Palmer Grove Vol 1, Iss 2 by Brian Palmer

Letter

from the

Editor

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that time of year again! Kids are back in school. Summer is over. The weather is beginning to cool off and feel more and more like autumn. This is also the time when we begin to make our battle plans for the myriad of holidays lying just over the horizon. This year the holidays have arrived early for the staff here at Palmer Grove. Over the past few months we have been immersing ourselves in the things that really make this season the best of the year. We have been cooking, eating, creating, eating, gathering, eating, trick-or-treating and eating to make sure that we can help to make this a successful holiday season for everyone.

Within this issue you will find everything you need to survive the next three months. There are new recipes to try and new variations on your family favorites. You will find sections throughout that will allow you to get to know the Palmer Grove staff better and experience our favorite memories from holidays past. If you need a break from all of the holiday talk, you will also find the short stories, poetry, articles, and photography submitted by readers like you that you have come to expect in each issue. After you have completed reading this issue, come online and share your experiences with the rest of the community. Do you have questions on an article that you would like to address the author? Do you want to let a contributor know how their short story inspired you? Do you have suggestions on how we can improve the overall publication or things that you would like to see us include or cover? Visit www.palmergrove.com/ discussion-community.html and share your thoughts with the Palmer Grove staff, contributors, and the larger community. Without you, the community is missing its most valuable piece. Sincerely, Brian A. Palmer Editor in Chief Palmer Grove

About the Cover

Kat Bonner is a senior at New Albany High School. She enjoys painting with oils, baking, and sewing and does most of her art in her free time. This piece of work was done in chalk on paper. You can view more of Katâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on pages 37 and 39. To see your artwork on the cover simply submit your version of the Palmer Grove tree to our Submit a Work section. You might see your work on the cover of our next issue!

STAFF

EDITOR IN CHEIF - Brian Palmer EDITORIAL DIRECTOR - Carri Bonner ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - Rachel Flesch ADMIN ASSISTANT - Aaron Smith

GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Kyle Gordon COLUMNISTS: Bethany Schoeff Jeff Lafferty

Table of Contents Rule #44 - Jeff Lafferty .............................................................................................................................. 2 Each of Us Holds the Gift of Life - Carri Bonner ................................................................................. 3 Valerie Sun’s Story - as told by Carri Bonner ........................................................................................ 4 Athena Askilpiadis’ Story ........................................................................................................................ 5 Central Ohio’s Best Winter Outings for Children - Stacy Williams ...................................................6 Bone Jive Productions - Jeff Meyers Jr ....................................................................................................8 Halloween Photos .................................................................................................................................. 10 Chez Chef Schoeff: Two Kinds of Chili ............................................................................................... 12 Blessed Be - Carri Bonner ..................................................................................................................... 16 Stealth - Mary Atkins ............................................................................................................................ 18 3 Quick Costumes for Big and Small - Rachel Flesch ....................................................................... 19 Thanksgiving Photos ............................................................................................................................. 22 Chez Chef Schoeff: Apple Pie ............................................................................................................... 23 Rule #8 - Jeff Lafferty ............................................................................................................................. 26 Holiday Photos ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Chez Chef Schoeff: Sugar Cookies ....................................................................................................... 30 Photography by Michelle Wayt ............................................................... 32 Photography by Brian Guiler ................................................................. 33 Rule #5 - Jeff Lafferty .............................................................................. 34 Shadows - August Richers .....................................................................36 Beacon - August Richers ........................................................................ 38 Lying Next to Me - Cory Baker ........................................................... 40 Quiet Confrontation - Cory Baker ..................................................... 41 Friend Till the End and Then Some - Cory Baker ........................... 41 The Masterpiece - Cory Baker ............................................................ 42 Whisper in My Ear - Cory Baker ....................................................... 43 Nameless Warrior - Pete Stroup ....................................................... 44

Rule #44:

Never waste what you are really great at. (“NUMBER 30 PROJECT”) By Jeff Lafferty, Columnist

have cancer for the 5th time in 6 years. I’ll be undergoing chemotherapy again by the time this article goes to print and releases on October 3rd. I will not be cured until I can find a bone marrow donor who matches me. I cannot look forward to a discovery of a “magic medicine” or hope that chemo will knock it out “for good this time”. Without a bone marrow transplant, eventually, the cancer will win and I will lose.

by lightning than finding a match for my bone marrow. I ask myself, because I am a parent, “What would happen if this was my son? My daughter? Or a child of a friend that I know?” It’s not a scenario that I would be looking forward to answering, however this is about me, and I never even knew that this is an issue. So I started looking into doing a bone marrow drive. I successfully did a bone marrow and blood drive March of ‘10. After that drive, a lady who helped me from a group called Lifesource, from Chicagoland area, told me that I should do this more and that I was very natural on the television and that I need to be an advocate in the area for this particular cause.

So now I am working on creating the “Number 30 Project”. The number 30 was the number that I wore when I played hockey, and the project is to educate, inform, and communicate the issue through blood and bone marrow drives. I have a list of rules and rule number #44 is “Never waste what you are good at”. This is something that is not just about me, it’s about finding and giving anyone that either has a loved one who needs a bone marrow transplant, or if they themselves need a bone marrow transplant a better chance of finding their match. And if only one more person gets a bone marrow transplant and no longer has Only 1 percent to worry about the cancer, even for I was evaluated in April ‘09 at the of the registry is a day, then all the effort is worth it. Mayo Clinic for a bone marrow The Number 30 project will make transplant. The drive from northern of mixed raced sure that people, no matter their race, Indiana to Rochester Minnesota is will have a better chance at finding a about an 8 hour drive. This drive is donor. Cancer doesn’t care if you are white, African long enough to think about a life threatening procedure American, Asian, Indian or Hispanic or a blend of all that could change my life or end my life. I had plenty of time to think about them explaining to me that there these. And that’s what the focus is, making sure we was a 50/50 chance of surviving 3 months and a 50/50 give people that need the transplant the hope that they can find a match. chance of surviving 2 years. It’s the only transplant in the human body in which the bone marrow that is being transplanted can reject the body that it’s going into, not the other way around with the body rejecting the item coming in. When going through the search for a match for my bone marrow, I came to find out that my race has a lot to do with my HLA (human leukocyte antigen) type. Basically, because I am a mixed race (Puerto Rican and Irish/German), I have a 1 percent donor pool to try and find a donor from. The bone marrow registry is through a group called “Be the Match”. Only 1 percent of the registry is of mixed raced(whether it’s Hispanic, African American, Asian, American Indian, and Indian). So essentially, I was told by the Mayo Clinic that I would have a better chance of getting hit

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Each of Us Holds the Gift of Life Carri Bonner, Editorial Director

Every year, people around the world are diagnosed with leukemia, aplastic anemia, and other blood based diseases. For thousands of people, they are told there is a cure, IF they can find a donor who matches them. For thousands of people, they quickly learn that a match is not easy to find. Roughly 70% of patients requiring a bone marrow transplant will not find a match within their families. They must rely on the generosity of strangers to register on the donor lists and hope that they may find a match that is suitable enough to cure their disease. And while those lists are growing, there are never enough donors on them. Sites like Marrow.org and MixedMarrow.org have been brought to the forefront online as they continue to encourage people to be tested and register as blood marrow donors. These organizations have been leading the charge in trying to educate, encourage and energize donors into being tested and registering to donate their bone marrow. Be The Match Registry is the new name for the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) Registry. If you joined the NMDP Registry, either in person or online, you are a member of the Be The Match Registry and do not need to join again. MixedMarrow.org was created as a centralized place to register for mixed heritage donating. As our nation moves forward, we are finding more and more mixed heritage people needing donations. Theirs are a special need as it becomes much harder to find a match. While it is hard to specify exact percentages for finding a match, mixed heritages donors have a much slimmer chance because of the complexity of their tissue types. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing is used to match patients and donors for marrow or cord blood transplants. HLA are proteins — or markers — found on most cells in the body. A person’s immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong

in the body and which do not. A close match between a patient’s HLA markers and a donor’s can reduce the risk that a patient’s immune cells will attack the donor’s cells or that the donor’s immune cells will attack the patient’s body after the transplant. Everyone inherits six major pairs of HLA markers from their parents, half of each pair from their fathers, the other half from their mothers. Even with full-blooded siblings, the possible combinations of HLA-antigens make the chance of a match about 35%. Because tissue type is inherited, patients are most likely to match someone of their same race or ethnicity. When mixing heritages, even with siblings, finding a match becomes much more difficult. There are several myths regarding donating marrow. First and foremost, there will never be a financial cost to the donor for making a donation. The NMDP funds the costs of donating in various ways, but that cost is never covered by the donor. They reimburse travel costs and may reimburse other costs on a case-by-case basis. Second, donating does not require major surgery. No bone is ever removed, only the liquid marrow found within the pelvic bone is removed if the doctor requires it. If the doctor requires marrow from within the bone, general or local anesthesia is used to minimize the discomfort of the donor. Bone marrow donation is a minor surgical procedure in which liquid marrow is withdrawn from the back of the donor’s pelvic bones using special, hollow needles. Marrow donors can expect to feel some soreness in their lower back for one to two weeks afterward. Most marrow donors are back to their normal activities in two to seven days. The marrow replaces itself completely within 4 to 6 weeks. The third myth is that bone marrow extraction is the only way to donate. About 76 percent of the time, a patient’s doctor requests a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, a non-surgical, outpatient procedure similar to donating platelets or plasma. There can be uncomfortable but short-lived side effects of donating PBSC. Due to taking a drug called filgrastim for five days leading up to donation to increase the number of blood-forming cells in your bloodstream, PBSC donors may have headaches, joint or muscle aches, or fatigue. Your blood will be removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that

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separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to you through the other arm. Your blood-forming cells are back to their normal levels within 4 to 6 weeks. PBSC donors are typically back to their normal routine in one to two days. The fourth myth is that donating can weaken the donor or cause them to be more vulnerable to infections or disease after donating. Because only five percent or less of a donor’s marrow is needed to save the patient’s life, the donor’s immune system stays strong and the cells replace themselves within four to six weeks. The last myth is that cord cells cannot be used. Cord blood plays an important role in transplant today. Umbilical cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born. This blood is rich in blood-forming cells. The donated cord blood is tested, frozen and stored at a cord blood bank for future use. The stored cord blood is called a cord blood unit. While there are many pros and cons to using cord blood, it is up to the treating doctor to decide if this is a viable option. Of the three donation methods, this is the only one that is completely noninvasive and painless. While this information can seem over-whelming, both sites are dedicated to making it as easy as possible to donate. Both offer contact information for questions and ways to find blood drives near you. Of course,

there are certain health limitations that can stop someone from donating, so if you have concerns, be sure to check out : Medical Guidelines Also, while blood drives are the most common way to join the Registry, you can join online as well and receive a cheek swab kit in the mail for testing purposes. There’s even a walk-through video to show you how to do the cheek swab. Again, they make it as easy as possible to be tested and register to donate. Finally, if you are unable to donate because of medical or religious reasons, please take the time to visit both sites to see how else you can help. Donations are always welcome and there are political issues that need advocates to push for change such as donors receiving medical leave from work for donating, tax breaks for donations, or pushing states to support cord blood inventory storage. Please remember that when donating, or supporting donating, you will not just be giving someone a chance at life, but changing your own! *Palmer Grove would like to thank the MixedMarrow.org and Marrow.org organizations for providing information and facts regarding donating. Their sites were used exclusively for background and donating information. Please consider visiting the sites today and registering to be a bone marrow donor. Your may be able to give the gift of life, a gift that will forever change someone’s life forever.

Valerie Sun’s Story as told to Carri Bonner

*When I began researching this information to build a story on Mixed Marrow donating, the organization put me in touch with Valerie. I exchanged a few e-mails with Valerie and we discussed the gift that she received, as well as the medical issues that have come about due to her donor not being a complete match. Below is her story in her words.

In 1993, I was diagnosed with a rare blood disease called aplastic anemia when I was 11 years old. I sat in the doctor’s office and was told “We need to find you a marrow match. It is a difficult task and because you are half Chinese and half Caucasian, your chances are one in a million.” Even at the age of 11, I understood the daunting nature and deep implications of that statistic. Above all, I was struck by the paramount unfairness that due to my racial mix, I had less of a chance of surviving than the next patient. Even so, I was hopeful and my family and friends conducted numerous bone marrow drives in our community in an attempt to recruit donors and to find me a match. For seven years, I received treatments to “get by” which included monthly blood and platelet transfusions, among other things. The life expectancy I was originally given was 5 years. But after a few years of waiting for my miracle marrow match, I stopped. I had pretty much given up hope and figured I would live the best I could getting by on band-aid treatments...so it was with an incredibly mixed amount of emotion that I received a call

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Athena Asklipiadis’ Story Mixed Marrow is an outreach through recruitment organization, A3M (Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches). I started this outreach since there were not any current recruiters/orgs specifically dedicated to multiethnic patients and the mixed community in 2008 doing drives. I first began as a volunteer with A3M because of two reasons. After my aunt passed away with Lymphoma in 2007, I was searching for a way to help other patients like her and be an advocate for research and cancerrelated charities. Before deciding in what capacity I was going to get involved, I was approached by patient, Krissy Kobata’s family at a local bone marrow drive in Los Angeles. When they found out I was half Japanese like Krissy, they explained how that may help her chances given that matches generally come from someone of similar heritage. So with that, my interest in mixed identity and cancer advocacy collided into a passion to help people who had some of the most difficult odds. Mixed Marrow started in 2009 as a social awareness campaign to educate the public and the mixed community. Mixed Marrow drives began soon after at various multiracial conferences and festivals. To date, we have hosted drives or awareness campaigns in about 15 different cities in the US and worked to support other countries registries including Canada, Japan, and the UK. We hope to add to those numbers building even more awareness nation and worldwide. More awareness = more donors. Besides myself working on drives there are a group of equally as dedicated and passionate volunteers. We have teamed up with Team Krissy (patient Krissy Kobata and supporters) and have volunteers Tara and Krystle on the West Coast and on the East Coast we have volunteers, Tak, Kathleen, Joe, Liana and Tina. We have also supported other recruiters like the Puget Sound Blood Center in Seattle and AADP in Northern California. As far as my personal story, I am a 27-year old Los Angeles native who grew up in the South LA, Crenshaw area. I had a very diverse upbringing, my neighborhood was primarily Latino and Black whereas my home consisted of a European/Middle Eastern father (Greek, Italian, Armenian, Egyptian specifically) and a JapaneseAmerican mother. I attended Pepperdine University and graduated with a degree in News Broadcasting. I pursued a career in the entertainment field for a few years, but felt it to be unrewarding and did not meet my desire when it came to helping people. This year I have began working on a documentary called Mixed Match with Canadian filmmaker, Jeff Chiba Stearns. Hopefully marrying my advocacy in transplantation with my broadcasting background will allow for more awareness and to help save more lives. that would change my life forever in the spring of 1999. A match had been found. Fortunately, I proved to be the exception rather than the rule when it came to the statistics. And due to my generous donor, Julie, I was able to receive the bone marrow transplant and move forward with my life. Things haven’t all been rosy, though. Julie’s marrow matched me, but not completely, and I am dealing with a lifetime of mild to severe side effects because of it. I can’t help but wonder if there had been more mixed donors on the registry 10 years ago - perhaps one that was an ideal match - then perhaps I would be cured AND living a better quality of life. Don’t get me wrong as I am extremely grateful for this gift of life, but I think it just goes to show that the emphasis on recruiting donors of mixed ethnicities is with a two-fold goal - 1. To increase access to matches for all patients 2. To improve the quality of matches and transplant outcomes, both short-term and long-term. In the 90s, I was a “poster child” on a local and national level for the early push for mixed ethnicity donor recruitment. Since then, I have seen the number of mixed patients in need grow tremendously as our ethnic demographic has shifted to include a higher percentage of a mixed population. Having been exposed to the cause at such an early age and for such a personal reason, it is one that I am passionate about to this day. For me, it is not enough that I got my life saving match. I want to do what I can to make sure that other patients don’t have to go through what I went through...the uncertainty, the hopelessness, the sinking feeling of knowing there is a cure out there but not for YOU. It is by increasing awareness that we can attempt to pave a way for mixed ethnicity patients with certainty, hope, and effective cure.

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Central Ohio’s Best Winter Outings for Children by Stacy Williams

“I

’m bored!” If you’re a parent, or in my case, a nanny, you know the dread those two little words can bring into an otherwise pleasant afternoon. As the cool, crisp, colorful days of fall in Central Ohio give way to the dark, dreary, frigid days of winter, it seems like everyone goes into hibernation mode. Hibernating with, say, a warm fireplace, cup of hot chocolate and a good book is charming. Hibernating, or rather being trapped inside, with a houseful of energetic, bored children is cause for panic! As a nanny for the last 11 ½ years, I‘ve learned to get creative in my attempts to entertain children, particularly in these winter months that literally seem to go on forever. The four children I am blessed to care for playwonderful together and can find hours of enjoyment with a few small toys and a pretend blanket fort, but even the most imaginative kids still need to get out of the house. And even if they don’t, I do! So if you’re like me and in need of a winter escape over Christmas break or during the weekday for younger children, here are some of my top inexpensive winter outings for children in Columbus. The Library- The Columbus Metropolitan Library was named the 2010 Library of the Year by the Library Journal. With 22 locations there’s a library close to practically ...but even the most everyone in city. I love maginative kids still the taking the there for need to get out of the kids an afternoon of reading & house playing on the computers. We even have our friends meet us there for playdates. With weekly storytimes & holiday themed parties there is always fun to be had at the library. In addition to the Columbus libraries, the Upper Arlington Public Library also has 3 locations and a variety of free classes & programs for children. We especially enjoy attending the monthly holiday

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theme-based crafts at the Lane Road branch. For more information on the Upper Arlington Public Library visit: http://www.ualibrary.org or for the Columbus Metropolitan Library visit: http://www. columbuslibrary.org

The kids and I love meeting friends there and spending the morning running around and playing in what would be the coolest backyard in America Recreations Outlet: (http://www. recreationsoutlet.com) Recreations Outlet is a retail store in Powell that sells everything you need for a fun time in the backyard, from elaborate swing sets to trampolines. Their huge warehouse is filled with all of their products & every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-11am they open it up to free playtime for the community. The kids and I love meeting friends there and spending the morning running around and playing in what would be the coolest backyard in America. It’s the perfect place for little ones to work off some pent up energy in the winter months. The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: (http://www.fpconservatory.org) As their website states, “Set within the 88 acres of Franklin Park, the Conservatory houses 400 species of plants from a variety of global climate zones and features a Victorian Palm House with more than 40 species of palms. It is surrounded by botanical gardens and floral displays.” (“Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens”). If you have never been, it’s one of the best-kept secrets in Columbus and a great place to take kids. And little known fact: if you go the conservatory the first Wednesday of every month from 5pm-8pm admission is free for both adults and children. It’s definitely worth taking a trip downtown! The “Dollar” movie- Cinemark Movies 12 at Carriage Place is the perfect place to take bored kids in the winter with movies that are just a few months old and prices you can’t beat. The average price of a ticket is $1.50 with weekend evenings being slightly higher. But if you’re looking for the best deal, take your kids on Mondays. If you come

with a group of 3 or more you pay just 75 cents a ticket. Where else can you see a practically new movie with the spare change you find in your couch cushion? For movie showtimes visit: http:// www.cinemark.com or call them directly at 614538-0403.

You can find out more information on the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens website under the About section: http://www.fpconservatory.org/about.htm

The Pet Store (http://www.petland.com) As long as your children aren’t allergy prone, the pet store is a great place to spend a winter afternoon. With dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits and even a turtle at the Petland on Bethel Road, there are more than enough animals to entertain your children. With enclosed animal playrooms, your children can have all the fun of playing with a puppy without the clean up at your own house. The Columbus Museum of Art (http://www. columbusmuseum.org) Do you have a budding Picasso on your hands? Then take him or her to the Columbus Museum of Art.

With beautiful original works of art and new exhibits throughout the year, it’s a great place to go to expose your children to something out of the ordinary. And every Sunday, admission to the museum is free for adults and children. So gather up the family and go be inspired. Stacy Williams lives in Central Ohio and is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in journalism and communications. She enjoys blogging about living with chronic pain from a Christian perspective, her adventures as a nanny, frugal living, and homeschooling preschoolers. In her spare time she likes participating in Bible studies, traveling and, doing Summer Theater with the Hilliard Arts Council. You can read more about her at: http://www.findingpurposeinthepain.blogspot.com

Favorites From Our Staff

Bethany Schoeff [National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation] - There’s nothing funnier than watching Clark

Griswold’s numerous mishaps as he tries to maintain his sanity during the chaos of the Christmas holiday. I laugh every time! And have a particular fondness for Aunt Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark? Clark: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

Jeff Lafferty [Scrooged] - It’s a movie with my kind of dry humor and in the end you learn the best lesson of all is that it’s never too late for regret.

Carri Bonner [Nightmare Before Christmas] - I love the graphics and the music is amazing! I’ve always

loved this movie, so much so that I’ve asked my daughter to make me a Nightmare Before Christmas birth day cake this year (my birthday falls in October)!

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Quality Productions, No Bones About It Jeff Meyers, Jr.

Bonejive Productions is a local production group created by Jeff Meyers, Jr. The group is comprised of a growing collection of creative individuals in Columbus, Ohio. The group works on a variety of projects that have limited resources. Meyers started the group in 2010 by making a short documentary on two local bands called “Making the Pavements Shudder.” The team grew from there, and since has written and recorded music for short films, performance pieces, and has shot a number of short films ourselves. Most of the group are recent graduates just starting out. They work under the idea that with less expensive end equipment and technological limitations, they can still produce a story that’s really interesting. Meyers is the primary videographer as well as editor. Their most prized work is probably a film they did in honor of a friend who passed this past winter in a car accident. The video is available for viewing http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=4K6pb6ef7Ec. If you have a project and would like to utilize their services, please contact Bonejive Productions at http:// bonejive.blogspot.com. They deliver a solid product and create unique visual art, video, and music for people in a bind.

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Chez Chef Schoeff By Bethany Schoeff, Columnist

his column features delicious recipes that just happen to be allergyfriendly—free from all, or nearly all, of the top eight most common food allergensǂ, with ways to modify the recipe to meet your specific needs. Each recipe will contain an “Allergy Info” section listing which allergens are absent, in addition to recommended substitutions. For October I’m sharing with you two different chili recipes to enjoy during cooler weather. Dressing up for Trick-or-Treat was always one of my favorite events of the fall. My mother’s tradition was to feed us a warm, hearty bowl of soup or chili before we headed out for candy. It was quick to eat so we had time to get into our costumes, and filling so we’d have sustenance to last the trek around the neighborhood. In both these recipes, for the fresh, chopped onion, you may substitute one (1) tablespoon dried, minced onion, added at the same time as the other dried herbs/spices. Black Bean Chili This is a meatless version of my grandmother’s chili recipe, modified by my mother. To make it truly vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. Serve with grated cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, sour cream, and crackers (choosing allergen-free versions, if necessary).

INGREDIENTS •

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

•

1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 or 2 fresh cloves)

•

1 green pepper, diced (OR ½ bag of frozen, chopped green peppers, thawed)

•

1 medium onion, finely chopped

•

3 celery stalks, chopped

•

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (OR 3 cups fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped, with their juice*)

•

3 (15 oz.) cans black beans, undrained

•

½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

•

1 tablespoon chili powder

•

½ teaspoon sugar

•

¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste**)

•

½ t. salt, optional***

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DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. 2. Add garlic, green pepper, onion, and celery; sautĂŠ until veggies are soft but not yet brown. 3. Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. 4. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.

TIPS *To easily chop fresh tomatoes, reserving their juice, first remove stem and core. Then add them whole to a large liquid measuring cup; use kitchen shears held straight up and down to roughly chop them. Bonus: the amount needed can be seen right on the measuring cup as you chop! **Reduce the amount of pepper if you are sensitive to spicy foods. Feel free to add more pepper during cooking, or add a few drops of hot sauce to individual bowls, if you like your chili spicier. ***I omit the additional salt from this recipe when I make it. As most canned tomatoes, black beans, and broth already contain salt, adding more to the chili can be too much. I suggest tasting the chili after it simmers for 30 minutes, then add salt if you find it lacking.

ALLERGY INFO This recipe is free of eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. To make it dairy-, wheat-, soy-, and/or glutenfree, carefully choose a broth with safe ingredients (many brands arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allergen-free; contact me if you need product suggestions as there are options out there). Beans are naturally gluten-free, but canned ones can sometimes contain other non-GF ingredients (look for cans that list only beans, water, and salt as ingredients). Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort.

Classic Chili This traditional recipe is a family favorite. Top each bowl with grated cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed crackers (choosing allergen-free versions, if necessary). For a delicious variation, and to help spread it out over several meals, serve the chili over rice or pasta.

INGREDIENTS •

2 pounds ground beef or turkey

•

1 medium onion, finely chopped

•

2 tablespoons chili powder

•

2 teaspoons cumin

•

1 teaspoon garlic powder

•

1 teaspoon salt

•

½ teaspoon oregano

•

½ teaspoon sugar

•

¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)*

•

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional*

•

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce**

•

2 cups water**

•

3 (15 oz.) cans red or kidney beans, drained and rinsed***

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DIRECTIONS 1. In soup pot, brown meat with onion over medium heat; drain and discard grease. 2. Add spices/herbs and stir with meat for one minute. 3. Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. 4. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. 5. Cook, covered, for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

TIPS * Omit the cayenne pepper and reduce the black pepper to 1/8 teaspoon if you are sensitive to spicy foods. If you like your chili spicier, feel free to add more pepper during cooking, or add a few drops of hot sauce to individual bowls. ** You can substitute one quart tomato juice for the tomato sauce and water. ***Pour beans into wire strainer over sink, and run water over them until bubbles disappear to rinse. You can substitute one can of beans in chili gravy for one of the cans of red/kidney beans.

ALLERGY INFO This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, and shellfish. It can be made wheat- and glutenfree by using safe beans (look for ones that just have beans, water, and salt as ingredients), and avoiding the option of substituting chili beans (as these usually contain wheat flour). Use gluten-free pasta if choosing that variation. Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort.

ǂThe eight most common food allergens (accounting for 90% of allergic reactions) in the US are: • Dairy/cow’s milk • Eggs • Soy • Peanuts • Wheat • Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) • Fish (such as flounder, cod, bass, salmon) • Shellfish (mollusks, such as clams and oysters, and crustaceans, such as shrimp, crab, lobster)

Be sure to visit http://chezschoeff.palmergrove.com for a BONUS recipe: White Chicken Chili! (to be posted soon)

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Blessed Be

By Carri Bonner, Editorial Director As Halloween approaches each year, I am tickled by the antics of children and adults alike in getting ready for it. Costumes are debated over, faces painted, spooky stories told, jack-o-lanterns put out to ward away evil. For some, it’s merely a fun holiday to enjoy and get a bunch of candy. For others, it marks the last harvest, the end of the Celtic year and the long wait til the rebirth of the sun. Pagans celebrate Samhain (pronounced soween or sowain) every October 31-November 1st with old rituals and rites. Various forms of paganism have been around for several thousand years, dating back to Neolithic times. The word pagan has come to mean non-Christian, however, for several centuries it meant rural or of the country. Before Christianity became the religion of “choice”, most followed a paganistic religion, whether it be Druidism, Shamanism, Polytheism, Pantheism or Animism, among many other forms of pagan religions. The religions were tied to the cycles of the Earth, nature and the very cycles of life. Solstices and equinoxes were celebrated with great joy and preparation for the coming season. Lunar cycles were celebrated with reverence and followed closely to ensure living a divine life. Pagans today follow many of those same rituals and cycles. Todays Pagan often put a “modern” twist on old rituals, however, the celebratory meaning behind each holiday still stays the same. Pagans celebrate frequently their connection to the Earth and divine by holding circles or rituals. While many choose to worship alone, there are covens all throughout the United States and most major cities have organizations in place for those that choose to worship with others. There is no one way to worship as some pagans are believers in many gods, others believe in a god and goddess and still some believe in one god with both feminine and masculine side. Many believe that the four elements are also guardians between our world and the divine world. Many also believe in reincarnation. Following along reincarnation, Samhain is celebrated as the death of the sun and the end of the year. Celebration occurs because it is known the sun will be reborn on Yule, or Winter Solstice. Samhain is celebrated as the Night of the Dead, the night when the veil between our world and the world of those that have passed is thinnest. Celebration include setting a place at the table for those that have passed, making a favorite meal or food of someone special, and leaving a window open in a westerly direction to welcome the spirits. Pagans believe that it is a special night for divinations as spirits that have passed can guide visions and readings. It is a sacred day as the end of the yearly cycle is extremely meaningful to most Pagans and allows them to close chapters on negative things in their lives as well. Later, in December, Pagans celebrate Yule on the Winter Equinox. This normally falls around December 21 although it does change on occasion. This year, it falls on December 22. Yule is the celebration of the rebirth of the Sun. Most celebrate by getting up at sunrise to celebrate the first rising of the newborn sun and by lighting a Yule log. The Yule log can be many different woods : Aspen is the wood of choice for spiritual understanding, while the mighty oak is symbolic of strength and wisdom. A family hoping for a year of prosperity might burn a log of pine, while a couple hoping to be blessed with fertility would drag a bough of birch to their hearth. For today’s Pagans, not everyone will actually light a Yule log, although they may decorate and keep a symbolic log or make edible logs to celebrate the return of light. It is an excellent time to tuck into the log, or in ribbon surrounding it, your hopes and dreams for the upcoming year. Burning them with the log releases those desires into the air to be absorbed with the sun. These two holidays are celebrated with much joy and anticipation by Pagans and non-pagans alike. Either way, they are filled with laughter and fun to be shared with family and friends. So from me to you, I wish you Happy Holidays this season and look forward to sharing many more with our Palmer Grove family!

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Favorites From Our Staff Brian Palmer [It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!] - I have always loved this movie. As a child it was just scary enough to make me feel grown-up but still funny enough to make me want to watch it again and again. Rachel Flesch [Elf] - It’s very hard to narrow down a favorite holiday movie. Especially when Christmas is hands down my

absolute favorite holiday! When it came down to it though I had to choose Elf. This movie isn’t particularly good by movie standards and Will Ferrell isn’t exactly my favorite actor, but there are just too many memories tied to this film for me to not give it my #1 spot. Generally Ferrell plays a man-child, but this is one film where it works and comes off as comical and endearing. Zoe Deschannel is one of my favorite actresses, and she does a wonderful job in her supporting role. The cast as a whole plays well off each other, and has a good chemistry between them which makes watching all the more pleasurable. Plus it’s a tradition at the Christmas in July parties my friends and I have. Complete with a White Elephant gift exchange!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stealthâ&#x20AC;? by Mary Atkins

idewinding is much of my Style;

This way of sliding -stomach down. stirring nothing. Smooooth. I sense The frail of self, sooooo unattended-tsk, tsk. The blue of the sky is devoid of reverberations: deliciously desolate. Onwardcutting between shining blades, headfirst and silent. My tongue strikes empty air, tasting. Testing. Ah, just ahead, pushing softly into realms of warmth. Must stop eternally cold muscles and bask. Bask by the heat of feathered young, scarcely hatched; Their parents own hunger has made them careless tsk tsk. I am close, nestled infants; Sleep Sleepclose those eyes like pebbles. Do not see me, do not shudder-tender babes, my jaws will cradle you soon...

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3 Quick Costumes for Big and Small By Rachel Flesch, Artistic Director

rowing up we didn’t have a lot of money to spend on frivolous things. Over priced and cheaply made Halloween costumes being one of those “things”, but my sister and I still loved to indulge in Beggars Night. At first our mom would just repeat costumes for us that pink glittery butterfly princess dress was next years Glinda the Good Witch. The black and green witch costume transformed into a dark elf with the switch of a hat! It didn’t take long for me to grow bored with that concept though. Thus my mother encouraged me to harness my artistic abilities and make my own costume. The first I made at age 10, it’s very simple to make. DECK OF CARDS What you need: 2 sheets of poster board Permanent markers Playing cards Aerosol Hairspray Single-hole punch Duct or packing tape Yarn Black clothes Optional: Face paint

Fun!

1- Take two large pieces of poster board. Note: if you’re doing this for a little one, or would like to sit down I suggest using the smaller sized board or cutting one piece in half. 2- Pick 2 playing cards. If you are feeling artistic and ambitious like I was then dive in and try a face card. However the Aces are the easiest. I selected the Queen of Hearts and the Ace of Diamonds. 3- Figure out what colors you’ll need: most standard playing cards are black, red, blue and gold. Sharpies or other permanent markers will work best for this, as they’ll give you the most bold and saturated colors. I used standard non-toxic washable though, which I highly recommend if your little ones are participating. 4- Use a pencil first to lightly sketch out the design. This way if mistakes are made you can erase it. After that outline your drawing with marker. 5- Next lay your work on a flat surface and take the aerosol hairspray and give your drawing a light mist standing at least 18 inches from it. Don’t pick it up until the spray has dried. This will put a nice seal over it should one encounter some soggy weather. 6- Hold the board up to your chest and have a friend help you center it. Use the hole punch to punch a hole on each side between your shoulder and collarbone, and around your shoulder blades on the back.

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7- Thread the yarn through the holes knotting it on the backside, facing your body. Use the tape to reinforce it. 8- Now put on your all black clothes. Sweats, or leggings are highly recommended to help with comfort and range of motion. A turtleneck is an easy find, and perfect for the costume. If you want you can even paint your face white and paint the houses of your cards on your cheeks.

This second costume I made when I was about 15. Yes I still enjoyed participating in the act of free candy at that age. NIGHTLIGHT BUTTERFLY What you need: 4 sheets of colorful poster board, 2 of one color and 2 of another Scissors At least a dozen sheets of colorful tissue paper Decorative materials- glitter, rhinestones, stickers, paint, ribbon, etc A headband 2 Pipe cleaner 2 large Pompom puffs A solid color outfit of your choice 4 Clothespins clips A glue stick Hot glue gun Single Hole punch

agi

cal

2- Take one of each color wing and line them up together. Use the clothespins to clip them together. Next take your pencil and draw outlines of shapes on it. You can be as simple or as detailed as you like. I chose to stay simple doing hearts, stars, and other basic shapes. If you’re feeling ambitious you could try a mosaic or stained glass effect. 3- The next step is tricky so if you’re working with a little one you may want to have them set out for this. Now you’ll need to cut out the shapes. The easiest method I discovered is to puncture through the center of the shape with your scissor tip and then snip from the inside out. (You may also use an Exacto Knife, however, that is adults only.) The more shapes you make the more time this will take so keep that in mind as well. Sometimes big and simple shapes make this project a lot quicker to work through if you’re on a time crunch. 4- The next step is the magical part! Unclip your wings, and lap them out flat. Pick one of the inside sides to begin with. Take your tissue paper and you can choose to cut or tear for this, it doesn’t matter the edges won’t be seen. Just know the closer your shapes are together the more fine your pieces will need to be. Start using your glue stick to line the edges of the shapes. Pressing the various colored tissue papers over it. Once you’ve covered every hole you can use the hot glue gun to outline the edges of your wings and press them together. Remember to remind your little ones that the glue is hot and to be careful. 5- The next step is the best part, the decorating! You can use anything you want to decorate your wings. I

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Photos courtesy of Emily Marie Photography

1- Take your poster board, and line it all up together. I selected 2 blue, and 2 yellow sheets for my costume. Sandwich 2 of one color together in the middle this way your wings look right when you wear them. Use the clothespins to clip the edges together. Use a pencil to outline the shape you’d like your wings to be. Take the scissors and cut through the outline. Remove your clips and set the scraps aside.

chose to use glow-in-the-dark glitter paint to outline mine and cover over the tissue paper as a sealant. Not only did it sparkle in the day, but it light up at night! You can also use the hole-punch and punch the tips and tie long curls of ribbon to add a little extra flair. 6- To attach it to yourself have a friend help you line up the wings in a good place on your back. Use the hole-punch to punch two holes in each wing and tie some ribbon through to wrap around your arms. Then lace the wings together in the back using more ribbon to help them stay in place. You can use glitter, and face paint to add to your makeup, and even wrap some extra ribbon around your waste for a butterfly look. 7- Take a plain headband (found for very little cost at craft stores) and use the hot glue gun to attach 2 pipe cleaners to the top and position them how you’d like once the glue dries. Use the glue again to attach the pompom puffs to the tops. You can use any of your decorative materials to add a little flair to your look. This last costume my mom helped me come up with at about 12, and I actually did it twice! Mom loved the after Halloween clearance each year, but we weren’t allowed to get costumes for risk they may not fit the next year. Accessories though were always a possibility. Over the years we’ve collected a lot of elaborate and beautiful masquerade masks. We also accumulated quite a few 80’s prom dresses for dress up play from yard sales. PHANTOM PROM QUEEN What you need: 1 Formal dress 1 masquerade mask 1 Face paint 1 pair of elbow length gloves Any accessories or jewelry you feel bold enough to use! 1- Formal dresses are a dime a dozen at yard sales, thrift shops and other second hand stores. Finding a decent one for cheap is usually pretty easy. Mine was a one-shoulder black and white ruffle explosion! Black and white ones are great for the effect of this costume, but if you choose to go a little scarier like a zombie or ghost something fluffy and pink can be just as perfect. 2- The elbow length gloves are optional, but if going for the phantom look one glove one on one side is perfect for effect. 3- Paint your face. You can get as detailed or as simple you like. I choose to go with a white face with black circles around my eyes and a bold red lip. As stated you could go more ghost, zombie, or even the latest craze of vampire. The possibilities are endless, and I guarantee get a lot of compliments on costume originality. 4- The mask is your finishing touch. You can do the simple half white mask, which is easy and cheap to get at any costume shop or craft store, or even go with something elaborate and feathered. Better yet you can make your own, a paper plate cut to line your face, ribbon, feathers, and sequins voila! 5- This costume allows for a lot of artistic freedom. You can wear as much or a little of accessories as you want, as well as tease your hair into oblivion or slick it back till it vanishes. The possibilities are endless! I hope you have enjoyed taking a peek into my past and learning about three of my favorite homemade Halloween costumes! There are more over the years, but these three definitely top my list. Have a spooky and safe Halloween!

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Plastic fabric from “Stephanie Syjuco: Pattern Migration”, exhibited at the Columbus Museum of Art from 24 June to 4 September 2011. This exhibition was supported by a grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Chez Chef Schoeff By Bethany Schoeff, Columnist

his column features delicious recipes that just happen to be allergyfriendly—free from all, or nearly all, of the top eight most common food allergensǂ, with ways to modify the recipe to meet your specific needs. Each recipe will contain an “Allergy Info” section listing which allergens are absent, in addition to recommended substitutions. Autumn is my favorite season, and nothing celebrates this time of year better than an all-American apple pie made through family traditions. Each year we find a perfect Fall day to go apple-picking at a local fruit farm. The children enjoy sampling from each tree as they hunt for the perfect apple and load the bags to near overflowing. My favorite variety of apple is Fuji, but we also pick Jonathan and Golden Delicious, and their hybrid, Jonagold. We try to ration our supply until the end of November so that we have enough apples for our annual pie-baking event. The day before Thanksgiving is permanently reserved for this tradition. The kids and I gather at my parents’ house with my siblings, their spouses, and all my nieces and nephews. My mom makes the pie dough from scratch while my dad peels the apples. The kids help mix the ingredients and make sure the filling tastes just right, and sometimes even bake their own “mini pies.” As the house is filled with the delicious aroma of apples and spices, the most difficult part is knowing we have to wait until the next day to enjoy our creations!

Apple Pie This is a simple, reliable recipe for a classic apple pie. You may use a traditional crust on top or choose the crumb topping (see recipe below). For a quick version, use already-prepared pie dough. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature, or even à la mode.

INGREDIENTS •

Pie dough, enough for 1 or 2 crusts (either homemade, from a mix, or store-bought)*

•

6 ½ - 7 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced**

•

¾ - 1 cup granulated sugar (choose the larger amount if using a tart apple)

•

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon***

•

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg***

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Thaw pie dough if frozen. Roll out dough and line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with one crust. 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, sugar, flour, and spices. Mix gently until apples are coated and mixture appears moist. 4. Pour apple mixture into dough-lined pie pan, filling evenly. If using crumb topping, spread it evenly over the top. If using a rolled-out dough, place it gently over apple mixture, then seal edges to bottom crust and cut slits in top.

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5. Trim off any overhanging dough and finish edges as desired. Cover perimeter of pie with aluminum foil. 6. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until top is golden. Let cool slightly before cutting.

TIPS *I prefer to buy pie dough from the store. I use the refrigerated, unroll-and-fill kind. So easy and tastes just as good as homemade! **The jury is still out on which variety of apple is best for a pie. Some bakers even prefer a kind that others say never to use! I grab whatever apples I have on hand, usually combining two different varieties, a sweet with a more tart. My husband swears by Jonathan apples for his pie. So, it’s really up to you! ***You may use 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg.

ALLERGY INFO This recipe is free of eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. To make it dairy- and/or soy-free, carefully choose or make a pie dough with safe ingredients. To make it wheat- or gluten-free, use rice flour or tapioca flour instead of the all-purpose flour, and choose a gluten-free pie dough mix or pre-prepared crust. Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort.

Crumb Topping This topping can be used in any fruit pie recipe (apple, cherry, peach, rhubarb, berry, etc.). Add ¼ cup rolled oats and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon with the dry ingredients to use it as the topping for a fruit crisp.

INGREDIENTS •

½ cup brown sugar

•

½ cup all-purpose flour

•

¼ cup cold butter or margarine*

DIRECTIONS 1. Mix brown sugar and flour together in large bowl. 2. Cut in butter or margarine using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 3. Sprinkle and spread evenly on dessert before baking.

TIPS * The amount of butter/margarine can be decreased to 3 Tablespoons, if desired, but I find it harder to work in; it takes longer to get to that “course crumb” stage, but it is slightly healthier.

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ALLERGY INFO This recipe is free of eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. It can be made dairy- and/or soy-free by using a safe margarine, carefully choosing one made specifically for baking. It can be made wheat- or gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour mix in place of the all-purpose flour. Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort. ǂThe eight most common food allergens (accounting for 90% of allergic reactions) in the US are: •

Dairy/cow’s milk

•

Eggs

•

Soy

•

Peanuts

•

Wheat

• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) • Fish (such as flounder, cod, bass, salmon) •

Shellfish (mollusks, such as clams and oysters, and crustaceans, such as shrimp, crab, lobster)

Be sure to visit http://chezschoeff. palmergrove.com . Feel free to contact me with questions about food allergies or ingredient substitutions.

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Rule #8: Never Take Anything For Granted

Have you forgotten about your goal?? It’s there now! Act on it. Discover your passion. There aren’t any limitations in what you can do, except the limitations you have in your own mind. Sure, frustration sets in and we made many mistakes, but realize your mistakes are the stepping stones to By Jeff Lafferty, Columnist your success. Share your learning experiences for sharing is the way we learn and grow. e are at the time of the year where people begin to “The successful human being is not someone who think about giving thanks and appreciate the things they have knows and does everything close to perfection but is one who can win over people on sincerity.” I think in their lives. Whether it’s material things, such as the car this phrase is something that is a lost art with a lot of people. I am a glass is half full kind of person and house they have, or for and there is NOTHING on the planet that makes me being blessed with the family or children in their lives. It’s a feel better than the feeling of knowing that I helped somebody do something that either made themselves time of year where everybody should give thanks for the things in life that should really mean something to feel better or helping somebody that needed some help with anything. A friend them (i.e. health, home, food, and of once told me that if I had a course family). Act on it. theme song, they wouldn’t be Discover your surprised if the song was Neil If you didn’t realize, I have a whole Young’s “Heart of Gold”. The passion. new meaning to the term “thankful” lyrics “Keep me searching for because I have been living with cancer a heart of gold. You keep me for 6 years. Currently at the time of searching for a heart of gold and I’m growing old. I’ve writing this, I’m about ready to have chemotherapy th been a miner for a heart of gold.” It really describes for cancer again as my 4 remission is now officially over. I have never had a day where I go to bed and not somebody making sure that people are helping him find his heart of gold by asking him to search it for take a moment to be thankful for the blessings in my help. At least that what I think, and in that case yeah, life. I know that sounds dramatic, but I truly do stop, I would think that could be a appropriate song for my every single night, and contemplate the things I am grateful for that day. I never know when it will end, so “soundtrack of my life”. I have learned to appreciate everyone and everything I know another thing that really gets unnoticed at this in my day to day life. I appreciate the food that I eat, time of year is people’s ability to give to stranger truly the clothes that I wear, the friends that I have, and the in need some help. People giving to the needy, the family that I can interact with everyday. I learned that hungry, and people that don’t have enough money to lesson the very first day that I had cancer, and wanted give their children gifts for the holidays usually do so to be the person that I want to be. quietly and with thanks in their hearts for the ability Have you always had a strong desire to do something, to do so. I don’t care how tough a person you are, if you are given the opportunity to see for yourself the for example run your own business, but was never gift of giving, you would be moved to tears because given an opportunity to do it?? Give your self that of the chance to see the look on people’s eyes when opportunity. That is your “missing until it arrives”.

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a stranger gives them something that they weren’t Whether you believe it or not, you have the chance expecting. If you are in a position to where you can to change how people see the world. I want to believe make a impact and change a life for just a moment, do that if people didn’t take things for granted, they it! I don’t think that you will understand the depth that would treat people they come in contact with exactly change could impact your life and the people’s life that the way they would like to be treated. If people could you would be able to give a little bit of something. put aside their differences and do this, then this could be a very special time and place in the world. The I am smart enough to understand and know that only way it happens is that it can’t start and stop. It not everybody feels the can’t be just at the time of year same way that I do. I know where it’s regarded as the thing to Whether you believe there are people out there do. I think that if you are willing to it or not, you have that believe that people do that from January to October as the chance to change are a product of their well, then the holiday season will surroundings. I believe that how people see the world. make you feel so much better seeing there is some truth to both everybody participating: as the Al sides of this. I mean some Green and Annie Lennox song goes people are a product of their surroundings but some “Put a little love in your heart”. So at this time of build the environment they want to be part of, whether the holiday season remember my rule #8 “Don’t take it’s a child born to two doctors and they became a anything for granted” because if you don’t you could doctor or a child born to non college graduates who possibly miss what you don’t have anymore. Happy also becomes a doctor and survives the struggles and Holidays!! feels a real sense of accomplishment.

Chez Chef Schoeff By Bethany Schoeff, Columnist

Sugar Cookies I usually have trouble rolling out pastry dough, but this recipe is so easy to work with in that respect. My good friend, who does not have an egg allergy in her home, actually opts to make this recipe due to its simplicity and safety. The absence of eggs means that children can handle and even sample taste the raw dough without concern. •

4 cups all-purpose flour

•

½ cup cool water

•

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

•

Colored sugar crystals (optional)

•

¼ teaspoon salt

•

Icing/frosting (optional)

•

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine*

•

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

•

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; set aside. 2. In separate, large mixing bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugar; add in vanilla extract. 3. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and water, alternating between the two, until the mixture forms a smooth dough.** 4. Remove dough from bowl and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. 5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly flour clean work surface.

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6. Working with ¼ of the dough at a time (leaving the rest wrapped in fridge), roll dough to ¼ inch-thickness. Use various cookie cutters to cut out shapes. If desired, dip each cookie in sugar crystals before baking. Repeat with remaining dough, adding scraps back in as you go. 7. Place cut-out cookies one inch apart on cookie sheet or parchment paper-lined pan. Bake 8-10 minutes, removing from oven while still white (before edges begin to brown). 8. Let cookies sit one minute on pan before removing them to cool on wire rack. Decorate as desired with icing or frosting once cooled completely.

TIPS *If using margarine, be sure to choose one made specifically for baking. **Be patient with this step as it takes some time for the dough to come together; as it mixes, it will pull away from the sides of the bowl and into a ball. You may need to add a tiny amount of additional water to get it to come together, especially if using a wheat- or gluten-free flour mix. Be careful to not add too much water as this will make the dough sticky and gummy, and produce an undesirable result. If done correctly, the dough should be able to be cleanly lifted from the bowl.

ALLERGY INFO This recipe is free of eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. It can be made dairy- and/or soy-free by using a safe margarine, carefully choosing one made specifically for baking. It can be made wheator gluten-free by using safe vanilla extract, and by using a wheat- or gluten-free flour mix in place of the all-purpose flour (add 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum if the wheat-free mix does not include any). Be sure to use the right decorating items (sprinkles, frosting, etc.) based on your dietary restrictions. Always double-check ingredients, including cross-contamination risk based on your level of sensitivity and comfort.

Be sure to visit http://chezschoeff.palmergrove.com . Feel free to contact me with questions about food allergies or ingredient substitutions.

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Michelle Wayt This is a special moment that I captured of a long time friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter. The young lady that is in this photograph is a very young, beautiful and talented mom to be. Being able to capture this moment for her was the greatest feeling a photographer can say about their profession. Capturing the memories to look back on and seeing the beauty of life is something that everyone should cherish in their lifetime. michellewayt@wayt8one8photography.com

Brian Guiler

The photograph that I am submitting is of my son, who fell asleep in the swing at the park.

Rule #5 : Treat people the way you would want to be treated

Wait, I know what you are saying, Jeff, you have gone too far off the deep end to think that people can be this way. I mean Michigan and Ohio State fans could never get along. New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox fans could never get along. It’s not just sports either, I mean Walmart and Target retailers can’t just sell the same stuff at the same price in the same markets and treat people in the same way. By Jeff Lafferty, Columnist So what is stopping us from living the “golden rule”? Well one answer is selfishness. Some of you are reading this will say greed and I am sure some of you will say power and control. Lust maybe could be he basic golden rule in life is on a couple of your minds (dirty birds!), and of course known as “treat people the way some of you have other ideas as well. Well, when you you would want to be treated”. break all of those ideas down the one thing that all of It has been a rule that has those have in common is selfishness. been passed down generations from mothers to their children, Selfishness can be seen as a bad thing and a good especially when they are thing. It’s all about point of view and your opinion. younger and have brothers It’s natural for people to think of yourself when you and sisters. The rule has been are separate and alone in your own world. You have around since almost the dawn of time and is often to think for yourself. You don’t have anybody else quoted in the bible, (Matthew 7:12 So whatever you to think about, and you certainly don’t have a person wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for that you are living with so it makes sense that you are this is the Law and the Prophets.). then thinking of number 1. Wait one second! If you live by yourself, you still have people in your life that So if this is the golden rule, and we know that this is you think about and that you have relationships with, the golden rule, what do we do next? If we know that don’t you? To understand what I mean, start with your this is the golden rule, then why don’t people follow it immediate family and parents. more closely? Depending on which one that you thought of Imagine this for a second: truly take a minute or first, imagine again the life that you would have if you two, close your eyes, and picture your boyfriend, took care of them first all the time. It would be a good girlfriend, or spouse following this rule. If you are feeling knowing that you have this great relationship not old enough to have a relationship then picture with your friends or your family right? “So, what your parents. Okay, now take the time to stop and about me?” you’re thinking. Well that’s why I chose do this right now. Try it with your friends. Try it this topic to write about because it’s such a easy thing with your co-workers. Now think to change and everybody can of what the world could be like totally appreciate and understand if everybody followed this one the one thing that all the importance of the golden golden rule. rule. We live in a day and age of those have in where people are so concerned common is selfishness with how something affects Yeah it would be kinda cool, huh? Imagine no war, no stealing, THEM all the time. no hurting, and just everybody caring about each other, sharing, and giving to each Sometimes people don’t understand how their actions other. There is no reason it cannot be that way, is can affect another person’s reactions. I have another there? rule that states that don’t talk politics, religion, or money with friends, and I am going to write about

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that rule sometime soon, but in the meantime, we live in a nation that doesn’t come close to following the golden rule. I have a feeling that our government officials would think differently about whether or not “entitlements” are something that should be discussed if they were the ones sitting at home having to depend on social security disability because they couldn’t work anymore due to health issues. Gay rights would be different as well, if people just understood that gay people want basic human rights such as the ability to stand in front of a bunch of people and totally devote their love to each other for the rest of their lives. This is where selfishness, power, and control come in, because what is in it for people to decide with whom somebody should be married to and who they shouldn’t be? It’s doesn’t have to be this way. We can make those changes. We can live by the golden rule, one person at a time, and one family at a time.

that easy. Changing and losing the links of selfishness can be a awakening of some sort and some people are going to think that you have other intentions for acting this way. Suspicion of your motives for changing your own behavior will be a barrier you will face. However, as you break down that barrier, you can and will affect those around you with kindness. So whichever you decide to do it’s your decision. When things are not going your way, things are not going the way you “planned”, and you are in that “rut” that we all get into sometimes, remember a way to change who you are is simple. Remember why you want to do something different, and maybe just maybe, decide that you want to help change the world one person at a time. Follow the “golden rule” and see if that changes anything about how you feel about yourself and others. If that doesn’t work do what I do, eat ice cream, pizza, and yell GO BLUE!!!

[Put] your life where your words are First, you have to make the decision that this is the way that you want to live. You need to make the conscious decision to recognize that if I treat people differently and then soon people will treat me differently. You can be the example for yourself, for the people around you, and for the people that mean something to you in your life. Your words, actions, and love for those people around you and the people you come in contact with on a daily basis will have meaning and power that nothing can take anyway from you. You must first “put your money where your mouth is” or, in another way of putting it, your life where your words are. Some people will respond to you, and some people won’t respond to you because they still live in that fear of selfishness and are afraid to change themselves. They will not understand at first. You have to understand that the benefits will far outweigh the downside. What is it worth to you to change and treat people the way that you want to be treated? To say that it’s easy would be me lying to you. When I was a retail manager, I had a manager tell me that “I can get my 8 year old and 10 old children to do ANYTHING for a Kit-Kat bar.” It’s not going to be

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Shadows

by August Richers thin layer of grease coated everything in the little bar despite the fact that it didn’t serve anything more complex than pretzels. Perhaps the oily substance had floated through the air from the restaurant next door, resting gently on the faux wood surfaces. It was barely noticeable but it left a hint of an aroma as of old meat cooking on a wooden stove.

A babble of noise wafted in through the opening that served as a door and joined the low voices radiating from the television in the corner, making a kind of burbling static that filled the ears of the few patrons sitting idly. Quiet, old people wiling their time away in an airport bar at 11:30 in the morning. Nursing their drinks slowly, watching the people pass, waiting on something, always waiting. A man sat on one of the many stools in front of the long bar; he had dark hair, black to the point of being almost a shadow lying across his scalp. His eyes were also black, or they appeared to be, little liquid pools of nothing shining out of his pale face. There was an empowered air around him, as comes with age or quiet internal strength. Occasionally he swirled the few ice cubes in his glass and watched them melt away into the amber colored fluid. He took small, slow sips every now and then, blending in, biding his time. With his right index finger, he made little markings in the grease on the bar’s surface; a line of strange, blocky symbols that hadn’t been seen by human eyes since the days of ancient Babylon. As he completed the final mark and lifted his finger a tiny spark shot from his skin, like an electrical discharge only a pale yellow that seemed, momentarily to make the whole marking glow the same color. The man barely seemed to notice the effect. He looked down at the word, if you could call it a word, for a moment and then waved his hand across the bar, obliterating it from existence. He set the glass down with a dull, wet thud that joined the general burble of sound around him. He stood slowly and walking gracefully, he left the bar’s dim interior into the buzzing, almost-light of the fluorescents in the main waiting area.

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The bartender watched him go before realizing that he had failed to pay for his drink, but she immediately forgot that he had been there and stared, momentarily confused, by the empty glass sitting in a little pool of condensation on the bar. She stepped over to retrieve it and a strange feeling welled up deep in her gut when she picked it up, a foreboding that screwed up her face and stomach in fear, but this passed quickly and she stood there blinking, weary and confused. She shook her head slightly to clear it and her curly, blond hair swirled around her face, catching the light in a beautiful halo that lasted for the shortest moment in time, a brief glimpse of the human capacity for grace and beauty. Without another thought she wiped down the bar and emptied the glass into the sink hidden behind the counter. A low, whirring sound rose up, seemingly out of everywhere, rising slowly in pitch and volume, vibrating in bones and cement alike. The few patrons looked up dully, wondering what it was, while out in the hangar people stared out the window with sudden looks of fear and terror dawning on their faces. The sound rose to a penetrating shriek, an impossibly loud noise of metal grinding against tortured metal coming from everywhere all at once until it seemed to be inside their very heads, screaming to get out. Then the lights flickered and died, everything went dark, the only illumination coming from the open doorway to the hangar but even that was in shadow so that everything was almost black within the little bar. For just the smallest amount of time that a human can be aware, all of the patrons within knew that the end had come, Armageddon, their world was over. That tiny, almost everlasting moment ended all too quickly and the world exploded around them in a rain of glass and steel and fiery death. The dark-haired man walked steadily down a gravel access road near the runway, a breath of hot wind blew across his almost handsome face as an explosion ripped the hangar apart. He paused for just a moment, staring back at the rising cloud of smoke. There was an almost unnatural stillness to the world for a moment, while he gazed at the destruction. Flames leapt into the sky, illuminating the dark clouds of smoke from within, making them look almost demonic or evil. Fire demons risen up from the smoky depths of Hell. “Follow me, please.” He said quietly and his voice had a kind of beautiful music floating through it. Several shadowy forms, almost nonexistent in the pale light of the day, turned from the smoke and the flame to look at him. He turned in place and vanished from the world. The train of people began turning in place, somehow understanding how to do it by instinct or inherent mimicry. They disappeared one by one until only the dim outline of a woman remained staring back at the wreckage of the airport. Her hair had been curly and blond in life and it perfectly framed her beautiful face. A single tear of translucent, pearly-white slid down her shadowy cheek and then she too, turned on the spot and disappeared. “August has been previously published in “Etc-the zine of everything else” and you can find some of his other stuff on Facebook.”

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Beacon S by August Richers

he stood alone at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. It was a bright and sunny day with a strong wind coming off the ocean, tall waves lapping at the rocky shore far below. The salt air stung her nostrils and she wrinkled her nose in a way that all the boys in her village thought was very fetching. Long golden hair flew up in the breeze and caught the sunlight forming a halo around her head. Her simple dress was as blue as the sky above, as blue as her eyes, and it swirled around her shapely legs almost forming wings behind her. She reveled in the light shining down, basking in the warmth with arms outstretched to catch as much as she could, hold it in her hands, and keep it forever. From the sea she must have looked almost angelic standing there, a bright beacon welcoming all to this land. Short grass tickled her feet, cool beneath her soles. Dewdrops sparkled on the ground, catching the light and bending it into sparkling rainbows that filled the air. She smiled to herself, enjoying this beautiful day as only a young woman can. Around a bend in the rocks below, a longship appeared, cutting through the water with ease. The beat of their drums drifted up to her and, for a moment, she watched the men aboard pulling at oars to the rhythm. Flinging up her arms, she waved wildly to them, smiling and shouting as loudly as she could. Her father was aboard this one, she could tell by the design on its shields, and she looked forward to seeing him again. The drummer let out a triple beat and she stopped shouting, but her arms continued swaying in the breeze, a silent greeting to her family. They turned past an outcropping of rock and disappeared, but she knew they would find the landing. She would be reunited with her father that night around the campfire and a great feeling of relief washed through her, erasing all the pent-up tension in her body. She had guided their ship in; she was the one who had brought them safely to land. Pride swelled her spirit and a content smile grew on her face as she stood, staring out over the sea. A calm settled over everything, the wind stopped and the sounds from the ocean grew instantly muted. She marveled in the stillness for the brief seconds it lasted, and then the wind changed direction, heading back out to the sea from behind her. It carried a touch of smoke on it, reminding her of all the fires on all the beaches she had ever known in her life. The faintest scream drifted to her, cut short by some unknown blow. Behind her, the monastery burned while looting parties hunted down all the valuables they could carry, and cutting down anyone foolish enough to raise arms against them. Thanks to her, her family would benefit from the raid. A plume of smoke darkened the sky for a moment and then vanished as the wind changed direction once more. Another boat, farther out to sea came into view and she raised her arms and began yelling as loudly as she could. “August has been previously published in “Etc-the zine of everything else” and you can find some of his other stuff on Facebook.”

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Lying Next To Me By Cory Baker You said I know this may sound crazy I feel I’ve know you for so long Somehow we just clicked together There’s no way this is wrong It was so easy to believe All the things you said Thoughts of us filled my lonely heart and head Lying in our bed as one Bodies and souls, close as can be Flesh to flesh, heart to heart Never to be undone Together we lied Being young and being naive I believed all that you said Going through a life with you spinning round inside my head those who see in windows have a clearer view But I put all my trust in you Lying in the bed as two There next to me you lied Words like a melody that sang a song so beautiful I cried Tears that washed my doubts away, Next to me you lied. You built us up, as something that fate had brought around You built us up to touch heaven Then you tore it down stole the air from my lungs, in a vacuum; no sound No words, no thoughts, no problem My voice and feelings, bound Lying in my bed alone pressured to understand the why no air left to speak, no will left to hear the only truth you spoke was good bye you said you’d always love me You lied

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Quiet Confrontation By Cory Baker

With a heartless lash, of my verbal spear, You’re scarred for life, wounded, but not dead. My words, still echoing in my own ears, Collapsing the fake walls of power in my head. “What have I done?” shout your innocent eyes, Stabbing my heartless heart in return. Your eyes teared over, as did mine. Emotions switching from concede to concern. Penetrating words not to be retracted, Cutting real emotion through to the soul. The two words thrown, and only eyes reacted, Leaving two hearts alone and cold. This quiet confrontation of hearts and eyes, Leave enough hanging in the air to make one choke. Confusion. Conviction. Frustration. Surprise. More being said than if either had spoke. The battle is over, the grounds are clear. Though scarred and bruised, we both shall live. But if we might touch, and hold each near, Maybe we will find the strength to forgive.

Friend Till The End, And Then Some By Cory Baker

Standing here, I feel so helpless. Standing here, I feel so selfish. And the only way that I can help is giving you my hand. I want to take your pain away; to bring some light into your gray; to be here for you; to simply sayI’m here; I understand. When the pain hits, I see your fear. I want so much to hold you near. I can’t help you; I shed a tear. When will her hurting end? But there’s nothing more that I can do, than to simply stay with you. I’ll stay until your hurting is through. I will be your man. And when this pain of yours is gone, I’ll stand by you. I’ll be strong. You’ll always have my help to call on. I will be your friend.

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The Masterpiece

By Cory Baker tand back behind the velvet rope and look at the lovely work of art. Admire the curves and lines, tones and highlights-beautiful though distant. You feel a warmth, sense a glow from the colors and shadows. This masterpiece, from this distance, appears perfect and flawless. Take a cautious step forward, past the safety of the ropes. You will begin to notice flaws and imperfections. You will perceive colors that don’t blend as fluidly, transitions that aren’t as natural as initially perceived. Notice the areas with no color at all. No brilliant light reflecting the perfect image from the safety of the partition. Look closer still. Look closely to the places where the deeper colors and tones cry out and demand your focus. Feel the pain, the sorrow, the elation and joy. Let it encompass you. Allow yourself to be drawn into it. Let it hold you, encapsulate you, suffocate you. Step closer. Sense it coming to life, becoming real; becoming a living, breathing, feeling entity, with incredible unnamable colors and blends. Reach out with a tentative finger. Feel the warmth. You are viewing more than just a pretty picture, this art is alive. Step closer. Study the canvas. Notice all the bumps and lines and blemishes. See how the colors blend and fold to make undefined hues, shadows upon shadows and light upon light. Lose yourself in the valleys and peaks brought to life by each stroke of the brush. Study every single millimeter, each one holds a complete work of art in itself. Each one contains its own story, its own picture, its own beauty. Step back slowly now. Combine the images; blend them; fold them together. Notice the brighter areas and the darker sections as they both cancel and intensify each other simultaneously. Attempt to concentrate on the blemishes and faults. Recognized easily when up close, the flaws now fade away from your view and yet help to ameliorate the image and amplify its beauty. The complete picture unfolds with each step back. Take it all in if you can, if you dare. Step back behind the rope once again. Take in every speck of color. Notice every drop of light. Feel every fold of shadow. Identify the blemishes and creases. Name the colors. Embrace the depth. Cherish the art. Appreciate it for what it is. Look beyond the original, flawless piece of art to be viewed from a safe distance. Less a pretty picture now, and more a beautiful work of art. A true masterpiece. Woman.

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Whisper in My Ear By Cory Baker

I came home and found you crying, someone told you, “You’re no good.” They continued by saying, “You’re so selfish, if you cared about us as at all, you would never do the things we say you shouldn’t, and act the way we say you should.” You scream into an empty room, “I did the best I could.” But there’s no response to your begging plea, just an echo in your head. You try to ignore the emptiness inside, put on your fake smile instead. The absence of love becomes too much, you wish that you were dead. The only time you’re honest with yourself is when you’re lying down for bed. You try to show them how much you’ve done, but they still think of you as a child. You try to go the distance for them, but they still want another mile. You try to share how much you are feeling, but they can’t discuss it for a while. You try to tell them you just can’t take it, but they just turn away and smile. Now I’ve come home and I am crying, crying for all your wasted years. Crying for the times you’ve ever lost hope, and any moments spent in fear. Crying for times you’ve felt used up, or your end was growing near. Crying for your time wasted shouting upon a deafened ear. You told them both, their lack of love, was more than you could bear. But they wouldn’t listen, and now they don’t know, of the love that you can share. And they still think of you as a child, because they were never there. To see you grow from girl to woman, and from carelessness to care. Then a stranger came into your life, and accepted your love so dear. He returned your love a thousand fold, you knew he was sincere. And when times come that you’re in doubt, Just remember he’s always near. And when you tire of screaming out, Just whisper in my ear.

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Nameless Warrior By Pete Stroup

he man stood in the middle of his home, with painted face and war-torn body, and gazed at his home with pride. He soon realized that this could likely be the last time he’d ever see his family. The man stood, motionless, seemingly devoid of emotion as he gave his home a final breath. The man was now nothing more than a large figured shell, sent into a war that was not his to fight. Years and years of endless battle for his family’s well being had taken this man’s mind and stretched and pulled and tore it beyond any further recognition. His enormous body was covered in the scars from years previous, his children would call the scars “freedom marks” because they knew what he was fighting for. Standing, silent, the man sees his youngest son standing directly to his right, without saying a word he shed a final tear for his son who will likely grow up without a father and walks away. The warrior remembers his first battle as a boy; no older than sixteen, he was what his mentor called a natural born killer. The man took the compliment as it was intended then; now he carries it as a burden, a heavy curse to be carried with him for the rest of his life, as long or short as that may be. Walking away from his home and towards his destiny he sees his reflection in a small puddle of water, taking a closer look he realizes that after years of endless fighting that his face was no longer defined by his strong features but rather the scars that hid them. The faceless warrior stood back up, gathered his belongings and his thoughts into his many holsters and sacks full of medicine and such that no white man has ever seen and walked on. Growing ever closer to his destination, or what the white men called the rally point to meet with his fellow warriors, he already began to miss home. He begins to weep, but quickly stops because a true warrior will never show emotion or so he’s been told. The ever-present whisper of the wind in the trees never seemed to say anything to him, but he still tried to hear them, to see if he might understand them someday. According to everyone in his tribe, the man was born to do this, no one has ever fought so bravely in battle upon battle for so many years as he. The man relied for so long upon himself for a sense of purpose, although he loved his family he realized that no one had a clear grasp on the man’s motivations or even his beliefs. Invasions plagued his poor village since the day he was born. The man grew up with one single motivation; to be a great warrior, like his father. Though somewhere along his life path his motivations seemed to subside, eventually it almost seemed as if he had no motivation whatsoever, instead he fought with pure animal instinct. Being compared to a vicious wildcat since his first massacre of another tribe when he was a young man, he would be swift and articulate in his fluid fighting technique. He would use his mind and piece together his strikes upon seemingly unsuspecting warriors from other tribes. Years would go by and his merciless ways would show nothing in his face, no emotion would ever be seen. Soon many years would pass, and the young boy grew into a man, his face now had its first scar. Above his right eye permanently rested a one-inch mark from a death match between he and the great warrior chief of another proud tribe. The warrior grew up bringing the end to the supremacies of countless villages and peoples. His home was the battlefield, his brother was his bow and he lived this way as long as he could remember. In the years of his prime his senses seemed heightened by a tenfold, he would wake up to the smell of cold dried blood left behind by his brotherhood of fallen tribesmen and think nothing of it. The man would leave his sympathy back in his own village; there was no time for mourning if the tribe was to ever flourish. The man gave no remorse to his victims and showed no grievance for his own fallen soldiers. The wildcat inside him had reformed the warriors’ view of right and wrong, up and down, every moral the man had been taught was gone, he was no longer a human being, but a beast with a thirst for spilling the blood of his adversaries. Years would pass and the ruthless warrior was beginning to feel the beast in him subside, the warrior now had to be a man because the warrior now had a family. The man had a responsibility to his family; he was a strong supporter for his wife and three children. The wildcat’s eyes began to glaze over and the beast was set to rest. The man had butchered more than fifty years of his life away, everyone told him it was time to bring his brutal nature to a close because now he had something to lose. The animal was resting inside him; he was calm for the first time in his life. The man felt content but still never was never happy but happiness can’t be something stumbled upon just because a good situation happens to fall into his lap. Soon all he would remember from his decorated past was what people would tell in stories around the

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Image courtesy of Eric Bonner

fire. Soon there was nothing inside him at all, the wildcat had died and the man was nothing more than a warrior who was too empty to tell what meaning his life had. The man realized that his life lied solely on the battlefield, which is where he claimed to have left his heart. His loving family who depended on him had no idea who that man was, the man would sit for days out in the wilderness and continue to try and hear what the trees were saying, and still heard nothing. Perhaps men of his nature were never meant to see the deeper side of things. And why should they? They are only meant for murder anyway. The man sat on his hill overlooking the village for many nights in a row, his face no longer had the ability to smile or frown, caught in an endless state of stoicism the man would sit over the village, never really watching but always looking down. On a calm spring night the man heard a loud crack as if an entire tree was split in half. Soon he heard many more and soon saw quick flashes of light coming from men who heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never seen before. He looked on astounded wondering what the men were doing; soon he realized that they were killing his people. That night seemed endless as the warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; people and the white-faced people fell continuously. Soon the white men began to leave, and the faceless warrior began to make his way down the hill. He was astounded by the number of bodies of friends and loved ones left across the cold ground. As quickly as the silver objects passed through his people the tribe declared war on the white men. Many of the warriors in the tribe were killed the first time the whites came. There were no more than twenty warriors left from the herd of more than two hundred. With that in mind the chief asked of anyone that was old enough to handle a knife and a bow to contribute to the war against these foreign peoples. The empty man was now to be a warrior again, after years of nothing the man was now being brought back into battle against an unknown enemy. In his early sixties, the man still had a warriorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physique and skill, but his mind was not in the correct order to go to war. Many thought of the man as crazy long before the attack. The new younger warriors all laughed at him, laughed at his old age, his decaying weapons. The young warriors never believed the stories told about the man. The man was gathering his belongings to go into battle days before they were set to leave and he still had no aspect of life inside him. The man was back on the trail to the battlefield, as he began to think of his children growing up without a father; he realized that they never had a father in the first place. As long as he has been there he was in no condition to ever call himself a father, as he walked to the frontline with bow and knife in hand he asked that his oldest son take care of his family in a fashion that was better than his. The first shot of the battle went off premature. Moments passed before another shot was taken, the stray bullet went through the chest of the man before the battle even started. As the man lay motionless on the ground he listened one last time to the trees and finally heard what they were saying. The deeper things in life reached the old warrior during his final breath as he heard the wind speaking through the trees. The trees would say numerous words of wisdom not of this world, but of the next. As his eyes glazed over he went calmly into the wide-open spaces of the next life.

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Thank you! Thank you to all the friends, family members, and contributors who helped us put together this massive issue! Thank you Kat Bonner for all of her artistic contributions. Thank you to Blanca Simandan for her photographic contributions during our day long holiday photo shoot. Thank you to all of our wonderful models; Ainsely and Cameron Roberts, Mia, Mason and Colin Gregory, Jon Coleman, Bella Bonner, and their wonderful parent’s for all their time and hard work! Thank you once again to the Columbus Museum of art for donating the gorgeous fabric by Stephanie Syjuco that was featured in our Thanksgiving photo spread. Thank you to our entire team for all of their hard work and dedication that was poured out into this issue. Thank you to our wonderful contributors and columnists for the great articles, poems, and stories you’ve all come up with. And most importantly thank you to all of our readers whom we have created this for! If you have an article, short story, poem, or piece of art celebrating healthy living or a goal you’ve achieved please share it with us through the Submit A Work section of our website! Want to be a part of our team? Check out our website for more info on open staff positions!

PALMER GROVE

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