Ozark Hills & Hollows May • June 2018

Ozark

MAY • JUNE 2018

C E L E B R AT I N G O U R H E R I TA G E , N E I G H B O R S A N D R U R A L L I V I N G I N T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A

23

Bunny You Mention It Angora Fiber Rabbits

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Horses with a Purpose Therapeutic Riding Program

54

Earthquake Parties A Great Way to Shake It Up

MAY • JUNE 2018

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May • June 2018 | 1

This spring, explore the great outdoors at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. Experience world-class activities like horseback riding and wildlife trams tours in some of the most beautiful settings imaginable. After, enjoy lunch on the water at the Canyon Grill. Call or visit the website to plan your outing.

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May • June 2018 | 3

Ozark

Hills Hollows

Our hope is to provide a window into the lifestyle, passions and beauty of the people and activities that are going on all around the Ozark communities we live in.

Our publication is widely available throughout southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas.

Please enjoy this issue -- and if you want to support us, please do so by advertising!

Sherry Leverich ozarkhheditor@gmail.com 417-846-6171

Our readers are your customers!

Ozark

Hills Hollows Celebrating Our Heritage, Neighbors and Rural Living in the Heart of America PUBLISHER Rob Lotufo ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sherry Leverich ozarkhheditor@gmail.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Veronica Zucca ozarkhhart@gmail.com

WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS Katrina Hine Jerry Dean Kim Mobley Nahshon Bishop Amanda Reese Stan Fine Kayla Branstetter Beckie Block Layne Sleeth Savanna Kaiser Lisa Florey Wes Franklin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jason Medlock

PROOF EDITOR Barbara Warren

FACEBOOK Ozark Hills and Hollows Magazine TWITTER @ozarkhillhollow INSTAGRAM ozarkhillsandhollowsmagazine ONLINE www.issuu.com/ozarkhillsandhollows

www.ozarkhillsandhollows.com

Ozark Hills and Hollows is published bi-monthly by Exeter Press. In the pages of Ozark Hills and Hollows magazine, we hope to capture the spirit of country living in our beautiful region. Please feel free to contact any of our staff with comments and questions, and pass along any story subjects or ideas to our editor at ozarkhheditor@gmail.com. 417-652-3083 Exeter Press, P.O. Box 214, Exeter, MO 65647

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Inside:

MAY • JUNE 2018 FEATURES: 23

Bunny You Mention It Angora Fiber Rabbits

28

Horses with a Purpose Therapeutic Riding Program

32

Wilted Lettuce and Silver Tea Recipes and Stories

43

Reaching Higher Quest to Find a Giant Sycamore

50

A Movie of the Ozarks Rural Film-Making Spotlight

PLUS: 8

Giving Life to Art May Art Fest in Eureka Springs

12

Gear & Gadgets What's In Your Pocket?

20

Music in our Hearts 2018 Peachtree Down South

38

Repurposing Revolution Sock It To Me

46

Good For You The Mighty Mitochondria

IN EVERY ISSUE: 14

A Horsewoman's Journey He Makes Us Useful

COVER:

16

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

36

Chinese Proverb

40

Backroads and Byways On the Backroads Again

Back Home in the Hills Old-Timer Wisdom

Among the Wildflowers Jelly Birds

54

Earthquake Parties A Great Way to Shake It Up

57

From the Hollow Ozark Rhymes

May • June 2018 | 5

ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS:

Layne Sleeth is a born and raised Ozarks dweller with a penchant for the natural world. Layne currently abides on a Southwest Missouri hilltop with her dearest dogs, cats, and creative husband, Brian. When not reading or jotting down words and thoughts, you can find Layne tending and admiring plants, cooking good food, playing games with family, or learning something new.

Larry Dablemont has a degree in wildlife management from the University of Missouri, and writes about all aspects of the outdoors. Owner of Lightnin’ Ridge Publishing, he puts out an outdoor magazine, has written ten books and writes a weekly columns for 40 newspapers in three states. Does public speaking and publishes books for other writers. Born and raised on the Big Piney River, he worked many years as a naturalist for the Arkansas State Parks and as a naturalist for the National Park Service on the Buffalo River.

Wes Franklin is a born native of the Missouri Ozarks, where he has lived all of his life. He enjoys reading and writing about local history, especially Ozark folklore and culture, as well as classic literature. He also enjoys shooting blackpowder weapons. He is closest to heaven when roaming the hills and hollows of his beloved Ozarks.

Sherry Leverich is a native Ozarkian.

Born in northwest Arkansas and raised in southwest Missouri, Sherry grew up on a dairy farm where she developed a love for agriculture and all things outdoors. She writes, farms and gardens on a small homestead with her husband and three sons, and raises produce for a local farmers market with her mom.

Amanda Reese has spent most of her life training and teaching with horses. She has also studied journalism and is currently working on two books centered around her love of horses and God. When she is not riding or writing, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters on their farm.

Barbara Warren is a freelance editor with several years experience. She is currently working on her fifth book to be published this winter. She has had short stories and articles published in magazines such as Mature Living and Home Life, as well as being a devotional writer for Open Windows. Barbara is one of the founders of the Mid-South Writers Group, and has been speaker at writers conferences and other area writers groups. She lives on a farm in the beautiful Ozarks, where they raise beef cattle.

Jim Petersen's fondness for water and nature grew from tromping around the streams and lakes of the Black Hills of western South Dakota. He has spent most of his professional life as a scientist studying and writing about the hydrology and aquatic biology of the streams and lakes of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. He is currently a freelance writer/editor and lives in Little Rock.

Lisa Florey recently moved back to the Ozarks after spending five years in the Chicago area. A freelance writer and editor, she spends her spare time horseback riding, polishing her photography skills and learning leatherwork. She's an avid traveler who's explored Iceland solo, ridden a mule into the Grand Canyon and is planning a pack trip in Yellowstone's backcountry.

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Kim McCully-Mobley is a local educator, writer, self-described gypsy and storyteller with a home-based project dubbed The Ozarkian Spirit.

The essence of this project is anchored in keeping the stories, legends, lore and history of the Ozarks region alive for the generations to come. She makes her home in Barry County on the Mobley Chicken Ranch with her husband, Al. She is always looking for that next adventure on the backroads and byways.

Veronica Zucca has been an Ozarks resident for over 10 years, moving from Virginia Beach, Va. She and her husband raise their two children in a quiet hollow in Southwest Missouri. When she’s not working as a graphic designer, she enjoys time with her family and all the beauty the Ozarks has to offer.

Laureen Lessard is a freelance writer living in the Missouri Ozarks.

Her stories have been featured in several magazine publications. She likes to solve mysteries and collect antique silver and metalware.

Stan Fine is a resident of McDonald County in Missouri. Born in Long Beach California, he spent his childhood in the west, but went to high school in St. Louis. He then married his high school sweetheart, Robin. There they raised their two sons, David (who passed away with cancer in 2006) and Rob. Stan was a Detective Lieutenant in a St. Louis suburb and attained a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management, and a Master of Science in Administration. He retired in 2006 and he and Robin moved to Noel. Robin passed away, due to cancer, in 2013 after 46 years of marriage.

Stan now plays golf, substitute teaches, and writes, especially in the wee morning hours.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Sun󰇷󰇭in󰈥 a󰇳󰈨 Gree󰇳 󰈑󰈜stu󰇶es at L󰇧󰇷t

W

"Who loves a garden Finds within his soul Life's whole; He hears the anthem of the soil While ingrates toil; And sees beyond his little sphere The waving fronds of heaven, clear."

Louise Seymour Jones "He who knows what sweets and virtues are in the ground, the plants, the waters, the heavens, and how to come at these enchantments - is the rich and royal man."

Ralph Waldo Emerson In green old gardens, hidden away From sight of revel and sound of strife, Here have I leisure to breathe and move, And to do my work in a nobler way; To sing my songs, and to say my say; To dream my dreams, and to love my love; To hold my faith, and to live my life, Making the most of its shadowy day.

Violet Fane

&

WHITE FUNERAL HOME

e sure appreciate y'all being patient with us this month. I'd like to be able to say that we were waiting for Spring to actually arrive! We are changing our calendar to a bi-monthly calendar year (Jan/Feb, March/April, May/June, etc) It's nearly May, and we are just now through having hard freezes. Sherry has finally been able to put her tomato plants in the ground. My thyme, sage and rosemary holdovers are uncovered and soaking in the sunshine. Our Facebook online memories from this time last year show us kayaking in the sunshine, acting like it's summer. But at least we didn't get record rains and flood waters this time around. The pastures are greening up, and we made it through winter with but one bale of hay left. We had a great calving season. The chickens and ducks are laying eggs again, and it’s planting time in the Ozarks.

Spring is a great time to visit and take a stroll through beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and we have a special feature on it in this issue, with many places to go and things to do. Kim will take you down some old backroads and byways, discovering treasures old and new. A friend of Hills and Hollows, Clint Dinkins, has an eclectic collection of musicians that gather each year for the Peachtree Down South music festival in Crane, Missouri. It’s a great time to relax with music and friends, and soak up some sunshine in the clear country air. Musings by familiar writers Larry Dablemont, Wes Franklin and Amanda Reese take us on other paths, and give us a chance to reflect on where we've been and what's ahead.

We've got rabbit fur spinning, a special on Orioles and Horses for Healing. We'll study a giant Sycamore tree down in Arkansas. Laurie Lessard has rounded up some old time recipes, and Sherry has found some clever things to do with old... socks! We have uncovered a unique little piece of movie-making history from Powell in McDonald County that we hope you will enjoy as much as we did.

Better get the mowers and tractors tuned up, round up your work gloves and garden tools. It looks like spring is finally here and time to get things growing.

Life's a Garden, dig it!

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May • June 2018 | 7

E U R E K A S P R I N G S M O N T H - L O N G M AY A R T F E S T Artist get an opportunity to share how and what inspires them, and demonstrate how they create life on canvas STORY BY SHERRY LEVERICH

E

ureka Springs, Arkansas, is an intriguing village full of history, great architecture and fascinating shops and galleries. It's a great place to visit year-around, and has something for everyone. Brimming with hotels, bed-n-breakfasts, restaurants and shops of all sorts, this tourist town knows it's market and makes everyone feel welcome and appreciated.

Besides catering to travelers and visitors year-around, Eureka Springs has a host of opportunity for artists of all medium and technique. There are many

galleries that enjoy featuring talented local artists, and studios that provide teaching and special exhibits. One art school, in particular, offers classes and direction for a large number of techniques and crafts. In 2018, ESSA, Eureka Springs School of the Arts, is celebrating their 20th year anniversary. Their vast class offerings include classes appropriate for beginners and advanced artist alike.

ESSA, which had humble beginnings, now has a campus of 55-acres surrounded by beautiful forest, just west of Eureka on Hwy. 62. They have 7 studios, for painting, pottery, jewelry-making, leather-working, textile working, and fully equipped woodworking and metalsmithing workshops. And, this amazing facility is not stopping there! They have plans to continue expanding and grow their network of teachers and sessions available.

Kelly McDonough, the Directory at ESSA, explained, “ESSA is working to offer a wider selection of classes, and more options for our most popular classes, such as bladesmithing. ESSA always works to increase enrollment and community involvement; everyone in our community should take advantage of the wonderful asset that is ESSA!” 8 |

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Their skill-driven sessions are typically 3-5 days long, and are conducted by a proficient instructor, either local, or brought in from out-of-town. They have hosted many wellknown artists for various workshops over the years. And, don't be scared to jump in, even if you are a novice to art projects, Kelly encourages anyone to attend, “Our students range from complete beginners, who have never taken an art class before, to seasoned professionals with long careers who are learning new techniques or brushing up on their skills.”

If you are interested in seeing what ESSA has to offer, consider visiting during an ESSA Studio Stroll.

Though visitors are welcome to come sign up or learn more anytime, ESSA Studio Strolls are a great way to see classes, instructors and students in action. During the month of May, plan on visiting on May 3, 10, or 17.

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May • June 2018 | 9

May Festival of the Arts begins on May 1.

Though there are events and displays going on throughout the entire month, there are a few “can't miss” events that highlight the calendar.

Official Kick-off featuring the Artrageous Parade, May 5, 2 p.m.

John Rankine is gearing up for a great parade this year and you won't want to miss it! “The parade has been going on for 22 years, and it's always kicked off the May Festival of the Arts on the first weekend of May.” John says that the parade starts at the library up the hill and winds it's way down Spring Street and a lot of people gather at the Basin Park to watch. It's probably a good idea to catch a spot early and get your camera ready. John has gathered some great judges from NWA area to judge, “I have raised prize money for 3 categories, Best Float, Best Walkers, and Best of Show.” The winning float must be a new float to this years parade.

Visit with John at Eureka Fine Art Gallery if you have any questions.

MAY 9 – 11 Buskers Workshops and Juggology, NWA Jugglology Fest – catch Jugglers and Street Performers in action!

MAY 11 – 13 Mother's Day Flowers. Purchase flowers for your mother to adorn the “Bridge of Love” that spans from Spring Street to Main Street (Main Street Pedestrian Bridge).

MAY 12 Cynthia Dupps Featured Artist Reception 6-9 p.m. Eureka Fine Art Gallery.

MAY 16 – 20 Eureka Springs Chalk Art Street Fest with workshops.

MAY 20 Books in Bloom Writing Conference at the Crescent from Noon to 5 p.m.

May 21 – 24 ESSA Plein Air Festival. Exhibit, Sales and Awards at Inn of the Ozarks.

May 26 Grand Opening of the Community Center.

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During the month-long art event in Eureka Springs, one of the most interactive opportunities is ESSA's Plein Air Festival taking place May 21-24. Plein Air simply means to paint outdoors. It's a good time for artist to come together under the same guidelines and create a painting of any of the sites and surrounding of Eureka Springs. Kelly shares, “Eureka Springs is a uniquely beautiful and inspiring place, which is part of what makes our campus such a special place to pursue creative endeavors. ESPAfest is another way that we can bring artists and those who appreciate art to our community to experience all that our community and our environment have to offer.

The potential subject matter for plein air painting is endless!” With beautiful

surroundings, a blank canvas and paints in hand, combined with Ozarks summer weather and fresh air, what more could an artist want?

Each day the artist create a painting from during the time limits and location suggestions that are required – and the end of each day their paintings are displayed at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center on Hwy. 62. An evening award ceremony will be held on May 24 – visitors are welcome and many paintings will be for sale!

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2 Cups Red Cabbage, cored & very thinly sliced 1 Cup Carrots, matchstick-cut 1/2 Cup Radishes, thinly sliced 1/3 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped 1 Tbsp. Sunflower Seeds, raw 2 Tbsp. Lime Juice 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch 1 Tbsp. Water 6 Whole-Wheat Hamburger Buns, lightly toasted

Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; NUTRITIONAL place chicken in bottom of slow cooker.

INFORMATION, In a Medium bowl combine: apricot preserves, mustard, PER SERVING: 695 CALORIES Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons habanero chile, 2 14 G FAT teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black 2 G SATURATED FAT pepper, and garlic; stir with a whisk. Pour apricot mixture 98 G CARBOHYDRATE over chicken in slow cooker. Toss to coat. Cover and cook 5 G FIBER on LOW 5 hours.

22 G SUGARS 43 G PROTEIN Combine cabbage, carrots, radishes, basil, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Stir together lime juice, oil, remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon habanero, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a separate smaller bowl. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Shred with 2 forks; place in a large bowl. Skim fat from juices in slow cooker; discard fat. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into juices in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken back to slow cooker; toss to combine.

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BY JESSE WOODROW

Wha󰇹’s I󰇳 Yo󰇻r 󰈑󰈣󰈛󰈬et?

T

here is a Psychology exercise these days called "empty your pockets," where you put the contents of your pockets out on display for others to analyze. It is supposed to be very revealing about your personality, what is important to you, and what you are missing, or avoiding in your life. I think it does say a lot about a person, and just how prepared they like to be for the world out there. My pockets have several not very glamorous items in them, but I wouldn't leave home without any of these.

POCKET KNIFE

BIC LIGHTER/ZIPPO

There are thousands and thousands of variations of these, and it's all up to your individual preference.

I almost always carry a Case Russlock, because it fits in that little compartment above the right front jeans pocket, it’s got a good feel in my hand, the blade is plenty large enough to kill and dress an animal, or slice off a hunk of cheese or salami, and has been known to cut a birthday cake in a pinch. Plus I love the easy open Russlock feature, for one handed opening, and saves wear and tear on my thumbnail. It looks pretty cool, too, which always helps.

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I keep couple of these around, and put one in my pocket every morning. Even if you are not lighting a smoke, they come in pretty handy for singing rope ends, removing mono filament snafus, sterilizing needles or blades, cremating ticks, and of course, starting fires. Although not recommended, these bad boys can make it through many a wash cycle and keep on flicking. Being somewhat of a traditionalist, I wish I could tell you that a Vintage Chrome Steel Zippo was a better choice for these tasks. Although they look very cool, in practice, I'm afraid they don't hold a candle to the trusty Bic.

MORE THAN JUST A NAIL CLIPPER For clipping fishing line, removing briars, thorns and splinters, and other minor surgeries, a classic Revlon nail clipper cannot be beat. I swear by these, and try to never buy the cheap ones, they just don't seem to hold up. Whether it’s a pesky hangnail, minor surgery or finishing an improved clinch knot, a quick clip of this handy little tool will get you trimmed up.

That's it for my short list. For your next outdoor adventure, you might want to consider adding some of these to your pocket arsenal: POCKET TOOL KIT Assorted drivers, blades, saws, files and pliers. This is a category of tool that can be very handy. Honestly, they are usually a little too heavy and bulky for my EDC (every day carry) list, but I often wish I had one nearby. Leatherman pioneered these tools, but Gerber and some others make very respectable versions as well.

WALLET AND PHONE I.D., Currency, Credit and insurance cards.

Better not leave home without it! And don't forget your pocket sized communication hub/camera/computers. I wonder what we ever did before them.

HOW MUCH WOOD? If you are going in the woods for a couple of days, and want to make neat work of firewood collecting, this might just come in handy.

WARM, NO FUZZY Headed out to wild country?

This blanket might turn out t be a life saver if you get wet or cold and can’t make it out, or have to wait for help to come.

PISTOL SHEATH Depending on my destination, I might very well be carrying a holstered handgun in my front (if driving) or rear pocket if hiking). I'm not really a fan of exposed carrying, I think in most cases it is antagonistic, and is more likely to cause trouble than prevent it. If I am in a scary situation, I'd just assume have it in my hand, ready to use it.

KEEPER OF THE FLAME This could be a very entertaining fire starting cheat, especially in wet weather. Not bad for torching a stogie, or other smoke by the fireside either.

LET THERE BE LIGHT THE HANDY HANDKERCHIEF Regrettably, the pocket hanky has become a lost part of our culture.

There are so many reasons not to leave home without one of these little cotton marvels.

First off, if you have allergies, sniffles or just sneeze sometimes, they are indispensable. They don't fall apart when wet, and are completely reusable. But that snot where their utility ends.

They are great for wiping a sweaty brow, bandaging a wound, drying watery eyes, or offering to a tearing companion. They can be tied into a sweatband, used as an emergency napkin, or even a last ditch substitute for toilet paper. Handkerchief etiquette- if used for bottom wiping, the handkerchief has seen its last tour of duty (or doody), and should be retired, burned or otherwise disposed of.

I know, your phone has one built in, but save those batteries!

I like to use a little flashlight, or headlamp at night. No sense using something as important as the phone for late night potty breaks, or varmint checks. Nothing like dropping your phone on a rock, or getting it wet to send that little processor into a tizzy.

TP HACK Speaking of scary situations, Keepin’ a couple of folds of Charmin in a snack sized Ziploc bag may be the smartest thing you ever packed into your back pocket. Like they say, ‘it happens.

Whether you are facing a raging river, an uncharted trail, some mean streets, a suburban traffic jam, or just an office full of meanies, it’s always a good idea to come prepared. May your pockets always be filled with the right tools for the job, and your wits be keen. It’s a jungle out there!

May • June 2018 | 13

“If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

John 15:6

A Horsewoman’s Journey

He Makes Us Useful

I

love horses. I enjoy the simplicity of being in their presence. I’m captivated by their smell, nickers, the way they move and their beauty. Often, I pause to watch my horses roam around the pasture, as they do what horses do. On their own, horses are amazing. However, in the hands of a great horseman or horsewoman they become much more than they’d ever become on their own.

Of all my horses (it’s not coincidental) my most useful horses are the horses I spend the most time with. Horses become useful when trained consistently, to build

BY AMANDA REESE

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an effective relationship of trust and obedience. When a trainer invests time, training, conditioning, along with tending to physical and nutritional needs of the horse, the horse and trainer will build

a strong connection. This investment typically yields a useful horse. A horse left to itself, will not become as useful. To be its best, a horse must remain connected with a great horseman or horsewoman.

PERSONAL APPLICATION On our own, just as we are, the Creator love us perfectly. We are the pinnacle of His creation and deeply cared for. However, without Jesus, we lack connection with God. Without connection and relationship with God, we miss becoming all He intends for us to be, as His children.

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” We all produce fruit in our lives, whether good or bad. The fruit we produce matters and effects the people exposed to us. Each of us is born with a sin nature, and our flesh is at enmity with God (see Romans 8:6). The type of fruit our flesh works up includes: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, and drunkenness (see Galatians 5:19-21). The fruit produced by God’s Holy Spirit working in and through us includes: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23).

When we yield to God, remain in Him and surrender to His Spirit working in our lives, we are a blessing and useful in God’s Kingdom. God changes us from the inside out and develops us into purposeful, useful Christians who reflect the Light and Love of Christ. In John 15:6, Jesus says, “If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” We need Jesus!

A horse does not train itself or perform on its own; it must remain in the hands of a great horseman or horsewoman. We do not achieve righteous or usefulness for God on our own. The Bible says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

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May • June 2018 | 15

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Backroads

Byways

BY KIM MCCULLY-MOBLEY

On the Backroads Again R OA RI N G RI V E R P R O V I D E S BAC K D RO P O F LEG END S, HIS TORY, M YS T E R Y A N D N AT URA L WO ND ER

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pring and summertime bring a complimentary mix of heat, humidity and the splash of cool, flowing river waters as folks get off the beaten path near Cassville, Missouri, in the heart of Barry County: one of southwest Missouri’s crowning jewels.

While some might enjoy the instant retreat offered by the rippling river and the shade of the trees that have stood guard there for well over a century, they may not know the substance of the unique history of the community, the state park or the legends that were born in this remote river valley.

The late Senator Emory Melton always told a story about the week that Cassville was the capitol of Missouri’s Confederacy. An article he wrote for the White River Valley Historical Quarterly confirmed some of those facts in 1994.

It seems McDowell was the original seat of Barry County when settlers first

Roaring River State Park has a long and colorful history as a crowning jewel for Missourians and her visitors.

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began populating the area in the 1830s.

It was called McDonald then and earned its demotion as Cassville was deemed to have a more centralized location for the growing population.

“The dark clouds which heralded the coming Civil War were gathering on the governmental horizon,” Melton wrote, indicating the angst came as both Union and Confederate supporters in Missouri struggled for control of the federal arsenal in St. Louis.

Even Missouri’s colorful Governor Claiborne Jackson had some Confederate leanings and put a seat of government in place in Neosho for a while—later moving it to nearby Cassville for a week—to dodge all of the threatening Union activities pressing this direction.

Before all was said and done, the smoke cleared, Missouri was technically preserved for the Union and a handful of Confederate folks were charged with treason as a cloud of gossip and suspicion hung across the area for years to come.

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The old Civilian Conservation Corps Lodge has been restored and includes rooms and meeting rooms.

The Rippling Waters of Roaring River Historians have long agreed that Native American settlements and encampments lined the banks of what we now call Roaring River. The deep river valley provided lush vegetation and wildlife needed to sustain the inhabitants through the changing seasons. The rock bluffs provided shelter and protection from Mother Nature—whose winds, humidity and varied temperatures were in constant motion.

By the 1820s, white settlers began to creep across the Mississippi River and head westward. Some stayed in the area. Communities, trading posts and settlements began to dot the maps by the 1830s.

Some of the names of those pioneer families showing up in documents in Barry County were: Haddock, McClure, Ruble and Sills.

The colorful history of Roaring River State Park came to a head in 1928 when 2,400 acres of the area were the focal point of a foreclosure auction. A wealthy businessman from St. Louis purchased the land and would eventually give the land to the State of Missouri for use as a state park. L.R. Chambers would take the position of the first Roaring River Park Director in 1929.

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May • June 2018 | 17

The Mountain Maid The hills and hollers of the Ozarks region lend themselves well to stories of ghosts, haints, witches and things that just cannot be explained.

One such story is the legend of the Mountain Maid. Her name was Jean Wallace. Some people called her “Miss Wallace,” but over the course of time, she became best known as “The Mountain Maid of Roaring River.” Some facts have been blurred over time with conflicting accounts of this woman, who put her fortune-telling money in the bank and did not like to be called a “witch.”

She was fair-haired and blue-eyed.

Born in 1851, on a pier in New York, her Scottish ancestry connects back to the William Wallace, a Scottish knight who fought for the country’s independence.

She realized at an early age that she had a sixth sense. Reports indicate her father explained to her why she was different from other children. She was greatly pained later on in her role as a nurse when she would know the ultimate

Traci Snodgrass of McDowell is a local storyteller who often portrays Jean Wallace, the legendary Mountain Maid.

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fate of her patients, explained local preservationist Tracie Snodgrass, who makes her home at McDowell.

Snodgrass is a storyteller, with family roots in Barry County—dating back to Civil War times. A resident of McDowell, she helped create a documentary 10 years ago about the Mountain Maid, Camp Bliss and local stories for Drury University’s folklore course.

There are stories about a broken heart, a prospective suitor who died or even one who left her at the altar.

Whatever the case, Jean Wallace landed in the southwest Missouri Ozarks in 1892 and began homesteading a 160-acre tract of land. She would never marry.

She would never hold a steady job. But she would work, barter, grow vegetables and tend livestock as she lived in the Ozarks for almost 50 years. She would walk over three miles to get her mail.

She walked five miles when she needed to go to Eagle Rock for supplies.

The feisty woman would grow old in the Ozark hills, leaving for a time during World War I to return back east to serve some soldiers in a hospital. She was known for having black cats and hating cameras. She did allow a portrait to be taken of her towards the end of her life.

When the Civilian Conservation Corps was enacted during the Great Depression, she would assist her boys with matters of the heart, finding lost items or making life-altering decisions.

She knew right away when they did not believe in her and would often send them away if she sensed trouble or conflict.

Unfortunately, she would die in a fire when her little cabin burned to the ground in February of 1940. She was 88 years old and was unable to escape the flames. Having no living relatives in the area, the residents held a funeral for her—using the $226 she left in a bank box in Seligman for just such a thing. The years have not erased her memory as the stories about her presence here have withstood the test of time.

Roaring River Park Roaring River State Park, located seven miles south of Cassville on Highway 112, offers a variety of activities for those of all ages interested in embracing the wonders of the outdoors in the heart of the Ozarks.

These things include hiking a variety of trails, camping, picnicking, trout fishing, visiting the Chinquapin Nature Center or strolling through the Hatchery, which is 106 years old.

According to longtime Hatchery Manager Jerry Dean, the Hatchery raises and stocks over 250,000 fish each season.

The Hatchery itself was originally constructed as part of a resort dreamed up by Kansan John Bruner. Bruner had fallen in love with the area and was acquiring land in the Roaring River Township after the turn of the century.

His dream included a lake, a dam, a hotel, a mill and the fully stocked Hatchery. Two mortgages, a fire and a flood brought things to a head in 1928 and he faced foreclosure, according to an article written by Dean for the Hatchery’s Centennial celebration in 2010.

State officials obtained the park from a St. Louis soap-maker by the name of Thomas Sayman. Sayman was 75 years old. His business dealings had originated in Carthage, Missouri. He was familiar with the area and had plans of continuing the efforts Bruner had started with the massive resort. His bid of $105,000 was accepted. He soon discovered the trout were mortgaged and he did not, in fact, own the fish at all as part of sale. He had a conversation with the Governor of Missouri and opted, in the end, to give the gift of this, “gem of the Ozarks,” to Missouri—his home state.

The 1930s would bring 1,500 young men to the park, ranging in age from 17 to 24. They would be a part of Company 1713 of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a public work-relief program launched by the government during the Depression to improve parks, roads, bridges and communities. The CCC effort also kept money moving into local economies. Men received clothing, meals

Your Best Choice for Local Banking... and lodging and eight dollars per month wages. In turn, $22 a month was sent to their families.

During the time the CCC boys were working in the park, a flood resulted in the need to reconstruct the Hatchery on higher ground.

Visitors can opt for fine dining at the Emory Melton Inn & Conference Center. They can also find lodging there---or down the hill at the restored Civilian Conservation Camp Lodge.

“A treasure chest of activity to the outdoor enthusiast, Roaring River provides ample opportunity to connect with the hills and hollows of southwest Missouri. Be it standing next to the river on a crisp spring morning anxiously awaiting the signal to make your first cast for the day at the illusive trophy trout, hiking on one of the various trails spying the awaking of springtime growth or fall colors of the variety of hardwood species, watching your children playing in the park or enjoying a weekend camping or spending time with those you hold most dear,” stated Brad Boettler, a local educator and outdoor enthusiast.

“Roaring River is a gem hidden amongst a vast acreage of land we are fortunate to live near. The opportunities at Roaring River for locals and people from surrounding states give people the opportunity to appreciate natural beauty of the Ozarks,” Boettler concluded.

The Chinquapin Nature Center has a variety of interpretative displays and is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.

There are maps, books and souvenirs available for purchase. Sometimes live animals are also on display.

Those interested in additional information about Roaring River State Park can check out the following links: www.barrycomuseum.org/ pages/roaring.html mostateparks.com/location/56785/ nature-center"mostateparks.com/ location/56785/nature-center

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Clint Dinkins and Lori Locke pull together talented singers, songwriters and talent of all kind for this year’s Peachtree Down South Music Festival

T The Lori Locke Band features the musical talents of Clint Dinkins and Lori Locke. Though Clint has always been passionate about music, he has only performed for a few years, “I have always been a music lover and tried to play when I was younger, but didn’t have the patience. Lori and I started dating after her accident and she was performing in the John Denver tribute -- same two songs every day. One day I told her that she needed to form a band, so I started playing guitar and she taught me some chords. A year later we were playing our first gig together! I’m not sure how it happened but it’s been ten years and it’s been a wonderful ride. The thing that makes it possible is having the best vocalist I have ever known fronting the band. Couple that with a supersonic guitarist like Andrew Sparks and my job is easy.”

Clint writes and performs Americana music, and grew up in the Lake of the Ozarks area.

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he drive through Crane, Missouri and the peaceful trail that leads to Bubbling Brooks Farm, the venue for the 2018 music festival, is a good way to release anxiety of the worlds pressures. As you enter the gates of the Peachtree fest and let the music resonate through you, and the fresh air cleanse your body – it’s a great way to spend a May weekend in the Ozarks.

The motivation behind this spirited, yearly homecoming is a passion for music shared by its founders, Clint Dinkins and Lori Locke. Clint shares, “Peachtree Down South Music Festival was started to help promote local music, artists, vendors and business.” The festival has something for everyone, and the unity and support that all the artists share with each other is an added bonus to the talent that is scheduled backto-back. That artists and Clint enjoy the range of music offerings, and aren’t afraid to couple rockers that wake up the lawn-

chair nappers, and acoustic performers that will lull you into tranquility. Clint explains, “The fest has a wide variety of great local music from bluegrass to rock. The Ozarks region is unique in its musical influence and Peachtree is a way to highlight that broad influence.”

Bubbling Brooks has hosted the festival for several years, and is also a venue for weddings and other festivals and fairs in the area. “Bubbling Brooks Farm is the spot we chose based on the beauty of the farm.

There is a cool spring fed creek that runs through the property,” said Clint. May in the Ozarks can be pretty warm, and festival attendees enjoy taking dips in the stream, and catching crawdads with the kids. “The thing most unique about our fest is that its family and kid friendly. Everyone helps look out for the kids and they pack up and run free like the old days,” added Clint.

Taking on a festival of this size requires amazing commitment. Rounding

up performers, vendors and the necessary sponsors to keep it going through the years can be overwhelming. Clint and Lori are definitely passionate about what they are working to achieve through this yearly event. “We have a wonderful balance with the community and we intend to do everything to preserve that. Lori and I are very sentimental and nostalgic when it comes to the bypassed small towns and that is the MAIN reason we decided to start this fest along with the desire to promote local art and music.” They have received great help and collaboration with the Crane community, Clint is thankful for local merchants like Marcy Gripka from Country Petals, Nicki Daugherty and Ron White of Serendipity.

Clint appreciates his music community, and is proud of how this festival has grown through the years, “As far as bands that have been with us since the beginning I want to mention one of

my mentors, Jason Sain. Jason and The Lori Locke Band were on the very first bill when it was started as a small gathering on my friend, Tony White's farm near Lake of the Ozarks. The fest has grown since then and we have so many artists and vendors attending this year.”

Clint is excited about this year’s lineup, “We have the ever-popular Papa Green Shoes, Shotgun Brothers Band, Stellar Weirdos, Drifter's Mile and new act from the St Louis area -- BongoJak Vs. The Loop

Machine, who has also been a great help in promoting. So many folks volunteer time and help with the workload and promotion.

This year we have Brandon Sean Cole, from Shake N Paint coming all the way from Minnesota to paint live while the bands play.” Peachtree’s main sponsors include: Outback Pub, Coulees Bar and Grill, Copper Run Distillery, The Lakehouse, Postnet Hollister, Angler's Advantage, db Salon And Gallery, Crane Merchants, Bubbling Brooks Farm, and Engineered Industrial Products. “This year we have been joined

by The Dancing Bear Tribe. They are dance performers out of St. Louis and will be dancing while the bands play as well as hosting some workshops. They have been wonderful with the help they have given us in promotion and new ideas,” added Clint Camping is allowed and encouraged – campers, rvs and primitive camping is available – check facebook page for pricing and entry fees. Coolers are allowed, no pets, and no power available.

Sarah’s Food Truck and Spork Express will be on hand to serve food, Coulees Bar and Grill will be serving adult beverages and will have a beer garden area.

Held May 10-13, $60 per person, under 14 free. One dollar per entry fee each goes to Team Zeke and to the Crane Boys Basketball team.

May • June 2018 | 21

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY LAYNE SLEETH

F

iercely fluffy and fabulous, Angora rabbits are an uncommon and valuable wool livestock animal. They lack the allergen-causing qualities of other wool animals – such as lanolin, a wax secreted by the subcutaneous glands of sheep – and are an excellent alternative in this aspect. Angora rabbits originally come from Ankara, Turkey. There are many different breeds of Angora rabbits, but only four are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association; English, French, Giant, and Satin Angoras. It is believed that these wooly rabbits were originally cultivated by peoples that lived in the cold Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania.

Angoras were called Angolas for many centuries. Angolas is a Romanian word that the tribes in this region used to describe the rabbit wool, meaning “unscratchy”. Angora rabbits were brought to France sometime in the 18th century, where they became extremely popular as pets of royalty.

This wool rabbit breed has been bred specifically for a thick wool coat, composed of extremely fine fibers that are 10 to 15 microns (finer than cashmere!). Their undercoat closest to the skin is the softest and they possess coarser guard hairs on top, much like a sheep or llama. Wiry guard hairs serve to keep the wool coat from matting. This special, quality wool is a prized commodity, and can sell for over ten dollars per ounce. The quality of the finished product depends on the ratio and blend of guard hairs to fine undercoat hairs. An adult Angora rabbit’s wool will grow over one-inch per month, if it’s healthy and environmental conditions are right.

May • June 2018 | 23

for 26 years now. She notes that her wool journey really kicked off years ago with an interest sparked by a coworker of hers that loved fibers and spinning.

This coworker brought in her spinning wheel and different wools for Elyse to look at. She offered Elyse a lamb that had a bad leg, and Elyse brought it home (to her husband's chagrin, she remarks). "That started my addiction with spinning," she admits.

Being mostly self taught in her fiber adventures, Elyse has taught nearly twenty different classes on topics ranging from crochet to dyeing to spinning. She attends several area fiber festivals and sets up a booth to sell her wool wares.

When handling the rabbits for harvesting their wool, Elyse advises to hold the rabbits like a football, supporting their front paws. They will generally sit calmly in this position. Elyse says that she tries to handle her rabbits often to keep them used to human touch so they are easier to work with.

Elyse's method of spinning the rabbit wool is to gently hold the rabbit in her lap and simply pluck out the fibers that are naturally shedding. She spins the wool and lightly tugs the loose fibers to bring in more material.

The brown-eyed (one can hardly tell there are eyes situated on the fuzzy face) rabbit is mostly unfazed, curious nose constantly bouncing, as the spinning wheel bobbin winds up its lilac coat. Angora rabbit wool can be harvested by shearing or plucking, with varying results. Shearing the rabbit will give you more of the fine fibers in your harvest, but rabbit skin is very loose and thin, so it is essential to be

Elyse Hargis, of Hargis' Wooly Acres, raises her own Angoras, both English and French types, at her small farm north of Springfield, Mo., where Elyse specializes in products for the fiber enthusiast. She says the difference is that English have a more luxurious coat and are attractive, 24 |

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but French are "easier keepers".

English Angoras can weigh up to about 7.5 lbs and French Angoras can weigh up to 8 or 9 lbs. The French Angoras require less maintenance to keep mats out of the wool.

Elyse is an animal lover that has been ardently farming wool animals

cautious when shearing. With plucking, the hair follicles can be damaged on the rabbit if you pull the wool out too much when it's not ready.

The rabbits are comfortable in temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. There is quite a bit of care and regular grooming that must be maintained with these fuzz balls. If the rabbit’s wool coat goes too long without being maintained, the wool will begin to mat. Elyse says that she "blows out" her rabbits with a blower fan to keep from having to

brush the rabbits and stretch their fine fibers. She describes Angora rabbit wool as having the shape of "a spring that's sprung". One of the largest concerns with Angora rabbits' health, however, is a potentially fatal blockage of their digestive system called "wool block". Because they have so much hair, the rabbits naturally ingest some of their hair when they groom. Unlike a cat, they cannot produce a hairball and regurgitate the wool, nor can they digest the wool when there is a blockage. Hence keeping their wool

clipped is vitally necessary. Elyse says that it's important to harvest their wool once every three months to avoid this predicament. Additionally, she feeds her rabbits pineapple occasionally to boost stomach enzymes that aid in digestion. Elyse also will give the occasional olive oil on top of their pellet feed to ward off blockages. All ailments aside, a healthy Angora rabbit can live between 7 to 12 years.

Raising Angoras is an enterprise for those that have a love for fiber arts. "My favorite part of the fiber

May • June 2018 | 25

process is dying the wool and creating new colors," says Elyse. Elyse notes that she's never dyed Angora wool very much because it tends to make the wool mat. "The natural colors are so variant and there are so many different tones," she states. However, Elyse loves turning her white sheep wool into different colors by playing with mordants, pre-dye fixatives that prepare the wool to accept the dye, and modifiers that tweak the colors.

If you would like to keep up with Elyse and her wooly exploits, you can find her on Facebook at Hargis Wooly Acres, visit her website at hargiswoolyacres.com, or send her an email at hwoolyacres@yahoo.com.

Ozarks Area Fiber Festivals: Eureka! Fiber in the Ozarks Eureka Springs, AR February 1 - February 3, 2018 PlyAway, A Spinning Retreat Kansas City, MO March 27 – 31, 2018 All Missouri Spin-In Kansas City, MO April 29, 2018 Fiber U Lebanon, MO July 21-22, 2018 Fiber Daze Mt. Vernon, MO September 21 – 22, 2018

Lake Area Festival of Fiber, Camdenton, MO October 13, 2018 October Ozark Fiber Fling Steelville, MO November 2-3, 2018 26 |

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Hell󰈢 Rabbit

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For over 30 years, Race Brothers Farm and Home Supply has been owned and operated by the DeForest family, who is dedicated to providing the Ozarks with quality service and products including a complete line of farm and home supplies.

R

abbits are generally a docile, gentle creature that can make a nice addition to the family, or an introduction to a homestead. They are smart, hardy, long-lived, reproduce steadily (if you desire), fast growing and provide an appealing protein if you choose to raise for meat. One bonus of all rabbits, their manure is amazing garden compost! Of course, just like any other animal, there is a large variety of rabbit breeds out there, so you can choose what kind of rabbit you want, depending on your preference or needs. Rabbits can be kept indoors, or outdoors. They tolerate winters well, but need plenty of shade and ventilation if kept outdoors in our hot Ozark summers. Whether you are raising as a pet or as livestock, here are some recommendations and tips on preparing and housing your rabbit It is easy to keep rabbits outdoors.

They need a safe pen that is big enough for them to move freely about. They love to be on the ground, but doing so makes it harder to keep them safe, and it runs the risk of them digging out.

Keep them under a roof and out of the rain as well.

Rabbits do not need direct sun, and must be protected from heat.

They prefer 60-70 degrees, but can withstand higher heats as long as they have plenty of shade and ventilation.

Provide fresh water daily.

Some people prefer heavy bowls of water, but others like to use bottles with lickers. Either way, be sure to rinse and clean out the bowl or bottle every time it is filled.

Rabbits can live on alfalfa pellets, but they love to eat so much more!

They can be fed different kinds of hay, fresh grass and clover and other leaves, vegetables – they love munching on pulled-up weeds.

Pens with wire grid floor over ground work best outdoors and do not need to be cleaned out as often.

If you use a wire grid pen, let them have a piece of a log or block of wood so that they aren't always standing on wire. They also use the wood to scratch and keep their nails in shape as well!

Hay and sticks are great entertainment.

Rabbits can spend time chewing and moving them.

Keep your rabbit in a secure location so that it doesn't fear it's surroundings.

Rabbits are easy to tame and enjoy being held and petted once they get used to handling. It's a great way to introduce a child animal raising and owning.

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“Walk on.”

with a Horses for Healing therapeutic riding program serves hundreds of children in northwest Arkansas STORY AND PHOTOS BY LISA FLOREY 28 |

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At Horses for Healing in Bentonville, Arkansas, these two little words hold a lot of power. The phrase is just one of several verbal and physical cues that special needs children use to maneuver 1,000-pound horses around the arena, weaving through poles and over logs.

Horses for Healing is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit therapeutic riding facility in northwest Arkansas that offers a variety of instructor-supervised equine activities for individuals with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

While the program is focused on children, they have a few adult clients as well.

“We’re really about offering opportunities for children to grow and to learn and feel confident in a new way,” General Manager Megan Smits said. “Our mission is about children, as young as four up until around 20. If we have room in the schedule we do take adults, as long as it doesn’t take the spot of a child.”

A big chunk of the program’s curriculum is dedicated to working with students from schools throughout the northwest Arkansas region.

“Our biggest population is working with our school program, which runs during the school year,” Smits said.

“We also have families and children that come in the evening or on the weekend.”

The program’s schedule is booked almost year-round — it only suspends activities during the cold winter months. When school is out for the summer, many students take advantage of Horses for Healing’s summer camp.

“For camp, kids might come one day a week for a certain number of weeks and they learn all about horse care and all aspects of the horse industry,” Smits said. “We consider ourselves a horsemanship program. We teach horse skills, which is so much more than just riding.”

Horses for Healing’s mission is to provide equine-assisted therapy to children who need it, regardless of their ability to pay.

The program is tailored so children also learn about horse care, tack, riding safety and more.

Equine-assisted therapy has many proven physical, mental, social and emotional benefits. The motion of the horse is similar to a human’s walking gait, and horseback riding requires riders to use their muscles and build strength, balance, coordination and flexibility. Additionally, intangibles like self esteem, self confidence and patience increase, and some children experience their first taste of physical independence on horseback.

Stories abound of children replacing fears with confidence, speaking their first word, sitting up straighter and improving their own gait or even taking their first steps. With the horses, disabilities and many of the limitations imposed by the outside world fade away. Inside the barn and arena, the focus is on inclusion, and students often form bonds with horses, peers and volunteers. Smiles and high fives are exchanged with volunteers, and horses often receive a special pat at the end of a session.

“A big benefit is the social aspect. The children learn to interact with other peers and with adults,” Smits said. “Sometimes in school it’s hard to stay focused or to listen or work together but here, because it’s such a fun environment, there’s more opportunity for social growth.”

“Another benefit is physical conditioning, and becoming stronger through the core and through the legs.

We notice changes in the way a person walks after they get off a horse,” Smits continued. “And then there’s also cognitive growth. We work in the arena with different games and puzzles that get the kids thinking in a different way. And it helps kind of unlock new neural processes.

It’s really a whole-body approach.”

Annually, over 500 children in northwest Arkansas benefit from Horses for Healing — an impressive number for a program that originally served 15 students from the Rogers, Arkansas, school district.

Founded by Harriette Habern in 1991 as Rocky Creek Horses Help, the program has grown exponentially, undergone a name change and relocated to a larger facility west of Bentonville. Horses for Healing is one of just two Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanshipaccredited programs in the state.

Horses for Healing’s facility includes a covered arena, several barns, spacious pastures, a large outdoor arena that May • June 2018 | 29

doubles as a jump course, a cross-country course and several riding trails on the boundary of the 75-acre property. Smits would eventually like to set up a sensory trail for students.

A sensory riding trail includes both man-made and natural elements and activities that stimulate all the senses and encourages riders to use their riding skills outside the arena. Sensory trails can include sloping terrain, trail signs and maps, steering “courses,” activity stations that offer a variety of sounds, colors and textures, and more.

A visit to the farm will reveal several dozen horses grazing in pastures. While some horses are privately owned by boarders, the bulk of the herd is made up of therapy horses. These four-legged 30 |

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therapists vary in age, size and personality, and therapists work to match their students up with the right horse. The horses come from a variety of sources.

“Some horses are donated to our program. Sometimes horses are sent here on a lease, where an owner might allow us to use the horse for a period of time,” Smits said. “On occasion, we’ll buy a horse if it’s the right fit for our needs.”

Horses for Healing is run by just six full-time staffers, and volunteers are a vital part of what makes the program work.

“In 2017, we had over 600 volunteers.

From time to time, we’ll do special events where 80 people will come out to help do projects at the farm. On a regular basis — in the school program — we have about 200. It’s really nice because it gives a sense

of community,” Smits said. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”

New volunteers are always welcome at Horses for Healing — whether or not they have equine experience. In addition to working with the horses as a leader or side-walker, there are many different tasks, including administrative tasks, facility maintenance, crafts activities, grounds work, special event set up or cleanup, and more.

Volunteers must be at least 14 years old and attend an orientation — those who work with the horses and children are trained to lead the horses or function as a side walker (walking alongside children as they ride, supporting and stabilizing them).

In addition to a large roster of volunteers, Horses for Healing depends on donations to keep the program going. Their mission is to provide therapy to children who need it, regardless of whether or not their family can pay for their saddle time.

While some families are able to pay the $25 per lesson fee, many are not — and that’s one area where fundraising comes in.

Donations in any amount are always welcome and can even be earmarked to sponsor a child or a horse. In addition, the nonprofit holds two annual events to raise a bulk of its funds. This year’s 10th annual golf tournament will be at the end of April, while the 26th annual barn dance will be held June 9 at Horses for Healing.

“The barn dance gets people out to the farm so they can see us and the facility, which is hugely helpful. It’s a personal connection,” Smits said. That feeling of community is something Horses for Healing wants to continue to build.

“We’d like to grow by offering different events for the horse community, such as different educational clinics or horse shows with other people and barns that our children can participate in,” Smits said.

You can help Horses for Healing out by joining their stable of volunteers or attending an upcoming fundraiser.

To learn more about the organization, visithorsesforhealingnwa.org.

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Turn east at Hwy. 90 and I-49/Hwy. 71 junction, at light. East on Hwy. 90 to T in the road, turn left and head north till you see The Jane Store on the west side.

Gigabit Internet is here!

goBEC Fiber Network proudly serving Cassville, Roaring River, Exeter and coming soon Washburn!

Questions?

417-847-3774

1011 Main Street • Cassville, Mo.

Find more information at

whitefuneralhome.org

Be sure to stop by during the Spring Craft Fairs the weekend of May 4, 5 and 6!

Fun and Festivities during our annual Kentucky Derby Watch Party

You won't want to miss out!

We have over 14,000 sq. ft. of shopping pleasure and are one of the oldest markets in NWA

JR Smith

417-847 2131 jrsmith@barryelectric.com

Coin and Currency Emporium 2875 W. Walnut St., Rogers, AR • 479.631.8940 facebook.com/TheRoseAntiqueFleaMarket

www.gobec.net

Open 7 Days a Week • 10am-6pm May • June 2018 | 31

Wilted Lettuce and Silver Tea • Recipes and Stories of the Old Country • STORY BY LAUREEN LESSARD

S

ometimes when the past comes back to haunt you it can be a good thing. Mine came in a box of books and junk that no one wanted after mom died, so I said, give them to me. There were some old novels on top, small Sunday school bibles, a couple of small boxes that had turned brown with age that held more books and more stuff underneath. I took it home and tucked it in the back of my closet with other things I saved and hoarded.

That was twenty years ago and included a move to two other states and a recent move to Stone County, Missouri. The box was now falling apart and I thought it was time to repack it into a better box. That is when I made the discovery. They were at the bottom under some old postcards and magazines. The cover was missing on one and the pages were yellowed and crumbly with lots of papers bulging from it. There was handwriting but it was too old to be moms. I gently removed

the book and another one that was tucked under it and took them to the kitchen table for examination as my heart was racing. They were turn of the century cookbooks from Detroit where I was born with recipes and notes that belonged to my mom’s mother, my Grandma Sophia and Dad’s mother, my Grandma Ida. Sophia came to America from Montreal as a child. Ida came here from Normandy. Both died in 1957 when I was 5.

There were some old envelopes too that were addressed to my Grandma Ida’s address in Warren, MI. We lived with and cared for Ida there several years. Grandma Sophia was also a widow and lived with us there sometimes too. Both grandmas passed just months apart from each other of heart conditions and old age. It was hard on dad and my mom who was recovering from TB. I plugged the address in Warren, Michigan into Google search engine and found the house on MapQuest, it was still there. There was a street view photo of a small two story bungalow. I used the Street view tool and did a 120 degree turn.

Where there were once houses across the

street from grandma’s house was now the back of a McDonald’s parking lot. I tooled around again to see her house. There wasn’t a car in the driveway when the photo was taken. I wondered who lived there now. I started remembering things from my childhood I had forgotten like singing, dancing in my Grandma’s kitchen and the family meals that never ended.

When you are a child, everything seems larger than life. Grandma Ida’s house was probably built in early 1900 because there was an old coal furnace also in the cellar. I remember the rounded arch that took you from the living room to a large dining room that had a large front window and there was a red velvet sofa by the staircase. There was another archway that led to a small hallway to access the bathroom and a downstairs bedroom, and another arch that lead you into the heart of her house, the kitchen. There was a door that led down to the cellar where I used to watch daddy shovel coal into the furnace.

How did Grandma fit all of us and so much love into this little house as I remember it?

I pulled out more folded papers. They were handwritten recipes and notes in their handwriting. The book with the most damage had a missing cover and exposed spine was titled Practical Recipes for the Housewife published by The Detroit Times 1930. The other had a broken black cover with loose pages and was called Presbyterian Cook Book, published in 1921. Both contained household hints

See more of Laurie's Grandmothers recipes on page 48.

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Mom’s Duchess Cake 2 cup flour 2 tsp. baking powder Pinch of salt 1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 cup milk

Mix and divide batter into two 8 ½-inch pans and bake at 350 degrees F., until done. - Remove from pans after cooling.

Filling – 3 egg yolks - separate the egg whites and set aside for meringue ¾ cup milk ½ cup granulated sugar ½ tsp. vanilla extract 2 Tbsp. cornstarch ¼ tsp. salt Heat the milk in a small pan until small bubbles form around the edge, and wisps of steam are rising from the surface.

Place the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, ¼ cup sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the hot milk to the egg mixture, a little at a time, whisking to combine.

When all the milk has been added, transfer the mixture back to the pot and place over medium-low heat. Cook stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in the vanilla and remove from heat to cool. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Beat meringue using the egg whites and ¼ cup sugar while waiting.

Place the cakes onto a flat baking sheet spreading the filling between the two layers. Cover cake with the meringue frosting.

Return to oven until meringue is done.

and recipes favoring the old countries.

That’s how my parents and their families referred to the countries my grandparents immigrated from, Canada, France, Germany and Scotland.

First I have to tell you that my parents, Stanley & Virginia, had children late in life, with me being the eldest of eventually seven. My sisters, Wendie & Pennie, were born while we lived at Ida’s. We spent lots of time in the kitchen while both grandmas

cooked, baked and told us stories of the old country. The basement cellar door was located in the kitchen and was large and creepy. I was not allowed to go down there alone (not that I wanted to) because of the coal furnace. But I remember there were crocks filled with pickles, sauerkraut, homemade butter, beer and mason jars of jellies and vegetables lined the shelves. There were sausages and meats hanging nearby and barrels of potatoes and onions.

Both women were dedicated to their families and had lives that could be a Lifetime movie. They were Christians and attended church regularly, but also believed in the supernatural, but Sophia was more progressive and social about it.

The story goes in the late 1920s in Detroit she would dress up and visit a high society medium woman known as Etta Wriedt for what they called, “Silver Tea”. It was a social gathering where a select group met for tea, then afterward have a séance

Household Hints • Cleaning Piano Keys: Wash piano keys with a soft cloth dampened with alcohol.

• Cleaning Stained Knives: Scour with sand-soap and raw potato. Rub with a moistened cork.

• Making Egg Custard: Mix the beaten egg with milk that is slightly warm and the custard will not turn watery.

May • June 2018 | 33

Sweet & Sour Pickles and Onions 2 cups vinegar 2 cups water 1 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. pickling whole spices Let come to a boil and add pickles and onions. These are the real small pickles and little white onions. Pack into hot jars and seal.

to contact spirits. Etta was known as the “trumpet medium” of Detroit because she could communicate to spirits from beyond with the use of a trumpet. These “Silver Teas” were a popular pastime in the 1920s in Detroit, as well as across the country.

Etta communicated with the dead in several languages including the native French tongue of both of my grandmothers. Etta would tell Sophia about things to come that came true, so she was a true believer and visited her whenever she could. Etta predicted the death of Sophia’s eldest son, my Uncle Jimmy, who ran off to Hollywood at a young age to make movies. He died soon after of TB in a hospital in Los Angeles at the young age of 28 as predicted. The price for admission to these teas was $1 per person.

The cucumber ritual is still a tradition lest something ill will happen. This comes down from Sophia. Mom would cut the ends off of a cucumber and rub them on the cucumber, then dispose of the ends. It was supposed to take the poison out. Even though it is an old myth, we still take it seriously, even if there is a chuckle or too.

Three loud knocks on your door as well as a Hoot Owl outside your bedroom window at night or the sound of logs rolling down your stairs bring a death of a loved one, all having supposedly been experienced by several family members. As we are blessed with home and food, we are stewards to nature. We balance our blessings by keeping what we call the “sacred circle” spot where we spread seed and grain for the birds and wildlife around us.

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OZARK 34 | Hills OZARKHollows Hills Hollows

Peach Jam 5 lbs peaches 3 cups sugar 1 cup water Choose soft peaches that are not desirable for canning.

Remove the stones and cut in slices. Put the water in the preserving kettle and add peaches. Cover and cook with soft stirring to prevent sticking. Add the sugar and cook until thick and jelly like.

Pack in hot jar and seal.

Dandelion Wine To every quart of blossoms add 1 gallon of boiling water. Cover overnight. Next morning squeeze blossoms through cheese cloth. Put liquid on stove and let come to a boil. Add 3 lbs of granulated sugar, 3 oranges, 3 lemons to every gallons, let stand 24 hours. Squeeze out oranges & lemons, strain and add a ½ cake of yeast to every gallon.

Let stand until done fermenting, then bottle but do not cork for about a week.

German Wilted Lettuce Salad 5 slices bacon 1 tbsp. sugar 3 tbsp. cider vinegar 1 med. head lettuce

1/3 c. fresh red onion rings 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Drain well on paper towels. Cool bacon drippings slightly. Add sugar and vinegar; heat.

Meanwhile wash lettuce and dry. Tear into bite-size pieces and place in bowl. Add onion rings, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add hot vinegar and bacon sauce and toss lightly. Crumble crisp bacon over top.

Angel Wings (Chrusciki) 5 Tbsp. cream 5 egg yolks ½ tsp. salt ¼ cup sugar

2 ¼ cup flour 1 tsp. vanilla* Powdered sugar *Almond Extract can be substituted.

Beat eggs until thick. Add salt slowly while stirring. Add sugar and vanilla, beat well.

Add cream and flour, alternating until blended. You may need more than the flour listed above depending on how humid it is that day.

Turn onto a floured board. Cover with a cloth for 10 minutes. Knead until dough blisters.

Roll very thin. Cut into 1 inch by 4 inch rectangles. Cut a gash in the middle of the rectangle and pull one end through so it looks like a twist. Fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown. Drain on a rack for 3 minutes then roll into powdered sugar.

Ida is the inspiration for our family orange tradition. There were some meager times during my childhood but there were always oranges and the biggest ones my folks could find. Ida was a child when her family came to America “on the boat” from Normandy (France) during the Prussian Wars. It was a terrible time because her family had to leave everything behind including a family vineyard. One of the foods they were given to eat after they arrived at the port authority immigration checkpoint (which lasted a week to process) was oranges. They had never seen oranges before and were so hungry they ate the whole thing, peels and all.

Ida said they were very grateful for them and blessed to have survived the voyage, although her mother, my G-grandma Anna lost a child on the voyage. So our family keeps the tradition of having and gifting oranges as we are blessed also.

Our favorite tradition is we love to eat, dance and party. I don’t think anyone celebrates weddings and births in the family like my family does. My favorite wedding food is Chrusciki or Angel Wings. It is actually a Polish recipe, but it doesn’t matter what culture you are, if you live in Detroit or the suburbs, Chrusciki is a wedding standard. They are thin pastry twists fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

They melt in your mouth and are a slice of heaven. I pass down the stories and recipes to my grandchildren now and hope they will continue the traditions and some of their own too.

May • June 2018 | 35

Drill Hose and Funnel and Other Old-Timer Wisdom

BY LARRY DABLEMONT

I

went to work at the pool hall one afternoon in the spring, straight from school.

Ol' Jim and Ol' Bill were there and they could tell I was pretty despondent. I was 13 years old and had just got my first pair of glasses. I wanted a girl friend awfully bad at that time and those glasses made me uglier than I had ever been. One of the older girls called me ‘four eyes’.

Now ‘the pool hall kid’ wasn’t my only nickname. Now I was gonna be called the, “four-eyed pool hall kid.” I told my old friends there on the front bench that I was thinking on quitting school and just staying there in the pool hall forever. Ol’ Bill asked what brought

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that on and I told him. I was born too ugly to ever get a girl friend and now I was uglier because of those glasses.

Ol’ Jim tried to comfort me.

“Onc’t when I was a kid,” he said, “me an’ some a my cousins all found a mirror on a wall in the barn an' we stood

in front of it makin’ scary faces to see who could be the ugliest an’ they all said that no matter what I did I couldn’t look no uglier then I already was.”

He used his foot to pull the spittoon over a little closer to his range, and then went on. “But by the time I was 20 years old,” he smiled, “girls was crazy about me.”

“You musta had some money by then,” Ol' Bill interrupted, “Cause you never did have no looks thet I can ‘member.”

“That’s shore enough the way to get a girlfriend,” Virgil Halstead chipped in from his end of the bench. “I cut up some catalog pages to the exact size of a dollar bill and rolled it all up with a dollar bill around it and let Lucy Johnson see it and she spoke to me for the first time in years. And when I put a five dollar bill around that roll of catalog papers, hell, she wanted to marry me!!”

At that everyone on the front bench laughed and slapped their knees and nodded their heads as if they knew what he was talking about. It seemed funny to me that all the front bench regulars who were married talked like they wished they wasn’t; but what few of them wasn’t married acted like they wished they were.

But it was pretty clear to me that if I stayed ugly much longer then the only option for a girl-friend was a girl as ugly as me. And girls as ugly as me were pretty scarce. As to the girls in my school there were just various grades of pretty, and my chances with any of them was comparable to the chance of me killing three ducks with three shots.

Ol’ Jim and Ol’ Bill did give me one good piece of advice I never forgot. They said once that a young man should never get married ‘til he found a girl that was gosh-awful beautiful and not too awful smart. Years later when I took Gloria Jean, my first wife, out on a date in my old ’56 Chevy, about halfway through the drive-in movie, I asked her, sort of timid like, if she would like to get in the back seat. “No,” she told me, “I want to stay up here with you!” Right then,

I recalled what those old timers had told me so many years before. I knew I had met the right one, and I threw caution to the wind and asked her if she wanted to get married. She said she really did, someday. It wasn’t too encouraging and answer, but up to then, every girl I had proposed to had said ‘no’.

It is rather amazing as I look back on my years working in my dad’s pool hall that I was around a number of World War I veterans, including my Grandpa Dablemont. Few of them talked about being overseas as young men, fighting the Kaiser.

But I can remember that when they did, they were solemn and bothered by it. Most of the time, life on the front bench was a joyous collection of hilarious stories. I think some of them were true.

It was hard for me to understand, as a kid, the problems old men faced.

Ol’ Bill said that he had got to a point where he had to get up twice during the night to pee. He, like most of them, had no inside plumbing. He said that one night when he went out to answer the call of nature he was watering the flowers just off the front porch when it began to rain. Ol’ Bill said he heard the water running off the roof and stood there for nearly ten minutes thinking he wasn’t done yet.

But Ol’ Jess Wolf had come up with something that made life easier for most of the front bench regulars.

He had drilled a hole in the bottom of the wall in his old house, stuck a length of water hose through it from

the outside and attached a funnel to the end inside his bedroom, right next to his bed.

Jess didn’t have to go out on the porch in the cold anymore. He just sat up on the edge of his bed and reached for that funnel.

Many years later when I was in college one of the professors there told me that I’d never learn much from those backwards old men I had grown up around in the Ozarks.

Now, as I look back on my boyhood, I cannot remember a thing that intellectual professor ever said.

But the other day Gloria Jean told one of my daughters she was worried about me. She said she had found a drill and a length of water hose in the bedroom, beside a funnel! So no one can say I didn’t learn something from those old timers in the Pool Hall. Gloria Jean doesn’t know that if it hadn’t been for their advice, she might never have been lucky enough to snare me.

And by the way I ain’t so ugly as I was then! And for what it is worth, all them girls I went to school with are a bit uglier than they were then.

But not a whole lot!

For those who like to read, I wrote a book about those old men I grew up with in the pool hall.

The name of it is… “The Front Bench Regulars…

Wit and Wisdom from Back Home in the Hills.”

I have written a total of nine books about the Ozarks and four or five times a year I publish a great 96-page magazine entitle “The Lightnin’ Ridge Outdoor Journal.”

To get one of any of these, or some of all of them, just call me at 417-777-5227.

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May • June 2018 | 37

Cataract A - Ozarks Hills & Hollows Ad MNP

Repurposing Revolution

BY SHERRY LEVERICH

Find a Job For Every Stray Sock We all have them.

Stray socks that have lost their mate (where do they go?). Socks with holes in the toe, or holes in the heels. Socks that have stretched out, or socks that accidentally got bleached (oops). We have a rag-bag full of these useful booties. There are so many ways to utilize and repurpose or reuse an old or mate-less sock.

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Attach a sock to the end of a ruler or rod to create a cleaning duster that can get into those hard-to-reach areas up high, and under appliances, like the refrigerator and oven.

In a pinch, makes an easy oven glove.

As a polisher for shoes, furniture, floor or silver.

Can be used as a tea, or coffee strainer (just make sure it's super clean!).

Spruce up your wardrobes or drawers by transforming a sock into a potpourri bundle. Simply stuff the sock with potpourri, tie or sew end, and enjoy the sweet smell.

Fight back against that bane of modern life – out of control cables. Socks are a great way of storing cables, especially in luggage when you're traveling.

When traveling, socks are great as a bag for shoes, camera, spectacles, money.

Whether for the garden or the tool shed, place a bar of soap inside a clean sock. The sock will help get grit off your hands, provide lather, and keeps the soap in place and lasts a long time.

Socks are also brilliant when you're cleaning or polishing cars, or bikes. Works great for cleaning windows or armor-alling car interiors.

If you have a big painting job, slip a few pairs of socks over your shoes. You'll prevent paint from getting all over your favorite pair and can simply remove the socks once you're done.

Store safety goggles or glasses in a sock in the tool shed – keeps them clean and scratch free.

Dryer balls help fluff your clothes and are an alternative to fabric softeners and dryer sheets, especially useful for bed sheets or pillows.

You can make your own by placing 2 tennis balls inside 2 clean socks.

Make ice packs feel more tolerable on bare skin by slipping a sock over the ice pack. This will let it touch your skin without giving you freezer burn.

A sock makes a great heat pad. Fill it up with dried beans or rice, pop it in the microwave for around 30 seconds and you've got yourself a soothing heat pad – add your favorite essential oil for an aromatherapy bonus!

Socks are great for packing and storing delicate items like glassware and smaller crockery and pottery when moving or storing.

Keep car windows from fogging up by filling a sock with cat litter. Fill a sock up to the ankle with cat litter. Secure the sock by tying a knot, and slip another sock over it. Place it by your windshield, and it will absorb moisture and keep windows from fogging.

Place a handful of grass seed into a sock and pour a few hand fulls of dirt on top. Tie off the sock and add eyes, nose, and a mouth to your sock pet's eyes with felt or permanent marker. Spray the sock with water until its damp, and keep misting daily. The sock pet will sprout hair just like a chia pet.

Make reusable baby wipes by cutting socks into small squares.

Soft socks also make great, soap-suds making mits for washing baby.

Sock puppets are still a solid use for old socks. Use old buttons and other found items to sew or glue on nose, eyes and mouth.

May • June 2018 | 39

Among the Wildflowers

Jelly Birds STORY AND PHOTOS BY GUEST CONTRIBUTOR ROSLYN IMRIE

I

saw my first Baltimore Oriole fluttering in the peach tree leaves in late April.

It’s unmistakable orange breast, contrasted against its black head and wings, stood out among the spring-green foliage. Not only did this little song bird wear a brightly colored costume, but it burst into the yard with a loud cackle, nipping beak, and quick wings. Within minutes of the single bird’s arrival, every cardinal, chickadee, and tufted titmouse had retreated leaving the feeders barren except for the Oriole. And I watched in awe as the magnificent bird visited our wildbird suet block for a single partly encased berry.

My husband and I love to watch the birds at our house, so we have a plethora of bird feeders. Our backyard (and frontyard) birds have to fight the raccoons, opossums, and squirrels for a few seeds, so we hang all our feeders from a long line of 550 paracord hung between two trees in the yard, which we tightened with a trucker’s hitch. Even after hanging the feeders from the cord, we still found that crafty squirrels could tightrope walk the line and steal seeds or more often, dump the containance of the feeders on the ground. So we threaded a ¾-inch four-foot long PVC pipe on each end of the line. If a squirrel tries to walk the line now, the pipe rolls, pitching the little thief to the ground. Now our

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feeders seem to be vermin proof and we have a wide variety of birds that visit us throughout the year.

As the warm rains wake the dormant wildflowers, the migratory birds of spring flock through the Ozarks. Among the early arrivals are the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, coming back from wintering in Mexico and Central America. Later the Summer Tanagers fly north from a similar southern range and nest in the the eastern United States. But my favorite spring migration to witness thus far has been that of the Baltimore Orioles.

Unlike most birds who might visit your backyard, Orioles have no interest in seeds. If you hang a suet block with berries in it as well as seeds, you might attract a few who want those berries. But if you really want to watch a flock of Orioles, you need grape jelly. Any lots of it! So that day, as soon as we positively identified the orange and black bird we had seen, my husband made a jelly feeder and put out some of the grape jelly that usually slathers my son’s peanut butter sandwiches.

In summer, Orioles eat insects, like grasshoppers, hairy caterpillars, and beetles – which is good for a gardener like myself. But year round, they also feast on berries, especially red or purple ones. In the Ozarks, they arrive when the mulberry trees fruit to devour those berries. Nearby our home we have plenty of mulberry trees that these hungry little birds probably come to pick clean each year. Since we wanted a closer look at these brilliant feathered friends, we decided to try to attract them to our front yard feeders.

That afternoon my husband made our first jelly feeder out of a plastic dish found in the trash. He wrapped a thick wire around it and hung it from our feeder line. Soon a pair of Orioles were fighting over the grape jelly in its tray. Orioles have a feisty attitude and they are constantly chattering at each other, peaking at one another, and fighting off all the other birds that might want some food from the feeder.

Though grape jelly seemed to be a favorite, we found they were also attracted

by sugar feeders and fruits. They enjoyed landing on the hummer bird feeders once we put those out, but the hummer birds, on the other hand, were not amused. Upon perching on the tiny sugar feeders, the Orioles’ weight would tilt the tray and the bird would drink the overflowing sugar water. Another favorite food were oranges sliced in half. We even found ways to spear oranges so the fruit would hang and attract the birds.

I enjoy common backyard birds, but their mannerisms are not new to me. I love seeing a new species, but often they fly through just once and only a glimpse or two can be caught of them. Orioles, on the other hand, surprised us every day and didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Watching their feisty movements, fancy flying, and bossy behavior (all while wearing that ridiculous orange and black May • June 2018 | 41

uniform) made our family smile. Though they have a big attitude for such a little bird, we fell in love with the Orioles.

Within a week, we purchased an Oriole feeder stand from our local farm and feed store and, of course, another value size jar of jelly. Day after day, I sat in my kitchen and watched the birds suck down jelly. As the sugar rushed through 42 |

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their tiny veins they chirped, squawked, and peaked at one another. Both males and female Orioles have the same orange and black coloring, but young females have duller hues. As the female Orioles age, they molt and become more colorful every year until they are nearly as brilliantly painted as the males. After a while, I learned to spot some of the prominent males and

females as well as some of the up and coming girls with a strong demeanor. It is funny how you can start recognizing the slight unique features in another species if you watch them long enough.

With over 30 birds flocking around our feeders as the month of May began, we starting watching where the birds flew when they finished feeding, hoping to spot a nest. Orioles build elaborately woven nests that look like hanging socks.

The female Oriole not only weaves these beautiful basket nests, but she tends and cares for her young with attention and tenderness not always seen in birds. I had high hopes for watching these birds nest throughout the summer.

Unfortunately, we never got to see the Orioles nesting. One day in May, we woke up, looked outside, and the birds were gone, as if they had simply vanished overnight. Timidly our beloved cardinals, chickadees, and tufted titmice returned to the feeders they had stayed away from during the Oriole migration. And as we watched our year-around residence move back in, we realized that perhaps a summer of Orioles would be a bit much to handle. Still, we look forward to their migration this year... we already have grape jelly waiting for our orange and black feathered friends.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM PETERSEN

R JIM PETE

RSEN

ain clouds and a soft southern breeze blowing into the valley greeted us as we stepped out into one of the first warm days of late winter.

We had just parked our car near the ruins of an old foundation on the west side of Highway 21 at the extreme south end of Boxley Valley in the upper part of the Buffalo River watershed. The ruins are all that remain of the Whiteley home built in about 1900.

Bill and I were planning to walk west about a mile and a half past WhiteleyEdgmon Spring, along the edge of a hay field roughly paralleling the Buffalo River, and then finally into the beech forest dominated by American beech, oak, and hickory trees, and the occasional sycamore and umbrella magnolia. I once came across a small herd of elk just inside the tree line where the forest met the pasture -- there seemed to be a shy, docile elk or two popping out from behind trees in every direction.

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WHITELEY HOME RUINS

Today, on this early warm day, as we passed the marshy area below the spring we heard a chorus of spring peepers. We were on our way to check out a gigantic sycamore tree that I had not seen in, oh, maybe 20 years.

I have long thought that this tree was a contender for the largest known sycamore in Arkansas -- an Arkansas Champion Tree. I hope it is still there.

After we find the tree and measure it, we fish. But first the tree must be found, admired, and measured.

This part of the Buffalo River watershed is remarkably different from what you’d see 70 miles downstream near Tyler Bend and the Highway 65 bridge. Here the watershed is in the sandstone and shale of the Boston Mountains, rather than in the limestone and dolomite of the Springfield-Salem Plateaus. This section of the river is at the bottom of a stretch known to whitewater paddlers as the Hailstone. Here the river drops about 20 feet per mile, but at the top of the Hailstone it drops more than 40 feet per mile. Near Tyler Bend the river drops only about 3 feet per mile.

Several hundred yards downstream from where we first see the river from the hay field the river crosses into the karst geology of the Boone Formation and the river mingles with the water from the subsurface swiss cheese of 44 |

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limestone. In summer so much water is lost that the river goes dry and the rocks in the streambed are bleached by the hot sun of August.

Champion Trees are coronated using the Bigness Index: the sum of the circumference (inches), height (feet), and one-fourth of the average crown diameter (feet). Current Champion sycamores in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma have Bigness Index values of 425, 393, and 403.

Well…back to our hike. As we

headed upstream we hugged the line between the hay field and the corridor of trees along the Buffalo River channel. It was easy walking through the hay field.

We kept our eyes and ears peeled hoping to see some elk hiding in the trees.

Occasionally we ducked into the trees to catch a glimpse of the river for the purpose of planning our afternoon fishing. So far things were looking interesting—some fast riffles flowing into shallow pools of blue-green water harboring shapeless forms that we hoped were hungry smallmouth.

We finally reached the top of the hay field and crossed a 10-foot deep gulley that ran off the nearby hillside and into the river. On the other side of the gulley we found ourselves in the beech forest. In a few weeks there will be wild flowers such as yellow trout lilies, spring beauties, and bloodroot scattered across the floor of the forest.

For now it’s mostly greenbriers that vie for our attention by grabbing at our pant legs.

We are on a flat bench that overlooks the river about 10 feet below.

On the other side of the pool is a narrow gravel bar that we will be able to walk along to fish. But the long, straight pool doesn’t look that inviting; other than a couple of small sandstone boulders there is not much that looks fishy.

Near the upstream end of this bench we begin to look upslope to our left for the old sycamore. I remember

that the old tree was just past the end of the bench. I don’t know if we should have seen it yet—I think we should have. I don’t see the tree where I remember it being. I don’t see it farther up the hillslope and I don’t see it on the ground. We’ve already hiked farther upstream than I thought necessary.

I hate to give up, but we finally decide to string up the rods and fish.

Bill heads downstream. I fish upstream hitting some deep holes at the base of some boulders. After about 10 minutes I look up from my fruitless fishing and see the white upper branches of some sycamores ahead of me. This is too far upstream isn’t it? I decide to put the little white Clouser in the hook holder and check them out.

Oh, wow. There…it…is! It’s not far from the water, but for a couple of old guys the slope is steep.

I get Bill’s attention and then we struggle up the hillslope. After a few minutes we are at the base of the tree.

It is a truly big tree. Gazing upward we see that most of the crown of the tree is missing. It must be a very old tree— they can live over 200 years. There is a good chance this tree was old when the Whitely home was built. It might have been overlooking the river when the first European settlers came to Boxley Valley. Looking around we see some of the old sycamore on the slope between us and the water. The old tree is not as tall as it once was; its crown is not as wide. Still, it is a magnificent tree.

We start by measuring the circumference. Because of the steep rocky slope even this seemingly simple task is difficult. The tree is 267 inches (more than 22 feet) around.

Next we try to measure the crown spread. The slope causes us even more difficulties and we end up making a few rough measurements. We estimate that the average crown diameter is about 45 feet. Then we estimate the height to be about 110 feet. By our estimates the ragged old tree has a Bigness Index of 388. So, the tree is definitely smaller than the current Arkansas Champion sycamore. I’m left wondering how it might have scored during its prime.

It’s a question without an answer.

It is still a very large sycamore and I am glad we came to visit.

May • June 2018 | 45

Go󰈢d 󰈋󰈣󰇶 󰈵o󰇻

THE MIGHTY MITOCHONDRIA

H

ow is your mitochondria doing these days? I know, thinking about components of cells in your body is not something that you really think about on a daily basis is it? Our biology textbooks call mitochondria the “powerhouse of the cell.” That sounds kinda important, ehh? It may not be something we think about, but if we try to do things to keep our mitochondria healthy...it can improve our overall health.

Mitochondria are microscopic pill-shaped structures found in a lot of different kinds of cells throughout our bodies. There are many mitochondria found in the cells of your heart, brain, liver (and other organs) and muscles.

One or many mitochondria can be present in a cell, depending on the cells function. Illness, medications, bad foods and other things can actually damage our mitochondria and keep them from functioning as well as they should. Fortunately, there are a lot of common healthy living traits that can repair and get our mitochondria in tip-top shape.

STAY AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS

SLEEP TIGHT

Eating overly processed foods is not good for your mitochondria. Remember, anything you eat, your mitochondria has to eat. Burning through junk foods creates inflammation and free radicals that are damaging to our bodies.

This is an easy way to keep your mitochondria happy – spend some time in the sun! It is apparently because of a “photoelectic” effect that occurs when the water in our cells absorb sunshine. It actually creates a negative electric charge that benefits the function of the mitochondria.

Getting a good nights sleep is very important to the care of mitochondria.

Your body does all sorts of housework while you are sleeping – the mitochondria clean up waste in your brain while you are sleeping. So, always make a sleep regimen, even when you don't have a regular schedule, keep away from caffeine in the afternoon, wind down, stretch, breath and turn the lights off!

EAT FRESH, LOCAL, COLORFUL FOODS Your body craves phytonutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats, proteins, and fiber found in fresh fruit and vegetables, and low processed foods of all kinds.

Dark leafy greens, fruits with purples and blues, root vegetables in all colors, are all good for your cells.

BREATH OF FRESH AIR Oxygen is important to keep you alive, but to also keep your cells happy. Exercise is an amazing way to get the heart pumping and energize your whole body with the power of oxygen.

THE OMEGA Omega 3 fats are key to keeping mitochondria pumping energy! Nuts, fish, egg yolks, grass fed and game meats are great sources of good fats.

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417.226.3363

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Donnie & Tammy O’Brien, agent/owners 26 Peacock Lane, Jane, MO

Happy Cells Quiche

Ingredients: 1 8 oz. Pkg. Baby bell mushrooms 1 clove garlic 12 oz pkg. Spinach 4 large eggs 1 cup milk 2 oz feta cheese 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Slice spinach across leaves. Rinse any dirt or debris from the mushrooms, then slice thinly. Mince the garlic.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a skillet with a splash of cooking oil. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic until the mushrooms are soft and all of their moisture has evaporated away (5-7 minutes). Coat a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick spray.

Place the spinach in the bottom of the pie dish.

Place the sautéed mushrooms on top of the spinach, followed by the crumbled feta.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and Parmesan. Season lightly with pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and feta in the pie dish. Top with the shredded mozzarella. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet for easy transfer in and out of the oven. Bake the crustless quiche for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown (ovens may vary). Cut into six slices and serve.

Right by your side with 24-hour care.

Skilled Nursing | 417-354-1276 May • June 2018 | 47

More recipes from page 32 Grandma Sophia (1879-1957) Recipes

Sausages and Sauerkraut

Applesauce Cake 1 cup sugar 2 cups flour ½ cup butter 2 level tsp. soda 1 tsp. each of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg

1 ½ cup hot applesauce unsweetened and quite dry 1 cup raisins 1 cup walnuts ½ cup chocolate

There are no baking instructions so I assume a 350 degree oven until firm.

Walnut Cake 1/3 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs ½ cup milk 1 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup walnut meats

Cream butter and sugar then add eggs well beaten. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Flavor and add nut meats. Bake in small layer pans 15 to 20 minutes.

Potato Doughnuts Cream three Tbsp. of butter, add three-fourths cup of sugar, the yolks of three eggs and one white – one cup of freshly mashed potatoes, one-fourth cup of milk, two and one-half cups of flour, three Tbsp. of baking powder, one-half tsp. of salt; flavor with grated nutmeg.

Cream the butter, add sugar then the eggs, and stir in the potato which has been lightened with the egg white, beaten stiff. Add milk and flour gradually. Chill on ice before rolling out. The less flour used, the more moist will be the doughnuts.

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Grandma Ida (1885 – 1957) Recipes

1/4 cup olive oil 5 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp. white wine (Liebfraumilch) 1 large apple cut into 1/2-inch pieces 12 juniper berries (optional) 4 bay leaves 1/2 tsp. sugar Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup water 4 cups sauerkraut drained well 12 German Wurst sausages Horseradish mustard, for serving In a large cast-iron skillet or pot, heat 2 Tbsp., of the oil until shimmering. Add the bacon and cook over moderately high heat until the fat is melted and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate.

Add the onion to the skillet, cover partially and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the wine, apple, juniper berries, bay leaves, sugar, 1 tsp. of kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper and boil for 3 minutes. Add the water and the sauerkraut. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the apple is very tender, about 45 minutes.

In another skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp., of oil until shimmering. Poke the sausages several times with a fork and add them to the skillet to cook over moderate heat, turning several times, until golden and heated through, about 8 minutes.

Arrange the sausages and crumble bacon on top of sauerkraut and serve with the mustard.

Beer Battered Smelt (Daddy’s Favorite) 1 ½ cups flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. paprika

1 can 12 ounces beer 1 pound smelt (2-3 dozen)

Set aside an extra cup of flour for dusting. Mix the flour and seasonings in a bowl until combined well. Slowly whisk in the beer. Whisk thoroughly to avoid clumps from forming. Set in fridge to chill. A cool batter will be thicker and coat the fish better. Lightly dust smelt in flour and set aside. Heat a large, cast-iron skillet with lard or shortening to 350 degrees. Add the smelt one by one into the beer batter. Carefully place battered smelt into fryer in small batches and let cook 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until a deep golden brown then place on paper towel to drain any excess oil.

German Liver and Onions 1 ½ lb calf liver, sliced 10 slices bacon 2 apples, sliced, slightly sour

2 onions, chopped salt and pepper to taste

Line the bottom of deep baking pan with the bacon, place in hot oven until the bacon melts. Season the liver and place them on top of bacon, add a layer of onions on top. Cover with foil and broil for 20 min., on 350 degrees F. Add sliced apples on top of onions, cover with foil, broil for another 15-20 min. Serve with mashed potatoes and wilted lettuce salad.

9–Day Pickles French Rolls (family favorite) 4 cups flour 1 cake compressed yeast 3 cups lukewarm water ½ cup sugar

½ cup butter ½ tsp. salt 1 egg

Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water. Beat the egg, and add to the dissolved yeast. Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the four and the rest of the warm water.

Knead well. The dough should be stiff. Let stand in a warm place to rise. When bulk has doubled, turn out onto a floured board. Roll or braid into small rolls; put into greased or floured pan and let rise again to double the bulk.

Bake in a very hot oven (400 degrees F) for about fifteen minutes. If kept in an icebox this dough will keep and requires only be kneaded, risen and baked.

3 days in salt 3 days in clear water Then cut size wanted On sixth day take ½ vinegar and ½ water enough to cover pickles & alum size of egg for 6 quarts pickles.

Let come to a boil, drain.

In another kettle take: 3 pt. granulated sugar 3 pt. vinegar 1 oz. celery seed 1 oz. mixed spices 1 oz. whole cinnamon Let boil 20 minutes. Pour hot over drained pickles in crock. Next morning drain vinegar, reheat and let vinegar come to a boil, skim and pour over pickles again. On third morning, reheat vinegar, pack pickles in jars, pour hot vinegar over them and seal or they are ready to eat. Never cut pickles until ready to put in the half water and vinegar solution.

May • June 2018 | 49

A Day in the Life of a Quiet Ozark Community in 1940 Written by Phyllis Jo Johnson, daughter of J. Glenn Mitchell. She accompanied her father on several of his many trips to Powell and the Sugar Creek Valley

Glenn Mitchell’s film, entitled ‘Within These Hills’ won first place in the contest in 1941. It was purchased by this nation’s State Department where it was shown across the world to illustrate the goodness of the American people. A copy of this film was shown again in 1979 to the folks in Powell who remembered Glenn and his time with them.

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G

lenn eased the 1938 Chevy Business Coupe out of the garage at his home in Joplin, Missouri. Before getting in he gave the back seat and trunk a thorough going over mentally rechecking his list of filming equipment — it was all there.

The lightening in the eastern sky gave testimony to the weather report of the night before—it was going to be a perfect day. “The folks in and around Powell will be getting around by now,” he thought. “They’re all early risers, but this is a special day. Maybe there will be a performer from The Grand Ole Opry--what’s his name? Oh yeah, Roy something or other—at least I think that’s the singer’s name--well, from how Mr. Myers described him, he’s guaranteed to bring in a crowd--

"Another shot featured a fisherman casting into the water with a bamboo pole from a swinging foot bridge." that’s what I need.”

Glenn’s thoughts turned to what he planned to accomplish—he already had many shots of beautiful Sugar Creek Valley, in and around the rural Powell, Missouri area in McDonald County—so special to him that he called it a “veritable Garden of Eden.”

He’d captured the tree-lined banks of the clear waters of springs that fed into the Sugar. Another shot featured a fisherman casting into the water with a bamboo pole from a swinging foot bridge. There were several scenes of the local folks going about their daily chores with one in which the men were shaving on the front porch.

“Mrs. Cronin canning tomatoes is one of my favorites. Also, the prayer old man Rankin offers before his big

family starts eating is another moment everyone will surely enjoy.”

Today he wanted to showcase the locals playing checkers on the porch of the country store. “I got a couple of their games on my last visit, but today I’m going to shoot it again after swapping out their old bottle caps with new Dr. Pepper and 7-Up pop ones.* Might as well do a little advertising for the family business—glad Dad thought of that.” Glenn considers all the details that will add to his film project.

The trip down highway 71 didn’t take long as there was little traffic at that early hour of the day. As he turned east onto the gravel road that took him from Anderson to Powell he continued thinking about his reasons for making this film. “Sure, I’d really love to win the prize for best film in the Amateur Home Movie Contest.... but it’s more than that. . . I really want to show the world how folks around here live—so simple yet contented.

And not like the pictures from Hollywood make us look...barefoot, ignorant, and in living in hovels.”

The sun was showing over the hill as he pulled into the parking lot of Myers General Store. Already there were several wagons and a couple of automobiles pulled up in front.

“There’s no wasting time for these folks—they follow that old maxim— ‘early to bed, early to rise.’”

Mr. Myers was carrying out a large sack of flour for Mrs. Cronin and hollered jokingly to Glenn, “It’s about time you got here. Glad to see you, son. It’s going to be a good day and you most likely will get all you need to finish that film you say you’re making.

You think it’ll ever be finished?”

He’d been instrumental in introducing Glenn to the local folks May • June 2018 | 51

In his letter that accompanied his film Glenn tells of his inspiration for the picture:

months earlier when the enterprising young man had stopped by. Now Glenn was so accepted by everyone in the valley that he could make his subjects carry on without once looking toward the camera or displaying any consciousness of it.

“Well, Mr. Myers, I hope I can get the last shots I need today so I can wrap it up and get it entered in that contest.”

The day passed swiftly with folks pouring in from the surrounding countryside. Children, from tiny tots to teenagers, met in the space between the stores to play games and just generally have a silly good time chasing one another. A few of the older fellas played a game of catch. Their mothers shopped for canning supplies and material to finish making school clothes while the men gossiped and smoked their pipes knocking the ashes against their sturdy work shoes. A game of horseshoes ensued with winners taking home the prize of a smoked ham.

Lunchtime saw many folks sitting under the giant trees with their families’ old quilts spread on the ground enjoying a meal of fried chicken, baked beans, and potato salad. Most of the kids got a nickel to buy a cold bottle of soda pop. They enjoyed the thrill of reaching into the icy waters of the pop box.

After lunch a school bus retrofitted for the use of the group from the Grand Ole Opry pulled into the by now filled parking lot. A cheer went up as folks rushed to catch a glimpse of the new performer from their favorite music 52 |

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show. Almost everyone in the valley had a battery powered radio so they were familiar with the music. When they began their final song playing the “Wabash Cannon Ball,” the crowd gave a “whoop” and joined in. Soon the musicians packed up to continue down the road to their next performance.

"Lunchtime saw many folks sitting under the giant trees with their families old quilts spread on the ground enjoying a meal of fried chicken, baked beans and potato salad."

As their bus pulled away a piano was moved out of doors onto the rough wooden stage, and all who had come into town gathered around and raised their voices in song. As the sun began sinking Glenn got a near perfect sunset shot of 90-year old Fred and Freida Smith as they drove out of town over the hill in their wagon. All in all, it was a great day, thought Glenn. I think I have all the material I need to finish this film and get it mailed off. . .though I’m really going to miss my trips here, and the folks who have been so good to me… guess it’s time to get on with another project.

“This last summer (1940) was rather an upsetting one for the whole world. The fall of France, the battle for Britain, the uncertainties of our own Nation’s course together with the usual pressure of modern civilization was enough to make one wish for some place far away from all the tension, newsflashes, and the rising crescendo of calamity.

The natural result was for me to think of Sugar Creek Valley which my business caused me to frequent regularly some years ago… most of all I remembered the peace and contentment of the people, their inherent courtesy, and their certainty of the future… The people were friendly and obliging and the most natural before the camera of any people I have attempted to photograph.

But the biggest thrill of all was when I took the finished film back to those people and screened it for them in a little country school. I had to give three successive shows that night so everyone could see themselves.”

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HOME • FARM • LAND 417-319-4367 • rob@alistpp.com Rob Lotufo, REALTOR May • June 2018 | 53

Earthquake Parties

BY STAN FINE

D

id you hear the one about the “Earthquake Party?” No, well until just recently neither had I. Earthquake party? What in the world is an earthquake party you might ask. Well, it just so happens that you’ve come to the right person to talk to when it comes to this unusual event. This is how the story goes.

The purpose of any party is to recognize, and most often, celebrate an event. There are graduation parties, birthday parties and, well if you are following my train of thought, earthquake parties. However, before there can be an earthquake party there must be an earthquake and what an earthquake it was that started a Southwest, Missouri tradition.

At 2:15 a.m. on a cold and dark December night in 1811 the crew of a boat moored along the Mississippi River was rudely awakened. Crew-member John Bradbury later reported that he awoke to the sound of tree trunks splitting and birds screaming as the small boat beneath him began to violently move.

The small crew aboard the shaken boat did their best to keep the vessel afloat as wooden bits and pieces fell into the dark churning river water. The remainder of that sleepless night was spent gathering displaced parts of the boat in an attempt to keep her afloat. The darkness passed 54 |

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slowly and as the crew stood on the deck of the still buoyant vessel they spoke of the first violent quake and of the following twenty-seven aftershocks.

John Reynolds, who later became the fourth Governor of Illinois, said that as his family slept in their small log cabin the log walls began to shake and his father immediately surmised that the cabin was under siege by hostile Indians. All through that night, and as a series of aftershocks moved the earth, the family cringed at the sounds of trees falling and the cabin’s logs stretched to the brink of collapse.

Two subsequent magnitude 7.5 or greater earthquakes would follow over the next several weeks. Those three intraplate earthquakes birthed far below the dirt roads and grassy meadows shifted; one plate moving against and over the other, along a line known as the New Madrid Fault. The resulting movement created a trio of 7.5 or greater magnitude earthquakes with an epicenter in Northeast Arkansas.

The ripples of the earth’s movement were felt in Boston, Massachusetts and the ringing of church bells caused by the vibrations caused some to peer from their windows seeking an explanation for the untimely chimes.

The undulations spread as far south as the Gulf of Mexico and tourists seeking to escape the cold northern winters looked at one another for answers to unasked questions as they sensed the gyrations in the earth beneath their feet. No earthquake east of the Rockies before, or since, has been as powerful.

It was later reported by many that the swells in the muddy waters of the Mississippi River caused the river’s flow to change. Those who witnessed the massive quakes said that the violence was so intense that the water churned as it flowed upstream.

The quake lasted for two minutes and eleven seconds. The following day, and as the sun made its appearance bringing light to the devastation below, occasional

gathering of friends. There would be food, music and of course a variety of alcohol based libations. As ideas were thrown about and as interest began to peak there were three important and crucial ingredients missing, at least to Harlan’s way of thinking; the location for the party, the date of the event and Harlan believed the party needed a theme; yes every party should have a theme.

Another series of calls to prospective attendees served to resolve all three issues.

Harlan suggested that the first bash be held at the Salt Peter Cave near Pineville, Missouri. The party’s organizer had given some thought to the event’s theme and decided that it would be an “earthquake party” in recognition of the earthquake of 1811 and of course the party had to be held on the night of December 16th.

And so it was settled, the first of many

Dancing at cave during one annual Earthquake Party

tremors caused those searching through rubble to pause in their efforts as so too did their breath pause. The tremors persisted throughout the morning and afternoon and over the ensuing weeks two more, and equally devastating earthquakes shook the ground along the New Madrid Fault Line. One occurred at 9:00 a.m. on January 23rd and the other at 3:45 a.m. on February 7th. The epicenter of the last two had moved from Northeast Arkansas to a point near what we today call New Madrid.

Fewer than one thousand settlers lived in the New Madrid area at that time and the total population living in the area most affected by the series of earthquakes was no more than four thousand. Several months passed before it was determined that the epicenter for the quakes was near the area of New Madrid.

It had been 160 years since the great earthquake of 1811 when Neosho, Missouri resident Harlan Stark had an

Left: Marilyn Carnell playing the guitar at a Party Above: earthquake party 1984 at Truitt's Cave

idea. Harlan had a keen interest in Geology and was familiar with, almost to the most infinitesimal detail, the series of quakes. But it wasn’t that knowledge that motivated his proposal. It was the desire to have a party; a good ole fashioned shindig.

Harlan contacted several acquaintances and discussed his idea for a

earthquake parties would take place on the night of the 16th day of December in 1970.

The old Salt Peter Cave near Pineville welcomed more than twenty first-time attendees to the inaugural earthquake party. Harlan welcomed everyone and thanked those for their contributions of food and drink. He reminded all of the cave’s motion picture appearance as it had May • June 2018 | 55

been used in the making of the movie, “Jesse James.” It was then that movie makers flocked to the area during the late summer and early fall in the year 1928.

Zella and her sister Marilyn missed the first few events but in 1975 they made their first of many to come appearances.

Once again Harlan Starks welcomed everyone to the event and reminded those in attendance of the 1811 earthquake which one-hundred and sixty-four years ago caused the earth to tremble. Nothing more was mentioned about the quake, but one could almost feel the floor shake as Marilyn Carnell played the guitar while others danced.

After the passage of several gettogethers the venue was moved. Harlan sent word that the parties would be held at Truitt’s Cave in Lanagan, Missouri.

The picturesque setting once owned by well-known John A. “Dad” Truitt, “The Cave Man of the Ozarks,” would become the home to many lively parties. Surely anyone passing by would have overheard the music and the laughter.

As they seem to do, the years fell by the wayside but the parties; those grand celebratory parties, continued. The location for the parties however, and once again, was changed. Future parties would be held at the Shangri-La Restaurant near Anderson, Missouri. Zella was no stranger to the restaurant. She had on more than one occasion found herself seated near a window marveling in the beautiful Ozark hillside view as she enjoyed a large plate of homemade French fries. Regardless of the meeting place the people gathered each and every year on December 16th to talk, dance and share their laughter. Marilyn continued to entertain on the guitar as revelers danced the night away.

When asked about the yearly earthquake parties and even before she utters a word a smile comes over Zella’s face. One can see in her eyes that she recalls a time in her life of now eightyseven years that was very special to her; a time spanning more than thirty some years when she and a group of friends gathered together each year on the 16th day of December for an earthquake party.

Mary Laurie and Coradell Alexander at an earthquake party in 2001

Dick Keezer, Zella and Harlan at an earthquake party in 2003

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Zella Mae Carnell Collie now lives in Neosho, Missouri. The former librarian loves to read and remains, even to this day, very independent and active. The well-spoken woman freely admits that the parties had very little to do with commemorating the date of the earthquake.

The name, “earthquake party” where friends laughed and danced the night away was merely an excuse for good pals, and good people, to get together and have fun.

Harlan Stark passed away on the 21st day of August in the year 2009. His longtime friend Dick Keezer organized one final earthquake party that took place at a Neosho venue on; well, it took place on the only possible date one might imagine appropriate, December 16th of 2009.

FH

ROM the

OLLOW

Ozark Rhymes Keep the Culture Alive

BY WES FRANKLIN

I like little sayings and rhymes and, used to, people in the Ozarks took many of them seriously.

Thanks to the late, great Vance Randolph we have a good depository of actual verses that folks used to recite in the long gone Ozarks of the early 20th century. There is no telling how far back some of these actually went. So let's get started. By the way, you can read these in Mr. Randolph's 1947 book, “Ozark Superstitions”, later reprinted as, “Ozark Magic and Folklore.”

“If a woman's eyes are gray, listen close to what she's got to say; If a woman's eyes are black, give her room an' plenty of track; If a woman's eyes are brown, never let your guard down; If a woman's eyes are green, whip her with a switch that's keen; If a woman's eyes are blue, she will always be true to you.”

“Marry in white, you have chosen just right; Marry in blue, your man will be true; Marry in brown, live out of town; Marry in green, ashamed to be seen; Marry in red, wish yourself dead; Marry in black, better turn back; Marry in yellow, got the wrong

fellow; Marry in gray, you'll be a widow some day.”

“Rain before seven, shine before eleven.”

“Comb your hair after dark, comb sorry into your old man's heart.”

“Monday's child is fair of face; Tuesday's child is full of grace; Wednesday's child has far to go; Thursday's child is full of woe; Friday's child is loving and giving; Saturday's child must work for a living; A child that's born on the Sabbath Day is blithe and bonnie and rich and gay.”

When you see crows flying: “One's unlucky; Two's lucky; Three's health; Four's wealth; Five's sickness; Six is death.”

“Friday night's dream on Saturday told, will always come true, no matter how old.”

“See a pin, pick it up, all day long good luck; See a pin, leave it lay, have bad luck all day.”

“Sneeze on Monday, sneeze for danger; Sneeze on Tuesday, kiss a stranger; Sneeze on Wednesday, sneeze for a letter; Sneeze on Thursday, sneeze for better; Sneeze on Friday, sneeze for sorrow; Sneeze on Saturday, a friend you seek; Sneeze on Sunday, the Devil will be with you all week.”

“Laugh before it's light, you'll cry before it's night. Sing before you eat, you'll cry before you sleep.”

“Stump your toe, kiss your thumb, you'll see your beau 'fore bedtime comes.”

“If a cock crows when he goes to bed, he'll get up with a wet head.”

“Marry when the year is new, your mate will be constant, kind, and true.”

“When the morning sun is red the ewe and the lamb go wet to bed.”

“Onion skin mighty thin, early winter comin' in.”

“When I my true love I want to see I put my shoes in the shape of a T.” There are many more old rhymes of the Ozarks, but I don't want to give them all away here. I encourage you to look up some of Mr. Randolph's works and purchase them. Most have been reprinted.

Of course, Vance Randolph wasn't the only Ozark folklorist by a long shot. A friend of mine entrusted me with about 10 plastic containers full of Ozark history and folklore books that had belonged to his mother. While I only consider myself the steward of these, it opened my eyes to just how much material is actually out there about our beloved Ozarks. Do yourself a favor and look into it. It is up to us to keep the culture alive, at least in memory.

May • June 2018 | 57

TheLast Word

“Do not follow where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

WATERCOLOR BY JIM SEXTON Jim owns Parkwood Art and Frame located in Holiday Island, Arkansas.

Holiday Island is the home to the annual Jeep Fest, held by the Holiday Island Chamber of Commerce on May 12, 2018.

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C r a f t e d i n a wo o d - f i r e d st e a m b r e w h o us e de e p i n S o ut h w e st M i s s o u r i ’ s H u n g ry H o l low

hungryhollowbrewing.com 14396 Farm Road 2140 | Cassville, Missouri Sto p by o u r o ut d o o r ta p r o o m f o r s o me t r u e Ozar k - ma de craft b eer

May • June 2018 | 59

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Sickness isn’t planned, but your visit can be.

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