A look inside...
3
5 Spring Gardening
What’s in Your Picnic Basket
11
7 Retiree Spotlight
13 Spring into Summer Festival
Favorite Pizzarias
Editor
Dave Marshall
Spring is here!
Contributors
Alex Zapetis Joyce Ann Acosta Britnee Ohman Claire Saum
Let’s be thankful that snow, ice and all around nasty weather is hopefully behind us.
Publisher
In this issue we review tips for Spring Gardening and also Spring Cleaning. We also have some recipes for unique dishes to put in your picnic basket and a look-in to the upcoming Spring into Summer Festival in Oak Grove.
Creative ink
Creative Director Sears Hallett
Advertising
Kristi Williams 270-484-0463 kristi@creativeinktn.com
Now we can concentrate on Spring.
If you have a craving for pizza, we have reviewed the favorite places to get a pizza in the area, from sit down to take-out. Hope you enjoy this spring edition and we’ll see you in the Summer!
Photography Paula Hallett
Dreamstime Photos: Cover, 5, 11, 12, 14 Deposit Photos: 3, 4, 13, 15
LIke us and share on Facebook facebook.com/retiree-life
Every season brings a different set of chores and joy in the garden. Spring is an exciting time for those of us that like to play in the dirt, as preparations are made for the beauty of the garden as it emerges from winter. However, it can be a bit overwhelming to know how to prioritize your gardening time this time of year. Most gardeners cannot wait for the blooms and buds to appear, but we also need to remember to tend to our lawns as well. It is best to think of your garden as a landscape painting, and include everything that is visible to your eye. Below are some tips from the University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Service and Gardenguides.com to assist you in the care of your garden. Lawn Care This area is considered a transitional zone for grass. This means neither cool nor warm season grasses will thrive year round. If you choose a cool season grass such as fescue, sow seeds in the fall. This gives it two cool seasons to grow before the hot weather sets in. But if you must have grass before the long hot days of summer, choose Bahia or even Bermuda grass. Plugs or sprigs will ensure growth can be established during summer. For established lawns, you should start mowing once a week in the spring. Ensure your mower blades are sharp and cut the grass no shorter than two inches. Once the temperatures start to rise, lengthen the time between cuts and allow the grass to grow longer. This will conserve nutrients and moisture. The rain we receive in the spring should be sufficient for established lawns, and careful monitoring will tell you if you should water more when you have a new lawn. Do not drown your lawn. Staking Stake plants that may be prone to wind damage during the unpredictable spring weather. This is especially true with the tornado watches and warnings we always have every year. Pruning Pruning can be tricky, but it can improve plants’ overall health. Frequently removing older stems encourages a plant to put energy into new growth, keeping the plant young. Be cautious not to over prune and end up with a stick growing from the ground. Deadheading Remove spent flowers from bulbs, but leave the rest of the plant as is for the time being. This will encourage new growth and keep the plant blooming for a longer period of time.
Weeding Pull weeds from your beds and borders before they have a chance to take hold and spread. Weeding can be therapeutic and relaxing. Frustrated with a Family member? Yank a few weeds instead of biting their head off. It can also be a fantastic workout! Compost Tend to your compost pile if it has been neglected over the winter. If you do not have a compost bin, spring is a great time to start one. Leaves, old plant material, leftover vegetable peels and many other things can be composted. You should avoid any animal products or by-products, any oils, fat or grease, and dairy products. Egg shells and used coffee grounds are wonderful additions. About.com has a comprehensive listing of dos and don’ts of starting a compost pile or bin. Composting is the best way to reduce waste and minimize the use of commercialized fertilizers. Fertilize and Mulch Fertilize and mulch beds and borders. Spring is also a good time to fertilize fruit trees. If you applied heavy winter mulch for protection from the cold, you will need to clear it away. The tender shoots of the new spring plants will not be able to get the air or sunlight under the heavy winter cover. Tools Spring is a good time to prepare your tools for the upcoming gardening season and to make any necessary repairs or new purchases. You will be happy you have done so when summer sets in.
There’s crumbs in the couch, dust on the windowsill and grime in the tub. Now that March has come again, it’s the occasion for the time-honored tradition of spring cleaning. It can be a bit of a daunting task with all the different household items that accrue dirt, residue and dust over time, so here are a few tips on what everyone usually misses when tidying up. In the Kitchen Cabinets can quickly become oily after stovetop cooking and with typical use. Make sure to wipe them down with cabinet cream to remove grease and keep the wood moisturized. If your oven gives off a burned smell while preheating, that means it’s about time to clean it as well. Start by chipping off the loose pieces of burned food material in the oven, and use oven cleaner on the burned-on spots, or make your own cleaner by spraying ammonia on trouble spots with a bit of baking soda and white vinegar. Let the cleaner sit until it bubbles up and wipe away with a damp cloth. Your fridge can also get dirty throughout the year, both inside and out. Make sure to take all the shelving out and clean with warm water and soap, and wipe down the other surfaces inside and out with a sponge before replacing the shelving. In the Living Room Carpets are one of the highest-trafficked walking surfaces in most homes, and they can become incredibly dirty over time. The most walked on areas of carpet should be professionally deep-cleaned once or twice a year, and the less traveled areas need only be cleaned every 18 months or so. To keep your painted walls looking fresh, make sure to spot clean them with a damp cloth or sponge, and remove trouble spots with a mild dishwashing liquid. Make sure to clean off patio furniture as well with warm water and a bit of dishwashing detergent. Then hose off the outdoor furniture before replacing their cushions and pillows. In the Bedroom Ceiling fans can easily become one of the dustiest appliances in any home so be sure to use a duster to remove any and all built up dust on fan blades and the light fixtures. Mattresses also build up dander and detritus and should be cleaned by airing out the mattress pad and laundering bedding, and vacuuming the mattress itself. Finally, make sure to clean all baseboards with a sponge and warm soapy water. Remove all the dirt and grime, but don’t leave a baseboard too wet. In the Bathroom Cabinets can be dirty on the outside, but what about inside? Remove the contents of bathroom cabinets and clean the insides with a damp sponge, and be sure to throw out any expired medications and cosmetics before replacing the contents. If you have a tiled shower, make a point to clean these surfaces with a half cup baking soda and two gallons of water mixture. Clean regular shower and tub surfaces with baking soda and a half water half vinegar spray mixture. And don’t forget about the grout! Clean these spaces with a stiff bristled brush with warm water, and for tougher stains use the same half water half vinegar mixture and a bristled brush.
What’s in your picnic basket When you are out running around and having a blast at a local park, you can really work up an appetite. Deciding to pack the perfect picnic basket is a simple and sweet activity that your entire family is sure to love. You can pack just about anything into your basket, but light and refreshing snacks sure do hit the spot on a warm Spring day. If you feel stuck and aren’t sure what to prepare, here are a few awesome recipes to give a go. Which one will be the star of your next day out?
Cowboy Caviar by Joyce Ann Acosta 6 Roma tomatoes • 1 medium onion 1 Jalapeno pepper • 1 large avocado 1 can of corn • 1⁄4 cup cilantro 3 tbsp lime juice • 1⁄4 cup Italian dressing 1 tbsp chopped garlic • 1 tsp salt or more Chop tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and avocado then mix in a large bowl. Add the corn, lime juice, Italian dressing and salt. Serve with your choice of chips.
Caramel Apple Pops Granny Smith Apples • Lemon Juice Skewer Sticks • 1 cup butter or margarine 1 pound light brown sugar 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 cup light corn syrup • 1 pinch salt 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract • Toppings of Choice Wash, core and slice apples (DO NOT peel off the skin! The caramel will not stick the to flesh of the apple.) Soak in lemon juice/water solution for 10 minutes. This keeps the apples from turning brown. (1 cup lemon juice to 1 quart water) Drain and pat dry. Skewer apples on lollipop sticks. (Everything is more fun on a stick, don’t you think?) Return to the refrigerator until you are ready to dip them. Then, make your caramel. In a heavy bottomed non-stick saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Heat to between 234° and 240° F (112° to 116° C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Cook for 2 minutes at that temperature. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Remove the caramel from the heat, and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick spray. Carefully dip each apple slice into the caramel. Only dip the skin of the apple. No matter how hard you try, the caramel will not stick to the flesh of the apple. Dip apples in desired toppings. Delicious Dill Dip 1 cup sour cream (I use light sour cream) • 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes • 1 teaspoon dill weed 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon *Bon Appetit seasoning or Beau Monde Mix ingredients well. Chill and serve with fresh carrots, celery, green or red peppers, snow peas, zucchini or yellow squash and/or potato chips
1stSgt(R) Jefferson Negus This month we had the honor of sitting down with Jefferson Negus for our Retiree Spotlight. We got to discuss his 21 years of service, his adventures after the military, and some of the biggest pieces of advice that he has for transitioning soldiers. What is your military history/background? Jefferson Negus joined in 1993 from Iowa City, Iowa. He went to basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was an Infantryman, 11C. His first duty station was Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Divison. From there, he went to Alaska in 1998 and then was stationed at Fort Campbell in 2001. He deployed with the 2nd Brigade to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. After his deployment, he became a Drill Sergeant at Fort Benning, Georgia. He deployed for a second time from Fort Campbell and returned to Iraq. When he was back stateside, he was sent back to Benning where he was a Senior Instructor for the Maneuver Senior Leader Course. He finished his Army career in 2013 with Fort Bragg and was deployed one final time to Afghanistan. What is a unique military story you would like to share with our readers? “In general, the two things that I enjoyed the most while I was in are the things that I took with me into my transition.” revealed Negus. “I continued to serve Veterans by mentoring them through their transition.” He does this by connecting with them as soon as they are separating from the military so he can help them along in their new journey. “My time as a Drill Sergent were some of the most fulfilling times of my career. I got to take civilians off a bus that were scared and confused. They didn’t have the ability to lead a team, much less be a part of a team. 16 weeks later they are working together and marching in unison. They begin leading each other in some capacity.” What was your experience like transitioning out of the military? “Terrible. I did not get time or assistance from my unit when that time came. I was in Afghanistan 5 months before I was set to retire.” said Negus. At the time, there was not as much emphasis on assisting Soldiers during their separation. “I was planning on returning to Nashville from Fort Bragg, but I did not network like I was supposed to.” Jefferson added that he did not understand the true power of networking when he retired. Due to a lack of networking, he took a job that did not fulfill him at first. 7
What was your next step? Jefferson Negus then reached out to a College of Professional Studies at Lipscomb University where their Veterans Services program was fabulous for him. “I got my Undergrad in Organizational Development in a year in a half.” He also revealed that he completed his MBA in a year as well. That is where he found his career calling. What is your new position and career? “I am starting a brand new job with a cloud-based accounting firm called Reconciled. I will be a team manager. I will be leading a group of 15 to 25 accountants in a virtual setting.” Even though he revealed he has no background in accounting, he will be using the leadership abilities that he gained while in the service to excel in his new position. What is your biggest piece of advice for transitioning Soldiers? “Networking 100%. Find people that have been where you are and have been successful.” Jefferson said. He recommended shifting through all the transitioning material and organizations now to find people that will help you individually. “The best place to get started is LinkedIn. Be bold and reach out to people. Ask them for help, and if they can not help you, ask that they point you in the direction of someone they recommend.” He highly suggests that transitioning Soldiers spend some time figuring out who they are and how they interact with people, teams, and their job. “It is very important that you take some assessments online to help you figure out who you are as a person.” added Jefferson. One source that Jeff raved about during his interview was www.veterati.com. He stated that to this day, he is still close to some of his mentors. Why did you stay in Fort Campbell Area? “Nashville is the greatest city on the planet. It is part big city, part small town.” Jefferson raved that it felt like his hometown, but with better weather. “There is a ton of growth in Nashville right now. The food is great and the music is amazing. There is just so much to do in the area right now.” Before we signed off, Jefferson wanted to extend his contact information for anyone that is transitioning or recently transitioned. He can be found on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/jefferson-negus/) and encourages anyone that has any questions for him to reach out.
Oak Grove Tourism is having its 14th year of the Spring into Summer Festival Salutes Fort Campbell on Memorial Day Weekend. The Spring into Summer Festival Salutes Fort Campbell has been recognized as one of the best festivals in the Southeast region of the United States. Even more impressive, it has been recognized as one of the best festivals internationally! This year the festival dates are May 28th & 29th and it opens at noon on both days. Though it is a festival to support our troops, it is also open to the public. It is a way to thank not only the military and their families but all of the surrounding communities for their continuous support. As a way to show appreciation specifically for Soldiers, they have a basket giveaway where military members have the chance to win a basket full of amazing prizes graciously given by sponsors local to the area. In the past, these baskets have contained prizes such as spa certificates, restaurant certificates, hotel stays, a furniture store voucher, TVs, laptops and even cash. These basket giveaways are reserved for active-duty personnel only. Approximately 40,000 people come from all over the country to enjoy the free festivities including a free concert on Saturday evening. Oak Grove Tourism was excited to make the announcement in March, that Multi-Platinum-Selling Country Music Artist, Dylan Scott will be headlining the concert, garnering the biggest social media response they’ve ever had. To kick off the concert, the FasTrax veteran parachute jumpers display their abilities to the sound of the National Anthem. The concert begins shortly after the parachute jumpers have landed and concludes with a beautiful fireworks display. However, if concerts are not your thing, there are many other free activities throughout the weekend to enjoy. All the stage shows are packed full of adventure from start to finish. The bubble zone is an area perfect for adults and kids alike with pools filled with bubble solution and bubble wands of all kinds. As always there will be free carnival rides for all to enjoy as no tickets or wristbands are required. You can even hang out and take pictures with a talking robot. Your day out could be as simple as walking around, enjoying the May weather, and looking or shopping at the many vendor booths. Because the festival is located in a park, there are many beautiful, shaded areas to sit when you want to get away from the bustling crowds. The Spring into Summer Festival Salutes Fort Campbell is a great way to spend the holiday weekend surrounded by friends and family without breaking the bank. If you would like more information about the festival, you can go to: www.visitoakgroveky.com. If you would like more information on Dylan Scott please go to: www.dylanscottcountry.com
Amber Haze
Jack Honey & Grapefruit This cocktail is just what it sounds like. Two ingredients, one sweet and one tangy, blend together to perfection. Ideally, use fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. This drink is great for summertime, but it’s also a nice little shot of vitamin C, so it could become your winter weather drink for that reason.
1 ounce Jack Honey 3 ounces fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice Put ice in a collins glass and pour in the ingredients. Hpnotiq Breeze The Hpnotiq Breeze is a Hpnotiq-based cocktail. It also features coconut rum and pineapple juice to add to the tropical fruit flavors in the liqueur. The pineapple comes through strongly, along with the coconut and some citrus notes. This is a great poolside drink, or for those days when you dearly wish you could be by a poolside. It’s fun, tasty and pretty, which makes it a hit when you’re entertaining. The little umbrellas are optional.
1 1⁄2 ounces Hpnotiq • 1 ounce Malibu coconut rum 2 ounces pineapple juice Fill a shaker halfway with ice and pour in all ingredients. Drop some ice into a whiskey sour glass and strain the mixture into it.
This cocktail is light, easy-going and refreshing. The flavor is apple with just a touch of pomegranate. This gets combined with soda water for some carbonation. The alcohol content is on the weak side. This is a great choice for light drinkers, or anytime you want just enough alcohol to relax. It’s perfect for sipping poolside on hot days – the combination of ice and carbonation keeps it cool. It’s almost like a slightly alcoholic pom-apple soda!
1 ounce Bacardi Big Apple rum 1 dash grenadine Soda water • Lime wheel Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice. Pour in the apple rum first, then top it most of the rest of the way with the soda water. Pour the dash of grenadine on last. Garnish with a lime wheel and a straw for stirring in the grenadine.
Pimm’s Cup
Drink recipes and photos courtesy of https://www.mixthatdrink.com
Pimm’s Cup is actually more a punch than a cocktail. It starts with a potion called Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, created in the 1840s by the owner of Pimm’s Oyster Bar in London. It was served as the house ale, and the recipe was perfected over many years until it became what you can buy today: a gin-based, low alcohol spice and citrus spirit. To that, you add gin if you want higher alcohol content, then lemonade (or in modern times, some people prefer 7-up or ginger ale), then whatever fruit you want to throw at it.
Makes enough for 6 people: 12 ounces Pimm’s No. 1 Cup 6 ounces dry gin (optional) Lemonade Fruit chunks or slices (cucumber, lemon, lime, strawberries and mint are suggested – cucumber is actually the most common garnish) Put about twenty ice cubes into a large jug. Add the Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, then the gin and the fruit. Fill the jug the rest of the way with lemonade and stir it. Serve it in highball glasses. Remind your guests they can eat the fruit, too.
Discovery Park of America is hosting its annual Military History and Armed Forces Symposium Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, 2022. The event has grown significantly larger than previous years and will feature a variety of programs and interactive activities that explore the past, present and future of the American military. All active military, veterans, their guests and student groups will receive free admission to Discovery Park during all three days of this event.
by Clare Saum
The Military History and Armed Forces Symposium features presentations from academic historians on key turning points in the history of our country beginning with the war in Vietnam. The symposium will also include educational military reenactors, weapons and transportation demonstrations, period musicians, and more. The 2022 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium will include educational, interactive and thought-provoking programs from a variety of periods throughout our nation’s history. The symposium will focus on Vietnam to present and explore how veterans and their families are impacted by military service. Friday events are more student-centric providing information on careers in the military and a discussion of military entrance standards, how these have changed in the past fifty years and what are the repercussions. Saturday features a wide variety of sessions for veterans and the public. Come and learn more about sensitive yet important topics such as bridging the military and civilian divide, how to speak to and properly honor our veterans, and re-entry to society for military personnel once their service concludes. The weekend is packed full of events including a members-only reception on opening night, a Civil War-period ball, lantern walks through the Settlement at Discovery Park and the –U.S. Navy “Nimitz” Virtual Reality Experience. This event is sponsored by Union City Coca-Cola and Dixie Gun Works.