Columbia Home Magazine - June/July 2011

A Walk on the

Wildflower Side

Adventure Bound

Wandering into the world of adventure sports

j u n e / j u ly 2 0 1 1

The Gardener Guy Tips from Paul James

Letterboxing A Modern Day Treasure Hunt

gardens and the great outdoors issue

Sometimes it is about how you see the world.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the slow but steady loss of function and ability to see in the center field of our vision. As the number one cause of blindness for people over the age of 55 in the United States, it is estimated that more than 17 million people in the US have some form of macular degeneration.

While there is no cure for AMD, Williams and Hussey provides the Eye-Q Intelligent AMD Management Program which works toward decreasing your risk in four easy steps.

1. Be Proactive.

Call to get tested with the QuantifEye device today. We measure macular pigment levels and if you are at risk we’ll get you started on the path to responsible eye health.

2. Be Knowledgeable.

EyeCare Support programs trains staff to help offer you personalized comprehensive risk assessments, nutritional counseling & supplementation.

3. Be Healthy.

EyePromise professional supplements are all natural products that will help balance your Zeaxanthin levels.

Zeaxanthin is very scarce in the average US daily diet.

A higher intake of the carotenoids lutein and Zeaxanthin along with eye vitamins could help improve vision.

4. Be Consistent.

Monitor and re-measure every 6 months.

ssey Dr. Scott Hu

Dr. Shelle y William s

Don’t lose sight of what’s important to you.

2200 Forum Blvd. Suite 102 Columbia, MO 65203 • (573) 445-8780

www.myEyedentityEyewear.com

photo by Carole Patterson

Edito r ial Betsy Bell, Publisher Betsy@ColumbiaHomeMagazine.com

Alfredo Mubarah, Associate Publisher

Summer Adventures What better way to celebrate summer than with a Gardens and Great Outdoors issue?

This is the season to go outside and literally smell the flowers – which we bring you lots of in our June/July pages.

In the spirit of summer adventure, we meet Judy Knudson and Naomi Cupp, who embrace the idea of living life outdoors to its fullest. They star in Adventure Bound, on page 72, where they relate their stories of self-challenge and bravery. It is a stimulating and fun read that I hope you will enjoy.

One of the most interesting outdoor activities that the team and I heard about when planning this issue is letterboxing. A modern day treasure hunt involving maps, deciphering tips and lots of creativity, letterboxing is the type of engaging hobby that is perfect for the entire family. We teach you all you have to know to start off as a letterboxer on page 66.

We share a very inspirational story of a local philanthropist, Dr. David Chang (The Smile Mission on page 58). Since 2004, this local philanthropist has been employing his medical skills and personal funds to help people with cleft lip and palates in Africa. Along with his team, Dr. Chang yearly performs close to 100 surgeries during these Kenya expeditions, providing people with the possibility of a bright future.

Also, this issue we congratulate our friend Mary Stauffer for opening Tallulah’s with business partner Melissa Alabach. Stauffer was one of my predecessors as the publisher of Columbia Home, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a vivacious and talented woman. Stauffer and Alabach’s story of a special bond forged by a similar loss when they both lost their mothers to lung cancer is what inspired them to start Tallulah’s.

Lastly, if you have seen the images of the devastation from Joplin, you probably could not help but be affected by the magnitude of the disaster caused by the tornado on May 22, the deadliest recorded in U.S. history. One remarkable man in our community is doing everything he can to help: for Brent Beshore, this is a personal matter as he was born and raised in Joplin. After the tornado passed, Brent went right to work, creating a social network to support the survivors, providing them with critical information about missing people, and helping United Way raise money for Joplin. Please refer to Brent’s “Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery” Facebook page or to page 89 on how you too can help. After all, as with everything – whether hiking the Appalachian mountains like Naomi Cupp or helping the Joplin survivors – it’s the human connections we establish that brings it all to life.

Have a great Fourth of July!

Alfredo@ColumbiaHomeMagazine.com

Katrina Tauchen, Copy Editor Katrina@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Editorial In te r ns Nichole Ballard Lauren Young Consu lta n t Sherry Hockman, Interior Decorating Editor-At-Large MANAG E M E NT Chris Harrison, General Manager ChrisH@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Renea Sapp, Business Manager ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Cindy Sheridan, Operations Manager CindyS@BusinessTimesCompany.com

DE SIG N Alisha Moreland, Art Director AlishaM@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Kristin Branscom, Senior Graphic Designer Kristin@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Beth Snyder, Creative Marketing Director Beth@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Rebecca Rademan, Creative Services RebeccaR@BusinessTimesCompany.com

MA RKETING R E P R E S EN TAT IV E S Teresa White Teresa@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Joe Schmitter

JoeS@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Annie Jarrett

Annie@JeffersonCityMag.com

CON TRI BUTING P HOTO G R A P H ER S Taylor Allen, Angelique Hunter, David Owens, Deanna Dikeman, Carole Patterson CONTRIBU T ING WRIT E R S Kay Bartle, Dianna Borsi O'Brien, Stephanie Detillier, Rebecca Franklin, Kate Harrison, Jill Orr, Keija Parssinen, Chari Severns, Molly Wright, Nancy Yang, Bondi Wood SUBSC RIP T IONS Subscription rate is $12.95 for 6 issues or $18.95 for 12 issues. Call Cindy Sheridan at (573) 499-1830 ext.1003 to place an order or to inform us of a change of address.

Columbia Home magazine is published by The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, MO, 65202. (573) 499-1830 Copyright The Business Times Co., 2007. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Betsy Bell Publisher

columbiahomemagazine.com | 9

table of contents

FEATURES

78

42

14 A Serendipitous Find

Caroline and Jeff Forrest found their dream home in southern Columbia accidentally.

22 Sunroom on a String

Angelique Hunter's decidedly chic sunroom in southwest Columbia for less than $1,000.

30

42 Land of the Free 14

Elly Bethune from Elly's Couture shares her favorite picks for the season and how to mix and match colors and prints for a glamorous look.

52 Changes in Latitude

Colin Wright was once a workaholic designer and gadget collector and is now a nomadic entrepreneur moving to a new country every four months living a minimalist lifestyle.

58 Smile Mission

Dr. David Chang embarks on a personal journey to bring hope to cleft lip and palate patients in Kenya one smile at a time.

51

On the cover

64 A Walk on the Wildflower Side 66 Letterboxing 72 Adventure Bound 78 The Gardener Guy

52

IN EVERY ISSUE

96

32

A WALK ON THE

Wildflower Side

ADVENTURE

BOUND

Wandering into the world of adventure sports

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 1

THE GARDENER GUY Tips from Paul James

Letterboxing

A Modern Day Treasure Hunt GARDENS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS ISSUE

On the c over Photo by Angelique Hunter Flowers, Allen's Flowers Pink Fabric, JoAnn's Fabrics

9 Welcome 12 Date Book 28 Expert’s Advice 30 Designer Trend 34 Dear Kate 36 Welcome to the World 38 Shopkeeper’s Story 40 The Dish 46 Edible Education 48 Mommy Chronicles 51 Fashion 82 DIY 85 Book Club 86 Entertainment 91 On the Web 92 City Scene 96 Home Bound 98 The Last Word columbiahomemagazine.com | 11

JunE Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

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June 5 and 6 Blind Boone Ragtime Festival, Jesse Auditorium. Passes: $114 reserved, $94 general admission; single events: $33 reserved, $28 general admission

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June 3 – 5 National Barrel Horse Association Competition, Boone County Fairgrounds

June 4 – 5 Art in the Park, Stephens Lake Park, 10–7 p.m. (Sat.) and 10–4 p.m. (Sun.)

Yeasayer, Smith Westerns and Hush Hush, The Blue Note, 8 p.m., $20

"Reel" Time with Kids, Bass Pro Shop’s Sportsman’s Center, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

10

11

Kids Series: World of Art: The World of Watercolor, MU Museum of Art and Archeology, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Free

Outdoor Movies in the Park: Yogi Bear, Flat Branch Park, 9 p.m., $2, Free for children under 8

Opening Gala Pops, Broadway Rocks, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theater for the Arts 7:30 p.m., $20 – 25

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15

Chamber Music Recital, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 7 p.m., $10

An Evening with Old Crow Medicine Show, The Blue Note, 8 p.m., $25

Family Fun Fest: Explore Outdoors, Flat Branch Park, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m., Free

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Father’s Day

Hot Summer Nights Music Festival Chamber Music Recital, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $10

12 | June/July 2011

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The Borealis Quartet, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 8 p.m., $20 – 25

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ArtRageous Fridays, Downtown Columbia, 6 – 9 p.m., Free

The Odd Couple (female version), Maplewood Barn Theatre, 8 p.m., $8

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Concert, Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater

Summerfest, Village of Cherry Hill Town Center, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Free

Kids Series: World of Art: Puppets, MU Museum of Art and Archeology, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Free

June 18 – 19, Annual Juneteenth Days, Douglass Park, 3 – 8 p.m., Free

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25

9th Street Summerfest: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Blue Note, 6 p.m., Free

An Evening With Drew Tretick, The Best of the Silver Screen, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $20 – 25

Stephens Summer Dance Concert, Macklanburg Playhouse, 7:30 p.m.

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Saturday

9th Street Summerfest, Toots and the Maytals, The Blue Note, 6 p.m., Free

7th Annual MidMissouri Pridefest, Peace Park, 11 a.m.

- 8 p.m. midmopride.com

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2

Friday

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12

26

Thursday

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JuLY Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

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Saturday

2 Patriotic Pops, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 7:30pm, $20 – 25

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4

5

A Musica Menagerie, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 2:30 p.m., $20 – 25

4th of July

Chamber Music Recital, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $10

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11

Fire In The Sky: The 59th Annual Celebration of an American Tradition MU Memorial Stadium, 6:30 p.m.

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6

13

2nd Annual John Anderson Celebrity Golf Invitational, The Country Club of Missouri, Sponsorships $100 – 350

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18

7

8

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Kids Series: World of Art: Pyramid Power, MU Museum of Art and Archeology, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Free

Outdoor Movies in the Park: An American Tail, Flat Branch Park, 9 p.m., $2, Free for children under 8

Missouri Symphony Orchestra Showcase, Hot Summer Nights Music Festival, Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, 8 p.m., $20 – 25

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15

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Darius Rucker, Drew Davis, The Blue Note, 8 p.m., $25 Kids Series: World of Art: Animals on the Loose, MU Museum of Art and Archeology, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Free

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"Wine & Glass" Tasting, Capital Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, 5:30 – 8 p.m., $90

Family Fun Fest: Summer Fun, Flat Branch Park, 6 a.m.

– 8 p.m., Free

Kids Series: World of Art: Who Wants to Be an Archaeologist?, MU Museum of Art and Archeology, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Free

The Jolly Brothers Reunion Show, The Blue Note, 6:30 p.m., $10

Boone County Fair Parade, The District, 10 a.m.

ArtRageous Fridays, Downtown Columbia, 6 – 9 p.m., Free

July 21 – 30: Boone County Fair

24 31

25

26 Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity & Groundscore, The Blue Note, 7 p.m., $19 advance, $23 day of

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July 28 – 31 Les Miserables, PACE Youth Theatre Company, 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. (Sun.), $12 for adults, $5 children under 12

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July 29 – 31 Show-Me State Games

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July 30 – 31 Dog Days Sidewalk Sale, The District

columbiahomemagazine.com | 13

14 | June/July 2011

a

Serendipitous

Find

Caroline and Jeff Forrest’s two-story lodge in southern Columbia B y C h a r i S e v e r n s | P h o t o s b y D e a n n a D i k e m a n | f a m i ly P h o t o b y c a r o l e p a tt e rs o n

Caroline and Jeff Forrest found their home in southern Columbia accidentally. After seeing the two-story lodge in a real estate magazine, the couple discovered that their dream house was on the market while taking a Sunday drive around Columbia. columbiahomemagazine.com | 15

Jeff and Caroline Forrest graduated from the University of Missouri. Jeff has a degree in fine arts, and Caroline holds a degree in physical therapy. Upon graduation the couple moved to Oklahoma but never forgot Columbia. Jeff took the opportunity to return when a job opportunity offered a transfer to the area. He currently works in medical device sales. Caroline works as a full-time homemaker for the couple’s three children.

On the fateful day, Caroline and Jeff were looking at a magazine and saw their dream home on the cover. The gorgeous, multilevel home showcases many natural elements including stone, stucco and wood posts, all while sitting prominently on a corner lot.

The two decided to take a Sunday drive one afternoon and happened upon an open house. It was not until they were inside that they discovered they were in the same home that was shown in the magazine. Although they were not looking to buy at the time, the serendipitous event spurred them to leave the transitional home they were living in.

Five years later, the couple and their children are creating memories in the spacious 3,100-square-foot, four-bedroom and threeand-a-half-bathroom home. A formal dining room sits adjacent to the foyer and creates easy access to the beautifully equipped kitchen.

A massive antique brass-finished wrought iron chandelier greets guests at the entrance of the home. The home’s center floor plan features a foyer and staircase with an entryway that has a staircase leading to the upstairs bedrooms. An interesting aspect of the home is a balcony that overlooks the living room from the second floor. The location offers a bird’s eye view of the entire home as one side looks over the living room and the other over the entryway.

The accommodating family living room features a 13-foot fireplace embraced by 19-foot ceilings. A year and a half ago, the fireplace was remodeled in centurion stone in dry stack styling with suede-cut face by Blaine Holden. Jeff says, “The room needed a more significant focal point, so the fireplace became an anchor they built the room around.” The couple says they could not be happier with the remodeling project, and they plan to use the contractor again.

One favorite memory of Jeff’s in the home is watching the children “tear open presents by the Christmas tree as a fire burns in the fireplace in the living room. The Christmas tree looks great in this room.”

At the time the hearth was remodeled, the floors throughout the home were also redone with striped rosewood, an exotic multigrain wood with variegated striping all through the grain. The distinct rose color highlights the wood’s natural beauty. Stover’s Flooring and Drapery Center completed the wood finishing project throughout the house. The exotic hardwood is placed in the entire lower level of the home, which includes the living room, dining room and the kitchen.

The couple does not follow one particular design scheme. After the flooring project was finished, the home’s current style “fell into place.” According to Jeff: “Caroline is gifted. She might have seen it coming, but I didn’t see it.” Caroline agrees the floors pulled the home’s style together.

The living room has a cozy feel with comfortable furnishings that complement the fireplace’s incredible craftsmanship. All the décor adds to the natural color palette by coordinating the paint, home furnishings and draperies with the stones.

“I prefer to see colors in a home rather than in one small spot,” Caroline says. She selected most of the wall colors after seeing them displayed in model homes around the city and in the neigh16 | June/July 2011

columbiahomemagazine.com | 17

borhood. The Inspiration Home at Old Hawthorne provided color for the entryway, and other model homes in the neighborhood provided other design ideas in the house.

Caroline’s favorite local shopping spots for home decorating are IO Metro, Missouri Furniture and Ashley Furniture. She and Jeff say they find items for their home everywhere.

The rest of the home also follows a natural landscape adding to the lodge appeal with layers featuring multiple textures and mixing several elements and organic colors. The natural color palette and high ceilings render an open floor plan and cabin feel, and the comfortable furnishings and décor give the home a welcoming charm.

Welcoming is the word Jeff and Caroline use to describe their home. Other words that come to mind are warm and toasty. The warm neutral tones throughout the home foster a feeling of hospitality as you wander from room to room.

The couple host visitors frequently because the house lends itself well to entertaining. The most popular gathering spot for guests is in front of the hearth or at the large island centered in the kitchen. “We try to be hospitable, friendly people, and we hope people feel comfortable in our home,” Jeff says.

18 | June/July 2011

The Forrests' Interior Decorating Resource Guide 1. Robin nest table runner, Ashley Furniture Homestore $27 Robin Egg place card holder, Ashley Furniture Homestore $4 2. 21” Iris, Ashley Furniture Homestore $12 Bird Nest with robin eggs, Ashley Furniture Homestore $4 Box wood topiary, Ashley Furniture Homestore $11

1.

2.

3.

Rectangular wire cloch, Ashley Furniture Homestore $288 Ceramic bird, Ashley Furniture Homestore $44 3. Large mahogany boat shape, Ashley Furniture Homestore $30 4. Artwork, Ashley Furniture Homestore $268 each 18” Cone bay leaf topiary, Ashley Furniture Homestore $29, Red distressed table clock, Ashley Furniture Homestore $34 5. Emerson rug, Ashley Furniture Homestore $298

4.

5.

6.

Boutique moss balls, Hockman Interior Design Boutique $6 “Bertha Bronze” mirror, Hockman Interior Design Boutique $375

6. Floor lamp, Ashley Furniture Homestore $98 7. Chair side table, Ashley Furniture Homestore $128 Narcissus lamp, Hockman Interior Design Boutique $85

8. Honoria lamp, Ashley Furniture Homestore $108 10 piece comforter set "Joslin" by Halmart, Ashley Furniture

7.

20 | June/July 2011

8.

9.

Homestore $378 9. Starbursts, Ashley Furniture Homestore $32.50

columbiahomemagazine.com | 21

Sunroom on a String

By Chari Severns Photos by Angelique Hunter

When budgets are tighter than ever and “reduce, reuse, recycle” is now our motto, how can we continue to make our homes feel like chic sanctuaries? Angelique Hunter recently completed a porch room renovation and learned firsthand how to create an elegant indoor space while watching her wallet. Hunter suggests choosing the color scheme as a first step in any decorating project.

“Selecting the pillows first gives you a good base to start from,” she says. In Hunter’s project, the rug, vase, plants and pillows pulled in blue and yellow accents to create a unified theme and pull the room together.

22 | June/July 2011

columbiahomemagazine.com | 23

Designing an indoor porch room on a budget requires creative thinking. “Don’t confine yourself to thinking items can only be used inside,” says Sherry Hockman, the interior decorator who guided Hunter through the project.

Hockman’s suggestions for achieving an outdoor aesthetic for less than $1,000 include: “Don’t limit yourself. Buy versatile pieces that can be used inside or outside. Indoor lighting, furniture and accessories won’t be damaged if used in an indoor area.” Also, never pay full price for items. Be patient and wait for items to go on sale. Buying furniture in the off-season will save a bundle. Start watching for markdowns on patio furniture in July. After the furniture is purchased, accessories add spice to any space.

How do you create a porch room on a budget? Follow these easy steps: • Create a sitting area first by buying a couch, love seat or chairs. Never buy the entire furniture set.

• Mix and match furniture to give a room character. When staying on a budget, it is best to keep furniture in a neutral color.

• Buy a rug to anchor the room. Don’t be 24 | June/July 2011

afraid to ask for discounts if you see a small defect in a rug. It can save you money and go unnoticed when covered by a chair or table. • Then move on to a table, coffee table and/or end tables.

After the base items for the room are completed, it’s time to accessorize. Add color to the porch room by selecting bright colored or patterned lampshades and pillows. Mix colors and textures. Add plants, candles, outdoor lighting or a tray for setting drinks. Plants add color and bring the outdoors inside your indoor living space. The plant pots should also pull in color from the rug, pillows and lampshades to coordinate the look. Next year, you can quickly change the look of the room by switching out the rug, lampshades, pillows and plants. columbiahomemagazine.com | 25

Quality

Style

Selection

Service

5710 Bull Run Rd • Columbia MO, USA 65201 573-777-1234 • www.ashleyfurniturehomestore.com

experts advice | truescape landscaping llc

Ask the Expert

Chance Foster and Nathan Real, co-owners of Truescape Landscaping, share advice on gardening, taking care of your lawn and choosing plants that thrive

by Bondi Wood

About the experts: Foster and Real both earned their Bachelor of Science degrees from the

1

.

It seems to change from year to year. The 2010 growing season brought us a lot of nutsedge (rapid-growth weeds that sprout at the tip) and brown patch (a fungus that results in circular patches of brown grass on the lawn), more so than usual. Last summer was very hot and unusually wet. Typically, the dry climate in Columbia during the summer months tends to dry lawns up, which makes it especially important to keep them watered.

University of Missouri in Plant Science/Landscape Design/Turf Management. They have been serving central Missouri since 2004.

2

3

.

.

What kind of budget do you recommend home owners set aside for landscaping?

If you are building a home, roughly 10 percent of construction cost would give you a very nice landscaping.

The cost for revamping old landscaping would be determined on how bad the existing one is and how far you want to take it.

4

.

What advice would you give to someone completely new to landscaping?

Fall fertilization is the most important application of the year. This will give your lawn the nutrients it needs to maintain color and density. It also prepares the grass for the upcoming winter and stimulates food storage and root growth. Other things to consider in the fall and spring are leaf removal, pruning, cleaning out beds, weeding, bed-edging and mulching or re-mulching.

These are things that will keep your landscape looking nice throughout the year.

5

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28 | June/July 2011

What kinds of plants and trees do best in Columbia?

Missouri is in plant hardiness zone 6, so it is important to purchase plants that are hardy in this area. Red maple is a fast-growing shade tree. Globe arborvitaes, Japanese Holly, Holly and Sea Green Junipers make good foundation plantings. Spireas, knock-out roses, azaleas and hydrangeas are basic flowering shrubs. Japanese maple, weeping cherry, crabapple and hibiscus are good specimen trees.

Techny arborvitae, juniper columnar, green giant arborvitae and white pines are good upright evergreens.

What are some of the most common challenges Columbia lawns face during the summer months?

What advantages are there to hiring a professional landscaper versus doing it on your own?

Sometimes when you add up your time and the cost of materials, it just makes sense to hire a professional.

They can do grounds maintenance, irrigation system installation, landscape design and installation, hardscaping, outdoor lighting and even water features.

design trend | CORAL

Dr ess El ie Sa ab mm er 2011 Sp ri ng Su

I Heart Coral This season’s color is definitely not about subtlety.

Coral is being called the hit hue of the year with fashion, home dĂŠcor and beauty all embracing its brightness to the fullest. Interior designers Priya Batchu, of Innovative Designs, and Sherry Hockman, of Hockman Interior Design, share their favorite coral choices.

p rod uct INFOR M AT ION ( c o u n te r C L OCKW ISE FRO M U PPE R LE F T) Wa l l p a p e r, p r i c e u p on request, Innovative Designs; Chair: Drexel-Heritage, $1750 , Innovative Designs; Orange flowe r p l a t e s, $ 2 0 e a ch, A s h l ey F u r n i t u re ; R ound jar , $25, Ashley Furniture; Flowers , $250, Innovative Designs; Needlepoint pillow , $125 , Innova t ive D e s i g n s ; G l a s s va s e, $ 4 8, A s h l ey F urniture; Whicker vase , $48 , Ashley Furniture; Cabinet , Hockman Interior Design, similar item ava i l a b l e u p o n re q u e s t

30 | June/July 2011

P h o t o s b y tay l o r a l l e n

by alfredo mubar ah

designers palette | Studio Home Interiors

Rustic Sophistication Interior designers Jon Trigg and Aaron Dolan from Studio Home Interiors share their secrets for using the outdoors for interior design inspiration. b y a l f r e d o m u b a r a h | P h o t o s b y tay l o r a l l e n

4

Interior decorating with items that evoke the great outdoors never goes out of style. By incorporating the inspiration found in the beauty from outside into your home, you can combine nature and elegance.

Trigg and Dolan suggest a palette of rustic elements when using the outdoors as inspiration. “Organic pieces will lend effortless elegance 32 | June/July 2011

to your home," says Dolan. For this palette, they suggest using natural materials combined with accessories and fabrics designed with nature in mind. Sisal wallpaper, Larson, $120/yd.; Mount fabric, $85/yd.; Moose paddles, $950; Antique olive wood frame and fern print, $225; Ralph Lauren lamp, $395.

Come dine with us at our new location, located on 3103 W. Broadway in the Fairview Marketplace Shopping Center!

For casual family dining, happy hour, carry out or just for a night out, come to Columbia’s original Italian restaurant, The Pasta Factory. Our goal is to serve fresh, consistent and affordable food all the time! The Pasta Factory, serving Columbia since 1976.

573.449.3948 • thepastafactory.net

IS THE AIR YOU BREATHE IN YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?

dear kate

Life, love, family and more. Your questions answered.

dear kate,

1.

2.

3.

1. MOLD 2. POLLEN 3. DUST

DIRTY DUCT SYSTEMS ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION. ✓ Many illnesses are either caused by, or aggravated by, polluted indoor air. ✓ One out of six people who suffer from allergies do so because of the direct relationships to fungi and bacteria in air duct systems. ✓ Respiratory irritants can circulate within the ducts and enter the room through the registers. ✓ Children and elderly are especially affected by polluted indoor air.

Duct cleaning could be the healthiest home improvement Investment you will ever make.

AIR QUALITY

EXPERTS AIR DUCT AND DRYER VENT CLEANING

573.698.DUCT (3828) 34 | June/July 2011

Although my husband and I have many mutual friends and couples we spend time with, we have separate friends as well. The problem is my husband has one particular friend whom I absolutely cannot stand. He is rude, vulgar and disrespectful to women. Thus I avoid being around him at all costs.

He says and does things my husband would never say or do, and I worry that his friend's bad habits and attitude will rub off on him. When I broach the subject with my husband, he tells me that his friend is only joking and not to take him so seriously. Unfortunately, he is also my husband's co-worker and my husband occasionally extends invitations for dinners or nights out to this friend and his wife, making total avoidance impossible. Help! B. E. Dear B.E. It is healthy for couples to have their own friends, and it is typical that those friends will not always be liked by one’s spouse. But what you describe seems to be something beyond simple dislike or annoyance. It sounds like this person is truly offensive to you and your beliefs. The fact that your husband finds his words and deeds harmless and believes you should lighten up is not necessarily a sustainable solution.

Dictating whom our partners can or cannot spend time with is not effective or realistic; however, you do have the ability to dictate who you spend time with. It seems it might be time for a frank discussion with your husband about what you are willing to do or not do in terms of this friend. You have suffered enough dinners in silence!

Try providing your husband with two options. One, explain that you have made the decision not to spend any more time with this person. No more invitations to dinner or nights out are to be extended or accepted for you. If your husband desires to hang out with this person, that is his choice, but he needs to be aware he will be going sans you. This option is not intended as an ultimatum or a gauntlet thrown but simply you accessing your right to do what feels good for you, and he is permitted the same. Two, agree to continue spending minimal time with this friend with the understanding that you will no longer remain silent in the face of his vulgarity and disrespect. You have as much right to respond to his attitudes as he does to share them. I would hedge my bets that this route will cause the couple’s nights to run their natural course quickly.

dear kate,

My son just turned 4 and he is boisterous. That is, he is perpetually in to some unexpected, and often astonishing, mischief. I awaken in the night to find he has dumped a bag of sugar on his carpet, splattered a dozen eggs on the kitchen floor or microwaved my cell phone. His antics have thus far been harmless, unless you are food or electronics. He is incredibly independent and active as well, crawling out his bedroom window or climbing in the car and starting it up. I don’t want to give the impression that he is not watched closely ­— he is!

He is just unbelievably wily. He has been given all variety of consequences for these behaviors, from time-outs to swats. I have done my best to safe-guard the house, from placing a latch on the fridge to a video-monitor in his room. He is a sociable, affectionate child who gets along well with his siblings, cousins and day-care peers.

His actions are not aggressive or malicious. I just worry about why his behaviors are so extreme. When other mothers share stories of mischief their children have gotten in to, they pale next to mine. J. E. Dear J.E. Take a moment to give yourself kudos for being creative and maintaining your sanity; it sounds like you have your hands full! Your little guy would give anyone a run for their money.

Are your son’s behaviors a cause for concern? It’s impossible to provide a yes or no without a formal assessment, which for your own peace of mind might be a good route to go. From what you shared in your letter, he sounds like a very inquisitive and intelligent little person, who does not exhibit aggressiveness towards people or animals, which is positive. And it does not seem as if he’s acting out of spite or cruelty. It is possible that these behaviors are simply done out of curiosity. His fascination with what’s outside his window or what the eggs will do when they hit the floor supersedes whatever trouble he may find himself in after the fact.

At this point providing as much stimulation for him as possible might be helpful; keeping him busy with activities that challenge and interest him may help channel his energy and curb some of his unorthodox nighttime escapes. Involve him in things that require both mental and physical muscle. As mentioned earlier, having him assessed to ascertain the best way of meeting his needs will likely bring more peace to your life and his.

Have a question for Kate?

Email her at kate.smart@gmail.com

Kate Smart Harrison holds a B.A. in psychology from Loyola University, New Orleans and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri. Kate also attended a graduate program in Austria for peace studies and conflict transformation.

Disclaimer: The advice provided in this column is for general informational and educational purposes only; it is not offered as, and does not constitute, a therapeutic relationship or psychotherapeutic advice. None of the information presented is intended as a substitute for professional consultation by a qualified practitioner.

columbiahomemagazine.com | 35

Welcome to the World

Lillian Colgin P a r e n ts : Matt and Andrea B i r th we i ght :

What is the most memorable thing that has happened so far? The first moment that I can remember perfectly is right after my daughter was born and our doctor placed her on my chest and she immediately looked right into my eyes and melted my heart.

7 pounds 3 ounces H e i ght : 20 inches

How has your life changed? Being a mother gives me a lot of purpose in life. It is a major responsibility that makes you grow up really quickly and want to be the best that you can be for your family.

Brodie Moreland P a r e n ts : Paul and Alisha B i r th we i ght : 7 pounds 10 ounces H e i ght : 19 他 inches

Your first child was a girl. How is the family adjusting to having a boy? We had many warnings about baby boy diaper duty. Lilli, our eight-year-old daughter, flatly refused to change her brother's diapers. However, my husband and I are not afforded this same luxury. We are now as well honed as a NASCAR pit crew and almost as fast.

Would you like to see your baby featured?

Email your cutie to Betsy@ColumbiaHomeMagazine.com 36 | June/July 2011

shopkeeper's story | tallulah's

Gourmet Tales: Tallulah’s Shoulda woulda.... Oh wait. They're doing it. b y M o l ly W r i g h t | P h o t o s b y t a y l o r a l l e n

G

ood friends Mary Stauffer and Melissa Alabach have a lot in common. With their combined expertise in interior design and marketing, they are a dynamic business duo. But a special bond forged by a similar loss makes their relationship unique.

That bond gave them courage to move forward and ultimately open Tallulah’s, their kitchen, tabletop and home store, this past spring.

For Stauffer and Alabach, losing mothers to lung cancer altered the course of their lives but knowing their moms are cheering them on is a comfort and blessing to both.

Stauffer and Alabach grew up outside of mid-Missouri. Alabach, a Chesterfield, Mo., native, got her first taste of Columbia while attending MU as an interior design major. When her parents moved to Chicago, she decided to follow. While there serendipity stepped in and reconnected her with her high school sweetheart, Jim. “I actually met my husband when I was 15 years old,” Alabach says. She decided to return to MU and finish her degree. Not long after, she and Jim tied the knot.

Stauffer grew up in Utah. She studied business marketing in college but dreamed of working on the ski slopes. “I started skiing when I was 6,” she says. “I loved skiing and still do, so I was going to be a ski bum.” But Stauffer’s dreams were put on hold when she came to Columbia to help care for her ailing grandparents.

During her stay, a fortuitous encounter resulted in a lifelong commitment when she met her future husband. “I met Grant at Spanky’s one night; of course, the rest is history,” Stauffer says.

Alabach and Stauffer met through mutual friends but cemented their relationship while participating in a group, Mothers of Preschoolers. “Our kids were almost the same ages, we both had the same doctor and we shared mutual interests, so our relationship flourished from there,” Alabach says. In fact their interest in jewelry making lead to their first business venture, a company called On the Side.

While creating and selling their wares, the women discovered their personalities gelled nicely and that they made a good team. It was during this time, in 2004, when Alabach’s mother died from lung cancer.

“She was a nurse, had her doctorate and was head of the narcoleptic center in Chicago,” Alabach says. “But she was also a heavy smoker.”

In December 2008, Stauffer’s mother, also a smoker, died of lung

38 | June/July 2011

cancer as well. For Stauffer this was a turning point. “I watched my mother die, and it changed the way I felt about life,” she says. “I didn’t want to spend my life thinking shoulda, coulda, woulda.”

It was Stauffer’s passion for kitchen gadgets that finally set her business wheels in motion. But several months into the planning, she realized the enormity of the project was too much for one person to handle. She contacted her friend Alabach, who not only agreed to the partnership but also understood Stauffer’s motivation. After almost a year organizing, researching and setting up shop, Stauffer and Alabach officially opened Tallulah’s on April 16.

For Alabach, the public response to their efforts was amazing.

Having worked at Poppy and Putnam’s Interiors in the past, she was pleased to have several District merchants welcome them. “There have been so many people that have businesses down here that have come and introduced themselves. Everyone’s so community-minded. It’s just a great location.”

Stauffer, former publisher for Columbia Home and Lifestyle and previous manager at Bingham’s, agrees and says being downtown is important. “I feel like The District is just the heartbeat of Columbia.

Everybody knows where you are.”

Supporting local businesses is important to Stauffer and Alabach, so they contracted with Dimensions in Wood and Central Missouri Countertops for their display cabinets and countertop for their cashier area. Because Stauffer and Alabach believe in carrying quality products, they make an effort to attend markets together and choose items their customers would enjoy. “We both like to pick the item up and hold it, feel it and touch it: Is it good quality?” Stauffer says.

They also believe in featuring top-of-the-line products not easily found in Columbia, such as Mauviel, Wüsthof, Staub and Kuhn Rikon.

As customers frequent their Broadway shop, Stauffer and Alabach are thrilled with the community support. Local blogger and cook Kate Canterbury says she loves the interior especially the flower chandelier and expansive inventory.

“They did a great job of selecting stock that is practical but fun,” Canterbury says.

Perhaps the biggest joy Stauffer and Alabach receive, however, is not from those who walk through the front door but from the two women who watch over from above. “There’s this one cutting board that’s always falling off,” Stauffer says. “That’s our moms getting our attention.”

Indeed, for Stauffer and Alabach, their biggest fans are the ones cheering them on from a distance, who Stauffer says are yelling, “Go, girls, go!”

...............................................................................................................................................

Dr. Willett and his staff will make your smile beautiful.

Dr. Kent Willett, D.D.S. Dr. Kent Willett, D.D.S., is a General Dentist practicing in Columbia, since 1981.

He is well known for his talents in both sedation dentistry and cosmetic dentistry, while being a long-time member of the prestigious Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida, where he has completed studies in restoring difficult dental cases. He sees referrals from all over the United States seeking high quality dental care.

• American Dental Association • Academy of General Dentistry • Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation • Missouri Dental Association Dr Willett is not a specialist, he practices general dentistry. Dr. Willett has completed an American Dental Association approved one year residency program in which Conscious Sedation is taught. Cosmetic dentistry is a non-specialty interest area that requires no specific educational training to advertise this service.

Today’s dentistry lets us have the smile we choose, not just the smile we were born with. Learn how Cosmetic Dentistry can help dramatically improve your smile, without a care in the world. Oral sedation gives you the peace of mind you’ve always wanted and makes for a totally comfortable dental experience.

1601 Chapel Hill Road • Columbia, MO Office: 573.445.5300 columbiahomemagazine.com | 39

the dish | Room 38

Rosemary Citrus Chicken Kebabs Chef Jeremy Bowels, the executive chef at Room 38, wows us with his exceptionally flavorful take on chicken kebobs.

Ingredients • 4-6 chicken breasts • orange juice • pineapple juice • 1 tsp. fresh rosemary

• 3 bell peppers • 1 onion • zest of lemon • salt and pepper to taste • bamboo skewers

Photo by Taylor Allen

Preparation Slice chicken breasts into strips. Place the chicken in a zip-close bag or sealed container and fill with enough orange and pineapple juice to cover the chicken. Add rosemary. Allow the chicken to marinade overnight in the refrigerator.

Cut the onion and bell peppers into mediumsized pieces.

Thread the chicken and vegetables on the skewers in any order desired. Depending on how thick the strips are cut, sometimes it’s better to make chicken-only skewers and vegetable-only skewers so the vegetables don’t burn while the chicken finishes cooking.

Place on grill over medium heat, and cook for 10 minutes on each side. Check chicken before serving to make sure the pieces are cooked all the way through. Brush vegetables with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and add fresh lemon juice throughout the cooking process.

Once done, garnish with lemon zest and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.

40 | June/July 2011

columbiahomemagazine.com | 41

Land

of the

Free

By Alfredo Mubar ah P h o t o s b y Tay l o r A l l e n F a s h i o n f r o m E l ly ' s c o u t u r e

Maxed out: maxi dresses are back, and this time they demand to be seen!

Red and white striped dress: Pixie Dust, $74.99 Ring: Ring’s Eclectic, $99.99 Necklace: Saint Tropez by vfish, $54.99 Bangles: Apple Juice Accessories, $39.99

42 | June/July 2011

Oh, the freedom to use and abuse!

Colors, prints, old and new and overthe-top glamourous. Elly Bethune, from Elly’s Couture, shares her favorite picks for a chic and colorful season.

Prep School: shorts and blazer combination – sophistication for day or night.

Clutch: Apple Juice Accessories, $69.99 Pearl necklace: Betsey Johnson, $125 White blazer: Lacoste, $235 Red shorts: Pixie Dust, $59.99 Nude platform heels: Michael Antonio, $79.99 Ring: Ring’s Eclectic, $99.99

columbiahomemagazine.com | 43

Animal magnetism – use and abuse of animal prints this season.

P h o t o g r a p h e d at J i m m y M i l l e r S ta b l e s

Animal print maxi dress: Sky, $199.99 Wedge platform heels: Michael Antonio, $84.99 Bangles: Apple Juice Accessories, $39.99

44 | June/July 2011

Bold and daring: bright jewel tones are the way to go with Spring and Summer accessories.

Red platform heels: Miss Me by Jocelyn, $44.99 Green purse: Melie Bianco, $139.99 Starfish ring: Betsey Johnson from her Sailor Girl collection, $55

columbiahomemagazine.com | 45

edible education | losing weight

kitchen

tabletop

home

How To Eat Like the French and Lose Weight The French can eat leisurely, multi-course meals filled with butter, cream sauce, wine and dessert and never gain an ounce. Impossible? Non. You can do it, too. Here’s how to incorporate their habits into your busy lifestyle.

B y R e b e c c a Fr a n k l i n

1

Eat Breakfast. Dashing for the door with your keys, phone and coffee in hand?

Being 20 minutes late for that mandatory morning meeting is no excuse for skipping breakfast. Numerous studies have shown that people are better able to maintain their weight when they eat breakfast regularly. How does this relate to the French diet? The French never skip a meal.

Grab a yogurt, an apple and a handful of nuts on the way out the door for an easy energy boost that will boost your metabolism and fat burning all day long.

2

Be Careful On Coffee Breaks. Snacking is virtually unheard of in France. Now slowly back away from the muffin.

It’s as simple as that.

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3

Eat a Full Meal. This is one of the most perplexing habits that the French embrace. They eat a full meal usually consisting of several courses that may include bread, cream sauces, dessert and wine. The key is that they slowly savor small portions. Buy petite dinner plates, serve small portions and enjoy your meal.

4

Sample the Garden. French cuisine is full of fruit and vegetable courses, many of them seasonal specialties.

Take some time to visit your produce section or local farmers market and buy garden-fresh ingredients to use in your kitchen.

5

Get Active. Don’t be a slave to the elevator. Studies have found that fitting in 10 minutes of moderate activity periodically throughout the day helps people maintain a healthy weight. The slender French are living proof of this fact. They frequently walk places instead of using private or public transportation. You don’t need to train for a marathon. Just take the stairs or park your car on the far side of the garage to sneak in extra activity for yourself.

6

Enjoy a Glass of Wine. The French traditionally take pleasure in a glass of wine with their meals. An antioxidant compound in grape skins called resveratrol aids in weight loss and overall good health. Does this give you permission to knock back cocktails with every meal or start drinking on your lunch break? Not a chance! Just try to substitute wine for other alcoholic beverages when you have the chance. And remember, always drink alcohol responsibly — the French live long lives and so should you!

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columbiahomemagazine.com | 47

family | the mommy chronicles

Innovative Designs

...by Priya

Residential & Commercial

Design for Real Living

573.489.6235 Architectural Blueprint Unique Homes Remodel Renovation Custom Interiors

Parents: Is More Better?

B y K a y B a rt l e

G

oing shopping with my friend was always a delightful experience. She was very generous and thoughtful, especially in regard to her children. She and her husband lavished gifts upon them regularly. On one of our shopping outings, she purchased a baseball glove for her 9-year-old son. The horror that followed left an indelible impression that I have never forgotten.

When she gave her son the glove, he threw it at her face and screamed, “I hate you.” The moment left us speechless. My heart was broken for my friend. I felt her embarrassment and hurt.

I tried to speak some words of comfort, but they seemed trite in light of the situation. What could have caused a response of hate to an act of generosity and love?

As children grow and mature, their delights come from receiving our expressed love and delight in them. As parents we see the joy and delight in our child’s heart, and we want to further that joy. It starts out easy: M&Ms, a ball, a doll. Children quickly learn that a trip to the store will provide a special treat. Soon it becomes necessary to say “no” because the requests have become too often and too much.

The desire to please and bring delight instead has created a battle.

What are the effects of too much, too often?

The urge has been aroused and the seed planted for more. Out-of-control demands continually diminish every aspect of our child’s life. They become self-centered, unappreciative and unhappy.

If the parent satisfies every whim, why would children deny themselves anything when they’re older? Can you really expect them to say “no” to sex and drugs when they are not familiar with self-denial or delayed gratification? A child must be trained in self-control, patience and generosity. The result can be destructive if we are not thorough and consistent.

What caused my friend’s son to respond with anger? I wonder if he felt robbed of something through over-indulgence and was angry as a result.

What is the answer? “The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.” (NIV Bible) Remember, more is caught than taught. It could be beneficial to examine our own lives: • Do I model self-control and delayed gratification? Is it all about me? Is there an area of my life that my appetite is out of control? Your children are watching, and they will follow.

• Learn to say “no” to your child and stand firm. Do not say “no” for the wrong reasons; say “no” on matters of importance.

• Don’t allow manipulation. They will tend to use it all of their lives if it is proven to be effective as a child.

• Train your children to be responsible. Age-appropriate work is valuable, and working together is helpful. Everyone gains a sense of satisfaction from a job well done.

• Let them earn money to purchase a desired item.

• Teach them to be generous and thoughtful.

• Provide boundaries and protection from the destruction of excesses.

Parents understand that no one parents perfectly. Parenting with unconditional love and discipline will equip your child for the challenges of life. Later in life choices become theirs, but you can be at peace knowing you did your best.

Follow Me!

www.Twitter.com/DesignsByPriya

48 | June/July 2011

Kay Bartle, the proud mother of four and grandmother to six, shares stories of the joys, struggles, laughter and tears that come with raising a family.

H

-F

N

U

R

E

•E

Y•

F

RIE

DL

ART

Mother Nature Would Approve.

RNITU

Mary Moss Furniture is a locally owned store that sells American made earth-friendly couches, chairs, tables, light fixtures and more. Next to Bright City Lights at 1400 Heriford Road Columbia, MO 65202.

573.777.5999 • Follow us on Facebook

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50 | June/July 2011

style | fashion

Hello, Sailor!

Earn your style stripes this season with seaworthy looks by Abby McNerney, owner of Girl Boutique B y A l f r e d o M u ba r a h

photos by Taylor Allen

Dreams of sailboats, wooden docks and mojitos in St. Tropez inspire this season’s nautical trend. The classic maritime palette of navy, white and red is a guaranteed route to an oh-so-chic ensemble whether you're on the dock, at the beach or walking the city streets!

Donna Morgan striped nautical sequin dress, $146; Antique Bronze & pearl necklace, $49; Pearl with roses necklace, $38; Big Buddha sunglasses, $38

Johnny Was Tatem Assyn lipstick stripe dress, $176; Renovated white jacket by Reuse, $137; Black locket, cameo and pearls necklace, $49

Central Park West Azure Carnegie dress, $182; Respect denim jacket, $137; Design flower pins, $15 each; Shira Melody antique crystals and key necklace, $48

Donna Morgan black/blue stripe dress, $126; Silver, rhinestones and pearls drop necklace, $52

Velvet Lourde shoulder dress, $231; Shira Melody black cameo necklace, $48; rope pearl choker, $42; gold nugget necklace; $38

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 51

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude Once a workaholic designer and gadget collector, Colin Wright is now a minimalist, nomadic entrepreneur moving to a different country every four months with a carry-on bag containing his only 50 possessions.

By Stephanie Detillier photos by kurt l anger

52 | June/July 2011

I

t all started with a photo of a man sleeping on a wooden bench in Los Angeles. A Chihuahua wearing white sunglasses and a tiny sun hat lies across his resting master’s side.

Colin Wright had been carrying his camera everywhere in hopes of documenting such interesting, bizarre scenes. But something about this photo, something about seeing things through a different lens changed Wright’s perspective on his own life.

He realized he was insane. Really insane. According to Albert Einstein, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results — something Wright was guilty of.

Wright, 26, an entrepreneur who grew up in Columbia, had been working 100-hour weeks running his own design and branding studio in Los Angeles. He had been working so he wouldn’t have to work, so he could accumulate enough money to travel internationally and enjoy a social life. But the more hours he put in, the more work he accumulated. To beat it all, Wright was so busy with specific assignments for clients that he had no opportunities to express his own artistic style.

Changing his lifestyle was the only way out of this endless workaholic cycle, and in 2009 Wright decided to make an extreme break. He sold most of his possessions and pledged to move to a new country every four months. He started a blog called Exile Lifestyle, www.exilelifestyle.com, and asked his readers to vote on where he’d live next. Wright streamlined his business to accommodate his nomadic life and created several smaller companies to feed his own creative interests.

“I became acutely aware that I have only one life to live,” says Wright, who is currently living in Reykjavik, Iceland, with a carry-on bag containing his roughly 50 possessions. “Now, my biggest goal is to continue to have a good time.”

Although he has undertaken extreme lifestyle experiments since 2009, Wright hasn’t done so at the sacrifice of his entrepreneurial drive. Long-term travel has helped him form networks across the globe and expand his businesses internationally. But by following minimalism and sustainability philosophies, he’s also been able to focus on self-improvement, center his work around his passions and experience life beyond the corner office.

“I get bored if I’m not working, but now my work is what I’d be doing even if I weren’t getting paid,” Wright says. “Back then, I was doing work I wasn’t passionate about, according to other people’s schedules. Now my businesses are more like hobbies that make me money.”

Working at warp speed One million dollars. It was a lofty goal for someone in his early 20s, for someone of any age. But back then — before the Chihuahua moment — Wright had been determined to retire as a millionaire by age 25 and says he got “ridiculously close.”

Earlier in his life, he seemed more on track to become a starving artist than a business tycoon. A left-handed, creative kid, he started drawing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when he was 3 years old and later served as an editorial cartoonist and art director for Rock Bridge High School’s newspaper. When he enrolled at Missouri State University as an art major, Wright envisioned a future illustrating comic books, selling artwork in a gallery or living a poor artist’s life in Paris.

Then he discovered design and realized its commercial potential. He began writing columns for the newspaper, learning design programs such as Flash and eventually helping other students in the school’s design lab. columbiahomeMagazine.com | 53

Minimalist Colin Wright travels light. Pictured with all of his possessions, totaling roughly 50 items.

The week before commencement Wright moved to Los Angeles for an agency job and immediately began working on commercials for the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. But he knew the corporate culture wasn’t for him. Planning to start his own business, he quit his lucrative job after a year. With no clients of his own and enough money in the bank to only last a month, Wright had taken a big risk.

Ultimately, it paid off. He called his multidisciplinary design company Wright Is My Name, a unique self-branding move that potential clients liked but bank employees seemed to think was a lame joke. Before long, Wright had paved his way to a millionaire lifestyle. He had expanded his services to include not only print and Web design but also social media, technology and complete branding packages. He had attracted diverse clients including Procter & Gamble, Walmart, the University of Southern California and technology supplier FATTOC. He had a townhouse, complete with a compatible girlfriend and closet full of designer clothing.

“I had in mind that money would let me do anything,” Wright says.

“But money wasn’t the point.”

Freedom was. The only problem? Clocking in 100-hour workweeks wasn’t getting him there.

Making a sharp turn When Wright started his blog, Exile Lifestyle, he designed as its logo a bird in a business suit. Wright wanted the ability to migrate, to fly to different parts of the world, but he needed a way to continue earning mon54 | June/July 2011

ey while doing so. He realized that by meeting with clients over Skype he could virtually operate his business from anywhere with Internet access.

He told his family he’d be embarking on an experiment to live and work in a different country every four months. Before leaving Los Angeles, he’d sell most of his possessions — the townhouse, his car, garbage bags stuffed with clothing — and he’d host a break-up party to commemorate the end of his relationship with his girlfriend.

His mother, Molly Wright, says the unconventional nature of her son’s plans was a bit alarming but was characteristic of his personality.

“At first, his dad and I were a little concerned,” she says. “It was so new and different, but in many ways it didn’t surprise us. He thinks outside the box and has a very imaginative and creative business mind. Colin tends to make decisions that ultimately work out.”

At the time, Wright had relatively no travel experience. He’d never been out of the country and only visited New York City and Chicago to tour agencies.

“Traveling was something I always wanted to do,” Wright says. “Columbia is such an international community, and I had friends from other countries who I learned so much from. It was always on some to-do list, but I was 19 when I started my first business, so I was always in startup mode. You could say I’m making up for lost time.”

Because of his naiveté regarding international travel, he asked his blog followers to chime in with suggestions on where he should live.

First stop: Argentina. Since then, he’s lived in New Zealand, Thailand and Iceland, where he’ll be until mid-June.

Pine Cone Hill

“People like to have a hand in where I’ll go next, and that way they sort of vicariously live through my blogs,” says Wright, who crashes at his parents’ Columbia home — and squeezes in visits to Shakespeare’s Pizza and Kaldi’s — between trips.

Slowing down to enjoy the scenery Although he travels full time, Wright does not consider himself a tourist. His goal is to entrench himself in the culture, meet locals (and sometimes date locals), learn the language and embrace the different cuisine. The first week in a new country is usually the toughest yet most fun.

“When I went to Argentina, I had very little preparation, which was intentional so I could be a sponge with everything,” says Wright, whose knowledge of Argentina was limited to tango dancing and beef farms.

By putting down deep roots and forming lasting relationships, Wright says each location feels like home by the time he leaves and shapes him in various ways. He’s also noticed an affinity toward different color palettes in his artistic work, which has greatly been influenced by international typography, street signs and architecture.

Cruising into new business avenues While living in New Zealand, Wright decided to switch the focus of Wright Is My Name. Instead of offering full branding services, he began doing mostly consulting. He also launched several other businesses: Through his e-book shop, www.ebookling.com, he offers independent authors the opportunity and resources to forgo the constraints of the publishing industry and become entrepreneurs.

He designs 365 T-shirts, which he sells through his online store I Have No Shirt, www.ihavenoshirt.com.

He operates a paid forum, Most Interesting People in the Room, created for “unabashed intellectuals who want an excuse to engage in stimulating conversation every week.” Wright also reviews travel gear and offers tips for backpackers through a website called Flashpack, flashpack.co.

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Wright also continues to blog on www.exilelifestyle.com And, he’s written several books, including Personal Branding, How to Be Remarkable, Networking Awesomely and How to Ebook. A memoir on the past two years of his life, called My Exile Lifestyle, is in the editing stages.

Despite his numerous projects, Wright finally has the freedom he craved. The luxury to work whenever he wants, wherever he wants has been a boost to his creativity. With no office to report to and no meetings to suffer through, he can choose to work at noon or at 3 a.m. He rarely sets a morning alarm anymore; he wakes up with sun instead.

Finding a balance Minimalism wasn’t a concept Wright always embraced. He spent years collecting Magic: The Gathering cards as well as assembling and painting his pewter miniature army for Warhammer, a tabletop fantasy war game. Although success in these games often relied on the accumulation of more cards and figurines, his mother says Wright wasn’t attached to them.

“When he was done with a game, he was done,” Molly Wright says.

“He’d sell them at Slackers and get the next game system.”

But even Molly Wright was a little surprised when Wright began selling practically everything he owned. When he reached Argentina, all of his belongings — 72 at the time — fit inside a carry-on bag. He realized he could cut even more. His roughly 50 items now mainly consist of a few sets of high-quality clothing, a 13” Macbook Pro, a Lumix camera, a universal adapter, an iPod Touch, a wallet, a Razr cellphone, external hard drives, an electric razor and toothbrush.

“Minimalism isn’t reducing to the bare minimum, that’s a common misconception,” Wright explains. “It’s cutting out the stuff that doesn’t matter. From birth until now, I’ve been told that I have to buy more to complete me. But what’s important isn’t stuff.”

56 | June/July 2011

Molly Wright says her family members have never owned a ton of possessions, but her son has helped inspire them to live with less.

“It’s a more peaceful feeling when you don’t have things hanging over you,” she says, “and Wright’s life reflects that.”

By streamlining his life, Wright has created a work-life balance that many people only dream about. By doing the 20 percent of the work that brings in the 80 percent of his income, Wright has been able to drastically cut his work hours while still making the same, if not more, as he had been in Los Angeles. By changing his priorities, he’s found a way to focus on business projects that fulfill his artistic passions while also getting a worldly education.

“If given extra free time,” he says, “I’d do exactly what I do every other day.”

To vote on where Colin Wright lives next, visit exilelifestyle.com.

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The

W

aiting to undergo life-changing surgery, a young man sat in the corner of a Kenyan hospital alone and quiet.

His appearance, namely his face, made the 17-year-old feel self-conscious around others, whom he knew were judging him.

Many of us spent our own teenage years obsessing over our faces — trying to clear away acne, straighten our teeth and expertly apply eyeliner. But no, this teenage boy didn’t have typical cosmetic concerns. Rather, his childhood had been spent trying to overcome speech problems, withstand cruel taunting and live in relative isolation because of his deformed lip. He had considered suicide but instead traveled to the Bethany Crippled Children’s Hospital in Kijabe, near Nairobi, for a chance at a normal life.

This young man and hundreds of other Africans awaiting cleft lip and palate surgery are the patients who stick in Dr. David Chang’s mind. They are the ones who have inspired him to do yearly medical mission work in Kenya since 2005 and the ones who remind him why he wanted to practice medicine to begin with.

“I believe that those who have been blessed in life have much to give,” says Chang, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Columbia. “I feel a personal responsibility to help those who cannot as easily access the same wealth or medical care they would be able to otherwise. Even though it’s a different land and culture, it’s a refreshing experience that helps ground you when you return home.”

Smile

Mission

Since 2005, Dr. David Chang of Columbia Facial Plastic Surgery has traveled to Kijabe, Kenya, to give smiles to hundreds of poor patients with cleft lips and palates.

By Stephanie Detillier Photos courtesy of Dr. Chang

Giraffe photo was taken on Safari at the Masai Mara, an enormous national game reserve near the border of Kenya and Tanzania.

58 | June/July 2011

Mending physical and social scars Motivated by his Christian values and professional calling, Chang had long been interested in humanitarian work when he was asked to join a July 2005

shame to the family, relatives often hide children with cleft lips and/or palates. Tribal elders might even encourage the mother to abandon or kill the child.

“These children are often hidden away from society, and as a result, they don’t get an education or become a functioning member of society,” says Chang, who adds that many remain unmarried and unemployed.

For an active man such as Chang — who finds time to run, play tennis, mountain bike and practice the guitar and cello — it’s hard to even imagine such a closeted life.

Dr. Chang Holding patient

mission trip to Kijabe. For two weeks, he, along with a team of U.S. physicians and assistants, provided 95 corrective cleft lip and/ or palate surgeries. Upon arriving, he was immediately overwhelmed with the lack of available health care.

Patients such as the 17-year-old boy, who grew up in a U.N. refugee camp near the Kenya-Somali border, have little access to primary medical care or public health resources. Even though cleft lip and palate are less common in African than Caucasian births, Chang says it isn’t uncommon to see Kenyan teenagers or adults who haven’t been able to get treatment. Had the Somali teen been born in the United States, he likely would have had corrective surgery before his first birthday.

“Cleft palate isn’t usually a life-threatening disorder, so you can get by without having to address it,” he explains. “In Kenya or other Third World countries, often the choice is between medical care or putting food on the table.”

Those who haven’t been treated often struggle eating, drinking out of a cup and speaking. But the harshest challenges they face are the social ramifications largely because a split lip is hard to hide.

“The face is the most defining feature of the body that individually identifies us,” Chang says. “A cleft lip or palate is a scarlet letter branded right there in full view. It’s different from limb, arm or finger deformities, which don’t have as much of a visceral impact upon the psyche or the self-identification of a person.”

Some parents believe these birth defects, which occur from the improper formation of the lip and roof of the mouth, are a form of divine punishment. Community members, for example, had referred one of the mission’s patients as a “snake.” To avoid

Projecting compassion The Kenyan mission trip soon became an annual pilgrimage for Chang, who joined a core group of surgeons who continue to provide free medical services each year. The World Medical Mission, a branch of Samaritan’s Purse based in North Carolina, helps provide the logistical support, including medical licenses and visas. Although other

nonprofits and charities, such as Bethany Relief and Rehabilitation International and Smile Train, provide funding to the mission hospital for use of local staff, supplies and facilities, the U.S. physicians and staff pay their own way.

“Dr. Chang really does it out of the goodness of his heart,” says Dr. Young Paik, a fourth-year resident at the University of Missouri who accompanied Chang on his mission trip in November 2010. “Not only do the missions cost a lot of money, but they also require time away from his busy clinical duties. You can tell it’s something that means a great deal to him.”

Chang encourages his residents at MU, where he is an assistant professor and program director in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, to apply for travel grants and join him on the mission trips.

“Part of being a physician in a university environment is getting residents involved,

(left) Dr. Kevin Lollar, ENT resident, and (right) Chang Performing surgery in a cleft palate case.

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 59

DU

E STL

SS REFINISHING SYS TE M

INISH | FAST! GREAT F | T R N STA CLEA

Above Left: Dr. Young Paik, resident performs surgery at the AIC-CURE International Children’s Hospital of Kenya in Kijabe, Kenya Above Right: kenyan mothers wait with their children before surgery in front of a mural that reads "the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (john 10:11)Bottom Left: Before photograph of Young Kenyan boy pre surgery Bottom Right: Same boy one day post surgery

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60 | June/July 2011

putting that bug in them so that once they finish their residency they can hopefully continue mission-minded work in the future,” Chang says.

During their two-week trip, Chang and Paik remained busy both in the clinic and operating room. Mornings were spent checking on patients in recovery and evaluating cases to see which were fit for surgery. They performed operations until 5 each afternoon.

Many Africans travel for one or two days, including multiple bus transfers, to reach the hospital in hopes that their children will receive care. Of the 76 surgeries the group performed in November 2010, Paik vividly recalls Simon, a 3-year-old who arrived at the hospital in a striped tie and orange sneakers.

Simon wasn’t as aware of his condition as some of the older patients. Rather, he was a bundle of energy who was in remarkably good spirits. He and his mother had traveled more than 13 hours to reach the mission hospital, a journey that included four mini-van trips and one bus trip. But the day following his cleft lip surgery, he was ready to go back to his hometown, Milani, with a complete smile to match his happy demeanor.

“It humbled me to see how much I could help someone physically and emotionally,” Paik says. “He looked fantastic, and his mother really got to see the transformation.”

When faced with language and cultural barriers, studying subtle facial expressions can be key to understanding patients’ needs and emotions.

“Kenyans are very stoic people; their hardships are much different from ours,” Chang says. “They remain stoic even after their child comes out of the operating

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room. You can see the joy in their eyes; they’re very grateful. But they don’t wear their emotions on their sleeve.”

Although the nursing staff speaks English and Swahili, Chang says it’s difficult to feel as if he’s connecting with patients when he has to use a translator. The physicians must communicate using other senses and techniques. They show a caring attitude, provide the children with gift packages of coloring books and stuffed animals and pray with the families. Because many rural families are fearful of surgery and modern medicine, Chang must project a calm and reassuring presence.

“His body language shows compassion,” Paik says. “Patients can feel calm and are trusting of him.”

and it hopefully eases the burden of the other obligations in your medical practice at home.”

If Chang ever needs a reminder, he only has to recount that lifechanging story of the 17-year-old Somali man.

When Chang first the met the once-solemn patient in 2007, the teenager underwent surgery for his cleft lip. When the patient returned the next year for follow-up surgery on his palate, his growing confidence could not be mistaken.

“He had changed his outlook. His strong grasp of English showed that he was becoming more of a community leader. He was helping others communicate with the Somali patients by translating to English,” Chang says.

“The surgery likely had a profound impact on his self-identity making him feel like he could Rekindling his passion function more fully in society.”

Like most physicians, Chang entered medical A simple, typed thank-you note from the school with a strong desire to help others and teenage patient carries the weight of any motivational prompt Chang might need: to contribute to the well being of those less “Words cannot describe how happy I am. … fortunate. But he says it’s easy to forget that I can only say thank you because I can’t repay passion amongst the grinding schedules, reimyou for your help. Forever you will … remain bursement issues, health care laws and stacks in my heart.” of paperwork.

A young child holds a baby in front a of traditional house in the village of masai mara.

“The hours and work begin to beat out the Donations to help the Kenyan mission can be original reasons you wanted to go into medimade to Bethany Relief and Rehabilitation Internacine,” he says. “Doing mission work resets your values. It’s a refreshtional, bethanykids.org. If you wish to support resident physician mission ing practice of medicine without being encumbered with all these travel please contact the MU Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck other medical legal issues. You feel refreshed when you come back, Surgery at (573) 882-6737.

62 | June/July 2011

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A

Walk on the

Wildflower Side B y M o l ly W r i g h t

T

Take Randal Clark for example. He is an indefatigable wildflower enthusiast. A believer that these charmers are worth of study and admiration, for the past 29 years, Clark, an environmental chemist and Rock Bridge volunteer, has led spring walks through the state park and surrounding nature areas introducing hundreds of people to these elusive beauties.

“The most important thing to look for is the leaf shape and its position on the stem. Also, is the stem round or square?” says Clark. If you can recognize the plant structure, you can recognize the plant even after the bloom is gone.

Clark’s free presentations, peppered with local folklore and history, are fun and informative. If you missed the spring bloomers, Clark says, hunting summer and fall varieties, which prefer Missouri’s open fields, is just as enjoyable, even if you do not bring an expert along. Keen eyes and maybe a wildflower guidebook are the only requirements.

Columbia offers excellent locations to go looking for wildflowers. Stephens Lake Park, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Park, Grindstone Nature Area, Cosmo Park or the Katy Trail all have an easyto-find and rich variety of wildflowers.

thinkstockphotos.com; opposite page photos by taylor allen

hink about flowers and instantly the usual suspects pop up in our minds: vibrant roses, fragrant gardenias, happy sunflowers. But did you know that Missouri offers a magnificent array of wildflowers? This more delicate and often unjustly overlooked variety leaves nothing to be desired, offering undeniable beauty and excitement in their frail constitution.

Fascination is really easy to flourish here: Once you turn your attention to the multitude of wildflowers found in mid-Missouri, you will most likely become fully seduced by their loveliness.

64 | June/July 2011

Blue-eye d Mary

Wild Virginia Bluebells

am eet Willi Wild Sw

Sessile Tr illium

Here are some interesting finds On A walk with Clark: Spring Beauties: Easy to spot with two grass-like leaves and five petals hosting a pink stripe, it’s one of the longest flowering and most common. The pea-shaped tuber, or underground stem, is edible and tastes nutty. “They’re so small though, they’re impractical for a meal,” Clark says.

Wild Virginia Bluebells: Native to Missouri and found near streams, they flower from March to mid-April. Buds turn from pink to blue as they open into bell-like flowers. Round, smooth, floppy leaves make them easy to recognize. Animals love them, so you won’t find them in heavily grazed areas.

Dutchman’s Breeches: With feathery blue-green leaves, the white flowers look like upside-down pants. Like many spring bloomers, they’re toxic. “If you’re one of the first things to pop up in the spring, it’s probably to your advantage to make someone sick,” Clark says.

Pussytoes: These tiny, fluffy white circular flowers grow in bunches and resemble cat toes. They are related to the aster family including dandelions and prefer drier areas. Their leaves hug the ground.

Pussytoes are also known as Indian Tobacco because Native Americans used them as a tobacco substitute.

Wild Sweet William: Also called Wild Phlox, it sports sweetsmelling purple flowers with stemless leaves that oppose each other so no two leaves shade the ones below. Clark says Wild Sweet William often grows with Blue-eyed Mary. “I always considered Blueeyed Mary and Sweet William an item,” Clark says.

Pussytoes

Spring Beauties

Blue-eyed Mary: This annual plant features two blue and two white petals, with a fifth petal that hides behind the blue ones. Preferring bottomland areas, they are very prolific.

Large-flowered Bellwort: One of the taller spring bloomers, it’s in the lily family. “Wort” means plant in Old English. Droopy yellow, bell-like blossoms “look like you need to give it a drink of water,” Clark says. Bellwort leaves are unique because they surround the stem and at first glance look like the stem is piercing them.

Sessile Trillium: Named for its series of threes — three leaves, three sepals (leaf-like structures that protect the petals in the bud stage) and three petals — it’s also known as Wake Robin. “People didn’t always know that birds migrated,” Clark says. When robins appeared as the plant came up, they thought the plant woke the birds from hibernation. Ants enjoy the seed’s starchy attachment and carry them back to their nest where they inadvertently plant them.

Mayapple: Once used to cure warts, the plant contains anticancer properties. With huge umbrella-shaped leaves, the creamy flowers don’t bloom until June. The golden delicious apple-looking fruit was once used to make preserves, but Clark does not recommend this because the plant itself is toxic.

Bloodroot: This flower is a member of the poppy family is known as the Papoose Flower for its one heart-shaped leaf that wraps around brilliant white flowers. It often blooms only one day. Native Americans and Europeans used the root’s blood-colored sap for war paint and cloth dying. columbiahomeMagazine.com | 65

Letterboxing The Modern Day Treasure Hunt

66 | June/July 2011

Robin Barton and Stephanie Arnold, friends and avid Letterbox hunters

B y M o l ly W r i g h t photos by angelique hunter

Looking for something a little off the beaten path to get your family up and moving?

How about one with secret clues, mysterious maps and real life X-marks-the-spot treasure? Sound exciting? Then letterboxing might be just the ticket. This modern-day game of hide and seek won’t bring fame and fortune to those who accept the quest, but fresh air, exercise and togetherness are guaranteed.

The best part is you’re just a click of a mouse and a stamp pad away from starting.

Letterboxing, which took root in Dartmoor, England, in 1854, didn’t officially jump the pond until 1998 when Smithsonian Magazine published a small article about the hobby. By 2001, letterboxes could be found in all 50 states and internationally from Aruba to Zimbabwe. According to Altasquest and Letterboxing North America (LBNA), Columbia alone has around 150 letterboxes in a 25-mile radius. Where are they? Everywhere from state parks to downtown garages. Some box locations requiring a bit of hiking, and others only a few steps off popular trails or city streets.

Treasure hunting aside, the simplicity and inexpensive costs make letterboxing popular. The hider, called “placer” or “planter,” only needs a sandwichsize Tupperware or similar hard plastic container, a plastic baggie, a rubber stamp, an inkpad and a small logbook for each letterbox. The “finder” carries his or her own rubber stamp, ink pad

and logbook. The planter hides the box, often in a park, nature area or urban locale, then posts clues on a dedicated letterboxing website. The finder follows the clues and whereupon discovering the box, stamps his or her logbook with the planter’s stamp and uses his or her stamp to mark the planter’s book to show he or she was there. Avid letterboxers have hundreds of stamps to show for their efforts. Missouri resident and five-year letterboxer Robin Barton and her friend Stephanie Arnold combined have more than 1,000 finds.

Barton got her family into letterboxing for the exercise, teamwork and puzzle solving. “It sounded like a great way to get my kids to hike when walking was not interesting for them,” Barton says. “It gave them a goal to shoot for and a way to discover parks and trails we never would have tried and never would have known otherwise.”

Barton particularly enjoys the letterboxes with themed clues. “We’ve columbiahomeMagazine.com | 67

Above: Robin Barton holds her letterboxing journal where she has collected over 450 stamps from hidden boxes. right: a picture of a letterbox container found in rock bridge state park.

68 | June/July 2011

learned about different kinds of trees for instance,” she says. “A lot of the Columbia ones are themed around childhood favorite books, so in that case, it’s a memory thing.”

Bryan Sharkey, who likes to go with his girlfriend, says being outdoors working on something with friends and family is why he letterboxes. “What I love most about letterboxing is the hunt for that little hidden package,” he says. “It's the closest thing to living out a treasure hunt on a nice weekend.”

Beginner letterboxers should start by familiarizing themselves with the dos and don’ts of letterboxing. Websites such as Atlasquest and LBNM offer a wealth of information including how to get started, codes of conduct and tips on deciphering clues. Start by brainstorming a trail name for your family or group to use when logging into the websites and signing logbooks. Next, buy or create a personal rubber stamp and logbook. Then, gather your items, along with an inkpad and pen or pencil, into a small bag.

Now you’re ready to locate letterboxes in your area. For Atlasquest, simply type in a city, address or zip code. LBNA users need to click on “Clues” first and then click their state and county on the map provided. Always take into consideration your family’s limitations when choosing letterbox clues. Atlasquest provides icons that indicate things such as the intensity of the hunt, whether it’s child and/or pet friendly and the approximate distance. Also, be aware that some clues contain puzzles, games or Internet searches to do before you can start the hunt. Finally, print off or copy the clues and follow them carefully. Some are very cryptic.

Once you spot a box, try not to disturb the area as you remove it. Also, step away from where you found it to exchange stamps so you keep the location secret to other letterboxers in the area or perhaps vandals. When you finish stamping, rewrap, reseal and return the box to its hiding spot. Contact the planter when boxes are missing or ruined.

Advanced letterboxers can learn more by digging deeper into letterboxing websites. Check updated discussion boards on how to enhance your stamps or logbooks, or contact other letterboxers in the website community. Visit blogs such as midmoletterboxing.blogspot.com. Also, if you haven’t already, learn how to place letterboxes. Keep in mind that places such as state and national parks require permits.

Start you own letterboxing groups or attend letterboxing events such as the At-

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top: robin barton's finder's stamp. above: barton's logbook for documenting findings.

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“It’s a good time mixed with exercise, friendship and trying to follow some questionable directions to find the letterbox,” says new letterboxer Larry Cooper.

Barton, who has hidden more than 100 letterboxes, sees the family value. “I’ve been using it to teach my kids respect for nature as well,” she says. “There are a lot of rules in letterboxing regarding where you should put things and taking care of nature.”

Sharkey, in his 20s, feels letterboxing offers people his age an outdoor distraction. “People these days can get so hooked into their electronics. Letterboxing provides a nice break to get you back into reality.”

Additional Information:

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• City of Columbia guidelines for letterboxing: www.gocolumbiamo.com • Atlasquest: www.atlasquest.com • Letterboxing North America: www.letterboxing.org

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d n u o B e r u nt ture sports

e f adven o ld r AdWv o w e h t andering into | y Ya n g

By Nanc

liq by ange photos

ter ue hun

Left: Judy Knudson Right: Naomi Cupp

72 | June/July 2011

T

he sun’s shining, the sky’s blue and a gentle breeze beckons. There’s adventure in the air, and if you have the spirit, the long days of summer will be anything but lazy.

Imagine exploring the open road on a bike or hiking the great trails of the Appalachian Mountains. Two formidable Columbia women share their stories of bravery and exhilaration in the great outdoors.

Show-Me Naomi Back when Naomi Cupp was promoting the Show-Me State Games, she couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead. Years later, after lending her expertise to various jobs and the community, she embarked on a journey of a different kind. Cupp had been a nurse, executive director and community leader, but to a coterie of hikers along the Appalachian Trail she is “Show-Me Naomi.”

“When I was growing up, most girls didn’t participate in sports,” she says. “I was always intrigued with girls who had. Hiking the Appalachian Trail was my opportunity to dip my toes into something challenging.”

In March of 2000, Cupp set out to hike the 2,165-mile-long trail that runs north and east through 14 states. She started at Springer Mountain, Ga., in hopes of reaching “the terminus,” Maine’s Mount Katahdin, by October. Following spring, she hauled a 50-pound pack along switchbacks in weather that was often cool and wet.

“You wear the same clothes over and over again,” she says.

“They smell terrible. Sometimes I’d put my damp clothes in the bottom of my sleeping bag to get them warm. It’s not for everybody.”

Cupp discovered that managing the trail’s physical and emotional challenges fostered in her a confidence to move forward in other aspects of life. The experience affected her outwardly as well, especially in the forging of strong and lasting friendships.

“Gender, age or where you were from didn’t matter at all,” she says. “We all had to do the exact same thing: sleep outside...and get from point A to point B. You had to get water from the river and manage your supplies. I really didn’t understand that until I got home and felt I had to have the right appearance and feminine behavior, which was not necessary in the hiking world.”

Preparation took a year. Cupp read books, researched and shopped for gear. She worked with a personal trainer and walked on a treadmill with a weighted backpack. In planning to leave home for several months, she mapped out post-office drop points so that Jerry, her husband, could mail her supplies.

In late May, somewhere in the Smoky Mountains of Virginia, Cupp was confronted with something she couldn’t possibly have prepared for. She had completed 700 miles, roughly the distance from Columbia to Denver, when she learned her sister was seriously ill. She chose to abort the hike. Having quit her job for the hike turned out to be a gift because she was able to be with her sister during the final year of her life.

“To me that’s the message — go with the flow,” she says. “Life gives you these opportunities, but you don’t always know it at the time.”

In 2004, Cupp returned to the Appalachian Trail to hike its final 50 miles with her dear friend Jean Deeds. They were celebrating the 10th anniversary of Deeds’ hike, which Deeds chronicles in There are Mountains to Climb. It was Deeds who first inspired Cupp’s dream to hike the trail — and set “Show-Me Naomi” on a quest for the hero within. columbiahomeMagazine.com columbiahomeMagazine.com| |7373

The Daily Cycle Judy Knudson says she’s not particularly religious, but her adventures riding a bike have transported her to heaven, hell and points in between. She has witnessed spectacular vistas in the most unsuspecting places, connected with kindred spirits from all walks of life and endured the wilderness of a lonely road.

In one such journey, she found herself channeling a friend who had told her she’d pray for her. Knudson was crossing the state line from Utah to Colorado under a blazing July sun. Parched and queasy, she huffed into a headwind that offered little relief from the 100-degree heat.

"I was thinking, 'Okay girlfriend, if you're going to help out, now's the time.' Immediately one cloud comes out and covers the sun, and the temperature on my bike thermometer drops 10 degrees instantly. This is the strangest thing that ever happened to me. The cloud followed me 10 miles into the lunch station. It never moved."

Knudson was on one of two coast-to-coast rides in a cycling career that has spanned 47 states, eight countries and three continents. Not too shabby for a woman who started cycling later in life.

Knudson was in her mid-50s when her husband, Dennis, promised dinner anywhere in the world if she quit smoking for a year. She set her sights on Paris. Five months and several pounds later, she talked Dennis into retrieving their neglected bicycles from the basement. She had never done anything athletic in her life.

“We went for two miles on the Katy Trail, and I thought I was going to die,” she says. “I had to sit by the side of the road and wait for him to come back. The thing was, it scared me that I was in such horrible physical shape.”

Whether driven by fear or work ethic, she began cycling daily. Her only requirement was that she matches the effort of the day before. “When I would get to that point, I would talk myself into going five minutes more,” she says. “I didn’t know at that point that five minutes is about a mile.”

Three months later she had talked two friends into joining a ride across Missouri. They had no idea what they were in for. Knudson had never camped in a tent before, and her 40-pound Schwinn was no match for the terrain. She didn’t even know about the sag wagon, a vehicle that picks up anyone who needs a break. When she finally rolled over the finish line, she was in tears.

“That was a big moment,” she says. “It was one of the hardest things I ever did and probably the most rewarding.

Every bit as painful but longer lasting than giving birth.”

What keeps her going, she says, is the enormous sense of accomplishment and the lifelong friendships she’s made along the way. There’s an energy about Knudson that’s contagious, and the group rides she leads on Saturday mornings through Walt’s Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Company are a testament to her passion for cycling.

“Know that 10 miles down the road you’re going to feel better,” she says. “It’s amazing. All your senses are engaged: smells, sounds and sights you don’t get from a car.” She smiles broadly with a faraway look in her eyes.

“Sometimes you just have to stop and look around and go, ‘Wow.’” 74 | June/July 2011

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 75

Here’s How to Get Started Bicycling

Walt’s Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Company: group rides • Group rides on Saturdays led by Judy Knudson. Email Judy at judyknudy@aol.com or call Walt’s at (573) 886-9258 • For more information visit www.waltsbikeshop.com and click on Get Outside for a guide to area cycling Cycle Extreme Bicycle Warehouse: bike rentals • Located one block from the MKT trail in Columbia.

• Half-day rentals are $20 and full-day rentals are $35 • Call (573) 874-7044 or visit www.cyclex.com for more information PedNet: Confident City Cycling classes • A nine-hour adult class that covers bike safety, laws, rules of the road, crash avoidance, bike handling and maintenance.

• $25 per session or $80 for all four • June sessions are each Wednesday evening • September sessions run on Thursday evenings • Go to www.pednet.org for more information

Camping, Hiking and Mountain Climbing

Alpine Shop: free guided hikes • Free hikes lead by Brennan VanMatre and Jim Yancey on Sundays throughout the summer and fall • Additional weekend tours designed to help hikers and campers get off on the right foot.

• Call (573) 817-2955, visit www.alpineshop.com, or visit them on Facebook at Alpine Shop Columbia for more information.

Fly Fishing

Bass Pro Shop: fly casting clinic • Basic fly casting clinics are held in the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Department from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays this summer through October.

• Classes are free and offered on a first come, first serve basis weather permitting • Staff members are happy to help with questions and offer unscheduled instruction as well • Call (573) 886-7100 or visit www.basspro.com for more information

Rock Climbing

Bouldering Garden: beginner climbing classes • Located on Saint Charles Road in Columbia • A day pass to the Bouldering Garden is $15, which includes shoe rental and chalk bag, or $10 with out rentals • Beginner classes are offered every night for walk-ins. $25-$35 per student.

• For more information call (573) 474-4997 or visit www. theboulderinggarden.com MU Student Recreation Complex: climbing tower and bouldering wall • The climbing and bouldering wall, Scroggs Peak and Brewer Butte, are open in the summer Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.

• Must purchase a membership to the recreation complex and a $34 yearly pass to use the facilities • Climbers must attend a belay certification class before purchasing a pass if they wish to use the climbing wall.

• For more information visit www.mizzourec.com/facilities

Canoeing and Kayaking

Mighty Mo Canoe Rentals: guided trips • Guided trips offered on Saturdays, May through October, along a 6.6-mile stretch of the Missouri River.

• The four-hour trip is $35 per person.

• Custom trips are available • Visit www.mighty-mo.com for more information Alpine Shop: canoeing and kayaking classes • Canoe classes $20-$30 • Beginning kayaking around $75 for beginners • Lead by staff member John Holdmeir.

• Go to www.alpineship.com, call (573) 817-2955 or visit Alpine Shop Columbia on Facebook for more information

Caving

Chouteau Grotto • The local affiliate of the National Speleological Library meets at 7 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month at the Daniel Boone Regional Library.

• Members can offer guidance regarding caving and loaner equipment.

• Contact Kirsten Alvey at cavechef@gmail.com for more information 76 | June/July 2011

Water Skiing

Issiah’s Run Water Sports: water skiing lessons and coaching • Located in Owensvill, Mo. • Water skiing lessons from certified staff for $40 each or three lessons for $100 • Summer camps for children ages 8 to 18 during June and July.

• Call (573) 437-2268 or visit www.isaiahsrun.com for more information

Zip Lining

Eco Zipline Tours • Located in New Florence, Mo. • Eco-friendly canopy tours for children and adults.

• The Easy Rider rises 30 feet off the ground and is $40 per person • The High Flyer is for ages 12 and older. It is 225 feet high and $75 per person.

• Tours are open to the public on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Call (314) 456-1444 or visit www.ecoziplinetours.com for more information.

Lasting Relationships, Quality Workmanship

Landscape Design • Installation • Hardscapes • Professional Grounds Maintenance • Irrigation • Outdoor Lighting • Turf Fertilization / Weed Control

Serving Central MO Since 2004 • www.truescapemo.com

Columbia (573)214-0767 • Jefferson City (573)256-0074 • Fulton (573)592-7857

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 77

The Gardener Guy Gives Stealing the Go-Ahead Paul James, of HGTV fame, shows Columbians how its public gardens can be inspiration for their own outdoor projects.

By Dianna Borsi O’Brien

W

ith his bushy eyebrows and mustache, Paul James, “The Gardener Guy,” offered advice and simple, natural garden solutions on HGTV’s Gardening by the Yard from 1995 to 2009 and now via reruns and online. With his trademark humor, he’s offering more gardening advice, this time about stealing — ideas that is.

James loves visiting public gardens, citing both Powell Gardens near Kansas City and the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

“They’re worth the drive,” he says. James goes on to point out that public gardens can serve as inspiration for home gardens. “You can steal ideas you can put to work in your yard,” he says.

Closer to home, public gardens include the Mizzou Botanic Garden at the MU campus, Shelter Insurance Gardens, Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture’s Demonstration Garden and Urban Farm, the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield and Chance Gardens in Centralia.

Public gardens provide an opportunity, James says, to gather ideas about local plant selections, combinations and irrigation.

“They are an endless source of ideas,” he says.

Because public gardens typically feature well-labeled plants, you can note the name of the plants and visit your local nursery or shop online, which James says he does often to find out-of-the-ordinary plants.

Another benefit of a public garden, he says, is there’s no pressure to buy.

“You can pack a lunch and enjoy a completely different learning experience,” James says.

Although public gardens can seem overwhelming, he says there’s always an idea or area you can mimic in your home and yard.

78 | June/July 2011

To help you find solutions to your garden quandaries, Columbia Home asked James for some tips about gardening in Columbia.

Mid-Missouri soils feature either clay or sand. Help!

You have two choices, James says; you can choose plants suited to the soil you have, or you can amend the soil. You don’t have to transform all of your property, he says, only the areas where you’ll be planting. You’ll need to add organic matter, either by making your own through composting or by buying it.

Columbia features two kinds of weather: flooding or drought. Again, James points out two options: irrigate or plant drought-tolerant plants.

What can be done about soggy/poor drainage areas?

For soggy soils or areas with poor drainage the three choices are to spend money to bring in soil; create drainage pipes such as French drains to eliminate the problem; or choose plants that like wet feet such as cattails, Japanese sweet flag, Louisiana iris, willows and cypress trees, which come in weeping, cascading and smaller versions.

What do you think of planting natives?

“I’m not on the native plant band wagon,” James says. He advocates mixing natives and well-adapted non-natives. One of his favorite shrubs is Viburnum, which includes several native species as well as non-native varieties. Viburnums, James says, offer four-season interest, berries for the birds, immunity to pests and are available in a variety of sizes.

My dogs have beaten the grass down to the soil, but I love my puppies. James advises reconciling yourself to bare soil. No turf is hard enough to withstand the foot traffic of large dogs. Consider barriers or dividing the yard with a portion allocated to the dogs and some for the gardener in the family.

What are the best perennials/natives to attract butterflies? “It’s hard to beat the butterfly bush. It brings a kazillion butterflies, and that’s a lot of butterflies,” says James, demonstrating his trademark humor. Other James-favored butterfly beacons include Penstemon such as the native version, Penstemon digitalis, hyssop and the Missouri primrose.

What are some good shade plants — other than hostas — that bloom? “I’m the No. 1 fan of hardy ferns,” James says, including the hayscented, shield, ostrich fern, cinnamon, royal and the autumn fern — his favorite. Some spread but are not invasive. Other options include the slow-growing ground cover Canadian ginger as well as heucheras and tiarellas.

Solutions for moles? In his 15 years of personal appearances, James says this remains the most common question. Again, he offers two options. “Frequent urination in the yard,” he says, suggesting a keg party after sundown. If that isn’t an option, he recommends Chase, a castor oil product. However, it is a repellent, so it will drive the moles out of your yard and into your neighbor’s. But, he says, if you have an annoying neighbor, and most of us do, that might be OK. Other options include traps or targeting the grubs that moles eat via a milky spore that kills the grubs; however, that option is not effective immediately. columbiahomeMagazine.com | 79

Nearby Public Gardens Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture The Urban Farm, 1209 Smith St. Demonstration Garden, 1211 E. Ash St. Columbia, Mo. • (573) 514.4174 www.columbiaurbanag.org • info@columbiaurbanag.org Go: Within walking distance of Columbia’s arts district, this nonprofit is dedicated to showing people how to grow food right at home. Headquartered at 214 St. Joseph St., the CCUA also has an Urban Farm at 1209 Smith St., off College Avenue.

See: At the Demonstration Garden, you see more than a hundred varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers, says Billy Polansky, CCUA market staff coordinator. The garden highlights a variety of ways to grow items, such as using trellises for tomatoes. It’s a place to get ideas, Polansky says, including how to raise chickens. The Urban Farm is larger and gives visitors an opportunity to buy food as well as see how it was grown.

Learn: At the Demonstration Garden you’ll see how you can grow food in your own yard and what plants grow and produce during the different seasons. You’ll get hands-on learning from CCUA employees, interns and volunteers. Learn the difference between weeds, how to plant seeds and other related skills.

Do: At the Demonstration Garden, there is a self-guided pamphlet to guide you through a walk through the corner lot. At the Urban Farm, you’ll be able to get your hands dirty by volunteering from 3:30 p.m. until dark on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. Plans are in the works for weekly potlucks, market days and workshops, with dates to be posted on calendar on the CCUA’s website.

Mizzou Botanic Garden University of Missouri campus, Columbia, Mo. • (573) 882.4240 www.gardens.missouri.edu • gardens@missouri.edu Always open, no admission Go: Without fences or entry fees, the Mizzou Botanic Garden is unique with its mixture of landscaped gardens within the historic setting of the University of Missouri.

See: Established in 1999, the 740-acre MBG is known for its outstanding displays of perennials, woody shrubs and trees, including Missouri natives such as hickory, chestnut and pawpaw trees. The garden includes six trees that have been named state champions by the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Learn: Pete Millier, director of the Mizzou Botanic Garden, says his goal is to engage any one of the more than 30,000 students for at least one minute during their time at MU and for them to realize the importance of horticulture in their lives. (These same students are the reason he overseeds the grass each spring and fall to keep up with the wear and tear.) With 6,000 trees and 650 varieties of other perennials, the garden provides outstanding, sustainable displays of landscaping. The garden also has the state’s largest collection of Plants of Merit, what Millier calls “goof-proof” plants.

Although labels do go missing, most plants are marked.

Do: Guided tours are available, but you can do just what the students do; sunbathe, play Frisbee, stroll, picnic or enjoy the sites on the Francis Quadrangle including the museums, historic buildings and the statue of Thomas Jefferson.

80 | June/July 2011

Shelter Insurance Gardens 1817 W. Broadway, Columbia, Mo. • (573) 214.4595 www.shelterinsurance.com/SPS/public/about_shelter_gardens Go: This free-admission, 6-acre garden is just west of downtown Columbia on Broadway. Started by Shelter employee Scotty Garrett, the gardens were dedicated in 1975.

See: The gardens are a must-see, says Joy Long, superintendent of grounds for Shelter Insurance. In addition to the waterways with Japanese Koi, visitors can enjoy rose, perennial, shade, desert, conifer, shrub and sensory gardens.

Learn: With most of the items labeled, visitors can learn about various plants as well as about history. The garden also features a oneroom school house and hosts various educational field trips.

Do: In addition to strolling and relaxing, visitors can picnic and hold family gatherings. During the summer free concerts are held there on Sunday evenings. The gardens are a popular wedding venue as well. The gardens are open from dawn to dusk weather permitting.

farther afield Chance Gardens 319 Sneed St., Centralia, Mo. • (573) 682.5513 Go: Roughly 25 miles from Columbia, Chance Garden, established in 1936, is the oldest public garden in Boone County. The adjacent Rose Garden was established in 1995 and contains more than 450 different varieties of Hybrid Tea, Floribunda and Grandiflora roses.

See: The original garden includes a Chinese-influenced grotto and other Asian influenced features including a pergola, a stone arch and lily pond with koi, says James Lee, the horticulturist who has overseen the gardens for 22 years.

Learn: All the annuals, perennials and roses are labeled, which lets you see, and smell, a rose before you decide to give it space in your garden.

Do: Covering three-quarters of an acre, both gardens are open all day during every season and include seating, so you can stroll, picnic or just sit and enjoy. The gardens are handicapped accessible.

worth the drive Missouri Botanical Garden 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. www.mobot.org • (314) 577.5100 $8 adults, free for children 12 and under Go: Roughly two hours from Columbia, the Missouri Botanical Garden, founded in 1859, is the oldest botanical garden in continuous operation in the nation. It is widely considered to be one of the top three botanical gardens in the world, says Karen Hill, Missouri Botanical Garden public information officer.

See: The 79 acres of landscaped displays include indoor conservatories and historic structures. Other sights include a geodesic dome that houses a tropical rain forest, a Japanese Garden and a new exhibit with nine ground-level tree houses to mark the U.N. International Year of Forests. The garden also includes Tower Grove House, the 1850 country home of founder Henry Shaw.

Learn: The garden now includes a “TREEmendous Interactive Discovery Center,” with hands-on exhibits for visitors of all ages designed to highlight the important roles of trees and forests. The Missouri Botanical Garden is home to several state champion and historic trees. At the Kemper Center for Home Gardening, visitors can talk with one of the gardens “Plant Doctors,” see 23 residential-sized display gardens or browse the gardening reference book library.

Do: The garden features a store and café and offers a 25-minute, $4 per person narrated tram tour and a free guided walking tour. A three-hour minimum is suggested for a visit.

Powell Gardens 1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50, Kingsville, Mo. (816) 697.2600 • www.powellgardens.org 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., May – September $9.50 for adults, $4 for children Go: Roughly two and a half hours west of Columbia, a former dairy farm, Boy Scout camp and horticultural and natural resource facility, Powell Gardens was established in 1988 and includes more than 900 acres.

See: In sync with the trend of edible gardens, Powell Gardens has one of the largest edible landscapes in the United States, opened in 2009. This area, called the Heartland Harvest Garden, includes a garden designed by Rosalind Creasy, author of The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping, who pioneered the idea that food gardening should be done in the front yard and could be beautiful as well as productive.

Learn: “Visitors can be inspired and see how functional and beautiful an edible garden can be,” says Callen Fairchild Zind, director of marketing and events at Powell Gardens.

Do: The gardens include a fountain area where children can run through the water, a 3.25-mile nature trail, walkways and a café and two gift shops. columbiahomeMagazine.com | 81

diy | lanterns

The Outdoor Décor

With a few balloons, a little twine and a lot of glue, these DIY lanterns are yours for the making.

By K at r i n a Ta u c h e n | P h oto s by J a r e d W o r t m a n

1.

We all love the simple projects that can be thrown together

Start by blowing up balloons to desired size. Keep in mind that the size of your balloon dictates the

in a snap with little time, effort and cleanup. Sometimes,

size of your lanterns balls. Some

however, the fun is worth a lengthier process and the results

grouped together. It’s also helpful

size variety looks nice when they’re not to blow up the balloons all the

are worth the colossal mess. Take a go at these DIY lanterns

way. Less air makes for rounder

before your next outdoor party. No one will believe you made

balloons.

them yourself.

Her e ’ s wh at yo u ’ l l n e e d to g e t s tarted: • 5 to 6 balloons, blown up in various sizes • large tarp • scissors • twine, hemp or cotton yarn • 4 ounces basic white glue • ½ cup cornstarch • ¼ cup warm water • petroleum jelly • clear, fast-drying spray paint

2.

If you plan to place a lantern light in your finished lanterns, draw a circle on the top of each balloon large

• lantern lights or white twinkle lights (optional)

enough to accommodate the lighting fixture. If you’re not planning to light the lanterns or you’d prefer to stuff them with a simple strand of twinkle lights, you can skip this step.

3.

To prepare your work surface, lay a large tarp on the floor (or outside), and set up a place where balloons can be suspended from the air to dry. A shower bar works well for this.

4.

Mix glue, cornstarch and warm water in a large container until all lumps are gone. Then cover each balloon in petroleum jelly. Using rubber gloves for this step cuts down on the mess.

82 | June/July 2011

5.

Feed the twine through the glue mixture until it is coated and then start draping it around the balloon. Tuck the end pieces under other pieces of twine. Wrap the ball vertically to a comfortable tightness, then horizontally. Once ball is wrapped to your liking, use a piece of twine to suspend it from the shower bar or drying space of your choosing.

6.

Allow balls to dry for 24 hours. Then, pop the balloons. Use a pen or pencil to remove any blobs of glue that might be stuck between the strings. Spray the balls with clear, fastdrying spray paint. Once they’re dry, insert the lights and you’re ready to put them on display.

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book club | the bird sisters

Quirky Humor, Emotional Honesty Review of The Bird Sisters, by Rebecca Rasmussen

Photo courtesy of amazon

R e v i e w e d by K e i j a Pa r s s i n e n

Rebecca Rasmussen’s debut novel, The Bird Sisters, is a lovely, slim book set in 1947 Spring Green, Wis. The richly drawn characters give the story verve: headstrong and brave Twiss; her good and kind sister, Milly; their disappointed mother and irresponsible father; and cousin Bett, a homely straight-talker who comes to stay with the family for the summer and whose presence upsets the precarious balance struck between the unhappy parents. The narrative alternates between the sisters’ childhood and their twilight years, when they find themselves still living on the family homestead they had each hoped to leave — Twiss through travel and adventure, Milly through marriage and a family of her own. But life does not unfold as they imagined it would, and so years later, they are still one another’s chief companion. Readers follow them as they roam the house, barn and meadow and reflect on the past and the events that have delivered them into their present lives. Occasionally, the playful narration moves close to affectation, particularly in dialogued moments between the parents and their daughters.

The story abounds with quirky humor, but there are also well-wrought moments of emotional honesty, which Rasmussen delivers consistently in scenes between Twiss, Milly and Bett. Milly's life-changing choice, on which much of the book’s meaning rests, makes the sisters’ later lives difficult for the reader to accept, but it is moving. Rasmussen is a powerful storyteller who possesses a gift for documenting with subtlety the crumbling of a family.

Author Q&A Taken from audience questions and author answers at Rasmussen’s May reading at PS:Gallery, sponsored by Get Lost Bookshop How did you come up with the idea for the book?

It is my grandmother’s story. She lost both her parents when she was 16 and spent her life trying to get over the loss. She felt stunted by what happened, and it solidified in her a feeling of melancholy and sadness. When she died, she left her journals. I knew I wanted to write it when I looked at my grandmother’s journals. Once I read through them and put them away and synthesized the information, I was ready to start. My grandmother was very much Twiss.

How did you balance the research you did with the imaginative work of the book?

The heart of the story was timeless to me — what it’s like to live on a farm. The houses in Spring Green, Wis., where I grew up, don’t look much different now than they did in 1947. I also looked at hundreds of old pictures. I tried to figure out what kind of tractors they might have used back then. The fact checker at the publishing house helped out. But I don’t think a writer should be so tied to accuracy that you lose your story.

Whose voice did you enjoy writing more: mischievous Twiss or good Milly?

Twiss was so much fun to write. I was more of a Milly, always doing as I was told, so it was great to write a bold character such as Twiss. But Milly was really heartbreaking. She has so much goodness; she represents such sacrifice. I felt so close to both of the girls by the end.

Keija Parssinen received an M.F.A. in fiction from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote fellow. Her debut novel, Against the Kings of Salt, will be published by Harper Perennial in January 2012. Keija directs the Quarry Heights Writers' Workshop, a community for Columbia's creative writers.

To find out more about the workshop, please visit the QHWW website, quarryheightsworkshop.blogspot.com.

F eatured clu b Founded in 2009 by Judge Leslie Schneider, this month’s featured book club selects the majority of its titles from the New York Times Books section. “I wanted to meet with a group downtown to discuss stimulating ideas, similar to what a lot of men's groups do over coffee or lunch,” Schneider says. “I thought that meeting to discuss books, especially books that we might not read or that might become classics, would be ideal.”

The group was impressed by the way that author Elizabeth Strout developed her characters through a series of short stories in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Olive Kitteridge and were drawn into David Mitchell’s vision of mysterious 18th-century Japan in The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. Of the club, newest member Mary Epping says: “I was at first intimidated. It can be difficult to join an established book club, especially when the current members have known each other for years. But I found these women to be inviting and encouraging. They argue and disagree with each other but laugh the whole time. To me, the best book clubs are made up of people who are willing to give their honest feedback on a book and have open dialogue about what was written and how their own life experiences reflect or contradict what the author is trying to say.”

Do you belong to a book club you’d like to see featured in Columbia Home?

Tell us about it on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ColumbiaHome

Members From Left: Mary Epping (attorney), Jean Goldstein (attorney), Leslie Schneider (judge), Kandice Johnson (law school professor), Christine Carpenter (judge), Anna Lingo (attorney) and Amy Markel (attorney, not pictured).

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 85

entertainment | family fun

Fun to be Had

It's time we all start thinking creatively when it comes to entertainment. A night out on the town doesn't always need to be relegated to dinner and a movie. We have options, people. Here are a few events, places and things happening in Columbia we think you should try.

Artrageous Fridays Artrageous Fridays is a self-guided tour of the local arts. A mix of pub crawl, shop hop experience, art lesson and dance show, this event will take you through the best artistic expressions that Columbia has to offer, all in one night. July 22, 6 – 9 p.m. Artrageousfridays.com

Broken Gait Trail Rides Experience Missouri's natural beauty by horseback. Trail locations include Big River Ranch, Three Creeks, Katy Trail, Cedar Creek, Prairie Home Conservation Area and more. No experience necessary. Riders ages 7 and up. Check the website for itineraries, packages and special events. www.brokengaittrailrides.com (573) 796-3789

interactive art at Artrageous Fridays

S o m uch to do, S o lit t l e t ime

Fire in the Sky This 4th of July, join the tradition of Fire in the Sky at Memorial Stadium. The 59th annual Independence Day celebration has live music and children’s games as a precursor to the choreographed fireworks display. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.

Hot Summer Nights BOLD. ADVENTUROUS. MUSIC. Experience the creative energy of the Hot Summer Nights Music Festival at the historic Missouri Theatre with brave new concert events that will make you rethink classical music as you know it. Brilliant performances. Guest artists from around the world join the MSO to create a truly global music fest. www.motheatre.org/calendar/ 86 | June/July 2011

Kid’s Art Series at MU Museum of Art and Archeology Kids Series: World of Art is an interactive series to get kids interested in art. Every Thursday from 2:-3:30 p.m. this summer, kids can explore the museum's collection and create their own works of art for free. (Limit two children per accompanying adult) Pre-registration required.

(573) 882-3591 Family Fun Fests at Flat Branch Park 4th & Cherry & Locust Streets Mark your calendars! This new family event will transform Flat Branch Park into fun central with a new theme each month! Entertainment for the entire family will feature music, special performances, art activities, bouncehouses, hands-on activities, balloon-animals, face painting and guaranteed fun for all ages. June 17: Stream Extravaganza. July 15: Circus Night (573) 874-7460 Galactic Fun Zone at 3412 Grindstone Parkway GFZ has a 3,500 square feet Star Battle Laser Tag room.

Enjoy the Neptune Boom, which is a killer eight-lane bowling alley and the 60 game arcade area, not to mention some of the best wings in Columbia. (573) 777-3861

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 87

88 | June/July 2011

Helping Joplin The City of Joplin has suffered devastating destruction to the place they call home. Our hearts go out to the residents who lost their loved ones and all of their possessions.

Columbia Home wants to help, and you can to. Here are a few easy ways that you can make a difference.

Three Ways to Give Through United Way:

photos provided by Novo Studio, out of Rogers, Ar, courtesy of united way.

1.

Touch to Give: text “JOPLIN� to 864833 to instantly donate $10 from your phone

United Way at 2. Call (573) 443-4523 and donate over the phone donations are 3. Online accepted at uwheartmo.org

columbiahomeMagazine.com | 89

90 | June/July 2011

on the web | staff picks

For the Love of Food

Food is no longer the elusive domain of well-versed restaurateurs and professionally trained chefs.

With well-stocked kitchens and some homegrown know-how, these bloggers are sharing their palatable fare, top-notch presentation and mouth-watering photography with an audience of hungry readers.

By K at r i n a Ta u c h e n | P h oto s by Ko h l e r C r e at e d

Kohler Created | kohlercreated.com/blog Jessica and Neil Kohler, the husband-and-wife team behind the blog Kohler Created, are newlyweds whose blog documents the goings on in their personal lives, work and, perhaps most impressive, their kitchen. The blog is loaded with helpful information; everything from camping to gardening to healthy living tips can be found on the pages. But the duo’s food posts and photography are what really take the cake. As a food blog, it rivals the pros and inspires even the most takeout-dependent anti-cooks to dust off the old oven and make a go with at least one dish from a vast library of recipes. In addition to the beautiful photography (a gorgeous photo of devilled eggs from a recent post was exceptionally impressive — particularly because making any sort of egg look appetizing on camera is a monumental task), Kohler Created includes a fair amount of health-conscious recipes (80 for vegetarian fare alone) that feature some of the best ingredients to be found in mid-Missouri, and step-by-step photos help cooking novices follow along without too much intimidation. And it doesn’t hurt that the website itself is pretty snazzy, too. The Kohlers’ experience in Web design and development is clear from the overall layout, design and functionality of the site.

P eople You Should F ollow Connect to Columbia at twitter.com.

@comocollective The CoMo Collective tweets about local events and city news and updates on blog posts from local bloggers. @stephenscollege For events, exhibits and news from Stephens College

I Cook Therefore I Am icookthereforeiam.weebly.com Who doesn’t love a good Descartes reference in a wonderfully foodie blog title? At I Cook Therefore I Am, blogger Tyler Sangermano shares a pure passion for cooking with anyone and everyone who stumbles across her site. With upbeat posts and personal stories and memories tied to particular recipes, Tyler’s philosophy on food seems to be much more about discovery and enjoyment than work or obligation. Crisp, bright photos help carry the cheery air of the site, and a sprinkling of pop culture references and clever quips remind you what it’s like to have a friend with you in the kitchen.

@AddSheet Always good for a sneak peek (or needed reminder) of some of the best deals in town @PatricChocolate Because we could all use a little more chocolate in our lives

Katrina Tauchen is an avid blogger and Google Reader devotee.

You can read about her latest home and kitchen adventures at www.splashofsomething.com.

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city scene | reveal party

Columbia Home April/May Reveal Party

Jaren Flynn, Betsy Bell and Heather Brown

Chadd Spencer, Jaren Flynn, Justin O'Neal, Sara Riek and Beau Aero

Becky McHugh

Mike Boicourt and Judy Freeman Kate Gunn and Scott Wilson

Jim and Glenda Hall

Tracy Lane and Aaron Rose

92 | June/July 2011

Barb Schlemeier and Alfredo Mubarah Heather Smithee, fjksla; wwj jipo

Dave Baugher

On April 28, Columbia Home magazine celebrated the reveal of the Women at Work issue with a party at The Vault.

Red carpet arrivals, a performance by DJ Tracy Lane, fashion show by Stephens College and the best of Columbia society made this one of the best parties of the season.

city scene | reveal party

Models from Stephens College

Mills Menser

Deanna Dikeman, the evening's winner of the $500 gift certificate from Buchroeder's

PhotoS courtesy of David Owens

Judy Freeman, Alfredo Mubarah and Barb Glenn

Libby and Mary Stauffer

Lesley Crane and Tracy Barnes

Zach and Kate Harrison

The stage was set at The Vault

columbiahomemagazine.com | 93

city scene | La petite ecole and columbia art league

La Petite Ecole Soiree Gourmande Fundraiser Bec Rennick and Natalie Lowrey

Stacia Schaefer, Kurt Schaefer and George Pfenenger

Kate Hebert, Archana Ramaswamy, Sharon Bachwan and Rumi Faizer

La Petite Ecole, Columbia's French Immersion preschool, held it's Fourth Annual Soirée Gourmande fundraising event at the home of Joni and George Pfenenger on April 16.

Tom Ratterman, Orlando Heredia and Greg Zimmerschied Célia Isoard and Lucile Delvallée

Cal Red Party Bob Pittman, Claire Baffaut, Dana Drake, Heinrich Leonhard and Aimee Leonhar Chloe Jiang and Jake Johnson

Mike Sleadd, Barbara Hoppe and Dan Goldstein

Columbia Art League painted the town red with a party that marked the opening of the "Red" exhibition.

94 | June/July 2011

Joel Anderson and Lisa Rose

Tom O'Connor and Diana Moxon

city scene | MCB's Dancing with missouri stars

Dancing with Missouri Stars

Dan Hoernschemeyer, Cynthia Anderson and David Orr Wendy Howe and Barb Schlemeier

Ashley Mayer, Gina, Billy Giordano

Mark Grundy and Doug Pugh

Darlene Huff, Megan Murphy and Wanda Northway

Carol Moseley, Ann Smith and Emily Albertson

Mary and Rich Blattner, Amy Pugh

Missouri Contemporary Ballet's event at Hearnes Center was every bit of a glamorous and fun night!

Fernando Rodriguez, Karen Grundy and Beau Aero

Becky McHugh and Connie Pugh

columbiahomemagazine.com | 95

Home Bound

Hendrik

Isabel

Ag e : 3 years old B r e e d : Dutch Shepherd Mix T e m p e r a m e n t : All-around wonderful dog. He can run and have fun, hang out nearby or cuddle up with you. He just wants to be with you, whatever you are doing.

Ag e : 9 months old B r e e d : Chow/Beagle Cross T e m p e r a m e n t : Outgoing and loves attention, very active-will need room to run and play. Good with kids, cats and dogs.

Female, spayed and housebroken.

Sunshine

Bonkers

S i nat r a

Ko b i

Ag e : 3 years old B r e e d : Domestic Short Hair T e m p e r a m e n t : Male, neutered. Loves other cats, a sweetheart, loves to cuddle.

Ag e : 3 years old B r e e d : Coonhound/Heeler Cross T e m p e r a m e n t : Neutered male, loves to sing, would do well in an active home, good with kids.

96 | June/July 2011

These friendly faces are at the Central Missouri Humane Society,

Ag e : 2 years old B r e e d : Basset/Lab Cross T e m p e r a m e n t : Bonkers is neutered, hosebroken, silly and happy, a social butterfly, tolerant and affectionate, would be a great family dog.

Ag e : 1 year old B r e e d : Shiba Inu/Chow Cross T e m p e r a m e n t : Kobi is outgoing, loves attention, really sweet and easy going.

ADVERTISER INDEX Academy of Fine Arts.........................................87 Academy of Early Childhood Learning................62 Air Quality Expert...............................................34 Albright Heating & Air Conditioning................... 41 All Vacuum Care.................................................57 Anastasia Pottinger Photography.......................50 Angelique Photography......................................75 Ashley Furniture............................................26,27 Bleu Restaurant & Wine Bar...............................20 Boone County National Bank...............................3 Boone Hospital Center....................................... 10 Buchroeder's............................................... 36,100 Calena's Fashions.............................................. 21 The Callaway Bank.............................................99 Carole Patterson Photography........................... 61 Carpet One........................................................50 City of Columbia Water & Light..........................90 Clean Air Solutions............................................90 Columbia Facial Plastic Surgery......................... 71 Family Fun Fests................................................84 Columbia Welcome!........................................... 21 Commerce Bank...........................................92-95 Custom Surface Designs.................................... 71

David Owens Photography................................. 41 Designer Kitchens & Baths.................................77 Downtown Appliance...........................................2 Dr. Gregory Croll................................................57 Dr. Willett...........................................................39 Fechtel Beverage & Sales Inc...............................7 Focus on Learning..............................................63 Girl Boutique......................................................35 Hockman Interior Design................................... 61 House of Brokers...............................................75 Innovative Designs.............................................48 Interior Design Associates................................. 21 Isle of Capri........................................................25 JC Mattress........................................................97 Joe Machens Dealerships. ...................................4 Johnston Paint & Decorating Direct....................96 Kerry Bramon Remodeling & Design.................. 19 Kliethermes Homes..............................................5 Majestic Homes & Remodeling..........................83 Martellaro Marble & Granite...............................47 Mary Moss.........................................................49 McAdams Limited..............................................56 Meeks Lumber...................................................37

Mid-City Lumber Co...........................................70 Mid-West Remodeling........................................63 Moon Valley Massage Therapy........................... 81 Organize that Space...........................................49 Outdoor Occasions............................................ 81 Pasta Factory.....................................................33 Petals for You.....................................................49 Pure Audio.........................................................57 Shelter Life Insurance - Mike Messer.................69 Songbird Station................................................47 Spillman Contracting.........................................88 Superior Garden Center/Rost Landscaping.......87 Sycamore...........................................................35 Tallulah's............................................................46 Taylor Allen Photography.................................... 31 The French Laundry & Alterations......................29 The Schaefer House...........................................55 The Strand.........................................................55 Truescape Landscaping......................................77 University of Missouri Health Care.......................6 We Always Swing Jazz Series.............................88 Williams & Hussey Eyecare..................................8 Windows Walls & Design....................................69 Wood Pro...........................................................60

Columbia Home & Lifestyle magazine is published by The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, Mo., 65202. (573) 499-1830 Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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columbiahomeMagazine.com | 97

the last word | teri cantwell

Meant for Something Special Teri Cantwell, an Olympian shot putter, assistant coach for the University of Missouri track team and mother, shares her journey of self-acceptance.

B y T e r i C a n t w e l l | P h oto b y tay lo r a l l e n

O

ne of the best track and field coaches in our nation once said, “Male ballerinas are much like women throwers; society doesn’t accept them for who they are.” Society looks at female ballerinas’ grace and beauty. These are two feminine characteristics.

Society looks at football players’ muscles and toughness. These are two male characteristics.

I weighed 195 pounds. My thigh measured in at 30 inches. I was 14 percent body fat. I bench pressed 265 pounds. I squatted 435 pounds. I power cleaned 275 pounds. My standing long jump was 10 feet. No, I wasn’t a recruit for the Missouri football team. Welcome to my world as a female shot putter.

I grew up in a small rural Nebraska town. My elementary school had eight kids in my class. My two best friends and I were 5’9” in the fifth grade. I grew up surrounded by sports and tall people. I remember when I was 8 years old, I won my first national age group shot put championship. I asked my coach what was the highest award I could win. He responded the Olympic Games. I was hooked; I wanted to be an Olympian.

I never cared about what I looked like because tall women surrounded me. It seemed normal. Junior high came upon me. Boys entered into the picture. One day I was sitting by my two best friends and it occurred to me my thighs were huge. My friends always made me feel normal. It was that moment when I realized my thighs were not a normal female characteristic.

I led the nation coming out of high school in the shot put. I managed to become All-America my first year of college. I just didn’t get much better in my distances. I wasn’t playing all the other sports, so to feel fit I would run long distances. I didn’t know that slow aerobic movements were hurting me. Finally, a good male friend said to me, “Do you want to be skinny, or do you want to be good?” My goodness. I wanted to be good. I realized the 30-inch thighs I had were a blessing. I started doing only workouts that would help my throwing. I became great.

I was eight-time All-America, NCAA champion, U.S.A. champion, world bronze medalist and paid and sponsored by Nike to travel around the world and compete professionally. Finally, my dream came true Sept. 15, 2000, when I walked through a tunnel in Sydney, Australia, to the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. My body was made to do something special.

Why as a young girl had I ever considered the thought I wanted something different? If I can help one girl see this as my friend did for me when I was a freshman, I feel amazing.

I have been around women’s sports since I was 5. I have found women, not only athletes, want their bodies to look different. The cross-country runners are starving themselves to be thinner. The gymnasts are trying to keep their bodies from puberty. The softball players, throwers and cyclists are griping about their thighs. Rowers and swimmers don’t like their shoulders. The list could go on. It seems women in our society want their bodies to be something else. I have turned my motto into: If you are with a guy who doesn’t like your thighs, find someone who does.

I am not advocating eating whatever you want when you want and harming your body. I am advocating that we dance with the one we came with. We should love ourselves, love our bodies. Every body was meant to do something special. Let’s stop beating ourselves up. Every once in awhile, go ahead, girl, eat that cake!

98 | June/July 2011

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