All About Women November-December 2017

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2017

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Cheryl Cutlip & the Carolina Snowbelles

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O Family Tree with Sandy Hagler & Roberta Jackson Amy Hudnall’s

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Tree trimming crafts, beauty tips & holiday giving ideas

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Other than the traditional dinners with family, what is your favorite holiday tradition that you spend with family and/or friends?

PUBLISHER Gene Fowler

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Picking out the perfect Christmas tree is my favorite part of the season. It's followed by my least favorite part of the season: putting on the lights. - Kellen Short

My favorite holiday tradition is doing the Turkey Trot in Boone to benefit Hospitality House. I usually have one or all three of my kids running with me, and I've participated every year since it started.

- Heather Jordan

Senegalese Peanut Soup and Italian Wedding Soup: Yum! Every December we invite seven friends to a soup lunch, accompanied by jalapeño corn bread, peppermint ice cream, and Christmas cookies. Everyone brings gifts: party mix, chocolates, nuts. A new tradition is giving each woman a donation to such projects as the Malala Fund and the American Refugee Committee. - Sue Spirit

4 | November-December 2017

Every year after our holiday feast, our extended family would gather around my grandparents' benchstyle dining room table and play BINGO. Every year my grandmother won the most rounds — and gave away every one of her prizes! She had the most luck and was the most generous! We loved for her to win!

- Hollie Eudy

My favorite holiday tradition is when my family and I still put out milk and cookies for Santa. We also hang a special Santa key on our door that only he can use so he can get into the house, as we don’t have a chimney! - Kayla Lasure

Winter holidays = gingerbread!

I do not bake, but I purchase large quantities from local bakery, Stick Boy. Throw it in the freezer and enjoy all year long!

- Heather Brandon

It’s simple — we enjoy meals together all day long with my kids and grands — with Christmas tunes on Pandora. Cooking, cleaning, and talking together is such a bond-builder.

- Bonnie Church

Tom Mayer

EDITOR Anna Oakes editor@aawmag.com 828.278.3602

CONTRIBUTORS Heather Brandon Children’s Council of Watauga County Bonnie Church Yogi Collins Marion Edwards Hollie Eudy Heather Jordan Kayla Lasure Caroline Lawson Melanie Davis Marshall Thomas Sherrill Kellen Short Sue Spirit

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Meleah Bryan Brandon Carini Kristin Obiso

ADVERTISING Bethany Higgins 828.264.6397

COVER PHOTO

by Chastity Strickland

Any reproduction of news articles, photographs or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. © 2017 Mountain Times Publications aawmag.com

CONTENTS

features 18

Amy Hudnall and Horse Helpers

22 Cheryl Cutlip 26 Saloua Ali Ben Zahra 27

Sandy Hagler and Roberta Jackson

30 Ann Rose

relationships 10

Children’s Council

12

Mom’s World

homestead 13

Sew Original

14

Hillbetty Revival

15

Decorate with Christmas Tree Trimmings

food & drink 17

Baking Shortcuts

leisure 32 Travel

style

22

34 Fashionista

health 36 Beauty

15

37

Living Well

in every issue 06 Editor’s Note 08 Women in the News 38

17

By the Book

40 Young at Heart 41

All About Town

November-December 2017 | 5

editor’s

My sister Robyn, friend Kelsi, and I dance the night away at Melissa Reaves’s Holiday Show at The Local in December of last year.

note

Tom Petty. I won’t attempt to add to the canon of worthy and well-spoken tributes to this mighty musician, but suffice it to say, wow, what a punch in the gut. As I get older and my heroes start to pass, I’m aware that this loss, while it stings, comes nowhere close to the pain that many feel for their own lost loved ones, especially at this time of year.

I am fortunate. I have thus far not been touched by losses to very many of my immediate family and friends, but I know that won’t always be. So as we head into this holiday season, and the time of year in which we look ahead to the next, I’m trying to be more mindful of living in the moment and being intentional in my relationships.

When I was younger, I used to have a bad habit of mourning something before it was gone. Knowing that a multi-day vacation or music festival was about to be over, or knowing that visiting friends would be leaving in a day or two, I would feel that tinge of sadness creeping in, even though the music notes were still ringing in my ears, or my friends were still warming the seats around me. But there were many more moments to be had! I’ve made a conscious effort to stop doing that, to live in the moment, and to enjoy it to the end.

But in terms of connections with others, in times of social media, many of us have become worse friends. We think we are connected, but we are not.

We think we’ve been keeping in touch, but we haven’t.

We’re all broadcasting, and few of us are truly listening. I must do better.

This line from Heather Jordan’s column this issue really resonates with me: “Life is not perfect, nor is it even close. Sometimes what we get is what we get.

And it is enough.”

In closing, I want to sincerely thank our readers and our advertisers for your support in my first year as editor of All About Women. I’m proud and honored to help share the stories of women in this community!

Happy Holidays,

6 | November-December 2017

aawmag.com

WHO Should We Feature?

In March, in honor of Women’s History Month, we again want to feature multiple women who are “making their mark” here in the High Country — and we need your help to find them!

Whether she’s an entrepreneur, professional, craftswoman, stay-at-home mom or a dedicated volunteer, contact us if you know a woman who falls into one of the following categories:

Champions: Women who have achieved

remarkable success or who are survivors of incredible challenges. This category is also for women who are champions for others, both as mentors and advocates.

Givers:

Through their service as volunteers and benefactors, these women set the example of how to give back and pay it forward.

Pioneers: From entrepreneurs to innovators,

these women are bringing new ideas, approaches and concepts to our community and to their organizations.

Mountaineers:

We need your help!

Through various activities and efforts, these women are preserving the heritage, music or lifeways of the mountains, or they’re conquering mountains through adventure.

If this describes a High Country woman you know, email us a name and why you feel she should be featured at editor@aawmag.com by Friday, Dec. 8.

November-December 2017 | 7

Women in the News Eldreth Sworn In as West Jefferson Town Clerk

Young Named a Friday Fellow

Mayor Dale Baldwin swears in new West Jefferson Town Clerk Rebecca Eldreth as Tony Eldreth looks on and holds the Bible for his daughter. Photo by Colin Tate

J

ust a week after the departure of longtime West Jefferson Town Clerk Wesley Barker, West Jefferson has a new town clerk in Rebecca Eldreth.

Even before she began on Oct. 9, Eldreth spent time with Barker learning the job, and she also kept the minutes at the Oct. 2 West Jefferson Aldermen meeting.

“I do have some experience in human resources, and I’ve done contracts and things like that,” Eldreth said. “I think I can handle it. I’m glad I can be out in the public and be a face for West Jefferson and the people.”

In her new job, Eldreth will be providing human resources for employees, while being someone they can come to and ask questions. She aims to provide guidance to the staff, as well as answer questions from the public about ordinances and more.

Eldreth knows that Ashe County is a county that values familiarity. Eldreth and her family are from the area, and she believes that will allow for a certain comfort level when interacting with and helping the public.

— Colin Tate

Barbara Armstrong Named to State Chamber Board of Directors

T

he Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives announced their 2018 Board of Directors at their 2017 Annual Management Conference held recently in Spartanburg, S.C. Barbara Armstrong, president/CEO of the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for 2018.

Charles Hardin, president/CEO of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, currently serves on this board.

CACCE is the professional development organization for chamber of commerce executives and staff members in North and South Carolina. CACCE equips chamber of commerce professionals with leadership skills and tools to build innovative chambers. The organization was formed in 1994 when the North and South Carolina state chamber associations merged.

8 | November-December 2017

T

he William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations, the flagship program of Wildacres Leadership Initiative, has named two Watauga County residents to its 2017-2019 class.

The William C. Friday Fellowship is a competitive statewide program for cross-sector leaders. Friday Fellows receive free leadership training over the course of two years in locations across North Carolina including Carteret, Durham, Tyrrell and McDowell counties.

Watauga County residents Elizabeth Young and Kevin Warner will join 22 other North Carolinians in this cohort and a network of over 200 other Friday Fellows alumni.

Young, of Boone, already displays community leadership as the executive director of the Hunger and Health Coalition, according to the fellowship program. She is also active with the Blowing Rock Rotary Club and is a peer collaborator and mentor for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute.

Warner of Boone is chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University. He is a board member of the Two Rivers Community School and was guest panelist for the N.C. Arts Council Arts-in-Education Grants Panel.

Since 1994, the William C. Friday Fellowship has taught and inspired more than 200 courageous leaders for North Carolina. These leaders learn to model Bill Friday’s civility, transparency and collaboration across divergent ideas and identities.

Wildacres Leadership Initiative trains, supports, and convenes a statewide network of leaders to take courageous action on North Carolina’s most pressing issues through civil dialogue and by engaging across differences. aawmag.com

Women in the News 101-year-old Makes 200-plus Dresses for Charity

E

Eva Bossenberger and Danielle Shook, director of the local Medi Home Health and Hospice, pose with Bossenberger’s 200th dress.

Photo by Brian Miller

va Bossenberger of Zionville, born Oct. 28, 1916, wakes up at 4 a.m. most mornings to put her hands to work at her sewing machine. The inspiration is simple — to spread joy by making dresses as gifts for young girls. But in this case, the recipients remain unknown.

Each of Bossenberger’s dresses will be packed in a shoebox for Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, an annual project in which churches, groups and individuals prepare and collect shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies and personal items to be distributed to children overseas.

“Around Thanksgiving time last year, the pastor (at my church) said, ‘Eva, I’ve got a job for you. I want you to make 180-something (dresses) for little girls.’ I blinked my eyes — 180 — OK, I’ll see what I can do,” said Bossenberger.

As of Monday, Oct. 23, she has made 220 unique dresses, and continues to make, on average, two more each day.

“It’s fantastic, honestly, even I think so,” she said. “It’s a joy to get those things all together. They don’t all look alike — I’ve tried to make them so they look different. I try to get two done a day, but I don’t always manage, but they add up.”

Bossenberger has a spare bedroom in her home packed with dresses, each labeled and categorized based on size and material.

Samaritan’s Purse recently featured Bossenberger and her dresses in a video which is now closing in on 200,000 views. Bossenberger said the video has served as an inspiration for others to also participate in Operation Christmas Child, and she has also received plenty of “fan mail” as a result.

— Brian Miller

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November-December 2017 | 9

Relationships

Giving vs Getting for the Holidays

BY THE CHILDREN’S COUNCIL OF WATAUGA COUNTY

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — for many. From the warm hugs of family members, to the bounty of food and gifts brought to Grandma’s house; we all have our own personal idea of what the holidays mean for us as the season quickly approaches.

At a time when many children, and even adults, get excited about what presents they might “get,” the season also provides an opportunity for us to shift some of our focus on how we can “give” to help others.

Some families take this time to involve their children in going through their gently used toys and books in order to donate them to area thrift stores so 10 | November-December 2017

that they might be more affordable to families in need. There are other tangible ways that families, individuals and even businesses can help in the community through local organizations. Here are just a few: 1. Hunger and Health Coalition Sharing Tree: In 2015, the Sharing Tree assisted over 120 families, which is the same as about 563 individuals. Community members can adopt families and collect items for the family members for Christmas Day. Contact Hunger and Health Coalition for more information at (828) 262-1628 or operations@hungerand-

healthcoalition.com.

2. High Country Caregiver Foundation’s Relatives as Parents Program (R.A.P.P.): This organization seeks donations of unwrapped toys, games, gift cards, sports equipment and gear, winter wear, along with anything else you may want to give to these families in need! For more information: (828) 265-5434.

3. Buckeye Recreation Center Angel Tree: Starting in late November, swing by and choose a tag to provide gifts for area children this season. The needs of these children are written on the angels, and aawmag.com

Bob Meier - Owner

your family can enjoy the gift of giving to a family that may otherwise receive nothing for the holidays. For more information call (828) 387-3003 or visit beechrecreation.org/family-fun/buckeye-angel-tree.

4. Toys for Tots: Starting the ďŹ rst week in November and going through the middle of December, you can drop off toys at The National Guard Armory at 274 Hunting Hills Lane, Boone, NC 28607. For more information, visit boone-nc.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/ local-contact-us.aspx.

5. Watauga County Foster Children Santa’s Helper Program: Offers the opportunity to sponsor a foster child for Christmas. Children create their own “wish listâ€? with speciďŹ c ideas of what they would like. For more information, contact Jessica Winebarger at (828) 265-8100 or jessica.winebarger@watgov.org.

6. Hospitality House: Offers various ways to help those in need. Those interested can choose to sponsor an individual or family or offer to help with preparing a meal for the residents. For more information on purchasing gifts, contact Sonya at sonya@hosphouse.org. For information on buying food or helping to serve meals, contact Faith at foodservice@hosphouse. org.

7. The Children’s Council: As always, The Children’s Council accepts new children’s books and toiletry items for families involved in our various programs. For more speciďŹ c information, contact us at (828) 262-5424, or feel free to stop by at 225 Birch St. Suite 3, Boone, NC 28607.

Many area churches, schools (via their social workers) and assisted living centers offer their own giving opportunities as well. Reach out to ďŹ nd out the best match for your family this year. Giving to others offers a chance to remind ourselves as well as teach our children about sharing and compassion. Working together as a family to help those in need, whether through helping to cook a meal at The Hunger and Health Coalition, participating in the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day for the Hospitality House, or purchasing items for those in need, the upcoming season offers a great way to celebrate each other and grow closer together as a community.

Established in 1977, the Children’s Council of Watauga County Inc. builds upon the strengths of children, families, and educators by investing resources, information, and training toward promoting the future health and success of our greatest community asset: Our Children.

All of the programs, from prenatal to age 12, concentrate on child development to prepare children to be ready to succeed in school. Through family support, early literacy programs, child care technical assistance & professional development, and community outreach & collaboration we focus on the importance of each child.

We are committed to our vision of a community where every child has the support to live a healthy, happy life. We work to build a strong foundation for children’s learning and development by strengthening families, the early childhood system, and the wider community.

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November-December 2017 | 11

Relationships

MOM’S WORLD

Gratitude As Thanksgiving rolls around, I have been thinking about recent conversations I have had and Facebook postings that seem particularly relevant to the holiday season, when family gatherings abound. Events and circumstances help shine a light on how our mental and emotional energy is spent and conserved, as well as how to understand the full meaning of the concept of gratitude. This revelation is especially true when it comes to family — both the tight-knit group of folks we sit down to dinner with on a daily basis as well the extended circle of our friend and family groups that ebb and flow a little bit with time.

One of my patients was talking about her parents’ multiple medical conditions and the reality of mortality — how her mother had some worsening symptoms but that there was not much more the medical providers could do for her.

Despite the pain of seeing decline in the functionality of her parents, my patient said it had been really good for her, because it made her focus much more on “what really matters.” She said that her 12 | November-December 2017

mother sleeps a great deal but is awake for meals; therefore, when they visit, they plan to eat a meal with her mom. It’s not fancy, it’s a short amount of time, but it is worth it in her eyes. It is what is possible.

As cliché as it sounds, for all the hub-bub with making Thanksgiving and Christmas Norman-Rockwell-perfect, the moments in the imperfectness are those that create the most meaning for me. One year several years ago, we had my colleague and friend Dr. Baker over for Thanksgiving, since he was on call.

My son Will, who was exploring his chef talents, had spent many hours baking and cooking. He was pulling an apple pie from the oven when something slipped and the pie wound up on the floor. He was devastated — so focused on the perfect meal and not ruining things for our guest.

But the meal went onward with savory bread pudding and several other yummy treats, including some of the pie that never came out of the pie dish. Dr. Baker was calming to my stressed teenager, we continued our lively conversation, and it still was a most enjoyable day.

In my mind, that’s what life is — it’s the

pie on the floor, the upside-down cereal bowl on a child’s head, the baby pooping such a large poop that the fancy outfit planned for the christening or outing has to be switched out to an over-sized older sibling’s t-shirt, the politically-incorrect commentary in the corner from a relative, and the ability to take a deep breath and move onward, because ultimately these moments create the memories that rise up in her psyche during the least expected times. We can choose to get bogged down, despondent, or completely overwhelmed and waste time and energy wallowing, or we can choose to relish what is important. To reflect gratitude is to love simply and without expectation, to let go of the constant worries and anxieties of modern life in order to acknowledge a momentary connection with your child, a timely reassurance that was unsolicited, or a friendship that is so much a part of your daily functioning — so much a part of you — that you fail to see how it keeps the floor beneath your feet.

Gratitude is knowing that the 30-minute “proof of life” conversation with your college-aged kid (ahem) can carry you another week as a mother; that the middle child’s irritability post-wisdom tooth extraction is well-overshadowed by the long, loving hug that follows you helping hold the washcloth to his neck as he hangs mournfully over the toilet; that the youngest child’s choice of a Nerf gun battle with his friend over time with Mom feels alright when he pauses to excitedly tell you the coolest thing about the new weaponry he expects to use.

Overall, these seemingly inconsequential occurrences make up our daily reality, and as we move through our lives, we notice the players in our memories that are no longer with us. We long for their place at our table, no matter how bad the meal or inappropriate sometimes the conversation. Life is not perfect, nor is it even close. Sometimes what we get is what we get. And it is enough.

heather jordan, CNM, MSN Comments or questions?

828.737.7711, ext. 253 landh@localnet.com

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time as a stay-at-home mom and operated Rose Originals, designing, constructing, and installing window treatments. In 1998, Melinda bought an embroidery machine and went to work part time, managing the Bernina stores in Gastonia and Charlotte.

“In 2002, I told my coworker, Shirley Bailey, that I was going to ask our district manager if Bernina would let me open a store in Boone.

Pictured from left are Patricia Cone, Colleen Murray, and Melinda Rose of Sew Original in Boone, with George Bailey Jr. Photo by Anna Oakes Shirley said, ‘I want to go!’” Thus, Sew OrigiMelinda Rose, co-owner of nal was born, and a second store opened Sew Original in Boone, took up the in Winston-Salem two years later. needle and thread at the age of 6, learnCo-owned by Melinda and Shirley, ing from both of her grandmothers. She Sew Original sells and services Bernina attended Appalachian State, majoring in machines and sells fabric, books, patterns, fashion merchandising, and later transnotions, and other supplies. ferred to Winthrop University, graduating “Our Sew Original family is like a with a degree in interior design. She spent patchwork quilt, with kindness gently

Sew Original Local and Women-Owned

sewn,” Melinda says. “Each piece is an original with beauty all its own, with threads of warmth and happiness lightly stitched together, to last in love throughout the years.”

The store also offers classes in machine basics, embroidery, quilting, and specialty classes, as well as kids classes for ages 6 and up.

“I love seeing children learn to sew.

They are fearless,” Melinda says. “Sewing is not a dying art. Young people are very excited about DIY!” Sew Original staff enjoy giving back to their community, participating in frequent service projects. “We have made cool wraps for soldiers, participated in the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge, and are currently having sew-ins to make Rare Bears, which are donated to children with rare diseases,” Melinda says.

Sew Original is located at 1542-G Highway 421 South in Boone. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more info, call (828) 264-1049 or follow Sew Original Boone on Facebook and Instagram.

Adds Melinda, “I thank our customers everyday for shopping local.”

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Homestead

A homemade cradle and toy gun are among Melanie’s most treasured gifts from childhood.

Photo by Melanie Davis Marshall

HILLBETTY REVIVAL

A Hillbetty Holiday The hillbetty/billy lifestyle, and homesteading in general, is geared toward self-sufficiency, but for some is born of necessity. You have to learn to fix, work around, or build what you need if purchasing new is not an option.

The hillbetty holiday consisted of making our decorations, and handmade gifts were a staple of a childhood. The holiday emphasis was, and remains, on food, family gatherings, and decorations.

My Santa had very real elves in my parents who worked in secret to build many of my toys. When my father lost his eyesight and my mother became sole breadwinner for a family of five, new Gameboys were no longer an option. As a family, we became more self-sufficient and creative in our endeavors, instilling in me from an early age an appreciation of turning a pile of scraps into a tool, a fix, or my Santa-delivered toys.

My favorite Christmas memory is the year my father made a cradle out of 14 | November-December 2017

scraps, my mother made a blanket, and my sisters and me each received one store-purchased rag doll from Santa.

In speaking with my parents in later years, I have learned they were concerned that my classmates and friends would be receiving brand new toys and the latest, greatest whatever came out that year. In truth, those toys would have been in the donation bin within a few years, but 30 years later, I still have the cradle and doll, now a permanent decoration in my farmhouse and reminder the items of most value are not those of monetary value.

In the years to follow, we have maintained our emphasis on small, handmade, or thoughtful gifts. Our current gift limit is between $5 and $10, with recent years as an ornament exchange.

I really enjoy using the scraps from fencing, feathers, old horse shoes, bent nails, whatever l can scrounge up around the barn for decorations. Rust and chipped paint add to the effect for coun-

try Christmas decorations and are no match for a good clear sealer to preserve the look.

Depending on the bulbs, the paint on Christmas bulbs will come off with a soak in ammonia, bleach, or sometimes even just salt water, depending on the quality of the paint. Once you have some nice clear bulbs (usually pretty cheap at garage sales in July), filling them with feathers, scrap fabrics, or even tinsel makes a beautiful personalized ornament. A scrap of a wedding gown, a quilt in tatters, even a photo can be rolled up and then unrolled using tweezers within the bulb to make a perfect family gift or child-friendly project.

Happy hillbetty holidays.

Melanie Davis Marshall Melanie is a born-again Hillbetty attempting to revive her Appalachian roots. She lives in Boone with her two dogs and 18 chickens.

aawmag.com

Homestead

Decorate with

Christmas Tree Trimmings In the High Country, the Fraser ďŹ r Christmas tree season begins just before Thanksgiving, with thousands of locals and visitors traveling to area farms for the tree species known for its intoxicating fragrance, good form, blue-green color, and sustained needle retention.

But once you ďŹ nally wrestle that tree into its stand and decorate its branches with your assembly of ornaments, lights, and garlands, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t toss those tree trimmings! There are many decorative uses for Christmas tree trimmings in the holiday season.

Try these ideas: WELCOME WREATH Many use tree trimmings to create a holiday wreath for their doors. Keep it clean and simple with a bright red, silver, or gold bow, or combine with holly, berries, twigs, and other types of greenery for an ornate creation.

HOLIDAY BOUQUET Decorate your home and office spaces with arrangements of trimmings, twigs, flowers, holly, and ribbon in a vase or Mason jar with water. This is also a great way to keep tree trimmings fresh for other uses in the future, such as gift and dinner table embellishments.

GORGEOUS GIFTS Don’t settle for boring wrapping paper 16 | November-December 2017

or gift bags.

Add a sprig of tree trimmings to your Christmas cards or to the ribbon on wrapped gifts, or arrange several sprigs into a small wreath on top of the box.

AT THE TABLE Use your trimmings in dinner table centerpiece arrangements, tied around candles, tied around the napkins at place settings with ribbon or twine, or arranged as garnish on food platters.

TREE THERAPY Unleash the aromatic properties of Fraser fir on your dinner party guests with a simmer pot of evergreen, citrus, and spices. Or create a dry potpourri using Christmas tree sprigs, dried citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and essential oils. Find recipes online.

LUSH ACCENTS Adorn window sills, banisters, and benches (indoor and outdoor) with green garland. Wind up a few sprigs with ribbon and bells and hang from doorknobs — or your car mirror!

Need more ideas? Ask for suggestions at your Choose and Cut Christmas Tree Farm of choice. For a list of locations, visit wataugachristmastrees.org, ashecountychristmastrees.com and averycountychristmastrees.org.

Anna Oakes Editor, All About Women

aawmag.com

Food & Drink

No Time to Bake?

Try this Recipe.

The following recipe for "Chocolate-Strawberry Pie" from Addie Gundry's "No-Bake Desserts" can be prepared in just 15 minutes, all without turning on the oven.

Chocolate-Strawberry Pie Yields 1 pie 1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, trimmed and halved 1 store-bought (or homemade) chocolate cookie pie crust 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch

Baking Shortcuts for Time-pressed Entertainers During the holiday rush, it’s easy to get side-tracked or tired, and perhaps even a little bit overwhelmed by all the things to do in such a short period of time. Holiday baking doesn’t have to add to seasonal stress. With these tips and shortcuts, there will be plenty of sweet treats for the family.

Stick with Tested Recipes: Although holiday bakers may want to branch out a bit with their culinary creativity, preparing recipes you recall preparing in the past is much easier than trying something new. If you’d like, add sparkle to old standards, such as decorating oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies with colored sprinkles.

Cookies are Fast-Baking: Cookies can be whipped up in mere minutes.

Make a batch of dough and then freeze or refrigerate it, thawing it when the time comes to bake. Also, think about baking one day and decorating the next if pressed for time.

Embrace Colored Candy Melts: Icing can be tricky to master. Simply heating colored candy melts and pouring over cakes or painting onto cookies can add festive appeal to desserts. Candy melts even come

in many different colors and can be combined to achieve the tint desired.

Keep Ingredients in Top Form: Don’t let poorly performing ingredients or a lack of supplies be your undoing. Butter can be softened quickly in the microwave when needed for recipes. Eggs can be brought to room temperature by allowing them to sit in a bowl of warm water. Ensure that brown sugar stays soft by putting a piece of sliced bread in the container.

Don’t forget to stock up on other baking staples, such as vanilla and almond extracts, baking powder/soda, molasses, and confectioner’s sugar.

Don’t Bake from Scratch: Not all recipes need to be made from scratch.

Boxed cake mixes can be embellished and turned into delicious desserts without much fuss. Substitute melted butter for oil, buttermilk for water, and add an extra egg for a rich cake. Mix in chocolate chips or nuts or experiment with garnishes for a festive look.

Parchment Paper is Key: Line cookie sheets or cake pans with parchment paper for easy dessert release and quick cleanup. Parchment paper and even foil can help lift cakes or cookie bars out of pans so they look neat and do not stick.

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon minced crystallized ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of kosher or sea salt 6 large egg yolks 21/2 cups half-and-half 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1/2 tablespoon rum extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Additional strawberries for garnish (optional) Place the strawberry halves in a single layer in the bottom of the pie crust. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, ginger, nutmeg, and salt over medium heat. Whisk in the egg yolks to create a thick paste. Gradually whisk in the half-andhalf until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and whisk until combined. Add the rum and vanilla extracts. Cool the mixture for 4 minutes. Pour the filling over the strawberries and up to the top of the crust. Chill the pie for 2 hours or until set. Garnish with additional strawberries, if desired.

November-December 2017 | 17

Feature

Amy Hudnall is pictured with Ghost, who is receiving care and working toward a healthier life thanks to Horse Helpers.

Rescue Mission Amy Hudnall, the Heart Behind Horse Helpers

BY JESSICA ISAACS

“She loves the broken ones, the ones that need a little patchin’ up. She sees the diamond in the rough and makes it shine like new. It really doesn’t take that much, a willing heart and a tender touch. If everybody loved like she does, there’d be a lot less broken ones.”

18 | November-December 2017

aawmag.com

It’s a simple concept, really — find someone, or something, that needs love, and give it to them. That’s the idea behind the chorus from a song called “The Broken Ones,” made known by gospel artists The Talleys. It’s also the modus operandi at Horse Helpers of the High Country, which serves sick, abused, and abandoned horses under the leadership of Amy Hudnall, whose heart for bringing peace into the world around her is evident in all that she does.

A multifaceted career in academia, law, and now the nonprofit realm has uniquely qualified her for the work she does, which brings health, healing and restoration to both horses and people by studying the inherent relationship of trust that abides between them.

If we will only watch and think about how a horse is responding to us, we will learn things about our relationships with others that we might never learn otherwise.

- Amy Hudnall

“I have always worked in caring fields, starting in the legal end of child abuse cases as a supervisor of guardian ad litem cases in Florida, and then after moving to Boone to teach genocide and peace studies at Appalachian State University,” Amy says. “For a time, I was cofaculty at ASU and Idaho State University as a research professor. At ISU, I worked in trauma, particularly in collective healing, post trauma.

Our team worked with people to mitigate the trauma in places like Palestine, Bosnia, and Rwanda and following events like the southeast Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.”

Always on a mission to make a difference, working with Horse Helpers seemed like a natural fit for this animal lover when she was approached by the organization several years ago.

“I had been simultaneously fostering dogs and had a horse of my own — my first equine rescue. I had also been on the Horse Helpers board briefly, and when the previous chair

(Top) Horse Helpers Barn Manager Ethan Chappell leads Lavender, who is up for adoption, out of the barn to enjoy the evening sun. (Bottom) The Horse Helpers farm is also home to several four-legged friends of another species. Pictured here (from left), Bennie, Alice and Luna patiently await their turn to visit the horses.

November-December 2017 | 19

Only a few months old, abandoned horses Apache and Athena were recently rescued and are now receiving the care they need for healthy growth at the Horse Helpers farm.

moved, she asked me if I would take over,” says Amy. “I became the chair a little over eight years ago, taking over from then chairperson Kathleen Kelley. She handed me a Tupperware box of horse items and a pony. There had been no adoptions for at least a year, and records were minimal.

“We have been growing exponentially ever since. Today, we average 15-20 horses on the property at any time, and most years we have complete turnover.”

Rescue Mission The Horse Helpers organization was established in 2004 by a group of founders including Anita Gomez, a long-time employee of Watauga County Animal Control, who saw firsthand that the High Country had no effective means for helping abused or neglected livestock, particularly horses. It operates from a farm in western Watauga County, which provides barn space and pasture for the animals in its care. It is the only nonprofit of its kind serving Watauga County and surrounding communities, and, while its primary objective is to provide care for horses, donkeys and mules, the crew has been known to help rescue several other species of farm animals and pets from time to time.

“A rescued horse is usually with us for a year on average. Horses are delicate, and badly starved or physically and mentally wounded horses do not heal quickly.

They will get all the vetting, farrier care, special needs, and supplements required 20 | November-December 2017

Volunteers Faith Dollars (left) and Bella Pardue are pictured with adoptable horse Ameera.

for the best recovery,” Amy says. “We also deal with any emotional needs or deficits the animal may have. Once well, we want to make sure they don’t end up back in an abusive environment or neglected situation, so they receive extensive training to make them safe and, when possible, rideable. This helps ensure that adoptions last.

“The adoption process requires at least one visit with the potential adopter and horse, an on-site visit to the potential new home and reference checks. We prefer when adoptions are slow, to make sure that the adopter understands any idiosyncrasies the horse might have and to ensure that it’s a good match.”

As a licensed equine investigator, Amy works throughout the High Country (and a little further out on occasion) to help rescue horses in need on behalf of the organization.

“This year, we have done 31 investigations on calls about horse abuse or neglect, which included a total of 64 equine,” she explains.

In addition to the work at the core of its mission, advocacy, education, and awareness have become significant to the role that Horse Helpers plays in the community.

“With the help of our friends, we have established a new fund called the Hall-Stutts Angel Fund, which allows us to help responsible equine owners in temporary crisis. This can cover hay, vet bills, farrier bills and other costs,” says Amy. “Through this fund, we are able to expand our support to the community and the equine here.”

Horse Helpers supports and is supported by the ASU Equestrian Team. It has also established 4-H equine programs in Watauga and Avery counties and team building workshops with horses that develop conflict resolution and leadership skills. It also orchestrates a children’s education program with two miniature horses that’s based on the book “Chester’s Barn.”

“We recently visited Bethel School, where kindergarteners, first-graders and fifth-graders got to listen to ‘Chester’s Barn,’ sing the song called ‘Run, Chester, Run’ and enjoy a Q-and-A session.

Then, we went outside and each child got to lead one of the minis,” Amy says.

“Through the generous support of the Anne Cannon Tate Foundation, we are now able to go into more schools, focusing on underserved populations, and each child receives a free ‘Chester’s Barn’ book. Through the entire process, our team is making connections between the characters and real life, showing that it’s just as important to treat each other well as it is to treat Chester and his buddy, Hank, well. It opens the door for children to deal with bullying, abuse at home, and animal abuse.”

Learning from Each Other The Horse Helpers education initiative, along with Amy’s passion for mending broken spirits, also seeps into her faculty role as a senior lecturer at Appalachian State, where she teaches genocide aawmag.com

and peace studies with a specialization in trauma.

“I am co-faculty in the Department of History and Cultural, Gender and Global Studies. One of the things I have been working on that connects the two organizations is using the horses to teach students more about how to create an environment of effective conflict transformation,” says Amy. “All of my peace studies and genocide courses do a conflict transformation workshop with a horse.

“Horses, as prey animals, are exquisitely tuned to people because they need us, while still being at risk of being hurt by us. This means that their ability to read and respond to our emotions and body language is more pure and nuanced than our understanding of ourselves. If we will only watch and think about how a horse is responding to us, we will learn things about our relationships with others that we might never learn otherwise.”

Called to teach others about some of the most difficult topics in human history, Amy finds that working alongside horses offers healing properties that can change the lives, and the stories, of both the animals and the people. Bringing her two worlds together lets her share that healing power with many others.

“In my paying job, I teach about genocide — the worst in humanity. The horses feed me, heal me and reenergize me so that I can keep doing what I do,” she says.

“They are amazingly forgiving and intuitive, and to receive their trust leaves me without words. Perhaps that is the best thing — they allow me to just be.”

Growing Together As with any nonprofit organization or rescue mission, the work done at Horse Helpers is a major undertaking that involves a serious concerted effort, fundraising and a lot of daily maintenance.

“This year, the organization will cost about $100,000 to operate, with most of that money going to the horses. We only have the equivalent of 1.5 full-time paid people – all others are dedicated volunteers,” Amy says. “Our money goes to the horses, property maintenance, and fundraising. We are just so lucky.”

Although they can always use help meeting operational needs, the folks behind Horse Helpers also have goals to expand the program in order to serve more people and meet more comprehensive social needs in the High Country.

“We always need volunteers. We need a four-wheel-drive tractor. Then there are always vet bills, mineral blocks, feed, and hay; but we really are too big for our property. We need land,” says Amy. “We already work on an informal basis with atrisk youth and special needs populations from all over the community. We have connections with ASU faculty teaching psychosocial equine therapy and equine therapy for handicapped people.”

The Horse Helpers team dreams of finding property close enough to town for their volunteers to stay involved that will also add room for a lesson program and a therapy program licensed by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, known as “PATH International.”

“Our community needs a safe place for young people to come, where they can learn responsibility through horse care and riding lessons. We are strongly committed to strengthening human-animal bonds as a way to help people grow into stronger human-human bonds,” Amy says. “Treating horses respectfully teaches us to treat each other with respect and mindfulness, even when we have differences. A larger space would help facilitate reaching more people and rescuing more horses.”

As needs and plans to meet them continue to grow, the kind hearts behind the Horse Helpers organization continue to invest in the people in their community, the animals that need their help, and the beautiful things that happen when human and animal lives are intertwined.

As for Amy, her mission to touch lives and “love the broken ones” continues to inspire those around her and give hope to animals in need.

“The best thing in the world is to watch a frightened, sick, and often dangerous horse recognize that they are finally safe, to watch them risk showing personality, bonding, and engaging with humans in a positive way,” says Amy. “It makes all the paperwork and the fundraising worth it.”

If you’re moved by Amy’s mission and would like to participate in or support Horse Helpers of the High Country, visit www.horsehelpersnc.org or contact her by email at horsehelpersnc@gmail. com.

VOLUNTEER PERSPECTIVE Why do you invest your time into the work that is done at Horse Helpers?

• ETHAN CHAPPELL: “The horses deserve a good home and a second chance.”

safe, both the horses and people. I come here because it’s my safe place and it’s where everybody is happy and loved.”

• BELLA PARDUE: “I love horses and they mean a lot to me. I help them because I don’t want them to be abused.”

• MEGAN MILLER: “Horses are very healing animals. I have seen what Amy can do with people and with horses and it’s really amazing. I’m really, really proud of how much has been done in the community that has been made here, because everybody loves each other. Communicating with horses definitely reinforces good tactics for communicating with people.”

• ELIZABETH WEGMANN: “I love horses and people. Horse helpers melds the two together, and it’s magical.”

• FAITH DOLLARS: “It is really important to keep everybody

November-December 2017 | 21

Feature

Seasons of

Joy

C heryl Cutlip & Life after Radio City

22 | November-December 2017

aawmag.com

T

o watch the Radio City Rockettes is to behold perfection. Dazzling smiles. Effortless precision.

Those eye-high kicks that make your hamstrings ache just to witness.

Boone resident Cheryl Cutlip lived that life for 15 years, high-kicking her way through an incredible dance career that took her around the world before bringing her back to small-town North Carolina.

Today she’s passing her knowledge to the next generation as director and choreographer of The Carolina Snowbelles, a precision dance troupe now in its third year in the High Country. And she’s enjoying a new season of life that uses her talents in fresh ways.

“I think for some people, it’s just sort of in you to do certain things in life, and for me, it was dance,” Cheryl says.

First Position Before she laced up a tap shoe or took her place at the barre, Cheryl got her first taste of dance in a more spontaneous fashion. On Friday or Saturday nights, her parents would put on Diana Ross or a beach music hit, and she and her brother would cut a rug in the living room of their Archdale, N.C., home.

Noticing her budding interest, Cheryl’s mom enrolled her at the local studio, Diane’s School of Dance, at the wee age of 3. She honed her skills in ballet and tap for a decade before the teacher declared that she’d taught Cheryl everything she knew. Cheryl moved on to a studio in WinstonSalem under the instruction of Emmy Award-winner Mallory Graham, where she broadened her skills into jazz, commercial dance and musical theater.

At age 15, Cheryl embarked on a 10-city dance tour with an organization called Dance Caravan. It was her first time away from home and on an airplane. It was also, she realizes now, an experience that cemented her plans to make dance her profession.

The multi-talented teen enrolled at UNC-Greensboro under a dance scholarship and after just one semester au-

ditioned with the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tenn. She got the part.

Cheryl’s mom, Jean Hebert, recalls the weight of that decision: continue in college or embrace the vagabond life of a professional dancer. Cheryl chose to dance.

“I was a little bit nervous about her moving to Nashville and giving up the scholarship, but Cheryl’s always made good decisions, so we just felt like that was her decision,” Jean says. “She had to make it and live with the results of it, and it was a good choice for her.”

Road to New York After her Opryland debut — a show called “Spirit of America” with Brenda Lee — the jobs began to snowball.

She earned a gig on a Caribbean cruise ship and saved enough money to move to New York, where she crashed on a friend’s couch while chasing her dream.

New York is the city that never sleeps, and neither did Cheryl. She started waitressing — her ticket to a hot meal every day — and joined Steps on Broadway, where she could take free dance classes in exchange for 10 to 15 hours of labor per week. Scrimping and saving, she made the $3,500 she’d saved from her cruise job last six months.

“I still to this day wonder, what did I eat? What did I do?” Cheryl says.

Her hustle paid off, and she spent several years bouncing from job to job in the U.S. and abroad. She spent a year at Tokyo Disneyland, danced in the European National Tour of “42nd Street” and performed a stint with “Crazy for You” in Europe. The audition cycle was grueling and filled with uncertainty, but Cheryl was enjoying the gypsy lifestyle.

Becoming a Rockette Cheryl was a Radio City Rockette for five months before she knew it.

She was in Berlin in summer 1993 when she got a call from Radio City: we need to schedule your body composi-

November-December 2017 | 23

One year she suffered a herniated disk in her back and performed through the pain, never missing a show.

She would need that strength and determination in 2003, when a traumatic experience tested her as never before. Pregnant with her first child and working as a choreographer at Radio City, Cheryl started to feel off. She rushed to Mount Sinai and discovered she was entering premature labor at 24 weeks. Her son, Stuart, lived only three and a half days.

The Rockettes family surrounded Cheryl and her husband, Ron, through the devastating grief.

Amid personal and professional challenges, this era brought unbelievable opportunities to perform in the national spotlight: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the inauguration of President George W. Bush.

When the Yankees won the pennant in 1999, the Rockettes were asked to appear in a celebratory parade, and Cheryl was tasked with choreographing the show. With virtually no time to prepare, she had to teach the steps on the bus as they traveled from Radio City to downtown Manhattan.

“I’m standing on a moving bus and I have 25 Rockettes standing with me, and I am telling them the choreography and they’re trying to see the visuals,” Cheryl says. “I’m thinking, I cannot believe I said yes to this.”

Her trial by fire earned her more opportunities to arrange programs and lead the women on stage, eventually landing as assistant choreographer for the Christmas Spectacular.

Close friend and former Rockette Leslie Ulrich says Cheryl possessed an innate ability to handle pressure. At some points Cheryl danced the “swing” position, standing in for absent dancers, meanCheryl Cutlip. Photo by Chasity Strickland

tion test. She assumed it was another part of the audition process she’d started that spring.

“They said, no, you’re been a Rockette for five months, and I said, I have?”

Cheryl recalls.

With a half-dozen apartments in the last six months, the acceptance letter had never made it to Cheryl’s hands. But she happily accepted the belated offer.

Performing with the legendary Rockettes is a monumental feat of athleticism and finesse. During the holiday season, the glitzy dancers perform a 90-minute show four times a day, with more than 100 high kicks per show. They cram their brains with new routines and work toward absolute precision in their coordinated movements.

“You can go to dance school your whole life, but until you’re working three inches away from a gal to your right and left, you never experience anything like that,” Cheryl says.

Her last several years with the company, Cheryl would end the night with waist-deep ice baths and physical therapy.

24 | November-December 2017

Members of the Carolina Snowbelles pose in costume: (left to right) Madi Greene, Elliana Berry, Kati Mac Greene, Ali Cook, Hattie Rose Greene, Ava Cutlip, Raylee Cline. Photo by Chasity Strickland aawmag.com

ing she had to know the steps for every position on stage. And when it came to TV interviews, Cheryl was the go-to girl.

“It was often Cheryl because she’s so good in conversing with people in highpressure situations,” Leslie says. “She has an amazing ability to handle stress and keep it positive.”

Nowhere was that positive attitude more needed than the streets of New York after Sept. 11.

Shortly after the terrorist attack, Cheryl pulled together a handful of professional dancers who sought to respond to the tragedy through dance.

Drawn together by a desire to positively impact the world, Project Dance held its first event in 2002 to tremendous acclaim.

With Cheryl as founder and director, the organization ballooned and now hosts similar exhibitions in more than 10 cities across the globe.

Leaving the Line After retiring from Radio City in 2008, Cheryl worked with the jazz company Walker Dance under Chet Walker before leaving New York for Boone two years later, seeking a quieter life with her husband and two kids. Though she immensely enjoyed her busy family life and her continued work with Project Dance, she faced an unexpected identity crisis as she struggled to fill the void dance once held.

As she watched her daughter explore her own interests in dance, an idea began to take shape in Cheryl’s mind. What if she tried to teach the precision dance style to young people her daughter’s age?

She mentioned the idea to Blowing Rock resident Karyn Herterich as they worked together on the Blowing Rock School playground renovation project.

Karyn, a longtime supporter of the arts and youth causes, said she found Cheryl to be amazingly bright, capable and sincere and signed on as founding patron of the dance troupe, later named The Carolina Snowbelles. Her generosity allowed the group to launch as a full scholarship program at no cost to the youth dancers.

Karyn says she was excited about bringing a new type of dance to the High Country and by the opportunity to help young girls develop teamwork

Cheryl leads dancers (from left) Josie Crisp, Anne Mellon, Kati Mac Greene, Ava Crisp, Madelyn Street, Grace Sears, Lily Jones and Isabel Holt in the studio. Photo by Jenna Markiewicz

and diligence they could apply well into adulthood.

“This is a really, really critical time of development for them, and it teaches them that if they’re not a team, it’s not going to work,” Karyn says.

Cheryl held her first auditions in 2014 and accepted 15 dancers. Now the troupe has grown to 25 girls, ages 9 and up, as well as a creative team of three. Snowbelles rehearse once a week in Boone and must already have experience in jazz, tap and ballet. The community-focused group performs in parades, civic events and special shows.

Sixteen-year-old Savannah Spencer of Hickory, a three-year member of the Snowbelles, said she loves the sisterhood of the troupe and Cheryl’s challenging but kind leadership style.

“Cheryl as an instructor is so amazing,” Savannah says. “The way she teaches is so clear, and I feel like it really resonates with every dancer.”

This time of year, as the weather cools and holiday jingles hit the airwaves, Cheryl, 46, sometimes feels nostalgic for her Christmas Spectacular days. But between the Snowbelles, holidays spent with family and finally participating in ballet classes just for the fun of it, Cheryl

Former Rockette Cheryl Cutlip stands on the Radio City stage with her daughter, Ava.

says she’s enjoying a beautiful season of life.

“When I lived in New York, my priorities were stacked differently, so the move to the mountains was really a huge flip of those priorities,” she says. “There was a time in my life when I didn’t put enough emphasis on the most important things.

Through shifting that, I’ve actually had so much more joy. I’m a happier person.”

Kellen Short Kellen Short is a former Watauga Democrat reporter who last year traded the Appalachians for the Rockies. She now writes about engineering at CU Boulder and returns to the High Country as often as possible.

Reach Kellen at kellen.m.short@gmail.com.

November-December 2017 | 25

Feature

Saloua Ali Ben Zahra Teacher, Linguist, and Poet

Saloua Ali Ben Zahra, family in the heart of Tunis, Tunisia’s a young college professor, took part in bustling capital. In primary school she her native country Tunisia’s “appointment learned French as a second language, with history” in December of 2010.

Arabic of course being her native tongue.

The “Arab Spring,” which turned the In high school she studied and fell in love Arab world upside down, began when with English. The geographic proximity Mohammed Bouazizi, a poor fruit vendor of Tunisia to Italy and the beauty of the in Tunis, set himself on fire. He had felt Italian language inspired Saloua to learn humiliated at not being heard when he Italian and to pursue a double major of was denied the right to Italian and English in colwork in his own country. lege. She received her deThe police said that he had gree from the University of no permit to sell fruit. The Tunis at Carthage. Awarded result was a huge spona Fulbright scholarship, she taneous protest, spilling attended the University through the entire main of Minnesota, where she thoroughfare of Tunis. On earned her M.A. and Ph.D. January 14, the Tunisian An engaging ad in dictator fled.

2014 for a position teach“It was so meaningful,” ing Arabic language and Saloua exclaims, “to be literature at Appalachian part of the Arab people’s State University caught Sastruggle for dignity, loua’s eye. She applied and democratic human rights, was selected. Her teaching improved conditions, schedule now includes beliberty of expression, and ginning and intermediate peace, and their assertion Arabic classes, and semiof the people’s will of life, as Saloua Ali Ben Zahra in traditional Tu- nars in Arabic media and nisian bridal costume. (Top left) Arabic our national poet Echebbi Arabic world culture and calligraphy meaning “peace” created put it.” She must have been by Jacob Barker. Photos submitted literature in translation. She remembering her father, a loves teaching. Her classes beloved police brigadier in Tunis, better are full of enthusiastic students. known as “Uncle Policeman.” “He would Why would students want to learn never confiscate a street vendor’s cart Arabic? Many ASU scholars majoring in because it didn’t have a permit,” she said. international relations are looking forHe knew that the cart’s merchandise ward to diplomatic and military careers. often supported an entire family.

ASU also has a high number of graduates Despite the fact that there have been going into the Peace Corps. The fact that violent incidents since, Tunisia has 27 nations have Arabic as their official become again a peaceful, stable beacon language is in itself a reason to learn Araof light, a true democracy. Relations bic. “A considerable number of students between Tunisia and its neighboring also study Arabic for better understandcountries Morocco and Algeria — which ing and peacemaking between cultures, were controlled by France from the 19th as well as for humanitarian work,” Saloua century until the 1950s and ‘60s — have muses. been friendly.

A part of the Arabic language experiSaloua grew up in a loving, close-knit ence involves learning Arabic calligraphy.

“Students find it fascinating and inspiring,” Saloua says. “Many try their hands, and do so gracefully and successfully.”

Happy surprises result.

If we were so fortunate as to visit Tunisia, Saloua would be proud to show us remnants of the Roman Empire, such as the amphitheater of Carthage and the Colosseum of El Jem. She would also take us south to the Sahara Desert, the site of the filming of such movies as “The English Patient” and “The Day of the Falcon.” A day at the Mediterranean beaches would surely be included, as Saloua’s favorite recreational activity is swimming.

Saloua would naturally proudly introduce us visitors to Tunisia’s North African cuisine. Couscous is a Tunisian staple, used as an accompaniment to meat and vegetable dishes or as a beloved dessert, mesfouf. The Tunisian version of tagine is a kind of quiche.

Shakshooka is poached eggs with feta and a spicy tomato sauce. Harissa is a very spicy red sauce common in North Africa. Baqlawa is similar to Middle Eastern baklava, but is a smaller version. Date cookies and gharayba, are other Tunisian treats. Mint tea is the drink of choice in Tunisia, while Turkish coffee is also very popular.

Saloua visited “Behind the Stacks,” the High Country poetry group, on the day members were writing poems about food. She brought along a “tasting:” deglet noor, Tunisian dates, much-loved for snacking. She also had written “The Raisin in the Mesfouf,” a beautiful poem about Tunisian food, love, and life.

Looking forward to more opportunities for service to both students and the wider community, Saloua says her hopes and dreams include “sharing more information about my culture, in hopes of increasing mutual understanding and peacemaking.”

If your group would like to share global perspectives with Saloua, a delightful and thoughtful woman, you could contact her at zahrasb@appstate.edu. sue spirit Writes poetry and essays about nature, spirituality, writing, and travel. She has a little cabin in the mountains. degreesoffreedom@frontier.com

ARABIC-SPEAKING COUNTRIES - Arabic, the official language of 27 countries, is spoken by 420 million people, the sixth-

most spoken language in the world. • Algeria • Jordan • Qatar • Bahrain • Kuwait • Saudi Arabia • Chad • Lebanon • Somalia • Comoros • Libya • Sudan • Djibouti • Malta • Syria • Egypt • Mauritania • Tanzania • Eritrea • Morocco • Tunisia • Iraq • Oman • United Arab Emirates • Israel (w. Hebrew) • Palestine • Yemen

26 | November-December 2017

aawmag.com

Feature

(Above) Old photos mark times in history for those families in the Junaluska Community. (Left) Roberta Jackson speaks at the ceremony for a grave marker unveiling at the Boone Cemetery. Photos by Kayla Lasure

Tracing the Tree Boone Sisters Dig Deep into Genealogy Often family histories and stories of relatives are shared by word of mouth or old photos from generation to generation. Through the years, stories may stop being told, and photos can be misplaced. If gone undocumented, family histories and the stories of past ancestors could eventually be lost over the decades.

This was a realization that Sandy Hagler had when she became interested in researching genealogy — the study of families and actively tracing family trees — more than 30 years ago. Sandy, 69, is retired from a career as a nurse at the Watauga County Health Department and is the daughter of the late Robert Hagler and late Kathryn Wilson.

Sandy is one of six siblings — herself, Roberta, Mary, Katherine, Robert and Louise. She says she had always been a

history buff, but started researching her family ties after a family reunion in the 1980s. It was during this time the group realized there wasn’t any tangible information on their ancestors.

Through decades of research, Sandy and her older sister, Roberta Jackson, 71, — who both reside in the Junaluska community of Boone — were able to unearth information and now know seven generations of their family. Sandy says this is an admirable number, as it’s difficult to trace African American family lineage before the 1870s. Before this time, blacks weren’t listed by name in the census, Hagler says.

Sandy was able to find information starting with their second-great-grandparents — Isaac and Louriana Hagler. Isaac and Louriana had a daughter — Jane — who married a man by the name of Jerry

Lenoir. It is here in the family line where Sandy and her siblings have an interesting family twist.

Lenoir was married once before to a woman named Laura, who gave birth to Sandy’s grandmother — Mary Lenoir.

Jerry Lenoir later married Jan Hagler, who was the mother of Sandy’s grandfather — Robert Hagler Sr. “My grandmother’s father married my grandfather’s mother,” she explains.

While researching, Sandy discovered that Jerry Lenoir was a runaway slave from Buncombe County who also served in the Civil War under the United States Colored Infantry. She said many of her relatives were slaves — as Hagler is a slave-owner name. At this time, it was

November-December 2017 | 27

GIFT IDEA:

Historical Scrapbooks Can Honor Older Relatives

Sandy Hagler helps to unveil a grave marker naming of the 65 known African Americans buried in the Boone town cemetery.

customary for slaves to take the last name of their slave-owner.

“That’s why every Hagler isn’t related,” Sandy said. “The slave owner may have had many slaves, but that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily related.”

Sandy and Roberta have played a considerable part in tracing the family histories of those in the Junaluska community in Boone. The sisters are part of the Junaluska Heritage Association and played a hand in the recent placement of a grave marker in the historic black section of the Boone town cemetery.

The granite marker lists the names of the 65 known African Americans buried in the area — who have until this year been unnamed. It also honors the approximately 100 others who are unidentified.

This project is part of a larger task for the community — tracing the kinship lines of every family in the Junaluska community. Sandy said this effort started in 2011 and she, Roberta, and others have completed the histories of approximately 10 families. Sandy is currently working on about seven family histories with about 40 more to go, not to mention the families Roberta and others are researching.

After starting to research the families, Roberta said they started to notice the family links intertwine. Common names found in the community are Hagler, Bowers, Horton, Grimes, and Whittington.

“When we really started working on it, we realized a lot of these families were combined back down in to about three or four main families,” Jackson said. “Everybody would marry the second cousin from this group over there and so on.”

Family Research Process Sandy said she starts researching a family by using Ancestry.com — the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world. Ancestry has the user enter in as much information they can about family members, and allows the user to search through multiple resources. Sandy said she can access records on documents such as birth certificates, death notices, marriage licenses, and divorce records.

28 | November-December 2017

There are so many different and creative ways for families to showcase their heritage and honor a grandparent or other special senior.

Scrapbooks are a way to share the life of a special person and also document your family history.

Very often personal history projects are a part of elementary school curricula, so you may already have the makings of a family tree or a family diary in your home. All it takes is a little more research and planning to design a scrapbook that can be gifted or kept for generations to enjoy.

Begin by making an outline of what you would like to cover in the scrapbook. Perhaps there is a specific event in a grandparent's life that is worth highlighting, like a military tour of duty or a brief stint in show business. Maybe you would like to present different snapshots in time during his or her life. Either way, planning out the content of the scrapbook will make it easier to gather the necessary elements.

Once you've settled on a theme, begin your research by interviewing the eventual recipient (he or she doesn't have to know the reason behind the inquiry).

During the interview, take note of key dates and try to establish the mood of the era with supporting materials. For example, you may be able to find samples of advertisements from a correlating period in history or newspaper clippings that can be used to fluff up the content of the book.

In the meantime, gather photos that can be used in the scrapbook, which may take some hunting. Some specialty shops can scan slides or convert stills from film into images. Make sure to make copies of all original prints and be careful not to lose or damage the originals.

Scrapbooks can be made manually with materials purchased anywhere from craft and hobby stores to stationery shops. There also are computer software programs or online tools through photo-sharing sites that enable you to upload images and text and design photo books entirely online. This method may actually be preferable for those who plan to save the scrapbook or anticipate that others will want their own copies.

Create a digital file of all of your information and copies of images. The scrapbook will serve as a good source down the line should future generations want to learn about their ancestors. aawmag.com

She starts with a name and birth/ death date if she has the information and starts to search through census records.

She said other materials that offer adequate information are newspapers, obituaries, funeral pamphlets, church records, and even old Bibles. Sandy says people used to use Bibles as a place to write down birthdays. All of these materials can be used to trace family lines.

Roberta said one of the biggest things someone can do to help preserve family history is not only to keep passing down family stories through the generations, but to make sure to write the names of people on the back of photos. Often times photos are left without anyone knowing who is in them, she says.

Roberta is also a volunteer with digitalwatauga.org — an online project to help turn any Watauga records into online content for people to access. This site offers archived photos and data related to the families of Watauga and is free to access.

Eric Plaag, chair of the Boone Historic Preservation Commission, said while he prefers to use Ancestry, another source to use is familysearch.org. Ancestry, according to Eric, tends to have more documents in its database. While the site offers a free 14-day trial, it requires monthly fees for its services. Family Search is a free tool for people to use that can offer most of the same amenities as Ancestry.

“It’s helpful to have access to multiple sites anyway, because sometimes you’ll find something on one because of how the search interface works, but you won’t find it on the other one,” Eric said.

Another free resource Eric recommends is chroniclingamerica.loc.gov — a site operated by the Library of Congress that offers newspaper pages from 17891925. A more local site to help with research is www.digitalnc.org, which allows people to search materials across North Carolina and is a good tool to search for relatives, Eric says.

If the internet is not proving to be of service, people are able to check old school records such as deed books or written wills at the clerk of court’s office.

Eric said that while it may seem odd to look at deeds to see what land someone owned, often times those records will reveal something that won’t show up in a census.

It’s like completing the puzzle. You can find a part here, a part there, and pull it all together.

- Sandy Hagler “You might have a deed, for example, from 1922 that says Bob Smith and his wife Sherry are buying this property,” Eric said. “Maybe he was only married to Sherry from 1921 to 1924 — you would never see any sign of her in a census listing as being his wife.”

Sandy said it’s a good practice to check census records yourself, as sometimes the writing on the census may look different to you than to someone else — this has happened with the spelling of a few names for both Hagler and Jackson.

Eric also reiterated the importance of

triple-checking sources to be sure information is correct.

“Take your time, be meticulous, don’t leave any stones unturned,” Eric said.

“Working on genealogy is no different than learning how to paint, taking up a sport or deciding you want to become a wood worker. It takes time, it takes patience.”

Sandy said she can spend anywhere from eight to 16 hours a day researching a blood line. She and Roberta both say its a satisfying feeling when they find a piece of information that’s been tough to find or when they finally finish a family tree.

“It’s like completing the puzzle,” Sandy said. “You can find a part here, a part there, and pull it all together.”

Once all of the family histories are finished and Sandy has written narratives about different families, the sisters are hoping to pull all of the information together into a book.

Kayla Lasure Is a Kentucky born reporter currently living in Boone. She enjoys traveling, watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and spending time with her two cats, Owen and Mushu.

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Feature

Ann Rose and Melinda Brown work at Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe in West Jefferson.

Ann Rose and Grandma’s Sausage Photos by Caroline Lawson

Ann Rose of Lansing, N.C., didn’t set out to be a butcher, but the fact that she is one isn’t surprising.

Born in Ohio and raised predominantly in Yadkin County, Ann learned about food sources from a young age.

“I helped my dad cut up a deer when I was 5 or 6 years old, because we ate a lot of deer meat,” she explains. “So, I’ve never been far removed from my food; I was always right in it. We raised chickens and had a neighbor with a milk cow; it was just the way we lived, and it kept me close to my food.”

After divorcing 21 years ago, Ann moved to the mountains — a longtime dream of hers — with her three young daughters, bought an old farmhouse with 27 acres, and supported herself and her girls predominantly as a traveling nurse. Once her girls were grown and had moved out, however, Ann began making changes in her life that allowed her to have more choice in the way she supported herself.

“I moved out of the farmhouse where I raised my daughters and sold it with an acre so I could keep the rest of the farm and be debt-free. I moved into a small shed on the back of the property.

30 | November-December 2017

It wasn’t ‘Deliverance,’” she says, chuckling. “At first I moved in on the weekends when I was off work to have peace and quiet and just to hang out in the woods. I fell in love with it, so I sold the house because I wasn’t going back into it for anything. So, I started out in an 8-by-12 shed, and then I took down a barn on the property and used the lumber to add a 10-foot-room onto that.

Two years ago I added another room, so now I live in about 420 square feet.”

Those 420 square feet are also off-grid-living for Ann, who uses a classic Mealmaster wood cook stove for both her cooking and heat. Living off-grid in her debt-free abode on her debt-free land meant Ann didn’t need a traditionally steady income and that she could resign from her nursing position and go back to her farming roots. Before long, she was raising pastured pigs, a few cows, and chickens, and was growing about a half-acre of produce, all of which she sold at the Ashe County Farmers Market.

Before long, Ann was known as “The Breakfast Lady,” selling eggs and her Grandmother Rose’s sausage.

Eventually, Ann contacted USDA slaughterhouses about proaawmag.com

ducing her family sausage recipe in bulk, but they were less than enthusiastic.

“They do 50,000-pound batches at a time,” Ann explains, “so a small farmer was a burden for them. They didn’t want to be bothered with my 200- or 300-pound batches. It was very frustrating, because I wanted to make sausage like my Grandmother Rose had made sausage, which was whole-hog, coarseground, salt, pepper, sage, no fillers, no colors, and no additives, and they

wouldn’t do that. The only way I could do that was to have a state-inspected kitchen so I could resell to the public.”

So, Ann took small business workshops, applied for grants, partnered with Heifer International, and in 2013 opened Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe.

“I still work with Heifer every given opportunity because they do amazing things around the world,” she says. “They helped me get my business started and their mission is to pay it forward. For the

Basic Breakfast Sausage 1 lb. 70/30 ground pork 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 oz. crushed sage (not powdered) Optional: For spicy sausage: add 1 heaping tsp. of red pepper flakes For maple sausage: add 1 Tbsp. of your favorite syrup into the mild recipe For feta dill sausage: add 2 oz. feta cheese, 1 tsp. dill leaves (not seeds), and a half tsp. salt.

gift they gave me, I keep my business local and I buy from local farmers. I make a commitment to support them while they support me.”

Many of the local farmers Ann buys from are women, and she only sources from Appalachian family farms that are non-GMO, working on getting humane certification, and doing everything they can to be good to the earth with thoughtful practices.

Meanwhile, Ann herself thoughtfully focuses on selling her fresh cuts of meat, charcuterie, and 34 flavors of Grandmother Rose’s sausage, as well as sausages made from duck, turkey, and chicken. But Grandmother Rose’s sausage remains the inspiration and motivation.

“The secret to Grandma’s sausage is making whole-hog sausage, which means you are not just using the trim, you use the whole animal with all of the prime cuts and the not-prime cuts. It lends a different flavor when you grind the ham with the bottom butt with the pork belly with the pork chop.”

Yep, it’s all about Grandma’s sausage.

Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe is located at 106 North Jefferson Avenue in West Jefferson. For product and farmer information, visit www.RoseMountainButcherShoppe.com, look for Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe on Facebook, or call (336) 846-3004.

Yozette ‘Yogi’ Collins Mom, television producer/writer, and obsessive internet researcher. Though her name suggests otherwise, she is not (yet) an actual yogi.

November-December 2017 | 31

Leisure

TRAVEL

Magical Clipit My Inspired Traveling Companion My prized possession in the 1960s and ‘70s was my little clipit, a slim four-inch-long blue and white plastic case, which slid open to reveal a tiny, wickedly-sharp knife made for clipping things from newspapers and magazines.

It went everywhere with me, a dextrous sixth finger, and I madly, devotedly gouged out headlines, cartoons, art work, horoscopes, parts of articles, poems, miniessays, and new words: magical entrees into endless worlds of fascination. I gluesticked them all into my journal.

I was thrilled every time I started a new travel journal. I got on a plane to Mexico, Nepal, Morocco, anywhere, with the day’s Cleveland Plain Dealer under my arm, clipit in my battered black backpack. That Plain Dealer was sure to hold, somewhere, the secrets of the universe.

And my clipit would skim over the pages and release the gems. I was off to Greece, Peru, Thailand, Egypt. Soon enough my clipit, an eager little mouth, would chomp off the face of that country’s leading potato chip bag: Tzatziki, Andean cheese, Tom Yum, or Chili and Lemon. And 32 | November-December 2017

bingo! It was glued into my journal. Talk about the secrets of the universe!

Probably I could have come up with some other small, quirky, go-to object to pronounce as being closest to my heart.

Maybe my journal, a constant companion since I was 17, harboring my deepest, most creative thoughts. Or my worn, world-traveled backpack with its green cloth fish dangling from the zipper. Perhaps my collection of 42 bright-colored railroad bandanas, ranging from zebrastriped to leopard-printed. With such vibrant, life-changing things as these, why choose the clipit? But none of them evoked the charisma of my clipit.

I went to Google to try to find the history of my clipit. No trace, nothing exists online. Maybe I should try Antiques Roadshow. Little clipit, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Now it’s as if my clipit has died. It sits in its desk drawer grave, seldom used. I abandoned it in the 1990s when I discovered tearing, a delicate art involving carefully ripping with and against the grain of newsprint and magazine stock

to create artistic combinations of picture and word.

What will become of my clipit?

Perhaps I could leave it in my will to a fellow adventurous traveler and writer. She would no doubt say, upon receiving this treasure, “Huh? What the heck is this?”

Still, now, whenever I touch that small plastic case, a buzz goes through my hand, to my arm, and then to my heart, and I’m transported back to the depths of inspiration the clipit once brought me.

That’s enough for me. The clipit must still be in my life. As I sit at my writing cabin desk, I will make it a part of my writing ritual, as much so as the lighting of my hedgehog candle and the munching of a single square of dark chocolate.

My clipit: inspiration once again for those wondrous thoughts that race through my brain.

sue spirit Writes poetry and essays about nature, spirituality, writing, and travel. She has a little cabin in the mountains. degreesoffreedom@frontier.com aawmag.com

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November-December 2017 | 33

Style

Fashionista PHOTOS BY CAROLINE LAWSON

From sassy to sophisticated, a local woman’s sense of style is highlighted by All About Women.

JOCEYLNE BOND is a social worker for the children’s services unit at Watauga County DHHS.

Style : Casual elegance

Fashion inspiration :

Jennifer Aniston and Michelle Pfeiffer

Casual and professional outfits are on display by our fashionista Jocelyne Bond.

Worst-ever wardrobe malfunction : My dress accidentally “tucked” into my stockings after a trip to the restroom.

I went right back onto the dance floor before I noticed!

34 | November-December 2017

Jocelyne was nominated as an All About Women “fashionista” by a friend, who said she has “a unique blend of trendy bohemian with hints of class as a base.

She accessorizes strategically and always has a statement piece, whether it is a stunning jewelry piece or striking boots. Her outfits exude confident and grace.”

Favorite color to wear : Brown tones (tan, gold, bronze, etc.)

Favorite things to wear : SHOES!

Recent fashion trend you love : Fall style (sweaters, scarves, vests, and boots)

Recent fashion trend you hate : High-waisted jeans

Know a fashionista?

Nominate yourself or someone you know at editor@aawmag.com.

Jocelyne models some of her workout gear.

November-December 2017 | 35

Health

BEAUTY

I’m Glad You Asked

In my quest to find out what people would like to hear from me, I surveyed a group of women to find out what their beauty questions were — here are some of their concerns. Hopefully these will answer questions you may have also.

a few things have changed and you probably need to update. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and is constantly adapting to environmental changes, so it is wise to modify and adjust your personal routine, especially seasonally.

1. What is the order of application when I’m doing my skin and makeup routine?

If you’re feeling confused about applying those lotions and potions you have in your beauty arsenal, I agree, it can be pretty daunting. What comes first, the moisturizer or the sunscreen, and when do I use the serum? You always want to get the most benefit out of your products, so knowing when to use what can determine the effectiveness and your desired outcome. Keeping it simple, I have listed the bare bones order of products as they go on the skin. For skin care: cleanse, tone, serums or treatments, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen. For makeup, add: primer, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, shadow, liner, mascara, brows.

3. What can I do about my dark circles?

Dark under-eye circles can come from many sources — lack of sleep, dehydration, allergies, hormones, heritage, etc. As we age, fat pads under the eye thin and blood vessels show through. Also, blood flow to the skin becomes sluggish, which further increases darkness. Eye creams containing Vitamin K and retinol combinations have shown to be effective. The retinol helps thicken the skin and rebuild collagen, and the Vitamin K works on the blood vessels. A good concealer is the quick fix. Be sure to pick a shade closest to your natural skin tone — ditch the light stuff as it tends to make you look grayish.

2. I’ve been using my same skin care products since forever. Do I need to change it up?

There are a few things to consider here. If you’re 45 and still using products you used at 25, I would say you need to assess where your skin is today, because 36 | November-December 2017

4. Isn’t the sunscreen in my makeup enough coverage and what about reapplication?

Sunscreen in makeup seems like a good idea, and many foundations and other makeup products offer a built-in sun protection factor (SPF). However, according to Dr. Leslie Baumann, giving in to that temptation would be a mis-

take. “Makeup does not provide enough coverage, because you need seven times the normal amount of foundation and 14 times the amount of powder to get the sun protection factor on the label, and nobody applies that much.” My personal advice — get a standalone sunscreen no matter what your makeup label says. Also please keep in mind that the application you do in the morning is gone in a few hours, so it is extremely important that you are aware of this and that you reapply —otherwise you are defenseless against the damaging UV rays. Oh, and please don’t tell me you don’t wear it because you never get sun. Sun damage is cumulative — a little here, a little there, and it all adds up to damage.

5. How do I keep my bottom lash liner from smudging and giving me raccoon eyes?

Sounds like you are using a crayon or kohl type liner, which has wax to give it glide. Easy fix — go over with a powder to lock in.

Stay Beautiful!

Marion Edwards Marion Edwards is a Licensed Esthetician, Professional Makeup Artist and Certified Trainer for Motives Cosmetics. She can be contacted at 828.773.1500. aawmag.com

Health

LIVING WELL

Have You Had Your Hug Today?

All of us have experienced the comfort of a hug when we are facing the loss of a loved one or a disappointment at work. That kind friend who sees our pain and hugs us is so appreciated, but we need hugs even on good days. According to psychotherapist Virginia Satir, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance.

We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”

A hug is more than just a sweet gesture. It can keep us healthy. Humans crave touch. Without it, we die. Babies in orphanages who are not held, nuzzled and hugged enough can stop growing. If the situation lasts long enough, even if they are receiving proper nutrition — they can die.

A 10-second hug has been shown to produce physiological reactions in your body that can significantly improve your health. According to one study, this includes lowering risk of heart attack, boosting immunity, easing anxiety and distress.

When someone touches you, the sensation on your skin activates pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles, which then send signals to the vagus nerve. Oxytocin, the cuddle hormone, is released. Oxytocin decreases cortisol

(the stress hormone). It lowers your blood pressure. The more oxytocin released, the better able you are to cope with life’s stressors.

The hugging hormones have been found to reduce cravings for drugs, alcohol, and sugar. They are natural antiinflammatories. They elevate the mood and enhance a sense of pleasure.

A study published in the journal Psychological Science revealed that hugs and touch significantly reduce the fear of death. Even hugging an inanimate object such as a stuffed animal seemed to help.

Hugging also decreased the feeling of loneliness in the elderly.

Sad to say, far too many people are hug-deprived. One study showed that one-third of people receive no hugs on a daily basis. Sounds like a deficit that each of us can easily reverse. So don’t hold back. Hug the ones you are with, daily.

Set a goal to give a hug at least 12 times a day. The good news is the hugger gets as much benefit as the one being hugged.

2017

bonnie church Certified Life and Wellness Coach Author/columnist, motivational speaker Certified Trainer for TLS Weight Loss Solution

828.264.2762 142 Doctors Drive | Boone, NC 28607 www.BooneNCDentist.com November-December 2017 | 37

‘The Love of Baseball: Essays by Lifelong Fans’ Edited by Chris Arvidson and Diana Nelson Jones

A collection of poignant stories, “The Love of Baseball” reveals writers whose love for their sport spans lifetimes, generations, and continents. These personal narratives evince a loyalty, commitment, and devotion that is contagious for even baseball’s toughest critics.

Arranged by editors Chris Arvidson and Diana Nelson Jones to imitate the pattern of a typical baseball season, “the essays begin with stories of spring training optimism, followed by the guts and grind of the regular season, and ending with the glory (or heartbreak) of the playoffs.”

Chris and Diana selected writers from varying places with diverse baseball loyalties for their compilation. Chris explains, “We wanted representation from all over the United States, and we wanted the book to speak to anyone who is a baseball fan rather than any one particular team.”

From the description of “Spring Training,” readers recognize the passion embedded in each writer’s story as their own unique love letter to baseball. “The phrase hope springs eternal works wonderfully for the beginning of baseball season. Spring training is the hope of a new year — everything is possible for our teams. Injuries have healed. The bad taste of last year’s end-of-season slump is long gone. No more sour grapes. All is new spring wine.”

In the opening essay, “Somewhere the Sun in Shining,” Diana describes the significance of traveling to experience spring training, “…it really doesn’t matter who wins. Wins and losses don’t indicate how the season will play out. Spring training is rehearsal, and the fan gets to be backstage. One novice bobbles a grounder that another novice grabs to get the runner out. A new pitcher comes in every two innings. An exciting game is a messy game.

The real payoff is that the games are played close to players, with a bright sun and a blue sky overhead.” Later in Part One, Victoria Stopp remembers her “glory days” of the sport: “…but as our coach pulled the team van into the parking lot of Taco Bell, I knew my college career was over…Suffering through another season as an untalented pitcher wouldn’t bring forth another chance at glory…I sighed and thought of post-game pizza binges with my Comets friends. The college’s $5-per-player allotment brought me nachos and a Pepsi, and I pocketed the change, smiling and telling myself I’d just gotten paid to play ball, and that surely there was nothing more glorious than that.”

Part Two of the book, “Season,” carries the writers’ romance even further. As it is described, “The baseball season is a serious haul. There aren’t many days off and there’s plenty of travel…We get our chances to go to some, or many, games. We commiserate. We wear our gear and fly our flags…individual accomplishments can be cheered the whole season through. It is the greatest, real-time narrative in history.” From these pages, readers understand the “in-a-relationship” status of those who love baseball and the time both fans and athletes are happily willing to commit to the sport.

In “The Girl from Cleveland,” Nancy Gutierrez beautifully describes her lifelong love for baseball and its significance in her life: “It has been more than 50 years since I was pulled into the enchantment of baseball by Sister Judith and Diane Decker. It has been exactly 50 years since the white-knuckle tension of listening to Sonny Seibert’s no-hitter. In the years since, I have experienced heartbreak and misery. As I have told friends, ‘Being a Cleveland Indians fan builds character.’ I have lots of character.”

Also in Part Two, David E. Malehorn writes “Love, Hate, Cubs” to his grandson, Booker, explaining, “I hope that you fall in love with something good while you are still a very young boy. By the time I was 4, I was already a Cubs fan. This has not always been a good 38 | November-December 2017

aawmag.com

thing, but love doesn’t always make you happy.” Using baseball as his guide, David imparts the wisdom he’s garnered from life. He closes with, “Love never fails.

Winning is terrific. Celebrate it, but don’t always expect it. Losing hurts, but pain is the rent we pay to live here, and it fades.

Every new game is a clean score sheet and nine fresh innings of hope.”

Part Three, “Post-Season,” speaks to fans’ and athletes’ abiding love for baseball. “Baseball work for us. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s dependable, reliable, and timeless. Thank you, baseball.”

Whether a baseball fan, a former player, or just someone interested in learning more about life’s nuances, readers will value the honesty, sincerity, and passion found in these essays. And, if you’re really lucky, you will “take home some turf” and find yourself excited for the 2018 opening season.

Hollie Eudy Hollie Eudy is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the Appalachian Mountains.

About the Editors Baseball writing first brought editors Chris Arvidson and Diana Nelson Jones together as friends, and the rest they describe as “baseball freak history.” Although they haven’t lived in the same town for over a decade, when Chris had the idea for a book about baseball, she knew Diana was the right person with whom to collaborate.

In “off from baseball season,” Chris is a writer who has worked in nonprofit communications and politics. She lives in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

Diana Nelson Jones lives in Pittsburgh, where she is a reporter and columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Y MERR AS M T S CHRI OM FR

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As far as milestone birthdays go, turning 40 earlier this year was rather uneventful.

I felt sure that, on the big day, I would awaken feeling a) very wise or b) near death. I also considered the possibility that, because 40 is the new 30, I would be instantly returned to a thinner, perkier, younger version of myself. Alas, no… none of the above! Instead, it was just another day!

Before you shed a tear for poor little me, know that my actual birthday was a Wednesday. I celebrated on Saturday by throwing myself a very classy party with nibbles and copious amounts of champagne punch! It was fabulous!

As the year comes to a close; however, I have had time to consider what I have learned during my 40 years — about myself, about relationships and friendships, about food and travel, and about life.

YOUNG AT HEART

The Big 4-0!

1. Being weird is better than being boring! (Thanks, Mom) 2. Three secrets to happy relationships: separate laundry baskets, separate bank accounts, and food compatibility.

Me, being super classy, at my 40th birthday party. NOTE: Photo staged for fun — the bottle was sadly empty. Photo submitted 3. Be foodventurous! It could be delicious or memorable! rying about the number on the tag and 4. Gift quirky, homemade, or experimore about the fit of a garment. ences. Gift cards are boring.

15. Dress for you. And, tell yourself 5. Accept all gifts with grace and apthat you look amazing! preciation.

16. I am a pearl girl. Diamonds are 6. Broccoli is delicious. It is still my great, but I prefer pearls. favorite vegetable.

17. When selecting items that I would 7. Bananas are gross. classify as “necessary accessories” — 8. White chocolate is wrong! glasses, tennis shoes, rain boots — I go for WRONG! bold color and fun patterns to make the 9. Do your research, check your purchase less painful. sources, and question everything!

18. Eat dark chocolate every day.

10. Let your geek flag fly. Star Wars is 19. Mail birthday cards to your loved not a guilty pleasure — I proudly embrace ones. It is a small token that goes a long my inner geek. way.

11. Do or do not, there is no try. I bor20. Everyone needs alone time, so relrowed that one from Yoda. ish the moments you have to yourself.

12. Being kind is free.

21.

I have never regretted travel or 13. Cherish your friends. They are the exercise.

I have visited locales that were family you choose, and they will be your not my favorite and have been sore from support network in times that are good a strenuous workout, but, to quote Jimmy and not so good.

Buff et, “the pleasure is worth all the pain!”

14. Women’s clothing sizing is wacky.

22.

Eat local, especially when traveling.

My closet includes everything from an XS The food is always better! to L and size 4 to 10. I have stopped wor40 | November-December 2017

23. I like ghost stories, and ghost tours, and historic cemeteries. Morbid and proud!

24. In the words of Lady Gaga, “Just dance!”

25. Learn to take a compliment.

26. Listen to people, make eye contact, and just say no to phubbing (phone snubbing)!

27. My ideal weekend mornings include strong coffee and Masterpiece Theatre.

28. In my opinion, British mysteries are just better — books, television, and movies.

29. Maintaining a clean and tidy house is much easier and faster than letting things get to a “must clean” point.

30. Only keep or collect stuff that you love enough to dust.

31. Books and shoes do not count as collections — these are necessities.

32. Planning a weekly menu makes for easier grocery shopping and dinner preparation.

33. Travel is a great way to learn about the world and yourself (and, perhaps, your significant other). The more you see, the more you know.

34. Pack around a color scheme so that everything goes together.

35. Stop obsessing about the toilet seat being up or down. If you share a bathroom with a man, he will put the seat up as often as you put it down; therefore, it is an even split.

36. Try to find the funny in every situation. Even if it takes a while.

37. Turn humor inward, not outward — if you must make fun of someone, make fun of yourself.

38. Wear sunscreen.

39. Learn to set a proper table as well as proper table etiquette. Knowing which fork to use may seem like a useless skill, but knowing is half the battle.

40. I hate jumpy bugs!

Well, look at that… maybe I am wiser after all. heather brandon Considers life to be one big anthropological field experience. She observes and reports.

She enjoys travel, food and wine and adventures with her husband, Roger.

aawmag.com

ALL ABOUT TOWN

APPtoberfest Appalachian State kicked off a new Homecoming Weekend event on Friday, Oct. 6, with the APPtoberfest and Homecoming Street Party that immediately followed the Homecoming Parade. The event took place from 7-9:30 p.m. on Howard Street, with beers available from local breweries, as well as food vendors.

Photos by Thomas Sherrill

Above: Christy Kubis of Stokesdale, Michelle Wallace, and Teresa Pearman of Boone are pictured at the APPtoberfest event on Friday, Oct. 6.

Left: Alli Clampitt and Kylie Sigmon, both of Boone, enjoy the APPtoberfest event on Friday, Oct. 6

November-December 2017 | 41

ALL ABOUT TOWN

Business After Hours More than 300 members representing six different local chambers of commerce gathered Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the brand new event lobby and terrace of the Village Center at the Blue Ridge Mountain Club for the “Business After Hours” event. The event, catered by CR Catering, saw chamber representatives from Wilkes, Avery, Ashe, Caldwell, Boone and Blowing Rock gather together for the first time.

Photos by Thomas Sherrill

Above: More than 300 people gathered at the Business After Hours event at Blue Ridge Mountain Club’s brand new event center and terrace on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Right: Elaine Crowell (left), Pam Washer (middle) and Rita White (right), all of Blowing Rock, are pictured at the Business After Hours event at Blue Ridge Mountain Club on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

42 | November-December 2017

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se u a c e B ! ! ! u o of Y ting a r b e l Ce ! s r a e 15 Y

Mon – Fri 9:30 – 6:00 | Sat. 9:30 -5:30 205B Long St. | Shamrock Square Jefferson, NC | (336) 846-9551

www.libbyslook.com

November-December 2017 | 43

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that time of year Visit Boone Drug at New Market to send some Christmas cheer!

Custom made Christmas cards printed in house Personalized tumblers, mugs and note cards Now carrying Crane&Co. stationery & Christmas cards Boone Drug at New Market 245 New Market Center Boone, North Carolina 828.264.9144