April PineStraw 2025

take

author discusses the vital role of outdoor play in children's development.

Wednesday, April 9 7:00 PM

JUDSON THEATRE COMPANY

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

starring John Wesley Shipp (The Flash, Dawson's Creek, Guiding Light) and David A. Gregory (One Life to Live, The Good Fight) April 24 -27

Dr. Jess Cramp “The Untold Story of Sharks”

Explorers from the field live on stage

Tuesday, April 29 7:00 PM

Jaya Thompson's "Perspectives" captures the beauty, emotion, and spirit of the world through photography. His work transforms the familiar into the extraordinary, revealing the overlooked and reflecting the connection between traveler and place. Through April 17.

The acclaimed Comedy Hypnotist live on stage

Monday, May 5

7:00 PM SERIES

sandhills.edu/horticultural-gardens

Green with Envy - MONTHLY TOUR Thursday, April 10 • 10:00am

Container Gardening Fundamentals

Friday, April 11 • 10:00am

LSG Spring Bedding Public Plant Sale

Saturday, April 26 • 9:00am-1:00pm

I AM OSTEOSTRONG

“I joined OsteoStrong 18 months ago and my strength, stamina and balance have greatly improved. It has benefited my walking, practicing yoga and shag dancing. I look forward to my weekly sessions because I care about myself and improving my health.”

I’m Linda Wheeler Gurnik and I am OSTEOSTRONG!

Anyone

Individuals

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $1,350,000 157 JAMES DRIVE

Impressive 4 BR / 4 BA WATERFRONT home on popular Lake Auman with big water views! Home was built by Yates Hussey and the outstanding quality shows throughout. Layout is spacious with fine lake front living on two levels!

• $449,000

Charming 3 BR / 2.5 BA home situated on a generous lot in Village Acres. Floorplan is bright and open with a secluded and spacious primary suite, great three-season enclosed porch and back deck overlooking the private back yard.

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $385,000 108 VANORE ROAD

Adorable 3 BR / 2 BA home located on a quiet street in 7LW. The interior is bright and open with a formal dining room, nice kitchen and large primary bedroom. Home has been extensively updated to include fresh paint, new carpet, new roof and sealed crawlspace.

SEVEN LAKES NORTH• $432,000 144 CARDINAL LANE

Quiet 3 BR / 2 BA WATERFRONT home on Big Juniper Lake offering privacy and tranquility for the discriminating buyer. Home has been almost totally renovated and is priced for a quick sale! Don’t miss this opportunity to own a beautiful home on the water!

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $1,090,000 105 BANCROFT COURT

Stunning 4 BR / 4.5 BA GOLF FRONT estate overlooking the 4th green of Beacon Ridge CC. Home has been meti105culously maintained and showcases fine finishes throughout - a gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, main level owner’s suite with private sitting area and sweeping staircase to name a few!

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $779,000 113 ANDREWS DRIVE

Enjoy spectacular, panoramic water views from this beautiful WATERFRONT lot on Lake Auman. The dock has already been built and there is a concrete bulkhead. The only thing missing is your waterfront dream home!

PINEHURST • $559,000

290 LAKE FOREST DRIVE

Appealing 3 BR / 2.5 BA home in the popular Lake Pinehurst area. Floorplan is spacious with lots of natural light and all on one level! Hardwood flooring in main living area, beautiful kitchen with keeping room and a fabulous Carolina room. Home has been well cared for and in great condition.

FOXFIRE • $478,500 4 BERMUDA CIRCLE

Attractive 4 BR / 3 BA GOLF FRONT home along par 3, 8th hole of Foxfire’s Red Fox course. Built in 2019, the layout is spacious with a nice upper-level living space that could be an in-law suite or a great guest retreat, the possibilities are endless!

SOUTHERN PINES • $495,000 34 TALAMORE DRIVE

Lovely 2 BR / 2.5 BA GOLF FRONT home situated on the 11th hole of the Talamore golf course. Home is all on one level, well maintained and surrounded by mature landscaping for privacy. Ideal as a primary residence, a golf getaway or as an investment property!

IN MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

Luxury Properties

The Gentry Team at Re/Max Prime Properties - Business as Usual

The Gentry Team has historically been the #1 real estate team in Moore County and remains committed to that legacy. While the Casino Building has a new owner, it is business as usual for this group of real estate professionals. The Gentry Team will be in the Casino Building for at least another year while we consider other locations for our office. They realize that YOU - their clients, neighbors, and friends - remain their top priority, and they look forward to serving you for years to come. The company’s foundation remains the same as it has for over 35 years, helping locals and newcomers find their place in the Pines.

About The Gentry Team

The Gentry Team has been a trusted name in real estate for over 35 years, offering a wide range of services from residential and commercial sales to property management and investment opportunities. With a deep understanding of the local market and commitment to excellence, The Gentry Team continues to be a pillar in the community and a leader in the real estate industry.

Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

April 2025

Greedy

by Valerie Nieman

Call of the Wild By Claudia

Create your own native wildflower garden 74 Glorious Restoration By Ross Howell Jr. A Reynolda landmark is reborn 81 Be Our Guest By Jason Oliver Nixon Creating the perfect guest bedroom Madcap Cottage style

82 Strormy Seas By Jim Moriarty Judson theater presents The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

DEPARTMENTS

15 Simple Life By Jim Dodson 22 PinePitch 27 Tea Leaf Astrologer By Zora Stellanova 29 The Omnivorous Reader By Anne Blythe

Bookshelf 37 Hometown By Bill Fields 38 Character Study By Tony Rothwell

Dissecting a Cocktail By Tony Cross

Focus on Food By Rose Shewey

Pleasures of Life By Ron Johnson 53 Out of the Blue By Deborah Salomon

55 Birdwatch By Susan Campbell

56 The Naturalist By Todd Pusser 61 Golftown Journal By Lee Pace

PINEHURST TOYOTA

2025 TOYOTA COROLLA HYBRID

Thanks to your support, we have won: Best of The Pines 2024 #1 Dealership Service Department. Schedule your appointment today to experience #1 Service

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MAGAZINE

Volume 21, No. 4

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Keith Borshak, Senior Designer

Alyssa Kennedy, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Emilee Phillips, Digital Content emilee@pinestrawmag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Stephen E. Smith

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Gessner, Laura L. Gingerich, Diane McKay, Tim Sayer CONTRIBUTORS

Jenna Biter, Anne Blythe, Tom Bryant, Susan Campbell, Bill Case, Tony Cross, Brianna Rolfe Cunningham, Mart Dickerson, Bill Fields, Tom Maxwell, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Deborah Salomon, Scott Sheffield, Rose Shewey, Angie Tally, Kimberly Daniels Taws, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Walshe, Claudia Watson, Amberly Glitz Weber

ADVERTISING SALES

Samantha Cunningham, Advertising Director 910.693.2505

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

Christy Phillips, 910.693.2498

Ginny Trigg, 910.693.2481

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancy PS

Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497

Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488

SUBSCRIPTIONS 910.693.2488

OWNERS

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, David Woronoff

In memoriam Frank Daniels Jr.

145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.pinestrawmag.com

©Copyright 2025 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC

COMING SOON!

Golden Corral, the nation’s go-to buffet for quality, variety and value, is introducing a fresh way for guests to enjoy its most popular dishes: Golden Corral Favorites. This new fast-casual concept offers a selection of the brand’s signature foods in a streamlined, quick-service format, delivering the same great flavors with added convenience. The first location is scheduled to open in Southern Pines in April 2025.

A Spring Awakening

And a journey from darkness to light

By Jim DoDsoN

I celebrate April’s return every year because it’s the month that a divine awakening changed my life.

It was 1980. I was the senior writer of Atlanta Weekly, the Sunday magazine of the Journal-Constitution, the oldest newspaper magazine in the nation. It was probably the best writing gig in the South. Over the previous three years, I’d covered everything from presidential politics to murders in the “City Too Busy to Hate,” as Atlanta liked to promote itself in those days.

anchor at WSB-TV. We shared an old, brick house near the east-side entrance to Piedmont Park. Our weekend routine was to have a glass of wine and watch Saturday Night Live when Hank got home from the studio before midnight.

On that fateful night, waiting for a call from Bob Stivers’ death crew, as I was standing in the darkness of our backyard, waiting for my dog, Magee, to do her business, I saw a car pull up beside our neighbor’s house. We were friendly with the Emory med students who lived there.

One minute I was interviewing a grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama, the next riding along with the Repo King of Atlanta as he repossessed cars in the city’s most dangerous federal housing project, a shotgun on the seat of his truck. I’d also written several pieces about young women from the South who were drawn to Atlanta’s bright lights only to wind up murdered or missing.

Looking back, though I didn’t realize it then, I was in search of an answer to a question that had no answer.

Three years before I snagged that job, Kristin, my girlfriend back home in North Carolina, was murdered in a botched holdup by three teenage boys at a Hickory steakhouse where she worked as the weekend hostess. I’d left Kristin on a beautiful October Sunday after making plans to get married and move with her to England, where she had a job as an understudy awaiting her in London’s West End.

The low point of my Atlanta odyssey came on a hot July night in 1979. I was working on a cover story about Bob Stivers, the city’s famous medical examiner, whose forensic sleuthing reportedly inspired the popular TV show Quincy. The week before that Saturday night, I’d watched half a dozen autopsies at the ME’s elbow, equally mesmerized and horrified. When Stivers invited me to ride along with the squad that picked up murder victims, I jumped at the chance. Saturday nights were particularly busy in the city that had recently been declared America’s “Murder Capital.”

My new fiancée, Hank Phillippi, was the nighttime weekend

As I watched, a man emerged from the backseat of the car and calmly walked to our neighbor’s backdoor and knocked. A med student still in scrubs opened the door. There was a brief exchange of words, followed by two gunshots. The medical student collapsed on the ground. The assailant bolted for the running car, which sped away.

By the time I reached his side, a young woman from the house was screaming hysterically. I asked her to fetch me a couple towels and call 911.

Fortunately, at that moment, Hank arrived home. She took charge and phoned the police as I cradled the wounded man in my lap, attempting to keep him conscious. He died 15 minutes before cops arrived. “We get drug hits like this every weekend,” the cop said.

I chose not to follow the victim’s body down to the city morgue.

The next morning, though, as I was walking Magee, I heard a chapel bell in the distance softly chiming “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds,” one of my favorite hymns since childhood. Tears filled my eyes.

As Hank slept in, I fetched a cup of coffee, sat on our front steps taking stock of my life, and suddenly realized what was missing. I hadn’t been to church in five years.

I got dressed and went to services at the historic All Saints’ Episcopal Church downtown, famous for feeding the homeless and never locking its front doors. The rector, a wonderful man named Harry Pritchett, gave a powerful sermon about how God finds us in the darkness when we least expect it. It felt like he — or maybe God himself — was speaking directly to me.

Not only did I begin attending All Saints’ regularly, but also

made a decision in favor of writing stories that enriched life rather than revealed its dark side. I even set my mind on attending seminary, until a wise old Bishop from Alabama named Bill Stough, the editor of the Bishop’s Fund for World Relief, convinced me to follow a “ministry closer to your heart,” as he put it. “You are a born writer,” he said. “You can serve the Lord better by writing about life than becoming a parish priest.”

Not long after that harrowing summer night, Hank and I called off our engagement, but have remained dear friends for more than 45 years.

As for me, that following April while working on a sample story about youth baseball tryouts, I ventured over to a rundown ball field in my midtown neighborhood, where a desperate league director convinced me to take on the coach-less Orioles. They were a wild bunch, many of whom lived in Federal housing. This was during the peak days of the “Missing and Murdered” crisis affecting Atlanta’s Black teens. I made a deal with my team’s families to drive them home after all games and practices.

I also made a deal with my rambunctious “Birds”: If they played hard and behaved like gentlemen, I would buy them all milkshakes after winning games.

They took the offer to heart. We won the Midtown League Championship in a romp that season, which convinced me to stick around Atlanta for one more year. We went undefeated for a second time. It only cost me 200–300 milkshakes.

I never wrote another crime story again.

Crazy as it sounds, almost a year to the day later, I woke on an April night to find Kristin standing beside my bed. She looked radiant. I thought I must be dreaming, but she was so lifelike, especially when she smiled and spoke. “Pook,” she said, using her pet name for me, “it’s time for you to leave here and go north. That’s where you’ll find what you are looking for. I’ll always love you.”

Days later, I resigned from the magazine, turned down what might have been a dream job in Washington, and headed for a trout stream in Vermont.

God, Kristin and my baseball team found me in the darkness when I least expected it.

It’s been a wonderful life ever since. PS

Editor’s note: Today, Hank Phillippi Ryan has collected multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards for her groundbreaking consumer, on-air journalism. She is also a celebrated investigative on-air reporter based in Boston and author of 15 bestselling psychological thrillers — winner of five Agatha Awards. The woman knows a thing or two about human darkness..

Jim Dodson is the founding editor of O.Henry. His 17th book, The Road That Made America: A Modern Pilgrim Travels the Great Wagon Road, will be published by Avid Reader Press and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Find his weekly writings and musings at jwdauthor.substack.com.

45 CHESTERTOWN DRIVE - FOREST CREEK

Prestigious gated community. Top of the line throughout, wine cellar and much more.

$2,950,000 - GOLF FRONT

30 MEDLIN ROAD - OLD TOWN

New construction. High end, open floor plan, game room, first floor Master Suite.

$1,395,000 - OLD TOWN

84 POMEROY DRIVE - PINEWILD

Desirable Pinewild, overlooks Gary Player designed 5th green, all brick, quality custom.

$885,000 - PINEWILD

8 INTERLACHON LANE - PINEHURST NO 6

Floor to ceiling windows, family room, fireplace, Carolina room, heated and cooled workshop.

$699,000 - PENDING

112 ERIN HILLS - PINEHURST

Pinehurst NO 5, expansive and multiple golf views, high end renovation, electric fireplace.

$464,000 - GOLF FRONT

255 CHEROKEE ROAD - PINEHURST

Old Town Historic Village. Totally renovated, separate mother-in-law suite. 4 car garage.

$2,295,000 - PENDING

535 DONALD ROSS DRIVE - PINEHURST

Custom brick home, large open sun filled rooms, hardwood floors, deck, pond, private.

$995,000 - DONALD ROSS DRIVE

160 THUNDERBIRD LANE - GOLF FRONT

Pinehurst NO 5, private, mid modern, accordion glass doors, Bertazzoni appliances.

$730,000 - SOLD

509 COTTAGE LANE

Soaring ceilings, large open spaces, natural light floods every room, Carolina room, deck.

$500,000 - SOLD

201 LAKEVIEW - PINEHURST

Large living room, fireplace, community in-ground pool, balcony, views of NO 5 course. Views of Pinehurst No 5 Course and Lake Pinehurst.

$439,000 - CONDO

Owens Auditorium, SCC presents Reserve your seat today!

RipplesOF SPRING

Journey from the serene meadows of Copland’s Appalachian Spring to majestic skies of Sibelius’s Finlandia, culminating in the lyrical depths of Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No 1, featuring the artistry of Suuvi, a Cuban-Chinese cellist whose genre-spanning music blends classical mastery with contemporary innovation.

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | 7:30 PM

PinePitch

Just Hanging Around

The Arts Council of Moore County opens its exhibit “Palustris: Nature’s Narrative” on Friday, April 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Campbell House galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The paintings will hang until April 25. If you need more info, call (910) 692-2787. Five miles away there will be an opening reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen, for the show “Light and Color: A Love Affair with the Sandhills,” featuring the work of Jennifer Walker. For additional information go to www. artistleague.org.

Jazzy Sunday

The Come Sunday Jazz Series will feature John Brown on Sunday, April 27, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Bassist, composer, producer, actor and educator, Brown is a native of Fayetteville. He has performed for President and Mrs. Barack Obama and appeared with artists like Wynton, Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis, Elvin Jones, Diahann Carroll, Rosemary Clooney, Cedar Walton and Nicholas Payton. He received a Grammy nomination for his performance and co-writing Nnenna Freelon’s 1995 Shaking Free. Brown has taught at Duke University since 2001 and is currently the director of the jazz program and professor of the practice of music. For additional information visit www.weymouthcenter.org.

Shark Week

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series will feature National Geographic Explorer and marine biologist Dr. Jess Cramp speaking about “The Untold Story of Sharks” on Tuesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., in the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Dr. Camp is a shark researcher specializing in conservation policy and engaging communities in ocean management. She co-championed a grass-roots campaign that resulted in formation of the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary in 2012, an area exceeding 770,000 square miles. She is the founder and executive director of Sharks Pacific, a nonprofit organization that conducts research, outreach and advocacy throughout the Pacific Islands region. Dr. Cramp was named an AAAS If/Then Ambassador, a program created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to bring together 125 women from different science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers to serve as role models for middle school girls. For more information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Boogie Walk & Belly Roll

Indulge your inner Myrtle Beach Ocean Drive at the Moore Area Shag Society’s monthly dance on Saturday, April 5, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Down Memory Lane, 161 Dawkins St., Aberdeen. The doors open at 6:30, and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For information call (919) 345-4105.

Dig In

Spring in Your Step

Southern Pines’ annual Springfest Arts & Crafts Fair will be held April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two blocks on both sides of Broad Street will be closed to accommodate the food, games, rides, music and 160 vendors offering art, jewelry, photography, woodworking and more. Kids ages 3-12 can sign up for bicycle, tricycle and electric car races in front of the Sunrise Theater. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the races at 11. For additional info call (910) 692-7376.

Petunias, begonias, marigolds, oh my! It’s all on sale at the annual Landscape Gardening program’s spring bedding plant sale on Saturday, April 26, at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. All plants are grown and cared for in greenhouses by students in preparation for the sale. Proceeds support the SCC gardening program. For more information go to www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

Burnin’ Up

Starworks is holding a two-day celebration of the Promethean arts, starting Friday, April 4, through Saturday, April 5. We’re talking hot stuff here. The creative contribution of fire is featured in tours, workshops, demonstrations, guest artists and food trucks. Ok, so the artists and trucks aren't actually on fire. Both days finish with live music. Friday’s slate begins at 1 p.m. and features a “Kids Draw It, We Make It” glass demonstration. The Saturday events begin at 9 a.m. The live bands pack it in at 10 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $10. Workshops are extra. Gather at the Starworks Café & Taproom, 100 Russell Dr., Star. For the full schedule and all costs visit www.StarworksNC.org/Firefest.

Home & Garden Tour

The 77th Annual Home & Garden Tour sponsored by the Southern Pines Garden Club is Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are available online prior to April 5 or in person on the day of by going to the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities or to one of three locations, Birdwood Cottage or The English Cottage in Southern Pines or Twin Willows in Pinehurst. Cost is $25 in advance and $30 on tour day. The online address for tickets is https://www.tickettailor.com/events/spgc/1564777.

Get Your Motor Running

The 4th Annual Corvette Club Show will be on Saturday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Sandhills Community College Automotive Technical Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. There will be prizes, music, food trucks, oohs and aahs. Vote for best in show. April 27 will serve as the rain date. For additional information go to www.corvettesofsandhills.com.

April at Weymouth Center

Also, this month at Weymouth Center: « April 5, 9:00 am Dirt Gardeners Plant Sale

April 1, 5:30 pm: Author Event: Kelly Mustian

April 6, 4:00pm: Poetry by the Pond

April 15, 2:00 pm: James Boyd Book Club: Light at the Seam by Joseph Bathanti

April 13, 2:00 pm

Chamber Sessions Series: Tong-Sheppard Duo «

April 18, 5:00 pm: Meet The Author, James D. Walters

April 21, 9:30am: Women of Weymouth, Kym Nixon of Changing Destinies Ministry

April 23, 4:00 pm: Poetry Slam Jam

April 27, 2:00 pm: Come Sunday Jazz Series: John Brown

April 29, 6:00 pm: Song Circle Jam Session

Saturday MAY 3, 2025

BBQ, BOURBON & BLUEGRASS

DERBY DAY BARNRAISER

BUILDING ON TRADITION.

Born in the Hudson Valley, New York, and raised in Pinehurst, North Carolina, her journey has taken her from Asheville to Charleston, Chicago, The Berkshires, and most recently, New York City. Each place has shaped her experiences and perspective, but nowhere has ever felt more like home than Pinehurst. Now, she’s excited to return and contribute to her family’s legacy as the newest real estate agent with MLV Properties.

Growing up in a family of real estate professionals, Angela understands that being a Realtor® is more than just buying and selling homes—it’s about building relationships, understanding clients’ needs, and helping them find the perfect place to call home. With experience in both bustling cities and tight-knit communities, she brings a unique perspective to serving Pinehurst and its surrounding areas. By blending her background with her family’s values, she’s ready to make a lasting impact and continue the tradition of excellence.

Where Family and Real Estate Come Together

Aries

(March 21 – April 19)

Just as genius requires a touch of madness, passion requires a touch of grace. When Mercury enters your sign on April 16, don’t be surprised to find yourself in an argument sparked by your own bluntness. On that note, this month is a good time to deepen your meditation practice. Don’t have one? Try listening to the sound of water, taking a cold shower, or candle-gazing. At month’s end, Venus in Aries amplifies your natural urge to take initiative in pursuits of the heart. Remember, sometimes the poison becomes the medicine.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Two words: mud mask.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Decline the deviled eggs.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Let your eyes do the talking.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Sign up for the workshop.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Relax the muscles in your face.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

It’s time for a fresh perspective.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Eat your spinach.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Go fly a kite.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Keep your bag packed.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Plant your feet directly on the earth.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Splurge for the one you really want. PS

Zora Stellanova has been divining with tea leaves since Game of Thrones’ Starbucks cup mishap of 2019. While she’s not exactly a medium, she’s far from average. She lives in the N.C. foothills with her Sphynx cat, Lyla.

Every morning that you wake up in a pest-free home is a good morning. And the easiest way to ensure that stress-free feeling?

MORTGAGES IN ALL 50 STATES

Mountain Thriller

Murder in the Grove Park Inn

By A nne Blythe

Ifyou’re someone who likes to armchair travel through the pages of a good book, Terry Roberts, a native of the North Carolina mountains, has a thriller of a journey for you.

In The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape, Roberts transports his readers to the luxurious Grove Park Inn, a stately and historic resort in Asheville that serves as the dark yet alluring backdrop for a murder mystery that exposes the tiers of a justice system that doesn’t always treat the wealthy and the poor equally.

The book starts with a bang when a nameless man standing near a tousled bed pulls out a pearl-handled derringer, shoots a naked college girl and leaves her on the thick, soft carpet to die in a pool of her own blood.

We quickly meet Stephen Baird Robbins in his home in Hot Springs, 30 miles downriver from Asheville. He’s a twice-married, once-divorced and once-widowed man who has stood trial twice for murder and been acquitted both times.

It’s October 1924, and Robbins, a retired investigator with a reputation for solving seemingly unsolvable crimes, is living a somewhat relaxed existence in a rental home with Luke, his 3-yearold son whose mother died in childbirth. Life had dealt them some wounds and bruises, but Robbins and his two neighbors were optimistic that together, they could raise Luke to adulthood.

When Robbins received a letter on fancy stationery from Benjamin Loftis, owner of the Grove Park Inn, trying to stir him out of his secluded piece of the world, he balled it up and threw it in the fireplace. Loftis persevered, first with a telegram telling Robbins his “presence is required due to a matter of some urgency,” and then with a personal follow-up in a chauffeur-driven trip to Hot Springs.

Loftis, a “newspaperman, chemist, pharmaceutical manufacturer, self-styled architect and — this is important —hotel man,” gave his pitch to Robbins. The hotel’s renown was in jeopardy after a college girl was found dead in one of the plush rooms.

“So in sum, you have a murder on your hands, and not just any murder, but the worst kind — a supposedly innocent young woman,” Robbins responds to Loftin. “The publicity is killing you. Two weeks have gone by and the sheriff hasn’t been able to nail anybody for it and you are getting desperate.” Robbins, a character who has appeared in two previous books by Roberts, let the hotel owner know from the start that he might not like the results.

“I want the murderer caught and punished, so that the inn’s reputation will remain unsullied,” Loftin responds.

Thus begins a tale that takes Robbins, who describes himself as “hill born and runaway” with “rarely two bills in my wallet to rub together,” to a resort where a man of his socioeconomic background is rarely a favored guest. Given wide access to the large granite stone inn described as “the finest pile of rocks ever built,” in October, “when fall began to wrap its cold hands around the

mountains,” Robbins checks into the third floor hotel room next door to the murder scene.

The cast of characters includes an array of hotel workers and well-heeled guests such as judges, politicians and other townspeople who want to mingle and be seen among the wealthy travelers seeking retreat.

The hotel workers, its dining room servers, front desk managers and dutiful housekeepers are an interesting lot. The hotel itself, with all its corridors, luxurious amenities and nooks and crannies, becomes its own character.

Then there are the “girls” — the young women brought in to “keep the party lively” for events that might draw mostly men and a few bored wives. Robbins, a tenacious investigator with a knack for building rapport with the working people, has no qualms about standing up to the powerful. He is determined to find out who killed Rosalind Caldwell, or “Rosie,” as the locals called the young woman found dead in the hotel.

“Perhaps only Stephen Robbins could do what must be done here,” Roberts writes in his acknowledgements thanking the character for yet another appearance in one of his books. “After all, this is a book about prostitution and politics — a timely topic — and it required a hard hand and true voice to find justice.”

The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape is about social status, privilege, racial injustices a wrongful arrest and a forthright observation that things are not always as they seem, even if that’s what the wider community wants you to believe. In fast-moving, descriptive prose, Roberts takes readers on a pursuit filled with danger and love that reveals the deaths of two other young women found lifeless in circumstances eerily similar to Rosie’s.

These were not the sort of women whose deaths would typically draw big headlines in Prohibition Era Asheville, Robbins notes. Their bodies were not discovered in a fancy hotel, nor did they come from the well-to-do neighborhoods of the town’s rich and famous.

Even if there are enough clues to figure out the likely killer long before the story ends, Roberts is adept at pulling his readers through to the conclusion to find out whether or not there will be justice for these victims. It’s an entertaining pursuit, a journey to another place and another time well worth taking. PS

Anne Blythe has been a reporter in North Carolina for more than three decades covering city halls, higher education, the courts, crime, hurricanes, ice storms, droughts, floods, college sports, health care and many wonderful characters who make this state such an interesting place.

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FICTION

Heartwood, by Amity Gaige

April Books

NONFICTION

In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is 42-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping. Beverly, the determined Maine state game warden tasked with finding Valerie, leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a 76-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.

Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. They’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years, the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives — tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied and scandalous families of the 20th century. Margaret has invited them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story. But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story, pieces they can’t swap or put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room. And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story — just like Margaret’s — could be a mystery, tragedy or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

Making the Best of What’s Left: When We’re Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered, by Judith Viorst

In a career that has spanned more than 50 years, Viorst has captivated readers with her bestselling children’s books and collections of poetry. Now in her 90s, she writes about life’s “Final Fifth,” those who are 80 to 100 years old. Her signature blend of humor and vulnerability infuses personal anecdotes and observations, drawing you into her world of memories and candid conversations. She discusses the afterlife (she doesn’t believe in it, but if it exists, she hopes her sister-in-law isn’t there). And she explores the late-in-life meanings of wisdom and happiness, second chances and home. With a wit that defies age, Viorst navigates the terrain between grief and levity that will resonate with those in their Final Fifth as well as anyone who has parents, relatives or friends in their 80s and beyond.

Boat Baby: A Memoir, by Vicky Nguyen

Starting in 1975, Vietnam’s “boat people” fled the Communist government and violence in their country any way they could, usually by boat across the South China Sea. Nguyen and her family were among them. Attacked at sea by pirates before reaching a refugee camp in Malaysia, her family survived on rations and waited months until they were sponsored to go to America. But deciding to leave and start a new life in a new country is only half the story; figuring out how to be American is the other. Boat Baby is about growing up in America with unconventional Vietnamese parents who didn’t always know how to bridge the cultural gaps. It’s a childhood filled with misadventures and misunderstandings. Nguyen’s parents approached life with the attitude, “Why not us?” In the face of prejudice, they taught her to be gritty and resilient, skills she used as she combatted stereotyping throughout her career, fending off the question “Aren’t you Connie Chung?” to become a leading Asian American journalist on television.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Frank and Bert: The One with the Missing Cookies, by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Best friends don’t get much more adorable than Frank and Bert. They’ve played hide-and-seek (kind of), learned to ride a bike (with only a few uh-ohs), and now they’re going on a picnic with fingers crossed for no rain, no wasps, and no scary squirrels. A fun read-together on a springtime picnic. (Ages 3-6.)

My First Lift-the-Flap Fairy Tales, by Ingela Arrhenius

Just what did Jack trade for those magic beans? What destruction did Goldilocks wreak upon the three bears? Find out this and much more in this retro-cool lift-the-flap collec tion of classic nursery rhymes that

The Cartoonists Club, by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

A graphic novel that is both a friendship story and the perfect choice for budding comics, artists, storytellers and all-around creative kids, readers of The Cartoonists Club can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures. (Ages 9-12.)

A Burning in the Bones 3, by Scott Reintgen

Fantasy, thriller and adventure all wrapped up in one, the Waxways series is the perfect choice for tweens looking for something slightly more sophisticated. Book 1 was a survival thriller, book 2 a political chess match, and now book 3 is a plague story laced with complicated warfare that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Don’t miss this thrilling conclusion to

Where Community and Active Living Meet

Introducing Penick Village’s Newest Expansion, designed to elevate your way of living.

Comfortable Living Spaces: Step into comfort with our 44 beautifully designed Independent Living residences, each thoughtfully crafted to provide you with a home that’s as comfortable as it is stylish.

Village Pavilion: In our state-of-the-art wellness building, you can engage in various activities, including Pickleball, personal training, and an overall focus on your health and wellness.

Comprehensive Healthcare: The Terrace, our health services building, enhanced and renovated, providing exceptional personalized care tailored to your needs.

Welcoming Community: Enter through our updated Welcome House, a space designed to safely welcome you, and your guests, into our community.

Penick Village invites you to join our community, where we’re not just redefining retirement living, we’re elevating it to new heights.

Learn more about our community , where you have the freedom to focus on your wellness and relationships while living life to its fullest . Contact us today. Call (910) 692-0300 , email info@penickvillage1964.org , or scan the QR code to learn more.

Cleats and Reels

A boy’s spring outfit

By Bill Fields

I was a boy of two minds when the temperatures warmed up and the days got longer.

Spring brought baseball, of course, as it did for many kids of my generation. I’d read reports in the newspaper about the Citrus and Cactus leagues. Promos for the game of the week would show up on television. My friends and I would ready our arms in the backyard. Would this be the year I learned how to throw a curveball? Growing feet meant a new pair of cleats, which without question would allow me to run the bases faster and cover more ground as an infielder. The hopes of an aspiring ballplayer at the dawn of a new season are many.

But as things began to bloom outside our house in Southern Pines — white dogwood at the top of the driveway, azaleas of several colors on either side of the front door — my mind also was on fishing.

No doubt my father took me with him to an area pond when I was too young to remember it. Even if an outing ended with a bare stringer, he went home happy, the weight of everyday life seeming to have lessened a bit with every cast — the cigarettes and beers probably played a part too.

In my earliest, vague recollections of fishing, I am holding a bamboo pole and doing my best to follow Dad’s instructions to pay attention to the movement of the cork signifying a snacking sunfish below the surface. (Despite the fact that most of our “corks” were white and red plastic spheres, we never called them anything else.)

With rare exceptions, our fishing dreams were much bigger than our catches. Curt Gowdy, the marlin-catching host of The American Sportsman on ABC, had nothing to fear. We never needed to look and see if there was a taxidermist listed in the Moore County phone book.

Once, casting a purple worm off a dock at Badin Lake, Dad caught a largemouth weighing 3 or 4 pounds. The size of his smile as he posed for a picture looked as if he’d landed a lunker.

That same trip I hooked a large carp, but it wriggled away before I could lift it out of the water and document the catch.

Our best haul came late one afternoon at a private farm pond in Eagle Springs on the property of one of Dad’s schoolmates. Going for bream, earthworms were the customary bait. Occasionally, Dad would splurge for a couple dozen crickets. But for this trip, we were armed with a special bait, a jar of catalpa worms.

They were velvety, brightly colored creatures that appeared every couple of years on a tree in our yard. Once harvested, we’d store them, much to Mom’s displeasure, in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. Threaded on our No. 8 hooks in Eagle Springs, the catalpa worms worked like magic. We caught dozens of bream bigger than one of Dad’s large hands on an angling day like no other.

Fishing was mostly about the preparation and the quest. Dad had an old aluminum tackle box that opened to reveal two rows of slots to hold hooks and lures. I pored over its contents between fishing outings, envisioning a healthy bass being attracted to one of the topwater plugs. I graduated from a bamboo pole to a hand-me-down rod and reel from my father.

It was a big occasion when I had saved enough of my allowance money to walk into Tate’s Hardware and buy a Zebco Model 33 spincast reel. Buying a Zebco 33 was a rite of passage, like getting your first pocketknife.

The Zebco 33 was a revolutionary design when R.D. Hull invented it in the 1950s, when it sold for a whopping price of $19.50. With the monofilament line enclosed in a metal cover and featuring a push-button action, the design was backlash proof and easy to cast.

Appropriately equipped, I at least looked the part. A Zebco 33 did everything but make a fish bite what was at end of your line. PS

Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent.

A Sandhills Treasure

Leading from behind the podium

By tony Rothwell

As the last note dies away, Anne Dorsey turns to face the audience. She bows, then turns back to face the chorus, sweeping a hand from one side of the stage to the other, passing on the applause to every singer and musician in the Moore County Choral Society. It’s a love affair that has lasted 22 years.

On April 27, the Moore County Choral Society will hold its 50th anniversary concert in the Robert E. Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School. Dorsey has wielded the baton in very nearly half of them. Befitting the occasion, the Choral Society will be joined by a professional chorus, local high school choruses, the Arc of Moore County Joyful Noise and a full orchestra.

Dorsey will have chosen a program with a careful balance between old favorites and new, or lesser-known, pieces — perhaps from a different country or in a foreign language — adding up to a memorable performance. It’s what she has done, time and time again.

To get the chorus to where it needs to be, rehearsal after rehearsal, Dorsey’s approach depends on the situation, but humor is her main weapon. She is witty, quick with words, and has an infectious smile that radiates from behind the podium. And the chorus works hard for those smiles. One place you don’t want to be is on the end of her black look. It happens when she has just told a section, or indeed the whole chorus, precisely what she is expecting — a clean cutoff at the end of a phrase or a particular vowel pronunciation — and it is not delivered. It’s a well-practiced skill she developed studying with the legendary, and fear-inducing, Dr. Lara Hoggard and the Carolina Choir at UNC-Chapel Hill.

“Choir was everything,” she says of her undergrad days. “I never missed. I was never late. I wanted to be like him.”

Born in Rockingham, Dorsey sang her first solo at the age of 3 in a recital in Ellerbe. In junior high school she sang alto, “because I could read music and hear a harmony part which

helped me develop a musical ear,” she says. Inspired by the Carolina Choir, it was during her high school years in Henderson that Dorsey decided she wanted to be a school choral director.

“I heard them sing and I’d never heard anything like that sound,” she says. “I wanted to be part of it and learn how to make it.”

With a music education degree from UNC in one hand and a teaching certificate in the other, Dorsey moved to Moore County in the fall of 1977, too late to land a teaching position, but not too late to be hired by organist Paul Long at the Community Congregational Church of Southern Pines as choir director. “The ink was still wet on my diploma, and I got a job with a Juilliard genius,” says Dorsey. At roughly the same time she discovered the Moore County Choral Society, then in its infancy, and joined as a member under Dr. Armand Kitto. It was the beginning of an incredible 48-year relationship.

Dorsey did finally get that teaching job — in the Hoke County School System. Over the course of her career as an educator, she taught grades 4-12 and did children’s choir work at church and in the community. “Every grade, every class and every student taught me something — probably more than I taught them,” she says.

In the spring of 2002, Dorsey filled in for John Shannon, then the conductor of the Moore County Choral Society, and upon his resignation she was offered the job of director. She found that working with adults is both the same and different from working with young people.

“I sometimes forget who I am dealing with, but I have largely been forgiven for that,” she says with a smile. “I have certainly been stretched, and I have, in turn, tried to stretch those who sing with MCCS. No year should lack musical challenge; no season should be without something new, something difficult, something different, and also be appealing to our audiences.”

Chris Dunn, executive director of The Arts Council of Moore County and a brass trumpeter in MCCS, says, “As a musician who has played many concerts with Anne, I marvel at how nothing seems to faze her. One example was at the beginning of a concert the entire brass section missed an entrance. Anne turned to us with a stern look but continued conducting as if everything

was fine. We can laugh about it now, but not then.”

Twenty-two seasons bring with them a sense of perspective. “The talented members of MCCS have brought fine choral art to the Sandhills for half a century,” says Dorsey. “The conductors — only five of them in 50 years — have been blessed with hardworking singers whose talent and passion for choral music have been freely shared year after year to bring beauty to our audiences. I believe that arts organizations enrich the communities they serve. What an honor it is to be part of one so fine.”

tiniest details of a piece — the dynamics, phrasing, tempo, style — because therein lies the beauty.”

At the April concert, the Anne Dorsey Scholarships, now in their 36th year, will be awarded to two gifted Moore County students who intend to study music beyond their high school years, a fitting reminder of Dorsey’s roots in music education.

“I look at a piece of music like a sculptor looks at a slab of marble,” she says. “It is beautiful but it doesn’t speak. The artist must shape it, refine it, and polish it until its beauty shines and is unforgettable. My favorite job as a conductor is to dig into the

A beauty she has revealed for over two decades, and counting. PS

Tony Rothwell, a Brit, came to Washington, D.C., to work in the hotel industry in 1987 and moved to Pinehurst with his bride, Camilla, several years ago. He sings in the Moore County Choral Society and plays golf but reports that while his voice is getting lower his handicap is headed in the other direction. He can be reached at ajrothwell@gmail.com.

The Wandering Path

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPh

By tony CRoss

In the 2022-23 time frame, alcohol sales increased by 1 percent, but the sales of nonalcoholic wine, beer and liquor grew by over 32 percent. “An increasing consumer focus on moderation, health and wellness is having a positive impact on all no-alcohol sub-categories, with growth rates higher than their full-strength equivalents,” says Susie Goldspink, head of no- and low-alcohol insights at IWSR (originally known as International Wine and Spirits Record, though they now deal in beer and ready-to-drink beverages as well).

Indeed, the market is starting to get flooded with all things alcohol-free. My business operates out of a health store and, in the past couple of years, I’ve seen more brands like these than I can count.

A lot of folks, me included, take breaks from alcohol even when it’s not “dry January.” We’d like to have something to drink that makes you feel good without being high or drunk (canned THC cocktails are a whole other story). My problem with most of these RTDs (ready-to-drink) is simple: They don’t taste great; they use buzzwords for sales (e.g., ashwagandha); and they’re pricey. I haven’t had the opportunity to try tons of spirit-free liquors, but every one that I’ve tasted (besides Seedlip) has been uninspiring, to say the least.

Enter Pathfinder, a non-alcoholic spirit made from a distilled hemp-based liquid. Pathfinder has a lot going on, made from Douglas fir, orange peel, ginger, sage, wormwood, juniper, etc. On the palate, it’s similar to an amaro — think Cynar — and is perfect for cocktails. Speaking of, I found this delicious recipe, The Wandering Path, from bartender Jeffrey Morganthaler’s blog. It was created by his business partner, Benjamin Amberg, at their acclaimed bar, Pacific Standard. This sour cocktail is as easy to make as it is delicious.

Specifications

2 ounces Pathfinder

1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup (2:1)

1/2 ounce egg white

Execution

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake hard until cold, and double strain into a coupe glass (a sour glass is pictured). No garnish. PS

Tony Cross owns and operates Reverie Cocktails, a cocktail delivery service that delivers kegged cocktails for businesses to pour on tap — but once a bartender, always a bartender.

A Cake for Every Season

P hotogRAPh A nd stoRy By Rose shewey

Today, I am going to answer a question you didn’t know you had: The humble carrot cake — is it a fall treat or a spring dessert?

It’s a bit of a conundrum. With carrots being harvested both in the spring and autumn, one could argue carrot cake can be either one — a celebration of spring and fall. Case closed. However, there are those — in my experience, mainly hobby pastry chefs — determined to limit this modest delight to just one season. To me, the correct answer is, and always has been, carrot cake is an anytime cake. Spring, summer, fall or winter. It’s truly a cake that fits just about any occasion.

The much more pressing question is, come Easter, should I make carrot cake or cheesecake? Cheesecake is the quintessential spring dessert in my book. Indecision being my biggest vice, I am making both and combining them — a folksy carrot cake as the supporting act for opulent cheesecake is exactly what I want to adorn my Easter brunch array.

That’s not the whole story. I am making this entire affair a no-bake event.

If you want to serve them alone, it’s worth noting that this no-bake carrot cake makes for some scrumptious carrot cake bars, should you be short on time or if cheesecake isn’t your cup of tea. Vice versa, if carrot cake isn’t your jam, this no-bake cheesecake will happily go atop any crust of your choosing.

No-bake Easter sweet treats

No-Bake Carrot Cake and Cheesecake

(Serves 6)

Carrot Cake Ingredients

1 cup coconut flakes, toasted

1 cup cashew nuts or walnuts

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of sea salt

6-8 medjool dates, pitted and sliced

1 cup grated carrots

1/3 - 1/2 cup coconut flour, as needed

Cheesecake Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

Method

To make the carrot cake base, add coconut flakes, cashews or walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a food processor and pulse until the nuts are crumbly. Now add in the dates and mix until you have a dough-like consistency but do not over-process — you don’t want a puree. Add in the carrots and pulse until everything is well incorporated.

Scrape out mixture into a bowl and add about half of the coconut flour and stir with a fork or spatula; if the mixture is still overly wet or sticky, work in the remainder of the coconut flower.

Line a 6-7-inch springform pan with parchment paper and press the carrot cake mixture into the bottom. Use a flat-bottom glass to achieve a smooth layer. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake, add the cream cheese to a bowl and sift in the powdered sugar. Mix with a fork until roughly incorporated, add lemon zest and juice and mix with a handheld mixer until well combined and creamy. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Pour cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform, atop the carrot cake base, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. PS

German native Rose Shewey is a food stylist and food photographer. To see more of her work visit her website at suessholz.com.

Ueck and Me

There are no bad days at the ballpark

By Ron Johnson

It was a particularly hot midsummer morning in New Orleans. It was 1964, JFK had been assassinated the previous fall, and I was an 11-year-old knucklehead with a Butch Wax crew cut and a $9.95 Spalding catcher’s mitt from Atlantic Thrift Center. We were spending our second summer in a 900-square-foot brick house about 3 miles east of the city limits, with only a noisy attic fan to protect us from the hot, sticky air.

It was my third year as an enthusiastic collector of Topps baseball cards. I had begun stockpiling them for a required merit project as a Cub Scout from Pack 222, Den 9. It seemed a lot more exciting than stamp collecting. The photos on the cards would come to life on Saturday afternoons in front of our monochrome Western Auto TV. And I had become addicted to the hard slabs of bubble gum, a bonus for me and for my young dentist, Dr. Murret, who looked a little like Vincent Price, and was Lee Harvey Oswald’s first cousin. But that’s a story for another day.

I had some great cards. Pretty much all of them, in fact, from Stan Musial to Mickey Mantle, to my favorite player, Tim McCarver, the 23-year-old catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a Southern boy from Memphis and was sure to be an all-star for years to come. He might have even been Irish. I could relate to him.

In the ’60s, before cable TV, our roof antenna could pull in a game on Saturdays at 1 p.m. on our minuscule screen. Mostly it was the St. Louis Cardinals playing the Cubs, Reds, Giants, Dodgers or Braves. The games were called by the often brash Dizzy Dean, a former Cardinal pitcher himself, and Pee Wee Reese, the Dodger great, who would provide color — as if Dizzy needed the help. Less frequently, it would be the Yankee “Game of the Week,” which I didn’t mind because I could see the best the American League had to offer, names like Mantle, Roger Maris, Harmon Killebrew and Carl Yastrzemski.

In the years before the hapless Houston Colt .45s (now the Astros) were established and before the Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta, the Cardinals were the closest team

to New Orleans. In fact, in those days, they had the largest geographical fan base in the U.S., stretching from Tennessee to Colorado. And they were huge in New Orleans. At night, I could hear Harry Caray call the Cardinal games on KMOX, the 50,000-watt clear channel giant, all the way from St. Louis to the transistor radio in my bedroom. Even after the Colt .45s joined the National League, watching them play baseball was painful. I once saw a Houston pitcher lose both games of a double-header. I saw another throw a no-hitter, and lose.

In the ’60s, St. Louis was an industrial juggernaut with factories up and down Manchester Road, their smell drifting for miles. It was a family-oriented, blue-collar city. The Gateway Arch was under construction. But most of all, St. Louis was the best baseball town in America on the hot summer day my mom and I boarded the “Southern Belle” at Union Station for our annual trip to visit my Aunt Winnie there. My dad would join us when he could, carrying a promise to take me to a Cardinals game at the old Sportsman’s Park, just renamed Busch Stadium.

Stan Musial had retired the previous year but they still had some elite all-stars on the team, including the hard-boiled Bob Gibson; steady Kenny Boyer; Bill White, who eventually became president of the National League; Curt Flood, the centerfielder who changed baseball forever by legally challenging baseball’s reserve clause; and Lou Brock, the prolific base stealer acquired from the Chicago Cubs in one of the most one-sided trades in baseball history.

I always slept in the basement at Aunt Winnie’s house,

adjacent to the coal chute, often waking up with residual black dust on my cheeks. No matter. It was the day of the game. After a breakfast of Sugar Pops my dad and I walked down the steep hill to Manchester Road, toward the Mississippi River, and climbed up on the city bus, heading toward our connection and eventual destination at Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street. By the time we got near Busch Stadium, it was getting warm, scorching in fact, on its way to the high 90s. My dad bought me a wool St. Louis Cardinals cap from a street vendor, several sizes too large, in bright red with the iconic redbird logo. A heavy pair of Sears binoculars — which I still have — hung uncomfortably on my neck.

We picked up a scorecard listing the starting lineups. All the usual names were penciled in, except for the one I wanted to see more than any other, Tim McCarver. In his place was a reserve catcher named Bob Uecker. Could it be true? Is it possible that I had come all the way from New Orleans to see my hero, and he wouldn’t be in the lineup? Had he been traded? Had he been injured? I thought it was a fluke. I was confident the, manager Johnny Keane, would change his mind and McCarver would somehow be perched behind the plate that day.

The first thing I saw as we walked up the ramp and through the opening to our seats was the famous home run porch in right field — a trademark of Sportsman’s Park. Our seats were good.

My dad made sure of it. He always saw to it that things were near perfect for me. We were on the third base side, about halfway up and partially under the high overhang. The old stadium was intimate and cozy. It felt like we could reach out and touch the players. Comfortably in our seats, we were ready to watch our Cardinals pummel the San Francisco Giants.

Looking down on the field, I saw a big guy in a loose cotton button-down shirt, interviewing Willie Mays. It was Dizzy Dean. Pee Wee Reese was standing nearby, chatting it up with some players around the batting cage. Soon the lineups were exchanged by managers Alvin Dark, a multi-sport athlete with Louisiana ties, and Keane, who would resign at the end of the season to take the same job with the Yankees.

Not known to me at the time, Harold Peter Henry “Pee Wee” Reese was more than just an eight-time all-star shortstop. He was one of the first white players to embrace Jackie Robinson when he arrived in New York. And he stood proudly at the side of Robinson when the boos rang down from racists, at home and on the road. They remained friends until Robinson’s death in 1972.

As the Cardinals took the field, my heart sank. As expected, McCarver’s number 15 wasn’t behind the plate. Instead it was the number 9 of Bob Uecker. All I knew about Uecker was what I had read on the back of a baseball card. And it wasn’t much.

As the Giants trotted out their own all-star lineup of Mays,

Willie McCovey, Duke Snyder and Orlando Cepeda, it was quickly obvious that this was not going to be a good day for the Cardinals, who went on to lose the game 14-3. There was plenty of action, though. Mays, earning a whopping $85,000 in his prime, uncharacteristically dropped a fly ball. Curt Flood slammed hard into the center field fence pursuing a sure double, which he caught, before being knocked out cold. Harvey Kuehn had five hits for the Giants while, totally in character, Uecker was 0-4. Counting Dean and Reese, there were no less than a dozen eventual hall-of-famers on the field that day. It would have been a lifetime of first-game bragging rights for any pre-teen baseball fan, even if his team had been mercilessly embarrassed.

And it would not be the last time I crossed paths with Bob Uecker.

As a young stringer for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, I ran into him at a few events in New Orleans, once at the famous and exclusive Sugar Bowl seafood party, another time at Commander’s Palace, and much later at spring training in Florida. He was always cordial, calling me “Spike.” I am not sure if he recognized me or simply called every young male sportswriter by the same nickname. I even told him the story about his Cards getting crushed 14-3 in St. Louis, which he remembered vividly. And later, when I lived in Dallas, I saw him occasionally at Arlington Stadium when the Brewers were in town to play the Rangers and he was broadcasting. Chance meetings all.

After abandoning my “career” in journalism, I got into the construction equipment business and eventually relocated to the Milwaukee area. On the way from my office in Menomonee Falls to our home near Okauchee Lake in Nashotah, I would sometimes drive by Uecker’s home off Pilgrim Road and wave to him when I saw him in his yard. He would always wave back though I’m certain he had no idea it was “Spike” behind the wheel.

And, of course, I would listen to Bob and his broadcast partner, Pat Hughes, whenever the Brewers were playing on those beautiful summer nights in the Lake Country of southern Wisconsin. Bob was the best ever at making a bad game good.

Known for his appearances on The Tonight Show, his role as Harry Doyle in the movie Major League, and his hall of fame broadcasting career, Ueck was also a skilled salmon fisherman with a nice rig on Lake Michigan. In those days, the lake’s eastern shore was a world class salmon fishery. I spent many days casting for kings and cohos on those nausea-inducing swells.

Like calling a bad baseball game, when the fish were nowhere to be found, you could hear Uecker on the shipto-shore radio cracking jokes and telling stories with his dry Midwestern wit. I guess the Coast Guard was also amused because they never put a stop to his entertaining diversions. Everyone loved Ueck.

I ran into him at the marina a few times, never troubling him with lengthy conversation, but always happy to have seen him.

The

Skylar

Bob enjoyed home-smoked salmon for breakfast and would frequently offer a sample to anyone who was around at 5 a.m. A day on the lake was better when it started with Ueck.

I saw him several times at Kuhtz General Store and Tavern, right across Okauchee Lake from my home, near the shoreline where Norwegian Ole Evinrude invented the first practical outboard motor in 1907. Like the great Marquette University basketball coach, Al McGuire, he loved the chili at Kuhtz. So did I. But I never saw him drink anything harder than Diet Coke while entertaining anyone within earshot.

His accomplishments and successes in sports entertainment are too numerous to mention. But what greater aspiration can any human being have than spending their life making people laugh, sometimes on the field, as a player who once led the league in passed balls and errors while catching only 59 games? And what greater distinction can one have than being loved by most everyone who knows you? His self-deprecating manner was legendary. He never promoted himself, he promoted laughter. He seemed uncomfortable in a serious world.

While I thought Ueck belonged to me, and to the people of the Milwaukee area, where he was born, played and broadcasted baseball, fished, and lived and, last January, died, he actually belonged to all of America. For more than 50 years, I have welcomed in each baseball season, thinking of freshly cut grass, the smell of leather, and my connection with Ueck. But it will be quite different this April.

Ueck was part of my life. We certainly were not friends. I am not sure we needed to be. I just knew him a little. And that was enough. PS

Ron Johnson is a former sportswriter, corporate CEO and public speaker. He is a native of New Orleans and is now happily retired and lives in Pinehurst. He still keeps one eye on the Cardinals and often thinks about that June day in St. Louis with his dad.

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Femilift

Hormone Replacement Therapy and more…

April 24th April 24th 7:00PM 7:00PM April 25th April 25th 7:00PM 7:00PM April 26th April 26th 7:00PM 7:00PM April 27th April 27th 3:00PM 3:00PM

Stephan Szabo, MD FACOG, FACS

Stephanie McAuley, FNP-C

Tiffany Greco, FNP-C

Leah Vidal,

Pet Peeves

There’s always something cringeworthy

By deBoRA h sA lomon

Back in the day when columnists led off with “Back in the day . . . ” or “Webster’s Dictionary defines . . . ” people had “pet peeves,” with peeve defined by Webster as an annoyance or irritation. No explanation on how pet — a warm, fuzzy adjective — got hooked up.

dresses and strappy sandals at 7 a.m. Cleavage and knees don’t go with bacon and eggs.

Call them what you will, I’m sure peeves surfaced in the Bible, certainly Shakespeare. By any other name the irritations haven’t gone out of date. Perhaps owning them outright lessens the sting.

Mine include:

Prime-time TV ads for generic versions of remedies that treat sexual dysfunction, both male and female. Ditto “all-body” deodorants hawked on prime time cable. Imagine the questions posed by 8-year-olds.

People who give away puppies in the Walmart parking lot enrage me. Some pups go to good homes, I assume. But for others I fear the worst.

Silly yogurt. Like confetti and birthday cake flavors. The silliest is Oui brand, 5 ounces in a tiny glass cup that, unlike jam and mayo jars, has no reusable lid. My favorite yogurt is lowfat Greek vanilla, with a drizzle of real maple syrup.

“Pancake” syrup . . . yuck. Living and working in Vermont for 21 years taught me that real maple syrup — still gathered and boiled down the old-fashioned way by winter-idled farmers — is true nectar of the gods, priced accordingly but worth the splurge. Mix with mustard and use sparingly on broiled salmon and roasted chicken, plain on cooked carrots, oatmeal. Dilute with cider vinegar for salad greens. March was syrup month long before it was basketball madness.

Talking to a machine. Bank, power and cable companies leave me foaming at the mouth. I finally cracked the code: Say “representative” over and over until you get one, who is usually polite and helpful from six time zones away.

TV anchor-and-weather women wearing cocktail or mini-

Event ticket prices. Moore County boasts an inordinately large roster of lectures, plays, concerts and other entertainments both low- and highbrow. But with ticket prices starting at about $25, how can a couple have a reasonable dinner out and attend for less than $100? Student prices are some help but the upshot keeps Gen Now shackled to streaming. I spent college summers working in New York City. We starving students spread sleeping bags outside Broadway theaters at midnight, to cop SROs available at dawn for $5. What fun! But not new. At Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, common folk stood in the “pit” just below the stage for a penny. This practice inspired the Bard to include characters and situations familiar to mosh-pitters.

Remember Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands? Current version: Cecelia cellphone hand. She walks through life, cellphone Krazy Glued to her palm, as though awaiting a call from the ghost of Elvis.

Too many burger joints. I’ve heard tell there’s a spot on U.S. 15-501 that is equidistant from six, maybe seven burger emporia. Enough already!

Climate change deniers. If they have a better answer to the hurricanes, blizzards, floods, tornadoes, heat and cold waves I haven’t heard it. Abandon Mother Earth? For Mars?

Southerners running around on the coldest day sans coats. “I’ll only be out for a minute,” they protest. Get a grip — and a puffy jacket or double-breasted tweed. The trick to staying warm is to not get cold in the first place.

Supermarkets that don’t offer rain checks. “Loss leaders” aim to get shoppers through the door. But unless rain checks are offered for specials not in stock I feel cheated.

Politicians who spit out rambling non-answers to pointed questions. “Yes” and “no” aren’t in their vocabularies. I say, throw ’em into the mosh pit! PS

Deborah Salomon is a contributing writer for PineStraw and The Pilot. She may be reached at debsalomon@nc.rr.com.

Long Trek North Louisiana waterthrush

leads the way

By susA n CA mPBell

In early spring, birdwatchers such as myself are eager to spot the first returning migrants of the season. These are northbound birds that have spent the cooler months far to our south, in Central or South America. There, the living is easy, with plentiful food and a mild climate. But as the days begin to lengthen, these birds begin their return flight to the breeding grounds. Many may fly both day and night as the urgency of their mission increases. Hormone levels drive them to make their way swiftly to their natal area. Some return to the exact patch of woods, marsh or lake where they themselves hatched.

One of the earliest to return here in central North Carolina is the Louisiana waterthrush. A small, drab warbler, it is far more likely to be heard than seen at first. Its plumage is streaky brown and white. Birds can be recognized by their prominent broad white eyebrows and pink legs. As its name implies, the species prefers wet habitat, being at home along streams and rivers where it not only feeds in the trees, but along banks and around rocks at the water’s edge.

In the spring, Louisiana waterthrushes will call or sing as they move from place to place. As with so many species, the male’s

vocalizing serves not only to attract a mate, but to establish territory. They have a loud, melodic song that carries well over the sound of moving water. The species’ call note, too, is a high volume “chip” that is easy to pick up in thick vegetation or above a gurgling stream.

Louisiana waterthrushes are insectivorous and so will consume any fly, midge or beetle that it sees. Also, waterthrushes will pick hatching aquatic insects such as mayflies or stoneflies out of the water. Individuals may wade in the shallows as they forage, making short jabs at potential prey items.

After pairs find one another and begin to raise the next generation of waterthrushes, they become virtually silent. This no doubt enables them to protect their nesting site and their young from would-be predators. Nests are built on or near the ground, making them relatively vulnerable to disturbance. Secretive behavior also reduces the chances that they will be parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds, which are known to seek out open cup nests such as those made by waterthrushes to deposit a single egg. The resulting nestling will be unwittingly cared for by waterthrush parents to the detriment of their own young.

Being one of the earliest warblers to return in the early spring, they are also likely to disperse in early summer after their young leave the nest. They may return to their Central American wintering grounds by the end of July. If you are fortunate enough to encounter a Louisiana waterthrush in the weeks to come, enjoy it because it is not likely to be around for very long. PS

Susan Campbell would love to hear from you if you have interesting bird observations to share. Contact her at susan@ncaves.com

Birdies, Eagles and Fox Squirrels, Oh My!

High-class habitat for our largest tree squirrel

animal?” Lee asks in the video. “Is it a skunk, or a raccoon, or a squirrel?”

I was out of the country last June when the U.S. Open rolled into town. With limited internet access, I was unable to follow the championship’s progress. It was only when I returned home in July that I learned Bryson DeChambeau had won.

Not being on any social media platforms, I also missed some of the viral videos posted during the Open — by professional golfers and spectators alike — of the Sandhills’ unique fox squirrels. Judging by the number of stories produced by various media outlets, it seems like the visitors from out of town were not familiar with our local bushy-tailed rodents. Professional golfer Min Woo Lee’s video of a curious fox squirrel approaching his caddie in the middle of a fairway on the famed No. 2 course drew over 300,000 views and was even mentioned by Golf Digest magazine. “Hello Pinehurst. What is this

It’s easy to understand his confusion. After all, Lee hails from Australia, a continent that is packed full of animal oddities — the platypus and the bilby (Google it, they are adorable) to name two — but has no native squirrels. Nada. Zilch. So it’s easy to imagine Lee’s initial reaction upon seeing an animal with white ears, a white nose, black face and a long bushy tail for the first time. Nearly the size of a housecat, fox squirrels are the largest tree squirrel in North America.

When the inquisitive squirrel approached Lee, he quickly held his club at arm’s length and exclaimed, “Back up brother! Back up!”

Tee it up on any of the local golf courses and chances are you will see a fox squirrel at some point during your round. They are as much a part of the Sandhills landscape as pine trees and blue skies.

Though North Carolina never has listed the species as endangered or threatened, fox squirrels have always been considered uncommon. Throughout the southeastern United States, fox squirrels are strongly associated with the longleaf

stoRy A nd P hotogRAPhs By todd P usseR

pine tree. Their large body size gives them a competitive advantage over their smaller cousins, the highly adaptable grey squirrel, enabling them to rip open the large, calorie-rich pine cones of the longleaf. Vast longleaf forests once stretched from southern Virginia down to Florida and along the Gulf Coast to east Texas. Today, over 90 percent of those forests have disappeared, having been converted into everything from agricultural fields to housing developments. The resulting loss of longleaf caused severe population declines to animals that depended on that ecosystem for survival, fox squirrels included.

When I was growing up in Moore County, you would occasionally encounter a fox squirrel here or there. You might spy one sprinting across a backroad around West End or shredding a pine cone on the grounds of Sandhills Community College. We even had them visit our yard periodically in Eagle Springs. But if you really wanted to guarantee seeing one, all you had to do was head to the links.

Throughout my teenage years, my father and I played golf most weekends, wherever we could get a late afternoon tee time (he worked most weekend mornings) and the best rates. No matter where we played, Seven Lakes, Whispering Pines, Foxfire, Deercroft or Pinebluff, I would see fox squirrels. They were always the highlight of my day — well, except for the time I holed that 120-yard shot from the fairway for an eagle at Hyland Golf Club (it was Hyland Hills then), still my all-time best golfing experience. Even on our family vacations to North Myrtle Beach, I would occasionally see fox squirrels loping across golf courses with their distinctive bounding gait.

Fox squirrels are denizens of open forest canopies that are free of dense underbrush, which historically in a longleaf pine ecosystem was the result of frequent fire. Golf courses mimic those old-timey pine forests, in a roundabout way, with their park-like landscapes and abundance of food and nesting trees favored by the multi-hued squirrels. A number of scientific studies have even shown that golf courses may hold the key to survival for fox squirrels in parts of the Southeast, especially in urban areas.

As an example, I recently found myself at Innisbrook Golf Resort, just north of Tampa, Florida, visiting family and friends. The property’s four golf courses are surrounded by a sea of humanity, in the form of never-ending strip malls, hotels and restaurants. Yet, fox squirrels were thriving in surprisingly high numbers along the manicured fairways bordered by huge pines and oaks. I even saw one sneaky squirrel steal a granola bar from the golf cart of an unsuspecting golfer who was up on the green putting for birdie.

As photography started to become an integral part of my career, one of the first subjects I set out to photograph were fox squirrels. Late Pinehurst resident and golf aficionado Parker Hall was kind enough to help my endeavors, arranging access to the Country Club of North Carolina and providing me with a golf cart to lug around my heavy gear. Over the course of two winter afternoons, I was able to greatly expand my fox squirrel portfolio. Up until that point, I had never seen so many fox

My last golf course fox squirrel encounter happened over the Christmas holidays. I was visiting my folks for a few days and found myself driving north along Hoffman Road near Foxfire Village. Late one morning on a straight stretch bordering one of the golf club’s fairways, a solid black fox squirrel, with bright white paws and ears, stepped out onto the asphalt. I came to a complete stop, allowing the beautiful mammal to pass safely across the highway into a patch of nearby pines. Watching its long, flowing black tail disappear into the forest, I was reminded of a life lesson instilled in me at a young age: Always be respectful of the locals. PS

Naturalist and photographer Todd Pusser grew up in Eagle Springs. He works to document the extraordinary diversity of life both near and far. His images can be found at www.ToddPusser.com.

squirrels in such a small area.

Calling Cards

The business of keeping score

By lee PACe

The world’s oldest golf scorecard dates to December 1820 and the golf links at Musselburgh, Scotland. A member named James Cundell used the card to record 84 shots over 10 holes in a club match and noted in the margin, “Dreadful storm of wind and rain — atmosphere quite yellow — just like the lurid regions of Pandemonium.”

The card sold in 2019 at a collector’s auction for the U.S. dollar equivalent of some $6,300.

Over two centuries, literally millions of scorecards have been churned out for golf courses worldwide. Some are simple one color on card stock. Some have a second color. Others have full-color photos, advertising or foil stamping. A nice touch for walking golfers is having a handy little pencil slip.

Odds are if you’ve stashed some scorecards away in your golf memorabilia bin, you’ll find a card with the tiny imprint in one corner of Golf Associates, Asheville, N.C. Quietly and with little fanfare, a small company in the mountains of North Carolina has carved a niche as one of the most pre-eminent manufacturers of scorecards in the nation. It has been in business for 55 years.

“It was early 1989; I had just taken the job at Duke and was at the PGA Show,” says Ed Ibarguen, the director of golf at the Duke University Golf Club. “I was wandering around the

show and saw this company from North Carolina. They made scorecards. The guy stood up, shook my hand and said he was a huge Duke fan and would love our business. His name was Sherwood Pinkston. We developed a long-standing friendship. Sherwood’s gone now, but we’re 36 years into working with the same company.”

Pinkston grew up in Asheville and developed his business IQ by selling drinks at Asheville Tourists baseball games and hustling empty bottles for a penny each. He served in the South Pacific in World War II, then came home, started a family and ran assorted businesses — a diner in West Asheville and a drycleaning business, to name just two.

“He was the consummate entrepreneur,” says Jerry Davis, who worked for Pinkston from 1996 through Pinkston’s death in 2014. “He was not going to work for anybody. He was an avid golfer and a heckuva competitor. He was an ace at the pool table. He had big hands, but they were soft hands. He could make that cue ball go anywhere he wanted. He was a good golfer and an excellent putter, particularly on fast greens. You always wanted Sherwood as your partner.”

Pinkston played golf regularly at Beaver Lake Golf Course north of the city and Black Mountain Golf Course to the east. One day in 1968, he was paired with a man from California who said he’d just gone out of business trying to sell scorecards with advertising on them. That sounded like a good idea, so Pinkston approached the pro at Black Mountain and said he’d produce a scorecard for free if he could sell advertising.

The acorn was hatched.

He founded Golf Associates in 1970 and at first used the printing press at Hickory Printing Group, an hour east of Asheville. Pinkston called on golf courses from Mississippi to Miami, often sleeping in his car and eating a lot of saltines and Vienna sausage along the way. He got good results from a mail solicitation campaign, with one of his first orders coming from L.B. Floyd, the pro at Stryker Golf Course at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville and father of future Golf Hall of Famer Raymond.

“We offered a superior product, and if they would take advertising, it didn’t cost them anything,” Pinkston said.

One niche for the business was daily fee and public access courses that would allow Pinkston to sell advertising. That approach didn’t appeal to the private clubs, so Pinkston developed formats and ideas for scorecards that clubs would purchase.

“The Duke scorecards had had ads on them, and I wanted to get away from that,” Ibarguen remembers. “Sherwood had the idea of putting the logo in a foil stamp. He said he’d do it for no upcharge. He produced a beautiful card, one that I’d bet was as nice as you would find at the time for a public access course.”

Pinkston grew the business, added staff and eventually purchased a printing press (upgraded several times over the years). He expanded to add rack cards and post cards. His wife, Faye, took over running the business after her husband’s passing, and in 2020 she sold it to Gary Mannies, who had been in the yardage book publication business and had developed a friendship with Sherwood at trade shows over the years.

Today the company does work in its backyard, with cards at Biltmore Forest and Asheville Municipal; across the state at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, and Forest Creek, Dormie Club and Tobacco Road in the Sandhills; and to nationally recognized clubs like Whistling Straits, Fishers Island Club, Streamsong, Valhalla and Congressional.

“Sherwood is from ‘The Greatest

Generation,’” says Davis, who knew Pinkston from playing golf around Asheville when he was looking for a career change in the mid-1990s after decades in the insurance industry. “He came back from the war determined to be a success. He just happened to find golf scorecards. Back then, most scorecards were bland and utilitarian. He introduced four-color. He started printing cards with UV coating on one side. That was a big innovation. It made the club logo stand out and pop off the card. That was a game-changer for us. For higher-end clubs, he started using linen and gold foil.”

Today, company sales representatives pay calls on courses across the nation and set up shop at trade shows like the PGA Show in Orlando every January, and the Carolinas PGA Show in Greensboro in February.

“I love the game, I love the people I work with, and it’s a creative business,” says Brayden Pitcairn, who’s been with Golf Associates for three years, as he looks over a display table of the company’s scorecards at the Greensboro show. “We want to produce something the golf staff is proud to hand to members and guests.”

Davis stands nearby, shaking hands with show attendees and reminiscing about the success of a company lasting well over half a century. His favorite story is having traveled with Pinkston to a trade show in St. Louis, driving back to Asheville and stopping at a motel in Nashville at 2 a.m. Davis went to park the car and bring the luggage in while Pinkston went into the office to register.

“I came into the office and Sherwood was trying to talk the guy at the desk into a deal for rack cards,” Davis says. “Now, the guy at the desk at 2 a.m. is not the decision maker. But that didn’t put Sherwood off.”

Entrepreneurs and golf. Some stumble, but the good stories are worth a round of applause. PS

Lee Pace has chronicled the evolution of Pinehurst and the No. 2 course since the late 1980s. Write him at leepace7@gmail.com and follow him @LeePaceTweet.

April 2025

Greedy

The catbird is pecking away at two ripe tomatoes. I wave my hands and shout, My tomatoes! as though  I’d produced them from my breasts or belly.

The catbird aerializes on the tomato cage, jabbing and jabbing the red fruit. I have more on the counter that I won’t eat before they rot, or that I’ll give away.

It’s unseemly, this stinginess, a memory of not-enough, the necessity of preserving a crop from rabbits and deer, the otherwise marvelous round-backed bugs, grasshoppers flaring red underwings, or birds like this one, gray as a civil servant, an actuary of ripeness, that tilts its head to eye the fruit and flaunts its rusty bottom in salute.

— Valerie Nieman

Valerie Nieman’s latest book, Upon the Corner of the Moon: A Tale of the Macbeths, was released in March.

CREATE YOUR OWN NATIVE WILDFLOWER GARDEN

By Claudia Watson • Photogra Phs By lynn donovan

When I settled in the Sandhills 24 years ago and finally had the space and opportunity to garden — a love I inherited from the wild and dense gardens tended by my grandmother and mother — I eagerly chose a sunny quarter-acre of our land to plant a native wildflower meadow.

With little forethought and, admittedly, no knowledge, I raked and joyfully threw bag upon bag of seeds into the air, watching as they settled on the sandy, free-draining soil, destined to fill my tiny plot with colorful blooms, buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies.

By midsummer it was beautiful, bursting with the joyful memories of my childhood garden havens. A few months later, it looked dead, and my late husband, impatient with my messy experiment, mowed it down. I was heartbroken, feeling like part of me was lost. I still yearn for that meadow.

Our community is fortunate to have many public gardens that not only provide enjoyment but also act as a resource for botanical knowledge and appreciation. These spaces and the gardeners who manage them often inspire non-green-thumbers to start digging in the dirt, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility.

“I often walk with visitors and point to specific plants and curiosities,” says Lesley Berkshire Bradley, who manages the Native

Pollinator Garden at the Village Arboretum in Pinehurst.

“If they ask why the garden is messy in the winter months, I show them,” she says, pointing to a hollow coneflower stem plugged with neatly cut leaf pieces. “It’s a sure sign that a leafcutter bee created her tiny nest in the hollow of the stem. We leave the garden untidy in the winter months to support the overwintering activity of a diversity of bees and other beautiful insects. The discoveries, like this leafcutter nest, never get old.”

The leaves and garden debris provide critical shelter and insulation for these native bees and moths, as well as many other insects and invertebrates. The availability of nesting and overwintering habitat is one of the most critical factors influencing populations of native bees and other beneficial insects.

As our community grows and more land is developed, the degradation and fragmentation of plant communities is lost, causing a significant decline in pollinator populations. Many nonnative plants that fill home and community landscapes lack food for butterflies, moths or other plant-eating insects. Typical flower gardens are filled with plants bred for specific characteristics, such as color or form, that may be beautiful but have little or no value to native wildlife. Even small landscapes play an important role in supporting native pollinators when they include a diversity of forage plants.

“If we’re going to rethink pretty in our garden — if we’re going to value ecosystem function as much as aesthetics — we have to shift our concept of function,” says Benjamin Vogt, author of Prairie Up: An Introduction for Natural Garden Design.

Berkshire Bradley is attentive to the Native Pollinator Garden’s seasons and function and has cataloged thousands of photos over five years. “Those of us who work in this garden witness the unique and sometimes minute dependences between plants, insects, and the creatures who call it home,” she says. “It’s an ecologically meaningful garden and it’s teaching people to look at the world differently. The garden is a perfect catalyst — a learning lab for our community.”

***

Site selection is a topic that gardeners must consider when creating a native wildflower garden or landscaping with native plants. The ecosystem services that backyard gardens provide can be extensive, no matter their size. Island beds can slow storm runoff naturally, amend soil and increase habitat for wildlife, all while looking intentional.

Open sites that receive full sunlight most of the day and level

ground are best. Gentle slopes are suitable if erosion is controlled before planting.

Healthy soil is the foundation of successful gardening. Many native wildflowers evolved in clay soil with its high organic matter. Other plants prefer dry, sandy or rocky soils. The most important step to cultivating healthy soil is having your soil tested. Match the plants to the soil, even if that means forgoing a unique plant.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Soils Lab provides testing services for nutrients and pH free of charge to North Carolina residents except during peak season (December 1- March 31), when there is a $4 fee. Details and information can be found on the Moore County Cooperative Extension Service website.

***

Know your plants. The key to a flourishing native wildflower meadow is selecting the right seed mix. Work out what type of soil you have first and then order a seed mix that applies. Your plant research is essential to planning a native plant community.

Many plant websites aren’t tuned into the specific growing environment of the Sandhills or a plant’s growth habit or how it

behaves, so research sites that provide ecoregion information versus plant hardiness charts. An ecoregion doesn’t just look at cold hardiness but also other critical aspects, such as geology, soils, climate, hydrology, wildlife and plant communities.

Different bee species are active at various times of the year. It’s essential to provide a continuous source of pollen and nectar throughout the growing season. Using a local ecotype seed and plants gives those species the best chance to thrive in the immediate environment, from disease resilience to reproduction to bloom times that are in sync with pollinators and their need for pollen and nectar sources.

Consider height, flower shape, seed heads and fall color to ensure ecosystem function and aesthetic interest. The exact mix of native wildflowers is a matter of personal preference. Studies suggest that just 6 - 16 plant species support an ecosystem’s function. The more plants you have from the same ecoregion, the more ecosystem function you create. The more plants you have from the same family within a landscape — like Asteraceae — the more ecosystem function there is.

As time passes, long-lived perennial natives will take up more space, slowly replacing the early plantings, offering greater diversity and complexity.

Garden management is one of the more significant hurdles. “No two gardens are the same even when the same plants and methods have been used,” writes Vogt. “Every site presents different unseen challenges and opportunities, while natural factors such as weather create an unpredictability that is part of the joyful equation of allowing an ecosystem to find its way to teach you.”

In a smaller garden, it’s wise to choose plants that form clumps — they won’t spread too much by runners or self-sowing. Soil conditions can affect the plants, as clay soil and dense layered vegetation generally inhibit plant reproduction. In contrast, loamy or sandy soil with less plant competition will encourage it.

Vogt suggests that if most of the plants best suited to the site tend to have aggressive natures, it’s best to use all aggressive species so they butt heads, collide, and help keep each other in check.

Berkshire Bradley agrees and admits a unique few robust plants in the Native Pollinator Garden have low plant sociability ratings. “The dogtooth daisy (Helenium autumale) grows 4-feet tall and flops over, looks unsightly and smothers out other plants,” she says. “And the blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) reseeds and grows in thick mats that cover entire

sections of the garden. If you want a plant that holds the soil, this is it. We selectively cull out those aggressive plants to provide space for other beneficial plants.”

Be sure to include native warm-season bunchgrasses in your seed mix. Bunchgrasses suppress weeds, increase soil moisture and hold soil in place. They also provide habitat benefits for wildlife, including nine species of the skipper butterflies, and small amphibians. Bumblebee queens nest at the base of bunchgrasses where they will be protected until they emerge in the spring.

Though grasses don’t provide nectar or high-quality pollen, they are effective at erosion control and resilient during high heat or drought while providing critical wildlife habitat.

Hundreds of big bluestem grasses (Andropogon geradii) encircle the garden, lending a “soft, fluffy look when they sway in the breeze,” says Berkshire Bradley. Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) makes a great filler between herbaceous perennials, such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya), and small goldenrods. Both grasses are soil-building workhorses.

The Native Pollinator Garden offers the plants that are removed at its frequent BYOP — Bring Your Own Pot — events that occur throughout the summer and fall seasons. The garden’s Facebook page keeps the community updated on special events.

The variety of how-to resources can take you down rabbit holes. Still, organizations offer valuable guidebooks for gardening in our ecoregion. Xerces Society provides a primary starter resource for building a plant list and planting a native wildflower garden. Pollinator Partnership offers regional guides and regional plant lists.

Buy locally. Among local gardeners’ native plant favorite sources are Meadowflower Farm in Aberdeen, Sorrell’s Nursery in Dunn, Mellow Marsh Farm in Siler City, and Dutch Buffalo Farm in Pittsboro. Reliable ecotype seed sources include Prairie Moon Nursery, a go-to source for learning the basic needs and behaviors of native plant species.

Native wildflower gardens are a place of beauty. They are living showcases of our plant communities’ incredible diversity and resilience, and they foster a wildness and connection to a place we call home. The time has come to plant my native wildflower meadow again.

Claudia Watson is a frequent contributor to PineStraw and The Pilot and finds joy in each day, often in a garden.

A Reynolda landmark is reborn

By ross hoW ell Jr. • Photogra Phs By a my Freeman

H“ave you ever seen this?” asks Bari Helms. “I found it in some boxes.”

Helms is the director of the archives and library at Reynolda House Museum of American Art, the storied estate that is now part of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. She slides the rendering toward Phil Archer, the deputy director at Reynolda, the family mansion that houses a permanent collection of three centuries of American art and sculpture.

Archer shakes his head, touching a finger to the edge of the drawing.

“I don’t think so. Not with those perpendicular wings. A little too Versailles for Katharine, isn’t it?” Archer asks. He and Helms exchange knowing smiles.

Helms produces a letter from that same “Katharine” to Lord and Burnham, the premier builder of glasshouses in America during the mid-19th and early 20th century, dated May 27, 1912. In it, she details what she wants her estate’s conservatory to include — a palm room, a “good-sized” grapery, a tomato section, a large vegetable section, a propagating room and a “nice workroom.”

When Lord and Burnham responded with their plans and perspectives, and their quote for $7,147, Katharine wrote back that it was too much money. The greenhouse additions in the rendering were removed.

“In all her correspondence, you get a sense of how direct, hands-on and detail-oriented Katharine was,” Helms says.

In December 1912, Katharine wrote another letter to Lord and Burnham, complaining that the workers they’d promised had not yet arrived on-site. In January 1913, she wrote again, noting that parts of the conservatory were not being built to her specifications.

“Katharine was very polite about it,” Helms says, “but insisted that she was making Lord and Burnham aware of the issue so they would fix it.”

No doubt they did.

Katharine was, of course, Katharine Reynolds, the irresistible force behind Reynolda, completed in 1917. Backed by the tobacco empire of her husband, R.J., Katharine began to purchase tracts of land near Winston-Salem, eventually acquiring more than 1,000 acres, each parcel deeded in her name alone. Her idea was

a Progressive one — to create a self-sufficient estate that included a country house, a farm utilizing the latest in technology and agricultural practices, a dairy, recreational facilities and a school.

The conservatory — located very near what is now Reynolda Village — was an integral part of Katharine’s design. October 2024 marked the end of its restoration, a yearlong project made possible by a gift from longtime Reynolda supporters Malcolm and Patricia Brown.

Born in Mount Airy in 1880, Katharine Smith Reynolds was a daughter of America’s Gilded Age and a wife in the Progressive Era of the industrialized New South. In the period photographs at Reynolda, she’s the young woman in the gorgeous outfits who doesn’t seem to be looking at the camera, but, rather, directly into your soul. To this day, her spirit and determination inform every aspect of Reynolda.

Leaving her home in Mount Airy in 1897 to attend the State Normal and Industrial School — now UNCG — she later withdrew because of a typhoid epidemic and finished her studies at Sullins College in Bristol, Virginia. In 1902, Katharine joined the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem, where she served as personal secretary to the owner, R.J., a distant cousin who was 30 years her senior. In 1905, Katharine and R.J. married.

Between 1906 and 1911, Katharine gave birth to four children — at grave personal risk, according to her physicians, since she had been plagued with heart problems that started in childhood. By all accounts, the Reynolds marriage was a happy one, and R.J. was confident in his young wife’s abilities, often consulting her on business matters.

“Katherine wanted the estate to look and feel like an old English hamlet,” Archer says. “Burying utilities was high-tech for

Katharine’s time, but that’s what she wanted.”

The conservatory restoration project, which would become the Brown Family Conservatory and Reynolda Welcome Center, was led by Jon Roethling, the director of Reynolda’s gardens. The work was done by Cincinnati-based Rough Brothers (pronounced rauh), a subsidiary of Prospiant.

“Rough Brothers had access to actual Lord and Burnham plans and molds,” Roethling says. So, for the Reynolda restoration, the company could use templates on hand, extruding aluminum pieces to match the originals.

The tinted glass needed for the restoration was made by another company. It’s so specialized, the company only manufactures it twice a year, delaying completion by months. The wait was worth it, however, since the unsightly aluminum shutters added to the palm house and greenhouses in a previous renovation could be removed. Moreover, the manufacturer had the equipment to produce curved glass. This meant that the elegant shape of the original architecture — supplanted by the use of flat glass panes in a previous renovation — could be restored.

“When I walk into the palm house now, the architecture just sings,” Roethling says.

There were the additional challenges of heating and ventilation — critical to a conservatory. “We stayed with the original concept of radiant heat,” Roethling explains, “though the new system is very sophisticated.”

Ventilation was a trickier issue, since the conservatory is vented throughout — foundations, walls and roof. From the time the conservatory was built until this restoration, these many vents had to be cranked open or shut by hand.

“You have to strike this balance of having architecture that reflects 1913, but also having the convenience and efficiency of systems that are modern day,” Roethling says. “Knowing Katharine, one of the most progressive women of her time, I was sure there was no way she would want us to be hand-cranking vents in this day and age, so we made the jump to automated.”

The new system automatically responds to wind flow, wind speed and precipitation, adjusting ventilation as needed. Changes can also be made remotely, using Wi-Fi. Once, when Roethling noticed a thunderstorm developing, he went to the conservatory to see how the new system would respond.

“As the wind rose and the storm started rolling through, I watched the vents immediately close a bit,” he says. “When the wind grew stronger, the vents shut completely, protecting the greenhouses.”

End-to-end, the central structure of the conservatory and the

greenhouses flanking it extends more than 300 feet. Sod has been laid the entire length, creating a walking path for visitors. Between the edge of the sod and the foundations of the greenhouses are planting beds, about 8 feet wide, filled with peonies.

“The problem,” says Roethling, “is once the peonies bloomed out, that was pretty much it, visually. I needed someone who could do something amazing.”

Roethling reached out to Jenks Farmer, a plantsman in Columbia, S.C., who served as director of Riverbanks Botanical Garden in West Columbia and was the founding horticulturist of Moore Farms Botanical Gardens in Lake City. Farmer created a design for the peony beds incorporating other perennials that provide visual interest throughout the growing season.

“Jenks is great,” Roethling says. “He loves balancing history with what’s relevant today.”

In the conservatory proper, each bay has a different theme. “This first bay is in the spirit of an orangerie, which represents the birth of greenhouses,” says Roethling. Much like the original 17thcentury orangeries in England and throughout Europe, the bay also features olive trees and other fruiting plants, and will be used to illustrate a narrative history of the development of greenhouse structures over the centuries.

The next bay is an arid greenhouse, featuring the five Mediterranean climates of the world — Southern California, the Mediterranean Basin, South Australia, South Africa’s Cape area

and central Chile.“This is a fun thing to educate kids,” Roethling says. “To explore with them how the plant palette changes, how the plants adapt.”

The central palm house is elegant in its features with sealing wax palms with their deep red canes, and tall Bismarck palms with their silver fronds, all in large containers. Visitors can compare the broad texture of a palm frond to, say, the fine texture of a fern. “There’s a lot of texture — greens, whites and silvers,” Roethling says.

The next greenhouse bay features bromeliads, orchids and other flora that thrive in the tropics. It’s all about color — abundant, dramatic color. “In here, I want to have freaky things that visitors walk up to and ask, ‘What is that?’” says Roethling with a broad smile.

The final bay serves as a holding house for resting orchids, organized by types, with interpretative signage.“Even though the orchids won’t be in bloom there,” Roethling says, “that greenhouse will still be beautiful and educational.”

Just as Katharine would have expected. PS

Ross Howell Jr. is a contributing writer. for O.Henry magazine.

For more information about the attractions and events at Reynolda, visit reynolda.org.

Be Our Guest

Creating the perfect guest bedroom

Madcap Cottage style

By Jason oliver nixon and John l oeCke • Photogra Ph By Bert vanderveen

There’s truly an art to hosting guests. To making a visitor feel supremely welcome without having to kowtow to their every whim and whimsy.

John and I love entertaining in all its forms, and we really raise our game when it comes to hosting houseguests at our High Point home, the House of Bedlam. Think The Ritz Paris by way of North Carolina, but cozier, softer, and a lot more fun. Dining room disco, anyone? We just had an international guest arrive from London, and we wanted her stay to be as comfortable and memorable as we could make it. Quite simply, we want every one of our houseguests to feel like they’re at home and leave them wanting for nothing. A good mattress and a clean room are a given, but we are all about the small touches, the personal ones that focus on our guests’ comfort.

That said, we are very clear about our “deliverables.” This isn’t a restaurant. We aren’t the maids. Yes, please strip the bed when you depart. We will have coffee and English muffins ready every morning; we don’t make eggs. And a gift or dinner out on the town is always welcome.

Here are a few tried-and-true recipes for the ultimate guest bedroom from your friends at Madcap Cottage . . .

— We love to put flowers next to the bed. Flowers truly make the room feel fresh, alive and cared for. You know your guests well, so think about their favorite blooms and adorn the nightstand with that particular blossom. At this time of year, what is more cheerful than a simple vase abundant with daffodils? A great stack of books is always welcome, too.

— Place either a bottle of water next to the bed or fill a glass decanter with water and accompany it with a lovely crystal glass.

— Email a week before to ask your guests’ must-haves or food preferences. Oat milk, almond milk, glutenfree bread? The Madcaps have you covered. Our recent guest wasn’t fussy but she is a chocoholic. We had some of our Hammond’s chocolate bars on standby for her, so she could try some Southern sweet treats.

— Add lovely toiletries pillaged from a hotel to your guest bathroom. Save the Hermès for really good friends or treat them to some of your favorite toiletry brands. We love to leave our guests with some of our French lavender bath bombs from the Old Whaling Company to help them relax and unwind during their stay.

— Have a plug-in outlet with USB port easily visible and plugged in near the bed. When they’ve retired for the evening after a long journey, the last thing a guest needs is to be crawling around on the floor trying to find an accessible plug.

— Good towels, well fluffed. The bigger and bouncier, the better.

— Extra toilet paper in a basket atop the toilet. Be kind and save your guests the indignity of having to request more TP.

— A soft rug next to the bed. We have small accent rugs next to every bed in our house. Besides the fact that they make the room cozier and look more layered, they make getting out of bed that much easier when you’ve got a soft landing to look forward to.

So there you have it. That’s how we host a house guest, the Madcap way.

Enjoy! PS

Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke are the duo behind Thomasville-based Madcap Cottage. You can find them at madcapcottage.com.

erman Wouk, the author of both the novel The Caine Mutiny and the play The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, took great pains to let his audience know that nothing that happened aboard the fictional ship the USS Caine occurred in the very real campaigns he experienced during his World War II service in the Pacific Theater. A note to the play says, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is purely imaginary. No ship named U.S.S. Caine ever existed. The records show no instance of a U.S. Navy captain relieved at sea under Articles 184-186. The fictitious figure of the deposed captain was derived from a study of psychoneurotic case histories, and is not a portrait of a real military person or a type; this statement is made because of the existing tendency to seek lampoons of living people in imaginary stories. The author served under two captains of the regular Navy aboard destroyer-minesweepers, both of whom were decorated for valor.”

The Judson Theatre Company will bring Wouk’s courtroom drama, informed by his service aboard the USS Zane and USS Southard, to life in five performances starring John Wesley Shipp and David A. Gregory, beginning Thursday, April 24, and running through Sunday, April 27, in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The novel, published

in 1951 in a wave of post-war literature that included books like Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead, earned Wouk a Pulitzer Prize. The play debuted on Broadway in January 1954, directed by Charles Laughton. That June the movie The Caine Mutiny was released, gaining seven Oscar nominations, including one for best actor for Humphrey Bogart’s riveting performance as Lt. Com. Philip Francis Queeg.

The play is performed in two acts, organized simply with the first act as the prosecution and the second the defense. “If you think about the film and even the book, they both literalize what happened on the ship,” says Judson Theatre’s executive producer, Morgan Sills. “With the play, the audience gets to piece together what happened on the ship from what they glean from all the different testimony they hear. In the end, the audience has a job to do, to decide what they believe is the real story. And that’s theatrically interesting. It can change from night to night the way that live performances change from night to night and books and films do not.”

Shipp, who returns to Judson Theatre after playing the role of Juror No. 8 in its 2016 production of 12 Angry Men — Henry Fonda’s part in the 1957 movie — takes the part of Queeg, the ship’s commander relieved of duty during a vicious storm

by Lt. Stephen Maryk.

He’s played by Jacob Pressley, whose Judson summer theater festival credits include Gutenberg! The Musical, The Last Five Years and They’re Playing Our Song. Maryk’s defense counsel is Lt. Barney Greenwald, played by Gregory. Coincidentally, Fonda played Greenwald in the original Broadway production.

Though tasked with defending Maryk, Greenwald has no particular fondness for his client. On the other hand, he knows that in order to perform his sworn duty to zealously represent him, he will have to cross-examine Queeg in the most brutal manner, a prospect that gives Greenwald no pleasure. At its dramatic height Greenwald and Queeg go head-to-head. And it’s there that Judson’s production of The Caine Mutiny CourtMartial benefits from the long working relationship between Shipp and Gregory.

In his role as Eddie Ford on One Life to Live, Shipp — whose credits and awards (including two Emmys) over a 38-year acting career are too numerous to mention — was frequently at loggerheads with Gregory, who played his son, Robert, on the daytime drama. “I was the abusive father and he was my oldest son, Bobby Ford,” says Shipp. “I had three sons and I treated them all differently. Bobby was the one who would push back. We had a great time. It’s just one more reason I’m so excited to get on stage going head-to-head with this man because I know how talented he is, how resourceful he is. The thing I love about David is he brings his A game all the time. I feel like we challenged each other.”

Moving at the speed of a soap opera, between scenes Shipp and Gregory would occasionally swap their character’s lines if they thought it deepened the connection. “We have a shorthand with each other, working 15-16 years ago on the soap where we would have to clash,” says Gregory. “We know what that territory is, but we haven’t experienced it with this play and these words.”

One Life to Live isn’t their only collaboration. Gregory wrote a scripted podcast, Powder Burns, about a blind sheriff in the Old West. It premiered on Apple Podcasts in 2015 with Shipp in the role of the sheriff. Critically acclaimed, it earned Gregory a Voice Arts Award in 2017. They’ve also worked together on a two-person play Gregory wrote about Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda called Hank & Jim Build a Plane, which Shipp and Gregory performed in a workshop in New Orleans in 2018, the last time they appeared on stage together. As opposed to their One Life to Live personas, Hank & Jim is about two men, famous for their shared model airplane hobby, who are at odds with one another over pretty much everything else — including a woman —

and who won’t, or can’t, challenge one another. In something of a metaphor for our time, it’s about what Hank and Jim, sharing the same tiny garage space, can’t say to one another. “It may have been Jimmy Stewart’s daughter who said the interesting thing you’ve done is that you’ve taken two men of very few words and written what they would have said to each other if they could have,” says Shipp.

Finding the right words won’t be the problem in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. “Plays like this get done so often because they’re very, very good,” says Gregory. “The author has meticulously made this as perfect as possible. We just get to add on top of that. It’s a blast.”

Shipp sees only one real drawback: “My only complaint is that it’s too short.” PS

For times and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com or judsontheatre.com.

Jim Moriarty is the Editor of PineStraw. He can be reached at jjmpinestraw@gmail.com.

A Touch of Zen

Mid-century elegance for two

By deBorah salomon

Phs By

John gessner

Photogra

Architectural styles can take a while to develop a following. Like bouillabaisse and paella, their ingredients are myriad, complex. They can age like fine wine.

Apply these guidelines to mid-century modern, made popular by a coterie of forward-thinking architects — some associated with N.C. State, others espousing Japanese concepts — who left their mark on central and eastern North Carolina beginning roughly in the 1950s.

Then, for a stunning rendering, stroll through the mid-century modernesque home of Richard and Molly Rohde on the Southern Pines Garden Club’s Home & Garden Tour on Saturday, April 5. Notice the ways, some subtle, that the Rohde residence differs from neighbors at the Country Club of North Carolina — a pebbled area at the entrance; jumbo glass wall inserts; five strategically placed mini-gardens, one walled and sunken; and a wraparound Juliet balcony. All are born of Richard’s landscape design prowess, as is the giant golf ball atop a stump pedestal at the front walkway that was carved from a tree that grew on that very spot.

The house was built in 1980. The Rohdes have lived there for 10 years. “We are a blended family,” Molly explains, totaling seven children and 13 grandchildren. They keep a townhouse in Raleigh and a house at Topsail Beach, where the gang gathers May to October. Molly calls it their “happy place.”

Richard grew up in a stucco in Miami before moving to Winston-Salem; Molly in an interesting mountaintop residence in New York State. While living in Raleigh Richard enjoyed golf excursions to Pinehurst enough to suggest a grown-up retreat that he could combine with his office.

“The architecture, the sightings, the dogwood and azaleas in bloom — we decided on the spot and made an offer,” they recall. Another appeal: The house was designed by Hayes-Howell and Associates, the pre-eminent modernist architects of the era, who left significant marks on Moore County.

Richard planned whatever adjustments and additions that were required. The walk-out basement “playroom” with “wet bar” (in previous parlance) became his office. His desk was formerly a trestle table. He added a terrace with a firepit and an extended Juliet balcony ending in a metal circular staircase. Beyond, artistically arranged boul-

ders define gardens where a sea of daffodils bloomed in late February.

The diversity of landscaping makes the pie-shaped 1-acre lot sloping toward the lake appear larger. Although the house layout is longitudinal with two wings — totaling 3,250 square feet — nothing suggests a single-story 1950s ranch. Enter the front door, step into a foyer flooded with light, and gasp at the dining room, directly opposite, with line-of-sight to the lake. Black and soft milky white dominate here. The black lacquer sideboard, which came with the house, is covered in Asian motif carvings. The table with a thick plate glass top, also a holdover, picks up sunbeams. Petals on a low-hanging light fixture suggest a lotus flower. Framed architectural renderings of the house, a testament to its provenance, hang on a side wall. Wallpaper adds texture in neutral, solid colors, no patterns.

Off to the right is the living room with an 18-foot ceiling, white carpet, white upholstery, a high triangular window, and a plate glass coffee table. In a corner surrounded by windows and glass doors stands a round glass-topped table where Molly and Richard take meals. Near the fireplace hangs an exquisitely embroidered framed kimono, once part of Molly’s wardrobe.

So far, elegant, very adult, perfect for entertaining.

The kitchen rates a giggle from Molly. Judged against today’s extravaganzas, it is modest yet stylish with black and white floor and tile backsplash, simple cupboards and pulls designed by the original architects, perfectly adequate for preparing meals for two, Molly notes.

The bedroom wing stretches off the foyer, the length of its hallway emphasized by a seemingly endless row of Chinese screen panels. Where they end the master suite opens into a large sitting room, doubling as Molly’s office, with built-in bookcases, TV, sofa and door onto the balcony. The highlight in her bathroom is a sunken Jacuzzi whirlpool tub in a deep red enamel, inspiring Molly to paint a fanciful hall tree for hanging towels. Richard’s bathroom: sedate black tiles.

Molly continued the Asian theme in jewel-toned fabrics and figurine lamp bases, some from her daughter’s boutique, Union Camp Collective, in Raleigh. She also framed a child’s kimono, worn by her daughter.

Molly and Richard, both longtime collectors, have curated and combined their possessions in the master suite and two guest bedrooms, one with a second set of built-ins filled with books. The result: a blended family, combined furnishings, historic Carolina architecture, a whiff of the exotic, and a home office overlooking the golf course. Richard recalls his first impression of life at CCNC: “I came through the gates and thought, whew, this is relaxing, another world.”

Lucky Richard. Fortunate Molly. In semi-retirement they found Zen. PS

AT LISI MARKET

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

ALMANAC April

By a shley Walshe

April is a drift of dandelions, cheerful and bright. Can you hear them giggling? Listen. It helps if you slip off your shoes.

Somehow, bare feet in the cool grass, you can access new frequencies: the whir of tiny wings, the swelling of tender buds, the rhythmic flow of nectar.

Wiggle your toes. Breathe into your belly. Surrender to the urge to lie down.

Yes, that’s better. Draped across the softening earth, the sun on your skin is medicinal. You close your eyes, brush fingertips across feathery blossoms, let your inner child run wild.

Perceive the world through the eyes of a dandelion. Anticipate the tickle of bee feet, the tender kiss of mourning cloak, the ecstasy of thunder and rain.

Are you giggling yet?

Listen.

The song of spring rises in all directions.

In the distance, a chorus of peepers rouses the burgeoning woods. Wet and trembling, a swallowtail clings to its chrysalis, pumping crumpled wings at the speed of grace. A bluebird whistles tu-a-wee.

Open your eyes. Turn your gaze toward the flowering dogwood, the mighty tulip, the small, ambrosial apple tree. Everywhere you look, spring spills forth.

The dandelions are chattering now. Turn a cartwheel, one squeals. Dance for rain, blurts another. Pick me, whispers a third.

Smiling, you reach for a fat, yellow blossom, pluck the stem, tuck the flower behind your ear. Eyes closed once more, you drift into blissful reverie. Among this sea of sprightly yellow orbs, you drink in the playful hum of this budding season, let the song revive your every cell.

April, the angel of the months, the young love of the year.

—Vita Sackville-West

Floriography

The Victorians used tussiemussies (nosegays) to express their true feelings. Apple blossoms and dogwood were code for I like you. Purple violets murmured true love. Tulips? Well, that would depend on the color, of course.

While the language of flowers has withered in these less-than-modest times, we can’t help but ascribe meaning. Surely, every gifted flower says, I’m thinking of you. But what is it that you hear in the presence of flame azalea, redbud, cherry blossom? What do you glean from the iris and bluebell?

The Great Egg Hunt

There, nestled in the branches of dogwood, sugar maple, hawthorn and pine; in gutters, rain boots and dense shrubs; within the cavities of dead and living trees: eggs, eggs, beautiful eggs. Creamy white ones, speckled brown (chickadee, cardinal and nuthatch). Bright and muted blue ones (robin and bluebird). Pale green with rust-colored blotches (mockingbird). And guess who’s out searching for them? Opossums, snakes, skunks, racoons, crows and jays.

Spring is as harsh as it is lovely. And, yet, this circle of life is indeed what makes each spark of creation all the more precious. PS

HOME MAKEOVER

Find inspiration for your next home makeover project in the following pages. Whether you’re looking to beautify the inside of your home or add a touch of luxury to your outdoor living, this portfolio of local resources will help you enjoy the place you call home.

Stamped Concrete | Pavers | Retaining Walls

a brighter future, one brushstroke at a time.

Let American Wood Reface create your new dream kitchen with our 1/4’’ Solid Wood Cabinet Refacing. Saves time and hassle, and saves up to half the cost of custom cabinet replacement.

- Premium 1/4” solid hardwood facing

- Amish-crafted new solid wood doors

- Custom made and expertly installed

- Huge selection of woods, door styles and finishes

- Stone countertops, undercabinet lighting, storage solutions, and more!

- Completed in less than one week!

Let Us Help Find Your Outdoor Living Style

• Outdoor Furniture

• Umbrellas

• Woodstock Wind Chimes

• Fire Pits

• Outdoor Decorations

• Plow & Hearth

• Outdoor Interiors

• Living Accents

• Four Seasons Courtyard

222A Central Park Ave.#222A Pinehurst (next to True Value Hardware) (910) 420-2501

Hours: 10am-5pm Tuesday - Sunday | Closed Mondays

event,

arts & entertainment

Although conscientious effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, all events are subject to change and errors can occur! Please call to verify times, costs, status and location before planning or attending any events.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

ALCOHOL INK ART. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy this easy and beautiful alcohol ink on tile art class. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BOOK EVENT. 5 - 6 p.m. The Country Bookshop welcomes Kelly Mustian to talk about her book, The River Knows Your Name. Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 3

SUPPORT GROUP. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The Sandhills Chronic Kidney Disease Support Group meets the first Thursday of each month at the Clara McLean House, Shadowlawn Room, 20 First Village Drive, Pinehurst. Info: angela@sandhillsckd.com or kathy@sandhillsckd.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4

HORSE TRIALS. 7 a.m. Enjoy the Southern Pines CDE and CT horse trials. Trials run through April 6. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

LUNCH BUNCH. 11:30 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to dine on different cuisines each month visiting restaurants in the area. Carpool with friends or meet at the restaurant. Dining locations will be chosen the week before. Info: (910) 692-7376.

ART EXHIBIT. 6 - 8 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County presents “Palustris: Nature’s Narrative ” The exhibit will be on display through April 25. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787.

FIREFEST. 1 - 10 p.m. A two-day celebration of art featuring tours, workshops, demonstrations, special guest artists, live music, food trucks and more. Cost is $10 per day. Friday features the annual “Kids Draw It, We Make It” glass demonstration. Saturday events begin at 9:30 a.m. and last until 10 p.m. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org/Firefest.

CHORUS. 5 p.m. The Golf Capital Chorus hosts the two-day Carolina’s District Spring Convention and Contest. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

OPENING RECEPTION. 5 - 7 p.m. The exhibit, “Light and Color: A Love Affair with the Sandhills” will feature the art of Jennifer Walker. The exhibit runs through April 25. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: www. artistleague.org.

PETER PAN. 7 - 9 p.m. West Pine Middle School presents Peter Pan Jr. Southern Pines Land and Housing Trust Auditorium, 1250 W. New York Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

THEATER. 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a performance of The Secret Garden. Shows continue through April 12. Encore Theatre, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.encorecenter.net.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

CRAFT DAYS. Children and their families can come by the library for Drop-in Craft Days to work on crafts and coloring at their own pace. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl. net.

PLANT SALE. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Celebrate spring with a stroll through newly awakened gardens, then grab a trunk load of cultivated cuttings and sprouts at the annual plant sale sponsored by the Dirt Gardeners. There will be food trucks, activities and vendors. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

GOAT YOGA. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Get outdoors, surround yourself with goats and disconnect from stress. Bring a mat, towel and water. There will be another session at 11 a.m. Ithika Acres Creamery, 4273 Gainey Road, Raeford. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

KID’S SATURDAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Families are invited to a monthly themed craft event to socialize and get creative. Geared toward ages 3 - 10. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642 or www.vopnc.org.

PARTY FOR THE PINE. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Celebrate the oldest longleaf pine in the world at the Weymouth Woods Boyd Tract meadow free festival. Learn about our native habitat, see turpentine demonstrations, play games and, weather permitting, watch a live prescribed burn demonstration. Food trucks on-site. Weymouth Woods, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2167.

PETER PAN. 2 p.m. West Pine Middle School presents Peter Pan Jr. Southern Pines Land and Housing Trust Auditorium, 1250 W. New York Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

AFTER PARTY. 2 - 5 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County is holding an after party following the Party for the Pine. Free refreshments and entertainment by Abigail Dowd. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787.

CAROLINA SHAG DANCE. 7 - 10 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes for the Moore Area Shag Society monthly dance. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cash bar. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Down Memory Lane, 161 Dawkins St., Aberdeen. Info: (919) 345-4105.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

WRITING GROUP. 3 p.m. Are you interested in creating fiction, nonfiction, poetry or comics? Come to the Sunday Afternoon Writing Group. Connect with other writers and artists, chat about your craft, and get feedback about your work. All levels welcome. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: lholden@sppl.net.

POETRY BY THE POND. 4 p.m. Join a casual reading by acclaimed N.C. poets, including current writers-in-residence. Bring lawn chairs and relax by the pond. Free admission, registration requested. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. weymouthcenter.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 7

QUILTS OF VALOR. 12 - 4 p.m. Quilts of Valor meets the first Monday of each month to create lap quilts made especially for veterans. If you sew, bring your machine; if you don’t sew, you can iron or cut out fabrics for new designs. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TUESDAY, APRIL 8

HATHA YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older can increase flexibility, balance, stability and muscle tone while learning the basic principles of alignment and breathing. You may gain strength, improve circulation and reduce chronic pain practicing gentle yoga postures and mindfulness. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CANVAS ART. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy this step-by-step tutorial with canvas art. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

AARP TALK. 12 - 12:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join AARP for a fraud talk. Free of

charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

TECH HOUR. 11 a.m. Join a walk-in tech hour to get hands-on help with tech questions. Whether you’re new to computers, want to learn more about your smartphone, or want to learn how to use your eReader, library staff will guide you. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: msilva@sppl.net.

ARTS LECTURE. 5:30 p.m. Ellen Burke will lecture on “Drawn to Nature: Beatrix Potter as Gardener, Artist, Author and Naturalist.” There will be a second lecture on Thursday, April 10, at 10 a.m. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787.

LECTURE. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Rusty Keller will have a presentation on “Outdoor Play and Adventure: Healing the Anxious Generation.” Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

GARDEN TOUR. 10 a.m. You will be “green with envy” when you see the gardens bursting with its bouquet of spring arrivals. Discover plants that can be many shades of green. Free event. Limit 15 people. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhills.edu/ gardenevents.

CORNHOLE. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to work on their aim and have some fun with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

HOT GLASS COLD BEER. 5:30 p.m. This exciting glassblowing demonstration at Starworks features special guest artists, live music, food trucks, and a great selection of local beer. This is a family friendly event for all ages. Tickets are $5. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

GARDENING FUNDAMENTALS. 10 a.m. Learn the principles and practices of successful container gardening from the N.C. State Extension. Best practices for container selection and size, potting media, fertilization and watering will be discussed. Free event. Limit 100 people. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

ART WORKSHOP. 2 - 6 p.m. Instructor Luke Huling teaches you how to sculpt a hand. Limited to 12 participants. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787.

FLASHLIGHT EGG HUNT. 6 - 7:30 p.m. Kids will have fun with crafts, egg hunts and much more. Bring a camera or cellphone to take pictures with the Easter Bunny. Children must be accompanied by an adult. BYO flashlight for the egg hunt at 7 p.m. Free of charge. Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

HORSE TRIALS. 7 a.m. Enjoy the Longleaf Pines horse trials. Trials run through April 13. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

PLANT SALE. 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. There will be master gardeners available for consultation and plants provided by Green Haven Plant Farm and Meadowflower Farm at the Whispering Pines spring plant sale. Community Building, 1320 Rays Bridge Road, Whispering Pines.

BLACKSMITHING. 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. Students will be guided by Ian Thomsen using traditional techniques of fire, hammer and anvil to create their own forging and blacksmithing tools. Must be 16 and older. Cost is $150. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Enjoy shopping individual outdoor booths offering handmade crafts, modern tools and electronics, vintage and antique collectibles and an assortment of everyday household items and clothes. A food truck will be on-site. The Bee’s Knees, 125 N.C. 73, West End. Info: www.facebook.com/BeesKneesPinehurst.

GOAT YOGA. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Get outdoors, surround yourself with goats and disconnect from stress Bring a mat, towel and water. There will be another session at 11 a.m. Ithika Acres Creamery, 4273 Gainey Road, Raeford. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

STORYTIME. 10:15 a.m. Saturday Storytime is our once-a-month program for children from birth to age 5. Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and smiles where caregivers and young children can interact and explore the fun of language and early literacy. There are space constraints for this indoor story time. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

EGG HUNT. 10:30 a.m. Children ages 9 and younger are invited to an egg hunt, done in mul-

tiple age groups. Following the egg hunt, meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy more family fun activities. Cannon Park, 90 Woods Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org.

DINNER ON THE FARM. 5:30 - 8 p.m. Ages 21 and older can enjoy a farm-to-table experience. There will be charcuterie, wine and hard cider. Ithika Acres Creamery, 4273 Gainey Road, Raeford. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

CHAMBER SESSIONS. 2 p.m. Enjoy music from pianist Michael Sheppard and violinist Jessica Tong. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. weymouthcenter.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 14

COLLEGE VISIT. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Teens 13 - 17 can visit UNC-Chapel Hill and explore the campus. Cost is $10 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Bus departs from the Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. The Sandhills Photography Club monthly meeting will be a competition featuring the theme “Old Barns and Buildings,” inviting photographers to capture the beauty of structures that have been important in building the American dream. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or new to it, come share your passion for photography. Guests welcome. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhillsphotographyclub.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BINGO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to play 10 games of bingo. Cost is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

EGG HUNT. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join Southern Pines Parks & Recreation for fun games and crafts followed by an Easter egg hunt. Cost is $2 for residents and $3 for nonresidents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BOOK CLUB. 2 - 3 p.m. The James Boyd book club, led by Iris Angle and Amy Rotting, honors North Carolina authors and includes a diverse range of genres with ties to North Carolina authors and/or the Weymouth Center. Free admission; registration requested. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16

COLLEGE VISIT. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Teens ages 13 - 17 can visit N.C. State and explore the campus. Cost is $10 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Bus departs from the Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SENIOR TRIP. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to travel to Monroe and tour the TreeHouse Vineyard. Enjoy lunch at Logan’s Roadhouse prior. Cost is $28 for residents and $40 for non-residents. Info: (910) 692-7376.

FASHION SHOW. 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Women of the Pines will host its fashion show and luncheon with a variety of fashions from stores in the area. Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Tickets are $75. Info: www.womenofthepines.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17

DOG EGG HUNT. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Join the Southern Pines Parks & Recreation staff for paw painting, fun activities, treats and pictures with the bunny himself. Event will conclude with the dog

egg hunt. Don’t forget to bring your own basket for the hunt. Martin Dog Park, 350 Commerce Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE. 6:30 p.m. Enjoy listening to a guest historical speaker. Meeting starts at 7 p.m. Open to the public. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania and Ashe St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 246-0452 or mafarina@aol.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18

COLLEGE VISIT. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Teens ages 13 - 17 can visit UNC Pembroke and explore the campus. Cost is $10 for residents and $14 for non-residents. Bus departs from the Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MEET THE AUTHOR. 5 - 7 p.m. Welcoming back a writers-in-residence alum, author James D. Walters. He will be speaking about his upcoming coffee table book, Meditations of the Mundane. Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. weymouthcenter.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

GOAT YOGA. 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Get outdoors, surround yourself with goats and disconnect from stress Bring a mat, towel and water. There will be another session at 11 a.m. Ithika Acres Creamery, 4273 Gainey Road, Raeford. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

CORVETTE SHOW. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Come

to the Corvettes of Sandhills fourth annual show. There will be prizes, music, food trucks and more. Vote for your favorite car. Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.corvettesofsandhills.com.

TRIVIA. 7 p.m. Play a round of trivia. Free and open to the public. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 21

WOMEN OF WEYMOUTH. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. The Women of Weymouth will feature speaker Kym Nixon of Changing Destinies Ministries. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. weymouthcenter.org.

STEM. 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. Kids in grades K-6 can attend to learn STEM fundamentals. Train Station, 235 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www. southernpines.net.

FUN RUN. 6 p.m. Join the annual Rock N’ Run 5K hosted by Friend to Friend to bring awareness to sexual assault. There will be food trucks, activities for kids, live music, and plenty of beer. Southern Pines Brewing Company, 565 Air Tool Drive, Southern Pines.

BOOK EVENT. 10 p.m. Celebrate the midnight release of Emily Henry’s next book and smile like you’ve just walked into a surprise birthday party. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 22

SENIOR TRIP. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to travel to Winston-Salem for a baseball game with the Winston-Salem Dash hosting the Rome Emperors. Lunch on your own at the game. Cost is $33 for residents and $46 for non-residents. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23

BOOK CHAT AND CHILL. 5:30 p.m. Wind down with a relaxed evening of bookish conversation. Bring a book to chat about, or one to swap, and enjoy great company, good vibes and plenty of literary inspiration. Hatchet Brewing, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24

WELLNESS CLASSES. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to learn about educational topics to improve the overall mind, body and spirit. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

ARTS LECTURE. 5:30 p.m. Abbe Allen lectures on “Rose Valland: France’s Answer to the Monuments Men.” There will be a second lecture on Friday, April 25, at 10 a.m. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787.

THEATER. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Enjoy the Judson Theatre Company’s production of The Caine Mutiny CourtMartial. There will be additional performances through April 27. Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25

HOMESCHOOL HANGOUT. 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Homeschool Hangout is a monthly drop-in space for homeschooling families in grades K-12. Meet up with others and work on activities based on this month’s theme. We will have some activities and resources available for you, but please bring your own. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26

PUBLIC PLANT SALE. 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Petunias, begonias, marigolds and more will be on sale at the annual Landscape Gardening program’s spring bedding plant sale. All plants are grown and cared for in greenhouses by students. Plan to buy some plants to support the students and the Landscape Gardening program. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

WELDING WORKSHOP. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Learn the basics of welding with director of Starworks Metals Mac Metz during an all-day workshop. Must be 16 and older. Cost is $250. Starworks Cafe &

Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www. StarworksNC.org.

PIANO DAY. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sandhills Community College piano day is a full day piano camp offering a variety of activities. McPherson Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SPRINGFEST. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Enjoy shopping, food and fun for all. There will be a kid’s block with games, rides and activities. Downtown Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SUNDAY, APRIL 27

PLANT SALE PICKUP. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Proceeds from the Pinehurst Garden Club spring plant sale benefit Sandhills Community College horticultural scholarships and local beautification. Pre-sales ran from March 16 to April 10. Plants are available for pickup at Green Haven Plant Farm, 255 Green Haven Lane, Carthage. Info: www.pinehurstgardenclub.org.

JAZZ SERIES. 2 p.m. The Come Sunday Jazz Series features, John Brown, bassist, composer, educator and actor. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

STEAM. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Elementary-aged children and their caregivers are invited to learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math and to participate in STEAM projects and activities. This

month is Peeps Engineering. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or kbroughey@sppl.net.

TUESDAY, APRIL 29

BOOK EVENT. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Listen to Marie Bostwick discuss her new book, The Book Club for Troublesome Women. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

JAM SESSION. 6 p.m. Bring your own instrument and beverage or just come to enjoy the music in the Boyd House Great Room. All skill levels and all instruments are welcome. Open to the public. Registration appreciated. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

LECTURE SERIES. 7 - 8 p.m. This Ruth Pauley Lecture Series features marine biologist Dr. Jess Cramp with “The Untold Story of Sharks.” BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30

LUNCH N’ LEARN. 10 a.m. The Lunch n’ Learn will feature Lindsey Lochner, the owner of Lazy Fox Lavender Farm. The presentation will be followed by a chef Katrina lunch. Cost is $35 per person. Reserve a spot. Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-4677.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SATURDAY, MAY 3

CRAFT INVITATIONAL. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Enjoy the second annual craft invitational featuring artists in ceramic, glass, wood, metal and fiber. Starworks Cafe & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. Info: www.StarworksNC.org.

MONDAY, MAY 5

COMEDY SERIES. 7 p.m. David Anthony performs with his unique brand of comedy hypnosis. BPAC, Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 10

LECTURE. 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Enjoy the lecture “Stronger Together: Optimizing Orthopedic Outcomes for Seniors.” Admission is free but reserve your seat. Pinehurst Village Hall, 395 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. Info: (301) 229-9656 or email awalters0327@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 17

CAR SHOW AND MARKET. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Come to a classic car show and flea market support ing Habitat for Humanity. There will be a Habitat truck on-site for donations. Parking lot between Pine Scone Cafe and Full Moon Oyster Bar, Southern Pines. Info: (772) 349-4253.

WEEKLY EVENTS

MONDAYS

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a new pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation. com.

WORKOUTS. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to get their workout on. Open Monday through Friday. Cost for six months: $15/ resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR YOGA. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Help offset body aches encountered with desk work. This is an accessible yoga class for bodies not able to easily get up from and down to the floor. Do standing or sitting in a chair. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STRENGTH AND BALANCE WORKOUT. 1111:45 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a brisk workout that focuses on balance and strength.

RESTORATIVE YOGA. 12 p.m. For adults 55 and

being. Practice movements that may help alleviate pain and improve circulation. Bring your own mat. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

GAME ON. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Play games like corn hole, badminton, table tennis, shuffleboard, trivia and more. Each week enjoy a different activity to keep moving and thinking. Compete with friends and make new ones all for free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TAI CHI. 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Improve balance, mentally and physically, to reduce the rate of falls in older adults while improving relaxation, vitality and posture. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TUESDAYS

PLAYFUL LEARNING. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come for a drop-in, open playtime for ages 0 - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational

playtime. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BABY RHYMES. 10:15 a.m. Baby Rhymes is specially designed for the youngest learners (birth2) and their caregivers. Repetition and comforting movements make this story time perfect for early development and brain growth. There will be a duplicate session at 10:45 a.m. An active library card is required. Dates this month are April 1, 8, 22 and 29. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6928235 or www.sppl.net.

GAME DAY. 12 p.m. Enjoy bid whist and other games all in the company of great friends. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS. 1:30 - 5 p.m. Come join a chess group, whether you have been playing for a while or have never played. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LINE DANCE. 4:45 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is for beginners and is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

WEDNESDAYS

SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET. 3 p.m. – 6

p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features many of the area’s farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers. The vendors are on-site at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst, beginning April 17 through August 21. For more information visit: www.moorefarmfresh.com.

CHAIR AEROBICS. 10 - 11 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Put on your boogie shoes and jam. Get fit to dance, partying up a sweat to great music through the ages. You can stand and chair dance to this energizing, low-impact aerobic workout. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRAIN BOOST. 10 - 11 a.m. Test your memory while creating new brain connections. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

KNITTING. 10 - 11 a.m. Learn how to knit or come enjoy knitting with other people. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

BABY STORYTIME. 10 - 11 a.m. Have fun developing the foundation for your baby’s later reading with stories, songs and play. Open to parents and caregivers of infants from newborn to 24 months. Moore County Library, 101 W. Saunders St., Carthage. Info: (910) 947-5335.

LEARN AND PLAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come in for an open play date with your toddler or preschooler where there will be developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips on display for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Dates this month are April 2, 9, 23 and 30. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www. sppl.net.

IMPROV ACTING CLASS. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Ready to laugh and have fun? Sign up for a free improvisational acting class. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PIANO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Join Flint Long to play piano or just listen. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15501, West End.

LINE DANCING. 12 - 1 p.m. Looking for new ways to get your daily exercise in and care for yourself? Try line dancing. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR VOLLEYBALL. 1 - 2 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Get fit while having fun. Free to participate. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DANCE. 2 - 2:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Instructor Maria Amaya will introduce you to dance fitness in this class designed for anyone who wants to gently and gradually increase their cardio function, mobility and balance and have fun at the same time. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LINE DANCING. 2 p.m. The town of Vass will host line dancing for seniors every other Wednesday. Cost is $5 per session. Vass Town Hall, 140 S. Alma St., Vass. Info: www.townofvassnc.gov.

TAI CHI. 2 - 3 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Improve your balance, mentally and physically, to reduce the rate of falls in older adults while improving relaxation, vitality and posture. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

IMPROVISATIONAL ACTING. 3 - 4 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Explore this dynamic and engaging art form through a variety of roles. Unleash creativity, embrace the unexpected and share some laughter together. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave.,

Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an after-school program for children ages kindergarten through second grade who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and meeting new friends. Dates this month are April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

TAI CHI. 6:30 p.m. Come learn tai chi. There is no age limit and the classes are open to the public. Cost is $10 per class. Seven Lakes West Community Center, 556 Longleaf Drive, Seven Lakes. Info: (910) 400-5646.

THURSDAYS

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a new pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation.com.

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The year-round market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. Market is located at the Armory Sports Complex, 604 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines.

GIVEN STORY TIME. 10 a.m. Bring your preschooler to enjoy stories, songs and activities. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a class that will help reduce the risk of taking a tumble and increase the ability to recover if you do. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. Join Music and Motion to get those wiggles out and work on gross and fine motor skills. For ages 2 – 5. An active library card is required. Dates this month are April 3, 10, and 24. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

CROCHET CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to come with friends to create fun designs and memories. Supplies are on-site. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

ZUMBA. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to get and stay fit by joining this free workout series. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

GENTLE YOGA. 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older can unwind, recharge and find peace in their week. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS AND MAHJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Bring a board and a friend. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CABIN TOURS. 1 - 4 p.m. The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds, cabins, and gift shop are open for tours and visits. The restored tobacco barn features the history of children’s roles in the industry. Docents are ready to host you and the cabins are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Shaw House, 110 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6922051 or www.moorehistory.com.

IMPROVERS LINE DANCE. 3 - 5:30 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LITTLE U. 3:30 p.m. Join Little U, Southern Pines Public Library’s preschool program for children ages 3 1/2 to 5. Stories, songs, rhymes and activities explore the world of books, language and literacy. Little U is a fun and interactive program designed to help preschoolers develop early literacy skills in

preparation for kindergarten and beyond. Dates this month are April 3, 10 and 24. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

TRIVIA NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy a beer and some trivia. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.hatchetbrewing.com.

FRIDAYS

AEROBIC DANCE. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy this low-to-moderate impact class with energizing music for an overall cardio and strength workout. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

JAM SESSION. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Do you like to play an instrument, sing or just listen to music? Come join a music jam session. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TAP CLASS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Cost per class: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

QIGONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Classes consist of chair and standing movements that can

help ease restriction in mobility and soothe achy feet, tight hips and lower back pain. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SATURDAYS

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8

a.m. - 12 p.m. The market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. The market runs through the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Downtown Southern Pines, 156 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines.

SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET. 10 a.m. – 1

p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features many of the area’s farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers. The vendors are on-site at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst beginning April 13 through September 28. For more information visit: www.moorefarmfresh.com.

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET

TWO WEEKLY MARKETS

Facility Courtesy of the Town of Southern Pines

THURSDAYS

604 W. Morganton Rd (Armory Sports Complex) Southern Pines, NC 28387 9 am to 12:30 pm | YEAR ROUND

SATURDAYS

Downtown Southern Pines

156 SE Broad Street. So Pines, NC 28388

8am to Noon | March 8 thru Nov. 22, 2025

For more info on vendors & special event closures please visit: www.MooreCountyFarmersMarket.com

www.facebook.com/magnoliacottagevenue magnoliacottagebellridge@gmail.com WE HAVE 2025 DATES OPEN 1480 Joel Road Carthage | 919-770-5614 or contact us at www.facebook.com/magnoliacottagevenue magnoliacottagebellridge@gmail.com

An Independent, Interdenominational Church Unifying all Christians through the Word of God Holy Eucharist Three Distinct

8:15am 9:30am 11:00am 8:15am 9:30am Communion Service

Service

Service 8:15am 9:30am 11:00am Nursery is provided for all services Join us to discover what makes us unique. Welcoming Christians of All Denominations Three Distinct Sunday Worship Services

Azalea Road • Pinehurst • 910-295-6003 w.tvcpinehurst.com www.facebook.com/tvcpinehurst

Pick up a copy of the 2025 Bride & Groom at The Pilot’s office or online at pinestrawmag.com

April Art Exhibit: PALUSTRIS: NATURE’S NARRATIVE

Through the art of Anne Crabbe, Rose Kennedy and Emily Whittle, the Arts Council will recognize our region’s natural beauty and local habitats in an exhibit called PALUSTRIS: Nature’s Narrative, the name Palustris derived from the Latin term for the longleaf pine.

Exhibition Dates: April 4-25, 2025

Opening Reception: Fri., April 4, 6-8 PM Gallery Hours: Weekdays: 10 AM to 5 PM

Weekend: Sat., April 5th 12-5 PM

Party for the Pine After Party

April 5th, 12- 5 PM

Abigail Dowd performs from 3- 5 PM

Art Lecture Series:

DRAWN TO NATURE:

Beatrix Potter as Gardener, Artist, Author, & Naturalist

LECTURER: Ellen Burke

Wed., April 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM or Thu., April 10, 2025 at 10 AM

ROSE VALLAND:

France’s Answer to The Monuments Men

LECTURER: Abbe Allen

Thu., April 24, 2025 at 5:30 PM or Fri., April 25, 2025 at 10 AM

$26 for Arts Council Members / $32 for Nonmembers

Space is limited. All lectures will be presented in Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House www.MooreArt.org/ArtsLectureSeries

Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House 482 East Connecticut Avenue Southern Pines, NC (910) 692-ARTS (2787)

Husband and wife team Carlos Castilla and Amanda Virelles have performed as a duo for over 20 years. They will present favorite works from their vast repertoire, from the Baroque to the 21st century.

TICKETS: May 4th at 4pm Duo Guitiano: Carlos Castilla and Amanda Virelles

SandhillSeen

Young People’s Fine Arts Festival Arts Council of Moore County March 7, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Khaleesi Decker

Academy of Moore Students

Bridgot Reidenbaher, Kimberly Espenlaub, Sarah Pittman

Ayva Singer

Adam Desmarteau

Aiden Stillman

Madelin Primm

Wayne Manning, Beth Garrison

Napatharlin Niwetbawornchai Wawa

Layla Hoogland

Lara Manfra

Madeline Delaney

and Color: A Love Affair with the Sandhills

From the clubhouse to the botanical garden and beyond, this collection reflects my delight and enchantment with my new home. As a part-time resident who recently moved to the area full time, I hope to share the sense of wonderment and beauty I feel every time I step outside. I try, through a kind of painterly realism, to capture the light – sunlight filtering through the trees in the morning, light reflecting gold from the pine straw up onto trees, the changing colors of azaleas as they move from light into shade, and the magic of deer in Reservoir Park at sunrise. I’m thankful to be living in such a beautiful place, and if I can share this gift and give someone joy through my art, it’s a win for me. The exhibition is open through Friday, April 25.

In collaboration with The Arts Council of Moore County Chris Dunn, Director

Golden CelebrationAnniversary Concert

Anne Dorsey - Conductor • Stephen Gourley - Accompanist

Sunday - 27 April 2025 - 4p.m. Moore County Choral Society

Adults $25

Students $10

Tickets available at: ticketmesandhills.com (no fees added)

Tickets also available at the door

This project is supported by the Arts Council of Moore County and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of

Cultural Resources Lee Auditorium Pinecrest High School, Pinehurst NC

SandhillSeen

Becoming Led Zeppelin Movie Premiere

Sunrise Theater

February 14, 2025

Photographs by Diane McKay

Ken Howell, Anthony Parks

Michele & Steve Castner

Tom & Joanne Spescia

Stephanie & James Watts

Carol & Pat Duffy

Donna Turner, Chris Cole

Alexander Krupinski, Mills Hutchins

Beth & Chip Stout

Linda McKarney, Cindy Hall

The Groovy Hippie Contestants

Mike & Melissa Murphy, Tim 'Jimmy Page' Russell, Robin Duff

Heather & David Lussier

April PineNeedler Hello

ACROSS

1. Flu symptom

6. Potato sack material

12. In addition

14. Whopper toppers

15. Add a coat

16. Ship-rigged war vessel

17. Tokyo, formerly

18. Miniature dessert

20. Kind of shot

21. Be next to

23. Alice’s chronicler

24. Emulated Pinocchio

25. Buckwheat cereal

27. Came in first

28. Canadian short story author

29. From Cologne

31. Hot spiced wines

33. Black gold

34. .0000001 joule

35. Interference

38. Looks

41. Substantial

42. “Gimme ___!” (start of an Iowa State cheer)

44. “Snowy” bird

46. “Hamlet” has five

47. “Let’s ___”

49. Cork’s country

50. Cashew, e.g.

51. Sound systems

54. Alpine tree

55. Garden structure

57. Staff of power

Across 1. Flu symptom

59. Double-checks

60. Actress Saldana

6. Potato sack material

61. Take for granted

12. In addition

62. Newspaper section

14. Whopper toppers

DOWN

15. Add a coat

16. Ship-rigged war vessel.

1. Item strapped on a horse’s head

2. Champion

17. Tokyo, formerly

3. By way of

18. Miniature dessert

4. Do some cutting, maybe

20. Kind of shot

5. Kidney-related

21. Be next to

6. Causes to yawn, perhaps

23. Alice's chronicler

7. Condo, e.g.

24. Emulated Pinocchio

8. Fix, in a way

25. Buckwheat cereal

9. Taking it easy

27. Came in first

10. Buck’s pride

- Hatchet Brewing Co.

June 7th

Hatchet

June 14th

Market - Hatchet Brewing Co.

June

11. False start?

28. Canadian short story

author

12. Bit of luck

13. Broadcast

29. From Cologne

16. Affair

31. Hot spiced wines

33. Black gold

19. It takes ___

34. .0000001 joule

22. Sore passageways

35. Interference

24. Travel bags

38. Looks

26. Friendliness

41. Substantial

60. Actress Saldana

61. Take for granted

28. 1962 and 1990 Tony winner Robert

42. "Gimme ___!" (start of an Iowa State cheer)

30. “Aladdin” prince

44. "Snowy" bird

62. Newspaper section

Down

32. “Fantasy Island” prop

46. "Hamlet" has five

35. Battens down

36. Cinderella’s clothes

47. "Let's ___"

37. Fondle

49. Cork's country

50. Cashew, e.g.

51. Sound systems

54. Alpine tree

55. Garden structure

57. Staff of power

59. Double-checks

1. Item strapped on a horse's head

2. Champion

3. By way of

4. Do some cutting, maybe

5. Kidney-related

6. Causes to yawn, perhaps

7. Condo, e.g.

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contain the numbers 1-9.

8. Fix, in a way

9. Taking it easy

Puzzle answers on Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be reached at martaroonie@gmail.com.

By Emil

Cats having nine lives

is a cliché.

Orange cats being a menace is another. But my childhood cat, Simba, fits the bill for both.

He was trouble from Day One. We found him abandoned under an azalea bush and roaring his little kitten head off. I had never heard such a small animal make so much noise. After capturing the terrified little guy, I discovered he also had six toes, like the Hemingway cats. Trouble.

Simba has always preferred the jungle — er, pine trees — to the cushy indoors. He roamed and picked fights, holding his own in the wild kingdom (our neighborhood). The cat was a scrapper through and through but always came when his name was called. He had a soft spot for family. Or so we thought.

When we moved to horse country Simba went along for the ride. It’s not uncommon for animals to run off after a move. They may get confused and try to find their way back to their former abode.

Shortly after we relocated, Simba disappeared. I imagined him weaving in and out of briars, riling up goats, scurrying around towering horses like a night bandit. I hollered for him daily, nightly. Not a meow was heard in response. The family searched for him but the new house was out where coyotes regularly lurked. We feared the worst.

After a couple of months, we accepted that our family cat was gone. We honored him with a framed picture that read “Forever in Our Hearts,” with the years of his life inscribed on the back.

But we were wrong. He hadn’t used up all those lives just yet.

My mother and I were shopping in Raleigh one day the next summer when she got a call. “Hi there. I’m a security guard at Penick Village. I, um, think I have your cat.”

We exchanged looks of confusion. “Is it black?” asked my mother, thinking perhaps our second cat, Zelda, had decided to visit some distant, unknown aging relative.

“No, ma’am, it’s orange.”

“Orange!” we exclaimed in unison.

“Yes, ma’am, I’ve seen him out here every night for the last few months. I figured it was a stray. He finally let me get close enough to grab him and he had a collar. Thought I would try calling.”

Live in the Meow

Curiosity didn’t kill this cat

We zoomed back. It was dark by the time we got there, and the cat was nowhere to be seen. I stalked the retirement community for the next three days.

I asked anyone I saw outside on the street, “Have you seen an orange cat?” To my amazement, nearly all of them said, “Yes.” Great, I thought, my cat has been family shopping. No doubt capitalizing on extra rations from multiple residents. I handed out my phone number like I was passing out Junior Mints.

On the third day, I got a call. A sighting!

I rushed to Penick Village and jumped out of the car. “Simbaaaa!” I yelled. Next thing I knew I hear a “bwrrr” and out popped my cat from the bushes. I half expected it to be some lookalike, some faux Simba, but it was my very own six-toed little feline. He rolled on his back and purred, seemingly indifferent to the fact that he had been missing for 10 months.

I coaxed him with treats and, after a moment of deliberation, he sauntered over with an accusatory look as if to say, “Yo, where you been?” Once in the car, he jumped into my lap as though this was just another chapter in his great escape.

A wave of emotions rushed over me: happiness, bewilderment . . . and annoyance that my cat decided he wanted to experience an easier pace of living. Well, I was taking him out of early retirement.

The reasons for Simba’s disappearance remain a mystery, having chosen assisted living even over our previous residence. Once I got him home, he didn’t bother with the cat bed we’d set up for the return of the prodigal tabby. Instead, he flopped down on the windowsill, resuming his rightful place with a lazy stretch.

We knew at that moment he wasn’t just returning from his brief sabbatical. He was back, all the way back, ready to once again rule over his empire of pillows and food bowls, with no intention of going missing again, except perhaps to a particularly sunny patch of grass somewhere nearby.

As for us, we crossed out the dates on the back of Simba’s frame and updated the picture — mug shots, front and side. PS

Emilee Phillips is PineStraw’s director of social media and digital content.