’re in learning mode all the time. We’re free-range learners. We’re

Katie doesn’t seem to grasp what a grand thing she’s doing. It’s not easy to interview, take great photos, record the session, then go home and transcribe what was said. There is such honesty and beauty in what she does. There are love stories of the longmarried, harrowing tales of drug use and recovery, examples of how extraordinary every life truly is.

not like a cow that’s in a pen. We’re that free-range cow out in Wyoming. The world is her classroom.”

Right now, that world consists of visits to Texarkana and Mena and Hot Springs and Little Rock to find people to showcase. Katie loves every trip, every introduction that leads her to another revelation.

What she believes is that most of us are just waiting to share what

While she tackles some tough subjects for a girl of eleven – there is a story of meth use on the “Humans of Arkansas” page – there

we’ve learned, what we’ve overcome, what we love. All we need is for someone to ask.

is also a consistent thread in the stories. Every one of them ends in redemption. The woman who lost her legs in a drunk driving accident is now a public speaker. The woman whose son drowned is raising money for awareness. And the woman who was a meth

You can find “Humans of Arkansas” on Facebook.

user conquered her addiction and fled an abusive relationship.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

YOUR TRIP BEGINS HERE

Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum, Piggott

Buffalo National River

Ohio Club, Hot Springs

Mount Magazine near Havana

#VisitArkansas

Find America’s best fall color destination in The Natural State. The famous scenic beauty of Arkansas truly reaches its peak in fall, when you can tour historic homes, inspiring museums, exciting trails and more — all fueled by authentic regional cuisine and unique entertainment. ORDER YOUR FREE VACATION PLANNING KIT AT ARKANSAS.COM OR CALL 1-800-NATURAL.

Bill Clark Wetlands at the Clinton Presidential Park, Little Rock

20

pets

OH LORD, PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD. Pit Bulls Need Love Too. These are just a few of the lovable pit bulls in need of a home. Please consider adoption or a donation of food or financial assistance. As always, don’t forget to spay or neuter your pets.

M

F

F

Brinkley

Birdie

M

M

Brooklyn

M

Scooby

Newt

Hank

3 Girls Animal Rescue is a foster-only rescue, so there is no facility. All animals are currently in foster homes being socialized and cared for by loving families. All animals are spayed or neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and heartworm negative. 3 Girls is run completely by volunteers and operates solely on public donations.

CONTACT: Angela Meek 479.883.2240 • Mitzi Burkhart 479.651.4445 • Cheryl Greenmyer 918.471.8514 www.facebook.com/3GirlsAnimalRescue • threegirlsanimalrescue@outlook.com Each month, Do South donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

5 COMMON CANINE

pets

EMERGENCIES Words Dr. Rusty Henderson, D.V.M. Eastside Animal Health Center, Fort Smith

With the holidays approaching, you should be aware of a few of the top emergency situations with regard to your dog. While this list is by no means complete, it represents what we see most often at Eastside Animal. Specifically, we will take a look at gastrointestinal issues, environmental exposures, lacerations or bites, toxic ingestion, and acute trauma.

GI Issues

Toxic Ingestion

Gastrointestinal (GI) issues will most likely occur at some point in

Toxic ingestion is second only to acute trauma. Dogs will try to

your dog's life. However, if the issues continue for a prolonged

eat almost anything, poisons included. The list of dangers is vast

period, they can become dangerous. Consider if a dog, especially

and ranges from the sugar substitute Xylitol to rat poisons, to

a small one, experiences vomiting and diarrhea for several days.

chocolate, antifreeze, and human medications. Since the list of

Most likely, the dog would quickly become dehydrated and it’s

potential hazards is so long, I advise that any suspect ingestion be

possible that organ shutdown would soon follow. The general rule

considered urgent. At the very least, a web search should be con-

of thumb is, if your dog has experienced vomiting or diarrhea con-

ducted, and ideally, pay your vet a visit. If possible, provide your

sistently for twenty-four to thirty-six hours, it’s time to seek the

vet the remaining packaging/product your pet ingested. (See our

assistance of your veterinarian.

November, 2013 digital issue, page 15 for ways to keep your pet safe over the holidays. www.DoSouthMagazine.com/magazine.)

Environmental Exposure As the mercury drops and cold winds blow, pets suffer. Mostly

Acute Trauma

this is seen in pets unaccustomed to being outdoors. But all pets

Acute trauma is what I see most often. Before leash laws were

can be at risk, depending on the circumstances. The first sign of

enforced, the most common was a pet being hit by a car.

distress is lethargy, followed closely by some type of respiratory

Now, we see everything from gunshot wounds, to stran-

change. If your pet has been exposed to extreme cold tempera-

gulations and burns. If you happen upon an injured

tures and exhibits these symptoms, seek help immediately.

animal, whether it’s yours or not, approach with extreme caution.

Lacerations or Bites

They may be in pain, aggres-

Bite wounds or lacerations to your dog from other animals such

sive, defensive, or scared.

as raccoons, squirrels, opossums, cats, and snakes are prone to

In their panic and pain, the dog may

infection and should be attended to immediately. It’s a dog’s natu-

bite first and ask questions later. My ad-

ral instinct to shake its head violently when biting and can result

vice is to wrap them in a blanket, move them

in damage to deep tissues. Even a minor bite wound should be

to a place of warmth and safety, and proceed

considered serious. Potential infections aside, if the injury is not

to your veterinarian.

addressed, the healing process can be significantly delayed.

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

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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lifestyle

Handling Holiday Havoc with Becca Whitson, MS, LAC

Remember being a kid and counting the days

What if there was a way to get back the pure joy of the season?

until the Thanksgiving break? Remember counting the hours until

What if we could step away from our visions of the perfect holiday

Christmas morning? Everything seemed simpler then. It may

and simply enjoy our family and friends?

have helped that we weren’t asked to bake a turkey or decorate the entire house, or wrap packages so well they looked like

We sat down with local counselor Becca Whitson and asked her

works of art.

to tell us how we can slow down and enjoy these special times.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

lifestyle

DO SOUTH:

• Get Some Sleep. This is easier said than done for many

The holidays are so stressful! How can we enjoy this time of year

people. When possible, though, getting enough quality sleep is

without losing our minds?

key to managing stress. You may have to force yourself to turn

BECCA:

off the laptop or TV, put away the phones and books, and go to

Many people experience that same feeling! Here are some things you can do for a less-stressful holiday season:

bed. Set a bedtime alarm if you need to. Especially during times of stress or anxiety, sleep is a necessary healing agent for your body and mind.

• Know It’s Coming. The holidays are known to be a stressful time for most people for lots of different reasons. It’s normal to feel pressure and stress this time of year, so don’t feel guilty about your feelings. The great thing is that with a little work, you can control the level of stress you experience and not settle for being overwhelmed.

• Lower Your Expectations. When our holidays become a time of how things “should be” rather than how they really are, we set ourselves up for disappointment and frustration. Do consistent “reality checks” with yourself or a trusted friend to remind yourself of what your life, family, etc. are really like and what you can expect for the holiday season. Let go of how it “should be.”

• Be Quiet. Do what works for you. I find prayer and Bible reading helpful. For others, this may be another type of meditation or mindfulness. Whatever the case, taking the time to be still and quiet, using deep breaths to calm your body, is a valuable way to manage stress.

• Say No. When we give ourselves permission to say no, especially this time of year, we free ourselves up to actually enjoy the season. One practical way that’s made saying no easier for me is this: I rarely commit without talking to my husband first.

When someone asks us to do something, I almost always say, “Let me talk to Matt and get back with you.” This gives us the chance to discuss it, look at our calendars, and decide what should take priority. When we are over-committed (and our

• Eat Well. This is difficult when our counters are filled with

“too busy” may look different than yours), we struggle in our

cookies and pies, but it’s worth it. We can all splurge a little;

marriage, we aren’t the parents we want to be, and our kids

life’s too short not to! But eating healthy foods and watching

beg to “just stay home and play.” We’re not OK with that, so

portion sizes makes a huge difference in our energy and clarity

we do everything we can to simplify and not become busier

of mind.

than what is comfortable for us.

• Exercise. Even ten minutes a day of an elevated heart rate can do wonders for our energy level and mood. It’s worth

Consider taking these steps now, before the pressure is out-of-

the discipline it takes. One of the most important questions

control. When we anticipate stressful times and utilize healthy

I ask when planning treatment for clients who struggle with

coping skills in advance, we can regulate our stress levels and

depression is if they exercise regularly. If not, that immediately

actually enjoy this time of year. Our families, friends, and co-

becomes part of the treatment plan. It’s that important. Do

workers will enjoy us a lot more as well!

what works for you, even if it’s a ten-minute walk around the block to start.

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

To contact her, email becca@whitsonlife.com.

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

Whitson-Life WhitsonLife, BeccaWhitson, and MattCWhitson

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

The

Nolan and Garrett Richardson

f o e m a G l a t Men ketball Bas

words Marla Cantrell images Courtesy Garrett Richardson

G

arrett Richardson sits at a booth inside a Fayetteville, Arkansas diner, trying to decide which dessert to order.

It’s been an exciting few weeks – he’s the new dad to his third child, a gorgeous baby girl – and he’s still living on that high that comes from such joy. As he sweeps across his phone’s screen, showing photo after photo, he is radiant, thrilled at the way his life is unfolding.

As he’s talking about his growing family, the subject of his life in basketball comes up. His grandfather, Nolan Richardson, coached the Arkansas Razorback men’s basketball team from 1985 through 2002, taking the state to three Final Fours and winning the National Championship in 1994. His style was so intense, sportscasters called Nolan’s game “Forty minutes of Hell.” He tallied more wins for Arkansas than any other men’s basketball coach, and was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, and to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Garrett, who was born in 1981 in El Paso, speaks fondly of his grandfather. What he remembers most is getting to come to

Garrett Richardson

Fayetteville in the summer, starting in the third grade. He’d go to basketball camp, he’d spend time with Nolan, he’d get DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

people

to see his grandfather in action. It was a new world for Garrett, seeing this endearing man all the kids in his family called “Daddy” wield so much power on the court.

From that time, Garrett learned many things: hard work, as his grandfather constantly preached to him, mattered immensely.

And basketball was a great equalizer. On the court, it didn’t matter where you came from. All that mattered was your own ability, and your willingness to be part of a team. But the biggest thing Garrett learned during those sessions was how much your thoughts determined how well, or how miserably, you played the game.

This epiphany about how thoughts worked would become even more important a little later in Garrett’s life, when everything he was working so hard to achieve was falling apart. And that realization would lead him to the quest he’s on today, to help young players avoid the pitfalls of negativity and self-doubt.

To get to that story, though, you have to go with Garrett to high school where he was a point guard, so talented he was being sought after by Division One universities. His plan at that time was to come to Arkansas and play for Nolan, and for his uncle, Nolan III, who was an assistant coach. But when Garrett was a junior, Nolan III took the head coaching job at Tennessee State. After much discussion and consideration, Garrett decided to go with his uncle and help him build his team.

After graduating, he was offered two college coaching jobs. He declined them both, unable to shake the feeling that his playing

There is something to be said about listening to your heart, and fairly

days couldn’t possibly be over, even if the NBA hadn’t come calling.

early on Garrett felt he’d made a mistake. His eye was on the NBA,

He almost signed with an overseas team, but this time when his

and at a smaller school like Tennessee State he believed he wouldn’t

heart told him no, he listened. Eventually, he signed with an ABA

be easily recruited. Still, he stayed. He did earn several titles. He

team, Nashville Rhythm, and later with an NBA developmental

made it into the 1000 Point Club, and broke four conference

team, the Arkansas RimRockers.

records in assists and stealing.

It was during this time that he finally accepted he was not going to However, the team as a whole wasn’t doing so well. “Winning

make it to the NBA. The realization stung, and there were times he

became a visitor that never came very often. I think I fell out of love

couldn’t even watch a pro basketball game on TV. But Garrett also

with the game in my sophomore year,” Garrett says.

knew he’d learned a great deal from his career – much of it while playing on a losing team. He became a trainer for athletes trying

With every loss, Garrett’s heart sank a little more, and with every

to make it to overseas teams, even moving in with one seven-foot

day he felt his future shifting into something he didn’t want. “It

player so that he could cook for him and monitor his progress. In

was like the pressure was building in a bucket like water, and

four months he’d gone from 385 to 315 pounds under Garrett’s

I didn’t have the tools to know I should punch a hole in the

careful eye.

bucket and let some of it out. It was so heavy. I quit talking. I was miserable. I pushed people away who wanted to help me.”

“I loved watching people succeed and be happy. But I realized

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

there was a part of training that was missing. My clients had

said, ‘There’s a party on the other side of town. We can come back

confidence problems, and I started looking into the mental game.

later.’ I got them to go and just a few minutes later someone shot

That lack of confidence – and these were some great players –

the place up and one of my teammates was killed. It was such a

was leaking into their everyday life. I started adding journaling and

hard time for us and our school, but I learned to be in tune with

meditation, and when I saw how well it was working, that’s when

what I was feeling.”

I got my certification for life coaching.

The videos and social site are free to use, and Garrett has “There’s so much going on on that court besides the game. It

additional training available for a fee. What he wants to do is help

can be the circumstance of being behind, that intimidation, and if

athletes succeed, to develop skills that will help them throughout

you’re afraid, you can’t play your

their lives. Right now, there

best game. I knew that if I could

are approximately 430 jobs in

have controlled my thoughts and

the NBA. Thousands of young

my beliefs when I was on the

players are dreaming of getting

court, that my career could have

one of them. The odds are

been different, and I wanted to

slim, but that doesn’t mean

use that to help other people.

they shouldn’t try, or that they should feel like a failure if they

“If you’re operating out of fear

don’t make it.

you’ll see reality hit, and it will keep you from doing what you

Garrett is a prime example. All

love. It will keep you from taking

his life, he’s been interested

that leap of faith. Sometimes

in how the mind works, how

you have to do what you love,

thoughts create reality. Today,

regardless of what happens. You

he’s getting to use what he

have to quit fearing failure.”

knows to help young athletes, and he imagines they’ll in turn help someone else, and the circle will keep growing.

Garrett’s own leap of faith was developing HoopCliq, an online program he’s worked on for six years that includes a social media

As a kid, Garrett says, his mom made him watch winning athletes

and video site for middle and high school basketball players (and

being interviewed after games. She wanted him to listen to what

their parents) that teaches skills for both off the court and on. “My

they were saying, to see if they could easily explain what success

own career didn’t go where I felt it needed to go but through all of

was, and how they felt about it. At the time, he’d get frustrated,

that turmoil I learned a lot. If you’re practicing and you’re missing

wanting only to get back outside, to work on his game. But now

shots, that becomes a belief that you’ll take in the game. You’ll be

he sees what a gift she gave him, how she opened a door and

afraid to shoot because you believe you’ll miss.”

showed him the mechanisms behind a winning mind.

He uses characters he plays himself in skits to teach about the

Today, he pays attention to everybody. He’s fascinated by how

roadblocks young athletes face, including a guy named Thought

thoughts become actions, and how actions create destinies.

Blocker, a super negative guy whose goal is to make players fail.

With HoopCliq he wants only to save some younger athletes the struggle he went through, to show them how to get in touch with

Another skit is called “Hunch,” and comes from an experience

their thoughts and feelings so their choices can serve them well in

Garrett had in high school. In it, he’s urging kids to listen to their

the years to come.

inner voice, to pay attention when their hearts tells them trouble is lurking. “There was one of my players in high school who had a party, and I had this hunch that something wasn’t right. I kept telling my buddies but they’d say, ‘No, see all these girls here?’ I

For more on Garrett’s program, visit HoopCliq.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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28

entertainment

Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone Lucinda Williams review Marla Cantrell

I

n Arkansas, we have a special love for

One of the best tracks is “Something

singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams.

This Way Comes,” a song Lucinda says

She’s the daughter of poet and

was inspired by her love of Southern

professor Miller Williams, who helped

Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor. She

found the University of Arkansas Press

met O’Connor in the late 1950s when she

in Fayetteville, and came to national

was a little girl. Her father had taken her

attention when he read one of his poems

with him to the writer’s house in Georgia.

at President Clinton’s first inauguration.

In the yard were peacocks that Lucinda remembers chasing. It wasn’t until years

In a September interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lucinda

later that she picked up O’Connor’s darkly comic Southern fiction

talked about her trip to Fayetteville this summer to perform. Her

and started to devour it.

dad’s health kept him from attending the concert, so she played for a small group at his home. During that time, he read his poem

Another great song is a cover of the late J.J. Cale’s “Magnolia,” a

“Compassion,” which happens to be the catalyst for a song of the

song popular in the 1970s. In Lucinda’s version, the song stretches

same name. The album’s title comes from the poem’s final line:

to almost ten minutes, and she seems to take it to new places,

“You do not know what wars are going on down there where the

her voice aching along with the story of lovers separated by time

spirit meets the bone.”

and space.

The song is a great tribute to her father, and it’s just one of the

Lucinda's lyrics cut deep, leaving impressions that are hard to

gems on this double album. There are twenty songs in all, each

forget. “Temporary Nature of Any Precious Thing,” came to her

in the singer’s signature style, which she calls “country soul.”

from something her dad said while the two were talking on the

If a thread runs through this album, it’s heartbreak and regret,

phone. In it, you can hear the poetry in her words. Her songwriting

and she sings these like nobody else could: raspy voice, so full of

talent may be the effects of genetics, or being raised by a poet, or

emotion it feels as if the whole world might fall down around her.

both, but whatever it is, she certainly has it.

It is impressive that she put together such a big project. (One

Listening to Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone gets under

disk runs forty-eight minutes, the other fifty-five.) It’s even more

your skin, and makes want for more. But it’s Lucinda’s voice:

impressive when you realize that there are seventeen more songs,

trembling, whiskey-harsh, that makes it unforgettable.

recorded in the same twenty-one-day period in 2013, that have yet to be released.

DO SOUTH RATING: 9.5 OUT OF 10

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

entertainment

Natchez Burning

by Greg Iles William Morrow, 800 pages: $27.99 review Anita Paddock

At the heart of the book is Southern lawyer and former prosecutor Penn Cage. Penn is representing his father, a white doctor accused of assisting a suicide for his former black nurse, Viola, who returned from forty years in Chicago to die at home. He is puzzled why his father won’t assist in his own defense. Penn and he and his fiancée Caitlin Masters begin digging into the real reason Viola left Natchez in the first place. They meet Henry Sexton, a newspaper man who is obsessed with the past and hell-bent on exposing it since he was one of the witnesses to racially driven murders when he was a young man.

The trail they follow puts them in danger, and suspense mounts as Penn learns more and more about what happened decades before. It is in this exploration of our country’s troubled past, and in the cover up that followed, that this author shines. He easily transfers the reader from the present to the past in telling the horrors of the men who drove Viola away and caused the death of innocent black men, one of whom was suspected of hiding a friend who dared to love a white woman.

This is a long novel, but it doesn’t feel that way because so much is happening, and so much is at stake. Many are calling Natchez

I

Burning Iles’ best book. That’s saying something, since he’s such

n Natchez Burning, author Greg Iles takes us to the worst

a prolific writer, whose work has hit the number one spot on the

time in his home state of Mississippi for a story filled with

New York Times bestseller list. What keeps readers engaged is

suspense, secrets and unsolved crimes. For those of us old

the pace of this book. At every turn, there’s another revelation,

enough to remember reading in newspapers and magazines

another twist in this intricate plot. Even after the book ends,

about the racial riots and murders in the Deep South during the

readers will likely want to know more, and that’s fine since this is

1960s, the novel makes us once again grimace and feel ashamed.

the first in a trilogy the writer is working to complete. His second

For those who only know about those horrific days from lessons

installation, The Bone Tree, will be released on April 28, 2015.

in history books, this book is an eye-opener, going deep into

the underbelly of that time, revealing the troubling truth that

Natchez Burning was inspired by unsolved race murders in 1960s’

prominent and wealthy men belonged to secret organizations like

Louisiana and Mississippi that have been written about by a

the Ku Klux Klan and the Double Eagles, an off-shoot of the Klan

reporter for the Concordia Sentinel in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.

that was even more brutal because it plotted against integrationists

You can look up Stanley Nelson’s articles to find out more about

in powerful positions in our national government.

this time in our nation’s history.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

, s t r a e h Open

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

Sowards e Jessica

words & Imag

people

The first year I hosted Thanksgiving,

First, there were tears. There may have been a short pity party

I was twenty-two. I was a new mother, caught between the stage

next to the giant pot full of citrus and crystallized ginger brine.

of youth and responsibility that often left me feeling like a child

Thankfully, even when I panic, God is still good to me.

playing house. My childhood holiday memories were of a huge extended family: full of cousins, and cobblers, and hour-

I don’t know who birthed the idea originally, but at some point, we

long games of hide and seek with loved ones I only saw

started to devise a plan. We had a Thanksgiving with no guests. So

twice a year. They left me deeply engrained with a de-

we started looking for guests who had no Thanksgiving.

sire for tradition.

First, my mom invited the installers who laid carpet for her floorSo when adulthood grabbed me, I decided to step

covering business. My cousin, who was bartending at the time,

into a big-girl apron and serve up my romantic idea

brought a single mother she worked with and her children, along

of Thanksgiving. I got a little over zealous. In ret-

with a kindly, polite man who always sat alone at the bar. My brother

rospect, I suppose it was a reaction to the passing

and sister both brought friends. We ended up with seventeen in all.

of my grandmother. She was the kind of matriarch fiction is written about, and it was my first Thanks-

I don’t remember their names and honestly, all these years later, I

giving without her. Naturally, I planned a feast of

don’t know that I would recognize them if I saw them on the street.

epic proportions.

But oh, how I remember that Thanksgiving. My humble, old house was alive that day. It was something to be proud of, with the way

Everything was from scratch, a compilation of reci-

it welcomed in that motley crew. The photos on the wall spoke of

pes from my favorite Food Network personalities:

love and the food on the table spoke of blessing and generosity.

Alton and Paula and Tyler. I shopped for days,

I remember how thankful that single mother was to be able to

gathering ingredients from half a dozen stores.

share rich tradition with her children, even if the tradition was not

I made broth from scratch. I baked bread. I used

her own. She stood at the back door and watched them play in

eight pounds of butter.

the yard, and I looked away quickly before she saw me notice her tears. I remember how they all praised the meal and thanked me

The first time my mother hosted Thanksgiving,

again and again and again. It wasn’t even about the food though.

she cooked the turkey upside down. For all my

The impressive splendor of my brined and roasted turkey paled in

life I wondered how someone could make such

comparison to what else we served that day, a plate of belonging.

a silly mistake. Then I learned. I spent so much time planning a meal large enough to feed a small army and elaborate enough to impress royalty that I failed to invite the guests. Oh sure, I’d talked to some relatives. And I just assumed that it would become family knowledge: Thanksgiving at my house! Come one, come all! Because, you know, in my twenty-two-year-old mind, that was how holiday planning worked.

I look around at the smiling faces and it doesn’t matter if the person is blood or friend or stranger. On Thanksgiving at our house, they are all family.

In reality, word hadn’t traveled. Most of my imagined guests planned on driving south to celebrate with relatives in Louisiana. And I was

God taught me a lesson in thankfulness that year. I was so amazed

left in my kitchen, twenty-four hours before I’d hoped to have the

that He took what I thought was a ruined plan and He turned it into

table set with the most fabulous meal of all time, realizing what a

something beautiful. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. He

rookie mistake I’d made. In that moment, I would have taken an

does specialize in redemption, after all.

upside down turkey in a heartbeat.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

Remarriage brought me a husband with eight siblings. Babies have been born and we have settled into a comfortable groove of holidays and happenings. Our family is large enough now that we could easily have a huge celebration all on our own. But it would be lacking. After the shared Thanksgiving, a hodgepodge of dinner guests has become as much of a holiday tradition as pumpkin pie. They have changed us. They’ve changed our way of doing things, molded our expectation for fellowship. They have left fingerprints, whether they realize it or not.

Our proximity to Little Rock Air Force Base has brought many

God taught me a lesson in thankfulness that year. I was so amazed that He took what I thought was a ruined plan and He turned it into something beautiful. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. He does specialize in redemption, after all.

service men and women into our lives. They’ve given up deep roots and guaranteed holiday plans to serve our country. So we open our door. Some of the families we know and love have spent

After cooking for ten hours, I usually fall flat into a chair and take

years of Thanksgivings in our home. Their faces reoccur in our

it all in. I see my good friends and sister-in-law serving pie, my

photos and in our memories. Their recipes stand proud next to our

husband, with his brothers and best friends catching a football

own and when the orders come for them to move on, our table is

with the kids. I see a person I just met that morning in deep

bereft without them. As are we.

conversation with my little sister. I see my mom and my mother-inlaw playing with the baby.

Then there are strangers and acquaintances. They come with friends, with our siblings and relatives. They answer my Facebook

I look around at the smiling faces and it doesn’t matter if the

status calling out to anyone who needs a chair and a meal and

person is blood or friend or stranger. On Thanksgiving at our

a place to be included. They are invited from work places and

house, they are all family.

church small groups. These people thrill me. They bring stories we’ve never heard before and casseroles we’ve never tasted. I

I know all these people will remember fondly the year they spent

remember one young man in particular, a friend of a friend and

Thanksgiving with the Sowards’. I know that young man will

far away from home. He had a fast car and fire for football and

remember the dressing, and maybe if he’s lucky, he will have

politics. He told me I’d made the best dressing he’d ever tasted.

carried a kindness from our home that Thursday afternoon. I like to think that maybe one day, when his life has brought him to a

I came upon this way of doing things by chance. I wish I could

place where he has a Thanksgiving to call his own, he will open it

say it was from the kindness of my heart that I chose to open my

gladly and make a spot for someone else at his table.

home and share our life with all these people. But, really, I was just an over eager cook with a bunch of food and no one to feed.

I’ll bet you have someone in your life with no Thanksgiving. You

People always thank us, admiring our hospitality. I’m quick to

don’t have to have a fancy house, or lots of room, or extravagant

correct them though. While I’m happy to be able to bless others,

food. All you have to do is open your heart and your door. Invite

ultimately, I am sure we are the ones most touched by an open

them in for a plate of belonging. I promise, you will be so thankful

door on Thanksgiving Day.

that you did.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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WILL PROVIDE

I

words and IMages Myra Cardwell

It was a simple question. Just four small words.

for well-past-sixty-year-old nurses. Imagine my surprise when she

The film about foreign missions had ended, and, as I had done

told me that not only was there a market, it was very likely that I

many times before, I asked the Lord, “What can I do?” I expected

could receive a scholarship from the hospital for my tuition. It was

that still small voice to encourage me to make another donation,

beginning to look like He was serious.

or maybe help the Women on Missions make bags for the itinerant farm workers. When I heard, “Be a nurse,” I looked around to

I approached the pre-requisites with the same skeptical attitude. To

see who had spoken. It took a few seconds to realize that He had

fail at one of them would be my sign that He knew I had attempted

answered my question. I was certain it was just a test. After all, I

to be acquiescent. Algebra seemed the most intimidating, so

was well past fifty years old; how on earth could I accomplish such

I decided it would be first. If I could not master that course, I

a task? Not wanting to be disobedient, I decided to investigate the

certainly did not want to waste time with the others. I made an

possibilities. After all, there were many factors out of my control

“A.” Chemistry was next, and, even if I had taken chemistry in

to be considered, not the least of which was being accepted

high school, after more than thirty years, it would have done little

into the nursing program. If I tried and failed, at least He would

good. I passed, but not with the “A” I so desperately wanted. (I

know I tried.

was beginning to get into this education thing.) After two or three

Since becoming a Christian, I have never doubted God’s presence in my life; however, I had no idea of the extent to which He would go to help me accomplish my assignment.

more semesters, it became apparent that if I followed this course of action, I would be a candidate for a nursing home before I became a member of the nursing profession. What if I spent all that time preparing for the program, and was too old to participate? He had brought me this far, I might just as well go for it.

Since becoming a Christian, I have never doubted God’s presence in my life; however, I had no idea of the extent to which He would go to help me accomplish my assignment. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking that somewhere along the way I would be stopped. Even though I was doing exceptionally well academically (through no fault of my own), there was that dreadful TEAS test,

My first stop was the office of the nursing recruiter at St. Edward

application and the interview. Who in their right mind would

Mercy Medical Center (now Mercy). Before I actually registered for

accept a grandmother into the program when there were dozens

anything, I wanted to know whether or not there was a market

of younger students applying for the few slots available? The first

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Myra Cardwell DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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people

shock came when I saw my score on the test. Okay, now the real test would come in the interview. The ladies interviewing me asked why I wanted to be a nurse. I took a deep breath and started at the beginning. To their credit, they did not stare open-mouthed at me, but as I left the room, the voice in my head was saying, “That does it, Lord; I did my part. Now the rest is up to You.”

The letter finally came. I had resigned myself to reading, Thank you for applying… When the letter started, Congratulations, you have been accepted…, I had to read it three times. What I thought would be the end was just the beginning. The voice in my head was asking, How will you pay for it? and What about your job?

Out loud I said, "The Lord will provide."

I gave a month’s notice to my employer, applied for several scholarships and student loans, and waited. The first scholarship came, along with assurance of a position after graduation, from St. Edward Mercy Medical Center. By the time I was notified of the one from the university, I was over being shocked, but was still somewhat apprehensive about quitting my job. Not nearly as much so as my husband, though. He had been supportive of my efforts thus far, but he was having a hard time dealing with my impending unemployment.

My last day appeared more suddenly than I had expected, and the part-time job offers so far were non-existent. By nature, I am a staunch supporter of the “plan everything in advance” theory; however, I was finally convinced that the Lord would provide.

Therefore, I was not totally surprised when, after the party,

Considering my age at this time, I found it rather amusing that I would be paying back my student loans with my Social Security benefits.

presents and well-wishes, my boss asked me to stay on a part-time basis (with health insurance benefits) until my replacement was I had passed, it had nothing whatsoever to do with my knowledge,

comfortable without me.

but entirely His grace. Pass I did, and in July, 2009, I became a licensed A year later I was still working part-time while taking summer

registered nurse, and began a journey that, to this day, amazes me.

classes, knowing that with the beginning of the fall semester, it

I have found my niche in acute dialysis. It has been a privilege for

would be impossible to continue this arrangement. Working while

me to care for hundreds of patients facing a critical and confusing

completing the last year of my course of study was simply not

turning point in their lives. I have not forgotten that my passion

an option. Student loans were subsidizing my income, now they

for the mission field is responsible for my late-in-life career change;

would become the only source. Considering my age at this time,

however, I will enjoy the blessings I receive on a daily basis until He

I found it rather amusing that I would be paying back my student

makes known His plans for me in that arena.

loans with my Social Security benefits.

The Social Security Benefits payment plan? That is working out That last year was tough, but the Lord and I (emphasis on Him) made

very nicely, thank you. Make no mistake, the Lord will provide.

it through. Never shall I ever forget the day I sat for my State Board Exam. As I sat in my car, I prayed through tears that I knew if, in fact, DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

The in-laws are coming!

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home

CHARM

Farmhouse style is white hot! It's always cozy, somewhat sassy and a little throw-back. The best part is you don't have to live in a farmhouse to capitalize on the charm of this style.

Just a few simple touches here and there is all most existing décor needs. Farmhouse style brings us back to days gone by, a time when things were just a little simpler and a whole lot sweeter. And couldn't we all use simpler and sweeter? Follow these six simple steps to creating farmhouse charm in your home.

words AND IMAGAES Yvonne Pratt, StoneGableBlog.com

TOOL CADDY

OLD SILVER

WHITE IRONSTONE

Old tool caddies are just begging to be

Old silver is a great way to add a shiny pop

Speaking of white ironstone, it’s practi-

filled with seasonal goodies. They ex-

of bling to farmhouse décor. Vintage and

cally the trademark for farmhouse style!

ude lots of farmhouse style and plenty of

antique shops are full of inexpensive old

Stack ironstone platters, cups, or bowls

charm. When you find an old tool caddy,

silver and silverplate at very reasonable

to add lots of farmhouse character. Use

buy it! If you can’t find a vintage caddy, try

prices. Don't polish the silver, or at least not

them liberally in the kitchen and dining

a new one that has an aged look. They can

often, for silver to acquire a soft tarnished

room. White ironstone is at its best when

be filled with all sorts of ramble-bramble

patina. I love the look of old silver placed in

grouped together or corralled in a big bas-

things to create wonderful arrangements.

a beautiful white ironstone pitcher.

ket or tray. They are meant to be shown off! But don't forget to get them off your table and on to your walls for interesting wall art — ­ farmhouse style, of course!

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home

Yvonne

is the creator of StoneGable, a beautiful and widely popular blog about all things home. Her love for American farmhouse living is evident throughout her posts on decorating, home dĂŠcor, DIY's, gardening, cooking and much more. Visit StoneGable at stonegableblog.com.

HANDWOVEN BASKETS

SHUTTERS

STOOLS

Earthy, organic and homemade! Baskets

Shutters are the easiest way to get all the

Stools are simple, no nonsense farmhouse

are not only utilitarian but fabulous to dis-

chippy texture and layers of paint color

seating! Tall or short, stools are great ways

play. Add a few sprigs of bittersweet to

that are so important to farmhouse style.

to decorate. Tuck an old stool under

layer on more farmhouse charm. Baskets

Hang them, prop them, or suspend them!

a counter, in a corner, or use one as a

come in all shapes and sizes and instantly

Just make sure they look like they came

small table or plant stand. Put one in the

bring lots of texture to any room. They

right off the farm. Clean them up but

bathroom and hang linen hand towels

are wonderful ways to contain things like

don’t take off too many layers of grunge

from it. The more uncomplicated, the

books, toys or hobby items, while keeping

or old paint. Shutters are in high demand

better! Plain, simple, and a little well

them neat and decorative. Hand-woven

so grab them when you can.

used looks amazing.

baskets are a must to bring farmhouse charm to your home.

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people

ella’s BBig Bad Night words Stoney Stamper Image courtesy April Stamper

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people

T Two

nights ago we almost had a disaster

of apocalyptic proportions in our household. Bella the English bull-

So I started calling for Bella, yelling, whistling. Nothing. I looked in the field and down the road. Nothing.

dog had been getting out of the backyard lately and we didn’t know how. When she got out, she generally just laid on the front

By that time, April had walked outside, and she’d figured out what

porch or in the grass in the front yard, which isn’t fenced.

was going on. She sat down and started bawling. Awesome. I kept hollering, but Bella was nowhere to be found. Then, I walked by

My wife April and I have always been at odds over Bella. Don’t get

the backyard fence, and when I did, I heard Bella’s gruff bark. I

me wrong, I love her. But she’s dumb as dirt. I mean that in the

turned to look, only to find our grumpy, fat brindle bulldog looking

nicest way possible.

at me from the back porch. Not a scratch. Not a bump. Nothing.

Her problem is she has no control over her overwhelming desire to

Thankfully, Bella is built like a tree stump. And being hit by a Honda

chase shiny things. Reflections, lights, anything flashy. If she sees

Civic going forty mph had absolutely no effect on her. I ran over

something reflecting on the wall or ceiling, she’ll lose her mind.

and checked her out, head to toe. She jumped up, playful, happy.

And she’s fat and out of shape, so when she goes into these fits,

Apparently having no idea she’d just had a brush with death.

she almost passes out from exertion.

Recently, something else has been getting Bella wound up like a thirteen-year-old girl at a One Direction concert. Headlights. And that’s a BAD thing, especially if you’re a fat and out of shape English Bully who can’t control your demons.

So a few nights ago, I was building a loft in my daughter’s room, when there was a knock at the door. I opened the door to two ladies and a guy. The ladies were obviously shook up, and the guy asked, “Do you have an English bulldog?” I felt like stuff

My wife April and I have always been at odds over Bella. Don’t get me wrong, I love her. But she’s dumb as dirt. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

was getting ready to go bad. Our daughters would be devastated.

April might well go crazy. I quickly stepped outside and closed the door. I said, “Yes, we do.” One of the ladies said VERY

By this time, our daughters had figured out something was wrong.

apologetically, “Your dog just ran out in front of us. We hit it. I’m

April told them a car had hit Bella, but she was ok. She told them

so, so, so sorry!”

it was because Bella had been chasing headlights. Our daughter Emma sat thoughtfully for a moment, and then said, “That’s so weird though, cause she never chases headlights like that during

Bella was chasing their damn headlights.

the daytime.”

Then the guy said, “We didn’t run over your dog, just hit it with our bumper, and the car’s low, so we think we just knocked it out

Let that sink in. Oh, Emma. We love you, girl. Guess I’d better be

of the way.”

fixing some fence.

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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beauty

Stone Cold Beauty WORDS AND IMage Catherine Frederick

We love a good neutral nail polish. One that won’t clash with our outfit from day to day — because honestly, who has time to paint their nails that often? Neutral nail colors, while subtle, are far from boring and completely on trend.

And, there’s no denying that they’re the perfect complement to a classic look. Check out Do South’s favorite shades.

STONE COLD COLOR THAT’S RED HOT 1. Loreal Nail Color, in Because You’re Worth It 2. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, in Twiggy 3. Essie Nail Lacquer, in Take it Outside 4. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure, in Commander in Chic 5. Essie Nail Lacquer, in Power Clutch 6. Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy, in Checkmate 7. Revlon Nail Enamel, in Gray Suede 8. Loreal Nail Color, in Greycian Goddess 9. Rimmel London Salon Pro, in Beige Babe

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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taste

Caramel Apple Bar

We’ve got a fun twist on the traditional caramel apple. Grab your favorite toppings and see which combination turns out to be your favorite.

Tip: Keep apples from browning by dipping in lemon-lime soda after slicing. words and image Catherine Frederick

The Turtle - Melted milk chocolate, chopped pecans, and melted caramel Rocky Apple Road - Mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and melted caramel Apple Cheesecake - Mini marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, and melted white chocolate Apple Pie - Melted white chocolate, melted caramel, cinnamon/ brown sugar mix The 5th Element - Melted white chocolate, melted dark chocolate, chopped pecans, toffee bits and melted caramel Do South Special - Melted chocolate, toffee bits, mini marshmallows DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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taste

pancakes wordS AND image Lauren Allen, tastesbetterfromscratch.com

We have a beautiful apple orchard near our home where my family loves to go this time of year. We stock up on these pick-your-own apples, and we all enjoy the outing. My family loves riding on the tractor out to the apple trees, eating as many as we can along the way. We load our bags to the top and bring them home. Honestly, there can never be enough apples this time of year. I love to make homemade applesauce, as well as apple crisps, apple pies, and other yummy apple-based desserts. But most of all, my family looks forward to these apple pie pancakes! If you’re a lover of breakfast food, and a lover of fall, these pancakes are a must! There’s grated apple in the batter, along with a plethora of delicious fall spices. The end result melts in your mouth! They are light, fluffy, and all-around delicious. Happy fall, y’all!

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Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground clove ½8 teaspoon salt 1 cup whole milk 1 large egg 1 Tablespoon butter, melted and cooled slightly 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup peeled, grated apple (1 medium apple) FOR THE DICED APPLE TOPPING

1 apple, diced 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 1 Tablespoon butter Cinnamon, to taste

Method In a medium bowl, WHISK together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and salt. In a separate small bowl COMBINE the milk, egg, butter and vanilla and BEAT to combine. PREHEAT your skillet over medium heat

and GREASE lightly with butter or cooking spray. ADD the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and MIX just until combined — don’t over mix, the batter should have some small lumps. Gently FOLD in the grated apple.

SPOON about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. COOK until

small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes (2-3 minutes), and then FLIP and COOK on the opposite side until golden brown.For the topping, COMBINE diced apples, brown sugar, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a small saucepan. COOK over medium heat until apples are slightly softened (about 5-8 minutes).

SERVE pancakes immediately with diced apple topping and your

favorite syrup, warmed.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

Lauren Allen is the creator of TastesBetterFromScratch.com, an exciting and beautiful food blog dedicated to sharing her love of cooking and creating new recipes.

Lauren truly believes that everything tastes better from scratch!

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Whatcha Got Cookin’? wordS Catherine Frederick

Busy days. Cool nights. What could be better than coming home to a warm, delicious meal you didn’t have to spend hours cooking? We’ve gathered up some our favorite crock pot recipes you and your family are sure to love!

Lasagna 1 lb. ground beef 1- 26 ounce jar of pasta sauce 1 cup water 1- 15 ounces container ricotta cheese

BBQ Pork

8 ounces shredded mozzarella

1 pork loin

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 can Coca Cola

1 egg

Salt, pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon pepper

Salt and pepper pork loin. Place in crock pot. Pour Coca Cola

No boil Lasagna noodles (uncooked)

in crock pot. Cook on high for 7 hours. Remove pork loin from broth. Shred pork. Coat with favorite BBQ sauce. Serve on your

Brown meat, drain fat. Add sauce and water. In bowl combine

favorite roll or bun.

ricotta, 1 ½ cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg, pepper and parsley. Add 1 cup meat sauce to bottom of crock pot. Top with a double layer of noodles, break to fit. Top meat

French Dip Sandwiches

sauce with cheese mixture. Alternate noodle, meat sauce, and

Chuck roast (sized to feed your family)

cheese layers, ending with the meat sauce. Cook on low 4 to 5

2 - 14.5 ounce cans Swanson® 100% Natural Beef Broth

hours, do not overcook. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cook

1 package Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Recipe Soup and Dip Mix

10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

®

1 package raw white mushroom, sliced (optional) 1 bell pepper, sliced (optional)

Chicken Fajitas

1 onion, sliced (optional)

¼ cup butter

Salt, pepper to taste

3 to 4 chicken breasts

Hoagie rolls

2 cups onion, sliced

Provolone cheese, thin sliced

2 cups peppers, sliced (red, green, or yellow)

Place roast, beef broth, salt, pepper, and soup mix in crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours. Add peppers, onion and mushrooms during the last 2 hours of cooking. Serve on hoagie rolls with provolone cheese.

1 packet dry fajita seasoning ¼3 cup salsa Add butter, then onion, peppers, then chicken to bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle fajita packet over chicken. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Shred chicken. Serve with favorite toppings and tortillas.

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Cheese Tortellini Soup

Hambone Beans

1 - 19 ounce bag frozen or fresh cheese tortellini

1 bag pinto beans, rinsed thoroughly

1 small bag of baby spinach

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 - 14.5 ounce cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, drained

½ cup salsa

1- 8 ounce block cream cheese, chunked

1 ham hock

3 to 4 cups of chicken broth (start with 3, add 1 more if needed)

Salt, pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 2 to 4 hours.

Cornstarch (optional) Rinse beans thoroughly. Place beans in crock pot. Add garlic, salt, pepper, salsa and ham hock along with enough water to reach about an inch below the top of your crock pot. Stir to combine.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Cook on high for 6 to 8 hours or until beans are tender. Remove

4 carrots, chopped

and discard ham hock. To thicken beans, mix 1 Tablespoon

4 celery stalks, chopped

cornstarch with warm water. Add to beans. Stir to combine.

1 - 32 ounce carton of chicken stock

Cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Top with

1 ½ cans cream of chicken soup

shredded cheese (optional). Serve with corn bread.

1 ½ cups water 1 cup milk

Perfect Roast

Salt, pepper to taste

Chuck roast

1 ½ Tablespoons dried onion flakes

1 package baby carrots

1 Tablespoon dried basil flakes 3 to 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 large for my family of 4)

Small Yukon gold potatoes (whole) 1 yellow onion, sliced 1 package sliced mushrooms

1 bag egg noodles

1 packet Lipton® Onion Soup

Place soup, broth, water, milk, and seasonings in crock pot.

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Stir. Add chicken breasts. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Add

Salt, pepper to taste

vegetables during last 2 hours. Cook egg noodles on stovetop

Water

during last 45 minutes. Rinse, drain, add quantity of noodles desired to crock pot. During last 30 minutes, remove chicken,

Salt and pepper roast. Place roast in bottom of crock pot. Sur-

shred, return to soup. Cook additional 10 to 15 minutes.

round roast with carrots, potatoes and onions. Top roast with sliced mushrooms, Lipton Onion Soup mix and mushroom soup.

Add water to cover vegetables. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

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CRISP

CIDER Image Catherine Frederick

INGREDIENTS ½ oz. Yellow Rose Rye Whiskey ¾ oz. Coney Island Rum 1 ½ oz. Crispin Cider 1 ½ oz. Lemon Juice 1 ½ oz. Agave Nectar Ground Cinnamon Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with ground cinnamon.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

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58

taste travel

THE LONG LIFE OF THE

Southern Belle words Marla Cantrell Images Marcus Coker

This day is perfect. The blackgum leaves have already turned red, the hickory leaves are brilliant yellow, and the air is crisp but not cold. Traffic on the road to Heavener, Oklahoma is light on this Thursday morning. Not far from the city limits in this town of 3,400 is Southern Belle Restaurant, which is housed inside an old eighty-ton rail car that first passed through the town on its way to New Orleans back in 1896.

Today, most of the diners are eating the signature chicken, which is marinated, breaded, deep fried, and served with the house dipping sauce that the staff calls famous, and with good reason. This is some of the best sauce, and the best Southern cooking, you’ll find anywhere. Stephanie Neidecker, who's worked here twelve years, says she gets asked for the sauce recipe at least once a week, but she's never been tempted to give it out. The secret stays within this train car, where folks from as far away as Germany and China have come to eat.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

travel

Besides the chicken, there are grilled pork chops, steaks, home-

Beneath the letter is a handwritten note that reads:

made pies and cheesecakes, a massive salad bar, and all-youcan-eat catfish on Friday. The other draw of Southern Belle is the

Ralph, Wrote you today on this. GM says to let you have the car,

train car itself. It is impressive, seventy feet long, seating fifty-two

no charge. Signed, WBJ 9/14.

guests easily. In its heyday, the KCS Southern Bell was called the sweetheart of American trains. Later, the train was used to carry

With that, the Southern Belle 108 made its way to nearby Potts-

soldiers during World War I, and during that time, a sign that read

ville Mountain, where Ralph used it for a while as a cabin.

"Buy War Bonds" was affixed to the car.

In the late 1990s, when the train car was sitting idle, Eddie and Lisa But nothing lasts forever, and by the mid-1950s Southern Belle’s

Nelson stepped in. They believed the Southern Belle could be re-

car 108 was sitting idle. A longtime switchman for the railroad,

incarnated into a restaurant. A house moving company was called

Ralph Anderson, who was about to retire, hated to see the old

in. The first attempt ended with the crane's cable snapping as it

train car falling into disrepair, so he sat down at his typewriter and

tried to hoist the train car onto the trailer bed. Next, a trailer was

wrote the following:

constructed beneath the train after jacks helped lift it, and three winch trucks were brought in to help ease it down the mountain.

Heavener, Oklahoma September 8, 1956

So big was the effort that folks stood on their porches and out in their yards to watch the train shuffle down the winding mountain.

Mr. W.B. Johnson

Traffic inched along behind the Southern Belle, which finally made

Asst. Superintendent Machinery

it to its current location.

Pittsburg, Kansas

The cost of refurbishing the old car was fifty grand. Partitions that

Dear Bus:

once segregated black and white passengers, along with partitions

I was up at the Rip Truck the other day and was talking

with Archie regarding the old bunk car that is being replaced with the 042 and was wondering if it would be possible for a fellow to liberate the 0180 and move it out to Wister Lake for a fishing camp. If it wouldn't be appropriate for a fellow to liberate the old car; what would be the cheapest price that he could acquire the car for?

that segregated the smokers from non-smokers, came down. A kitchen was installed, and the entire floor was replaced.

After three years, Debra and Kenneth Crabtree bought the restaurant from the Nelsons, who are Debra's sister and brother-in-law.

Today, the Crabtree’s son, Danny, serves as manager, and helps cook and make pies. Their customers are both local – some come in as much as three times a week – and international. Many come

I would really like to have the old car and believe that I

could make a pretty good fishing camp out of it and would even

on tour buses, such as the group from China that showed up last year while on a tour of the United States.

issue a card good at any time to you in consideration for any help you could give me in securing it. Of course we might not

Stephanie, along with the other wait staff, wears a striped railroad hat

have all the liquid refreshments that we have had in the past but

and blue bandana tied around her neck. She loves to tell the story of

I believe we could make a little headway in that direction.

this place. "I get asked questions all the time, and it's fun to answer them. I get to work in a piece of history every day." Stephanie points

Would appreciate hearing from you at your earliest conve-

to one of the many windows and says, "There’s a train track nearby

nience regarding acquiring the car.

and sometimes, when the train comes by, you can feel the vibrations."

Thank you.

This old car spent fifty-two years riding the rails, and could have

Sincerely, Ralph Anderson

ended up as scrap metal if the switchman hadn’t seen a new use for it. And its life could have ended there if someone else hadn’t reincarnated it into the eatery it is today.

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travel

Stephanie thinks her life would be much different if she hadn’t

Country music is playing in the background, there is laughter com-

happened across this place, hadn’t gotten this job, and then got-

ing from a group in a booth near the entrance. Just then, in the

ten to know so many of the townspeople. "I've been here so long

distance, a train whistle blows, as a warning, of course, but maybe

that the babies that used to come in here with their mamas are all

also as a nod to the Southern Belle, a grand old girl with a long and

grown up. But the people have watched me grow up, too. I came

productive life.

here from South Carolina when my dad got a job here. I wouldn't live anywhere else. I tried the city life once or twice since I moved here, but I always come back. I like our little town."

Southern Belle Restaurant Highway 59, Across from Green Country Inn

Traffic is picking up, and Stephanie leaves to take care of the new customers. Each day, the diner sells around forty pieces of pie, and today’s been so busy she’s getting low on the favorites, coconut

Heavener, Oklahoma 918.653.4458

cream pie and Butterfinger cheesecake. She goes to the kitchen to

Closed Wednesday

see if there’s a surplus she doesn’t know about.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 11 – 9 Sunday: 11 - 3

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE

Season SH O WCASE THE

Over ten varieties, including Jingle Bells, Strawberries n’ Cream, Merlot, and more!

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Shopping The Night Before

For more information and to purchase tickets go to JLFS.org

62

southern lit

TEAR IT DOWN fiction Marla Cantrell

G

“Got a nightclub going in up over that way,”

fist, her white head bobbing the way old heads do.

Charlie Boy says, and points past the long gravel driveway. “Up where the Amish drive their buggies. I found a Bible there once,

“I didn’t come all this way to talk about the Amish,” I say.

right on the road, and I pulled over and picked it up, then I ran it

up to the buggy right ahead of me, and the prettiest Amish girl

He wipes his brow and closes his eyes for a second too long,

you ever saw was inside. It belonged to her, so she thanked me

and all that chatter from before stops cold. “Why did you come,

something awful, smiled wide as the Mississippi. So pretty I still

Luddie Biddle?” he says, even though I haven’t been a Biddle since I married his daddy nine years ago. When he says this, his eye

think about her.

twitches, and he tips the gold can up, draining the last of the beer.

“Some of those Amish kids, they find ways to be regular kids with regular degrees of trouble, drinking and all like that. There was a

“Look, Charlie Boy, there’s a conversation we need to have.”

reality show about it, and a paunchy reporter asked this one who ran off to Tulsa on Saturday nights and drank and what not why

“Daddy’s heart OK?”

she’d go on TV and admit to such a thing, and she said, ‘Well, Mama and Daddy don’t have a TV, so what’s the harm?’”

“Just dandy.”

Charlie Boy has been talking for five minutes straight, jittery talk

“He need money?”

because he’s afraid of what will happen if he stops. I know how he thinks, and right now he’s thinking something bad and true is

“Not at the moment.”

about to show up, which is not all that wrong.

“Then I can’t imagine what I could possibly do for the old man.”

I found him by driving around this Podunk town, cruising down the dozen streets that hobble around trailers and shacks and a few rock houses. He lives at the one motel right off the highway, pays

“Just hear me out,” I say, then cross my arms and touch my shoulders, which is the thing I do when I’m nervous.

by the week, but he’s been mowing today for a widow woman, and he’s drinking beer from an ice chest in the back of his pickup.

“Want a beer?”

The widow woman didn’t ask him for help, he tells me, but he’d seen her struggle with the mower, hitched over, her crooked back

“Never been a drinker. You know that.”

arched like a rainbow over the orange machine. He wouldn’t take so much as a dime for tackling her lawn, but still she watches him

Charlie Boy shakes his head and his shaggy hair ruffles the way

warily from her living room, the drapes caught up in her tight old

chickens do after they’ve rolled in the dirt and need to come clean.

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southern lit

“Give me an hour, then meet me on the pier at Maizie Lake,” he

“I saw a lawyer, but he was no help. A man can bulldoze his house

says, and quickly draws me a map on a napkin he pulls from his

if he wants, and since it was his long before he married me, I don’t

pocket.

have a say in it. I thought that since you grew up there, you might

The lake water is the kind of blue you see on commercials for

and I are gone.”

want to stop him. Plus, it will be yours one day, once your dad Florida, and the pines smell like Christmas. When Charlie Boy drives up, I watch him climb out of his truck, his cowboy hat

Charlie Boy’s feet are slicing through the water. “You know what

sweaty across the band.

sticks out in that whole story?” he asks, but I don’t speak. “Place of pain and sorrow. What’s going on inside there?”

“You look good as ever, Luddie,” Charlie Boy says to me as he walks up. I’m sitting at the end of the pier. He leans against the

I stretch my back. “Pain,” I say. “Sorrow,” I say.

railing, so I have to look up and shade my eyes to talk to him. “But then you always look good. One of the things Mama puzzled over,

“Then why don’t you leave?”

thought you’d made a pact with the devil.”

“I’m forty-nine.”

“Sometimes I think I did,” I say.

“Wrong answer, Luddie Biddle. A woman who marries the hus“Sometimes I think it too,” Charlie Boy says, and he cuts his eyes

band of her dead best friend should say she’s too in love to leave.”

away from me.

“Love isn’t everything, honey. There’s a thing called obligation. A “I loved your mama like a sister,” I say, and my voice falls, because

thing called vows.”

it’s true, and because loving her didn’t do her one bit of good.

“Did you love him when you married him?”

“You don’t have a sister, so I don’t know how you’d know.”

“Like the moon loves the sun.”

“Some things you just know, Charlie Boy. Like right now I know you’re being a jerk because deep down you still love me.”

“Who I loved was Mama, but she’s not here anymore.”

“You two flat out ruined love for me. You didn’t wait a year.”

I wish I could explain it, how it was after Enid died. Charlie Boy’s daddy couldn’t do for himself, and I needed to be inside Enid’s

“I wish that she was,” I tell him, but Charlie Boy just smirks. “Let me have my say. Then I’ll be gone.”

house, where it felt as if she might walk back in at any second.

Grief has a way of scrambling things, I want to say, but I hesitate, and all that comes out is, “If I could go back.”

He takes a nickel from his pocket, skips it across the water. It bounces four times, catching the light, and then it sinks. He sits

“After she died I drove for hours,” Charlie Boy says. He points in

down, pulls off his boots. He takes off his socks, cuffs up his jeans,

the direction of the main road that leads out of this place. “Out

and plunges his feet in the water so fast it splashes me.

past the feed mill, up by the chicken plant, cut off from everyone who knew her. I thought if I kept driving, if I stayed away

“Talk,” he says, and looks straight ahead.

from anybody who knew Mama, I could keep her with me for a little longer.

I draw in a deep breath. “Your daddy plans to tear the house down. Not sell it, mind you. Tear it down. I can’t talk sense to him.

“Death makes the living crazy,” Charlie Boy says, and it’s so perfect

He wants to bulldoze it and buy a double-wide, not that I mind

I wish I’d said it. “Only thing I took from the house was that pair

double-wides, but the house is solid, and I’ve put a lot of my own

of black-and-white high heels I talked her into buying when I was

money into it. He calls it the ‘place of pain and sorrow.’

seven years old. Saw them in the window of Nedra’s on Main

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southern lit

“Street. I thought they’d make her look like a movie star. She didn’t

“I understand,” I say. “Plenty to be mad about.”

make fun of me. She acted like she was happy to have my opinion.

Heels were near about five inches, and it must have killed her

A cloud passes over the sun. In its shadow, the world turns a

to walk in them, but she wore them to church all the time. She

different color. The blue of the lake goes silver. In a month, it will

had the heels fixed when they got worn down on the tip ends. I

be too cold to sit on a pier. In two months, every tree but the pines

thought she was beautiful in those shoes.”

will be empty.

“Keeping that old house from splintering won’t help your marriage,”

“Your mama was beautiful,” I say.

Charlie Boy finally says. “I hope you know that.”

“I thought you two were alike back then.”

“Mighty wise for a boy not yet thirty,” I say.

“I’m not half the woman she was.”

“I’ve spent some time with the Amish,” he says. “They’re known “I know that now,” Charlie Boy says, but then he cuffs me on the

for their wisdom.”

arm, and I feel something inside him turn in my direction.

I struggle to get up — my right foot has gone tingly. Charlie Boy “Your daddy isn’t good at being alone.”

rises and helps me. “I’ll go now,” I say.

“I’m not good at being together.”

He stands on the pier, his cowboy hat shading his eyes so I can’t read him at all.

“You shouldn’t miss out on life.”

When I get almost to the end, I turn back and say, “Those high “I do OK,” Charlie Boy says, and for the first time he smiles.

“You’re a good boy.”

heels, you still have ‘em?”

“Sure do,” he says. “Never showed ‘em to another living soul, though. It would be like giving away the center of everything that

“I’m twenty-seven.”

is, if that makes any sense. Like letting somebody walk around inside your head.” And then he taps his chest. “Or maybe your

“I’m worn out,” I say, and my shoulders drop.

heart. Somebody walking around inside your heart.”

“You think Daddy’ll go through with it?”

The ride home isn’t nearly long enough. I circle the block three times before I get the nerve to pull in the drive. I don’t know if the house

“I do.”

will come down, but if it does, I’ll not survive it. I close my eyes and imagine it, the yellow bulldozer, the gut-punch of wood and glass

“You think I could stop him?”

and metal torn together, and I can see myself watching, my old white suitcase by my side, leaving this place of pain and sorrow, where I

“I think he’d do just about anything to have you come

once knew joy, but so long ago it’s almost not a memory at all.

around again.”

“Might be easier to come to a double-wide. No memories.”

Marla was recently awarded the Arkansas Arts Council “Memories don’t end with the wood paneling, with the red

2014 Individual Fellowship for her work in short fiction, an honor given to Arkansas artists who are recognized

kitchen stove.”

“I’m not done being mad at you, Luddie,” Charlie Boy says.

for their artistic abilities.

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