Green Country Living — Holiday Edition 2023 by muskogeephoenix

Holiday Edition 2023

Embark on a festive journey while supporting Kelly B. Todd Foundation Renovation becomes stepping stone in Bell’s personal renewal Artist Patrick Holman’s journey spans a lifetime of artistic evolution Arnolds treat friends to culinary adventure in artfully decorated home

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Holiday Edition 2023

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HOLIDAY EDITION 2023 ISSUE 72

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Ed Choate

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Angela Jackson LAYOUT & DESIGN Joshua Cagle

WRITERS Cathy Spaulding, Wendy Burton,

Holly Rosser-Miller

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Cummings, Shane Keeter,

Mandy Corbell, Cathy Spaulding ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Joe Mack

ADVERTISING SALES Kris Hight, Angela Jackson,

Therese Lewis

Thank you!

68 76 FEATURES

INSIDE

Daytime Tour Residents open home in support of good cause.

28 54

Candlelight Tour

We gratefully acknowledge everyone associated with Kelly B.Todd’s annual Christmas Home Tour. Without their assistance and the graciousness of all those who allowed us into their homes, this holiday edition of Green Country Living would not be possible. We especially thank John Engelbrecht for all his help.

ON THE COVER

Holiday Edition 2023

Art of the Matter Area-based talent blends traditional, digital mastery.

Friendsgiving

Homes light up during evening portion of the home tours.

Friends join together with family for Thanksgiving.

Beyond the Listing 87

Scene & Be Seen

1980s-style home became haven of modern elegance.

Chat, hang out, relax and smile because you’re on camera.

Holiday Edition 2023

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 publisher@muskogeephoenix.com - Editorial: (918) 684-2929 Advertising and distribution: (918) 684-2804

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The wood living room floor reflects the light and color from a corner Christmas tree while a shoe store Santa stands on a perch in the home of Joel Cousins and Alex Wilson. Homeowners will host visitors during annual home tours benefitting the Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy and Neuromuscular Center. Photo submitted by Alex Wilson

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Chris tmas magic through eyes of a child M

y family had granny. The gifts around that tree Christmas tradiseemed like they went halfway up the tions — though as I tree. child I didn’t realize Dad wouldn’t really wake my how important they would become in brother and I. He would open the my life. door to our room, which would let us We visited my grandmother about gradually wake while he continued to three hours away in Southeastern prep for the trip. Oklahoma every Christmas I remember rolling over in morning. bed and watching the lights She lived outside of a from the Christmas tree in small town in Pushmataha the living room twinkle off County. It’s the seventh largthe wall outside our room. He would turn on the steest county in Oklahoma and has the same number of reo and have Christmas stoplights as the number From the Editor music playing. of licks it takes to get to The feeling of being Ed Choate the center of a tootsie all warm and snuggled pop — three (source: in bed while listening The Owl.) to Christmas carols and watching the Dad would get up early Christmas lights comforts me to this day. Christmorning to pack the car with a trunk- mas tree lights, by the way, should be load of gifts. We didn’t open gifts on multi-colored and twinkle. Christmas Eve, so the presents Mom I was the youngest of Andy and and Dad bought their four kids would Norma’s four children so I rode in the make the trip, too. front seat between them. I would lay The tree at my great grandmother’s my head in mom’s lap and take a nap house was real — cut down by my for a good deal of the trip.

Holiday Edition 2023

I remember only one white Christmas in all the years we traveled to my grandmother’s house. The snow got pretty high before we reached her house. From a child’s perspective it seemed like a blizzard. My granny had a fireplace. We would take turns standing in front of it until our blue jeans smoked from the heat. All of us — all the extended family — would wait until the last family made it to Granny’s before opening presents. The wait was well worth it. I don’t remember too many of the gifts. There was never a pony or

anything exotic like that. One of my favorites was a Lifesavers “book” — full of all my favorite flavors and pineapple — given by uncles and aunts. As we grow older I think we relive the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of our youth. Children are what makes the season and especially Christmas morning so amazing. The passing years cause the fantasy of Santa Claus to wear off and you become more welcoming to things like socks and dress shirts. Until you can see it through the eyes of another children. I have been lucky to have two wonderful nieces and a grandniece to relive

the wonders of Christmas every 20 years or so. This Christmas we will have our second without Dad or Janie. But we will cherish the lifetime of memories created with them by our side. My hope for you is that you are never too old or jaded to experience Christmas through the eyes of a child. I hope each year you grow a treasure chest of memories. I hope those memories keep you warm as if you were snuggled in bed watching Christmas tree lights and listening to Christmas music. Merry Christmas! Green Country Living

Have a

merry, cozy Christmas

Holiday Edition 2023

CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

» WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. » TICKETS: $35, may be purchased the day of the tour or online at https:// kbtoddcpcenter.tofinoauctions.com/ cht2023/ » TOURS • Kimberly and Von Castor home, 3900 Clubview Drive. • David and Marcie Hewson, 3321 Severs St. • Bobbi and Jeff Knack, 3907 Clubview Drive. » AFTER HOURS • 8 to 10 p.m. Dec. 2, The Meeting Place, 109 N. Main St.

» WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. » TICKETS: $10, may be purchased the day of the tour or online at » https://kbtoddcpcenter.tofinoauctions. com/cht2023/ » TOURS • Alex Wilson and Joel Cousins home, 2129 W. Okmulgee Ave. • Julie and Steve Grober home, 509 N. 12th St. • Fite Estate Inn and Spa. 443 N. 16th St. • V.R. Coss house, 1315 W. Okmulgee Ave. • Three Rivers Bed and Breakfast, 2601 W. Broadway.

Annual Christmas Home Tours benefit Kelly B. Todd

istoric mansions and modern homes can be toured during Kelly B. Todd Foundation’s Christmas by Candlelight and Christmas Home Tour. Christmas by Candlelight, 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2, will feature Country Club area homes. Entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be available at each house. After the evening tour, enjoy After Hours at The Meeting Place. It will feature music by Nathan Kilgore, sweet treats from Nanette’s Home to Yours and specialty cocktails. The Christmas Home Tour, 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3, will feature historic homes west of downtown. The tour also will feature a

drawing for an earrings and necklace set donated by Haley and Loyd. The tours benefit the Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy & Neuromuscular Center, which provides a variety of therapy services to children at no cost to the families. The tour also supports Lake Area United Way. “We love to be able to showcase their homes and all their hard work for Christmas,” said John Engelbrecht, chairman of the home tours. “It helps get everybody in the Christmas spirit.” The foundation already is seeking homes for the 2024 home tours, Engelbrecht said. Photos of decorated homes will be taken this Christmas for the 2024 tour. Those interested may call the Kelly B. Todd center at (918) 683-4621.

Green Country Living

Daytime F E A T U R E D

HOMES

Holiday Edition 2023

COUSINS & WILSON HOME

GROBER HOME

Green Country Living

Steve and Julie Grober take time out from decorating and entertaining in their historic Founders Place home.

FEATURED

Grober Home 12

Holiday Edition 2023

Historic home abounds with memories Decades of holiday memories fill Steve and Julie Grober’s home in Founder’s Place. The Classical revival house dates to 1907. It features oak floors in the living and dining rooms. The bannister, stairs and a landing a few steps from the main floor also are made of oak. The Grobers made countless memories of their own since moving into the house in 1994. Julie said her memories involve a lot of people gathering for the holidays.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Chris Cummings ABOVE: Ornaments collected over many years, and from many places hang on a living room tree. Julie Grober made the quilted tree skirt. LEFT: A Nativity scene with plaster figures tops a chest.

Green Country Living

FE AT U R E D HOM E GROBER

RIGHT: A Santa stacking doll stands with a strand of ornaments. BELOW: A Father Christmas figure is part of the Grober’s Santa collection.

ABOVE: An Advent calendar has led up to Christmas for nearly 30 years. LEFT: Santa figures include a Russian St. Nicholas, left and a more Nordic version.

“Because we have so much room, we have a lot of people who gather,” she said. “I love having as many people in that house as possible. I just want to pack it out with our family and anybody else. Eating good meals. I love to cook for my family and Steve is a lot of help in the kitchen.” Steve recalled hearing children running around upstairs. He said many family photos were taken on the oak landing.

Holiday Edition 2023

Sometimes the oak landing became a stage, Julie said. “The grandkids would put little programs and plays, and we’d all gather around and watch them.” The house offers the perfect setting for Christmas decorating. “It’s got the staircase we can put garlands on. It’s got two fireplaces we can put stockings on. It’s really cozy, being a fairly large house, real homey for Christmas. Our family loves to gather there,”

Julie said. They put garlands and wreaths on the broad front porch and front balcony. The Grobers say they decorate differently each year. But they have many favorites they like to bring out. “Most of our decorations are sentimental decorations and things people have given us or that we collected over the years that have meaning to us,” Julie said.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Steve and Julie Grobers’ stockings hang by their chairs in the den. A Nativity scene and a wreath adorn a fireplace. The staircase landing has set the stage for many family pageants and portraits.

“When we go overseas, we usually get a Christmas ornament,” Steve said. The tall living room Christmas tree features ornaments they’ve collected through the years. Julie made the quilted tree skirt. “I love to get poinsettias from Pete Carson,” Julie said. “I think his are really beautiful. I put those in all the rooms. The dining room accommodates family feasts. “One thing I like about our dining

Holiday Edition 2023

room is that we can have our whole family at the table,” she said. “I got the table from Gary Cooper, GK Furnishing, it can seat 12. We have 13 in our family with our children and grandchildren, and we can fit all 13 around that table. I put another leaf in it and add chairs.” They set the table with heirloom Christmas dishes. Decorations, including napkin rings and reindeer come from Hobby Lobby.

The Grobers have a collection of Santas from all over the place. One is a painted wood Orthodox Santa their daughter, Christi Ambuehl, got during a mission trip to Russia. Another is a stacking Santa doll. An advent calendar from Steve’s aunt has hung from a doorknob for nearly 30 Christmases. A tiny Santa fits into each of 24 pockets and is moved to a different pocket from day to day.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E GROBER

Heirloom tableware on a dining room set from GK Furnishing set the table for a holiday feast.

A Nativity scene with plaster figures belonged to Julie’s mother. “That’s from my childhood,” Julie said. “My sister’s birthday was Dec. 7, so we always waited until Dec. 8 to decorate for Christmas because we wanted to celebrate her all by herself. So I remember every Dec. 8, we’d get everything

Holiday Edition 2023

out. We’d get the Nativity set out. We’d either buy a tree or get an artificial tree. But we did it all on Dec. 8.” Julie said her grandmother made a ceramic white tabletop Christmas tree as well as an intimate six-piece ceramic Nativity set. Julie said she received a beautiful blue Christmas tree-shaped

candy dish from a parent when she taught preschool. A Christmas throw drapes a settee that came from Bethany Presbyterian Church. “The pastor was redoing his study and he sold it in a closed bid sale,” Julie said. “I thought, I could donate to the church

LEFT: A shelf in the newly remodeled kitchen offers space for seasonal decorations. BELOW: Santa sits on a settee that came from Bethany Presbyterian Church.

and get a settee.” Two stockings hang by a fireplace. Steve’s mom made his stocking when he was a little boy and her stocking when they got married, Julie said. The Grobers remodeled their kitchen around 2020. “We had some fabulous craftsmen

who were Muskogee people,” Julie said. “The cabinet maker was Don Gullitt. The painter was Mike Seabolt and the plumbing was Joey Seabolt.” Julie said that when she planned the kitchen, she wanted a shelf for seasonal displays over the stove. Their Christmas display includes an “oh so merry” white

Santa platter Julie found online. The Grobers say they’re flattered their historic home is included on the Kelly B. Todd tour. “We do want to support them, they do really good work,” Julie said. “I’m grateful for everything they do for the children in this area.”

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Fort Gibson Holiday for the

Holiday Edition 2023

Fort Gibson Holiday for the

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Lights of all colors pierce the night surrounding the home of Alex Wilson and Joel Cousins.

FEATURED

Cousins & Wilson Home 22

Holiday Edition 2023

Home houses many family treasures Joel Cousins and Alex Wilson have their Okmulgee Avenue home ready for lavish holiday gatherings or restful times alone. Lights and colors from a corner Christmas tree reflect on the living room’s wood floor. Crimson and cream poinsettias — OU Sooners colors — show up in several rooms. The dining room table features Christmas tree plates and glassware. Even German shepherd Boomer has his own Santa Dog blanket in the den. Cousins, who has lived in the house 36 years, said they enjoy hosting a light dinner party before the annual community performance of “Messiah.”

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos submitted by Alex Wilson

The wood living room floor reflects the light and color from a corner Christmas tree while a shoe store Santa stands on a perch.

Green Country Living

FE AT U R E D HOM E C OU SINS & WIL S ON

ABOVE: A festive garland tops the living room mantle. RIGHT: A Christmas cactus blooms a few weeks early each year. BELOW: Gold stockings and a knit stocking hang by the fireplace in this warm scene.

“I have the soloists, the out-of-town visitors and certain friends who are singing in ‘Messiah’ before the performance so they don’t have to find someplace to eat,” he said. This year’s performance will be 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, across Okmulgee Avenue from their house. The house dates to 1928, Cousins said. “Nobody who owned it actually lived there until after the war.” Cousins said he moved there 36 years ago. “It’s very well built, and I really didn’t have to do much to it structurally,” he said. “The kitchen was gutted and redone in the 1970s and they added white crown moulding. All I did was pull up the wall-to-wall carpet. These wood floors were here, we redid the floors.” The interior was repainted in 1993, he said. Red paint in the living room and green wallpaper in the dining room offer Christmassy backdrops for decorations. “When I first moved here, Joel had someone come and do the decorations,” Wilson said. “Then I found out how much it costs and, we decided we can do it ourselves, have a lot more flexibility and use more of the decorations. We’d make some changes every year.”

Holiday Edition 2023

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FE AT U R E D HOM E C OU SINS & WIL S ON

Crimson and cream poinsettias bloom throughout the house while a wreath hangs on a grandfather clock.

Holiday Edition 2023

Lighted trees flank a cream colored poinsettia in the formal dining room.

Cousins said it takes about a day and a half to decorate inside. “Usually it will be a big day on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and Saturday and finishing up on Sunday,” he said. “This year will be better because my sister and her husband will be here.” ProGreen Landscape, owned by Joe Sommers decorate the front and side yards, Cousins said. A two-story tree sparkles with colors. White and red lights shimmer on bushes. Wilson takes care of backyard

decorations. He even decorates the swimming pool cover, creating a watery effect with blue lights. The entry features massive red and cream-colored poinsettias. Garland adorns the wood bannister leading upstairs. Cousins said artist Gloria Schumann painted the portrait of his son. A wreath hangs on the grandfather clock. Two small evergreens top a buffet in the dining room. A sleeping Santa in a small four-poster

bed used to be in the window of Hines Department Store in Tahlequah, Cousins said. “It was in the window of Hines for at least 40 years,” Cousins said. “Mrs. Hines gave it to Frank’s mother when they closed the store.” The late Frank Medearis was Cousins’ longtime partner. Tiny Christopher Radko decorations adorn a countertop tree in the kitchen. Wilson said the tree winds up and plays music.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E C OU SINS & WIL S ON

Backyard lights shine through the den window while even the dog bed gets a Christmassy cover.

In the living room, fine European glass ornaments from Christopher Radko adorn the tree and the garland over the fireplace. Two elegant gold-and-maroon stockings hang by the chimney. A Christmas cactus blooms each Thanksgiving. A foot-tall storefront Santa perches by the living room tree. “That was in the window of the Cousins Shoe Hospital at 306 W. Broadway, which was my parents’ store,” Cousins said. “They bought the store in 1940. The Santa was in the front window until we sold the store in 1982. It had shoes all

Holiday Edition 2023

around it.” A Lionel electric train Cousins got in Christmas 1956 circles around the red tree-skirt. “It had been in my mother’s attic for 30-40 years,” he said. “We put it on that track and it still works.” The train is one of many fond Christmas memories Cousins recalls. “My Christmas was always wonderful,” Cousins said. “We woke up and we had to stay back in the bedroom area until my dad got the cameras up, the lights up for the cameras because he’d

always make movies. I remember the year I was in first grade and I got the train set. The next one was when I got a real bicycle when I was about 10.” He said his grandmother from Claremore always came by. Neighbors would too. “My family was friends with almost everybody on Hayes Street.” he said. Wilson recalled family visits growing up in Oklahoma City. “I always enjoyed finding creative gifts for people,” he said. “I usually plan ahead.”

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CASTOR HOME

HEWSON HOME

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Holiday Edition 2023

F E A T U R E D

Candlelight HOMES Green Country Living

David and Marci Whitaker Hewson’s home is a stop on the annual Kelly B. Todd Christmas Home Tour this year.

FEATURED

Hewson Home 32

Holiday Edition 2023

Christmas season comes alive The stockings are already hung by the chimney with care at David and Marci Whitaker Hewson’s house this holiday season. Twinkly eyed, rosy-cheeked Santas adorn every surface. Fluffy Christmas pillows are piled on the comfy couch, and everything sparkles like Christmas has already arrived. The couple’s home will be a stop on the Kelly B. Todd Christmas Home Tour — a fundraiser for an organization that is especially important to Marci and family. “My niece, Emily, has Down syndrome and received therapy at Kelly B. Todd for many years,” she says. “We’ve always gone to the home tour ourselves, and we are happy to support their cause by being part of it this year.”

By Wendy Burton • Photos by Chris Cummings ABOVE: Many beautiful owls nest among the sparkling branches of Marci Whitaker Hewson’s Christmas tree. LEFT: A host of cheerful Santa Claus gnomes hang out over the fireplace in the Hewson’s den.

Green Country Living

FE AT U R E D HOM E HE WS ON

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: David Hewson, left, and Marci Whitaker Hewson open their home to visitors this year for the Kelly B. Todd Christmas Home Tour. Marci Whitaker Hewson displays her delicate, antique ornaments that belonged to her grandmother on a small tree in the living room. A forest of holiday trees and feathered friends fill the top of a sofa table in the Hewson’s living room. Santa and his reindeer, a family heirloom, brighten up the family’s dining table.

Between David and Marci, visitors should expect to hear about some wonderful memories as they tour the décor. For David, Christmas is a little more special. His late father, after all, was the real deal — good ol’ Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas — with a real beard, even. His father was a professional chef and a professional Santa, Hewson says. And so, Christmas is a time filled with many

Holiday Edition 2023

fond memories of Santa and Mrs. Claus being a part of his life. David says he remembers his whole family getting involved in his father’s Santa career — his stepmother was Mrs. Claus, and the younger kids still at home dressed up as elves each year. Their home, in Montana, was decorated for Christmas year ‘round. “My father had this gorgeous Santa suit, probably worth about $2,500. This

was 30-40 years ago,” he says. “He colored his black beard white until he was older. He would go out in the evenings as Santa to parties and gatherings and they would pay him hundreds of dollars an hour to let people take photos with him.” When David says his father was a professional Santa, he means truly professional. “His image was on Christmas cards, and in a Coca Cola commercial,” David says.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E HE WS ON

This ceramic Nativity scene, adorned with gold leaf and colorful jewel accents, was made by family friends many years ago, Marci Whitaker Hewson says.

ABOVE: The living room is festive, cozy, and comfy with plenty of cute Christmas throw pillows. RIGHT: Lots of Santas are sprinkled among the Hewson family’s cheerful Christmas decorations—including images of David Hewson’s father, who was once a professional Santa Claus.

Holiday Edition 2023

The Hewson family’s decorated the kitchen with wintery scenes and candy bowls for guests to enjoy.

The Hewsons have many portraits of his father on display each Christmas. Marci says she blew photos up and framed them, including one of an adult David sitting on his father’s lap about 25 years ago. Another is an artistic portrait of his father as Santa Claus, holding two adorable puppies. The couple’s decorating isn’t just about Father Christmas, though. Marci has included many special elements from her side of the family. “I have a small tree on the buffet that has my grandmother’s (Lucille Whitaker) ornaments that are very old,” she says. “They are so fragile; I don’t put them on the big tree.” There’s a delicate red-glass, snow-dusted pinecone, a vintage Saint Nicholas, and gracefully striped and sparkling glass balls. Along the buffet, Marci has also put out a collection of Santas, holiday trees, angels, and other cheery items. High above the living room are large, kitschy Christmas signs — “Merry Christmas” on one side and giant snowflakes and ornaments on the other, hung on the ample space provided by the room’s vaulted ceiling. In the dining area, the couple has put up a tall tree in the front window. Marci collects owls and so many of the beautiful ornaments are feathered friends. On the table is a large, ceramic sleigh and reindeer — a special decoration for Marci.

Green Country Living

FE AT U R E D HOM E HE WS ON

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: An ode to childhood: vintage sled and a reminder that everyone is young enough to watch for Santa’s sleigh occupy a corner at the Hewson’s home. Marci Whitaker Hewson has more decorations laid out, preparing to finish her decorating before the Christmas Home Tour. Photographs of David Hewson’s father as Santa hold places of honor on the living room mantle.

Holiday Edition 2023

“The sleigh and reindeer were my mother’s (Anita Whitaker). She says she purchased them 30 or 40 years ago from an antique store in Colorado,” she says. There’s also an impressive ceramic Nativity scene on the sideboard — painted in an antiqued cream shade with gold leaf and gemstone accents. Of course, there’s Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, but the wise men, camels, cattle, sheep and their shepherds also attend the lighted manger scene. “It was made more than 25 years ago by Frances Pentecost and Mary Jo Kimbrough,” Marci says. “It’s just beautiful.”

“

I have a small tree on the buffet that has my grandmother’s (Lucille Whitaker) ornaments that are very old.

”

— Marci Whitaker Hewson The couple also decorated the kitchen, breakfast nook, and den. Marci emptied her entire lighted China cabinet and filled it with Christmasthemed dishes and knickknacks. The den features a multitude of cute Santas lounging on the mantle and other sparkly ornaments here and there. Above the refrigerator sits a wooden birdhouse, decorated for Christmas, of course. On the breakfast table, more pretty decorations are laid out, including a pair of handblown glass snowmen, waiting for Marci to finish her decorating for the season. “We usually don’t start decorating until after Thanksgiving,” she says. “And I have more I want to do before the tour.”

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A poinsettia, a crown and other ornaments glisten from the entry hall tree in the Bobbi and Jeff Knack home.

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Knack Home 40

Holiday Edition 2023

Home invites variety of holiday cheer Bobbi Knack recalls being choosy when she and her husband, Jeff, were house hunting in 2021. “When we were looking for a house, one of the things I looked for was a place for a very, very large tree,” she said. They found just what they were looking for when they walked into the house at 3709 Club View. The two-story entry hall had a stairway that wound up one corner. That’s where the Knacks put a tall tree, glistening with blue, silver and gold. Ornaments include white poinsettias, sparkly stars and a delicate crown.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Chris Cummings ABOVE: With its winding staircase, the Knack’s entry hall is tailor made for a tall Christmas tree and green garland. An heirloom Nativity scene is on a corner shelf. LEFT: Patchwork reindeer add color to the gray hearth.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E K N ACK LEFT: A massive wreath hangs by the second floor of the Knack home. BELOW: A Nativity scene, hand-painted by an aunt, has its own corner shelf in the entry.

LEFT: A corner decoration can be a tree or a dress. BELOW: A crown sparkles from a Christmas tree branch.

A matching garland drapes the wood bannister and a massive wreath hangs on a wall. A corner shelf, halfway up the entry stairs, displays a multi-level Nativity scene. “It was hand-painted by my aunt in the 1970s,” Bobbi Knack said. “Through all the years I was growing up, that’s what we displayed. My mom gave it to me in the early 2000s.” A massive wreath and a garland, adorned with various shades of blue, also adorn the entry. Knack found decorating potential

Holiday Edition 2023

throughout the house. Outside, Christmas lights create multiple patterns lining different sections of steep roofs. With it’s blue paint and knotty pine cabinets and trim, the family room offers a setting for more natural decor. Four white stockings with leaf prints hang from the wood mantel. Reindeer of various colors surround the stone fireplace. A plaid blanket drapes out of a basket. Decorations are on either side of the fireplace. White wooden decorations that look

like lanterns were made by David Eckerson, a family friend. Knack said she filled them with holiday greenery and other ornaments. “A lot was vintage-type stuff I purchased at Junk 360,” Knack said. “Junk 360 is where I get a lot of my stuff, or Hattie’s House.” Plaid blankets hanging on a blanket ladder add even more warmth to the living room. Many painted wall hangings have Christmas sayings, such as “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “Tidings of Comfort and Joy.”

ABOVE: Elves rest on a bathroom shelf next to a festive shower curtain. LEFT: Shiny stars and trees adorn a bedroom’s bay window.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E K N ACK

Greenery adorns a dining room fireplace.

RIGHT: A painting proclaims glad tidings over a driftwood table.

FAR RIGHT: A church friend made wood lanterns filled with holiday decor.

Knack said the tree in the living room will be more “outdoorsy.” “We like nature and outdoor decorations, we have a section have mainly reindeer,” she said. “Our family’s favorite Christmas tradition is going to the Gore Christmas Tree Farm (Cal2Homa) to cut down a tree. We’ve been doing that for 16 years.” They plan a couple of other trees in the house. “The master bedroom will be more

Holiday Edition 2023

sentimental,” she said. “We have a tree with decorations we’ve had since our kids were little.” A dining room tree will be done in red and green, Knack said. Greenery frames a white fireplace in the dining room. A natural wreath comes from a fundraising project at First United Methodist Church. It hangs on a vintage mirror from Teen Challenge thrift shop. Many place settings came from Hobby Lobby or Kirkland’s, Knack said. “We like

to entertain, we have game nights with our friends, we have the youth group over.” Holidays are for smaller gatherings with family, she said. Knack decorates nearly every room in her house. Pillows and bedspreads are switched to reflect a holiday theme. A bay window in one daughter’s room features ornamental bulbs and stars. Thin Christmas trees of different styles line a shelf under the window. The trees glisten even brighter in dim light, Knack said.

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ABOVE: Reindeer rest and stand around the stone fireplace.

RIGHT: A quilt ladder offers the perfect place to hang Christmassy blankets.

Holiday Edition 2023

RIGHT: Shelves on a kitchen island show a variety of holiday spirits. BELOW: A bird rests on books in the sitting room.

“At night, it looks better,” she said. “She likes gold, rose gold and pink, so any tree we found we picked up. They all came from Hattie’s House.” Even the guest bathroom’s shower curtain features a slew of “ho, ho, hos” and “fa-la-las.” Different table-top Christmas trees are scattered through the house. Knack painted a ceramic Christmas Tree at Blue Rabbit Pottery and Art studio in the Depot District. White on the boughs make it look like it’s been out in

the snow. She also has a small collection of Nativity scenes from various places. One was made by an artist in Taos Pueblo. She said she might display them in a China hutch. Knack recalls cozy holiday gatherings growing up in snowy North Dakota. “I have 24 cousins, so when we got together at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s it was quite a houseful. It was just those big family Christmases.” The Knack family is making memories

in Muskogee as well. “We have the youth group every Christmas for what they call a traveling dinner,” Bobbi Knack said. “They go out to one of our Church members who has a barn and do a manger thing, then they go to different church members’ houses to have appetizers, a meal and dessert.” The family is ready to make a new memory this Christmas. Their first grandchild, a granddaughter named Wren, was born a few weeks ago, Bobbi Knack said.

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Decorated evergreens and a portrait of Santa surround the front room display, while a tall sentry watches from around the corner.

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Castor Home 48

Holiday Edition 2023

Nutcrackers fill Castor home

A flocked tree shines by the front room’s picture window.

Expect to be greeted by hordes of nutcrackers when you visit Von and Kimberly Castor’s home this season. They guard entrances. They crowd atop chests in the entry hall and living room. They fill the family room tree. Kimberly Castor said she has not tried to count how many she has. “I just collected them over the years,” she said. “I loved to dance as a kid, and I was always fascinated by ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet.” Two tall red nutcrackers light up and play music from the Tchaikovsky ballet when visitors step up to the front door.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Shane Keeter

The entry room display features pieces made by the famed Steinbach Volkskunst woodworkers of Germany. Green Country Living

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ABOVE: Red holiday throws and pillows, plus a portrait of Santa add punches of red to the living room. BELOW: Nutcrackers can be found on pillows and throws, on the Christmas tree and by the living room hearth.

Castor said she got them from Walmart earlier this year. The nutcrackers are part of a spectacular outdoor display. “My husband does all of it,” Castor said. “We line the driveway. We line the roof. Everything is lined. We wrap all the trees.” They also will have a nutcracker inflatable. Inside, a nutcracker in the front hall looks like it came straight from the famed FAO Schwarz Toy Store in New York. Castor said her husband surprised her with it.

Holiday Edition 2023

“We went shopping in Tulsa one day,” she said. “It was part of a display and he asked if they would sell it, and they did. Somehow he got it in the car, wrapped up in something, and I didn’t notice it until we made it home.” Several tabletop nutcrackers are from the famed Steinbach Volkskunst woodworkers in Germany. “The rest are ones I pick up from here or or whatever,” she said. Many reflect family interests, Castor said. “We have a collection of golf nutcrackers,”

she said. “We have a daughter that’s a teacher, a daughter that’s a hairstylist. One of my daughters is going to be a doctor. And my husband is a hunter. We have football players.” An elegant 9-foot tree, white with large ornaments, shines by a front window. “I just love a flocked tree — gold and black, and red if it’s a traditional red,” Castor said. Many of her ornaments come from Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target or Kohl’s, she said.

ABOVE LEFT THEN CLOCKWISE: Garlands, silver trees and festive dinnerware add a holiday touch to the dining room A hall table features a green garland and a nutcracker while a basket holds warm blankets. A tall nutcracker guards a kitchen pantry topped with Christmas adornments. The Holy Family and shepherds find a spot in this corner Nativity scene.

In the family room, a massive red bow tops the 7-foot tree that features ribbons and nutcracker ornaments. Two four-foot nutcrackers guard the family room entrance A nativity set that belonged to Castor’s mother tops a corner hutch. Thirteen matching stockings — one for each family member — hang by the fireplace. “One of my daughters is engaged, so her fiancé got a stocking this year,” Castor said.

“I won’t put anything in them. I am an overthe-top stocking stuffer. The actual goodies go in a big Santa sack. Dining room plates depicting ‘The Nutcracker’ come from Hobby Lobby. Vintage holiday tableware featuring garlands and poinsettias fill two hutches. The sets include a gravy bowl, butter dish and creamer. Castor said the tableware came from one of her former hair styling customers. The smaller hutch belonged to her greatgreat grandmother.

All sorts of nutcracker items, including dishtowels and napkins are in the kitchen. “I started collecting the cookie jars a while back, just for the kitchen,” she said. “My little grandson drew a nutcracker picture for me.” She said one daughter gave her a nutcracker-shaped platter last Christmas. Not all the Castors’ decorations are nutcrackers. In the kitchen, even the spatulas show Christmas colors. The breakfast nook features peppermint drop pillows.

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FE AT U R E D HOM E CA S TOR

Holiday colors and icons appear all over the kitchen.

Throws in red, black, white are rolled up into several baskets throughout the house. Wreaths hang on several inside doors. Paintings of Santa and a snow-dusted church hang on walls. Castor recalled large family Christmases growing up in a small town south of Warner. “We had great Christmas times,” she said. “We lived about a mile from my grandmother and spent a lot of time going back and forth between my grandmother’s house and my house. All my cousins lived within a mile square, we had big Christmases at my grandmother’s.” She said her mother always loved to decorate. “I think that’s where I got the love to decorate for the holidays,” Castor said, adding that she moved to Muskogee when she was 15. The family is making new memories at their Club View house, where they have lived for two years. Castor said many family members live nearby. “We’re all very close in proximity to each other, so we spend a lot of time together,” she said. “Our big Christmas is Christmas morning when I have everybody come over. I cook a big breakfast. Christmas is my thing, I love sharing with my family at Christmas. We have a great time.”

Holiday Edition 2023

ABOVE: The kitchen dinette set features words to encourage merriment. LEFT: Pillows add warmth and sweetness to a breakfast nook.

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BEYOND THE LISTING

FEATURES » ADDRESS: 403 Gawf Lane. » ASKING PRICE: $274,500. » SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,000plus. » BEDROOMS: Three in main house, one in guest house. » BATHROOMS: Two full and one-half in main house, one full in guest house. » HEATING AND COOLING: Two electric central heat/air units in main house, ductless

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mini-split in guest house. » APPLIANCES: Stainless electric range and dishwasher. » FLOORS: Wood-look luxury vinyl plank, carpet. » LOT SIZE: 1.11 acres. » SCHOOL DISTRICT: Muskogee Public Schools. » INFORMATION: Holly Rosser Miller, Interstate Properties. (918) 348-9848.

Home, owner transformation Remodel project changes (out)look of Jenny Bell, home

t takes more than paint to transform a house. You need time, vision, and a few dollars. But if you ask Jenny Bell, tackling her home at 403 Gawf Lane was totally worth it – not just because she got rid of the 1980s vibe, but because she found her own life transforming with every project.

“The house has changed drastically since 2019 — and so have I,” mused Jenny, who bought the house back in 2006. “This remodel has been a slow, methodical labor of love. I wanted and needed a fresh start in my own life, and I discovered that by the time I finished the last project, I too had been healed along the way.”

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos submitted by Holly Rosser-Miller The chic black and white exterior of Jenny Bell’s home stands as a testament to her transformative journey.

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BEYOND THE LISTING Kitchens and bathrooms are probably the most time-consuming and laborintensive projects in a home remodel, so Jenny decided to start there. She worked with professionals on those rooms, but she did all the design and chose the finishes herself. “I just decided to go for it and started from scratch in the kitchen.” Aaron and Son Custom Cabinets in Muskogee built new Shaker style cabinetry with the uppers raising all the way to the ceiling, “which makes the room feel taller,” said Jenny. Brushed nickel hardware, gorgeous granite countertops, subway tile back splash, and stainless appliances give the room a clean and cheerful ambiance. Wood-stained open shelving runs along the wall to the right of the sink, the perfect place to display decorative treasures and pretty dishes while everyday kitchen items are tucked behind closed doors. The kitchen includes a breakfast nook and a barn door which leads into the laundry room.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The fresh, clean ambiance of the kitchen is highlighted by Shaker style cabinetry reaching up to the ceiling, brushed nickel hardware, granite countertops, and a subway tile backsplash. Wood-stained open shelving along the right wall adds a touch of warmth. Bathrooms were among the most time-consuming and labor-intensive efforts during the remodel.

Holiday Edition 2023

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BEYOND THE LISTING CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: The transformed formal dining room promotes striking black wainscoting and a captivating flowerburst light fixture. This secondary bedroom is one of three residing in main house. The breakfast nook features wood-stained open shelving, a cozy dining space, and a barn door leading into the adjacent laundry room.

The bathrooms were her next undertaking. The home has a half bath downstairs and two full baths upstairs with the bedrooms. The half bath just off the entry features floor to ceiling white shiplap on one wall with a fashionable black vanity and brushed gold fixtures. That style continues into the open living and dining area. Jenny says she took much of her inspiration from designer Shea McGee of HGTV’s Dream Home

Holiday Edition 2023

Makeover. The formal dining room, which her family uses instead as additional living space, showcases sophisticated black wainscoting with a touch of glam care of the flower-burst light fixture in the center of the room. That wainscoting and updating her upstairs flat panel doors was a project that taught Jenny she was capable of doing things she had never tried before. “I had to map out the trim, do the

math, learn how to use table saws and other power tools.” Thanks to YouTube, the nice folks at Lowe’s, and a little grit, Jenny did all that herself and even rehung the doors when she was finished. That’s no easy task, but it turned out beautifully. Just across from the formal dining space is a large living room with a fireplace surrounded by built-in bookcases. Jenny lightened the room by painting

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: This living area boasts a cozy fireplace surrounded by built-in bookcases. Laundry room shelving provides ample storage for space. The double-sink vanity, matte black fixtures, vinyl plank floors add warmth and luxury to primary suite bath.

the walls, trim, and fireplace a creamy white and dressed up the beamed ceiling by running natural wood over the sheetrock. “I wanted my house to be the place where my kids and their friends would feel comfortable gathering, so I decided to dedicate those two rooms to that effort by bringing in a lot of seating options.” The entire downstairs flooring is now wood-look luxury vinyl plank,

which is stylish and easy to care for. Her house has indeed been the hangout for her teenagers. The staircase also got a revamp with a custom contemporary black metal bannister and hardwood treads. Upstairs, the primary suite bath got a full makeover too, with a new doublesink vanity, white subway tiled shower and matte black plumbing fixtures. The soaking tub is surrounded by white

shiplap floor to ceiling and luxury vinyl plank floors add a touch of warmth to the space. This property has a feature most houses in the neighborhood do not. In the backyard, a stone walkway leads to a 24’ x 36’ shop — which is a bonus on its own. But when Jenny’s oldest daughter graduated, she decided to turn 500-plussquare feet of that shop into a guest house.

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BEYOND THE LISTING Bell’s staircase transformed with a custom contemporary black metal bannister and hardwood treads

The property’s 24’ x 36’ backyard shop was remade into a cozy guest house.

Black and white color pallette can be found throughout the house, including the primary bedroom.

Now, the shop has an open living room/kitchenette space, a private bedroom with walk-in closet, and full bath. The living quarters are well insulated with foam and heated/cooled by an energy-efficient ductless mini-split system. “My oldest is a young adult and lives there right now,” said Jenny. “When we moved in, she was just 3 years old.” Even with all that, the fenced backyard is huge. The house sits on a rare

Holiday Edition 2023

1-plus acre lot in Phoenix Village, so plenty of space is available for a pool and more should the new owner so desire. On the outside, paint did transform this two-story home. The new chic black and white color palette is set off by beautiful landscaping of which Jenny is especially proud. “I decided to tackle one flower bed every year, and eventually worked my way from north to south,” she said.

Walk-in closet was added to guest-house when transformed from shop.

“I learned what plants worked where, moved some to new spots, and even added exterior lighting.” The end result: tons of curb appeal and an unexpected love of gardening. “It’s time to move on to the next chapter of life with my new husband,” reflected Jenny. “But I am thankful for what this remodel helped me work through, and it’s gratifying that all the effort also made it a beautiful place for someone else to start fresh.”

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CHEERS TO CHRISTMAS! Photos by Mandy Corbell

Maxine’s Gastropub transformed into a festive wonderland last holiday season. The cozy restaurant radiated holiday cheer, going all out on Christmas decorations, with twinkling lights, sparkling ornaments, and numerous Christmas trees.

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Holiday Edition 2023

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A R T OF T HE M AT T E R

Patrick Holman reflects on the diversity of art he creates on the easel, wall and computer.

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BRUSH STROKES MOUSE CLICKS AND

Tahlequah professional artist excels in variety of media

ahlequah artist Patrick Holman creates art with a paintbrush, a mouse and more. The Atlantic City, New Jersey, native has been into some kind of art since he was a kid. “My first project, I think I was in first grade or something like that,” he said. “The teacher named the rows after the characters in ‘Happy Days,’ so you had

the Potsie row, the Fonzie row. So I drew all their portraits and put them on the desks. I was always drawing. Christmas cards, Snoopy, Linus. ‘Draw this Pirate’ contests from the newspapers.” Holman said he painted a lot and took classes through high school and studied graphic art at Spokane School of Art in Washington. He was a graphic specialist in the U.S. Air Force.

By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Shane Keeter

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A R T OF T HE M AT T E R

“We were doing a lot of intel work, slide shows, presentations, that sort of thing,” he said. “Once in a while, a general would retire and I’d paint his portrait. Or if someone wanted a painting on one of their great big toolboxes, and I did that. That was just a lot of fun.” After the Air Force, Holman worked for the South Jersey Shoppers Guide. “And they came out with these brand new computers called the Mac,” he said, referring to the early hatbox-sized computers with blackand-white monitors. “And we were so amazed at this because it had ‘what you see is what you get,” Holman said. “Before, as a graphic artist, we had to work with typesetters.” He recalled doing spec ads on poster boards, using stencil lettering and wax before the Mac came out. “We had to character count, we had to have everything perfect, type size, line length, leading. Everything was done by hand,” he said. “So when we got that computer, I just went nuts.” Holman spent 35 years in advertising, working on campaigns for Beringer Wine, Proctor and Gamble, General Motors and other clients.

Holiday Edition 2023

ABOVE: Using a Smart phone photo as a guide, Patrick Holman strokes a dancer’s outline on a canvas. BELOW: Patrick Holman uses a computer to sketch in facial details taken from a photograph.

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A R T OF T HE M AT T E R

The studio in the corner of Patrick Holman’s garage shows works he has done, and is doing, with paint and computer design.

The family lived in the San Francisco Bay area for about 14 years, then a couple of years around Yosemite National Park before coming to Oklahoma. He and his wife, Heather, live in Tahlequah with their two children. His graphics have come a long way since his first program, Adobe Illustrator 1988. “And now I have a top-of-the-line 27-inch iMac that’s not going to be made

Holiday Edition 2023

again,” he said. “They stopped making iMac in 2022. And it’s a monster machine.” Holman can do a lot of things with the mouse. He used speed painting for a digital portrait of his wife in 2020. Speed painting involves moving the cursor over a photograph, using brush strokes from pinhead to paintbrush in size. He can get as detailed as he wants. Shading can

add softness. He also did speed paintings for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, who ran for president in 2012 and 2008. “It’s really interesting, especially when you get certain areas of the face, the nose and the chin and the cheeks how red and flush it is, and then you lower the it’s more green and blue as you get down. Holman now does freelance work. His

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Patrick Holman talks about how he used speed painting to create a digital portrait of his wife. A horseman appears to leap through the hoop in a black and white piece. A sketched character Patrick Holman created is between two ads and brochures he created. A sketch of Justice steps through a work Patrick Holman currently is painting.

work can be seen in a variety of media including brochures, labels, food packets, even wine bottle tags. “I work a lot in motion graphics,” he said, referring to animation that focuses on text. A new venture is 3D animation using the Blender program to sync vocals with lip movement. “I didn’t have to do anything,” he said.

“The computer hears the sound — the ‘th,’ the ‘a,’ the ‘e’ — and automatically takes the file and pulls it and lines it up to the vocals.” He’s working on a music video for the local punk band Thru it All. He solders vintage coins to chains to make a pendant, what he calls investment jewelry. Holman still takes a paint brush to some

projects. His most recent work is a Kevin Costner western painting on an Azalea Festival banner last spring. He said it was the top-seller at the banner auction in May. He uses his artistic eye for any medium. “Everything is about color and light vibrating off of each other — tints, shadows, shades, whether it’s paint, film, photography or graphic design,” he said.

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FOOD & DRINK FRIENDSGIVING

Ronnie Rogers, left, Cindy Rogers, Carla Lovelady, Carol Martin, and Mike Martin toast to a happy Friendsgiving at the home of Petra and Frank Arnold in Muskogee.

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Friendsgiving takes delicious twist Hosts open home for exotic dinner celebrating friendships

s some friends came in the front door, others came through the garden gate in back, all waving and greeting each other happily as they gathered to enjoy a rather untraditional Thanksgiving dinner at Petra and Frank Arnold’s home. Their friends got comfortable around the couple’s warm, inviting living room, sipping wine and chatting

happily as Petra bustled around the kitchen setting out delectably scented dishes, and Frank talked about the results of his evening’s labor. “Our appetizers are baba ganoush and hummus, Lebanese mountain bread, crusty sourdough bread, and Kalamata olives,” he said. “We also have spanokopita, which is a Greek spinach and cheese pie. It’s a recipe out of a Cretan cookbook.”

By Wendy Burton • Photos by Chris Cummings

Green Country Living

FOOD & DRINK FRIENDSGIVING In fact, for this year’s “Friendsgiving,” the couple served a full Mediterranean spread — everything lovingly made by Frank from scratch. The flaky, golden spanakopita is filo dough filled with spinach, feta and ricotta cheese. Frank said the traditional method is to fold it into individual triangles but making it into a stuffed pie is a quicker method and just as mouthwatering. The baba ganoush is much like hummus, but made with roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas. Both were homemade, creamy, and perfect for dipping crusty, warm bread. Frank said he’s been fond of cooking from a young age, and after 22 years in the military and seeing the world, he particularly enjoys trying what some might consider exotic fare. “I figured since I wasn’t good looking or rich, I had to learn to cook to attract a good woman,” he said. “It worked.” Petra said she and Frank always prefer to eat the way people who live in “blue zones” do — not only because the dishes are tasty, but for the health benefits. “Blue zones are where people live longer, healthier lives because of the food they eat and their active lifestyles,” she said. “The Mediterranean is one of those zones.”

ABOVE: Frank Arnold, left, and Petra Arnold top Frank’s Sicilian gelato with fruit compote for dessert. Frank made the entire meal from scratch. LEFT: Carol Martin, left, and Mike Martin help themselves to Frank Arnold’s Mediterranean Friendsgiving meal.

Holiday Edition 2023

ABOVE: A lovingly homemade Mediterranean spread, including flavorful spanakopita filled with spinach, feta, and ricotta cheese, is served buffet-style. BELOW: The main course, a hearty, saffron-seasoned, seafood paella with English peas and rice, is traditionally served in the pan it’s cooked in.

TOP: Crusty sourdough and Lebanese mountain bread make tasty appetizers dipped in baba ganoush or hummus. CENTER: After dinner guests enjoyed a sweet, Sicilian, mango and mixed fruit gelato topped with a fruit compote. BOTTOM: Vegetables roasted in an earthenware tajine are seasoned with ras el hanout, a Mediterranean seasoning featuring several spices, including cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger.

The main course was a seafood paella. The colorful rice dish traditionally includes different types of fish, shrimp, sauteed onions and peppers, and spicy sausage seasoned with aromatic spices such as saffron and paprika, topped with English peas. Moroccan-style vegetables were served in a sturdy earthenware tajine. The vegetarian dish included chickpeas, tomatoes, broccoli, zucchini,

onions, Kalamata olives, carrots, dried apricots, and dates. Frank seasoned the veggies with ras el hanout, which is a mixture of spices such as cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and coriander. Guests enjoyed a choice of pinot grigio or rum barrel-aged red wine with their dinner and followed it all up with a delicately sweet, Sicilian, mango and mixed fruit gelato topped with a fruit

compote — also homemade, of course. Though Petra said she can’t take credit for the meal, she should certainly be proud of creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for her special guests. She sprinkled tasteful and fun fall décor throughout the couple’s sunroom, kitchen, dining area, and living room, and everyone seemed as comfortable as they would have been in their own homes.

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FOOD & DRINK FRIENDSGIVING

COCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A gourmet meal and good friends make for a happy Friendsgiving at Petra and Frank Arnold’s home. Petra Arnold’s whimsical decorations for Halloween and fall add seasonal cheer to the cozy sunroom. Ronnie Rogers, left, Cindy Rogers, Carla Lovelady, Carol Martin, and Mike Martin chat over their delicious dinner.

“It’s fall, but I also have my little Halloween corner over here,” she said about a kitschy display on one end of the couple’s spacious sunroom. “I made these bottles myself, sprayed them with Krylon paint and put stickers and signs on them. It was a fun project.” Buckets of sunflowers, Indian paintbrush, and fall berries were scattered here and there. Artsy pumpkins and fall leaves adorned tables and shelves. The crowning glory, though, was a tremendous red and

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gold mum brought as a hostess gift by one of their friends. Frank said they usually hold a game night for Friendsgiving or other dinner parties, and it’s something he always enjoys. “We’re thankful for our friends — it’s always about friends,” he said. Carol and Mike Martin, the couple who strolled through the back gate and across the lawn to join the party, said they’re full of thankfulness. They sat comfortably side-by-side on the hearth before dinner,

relaxing and chatting with everyone. “There’s just so many things to be happy for — family, friends, and it’s just a great time for us right now,” Carol said. Mike agreed. “I’m thankful for our family and just this time in our lives. We’re having fun,” he said. Petra said she and Frank are also grateful for Mike and Carol’s friendship, and that they live close enough to enjoy one another’s pets, too. “We’re all animal people. Their two

RIGHT: Carla Lovelady, left, and Roger Lovelady visit with friends before dinner in the Arnold family’s welcoming living room. BELOW: Petra Arnold, left, visits with longtime friends and close neighbors Carol and Mike Martin before dinner.

little dachshunds run up and down their side of the (wooden) fence playing with our Aussiedoodle. You can just see their little shadows zipping back and forth under the fence,” she said. “It’s so cute, and we open the gate so they can all play together sometimes, too.” Carla Lovelady, another neighbor and close friend, echoed the part about everyone loving animals. “We see each other walking our dogs all the time, and ours come down sometimes to have a playdate here,” she said. “We’re especially thankful for our friends, someone to check on us, to spend time with.” Roger Lovelady, Carla’s husband, quickly answered what he is grateful for with “Frank’s food.” But also his friendship, and what he’s learning from Frank. “I’m the chef-in-training,” he said. “Frank’s teaching me how to cook when we get together.” And Frank’s food is incomparable, Roger said. “We’ll go to a restaurant and always compare it to what Frank would have cooked — it’s never as good.” Neighbors Ronnie and Cindy Rogers echoed the sentiment about friendship and included thankfulness for good health. Frank’s mother, Maxine Arnold, said she’s thankful for “my children, and for them bringing me here.” And Petra summed it all up with “We’re so thankful for our friends here. I mean, we really won the lottery with our neighbors.”

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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 part of the Saint Francis family—he’s part of our promise to improve the health of the communities we call home. Donald Mayes • Certified Surgical Technologist

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back stories:

'Best Christmas Ever'

Understanding meaning of exclamation By Holly Rosser-Miller

Understanding meaning of ‘Best Christmas recalling aloud this one season when my brothEver’ ers and I were small, and how Dad had been We have a Christmas tradition in the Rosser saying for days that all he wanted for Christmas family that started back in the late 1950s. was for Mom to make his favorite homemade Every year, after gifts are unwrapped and all candy called Millionaires. After my little brothHershey’s Kisses gathered from everyone’s ers and I tore through multiple gifts from Santa emptied stockings are handed over to my Dad (they all go to him Claus and our parents, Mom handed a gift to Dad and of course — this is a strict rule), someone will you can guess what was inside. exclaim, “This was the best ChristDad ripped open his single mas ever — even though we didn’t gift and proclaimed his joy at MILLIONAIRES RECIPE get much!” receiving exactly what he wanted When Dad was a toddler, his for Christmas, and then likely INGREDIENTS three older brothers (Jeff, Johnny was first to make the traditional 1 package caramel squares and Joe) woke up Christmas mornexclamation. 2 Tbsp water ing to find just a few gifts each As I was retelling this and 2 Tbsp butter under the tree. As the legend goes, laughing, my husband and parafter they wrapped up the mornents watched in real time as it 3 cups chopped pecans ing’s festivities, Uncle Johnny said, dawned on me what was actually 1 8-ounce chocolate bar “This was a wonderful Christhappening that Yuletide in the 1/3 stick grated paraffin mas — even though we didn’t get 1980s. Nine-year-old Holly didn’t much.” My grandfather replied, “I understand what Christmas gifts DIRECTIONS thought I heard something behind for three kids did to her parents’ • Melt caramels, water, and butter in a double the counter.” finances. We weren’t poor, but like boiler. My Uncle Jeff (the oldest) ran a lot of families there wasn’t much • Stir in pecans. around the corner, looked behind extra. And yet Billy, Beau, and I experienced the magic of the seathe low counter that separated the • Drop teaspoons of mixture onto greased cookie kitchen from the room they were son, oblivious to the complexities sheet and place in refrigerator to cool. in, and started screaming “Bicyof adult life or that our parents • Melt chocolate bar and paraffin wax in a double cles! Bicycles!” In that moment, it spent all they had on us. boiler. The holidays become much became their best Christmas ever. • Dip cooled caramel patties into the chocolate more complicated as we age — Grandmother loved to tell that and place on wax paper to cool. story. Those little boys couldn’t stress about extra expenses, grief possibly conceive what three bicyover those lost, nostalgia for what Eat as many as you want or wrap candy in a cles cost their parents. we think was a happier or simpler festive box and gift to your favorite person! Sixty-plus years later and time. regardless of the haul, we still race I don’t know what these next to be first in proclaiming it the best few weeks hold for you and yours, ever. but my wish is that you will find Fast forward to the early 2000s; our family was up to our ankles joy in the gift of giving no matter what form that takes. in torn gift wrap reminiscing about Christmas past. At this point I’d May you have the best Christmas ever — even if you don’t get been married a few years but wasn’t yet a mother. Anyhow, I was much.

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