Green Country Living — Holiday Edition 2022

Holiday Edition 2022

Christmas home tours benefit care for children

Muskogee residents open homes to celebrate season

Candlelight tour an annual event that shines Enjoy a recipe or two shared at ‘Friendsgiving’

Cathy Spaulding, Melony Carey

Mandy Corbell, Chris Cummings, Cathy Spaulding, Ronn Rowland

Angela Jackson, Therese Lewis, Kris Hight

Green Country Living is published by the Muskogee Phoenix. Contents of the magazine are by the Muskogee Phoenix. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the Muskogee Phoenix. Green Country Living, P.O. Box 1968, Muskogee OK 74402. email eridenour@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2929 Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2804

Photo by Mandy Corbell

Muskogee. It ’s who we are.

Born and raised Muskogee proud. He’s cared for his neighbors for 25 years, now, Donald is more than just a par t of the Saint Francis family—he’s par t of our promise to improve the health of the communities we call home

Donald Mayes • Certified Surgical Technologist

Have a CHristmas merry, cozy

Annual Christmas Home Tours benefit Kelly B. Todd

Two annual home tours will benefit the Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy & Neuro-muscular Center.

The 30th annual Christmas By Candlelight tour will be 6:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2. Tickets are $35 per person, which includes sweet and savory treats, entertainment and beverages.

Featured locations are:

• Todd and Anita Brown home, 1321 W. Broadway.

• Susan and Trae Ross home, 1604 E. Broadway.

• Pecan Creek Winery, 8510

Fern Mountain Road.

The 48th Annual Christmas Home Tour will be 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at the following locations:

• Connie Dupont home, 6175 Oklahoma 16.

• Sarah Moschak home, 613 Gawf Lane.

• Pecan Creek Winery, 8510 Fern Mountain Road.

Tickets are $10 per person.

Tickets can be purchased at any of the locations during the event, by calling the Kelly B. Todd Center at (918) 683-4621 or online at https://kbtoddcpcenter.tofinoauctions.com/ cht2022

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Moschak house

Dupont house

pecan creek Winery

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Moschak Home

Sarah Moschak and her dog Wilson enjoy a cozy setting in their Muskogee home. Wilson even has his own stocking.

Christmas decorations bring back memories

Sarah Moschak recalls many holiday memories from the house on Gawf Lane where she grew up.

“My mom always decorated the chimney, the fireplace, the mantle, all that,” she said.

Moschak now makes new memories as the current homeowner.

“We very recently started doing Christmas Eve at my house with Dad’s side of the family,” she said. “We gather in the living room and we all exchange gifts. We have dinner and we just kind of hang out. A very non-formal, relaxed evening.”

The dinner is potluck, she said, adding that she often makes such munchies as seasoned pretzels.

By C athy S paulding Photos by M andy C orbell

Shiny ornaments and ribbons add color to flocked trees. Skinny flocked trees bring a festive touch to a room.

A small Santa, a pair of evergreens and a wreath greet holiday visitors to the Moschak home.

“We try to get together beforehand and make a list — you bring this, you bring that,” she said. “Last year, I made quite a few pumpkin pies.”

Moschak, a stenographer, has lived in the house for seven years and shares it with Wilson, her Yorkie-schnauzer mix.

“When my mom moved, she didn’t want to sell it. So she asked if I would move back in, so I just kind of made it my own,” she said. “I’ve since redone a lot of stuff in the house. I painted and stained the brick and the wood on the fireplace. It is a lot different than when I was here.”

The new look for the fireplace calls for a new look in Christmas decor.

Strands of white cloth balls and green boughs garland the wood mantle.

Moschak said she got the cloth strands from Walmart. Other decorations come from “all kinds of places,” including Hobby Lobby, T.J. Maxx, she said.

Her boyfriend’s white knitted stocking hangs by her beige stocking, which hangs by Wilson’s boneshaped stocking.

“He gets snacks and all the squeaky toys,” she said about Wilson.

The living room feels warm, partly because of quilts hanging on a corner ladder. She said her mother made one with square scraps. She got a pink wedding ring quilt at a local antique shop.

ABOVE: A trio of bottle brush trees are among many such trees throughout the house.

LEFT: A hutch is filled with Christmas mugs, music and other memories.

I just like for people to come in and feel at home and cozy,” Moschak said. “I don’t want them to worry about messing up pillows or messing up blankets when they sit down. Just come in, relax, feel at home.”

Christmas decorations throughout the house bring back memories, as well as add a fresh feel.

“Ornaments in a bowl and ornaments in a tree have been given to me by grandmothers,” she said. “There are a couple of ornaments on the tree that I’ve had since I was a child. There is a vintage Barbie ornament I got as a child.”

She said she played a lot with Barbies as a girl.

The living room tree glistens with

Christopher Radko and Shiny Brite ornaments.

“A lot of these old Shiny Brites are my grandmother’s,” she said. “All of my grandmothers have given me all their vintage ornaments. That’s just kind of my style my grandmother had given me,” she said.

The tree also holds memories of

ABOVE: An ornament tells of a South Carolina vacation.

LEFT: Three Wise men are on a shiny ornament.

A whimsical tree stands by a weathered hutch with ceramic Christmas trees on top.

Christmas past, including a photo of little girl Moschak and her cousin on Santa’s lap.

Other ornaments tell of vacations.

A colorful sombrero recalls a cruise to Mexico. A white ornament with a palm tree recalls a trip she took with her boyfriend to Charleston, South Carolina. A turtle wood carving recalls a trip to

Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Some even hint at favorite television shows. She has a handblown white glass ornament of the Rosebud Motel of the Netflix show “Schitt’s Creek.”

A recent addition is shaped like a hot air balloon with a golden gondola and glass globe in multiple stripes.

“I did get this one this year because

I go to the balloon festival every year,” she said.

Across the room, a turntable can play vinyl Christmas memories from Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams and Elvis Presley.

Some shelves have an array of Santa figurines and Santa head mugs.

“Whoever gives them to me, I write

Wilson’s Christmas tree has whimsical ornaments including a popcorn box, left, and a personalized ornament.

A warm welcome is extended in the living room, which features cloth garlands and a corner tree.

their name on the bottom,” she said. “I have three grandmothers. They all try to give me a Santa mug every year.

The oldest mugs are blue-eyed Santas.

“My mom told me that’s what she had when she was a little girl,” she said. “My grandmother was born in the 1940s. My mom was born in the 1970s.”

She repainted and redid a glass hutch filled with mementos. A quartet of ceramic musicians came from Hattie’s

House.

Three old ceramic light Christmas trees sit atop the hutch. She said one belonged to her boyfriend’s late mother.

Moschak said she took part in the home tour to show off her vintage collection. She has a collection of cute newer decorations.

“I have kind of an obsession with bottle brush trees,” she said. They’re everywhere.”

Some are found on the mantle, some are in the entry hall, tiny ones of all colors fill a bowl.

A skinny flocked tree decorates a guest room.

Wilson has his own tree, a skinny flocked tree covered with fun ornaments. A friend made a round ornament with the pup’s picture.

Moschak said Wilson likes to sit by the picture window and bark at passers-by.

A pair of Old World Santas stand on a shelf.

Bottle brush trees come in several sizes and colors in this display.

A skinny tree and wreath adorn a bedroom.

Table for two? Nikko Christmastime china brings holiday elegance to even the smallest setting at the Connie Dupont home. Dupont said she’s had the china for at least 20 years.

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dupont Home

spending Christmas in a new home

Connie Dupont’s new home north of Muskogee is ready for a visit from Santa — not to mention Christmas Home Tour visitors.

The house rests on two and a half acres facing Oklahoma 16, so there’s ample space for reindeer in front or in back. To the east, trees along the Verdigris River create a fall foliage tour of oranges, reds and yellows each autumn.

She said her country neighbors have seen deer, but she hasn’t seen any yet.

“They’re probably out roaming,” she said.

Her three-bedroom house was custom built by Woodstone homes of Broken Arrow. Her daughter, Melissa, lives on 15 acres behind hers. They share a long private driveway.

By C athy S paulding Photos by M andy C orbell

A wreath rings a bovine neck while a trio of Santas stand watch.

A Santa figurine walks by a holiday helicopter.

Dupont said she has only lived in her new house since July. And now, she’s putting Christmas decorations up for Kelly B. Todd Christmas Home Tour. She said the tour, now in its 48th season, supports a worthy organization.

“I love it,” said Dupont, a Kelly B. Todd board member. “It’s a great organization. The center does wonderful things for the children, and I want to just get the word out that we’re there and what we do. It’s a nonprofit, so we have to do these fundraisers to survive.”

This marks the second time Dupont has had a home on the tour. She was on the tour in 2017, when she lived on Anthony Street.

In her new country home, a red front door immediately puts visitors in a festive mood.

Red ice skates hang by a fireplace, and pictures of Santa adorn area rugs.

A Christmas carousel with Santas, sleighs and reindeer sits on a front table, playing 35 holiday tunes.

“My daughter bought the carousel for a housewarming gift,” Dupont said.

The carousel is not the only source of Christmas music. A tiny toy countertop TV gently plays songs while displaying a 3-D scene of skaters in a snowy town square.

“That was a gift from my sister. I probably had that for 10 or 15 years,” she said.

Dupont also has a red wind-up helicopter with Santa inside, a gift from her daughter.

A silver and gold nativity scene, backed with the word PEACE, counters the red and green in the house.

Christmassy mugs surround a coffeemaker, and Christmas cookbooks are propped in a corner by the stove.

One kitchen item always on display is a platter inscribed with her mother’s banana nut cake recipe.

“That’s her signature cake,” she said. “She made it on special occasions, and no one wanted to take up that job when she passed, so I did. My sister had that

made for me. It’s nice to see your mom’s handwriting.”

A corner Christmas tree pops with felt poinsettias in black — yes, black.

“It was an idea I dreamed up,” Dupont said. “I never thought I would see black poinsettias.”

She said she found them at Hobby Lobby. Other decorations came from Kirkland’s. Dupont said such stores “just have good choices.”

A festive red hat, decked with a candy swirl, tops the tree.

Dupont said she expects to put up six Christmas trees this year. She said she’ll have a couple on the front porch.

“I will have a tree with all my ornaments, like from mom, my sister, daughter, ones that are special to me,”

“I will have a tree with all my ornaments, like from mom, my sister, daughter, ones that are special to me.”

— Connie Dupont

Tidings of comfort and joy include such unique touches as black ornaments, cloth poinsettias and a red top hat.

ABOVE: A platter bearing a family recipe is displayed year-round at the Connie Dupont kitchen.

RIGHT: A Christmas carousel rings out Christmas melodies throughout the house.

RIGHT:

BELOW:

she said. “That will probably be the one in my bedroom or my office.”

She recalled decorating nine trees when she did the previous Home Tour.

Other decorations in the new house include a wire sleigh with a vintage-looking Santa. She said she bought the Santa from a friend in Tulsa who wanted to get rid of a few Christmas items.

“I love anything Christmas, so I always start looking,” she said, adding that she usually starts decorating in early November. She said she likes to put decorations in each room.

She said she also loves to Christmas shop.

“We are pretty calm as far as family gifts. We don’t do outrageous,” she said.

“I do a lot of my looking online.”

The dining area hutch features a crystal Christmas tree and holiday tumblers. A holiday cookie jar has been in the family since 1998.

A table for two is set with Nikko’s Christmastime hexagonal plates and saucers. Dupont said her sister bought her the set between 20 and 25 years ago. A crystal Christmas tree shines in the middle

of the table.

Dupont said she expects to accommodate lots of family this year — and she can do it in her small house.

“I’ve got four barstools and I will set up a table,” she said. “We’ll just make it work.”

The Dupont family Christmas Eve features light finger foods, with the big feast on Christmas Day.

“I was raised in a large family, and we were very poor, so we just made do,” she said. “Family time was the best time, and still is.”

ABOVE: A table-top television features a village scene and plays holiday carols.

Cardinals perch on a snowman’s arm in this holiday hanging.

Santa is ready for takeoff from a kitchen counter.

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Candlelight Homes

A Christmas tree fit for a big front window, plus garland on the mantle and holiday throw pillows bring colorful accents to the living room.

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Brown Home

Historic home featured on Christmas Home Tour

Muskogee’s historic Trumbo home no doubt contains decades of Christmas memories.

Pioneer banker and booster A.C. Trumbo built the early Prairie Style house in 1906 as a replica of one of Mark Twain’s mansions. Several families, including the J.D. Cole family, have since lived in the West Broadway landmark.

This Christmas, it’s Anita and Todd

Brown’s turn to decorate the house — just in time for the Kelly B. Todd Home Tour.

Anita Brown said her son, Dallas, bought the house five years ago and did a complete remodel starting with electricity, heat and air. She said the house had no heat and air, mostly window units and furnaces. She and her husband were almost ready to move into the house in 2021.

By C athy S paulding Photos by M andy C orbell

Treasured family heirlooms are found throughout the Brown home. They include gifts from a great-grandmother, left, and a set of stacking Santas, right.

“We sold our old house in September and lived in the Couch’s garage apartment,” she said, referring to a next-door neighbor. “In December we moved in and slept in a blow-up bed in the middle room.”

Brown said she likes the history of the house.

“Years ago, before Dallas my oldest was born, I worked for the Coles at Cole Grain,” Brown said. “I always loved the house, it was one of my favorites in Muskogee. We found lots of treasures in the house.”

One treasure is a collection of old invitation cards that previous homeowner Olivia Cole collected over the years. The invitations — including one for cocktails, one for coffee, one for an egg nog party — are kept in a big jar.

Brown, who works at Oklahoma Interpak, said she seeks to offer the same sort of hospitality when she hosts the home tour visitors.

“I want them to feel welcome,” Brown said. “I want them to think the house is warm and inviting.”

A nutcracker greets people going upstairs at the Brown’s historic home.

ABOVE: Anita and Todd Brown join their dog Annie in their festive living room.

LEFT: A Nativity display with Wise Men and shepherds tell the reason for the season.

It only takes a few steps through the entry and into the central parlor to feel this warmth.

For Christmas, flocked greenery and pine cones drape the wood mantle. JOY is proclaimed beneath a faux deer head, which remains over the fireplace throughout the year.

Imagine more greenery wrapped around the stairway banister leading to the second floor. Light shines through an

arched stained glass window.

A round turret rises along the west side. A built-in bench circles the first-floor interior. Brown said they plan to leave some of the original brick exposed.

In an east room, a massive tree adorned in white, silver and gold shines through the tall front window. Big globes, little globes, sequined pine cones and other ornaments glisten in the clear lights.

“Some of them I’ve had for a long time,

some I got from the Home Store, some from Hobby Lobby, and some Pottery Barn,” she said.

A Nutcracker-themed pillow came from Economy Pharmacy. Holly boughs and magnolia leaves garland a fireplace mantle.

Tall, thin Christmas trees block doors to what Brown plans to be a library.

She said she decorated the house with Christmas stuff she collected over the

Anita Brown says some of the ornaments on the living room’s big Christmas tree have been in the family for a long time. Others are recent purchases.

years — illuminated Santa blow molds, Shiny Brite tree balls, assorted holiday art.

Some newer items look deceptively vintage. She bought some Santa mugs at Hobby Lobby.

Back in the parlor, heirlooms decorate a landing on the stairs. They include a stacking doll Santa surrounded by pinky-sized elves.

“Those are gifts for my kids from their great-grandmother. The kids were

probably 5 and 3, and that was one of their Christmas presents.”

A steadfast wood soldier greets visitors to the second floor. A pillow with a different take on the eight reindeer came from TJ Maxx. Christmas books her two sons read back in the 1990s are stacked in one corner.

By the balcony is a tree festooned with all kinds of Santas.

“They’re ornaments we collected over

the years,” Brown said. “We’d buy a new Santa every year.”

Brown said she also puts up a memory tree, featuring ornaments honoring family members who have died.

“I usually like to do that on a live tree,” she said.

Another tree features souvenirs of places the family traveled. A silver tree stands in a bathroom.

Each upstairs bedroom has its own tree,

ABOVE: Garlands on the mantle add joy to the informal parlor.

BELOW: Greenery and stacking dolls adorn this hallway shelf.

Christmas place settings on the table, greenery over the lights and a wreath bring a holiday spirit to the kitchen,

she said. “We always had multiple Christmas trees in the house.”

The upstairs turret room features a narrow white tree, candy-striped with a red ribbon. A pink-hatted Santa stands on the floor. Figurines of children in pink and blue winter togs sit on a night table.

“I borrowed those from a friend of mine,” Brown said. “She said, ‘You need those in the pink room.’”

Brown said she usually begins decorating around mid-November. Decorating brings up fond memories of growing up, and watching her children grow.

“I remember Christmas being my favorite holiday,” Brown said. “It was a time we visited family, my grandparents of course. When the kids were little, that was probably the best time. The excitement of their faces on Christmas morning, decorating for them. Shopping for them. The Santa visits.”

It’s fun to count how many elf’s feet can be found through the house. Two are in a tree and two are on the table.

A tree overlooking the second-floor balcony features Santa ornaments collected over the years.

A reindeer family lights up a corner in the Ross’ rustic woodsy den. The tree adds to the rustic feel.

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ross Home

‘o ver the top’ displays part of Ross’ history

Muskogee native Susan Ross recalls how magical her mother made Christmas.

“My mom was big on ornaments,” she said. “She’s the reason I love Christmas so much.”

Ross said her mother, Cheri Cotten, filled the house with decorations, stockings, presents, plus the smell of baked

goods.

“She had several trees,” she said. “She always went over the top. She would wrap the most beautiful presents. She actually worked at Dillard’s in the wrapping department for the longest time. She just always made it special. That was her big thing.”

By C athy S paulding Photos by C hri S C u MM ing S

Throw blankets and big pillows offer a warm welcome to visitors.

Ross, a City of Muskogee payroll administrator, seeks to continue that magic at her historic home on East Broadway. She said she’s lived in the house for about five years and shares the house with her husband, Trae Ross, and adult daughter Madison Clark.

“My mom and I actually bought this house together, and she recently moved to assisted living,” Ross said.

Ross said she starts decorating for Christmas as soon as Halloween is over.

“What I think people will like the most is that there’s a lot to look at and there are different themes,” she said. “I have a

theme for each room.”

A University of Oklahoma Sooners football tree goes in a game room.

“There’s a front living room where I do kind of a Victorian style,” she said, adding that she decorates her bedrooms, but not so much the bathrooms.

She said she does plan to decorate a downstairs bathroom, which has an oldstyle clawfoot tub and high tank.

The dining room becomes a showplace for her Fitz & Floyd, Department 56 and Jim Shore collections.

“I started collecting when I was 18,” Ross said.

Two Department 56 Christmas villages are arrayed on a long harvest table in the dining room. She said it takes at least two hours to set them up.

One collection depicts a New York City holiday. Buildings are close together, and there are plenty of cars and people, Ross said.

The North Pole features a lot of elves, she said. “And I build mountains with different props and snow.”

Wood-carved Santas crafted by Jim Shore share a curio cabinet with Fitz and Floyd decorations. Ross said she keeps them in there year-round.

A corner stove is surrounded by such holiday icons as a reindeer, wreath, sled and skate.

Warmth fills the back den with its wood paneling, pillows and throw blankets.

“This room reminds me of a cabin, so I went with a lot of deer,” Ross said.

A reindeer family — two adults and a fawn — stand by the Christmas tree.

Even the table is Christmassy, with its red, sleigh-like runners. Ross said she gets it out especially for Christmas.

“I got it out of this catalog called Country Door. My mom actually got it for me,” she said, adding that she had the table for five years.

This year, like every Christmas, the tabletop is covered with a golden reindeer surrounded by frosted greenery and red ribbons. Don’t worry, visitors have several several end tables for their cocoa mugs and snacks.

“We have a few coasters,” she said.

“This room reminds me of a cabin, so I went with a lot of deer.”

— Susan ross

Ross said most of her larger decorations come from Hobby Lobby, though some came from Dillard’s.

A cast iron Country Flame gas stove sits in a corner, lined with bricks on the floor and up two walls.

“It has a blower,” Ross said. “It actually heats the whole downstairs of the house. We don’t use it a whole lot, because I’m fire scary. But when it’s real cold, I turn it on.”

Decorations adorning the brick corner include a wreath and an ice skate. A buffalo plaid throw is rolled in one corner, and a Santa figurine sits on top of the stove.

Susan Ross hopes people to feel warm and welcome when they visit her home. (Take out the word ‘to.’)

A bar surrounded with greenery and reindeer offers all sorts of holiday cheer.

ABOVE: Reindeer of all sizes and styles can be found in the den.

RIGHT: Look down for a festive dachshund.

A tree gleaming in white light rises across the den.

“Some of these ornaments I’ve had since my son was 2, and he’s 28 now,” Ross said. “He always had a cabin.”

She said some of the more special ornaments are ones she’s had for a long time. Many reflect a hunting theme. Padded cloth ornaments have a deer silhouette, another ornament has a snow scene. There is a spiky straw hedgehog, puppies and an owl. Ross said she’s had some fishlike ornaments for a long time.

A wet bar is adorned with lights and tiny table-top trees. Santa and two reindeer share a

son was 2, and he’s 28 now.”

shelf with coppery cups.

You’ll have to look down for one of the cutest decorations — a wooden black wiener dog in a Santa hat is skiing on the den floor. Ross thinks she got the pup from Hobby Lobby.

Christmas in the Ross house features a big breakfast casserole, fruit, juice and homemade cinnamon rolls.

“Christmas Eve, we usually have a snack, watch TV,” she said. “Christmas morning, we make breakfast, get stockings. Then we open presents after breakfast.”

Ross said her mother was the big fudge-maker in the family.

Asked about her thoughts on continuing the fudge-making tradition, Ross said, “I probably will try.”

like

We aregrateful for your support and wish you aseason of cheer,good health and happiness throughout the

“Some of these ornaments I’ve had since my

— Susan ross

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Pecan Creek Winery

Joan and Bob Wickizer share some of their Pecan Creek red wine in the serving area of the Pecan Creek Winery.

Winery gets decked out for the holidays

How exactly does one decorate a winery for the holidays?

That’s the task Pecan Creek Winery faces as it prepares for the Christmas by Candlelight Tour benefiting the Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy and Neuro-Muscular Foundation.

“We’ve got a Christmas tree, and we just do crazy stuff with Christmas ribbons,” said winery co-owner Bob Wickizer. “I’m not a decorating expert. My wife and some of the

other women who work at the winery do. It was just never one of my fortes.”

Wife Joan Wickizer said she wants to have a fun holiday motif in the main serving room. Many of the decorations are ones the family or the winery has had. Other items, including plaid and checkerboard stockings, are fun things friends have given them. Some came from various churches Bob Wickizer has served. He retired as rector of Grace Episcopal Church in July 2021.

By Cathy Spaulding Photos by Mandy Corbell

The Pecan Creek Winery’s serving room is adorned with all sorts of stockings, garlands and big bulb ornaments.

“The big ones came from the church rummage sale,” Bob Wickizer said, pointing to bowling ball-sized ornaments hanging over the serving counter.

The serving room isn’t the only area going festive this year.

“We started putting Christmas lights on the barrels,” Wickizer said, adding that they are debating putting wreaths on the barrels.

Mulled wine will be served when home tour visitors come to the winery, he said.

“It’s a sweet red wine with cloves and

cinnamon and other herbs,” he said. “My daughter Laura tends to be the queen of mulled wines. She comes in and does her magic. We may sell or give away little spice packets.”

This year marks the winery’s second time on the Kelly B. Todd tour. It was included on the 2014 daytime tour shortly after it opened.

This year’s tour also marks the winery’s

“My daughter Laura tends to be the queen of mulled wines.”

— Bob Wickizer

Stockings of varied patterns are hung by a winery serving table with care, even though old Saint Nicholas already sits there.

eighth anniversary. Retired physician Dr. D.I. Wilkinson keeps the vineyard on seven-anda-half acres on Fern Mountain Road. The winery is on a half acre west of the vineyard.

“He’s the farmer, I’m the winemaker,” Wickizer said.

Longtime Kelly B. Todd supporters Betty and Tom Honea convinced him to get the winery involved with this year’s home tour, he

said.

“We give back to the community a lot with various local nonprofits and charities,”

Wickizer said. “It’s part of my commitment as a priest. And Dr. Wilkinson is pretty strong in giving back to the community.”

“We give back to the community a lot with various local nonprofits and charities.”

— Bob Wickizer

An unwrapped array of wine and accessories surround a corner Christmas tree in the serving room.

Mulling spices and gift baskets are among gift ideas at Pecan Creek Winery.

Wickizer recalls some unique Christmas memories growing up in Springfield, Missouri.

“For me, there was the mandatory midnight Mass,” he said. “My mother was an operatic soprano, and I remember being an acolyte at church. I’d be all the way at the front of the church with the clergy, and my parents would always get there late. They would, of

course, be way in the back of the big church. And I remember my mom singing way over the top of the rest of the congregation.”

He recalled that, after all the Christmas Eve piety, his father would take him hunting on Christmas Day.

“Quail and all that stuff,” Wickizer said. “A lot of times, we’d have that for Christmas dinner.”

Joan Wickizer grew up in Hermann, located in the east Missouri hills near St. Louis.

“We had family dinners with tables set all around because everybody would not fit in the kitchen, all of us,” she said. “Somehow we got nieces and nephews added to the mix. My mom would always bake a lot of bread and cakes on the day before.”

Red wines, white wines and blushes are sorted and stacked in crates, which are decorated in holiday finery.

There are several ways to keep yourself and your wine warm when December nights turn cold. This bottle is all dolled up for the winter.

After the noonday Christmas dinner, family members would play card games or take a walk.

“A lot of times, we’d have a lot of snow and we’d go sledding,” she said. “I grew up on a farm, too, so there would be hills around us.”

The area since has become that state’s wine country.

Bob Wickizer said a good wine for

Christmas can depend on what’s being served for Christmas dinner.

“If you’re serving turkey, then you have a variety of things,” he said. “It depends on what else goes with it. With dressing there’s your Rieslings, and that’s mainly because of the apple in the dressing.”

Sweet potato and pumpkin are tougher to pair, he said.

“A sweet potato, you could go with something dry like a Malbec,” he said. “Or if you have a full-bodied rose’. We have one that will work. Going the other direction. We have an off-dry Riesling that would work. If you put walnuts on it, as people do, you get a umami flavor. That opens up a lot of the classic reds, such as Syrah and a lot of your French barrel wines.”

FEATURES

» ADDRESS: 4101 High Oaks St.

» ASKING PRICE: $429,000.

» SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,335 square feet.

» BEDROOMS: Four.

» BATHROOMS: Three full; two half.

» HEATING AND COOLING: Central gas heating, central air conditioning.

» APPLIANCES: Built-in oven, cooktop, gas range, gas water heater.

» FLOORS: One.

» OTHER FEATURES: Wet bar, granite countertops, swimming pool, attached garage, three fireplaces.

» SCHOOL DISTRICT: Muskogee Public Schools, Pershing Elementary.

» INFORMATION: Leslie Leeds, Leslie Scott Realty, LLC; (918) 348-9250.

A hedge and brickwork surround the front lawn of this house on High Oaks Street. A brick walk leads to the entrance.

Honor Heights home a classic

Owners tout draw of home’s modern touches, nice backyard

Amid-century house at the corner of High Oaks Street and Honor Heights Drive has classic and modern touches.

Real estate agent Leslie Leeds of Leslie Scott Realty described the house, built in 1955, as “a classic Honor Heights house.”

“It’s huge,” Leeds said. “It doesn’t look it from the

outside at all. It was built for you to move freely throughout the house.”

Whitney and Christopher Essex and their family have lived in the house for six years, They are moving to eastern Muskogee to be closer to jobs in Tahlequah.

Whitney Essex said she was attracted by the house’s size and backyard.

By C athy S paulding Photos by S kye M orri S

“There’s a pool and an enclosed screened-in porch,” she said. “So really, year-round, it’s a great place to be.”

She said she likes that the house is not open concept.

“One room opens onto another,” she said. “Every room is a good size. You never feel claustrophobic.”

A circle drive passes an entry courtyard bordered with a low hedge and short brick walls.

The house opens onto a large entry hall with brick floors.

Essex said a front room to one side “could have been a parlor back in the day.”

The room has a decorative faux fireplace with a marble front and mantle. A bay window looks onto the front patio. The family room has a fireplace and massive windows. Formal touches include panel molding that creates picture frames on family room walls.

A large formal dining room, fit for a banquet, also is one of Whitney Essex’s favorite places.

A spacious backyard features a kidney-shaped pool, ample yard space and greenhouse.

Bricks support a raised flower garden by the swimming pool.

“We have a lot of family, and our parents are all close,” she said. “I love to be the house that hosts Thanksgiving.”

The dining room opens onto a galley kitchen, updated with granite countertops, new lighting fixtures and stainless steel appliances. Kitchen appliances include a Sub Zero commercial grade refrigerator

and a gas range. The counter extends to accommodate two barstools. The kitchen also has a built-in desk and a wet bar, complete with a sink.

An informal dining area steps down into a game room that has its own fireplace. One wall is lined with picture windows and a door leading to the pool area.

“You can get out to the backyard from almost anywhere,” Leeds said.

A narrow room running along one side features a washer/dryer area with a sink. There also is a half bath, access to the two-car garage and massive windows showing a panorama of Honor Heights Drive.

A back patio offers space for sitting and sunning, but there also is ample lawn space.

ABOVE: A dining area lowers into a game room that features a fireplace and large windows.

LEFT: The galley kitchen features a built-in desk and stainless steel appliances.

A dining room is large enough and grand enough for a banquet or family feast.

All the bedrooms are on the opposite side of the house.

“If we have company, if we want to just close the bedrooms off, we can,” she said while closing a pocket door. “There are six or seven pocket doors in the house. I love the pocket door.”

Two bedrooms share a hallway bathroom which has original blue tile on the floors, counters and on part of the walls. A door opens to the back porch and pool.

“So kids can come in, they’re on the tile, they’re not getting the carpet wet,” Essex said.

A third bedroom has a threequarter bathroom with a shower and a ceiling heating lamp. The bedroom has a walk-in closet and a broad closet, both with built-in shelves.

A front parlor features a decorative marble fireplace and ornate wainscoting.

Beyond The Lis T ing

Wood paneling and a brick fireplace make the back family room both elegant and cozy. There are wood floors and brick floors throughout the house.

A front bay window shines plenty of light into a parlor, just off the spacious entry.

The master bedroom’s picture window shows the backyard. The bedroom has his-and-her walk-in closets with built-in shelving. One closet has a sit-down vanity; the other has a taller vanity. The closets lead into a master bathroom with his-andher sinks, a bathtub and separate marble shower.

The bedroom leads onto the screened

porch, which views the pool.

Whitney Essex described the backyard as “very private.”

“It’s all fenced in,” she said. “The pool really is the focus, but we also have a glass greenhouse in the backyard.”

The kidney-shaped pool is bordered with brick, as is a small garden.

“The landscaping is beautiful,” Leeds

said. “It really enhances the pool and the house.”

The two-car garage is at the side of the house facing Honor Heights Drive.

“I love being close to Honor Heights Park,” Essex said. “We have a little trail that goes right to the park. There are tons of people walking their dogs. It’s very friendly.”

Artist

spreads

culture, lore

Boney practices variety of styles across traditional, commercial works

Tahlequah artist

Roy Boney’s work spreads Cherokee culture and lore into all sorts of areas — fine art, Marvel Comics, “The Simpsons,” even French Neoclassical art.

“I have kind of a varied style,” Boney said. “I’ll do a lot of Native art markets and shows, and for that I veer more toward more

traditional paintings and drawing, Cherokee topics. But then, I’ll do commercial projects. I’ve done some illustration for Marvel Comics, The Guardian magazine in London, whatever editors ask you for.”

Boney has done animation, digital painting, acrylics, watercolors. He said he likes to draw more than anything.

Roy Boney’s myriad pieces of art surround him as he works on the latest of his daily drawings. He does a different work each day to keep his art in top shape.

Story and photos by C athy S paulding

“There never was a time I wasn’t drawing,” he said, adding that he first learned to draw from his father, a Cherokee speaker.

An uncle taught him to draw in a more comic book style, he said.

Boney entered his first art show at age 12, receiving an honorable mention from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum.

“That kind of spurred me on to more serious work,” he said.

From the sixth through 12th grade, Boney studied under Tahlequah artist Jim Sinclair.

“He inspired me to go to college,” Boney said. “He and his wife helped me through the application process. He encouraged me to study art.”

Boney earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Oklahoma State University. He earned a master’s degree, studying animation, from University of Arkansas.

Animals and humans — and a hybrid of the two — are recurring themes in Boney’s art.

ABOVE: Top: A man finds love with his dear deer.

LEFT: A woodwork piece reflects the dual nature of a woman and a deer.

LEFT: A fawn is one of Roy Boney’s latest daily works.

BELOW: Boney dabs watercolor on one of his daily drawings.

He works in the Cherokee Nation’s language and culture department. He has done a lot of animated work and films for the Cherokee Nation.

“A lot of my work has Cherokee features and Cherokee stories and Cherokee language,” he said. “What was interesting in Locust Grove is that’s where Bill Glass, a pretty prominent Cherokee artist, is

from. I grew up under his influence, knowing there was another Cherokee artist in my community.”

Since 2006, Boney’s varied works have been seen at such diverse places as the National Museum of the American

“A lot of my work has Cherokee features and Cherokee stories and Cherokee language.”

— roy Boney

Roy Boney’s work has attracted attention of Marvel Comics publishers, who have used his works with familiar and unique superhero characters.

RIGHT THEN CLOCKWISE:

A sketch depicting Sequoyah reflects the French masterpiece “The Death of Marat.”

A modern sketch reflects feminine sensuality.

A deer skull moth comes from Boney’s daily drawings.

Indian, Santa Fe Indian Art Market, 2007 International Film Festival of India, 2006 International San Diego Comic Convention.

Most recently, his work has been shown at the Five Civilized Tribe’s Master Artist Show, which runs through the end of November.

“It’s a pretty huge honor. I didn’t expect that,” Boney said. “The way I understand it is that another master artist has to nominate you.”

He said he was nominated by potter Mike Daniels.

With all his acclaim and work, Boney still seeks to practice his craft.

He began doing one sketch a day as a New Year’s challenge in 2012 and has sketched hundreds of works since then.

“I let loose in a free form and come back and add another layer to it, add some value, primary colors and shadows to it.”

— roy Boney

Boney’s work incorporates a variety of styles.

ABOVE: Sequoyah takes on a Simpsons look as he shows his syllabary.

LEFT: A man wades through a dark swamp in this moody piece.

“I just kept going,” he said. “My goal is to spend less than an hour, and it’s more of a personal limitation I set. It’s practice and really more like a daily relaxation technique.”

One recent sketch is a fun take on the TV show “Reservation Dogs.”

“I let loose in a free form and come back and add another layer to it, add some value,

primary colors and shadows to it,” he said.

Another sketch features an eagle-headed man smoking a pipe.

“In a lot of the tribes like the Creeks, tobacco is pretty prominent as a medicine, so I incorporate that imagery a lot in my pieces,” he said. “In a lot of traditional stories, they talk about how animals can transform from animal to human.”

Boney didn’t let a recent trip to Spain stop this sketching.

“I took my watercolor kit and painted from there,” he said. “It’s a part of a way to keep my art in check.”

At times, Boney uses historic art works to tell a Cherokee story. He sketched a version of Jacques-Louis David’s 1793 painting “The Death of Marat,” depicting Sequoyah

Roy Boney’s paintings, such as “Listening to the Future” have been shown in galleries around the world. They often incorporate animal imagery and Cherokee legend.

instead of the French revolutionary Jean Paul Marat.

The original David painting depicts Marat dead in his bathtub after being assassinated. Marat is holding a letter. Boney’s sketch shows Sequoyah, dead in a bathtub.

“He is wearing the medal he was given by the Cherokee people for doing the syllabary,” Boney said. “We are always dealing

with the loss of our language and our culture.... To me Sequoyah is a strong symbol of that.”

Some sketches have led magazine illustrations, comics and book covers.

“I post on social media and I have some followers, and sometimes some publishers will snatch them up, ask for permission to put them out,” Boney said. “So it’s a pretty nice

little side gig I’ve started unintentionally.”

Boney has illustrated covers for Spiderman and other Marvel comics. He also has put out his own comics about Cherokee code talkers of World War l and about zombies seeking civil rights.

“I veer between cartooning to fine art to digital painting,” he said. “Whatever the job calls for.”

Roy Boney says his “Painting Herself to Life” reflects a Cherokee Female Seminary student taking on a modern life. Notice the red sneakers.

On

A smokin’ Friendsgiving

Friendsgiving. It’s a relatively new word as etymology goes, first appearing in print in 2007. Since then the idea behind the word has gained in popularity with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary adding it in 2020, making it officially part of the English language. Defined as an informal dinner on or near Thanksgiving, it is coming into vogue as a Christmas celebration, too. Twenty- and 30-somethings often find themselves racing here and there for the holidays. In the hustle and bustle of seeing both sides of the family, they also want to spend time with

Melony Carey

their friends over a festive, low-key meal. The dinner has become a stress-free potluck with adaptations to the standard fare grandma used to make. When Millennials (those born between 1980 and 1995) take charge of the holiday, the meal becomes alternative with experimental dishes and methods of cooking. While Friendsgiving is not restricted to the younger crowd, they are typically less responsible for hosting the traditional family meal with all its china table settings, silver polishing, linen ironing, and hours spent at the stove. This is what distinguishes Friendsgiving from Thanksgiving.

Photos by M andy C orbell

the Cook’s Pantry

Friends

“This year we asked everyone to bring a photo chronicling our friendship,” Perigo said. “Photos ranged from first grade through last Christmas.”

They also brought a variety of dishes, including grilled and smoked foods, which

do not require juggling oven space to make sure everything is heated at the same time.

Having the crowd bring their own specialty dishes also decreases the stress of the holiday meal and makes everyone feel a part of the celebration.

“Cooking for friends in general is fun,” Carey said. “But, smoking foods is more challenging. Getting the temperature and

smoke just right are all part of the process that I enjoy.”

Friendship can be as strong a feeling as that for one’s family, especially for those who have grown up together or have become second family.

“It doesn’t have to be a special day for us to get together,” Williams said. “It’s the special people who matter.”

John Carey, Crissy Perigo, Matt Williams and Rachal Humphrey recently convened for a Friendsgiving.

A toast to friendship with toast. A smoked brie with French baguette toast.

That is what Friendsgiving is all about. Share your favorite dish. Take a group selfie and post it to social media. But most of all, show your love.

The grill and smoker produce delicious, complex flavors that relieve a lot of the duty from the oven. Let the host prepare the turkey while guests bring the sides. Try some of these dishes for your Friendsgiving

or add them to your regular holiday meal.

Smoked Brie

1 8 oz. brie round

3 tablespoons gourmet cranberry sauce Walnut halves

Grilled baguette toasts

1 cedar plank applewood chips

Soak your cedar plank and some apple

wood chips for one hour. Set up your grill for smoke-roasting (indirect grilling) and preheat to medium-high Dry off plank and place brie in the center; add wood chips to the fire. Place the cheese in the center of the plank and grill over direct heat for ten minutes. Open the lid and spread the top with the jelly, using the back of a spoon. Arrange the walnuts on top. Check it after a minute

#Menu sets the tone for a wonderful meal and posting to social media.

or two to see if the cheese has started to melt out the sides, showing it is ready. Serve the cheese on the plank hot off the grill.

Sweet Potato-Corn Spoonbread

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 29 oz. can sweet potatoes in syrup, drained

1 can cream-style corn

1 box cornbread mix

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 large eggs

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 cup honey roasted pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter, beating until smooth. Coarsely

mash sweet potatoes and add to bowl. Stir in corns, cornbread, eggs and onion. Pour into 9-inch square baking dish and top with chopped nuts. Bake until tester comes out clean, approximately 45-50 minutes.

roasted Green Beans

Estimate the number of guests and multiply by 8 to come up with the number of green beans you will need.

LEFT: Smoked brie on a cedar plank topped with cranberry jelly or relish makes a delicious holiday appetizer. Change the topping for other jellies, depending on the season.

BELOW: Smoked brie creates a woody, creamy cheese that will delight everyone.

applewood smoked bacon

2 tablespoon olive oil approximately 4 dozen fresh whole green beans

Pepper

1/2 cup brown sugar smoked garlic powder salt

Pre-cook the bacon in a 400 degree oven on a foil lined baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Set aside to drain on paper towels and

replace the foil with new. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash green beans and remove the stems. Parboil the green beans in a pot of boiling water, covered, for about 5 minutes until tender crisp. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water. Mix 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked garlic powder in a large bowl and toss the green beans. Wrap 7-10 green beans tightly in a strip of apple wood smoked bacon and sprinkle each with a tablespoon of brown

sugar. Secure with a toothpick and place on foil lined baking sheet. Roast in oven about 45-50 minutes or on grill for about 30 minutes until desired doneness. Check for bacon doneness.

Cheesecake with Pumpkin-Caramel Drizzle and Smoked Pecans store bought plain cheesecake of your choice

I bottle store bought caramel sauce

Oven roasted green beans wrapped in applewood bacon continue the smoky theme.

Pumpkin caramel topping

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced into tablespoons

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pot. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook stirring often, but being careful not to spread the sugar up the sides of the pan where it can burn. Watch the sugar closely, stirring frequently as it clumps then starts to melt. Keep stirring until the liquid is amber in color. This will take about 7-12 minutes, depending on your pot and the heat

of your stove. Watch the sugar closely, as it will burn fast.

Once the liquid turns amber and all the sugar crystals have melted, add the butter and stir until it’s melted. Add half of the heavy whipping cream, stir, then add the rest. Turn off the heat and then stir in the pumpkin, spice, vanilla, and salt. Stir and whisk until smooth.

Sweet potato-corn spoonbread replaces the traditional cornbread stuffing.

ABOVE: Champagne Punch is topped with fresh raspberries.

RIGHT: A sweet ending of store-bought cheesecake with homemade pumpkin-caramel sauce and smoked pecans.

Pour the caramel carefully into a jar and let cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator. When ready to use, remove the lid and let come to room temperature.

Smoked Candied Pecans

2 cups pecan halves

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees using a fruity wood like apple or cherry. In a kitchen mixer or bowl, add the whites of

two eggs and vanilla extract. Put the mixer on high until the whites are whipped with stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Toss pecans in with whipped egg whites and stir with a spoon to coat evenly. Remove nuts to sugar mixture with a slotted spoon and stir until coated. Remove to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place the baking sheet on the smoker, and smoke for 60 minutes, tossing once halfway though. Watch, as the sugar may burn the nuts. Cool and then chop the nuts coarsely. To serve, place cheesecake on plate. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Drizzle pumpkin sauce in the middle and over the sides and top with smoked nuts. To create a parting gift for guests, put

extra nuts into Mason jars and wrap with ribbon or raffia and a sprig of rosemary. Keeps one week in sealed jar.

Champagne Punch

1 cup triple sec

1 cup brandy

1/2 cup chambord (raspberry liqueur)

2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice

1 quart chilled ginger ale

1 chilled 750-ml. bottle dry champagne

In a punch bowl combine Triple Sec, brandy, Chambord and pineapple juice. Chill the mixture, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve add the ginger ale, the champagne, and add ice cubes. Stir. Top with raspberries.

The host can make the turkey, while guests bring the side dishes.

Candy Run

Children surround candy-bearing bikers during a recent Candy Run, presented by Three Rivers Chapter Guard Dogs.

Photos by cathy spaulding

Walk in He R S H oe S

Residents wore women’s shoes and walked to show their support for raising domestic violence awareness at event.

Photos by Ronn Rowland

Photos by cathy spaulding

m oonlig Ht and m ona RCHS

Fundraiser represents Papilion’s butterfly preservation and display efforts.

Photos by cathy spaulding