August PineStraw 2010 by PineStraw Magazine

OLD TOWN PINEHURST

CCNC

Stunning Golf Course Views! Over 5200SF, 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bath, Gourmet Kitchen, 5.1 Acres

Emily Hewson 910.315.3324

CCNC

“Tremont Cottage,” Circa 1897 Renovated in 2006 with exquisite detail & taste. Pool.

Elegant Villa on the 11th Green of the Dogwood Course. Tasteful finishing details. $663,455

Fine Homes Emily Hewson 910.315.3324

Joel Rich 910.315.4009

I N T E R N A T I O N A LSM

PINEWILD COUNTRY CLUB

Golf front 16th Green of the Magnolia. Shows like new! Three bedrooms each w/private bath.

Penny Stuckey 910.315.1144

PINEWILD COUNTRY CLUB

Comfortably Elegant on the Holly Course. Single floor masterpiece with fine details. $534,700

HORSE FARM

Mini-Farm has it all! 5 Acres, 4 Paddocks, 3Stall Barn, wash stall with Hot & Cold water.

Penny Stuckey 910.315.1144

CCNC

Traditional brick home - Ready for your enjoyment! Vaulted ceiling, Fireplace, 4BR/3BA.

Joel Rich 910.315.4009

Kay Beran 910.315.3322

KNOLLWOOD

LOVELY ROLLING LAND

Delightful home with over 2800 sq.ft., 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and on 1.83 acres. $365,000

20 Acres - Great Potential for 5 or 10 acres parcels. Fish filled lake. Flat Pasture land, too!

Emily Hewson 910.315.3324

Penny Stuckey 910.315.1144

Pinehurst Office 910.295.5504

Southern Pines Office 910.692-2635

PINEHURST

Golf Front on Course #3. Pristine condition! Gently used 4Bdrm/3.5Bath home. $575,000

Linn 910-528-1121/Marie 910.528-5669

PINEWILD COUNTRY CLUB

Lovely to look at...Lovelier to live in. Model perfect, 3BR/2.5BA home. Great floorplan!

Kay Beran 910.315.3322

PINEHURST

Wonderful space and fully-renovated! Versatile floorplan with 2 master suites & 2 workshops.

Susan Ulrich 910.603.457

Seven Lakes Office 910.673.1063

Prudential is a registered service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Equal Housing Opportunity.

MID SOUTH CLUB

SEVEN LAKES WEST

WHISPERING PINES

22 Masters Ridge Place – 4 BR / 3.5 BA / Golf Front

112 Forest Square Circle – 3 BR / 2.5 BA / Golf Front

150 Pine Ridge Drive – 3 BR / 3 BA / Water Front

This impressive custom built brick home is golf front and water view with attention to detail through out. The floor plan features a main level and a lower level. Granite counters, marble tile flooring, hardwood flooring, crown molding, wainscoting, stone column accents, custom cabinetry and palladium clerestory windows are just a few details. Not to mention the peaceful view from the spacious deck! $850,000 Code 599

This home offers lots of square footage for a small price. With lots of room for everyone, you’ll feel right at home. Gas log fireplace, hardwood floors, tile floors, wall of windows and crown molding are just a few pluses. This home is a must see to truly appreciate all it has to offer! $299,900 Code 313

Lake living at its finest. The contemporary floor plan has lots of windows to take advantage of the awesome views of the lake. A few wonderful features inside this home include, a gourmet kitchen with work island, split bedroom plan, 3 sided fireplace, built-in entertainment center, vaulted ceilings, and skylights. The exterior features a bulkhead with dock, storage shed and manicured landscaping! $415,000 Code 675

www.22MastersRidgePlace.com

www.112ForestSquareCircle.com

www.150PineRidgeDrive.com

WHISPERING PINES

PINEHURST

SEVEN LAKES WEST

45 S. Lakeshore Drive – 3 BR / 2 BA / Great Neighborhood

2 Salem Lane – 3 BR / 2 BA / All Brick

124 McCracken Drive – 3 BR / 2 BA / Water Front

This charming property has a bright and spacious living room with a brick fireplace. The master bedroom features a private bath. The functional kitchen with its eating area will be a favorite gathering spot. You’ll also find two guest bedrooms, a second full bath, a laundry/storage room and a two car garage. Outside the home offers a well landscaped lot! $172,000 Code 678

This home is in immaculate condition located on an outstanding wooded and private lot. The split bedroom plan offers privacy for everyone. The well planned kitchen will be a great hangout spot. Enjoy the living room with its fireplace or an evening meal in the formal dining room. Don’t forget the 2 car garage and the large back deck! $235,000 Code 649

This stunning home sits on one of the best water front lots on Lake Auman. Enjoy easy living and beautiful water views from the well planned floor plan. The cook of the family will enjoy the kitchen and all it has to offer. The living room has a fireplace and custom built-ins. You’ll also find a master bedroom with private bath, 2 guest bedrooms, a screened porch, a spacious deck, an atrium and a private dock! $550,000 Code 674

www.45LakeshoreDrive.com

www.2SalemLane.com

www.124McCrackenDrive.com

LONGLEAF CC

ABERDEEN

108 Triple Crown Circle – 3 BR / 2 BA / Split Plan You’ll feel welcomed in this house with its bright and open floor plan. The kitchen offers lots of cabinets and a pretty workspace. The living room features a fireplace and custom built-ins. Hardwood floors can be found through out the home as well as crown molding. The split plan offers lots of privacy. Enjoy the low maintenance landscaping, Trex deck and fenced backyard! $298,000 Code 676

240 Snoozing Pine Lane – 3 BR / 2 BA / Oversized Lot

5 Ridge Road – 3 BR / 2.5 BA / Golf Front

What a great house with an affordable price. Outside you’ll find the yard partially fenced, a covered front porch and screened porch. Inside you’ll find a split bedroom plan, formal dining room, living room with a corner fireplace, a well planned kitchen with breakfast bar and a laundry room. In the 2 car garage you’ll find attic access for more storage! $148,800 Code 654

This wonderful home has lots of curb appeal and a well designed floor plan. The spacious kitchen offers an island, breakfast bar, lots of cabinets and an eating area. The split bedroom plan allows for maximum privacy. You’ll enjoy everything this home has to offer including: a brick fireplace, sunroom, cathedral ceiling with skylights, a workshop, tile and hardwood floors and fabulous golf views! $292,000 Code 630

www.108TripleCrownCircle.com

www.240SnoozingPineLane.com

www.5RidgeRoad.com

PINEHURST

SEVEN LAKES SOUTH

FOXFIRE

460 Spring Lake Drive – 3 BR / 2 BA / Village Acres

116 Dartmoor Lane – 3 BR / 3 BA / Golf Front

This home has it all. Very spacious and elegant with a gracefully flowing floor plan. The main level is home to a formal dining room, a living room with fireplace, kitchen with a nook, laundry room, 2 guest bedrooms, full bath and a master suite with private bath. The upper level is home to another bedroom, bonus room, sitting area, and full bath! Plenty of room for everyone! $379,500 Code 652

This charming home has a lot to offer at an affordable price from the covered front porch to the master suite with private bath with his/hers closets. The living room with fireplace is ideal for casual get togethers. The kitchen is great for whipping up family meals which can be enjoyed either in the dining area or on the back deck overlooking the easy care yard! $169,900 Code 655

What a spectacular home. Enjoy the golf views from the Carolina room, screened porch or the deck. This home offers a well planned kitchen, a spacious living room, 2 guest bedrooms, a master suite with private spa like bath, laundry room, office, formal dining room, and a 2 car garage. You’ll appreciate the mature landscaping along with the awesome golf views. This home is a must see to appreciate! $291,000 Code 677

www.22CedarLane.com

www.460SpringLakeDrive.com

www.116DartmoorLane.com

22 Cedar Lane – 4 BR / 3 BA / Cul-De-Sac

View Floor Plans and Virtual Tours of Our Listings and See ALL Moore County Listings and Community Information at

www.MarthaGentry.com

PineStraw M A G A Z I N E Jim Dodson, Editor Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director Kathryn Galloway, Graphic Designer Megan Shore, Graphic Designer Ashley Wahl, Editorial Assistant Christina Klug, Magazine Intern EDITORIAL

Deborah Salomon, Staff Writer Stephen E. Smith, Staff Writer Sara King, Proofreader Mary Novitsky, Proofreader PHOTOGRAPHERS

Glenn Dickerson Jeanne Paine Tim Sayer Hannah Sharpe CONTRIBUTORS

Cos Barnes Tom Bryant Susan Campbell Melanie Crow Geoff Cutler John Chappell Mart Dickerson Jack Dodson Jim Dalton Kay Grismer Robyn James Pamela Powers January Jan Leitschuh Cathy Marion Dale Nixon Lee Pace Vickie Rounds Astrid Stellanova Angie Tally

David Woronoff, Publisher ADVERTISING SALES 910.693.2505

Pat Taylor, Advertising Director Ginny Kelly Bill Downey Terry Hartsell Marty Hefner Peggy Marsh Darlene McNeil-Smith Johnsie Tipton Karen Triplett ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Kathryn Galloway, B.J. Hill Mechelle Wood, Scott Yancey Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488

PineStraw Magazine 910.693.2467

145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue Southern Pines, NC 28387 pinestraw@thepilot.com www.pinestrawmag.com Â©Copyright 2010. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

August 2010 Volume 5, No. 8

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

7 10 15 17

Sweet Tea Chronicles Jim Dodson PinePitch Cos and Effect Cos Barnes The Omnivorous Reader

50 Is There a Real Mayberry? By John Chappell

Stephen E. Smith

54 A Walk in Mayberry By Ashley Wahl

21 24 27 29 33 35 36 39 41 45 74 85 93

Bookshelf PineBuzz Jack Dodson Hitting Home Dale Nixon The Kitchen Garden Jan Leitschuh Vine Wisdom Robyn James Pleasures of Life Deborah Salomon Feats of Clay Jim Dalton Birdwatch Susan Campbell The Sporting Life Tom Bryant Golftown Journal Lee Pace Calendar SandhillSeen Thoughts from the Man Shed

Admit it. There’s a little Mayberry in all of us.

53 Me and Aunt Bee By Melanie Crow Memories of the legend next door. On the 50th anniversary of America’s favorite TV show, our intrepid reporter goes in search of Andy and Company.

56 Sandhills Photography Club

Latest batch of winning photographs by some of our local photographers.

60 Story of a House By Deborah Salomon Historic twin houses make Pine Cone Lodge a modern gem.

66 The Art Sleuth By Mary Elle Hunter Debra Rhodes Smith has the perfect eye for detail.

71 Afternoon Delight By Deborah Salomon The voluptuous tomato rules in August.

72 The Garden Path By Ron Sutton

A cool sanctuary for summer’s hottest days.

Geoff Cutler

The Accidental Astrologer Astrid Stellanova

SouthWords

Jennifer Kirby

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM SAYER We didn’t have to hunt far for a great Andy and Opie Taylor. Moore County Sheriff Lane Carter and young Will Bode personify the virtues of mythic Mayberry on a summer day.

August 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SWEET TEA CHRONICLES

The Mysteries of August BY JIM DODSON

Not long ago,

purely on impulse while driving home from a summer book festival in the mountains, I turned off the Interstate and followed a narrow winding road through the late-summer countryside toward Lake Lure, which I last saw about forty years ago. For what it’s worth, I wanted to see how much the Lake Lure Inn, where my parents had a second honeymoon after the war, had changed since I last saw it in my early teens — or even if it was still there at all. Places from one’s childhood, like Brigadoon, have a way sometimes of vanishing like dawn mist in modern America. The country road took me past small farms and fields where latesummer corn stood taller than the man who planted it; past a freewill holiness church with a helpful sign reminding would-be sinners “Forbidden Fruit Produces Many Jams”; past a dusty ball field where an evening Little League game was just commencing in the low golden light of a late-summer day. One team had already taken the field wearing cardinal red jerseys and white caps as parents settled on the wooden bleachers and a burly umpire waited at home plate with his hand on a hip while a portly opposing coach gave his players — green uniforms, beige caps — last minute instructions in the dugout. I eased over to the gravel shoulder and watched for a few minutes from the open window of my old Buick Roadmaster wagon, listening to the buzz of happy voices, the dusty pop of the mitt as the pitcher took his final warm-ups, the laughter of little kids cavorting in the bleachers. Perhaps it goes without saying, but these are sights and sounds no American kid of a certain generation can resist. Unexpectedly, however, I found myself smiling at the memory of a hot August afternoon in 1965 when, as one of those kids in the dugout, I learned about a sweet mystery of life. Smack in the middle of our big game against rival Bessemer Park, our coach, Mr. Rainey, a barrel-chested route supervisor for Pet Dairy, which sponsored our team, abruptly called timeout and ordered our PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

entire team off the field and into the dugout. We were stumped but also somewhat relieved. With the playoffs and summer’s end in sight, we were getting hammered once again by Bessemer Park something like 11-1. Part of me wondered if perhaps the game was being called simply to end the humiliation. “Boys, listen up, because I’m only going to tell you this once,” Coach said through a clenched jaw, tapping a bat on his palm as he walked slowly past us down the bench. “ It’s the key to a long and happy life.” My pal Bobby Fowler gave me a nudge and sly grin. “What do you think it is?” he whispered. I shrugged and punched my official Brooks Robinson model Rawlings fielder’s glove, glad to have a break from the August sun. Bobby and I alternated positions between shortstop and centerfield. That day I was playing center, where half the balls were hit that afternoon. I’d lost several in the sun and actually dropped an easy pop-fly that permitted two runs to score. “You two got something to say?” Coach Rainey snapped, pointing with the butt of his bat at Bobby and me. Bobby shook his head. I swallowed dryly and coughed up, “No sir.” “Good. So here it is. Listen up. If you ever decide for some reason to marry a pretty little gal, by God, you’d better first take a long hard look at her mama. Here’s why: That pretty little gal is someday going to turn out exactly like her mama!” With this, Coach Rainey gave the team bat bag a violent kick, causing the bats to explode and all of us to jump at least a foot in the air. Then he pointed to the field and hollered at us, “OK. Now get the hell out there and play some *&$#@ baseball!” “What the heck did that mean?” Bobby asked as we jogged back out to the field. I shook my head and admitted it was a complete mystery to me.

My mother,

the former Miss Western Maryland, was a war bride.

She married my dad, a newspaperman from North Carolina, six months before he was shipped off to England by the 8th Army Air Corps. That was summer of ’43. She didn’t see him again until mid 1945 when he came home from France. That next August they drove down to Lake Lure for a second honeymoon. I still have a snapshot from that trip, taken at the swimming pool of the Lake Lure Inn, where film stars and presidents turned up

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August 2010

SWEET TEA CHRONICLES

from time to time. The beauty queen is perched on the bony shoulders of her skinny ex-soldier husband, whose hairline is already beginning to recede. They have that lean and tenderly gawky look of a couple just starting down the road of married life, unaware of what may lie ahead. My mother never knew her mother, who died of influenza not long after she was born in 1920. She was raised by eight strong-willed older German-American sisters who taught her everything except how to cook. She was selling big band records at McRory’s Department Store

She demurred at first — was actually engaged to marry some smoothie named Earl who had a flashy Hudson roadster. when my dad dropped in to chat with the store manager about their weekly ad. He didn’t own a record player but returned several times to buy big band records until he worked up the nerve to ask her out. She demurred at first — was actually engaged to marry some smoothie named Earl who had a flashy Hudson roadster. But eight weeks later, she married my dad instead. I think he had to ask my Aunt Fanny, my mom’s oldest sister, for her hand. That couldn’t have been easy. Aunt Fanny wasn’t a woman to be trifled with, a stern-faced countrywoman who actually owned a heart of gold. For years I thought Fanny was my real grandmother until I learned she was merely my mom’s older sister by nearly two decades. They all grew up on Kessell Mountain near the North Branch of the Potomac River in West Virginia. Their father, Jim Kessell, was a sometime coal miner who loved to play the fiddle. In the absence of a mother, if my hearty oldfashioned aunts — Fanny, Viola, Ola, Leona, Esther, and Ethel — were any indication of what kind of wife their baby sister Janet Virginia might turn out to be, the secret to a long and happy marriage was probably lost on my father. The four oldest sisters were models of good German mothering, the three youngest Betty Grable knockouts. Esther was a beauty consultant with a wild past, Ethel a regal and quiet beauty. My mom was Miss Congeniality in her big pageant and earned her Miss Western Maryland crown when the gal who won turned out to be in a “family way.”

SWEET TEA CHRONICLES

By the middle 1960s, when my brother Dickie and I were on the scene, Kessell reunions — normally in July, sometimes in August — were rowdy, wonderful affairs. My Uncle Russ, Aunt Esther’s equally wild husband, kept a pet skunk and provided kegs of National Bohemian beer cooling in his root house. The uncles all played horseshoes and argued baseball while the “crazy Kessell sisters” cooked and caught up on the vast, scattered tribe. We kids tubed in the rapids of the Potomac, sneaked cups of purloined beer, and tried to get a better look at Cousin Jerry’s new wife Ellie sunbathing on the rocks with her top untied. In summers when we didn’t head for West Virginia, Lake Lure was where we sometimes retreated to escape the heat of the Piedmont. More than once we stayed at someone’s lake house, though I can’t tell you who it belonged to. And I distinctly recall my parents taking me to dinner at the old Lake Lure Inn one evening after we dropped off my older brother at summer camp near Linville. Looking back, it could easily have been the same August Coach Rainey gave the bat bag a swift kick and shared his sweet mystery of married life. “Daddy and I had a second honeymoon here,” Mom explained as we ate in the gathering dusk, watching a wedding reception that was winding down outside on the inn’s wide lawn. Music was playing and Japanese lanterns rocked against the dark waters of the lake — which I’d reluctantly been hauled out of only an hour or so before. I was so water-logged, every light had a silvery halo. “Did he have all his hair then?” I wondered. My dad’s bald head was an endless source of amusement. My Kessell aunts thought he once looked like the actor Alan Ladd. He liked to say it was more like Broderick Crawford. “More than he does now,” she said with a laugh. “And I have the photograph to prove it. He’s still my handsome soldier.” Needless to say, when I finally reached Lake Lure on my unplanned sidetrip a few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find the inn and lake almost exactly as I remembered them. A young couple I chatted with briefly informed me the inn had been restored five years ago. I should have guessed they were honeymooners from Pennsylvania. They had that lean and tender look. Following a thunderstorm home through the Uwharrie hills a little while later, I thought about how life really is full of sweet mysteries, things we can never see coming along the road. My parents were married 55 years and I fully expected to do the same. For better or worse, I never saw my own divorce coming, but I count myself lucky to have been married to two terrific women who turned out a lot like their mothers. Fortunately I happen to love their mothers. So I guess that’s what Coach meant. PS PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Blue Plate Special A winning combo: Bluegrass music and barbecue to benefit the Special Olympics of North Carolina. Smithfield Bar-B-Q and music by the Blue Grass Tradition come together from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Pinehurst Fair Barn. Advance tickets, $20, available at the Pinehurst Police Department; at the door, $25. Information: (910) 295-3141.

Eat Better, Eat Moore

Familiarity Breeds…Fun

Moore on the Menu, from Aug. 30-Sept. 5, involves a dozen or more local restaurants who will offer prix fixe menus for dinner that showcase their diverse culinary options. Among the participants are Wolcott’s, Rhett’s, Magnolia Inn, Chef Warren’s, Ashten’s, Elliott’s on Linden, Ironwood, Coach Light Trattoria. Four-course dinners will cost $35. Information and a complete list of participants: www.HomeOfGolf.com or (800) 346-5362.

First Friday continues from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 6 when The New Familiars play on the grassy knoll adjacent to the Sunrise Theater in downtown Southern Pines. Free admission to this familyfriendly event. Food and beverages available. Information: www.firstfridaysouthernpines.com

Farmed Out The much-anticipated annual Robbins Farmers Day Festival comes to town from 6-9 p.m. Aug. 5; 6 p.m.-midnight Aug. 6; 9 a.m.midnight Aug. 7 around Middleton Street in downtown Robbins. Horse parade, country/bluegrass/gospel/beach music, fireworks, food vendors, mule and antique tractor shows. Most events free; small admission charge for rodeo, carnival rides. Information: (910) 4641290 or www.robbinsfarmersday.com

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Long, Hot Summer on the Porch The Rooster’s Wife Summer on the Porch Music Series concludes Aug. 8 at the Postmaster’s House in Aberdeen with Jeni and Billy and Stevie Coyle. J&B bring the sparse folk sound of the mountains and backwoods to life with guitar, banjo and mandolin. Show starts at 6 p.m.; bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics, although food from Aberdeen Café will be available. Tickets: $8, under 12 free. Information: www.theroosterswife.org or (910) 944-7502.

Bocce, Anyone? You don’t have to be a senior, or Italian, to roll the balls. The Sandhills Children’s Center will host its 3rd Annual Backyard Bocce Bash from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 14 at the Harness Track in Pinehurst. Sponsor tickets, $350, include a team of four, a courtside tent, T-shirts and Friday night party. Team of four with party, no tent: $100. Information: (910) 692-3323 or www.BackyardBocce.org

The Roaring Thirties

Up to Muster The 31st Annual Revolutionary War Battle Reenactment of the 1781 skirmish between the Tories and the Whigs will sally forth at 4 p.m. on Aug. 7 and 2 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the House in the Horseshoe, 324 Alston Road, Sanford. Encampment of soldiers and families, artillery and small arms demonstrations, crafts. Information: (910) 947-2051.

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The Fine Arts Festival turns 30 on Aug. 6, with opening reception, 6-8 p.m. at Campbell House Galleries in Southern Pines. The Arts Council of Moore County created the annual event to provide incentive to local artists, and to showcase their works. Now, participants come from many states to compete for $2,500 in prizes. The exhibit continues until Aug. 27. Information and schedules: www.artscouncilmoore.org or (910) 6922787.

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August 2010

Tea-ing Off Child’s Play The 2010 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship and World Cup comes to Pinehurst No. 3, No.4, No.8, Hyland, Legacy, Mid Pines, Talamore, Midland Country Club and Little River Aug. 3-8. This is one of the world’s largest golf championships for ages 6-12. Besides being prodigies, these players are so adorable to watch. Information: (888) 387-5437 or www.homeofgolf.com/uskidsgolf

Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour in Pinehurst Village will host a summer tea party at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 10. Please dress for the occasion and bring a friend — or your American Girl Doll. Information: (910) 255-0100.

On a Dare US postage stamp issued in 1937, the 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare’s birth

Besides being a ginger ale brand, Virginia Dare was the first child born of English parents in the New World (1587). Her birthplace: Roanoke Island. For a lively discussion of life in the Colonies, join Douglass Community Center Senior Activities at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, Dare’s birthday. Bring old photos and memorabilia to share. Light refreshments. Center located at 1185 West Pennsylvania Ave. Admission: $2 for Southern Pines residents, $4 for nonresidents. Register by Aug. 11 at (910) 692-7376.

Oldies, Goodies, Freebies The Southern Pines Public Library presents “Madame Curie,” starring Greer Garson, at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, part of its Oldies & Goodies Film Series. Both Garson and Walter Pidgeon won Academy Awards for their performances in this 1943 biography, also starring Margaret O’Brien. The event is free…and cool. Information about other library events at www.sppl.net and (910) 692-8235.

Providing Provence The Women of Weymouth, assisted by Mark Elliott, will follow their spectacular A Night in Tuscany dinner of 2009 with an (indoor) Picnic in Provence. This summer fundraiser for the Weymouth Center happens from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 13. Fabulous French food, of course, by Elliott’s on Linden. Live auction. Tab: $45 (includes wine). Reservations: (910) 692-6261.

Here’s the Beer The Festival of Beers, hosted by the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, comes to Weymouth Center in Southern Pines from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Aug. 21. Food and beers from some of Carolina’s best breweries — plus live entertainment. Tickets: (910) 692-3926.

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Leaving Your Mark The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines is looking for a few good bookmark makers. Its first Bookmark Contest will accept entries from adults and children until Sept. 1. Bookmarks might be decorated with graphics, photos, drawings, slogans, text. Previously, bookmarks were designed in house; the contest gives the public a chance to participate. Prizes will be gift certificates. Blank bookmarks available in the store. For more information, visit www.thecountrybookshop.biz and click on “bookmark contest.”

Our Fair Ladies The Fairladies on 7 will host a fundraising event, the Fairwoods Inaugural Breast Cancer Detection for the Moore Free Care Clinic, at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 — but reservations are required by Sept. 1. The Clinic is a private, nonprofit organization that provides screening mammograms to women of limited income and no health insurance. The event includes an afternoon of golf followed by hors d’oeuvres, music, cash bar, silent auction and putting contest. Donation: $75 (tax deductible). Information and reservations: (910) 255-0779.

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August 2010

COS AND EFFECT

To learn more about me and my company go to:

Hair Today Gone tomorrow BY COS BARNES

felt the tears sting my eyes as I listened to the woman make a hair appointment, no easy task for one in her 90s. “Agnes Dorothy,” the beauty shop she had frequented the past 22 years, just closed after decades of operation, and she was seeking a new one. Her former hairdresser still had her records and said, “There was a weekly set and three perms a year.” You do the math. Women know the most important hour they spend each week is at the beauty parlor. Those who attended “Agnes Dorothy” knew they could rely on the skill of Helen Johnson, the owner, and the prowess of the beauticians who worked with her, Mary Lou Starr, Thelma Clohossey and Faye Inman, among others. Customers knew, also, they could count on the camaraderie, the friendships established over the years at their weekly ritual of curls and color. “We were like a big family,” Mary Lou Starr, who now dresses hair at Belle Meade, said. The shop had a history. As far back as 1927 it was located at the Belvedere Hotel and later upstairs above what is now Honeycutt’s Jewelers. The hair wizard was Helen Johnson, who bought the business in 1963, then bought and built a new edifice on Pennsylvania Avenue which she maintained until her death at 98 in 2009. She was actively working until she was 85. “It really hurt me to close,” said Mary Lou. Thelma praised Helen’s ability: “She was a superb hairdresser,” she said. “She could cut 1/2 inch off somebody’s hair and make a curl out of it.” Talking to these two legends reminded me of when I met my college roommate our freshman year. She was from New York and nightly she put her hair “up.” Southern miss that I was, I “rolled” mine. “If you cut it, you have to roll it,” Helen preached to her beauticians. She had a special technique with pedicures, according to Clohossey, and was also a master at the old-fashioned finger wave. She had a customer who insisted on that style until her death in the early 1990s. These women catered to the likes of their clients. They still set on rollers and placed them under the dryer, even though their younger counterparts preferred blow dryer and curling iron. I asked them if they remembered the grotesque machines that were used for permanents many years ago. Of course they did, and they each blessed the invention of the machineless permanent. They told me of a funny incident on one of Helen’s birthdays when the florist sent a bag lady asking for a job. She insisted she would do wonders for Helen’s business, and Helen could not get rid of her. It so happened that her customer during this interlude was the late Dr. Vita McLeod, another legend in Southern Pines. So here’s to the grand old girls! Those who would never put their best foot forward without a professional shampoo and set. PS

Cos Barnes, we’re thrilled to say, lives and writes in Southern Pines. She is a longtime contributor to PineStraw magazine. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

July 2010

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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

T H E O M N I VO R O U S R E A D E R

Fun with Dick and Liz Forget about six degrees of separation. Taylor and Burton were center of Celebrity Universe

BY STEPHEN E. SMITH

If you can multitask, surf on

over to Netflix and rent the following DVDs: Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Taming of the Shrew. Then hustle down to the bookshop and purchase Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger. Put Cleopatra on the DVD player and begin reading. You’ll no longer have to waste time watching Inside Edition or pretending not to read the cover of the National Inquirer at the grocery checkout. Your deep-seated need to wallow in the deleterious lifestyles of the rich and infamous will be assuaged. God knows how many books have been written about the tempestuous Taylor-Burton relationship, but it’s likely that Furious Love is the definitive analysis (dare I say “exposé”?), at least for the time being. And after you’ve read the first chapter, you’ll be convinced that the Kashner and Schoenberger foray into ’60s celebrity manners and mores is the most addictive brain candy you’ll find on bookstore shelves this summer. Even if you don’t know who “Liz and Dick” were, you’ll revel in the gossipy details of their off-and-on affair, which reads like a 512-page fractured fairytale — sex, mega-scandal, violent brawls, sex, outrageous behavior, yachts, sex, booze (lots of booze), palatial hotels, raging insecurities, sex, millions in diamonds and pearls, jealous rages, sex, a menagerie of exotic pets, a boatload of servants, and, of course, sex. You might, in fact, find it difficult to credit the levels of conspicuous consumption and iniquitous behavior demonstrated by the Burtons, but anyone who lived through the ’60s can tell you that Liz and Dick were the magical couple around whom the paparazzi flitted incessantly. We can only marvel at the Burtons’ lifestyle: “The pink marble mansion came complete with swimming pool, acres of pine forests, two butPineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

lers, and three maids. The entourage included the couple’s two secretaries and Elizabeth’s three children, ten dogs, and four cats. Dick Hanley, a former secretary to Louis B. Mayer and now Elizabeth’s majordomo, was set up in a nearby flat with his companion. In Rome, Taylor lived in Cleopatra-like luxury, insisting that all the beds be made daily with fresh linens. For each meal, full place settings were provided by the maids — complete with a glass for white wine, one for red, one for champagne, and one for water.” At Elizabeth’s frequent dinner parties, the table settings were color-coordinated with her outfit and her eyes, which seemed to change hue with her moods. The Burtons even had servants for their servants. Dick Hanley’s favorite chili was flown in daily from Chasen’s, his favorite West Hollywood restaurant. As Kashner and Schoenberger tactfully observe: “In this Age of Vulgarity marked by such minor matters as war and poverty, it gets harder every day to scale the heights of true vulgarity. But given some loose millions, it can be done — and worse, admired.” Cleopatra is the obvious starting point for your multitasking. It was on the set of this epic saga that Burton and Taylor began the affaire d’amour that shocked the world. Crooner Eddie Fisher had left pert Debbie Reynolds to marry Elizabeth Taylor, whose husband Mike Todd had been killed in a tragic plane crash, and Taylor had, in turn, left Fisher for the arms of Richard Burton, who eventually divorced his wife Sybil to marry Taylor. Forget about the six degrees of Kevin Bacon, Liz and Dick were the center of the universe. As you’re watching Cleopatra, you’ll want to consult Furious Love for the inside skinny, and after reading the first few chapters, you’ll find it impossible not to imagine the torrid love scenes that were taking place off camera. You’ll smile when you realize that Liz and Dick were locked in throes of coitus just moments before their images were committed to celluloid. Cleopatra is a cinematic fiasco that’s a flat-out hoot to watch. From the moment the Queen of the Nile rolls from a rug into the arms of Julius Caesar, the film is likely to strike a contemporary audience as a trifle silly. The acting reflects the less sophisticated aesthetic of the early ’60s, and Taylor, who was short and pleasingly plump, is physically unfashionable with her thick waistline and overstuffed, pre-implant décolletage. The most rewarding moment of the four-hour film is when Antony whispers, “A kiss to take my breath away” — pure old-school

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August 2010

T H E O M N I VO R O U S R E A D E R

Hollywood hokum! (I much prefer Shakespeare’s “I am dying, Egypt, dying.”) On the other hand, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is the perfect vehicle for the talents of the Burtons. They’re both in their prime, and they do more than adequate justice to Edward Albee’s handiwork. Unfortunately, their marriage, as described by Kashner and Schoenberger, was headed south, and as in the movie, alcohol, illnesses, jealousy, petty squabbles, and an unhealthy dose of selfindulgence combined to end their off-screen sexual simpatico. Franco Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew is the final piece of the puzzle. Taylor and Burton

...after reading the first few chapters, you’ll find it impossible not to imagine the torrid love scenes that were taking place off camera. are at their absolute best when working with the greatest English-language poet, and if Dick is occasionally jaded, Liz picks up the slack, proving herself a first-rate actress. Unfortunately, the world of cinema was changing. “It was the low-budget movies by new kids on the block that were making money: Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider,” Kashner and Schoenberger write. “Unconventionally attractive ‘ethnic’ actors like Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, and Elliot Gould were playing romantic leads….” It’s going to be an insufferably hot summer, so give yourself a couple of cool weeks with Furious Love and Liz and Dick on DVD. The story is compelling, Richard Burton’s acting can be inspiring, and Elizabeth Taylor is, well, Elizabeth Taylor, whether on film or in print. PS Stephen Smith’s new book, A Short Report on the Fire at Woolworths, is available at mainstreetrag.com/S_Smith_Woolworths.html. He can be reached at travisses@hotmail.com.

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BOOKSHELF

New Releases for August BY KAY GRISMER AND ANGIE TALLY FICTION – HARDCOVER THE CAPITOL GAME by Brian Haig. The invention of a chemical compound that makes military-combat vehicles invincible sparks a nasty fight between corporate and government types for control of the miracle substance. THE CARETAKER OF LOREN FIELD by Dave Zeltserman. With support from his wife and son dwindling, and the townsfolk becoming increasingly skeptical, the caretaker of Loren Field is driven to desperate measures to prove that the Aukowies, the bloodthirsty plants his family has been pulling for 300 years, could overrun the world if not attended to. THE COBRA by Frederick Forsyth. After the president declares drug traders and their cartels to be terrorists, he gives a smart, ruthless, unrelenting ex-CIA director free rein to bring the entire weight and resources of the government against the international cocaine trade. CROSSFIRE by Dick and Felix Francis. In the final collaboration between Francis and his son, a disabled army captain returns home to discover that his mother, the “first lady of British racing,” is being blackmailed. I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME by Per Petterson. A man whose life is falling apart follows his dying mother to her native Denmark, where he makes one last attempt to connect with her in this eloquent novel from the author of Out Stealing Horses. THE MAN WITH THE BALTIC STARE by James Church. In the 4th Inspector O mystery, set in 2016, the wily North Korean police inspector is wrenched from exile and ordered to Macau to investigate a murder allegedly committed by the anointed leader of the soon-to-be-reunited North and South Korea. PERCIVAL’S PLANET by Michael Byers. In 1930, an untrained Kansas farm boy is pitted against the greatest minds of Harvard at the run-down Lowell Observatory in Arizona in a race to discover Pluto. QUEEN OF THE NIGHT by J. A. Jance. Murders old and new disturb the peace of Tohono Oodham Nation residents and their Arizona neighbors in the latest entry in the Walker Family series. SPIDER BONES by Kathy Reichs. Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan examines the body of a drowning victim in Quebec only to discover he was an American soldier declared dead in 1968 and buried in North Carolina. THE TOWER, THE ZOO AND THE TORTOISE by Julie Stuart. Passion, desperation, and romantic shenanigans abound among the eccentric characters who live in the present-day Tower of London in this charming novel reminiscent of those by Alexander McCall Smith. TURBULENCE by Giles Foden. A young math prodigy must convince a reclusive pacifist to divulge the secret to the relationship between prePineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

BOOKSHELF

dictability and turbulence and apply it in time for the Normandy landings on D-Day. THE VIOGNIER VENDETTA by Ellen Crosby. Virginia vineyard owner Lucie Montgomery uncovers a political and financial scandal in Washington, D.C.’s corridors of power while trying to locate her friend, who goes missing after picking up a precious wine cooler stolen during the War of 1812. FICTION – PAPERBACK DAY AFTER NIGHT by Anita Diamant. The author of The Red Tent tells the story of four women, refugees from Nazi Europe, who find friendship, love, and salvation in a postwar British camp in Palestine. A GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore. Just months after 9/11, a college student becomes a part-time nanny for an older white couple who adopt an African-American baby. GIRL IN A BLUE DRESS by Gaynor Arnold. Drawing on the life and the discontented marriage of Charles Dickens, Arnold paints a portrait of a celebrated Victorian author and his unfailingly devoted wife. HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE by Margaret Dilloway. Dilloway mines her own family’s history to produce the story of a Japanese war bride, her American daughter, and their challenging relationship. THE LACUNA by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver takes the reader on an epic journey from the Mexico of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover. ONCE ON A MOONLESS NIGHT by Dai Sijie. From the author of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress comes a haunting tale of love and the beguiling power of a lost language in this story that carries readers across the breadth of China’s past. WIFE OF THE GODS by Kwei Quartey. Det. Inspector Darko Dawson leaves his loving wife and young son in Ghana’s capital city to lead a murder investigation outside a small town where a promising medical student was found dead under suspicious circumstances. NON-FICTION – HARDCOVER COMPOSED by Rosanne Cash. The acclaimed singer and songwriter writes about her upbringing in southern California as the child of country legend Johnny Cash, and of her relationships with her mother and her famous stepmother, June Carter Cash. GIRLS OF MURDER CITY by Douglas Perry. Perry vividly captures Jazz Age Chicago to tell the true story of the murderesses who became media sensations and inspired the musical “Chicago.” HOT TIME IN THE OLD TOWN by Edward P Kohn. Kohn shares the untold story of the catastrophic Great Heat Wave of 1896 that brought New York to its knees — and kick-started Teddy Roosevelt’s political career. KEEPER: One House, Three Generations, and a Journey Into Alzheimer’s by Andrea Gillies. In her forthright and well-researched chronicle of her troubled two years taking care of her mother-in-law in the throes of dementia, the British journalist reveals the “dehumanizing” toll of the disease on the whole family.

BOOKSHELF

NON-FICTION – PAPERBACK THE GOOD SOLDIERS by David Finkel. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist chronicles the work of the Second Battalion, Sixteenth Infantry Regiment, during a 14-month tour in Iraq. OPEN by Andre Agassi. The tennis legend writes about his early success, his uncomfortable relationship with fame, the highs and lows of his celebrated career, and his growing interest in philanthropy. YOU ARE HERE: Why We Can Find Our Way to the Moon, But Get Lost in the Mall by Colin Ellard. Ellard illuminates how humans are disconnected from our world and what this means, not just for how we get from A to B, but also for how we construct our cities, our workplaces, our homes, and even our lives. CHILDREN’S BOOKS IS YOUR BUFFALO READY FOR KINDERGARTEN? by Audrey Vernik. Does your buffalo have a backpack? Does he love to fingerpaint? Is he willing to take turns? Can he cut with scissors? OK, maybe he can’t cut yet, but most kids aren’t pictured on old nickels! Everyone’s special in their own way. That’s the kind of thing you learn in kindergarten. Fun for ages 4-6. MR. PUTNEY’S QUACKING DOG by Jon Agee. In this sit-on-my-lap and read together book, readers of all ages will giggle while playing these fun guessing games beginning with an illustration of an armadillo staring at an alarm clock and the question: Who wakes Mr. Putney in the morning? The answer? An Alarmadillo! Fun for all ages. LINGER by Maggie Steifvater. Supernatural love stories are all the rage, and this second in a trilogy that began with the beautifully written Shiver rises to the top of the stack. Grace and Sam, who found each other in Shiver, must now struggle to stay together in the human world. As Sam leaves his werewolf past, Grace hides a dangerous secret that could compromise her safety, and they both struggle to deal with a new wolf that could risk the lives of the whole pack. Ages 12 and up. PS

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

PineBuzzz

BY JACK DODSON

Hype Machine … it was breathlessly described to me as ‘the future of all media.’” Turns out, the person who said that to Heilemann was Gawker Media founder Nick Denton — one of the most successful bloggers in the United States. So if you’re wondering how it’s legal, here’s creator Anthony Volodkin’s explanation in a Wired Magazine 2007 Q&A where he says he thinks music labels appreciate the website: “I think it’s an interesting, honest way to help consumers discover new music — by exposing a voice they can trust — and that’s a big deal. Consumers just don’t trust a lot of sources.... They have certain perceptions of why music is in those particular channels. I’ve had more positive conversations with labels about Hype Machine.” So start searching and downloading, because it looks like this is the success Napster aspired to be.

Holy mp3s, Batman: The Hype Machine It’s like Pandora, but better. In fact, it’s the next best thing to having your iTunes library on every computer you use. The Hype Machine, as it’s called, is a music blog aggregator that compiles mp3s from around the Internet, and it gives you the option to “love” songs so you can listen to them anytime. And the best part is that almost all the posts link to a blog where you can download the song for free. So next time you’re looking for a good remix to the new Lady Gaga song, just type in “Bad Romance” to the search bar and start downloading. So maybe Lady Gaga is a bad example. But there’s every type of music here — from Bruce Springsteen to M.I.A. to the Avett Brothers. After all, the site pulls from around the Internet, which has infinite space for all the mash-ups, leaks, and singles there can possibly be. Here’s how Hype Machine works: If you’ve created an account, which is free, you can click the heart on the post, and it will go to your “Loved Songs” folder. There’s even a sub-category called “Your Obsessions” that lists all the songs you’ve listened to on the Hype Machine the most. Hype Machine posts content it pulls from music blogs across the Internet. The front page contains music being posted in real time from blogs, and if you refresh every five minutes, the list is always completely different. Every few seconds, it seems, there’s a new track. The other thing that makes the Hype Machine wonderful is just the pure amount of new music you can find with the click of a mouse. Everyone knows the Internet has democratized media, making it possible for you and your neighbor to publish an album if you want to. All those smaller, unsigned bands are making the Hype Machine their own stage. The website, born in 2005, is nothing new. In fact, it’s gotten some pretty serious praise over the years, earning this from CNN’s John Heilemann in 2007: “When I first heard about the

Pictured left to right: Will Youngclaus, drums, Nick Allen, guitar, Sam Strobel, keyboards and vocals, and Baxter Clement, bass and vocals.

Catch a Rising Star: Sam Strobel After a year of recording, mixing and producing, 17-year-old Southern Pines native Sam Strobel recently finished his first album, still unnamed — with the help of local music guru Baxter Clement. A seasoned performer, Strobel is setting his sights high for the future, hoping his first album will garner a fan base and the attention of a label. The nine-track album, which Strobel says has heavy influences from Coldplay, drifts through slow-paced ballads and lowkey pop songs heavy on piano and vocals — both of which are Strobel himself. With strong lyrics, too, the album shows Strobel’s strength in writing songs and Clement’s imaginative background touches. Strobel will be attending two years at Sandhills Community College to study education in the fall, hoping to transfer to one of the UNC schools later on. But he plans to stick with his music, hoping this first album will be a success. We recently caught up with him for a brief chat.

PINE BUZZZ

PINESTRAW: What made you decide you wanted to make this album? STROBEL: I had written a song, I guess a little over a year ago, and I played it for my family, and my mom was like, “Wow, that’s a really impressive song, people would want to hear that on the radio, you should go play that for Baxter.” And so I came in here and I told him I had some songs…I played three songs for him and they’re all on the album. He was just like, “Let’s go with it,” so we just started recording from there. PINESTRAW: You’ve played a lot of concerts. What’s the difference in recording an album and playing a show? STROBEL: It’s pretty different. Recording an album there’s a lot less adrenaline involved — it’s more just really comfortable. It’s playing like I would sitting in my house. Playing a concert, there are people watching and there are nerves. It’s a lot more exciting and a lot less perfect. PINESTRAW: What do you hope to do with the album? STROBEL: Hopefully just collect a fan base and start getting bigger, playing more shows — more people showing up to see me instead of just the show. I hope the people want to hear it. PINESTRAW: Where do you see yourself in five years, musically? STROBEL: Hopefully with an album out on a really big record label and a couple tours under my belt. And a lot of fans. PINESTRAW: Can you talk about the feel of this album, or what you were going for? STROBEL: I think a lot of it was intended to go a little like Coldplay, but then a lot of weird sounds got mixed in. There’s a lot of synthesizer in it, so there’s a lot of weird organs and there’s a lot of distorted base — which sounds really weird, when it’s supposed to be pop/alternative rock, but it really fits together somehow. And it’s odd, but it sounds good, and it turns out to be a soft rock kind of vibe. It’s really cool. I wasn’t expecting it because I just sat down and played the piano and sang and Baxter just put all these weird ideas in it. PINESTRAW: So “Lullabye” is your favorite track. Why is that? STROBEL: I just think the recording came out the best. It was really simple. It’s just a real simple organ, bass, piano, guitar and drums. It’s really chill, and really quiet, and I just tend to like that kind of music. PINESTRAW: What are your musical influences? STROBEL: Coldplay, John Mayer, Elton John, The Beatles. Those are pretty much the biggest. PS Jack Dodson is the summer multimedia intern at The Pilot and news editor of The Pendulum, the student newspaper at Elon University. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

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Eye Max Optical Boutique Green Gate Olive Oils Le Faux Chateau Lyne’s Furniture Gallery Old Sport & Gallery Old Village Golf Shop The Potpurri The Village Wine Shop

FINE JEWELRY

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RESTAURANTS & INNS Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour & Gift Shoppe Pine Crest Inn Restaurant & Pub Poppy’s Cafe & Sundry The Darling House Pub & Grill Ten-Ya Japanese & Sushi Bar The Magnolia Inn Restaurant & Bar

HITTING HOME

College Bound The first one out the door is the toughest — until the second one comes along BY DALE NIXON

I have been writing for PineStraw mag-

azine a little over four years. I have been writing personal newspaper columns for over 25 years. My PineStraw articles have been devoted to baby boomers, ages 40 and up, because that is what I am now. (I am 40 and up, up, up…) But before my baby boomer years, I wrote to a younger audience with younger children and experiences. So, I’ve decided from time to time that I’ll dig into my memories and hopefully “hit home” with and make some new, young friends. FROM TIME TO TIME… Have you ever had a lump in your throat for weeks on end? Have you ever thought your heart would break right in two? If you have, you must have sent a child off to college. I took my daughter, Edie, to college yesterday. It was one of the toughest days of my life. A good friend of mine with previous experience had told me months ago, “Now, Momma, whatever you do, don’t let Edie know how sad you are when you take her to school. Laugh, joke and make the trip a real fun event.” I gave it my best shot. I laughed, joked and teased. “Edie,” I said as we rode, “I’m not losing a daughter, I’m gaining a bathroom.” “Edie, I’m going to say goodbye to five loads of your laundry a week and hello to plenty of hot water.” “Edie, since you will be away at college, I won’t have to ask your permission to drive my car.” I glanced at Edie out of the corner of my eye. She was not amused. She and I were in a battle; we were fighting tears. We rode on in silence. She was lost in her thoughts and I in mine. She was thinking of all the experiences yet to come, and I was thinking of all the experiences gone by. I was remembering when she was a toddler. I took her everywhere with me — to the beauty shop, grocery store, shopping at the mall… I was so amazed that I had produced this little person that I couldn’t stand to be away from her. I remembered the first weekend I went out of town and left her at home. It was a miserable trip for me. I stayed on the phone most of the time checking on her to see how she was doing. She was doing fine; I was the one who was having problems. Then there was the Mother’s Day she bought me six petunia plants. They cost her a quarter each. We planted them together and PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

they were the prettiest petunias in the entire county. I watered and mulched them, pinched the tops off, and they grew and they grew. They had been given to me with love, and I took care of them with love. Then there was her first dance recital. She skipped across the stage, clapped her hands two times and skipped off. I had paid $500 for this? The dancing and the payments continued. Needless to say, she learned how to skip, clap and, yes, dance. Then there was the time she was going to run away from home. I followed Dr. Spock’s advice. I helped her pack and even fixed her a bag lunch. His advice worked. She stayed home. I will never forget what she was like from age 11 to 13. During this period, she stayed in her room a lot and refused to talk. Each time I asked her what was wrong, she began to cry and said, “Nothing.” At the age of 14, she decided to come out of her room and talked in complete sentences again. I marked the date on my calendar in red. Then she discovered boys and her disposition improved even more. She would go to a party, come home and describe to me what she considered to be a real “hunk.” “Momma, he had on eyeliner, spiked hair, one pierced ear with a diamond stud in it, red high-top tennis shoes and a tattoo on his wrist. Oh, and Momma, of all the girls at the party, he talked to me.” Her commentary took my breath away, but complacently I replied, “He sounds cute.” As we rode along I thought of how I probably got on her nerves through the years. I asked the same questions over and over. “How was your day at school?” “What did you have for lunch at the cafeteria?” (It was invariably the same menu I had planned for dinner.) “Did you have a good time at the party?” “Do you have any homework tonight?” (The answer was always, “no.”) She got on my nerves, too. She always had on the blouse or sweater (of mine) that I wanted to wear. She was forever borrowing my makeup and my money. She liked weird clothes and painted her nails neon blue. Regardless of all of the growing pains, I love her and she loves me. We’re going to miss each other. We’re going to miss each other a lot. Maybe when I send the next one off to college, it won’t hurt so much. But for today, I have a lump in my throat, I wish I could turn back time, and I think my heart is going to break right in two. PS Columnist Dale Nixon resides in Concord but enjoys a slice of heaven (disguised as a condominium) in the village of Pinehurst. You may contact her by e-mail at dalenixon@carolina.rr.com.

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August 2010

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

A True Southern Gem Even if its infamous slime is great for you

BY JAN LEITSCHUH

Hot summer days

make for serious okra-growing weather. When the blossoms on the peppers have aborted and the sweet corn husks have browned in the blazing dry heat, you can always count on okra to thrive. Of African descent, okra can deal with the Sandhills drought and heat. Okra has a mixed reputation on the dinner plate. Prickly relative of the hollyhock, okra is an everyday summer vegetable for Southern gardeners. Being a cheesehead from Wisconsin, I found it took some getting used to. Oh, I liked growing it. Okra’s summer toughness makes it a gratifying and easy plant to cultivate. Although you’ll see small plants available from time to time at garden centers, I generally take the cheaper route and plant from seed directly. Plant in any decent garden soil when nights and soil are warm. Soaking the seeds overnight can speed germination. The broad, tropical leaves are attractively cut, the plant rising about four feet with small yellow hibiscus-like blooms — it could probably sub as an ornamental at the back of a flower or shrub border, a lacy, productive and nontoxic alternative to castor beans. Okra pods are borne in the leaf axils, that vibrant area where the leaf branches out from the stem. First arrives that pretty little yellow hollyhock of a bloom — nothing spectacular, but pleasant enough to draw a smile during a stroll of the garden. After pollination, almost overnight it seems, the spent blossom becomes a pod. At warp speed. The pods grow like weeds! It took me a while to realize I had to pick okra daily, or every other day at most, to keep the plants producing. Over four inches in length, the pods become fibrous and woody, not good to eat. Besides, the more you pick, the more you get. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Picking okra can be challenging to the unprepared. The leaves are prickly and can give you a rash. Commercial harvesters wear long sleeves and gloves. I use small pruning shears to harvest the tender, fuzzy pods, though a scissor would probably work. You want to avoid tearing the plant, and the stems are tough. Over-mature pods go straight into the compost heap. The plant will bear until frost. I often like to leave the last September pods on the plant to grow into long, interesting structures for dried arrangements. These dried pods make nice natural table decorations at Thanksgiving. Either stand stems upright in a vase or snip down to a few pods and bind with an appropriate ribbon for a table swag. Sprayed with a metallic paint, the dried pods can convert right over to Christmas glitter. It’s best to pick okra just before cooking. The pods can get tough with storage. If you have to store it, store it dry in the refrigerator, and only for a day or two. Freeze any you can’t use. Trim off the stems without removing the cap, or the pod will ooze. Blanch four minutes, chill, drain and freeze loosely in bags for winter gumbos. So now we get to the slime factor, my personal vegetable Rubicon. Okra exudes a mucilaginous gel. Actually, this gel is rather marvelous, though it doesn’t seem quite so at first bite. For one thing, it can thicken any liquid in which it is simmered. In fact, “gumbo” is the Swahili word for okra. Luckily, its mild flavor did not overly complicate my introduction. Okra is really at its best stewed and simmered, which allows the thickening to enhance a dish. Of course it can be breaded and fried, a common Southern treat. You can also sauté it, stir-fry it, grill it, pickle, steam or boil it. Okra seems to have an affinity for tomatoes (their acidity cuts the gumminess), and also corn, eggplant, peppers, bacon, and other smoky meats. As I said, the taste is quite mild, which brings me to my favorite way to eat okra: fresh, just-picked, right in the garden. It took me a while to come to such a place. Like many, I first worked my way through fried okra — “southern popcorn” — and graduated to gumbos and stews. Indian cooking also makes great

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August 2010

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

and delicious use of the pods, spicing them up with cumin, coriander, turmeric and more. But I started nibbling on the peach-fuzzy raw pods right in the garden when I learned how healing okra’s gel can be. It helps neutralize acids, being very alkaline. The gel is very kind to the digestive tract, and can soothe ulcers and irritable bowels. Full of electrolytes,okra is a useful vegetable for those who work in the heat. Its high pectin content helps lower cholesterol levels. A study from Emory University in Atlanta found that it contains a powerful compound called glutathione that fights cancer and heart disease. This antioxidant protects healthy cells from cancerous damage. In addition, glutathione prevents cancer-causing chemicals from damaging DNA, our chemical blueprint. In addition, okra contains a very large variety of healthy nutrients like vitamin C, calcium and potassium. So, what’s a little slime in the face of such vegetable greatness?

Okra and Green Beans This dish tastes even better after refrigerating overnight. The flavors blend into a wonderful taste sensation. Serve it warm or cold. This dish can also be oven-baked. Instead of simmering, lightly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. 3/4 pound fresh okra, uncut Vinegar (optional) 3/4 pound fresh green beans 1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 2 large garlic cloves, crushed, then chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper Wash okra pods, trim stems, do not remove caps. If desired, soak okra in vinegar for 30 minutes to remove some of the stickiness. Rinse well and drain. Wash beans and cut into 3-inch lengths. Combine water, tomato paste, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a saucepan and mix well. Heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Add okra and beans and additional water if necessary to almost cover vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until vegetables are crisp-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings PS Jan Leitschuh is a local gardener, avid eater of fresh produce and co-founder of the new Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative. Visit at http://www.SandhillsFarm2Table.com

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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

VINE WISDOM

The Many Faces of Chenin Blanc

BY ROBYN JAMES

The grape Chenin

Blanc is to a winemaker what a blank canvas is to an artist. It is universally thought to be the most versatile of all wine grapes. It provides a fairly neutral palate for the expression of terroir (the land), vintage variation and the winemaker’s treatment.

Native to the Loire Valley of France, Chenin Blanc is grown widely all over the world. It can be one of the most expensive wines in the world, and it can be used to make generic box wine. Chenin Blanc is a base for nearly every category of wine: dry table wine, slightly sweet Vouvray, and sparkling wine. It is appealing whether aged in barrel or not. It is most widely planted in South Africa, where it is known as “Steen.” The grape may have been introduced there by Huguenots fleeing France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. The vine is naturally vigorous and prone to overcropping, which is why it may be used for big-box generic table wine. The best winemakers will cut the crop back to retain the true characteristics and aromas of the wine. In cool areas the juice is sweet but high in acid with a full-bodied fruity palate. In the unreliable summers of northern France, the acidity of underripened grapes is perfect for making sparkling wines such as Cremant de Loire. In Anjou and Saumur, villages in Loire, Chenin can be dry and crisp with flavors of quince and apple. In nearby Vouvray, they aim for an off-dry style, developing honey and floral characteristics with age. In the best vintages the grapes can be left on the vines to develop noble rot (Boytritis), producing an intense, viscous dessert wine which may improve considerably with age. The French have laws that limit how much each winery may harvest in order to keep quality intact. Back in the day, California considered Chenin Blanc the “workhorse grape,” letting it grow wild so they had an abundance of cheap neutral base table wine. Only in the last decade or so has it gained respect in California. Pine Ridge winery makes a very popular blended wine of Chenin Blanc and Viognier. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The aromas and flavors of Chenin Blanc often include the descriptors of minerally, greengage plums, angelica and honey. The late harvest dessert wines from noble rot will often have notes of peaches and honey that develop into barley sugar, marzipan and quince as they age. New World styles of Chenin, such as those of South Africa, are more often made to be consumed young and exhibit rich tropical fruit notes such as banana, guava, pear and pineapple. Lighter, dry styles can pair well with light dishes such as salads, fish and chicken. The sweeter styles of Chenin Blanc can balance the spicy heat of some Asian and Hispanic cuisines. The acidity and balance of medium-dry styles can pair well with cream sauces and rich dishes like paté. If you think you have never had Chenin Blanc there’s a really good chance you’re wrong! It’s a sneaky little grape, and here are some of my favorite “disguises” of Chenin: PINE RIDGE CHENIN BLANC – VIOGNIER, CALIFORNIA, 2008 appr. $13 Offers pretty jade blossom and peach aromas, with subtle green apple, pebble and lime flavors. MAN VINTNERS CHENIN BLANC, SOUTH AFRICA, 2009, appr. $9 “Tasty yellow apple and melon fruit flavors are enlivened by a hint of citrus peel. Very fresh. Drink now.” RATED 86 POINTS, THE WINE SPECTATOR SAUVION VOUVRAY, LOIRE VALLEY, 2007, appr. $16 “Forward, with enticing lime, green apple and melon flavors that are pure and open-knit through the finish.” RATED 88 POINTS, THE WINE SPECTATOR MARQUIS DE LATOUR SPARKLING BRUT “Almonds and a strongly yeasty element are the main characters of this sparkling wine. It’s full, but the fruit still has a texture to it, leaving good acidity to finish. Good value, enjoyable wine.” RATED A BEST BUY, THE WINE ENTHUSIAST PS Robyn James is proprietor of The Wine Cellar and Tasting Room in Southern Pines. Contact her at winecellar@pinehurst.net.

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August 2010

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PLEASURES OF LIFE

TV Reruns Even better the second time around

BY DEBORAH SALOMON

What’s so terrible about reruns?

Reruns used to be the scourge of summer TV. Now, with seasons staggered, every day is rerun day. Just as “The Good Wife” concludes new episodes of “The Closer” commence. In between, daily doses of “CSI: Miami” and “NCIS” are forever. Not every program stands up to encore scrutiny. Others, like wine, improve with age simply because once not invested in the plot I notice other things. Like the writing. Whatever happened to writing? On “Frasier” and “The Golden Girls” dialogue is crisp, sharp, on point. Amazing how some of those half-hour episodes (actually 22 minutes without commercials) told a complete story. Believe it or not, so did “The Twilight Zone.” You have to write tight to do that. Reruns illustrate a social history. “All in the Family” should be required viewing for 20-30-year-olds. Here was sexism/racism on parade led by a bigot you hated to love, just as I hate to love Tony Soprano, surely the most finely drawn, nuanced character ever created. Except James Gandolfini, like Carroll O’Connor, will never be anybody else. I adored “The Sopranos” first go-round for the plot and subtle humor. Now, I arrange my schedule around 2 p.m. reruns (sanitized, unfortunately) on A&E. The humanity, the relationships, locations, costuming and facial expressions go beyond entertainment. They are truth in a mob setting — but truth, nonetheless. Early “Law & Order” episodes were well-made, perfectly paced plays about law and order unsullied by ripped-from-the-headlines situations: 9/11, celebrity murders, genital mutilation and political monkey business. Occasionally, I catch the daddy of all cops-and-courtroom dramas, “L.A. Law,” without which Jimmy Smits might not have done “N.Y.P.D. Blue” or John Spencer “The West Wing.” “West Wing” itself is like roll call for actors on their way up. Way up. Oddly, “Seinfeld” does not wear well. Funny is fleeting. Some “critically acclaimed” now defunct series showcase the talents of a particular actor. I had forgotten how excellent James Woods can be until a riveting “Shark” marathon. The good-old-days Laura Linney, Patricia Clarkson, Frances Conroy (late of “Six Feet Under”) and Cynthia Nixon shine in vintage appearances. Give me a hot July afternoon and a couple episodes of Andre Braugher (who got fat and bombed afterwards) in “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Seamless ensemble performances in “Everybody Loves Raymond” make my treadmill workout fly by. Watch these — and you’ll understand why inane reality shows, sloppy sitcoms and plastic personalities like Kate “Plus Eight” Gosselin, or interesting actor Mark Feuerstein (prostituting himself on “Royal Pains) have me reaching for the remote — all the time wondering what Archie Bunker would have said about that. PS Deborah Salomon is a staff writer for PineStraw magazine. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

F E AT S O F C L AY

Leap of Faith The Knights of Blue Moon Gallery have found their place in Pottery Country

BY JIM DALTON

Just north of Westmore on Highway

705, The Blue Moon Gallery features over 60 potters, more than half of whom are from North Carolina. In addition to the spacious 1,900square-foot display space, the gallery features a picture window where visitors may observe the operations of Ole Fish House Pottery, where gallery owners Byron and Georgia Knight make both functional and art pottery. The well-lighted gallery space is inviting and well organized. It easily tempts visitors to spend time browsing for that perfect gift for themselves or someone special. In the early 1980s, when Georgia came shopping in Seagrove with Byron’s sister, she never dreamed that one day she and her husband would be making pottery there, much less running a gallery. After all, she and Byron lived in Morehead City. She was manager for a vacation home rental company and Byron was in a successful sales job. Fate has a way of intervening. For Christmas one year, Byron gave his wife pottery making classes at the local community college. The next Christmas, he gave her a potter’s wheel. After a few years of taking pottery classes, Georgia was so hooked on pottery making that she convinced Byron to come and take the class with her as a stress reliever.

One day, while browsing ads for businesses for sale, they ran across an ad for a “gallery in the heart of pottery country.” They had successfully run their own business before, and knew they worked well together, so they investigated the opportunity and discovered that The Blue Moon Gallery in Seagrove was for sale. Even though they had lived in Carteret County for 22 years and were convinced that they would spend the rest of their lives there, the opportunity proved to be attractive enough to convince them to sell everything and move to Seagrove. The idea of working together every day was appealing to them. “The hardest thing for me to decide to do was to sell my boat,” Byron recalls. “I enjoyed making pottery and liked the idea of running my own gallery, but I really loved that boat!” After more than a year of negotiations, they made a deal, moved to Seagrove in 2003, and took over The Blue Moon Gallery. As they met potters and other neighbors, everyone would say, “Oh yes, we know where you are, that’s the ole fish house.” Built in the early 1970s, the building had housed a seafood restaurant for years before being converted to an art gallery. So as Georgia and Byron began to make their own work, they named their studio the Ole Fish House Pottery. Initially, other artists made all of the pottery in the gallery. Georgia and Byron did not feel that their work was ready to be sold yet, so they devoted their first year or so totally to promoting the work of other potters while they perfected their craft. Byron even remembers when a local Seagrove potter stopped by one day for a visit while he was working at the wheel throwing coffee mugs and remarked, “Yeah, I can remember when I could not make two mugs the same size, either.” With the Knights, as with all successful artists, they just kept on honing their skills.

F E AT S O F C L AY

“Seeing the quality of work produced in Seagrove challenged us,” Byron remembers “I was constantly inspired by the work of our neighbors, and challenged to improve my skills.” They also found that the Seagrove community is a supportive and nurturing community. “You could ask anyone anything about kiln problems, how they liked a particular clay, how they solved this or that problem, and they were happy to help you,” notes Byron. “Being in Seagrove forced me to become a better potter. If I had been in some other place, I would never have become as good as I am, even though I still think I have a lot of room to grow.” As with most potters, they started out making functional work. Mugs, plates, small bowls and trays were the mainstays of their early work. “We made them for two reasons,” says Georgia “First,

“Being in Seagrove forced me to become a better potter.” it was all we knew how to do, and second, it was the only thing we made that would sell.” Continual effort paid off, however, and now both Georgia and Byron produce a line of art pottery as well as their complete line of functional work. As one of only a handful of galleries in the Seagrove area that sell work by potters other than the owners of the gallery, the Knights have to be experts at doing several things at once. There are gallery customers to be greeted, questions about other artists’ work to be answered, and sales to be handled. In addition, there are pots to be thrown, glazes to be mixed, and kilns that must be fired. Initially the Knights did all this themselves, but finally have had the luxury of being able to add staff to the gallery and free up some of their time to concentrate on making their own work. One of the side benefits of participating in art fairs has been finding artists who would allow The Blue Moon Gallery to sell their work in Seagrove. “We are always looking for new artists,” Byron says, “indeed, three of the last four new artists whose work we have placed in the gallery we met at art fairs where we were selling our work.” Moving to Seagrove was a leap of faith, they admit. Even with the recent slowdown in the economy, both insist they would do it all over again. PS Jim Dalton, whose wife is a Sandhills potter can be reached at jim@lindadaltonpottery.com. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

B I R DWAT C H

Photographs by Susan Campbell

White Hummers

White hummingbird

Leucistic hummingbird

BY SUSAN CAMPBELL

If you happen to look out the

window and see a flash of white at your hummingbird feeder or flowers, you may not be seeing things. Late summer is when I receive at least a report or two from hosts who have glimpsed a rare pale colored hummingbird. Given the number of people who feed hummers here in North Carolina, birds in unusual plumage tend to get noticed. And given the network of bird enthusiasts I am familiar with, reports of unusual hummingbirds find their way to my phone or computer pretty quickly.

White hummingbirds include both leucistic (pale individuals) as well as true albinos (completely lacking pigment). Gray or tan hummers are more likely than full albinos. Light colored individuals have normal, dark-colored soft parts such as dark eyes, feet and bills. Albinos, on the other hand, are very rare. These snowwhite birds that sport pink eyes, feet and bills have been documented less than ten times in North Carolina. Only two have been banded and studied closely in our state. It is not unusual for people to think they are seeing a moth rather than a hummingbird when they encounter a white individual. They do not realize that these beautiful creatures are possiPineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Albino hummingbird

ble. As much as we now know that they do exist, we know very little about white hummingbirds. Opportunities to study these unique individuals are few and far between. What we do know is that they tend to appear in July or August as young of the year and do not survive into their second year. White feathers are very brittle and likely cannot withstand the stresses of rapid wing beats and long-distance migration. Also another very curious characteristic is that all of these eye-catching birds have been females. So it is likely that, for whatever reason, this trait is genetically sex linked. The first white hummer that I managed to band was a creamy bird nearby in Taylortown some years ago. She was an aggressive individual that roamed the neighborhood terrorizing the other ruby-throateds. The first true albino I documented was in Apex, and that individual was even more aggressive, chasing all of the other birds that made the mistake of entering her airspace. For me to have a chance of studying a white hummer, I must get word of it quickly before the bird heads out on fall migration. I have missed more than one by less than twenty-four hours. Last summer I had the privilege of handling a grayish hummingbird up in Pittsboro. Who knows whom I might encounter this season? Each one is so unique. I simply hope to at least hear about another of these tiny marvels before all of the Sandhills hummingbirds have headed south. PS Susan would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by e-mail at susan@ncaves.com, by phone at (910) 949-3207 or by mail at 144 Pine Ridge Drive, Whispering Pines, NC 28327.

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August 2010

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July 2010

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PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

T H E S P O RT I N G L I F E

A Boy’s First Firearm And why a pistol will never quite cut it

BY TOM BRYANT

It was 1951, and I was ten years old and

in Mrs. Moore’s fifth grade at Aberdeen Elementary. Christmas vacation was on us, and like most youngsters my age my feet barely hit the ground. What with winter camping trips with my Scout Troop 206 and planned hunting expeditions with my granddad down on the farm in South Carolina, I had little time for such niceties as eating meals with the family. “Tommy,” my mother said as I ran through the house with Smut, my closest friend and companion. Smut was a curly-coated retriever my dad had given me when I was in the second grade, and we were inseparable. Wherever you saw the dog, I was close by. “Supper is at six o’clock. You make sure you’re home by then. We’re putting up the tree tonight.” “Yesum,” I said, slamming the back door. In a heartbeat, I was on my bike peddling furiously up the street to my good friend Andy’s house. Andy was sort of a neighborhood hero to the kids who lived in eastern Pinebluff because he had what every young boy lusted after, a BB gun. Of course, in those days of the fifties, lust was a word not in our vernacular. Suffice it to say, all the PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Santa Claus letters began with “This Christmas, all I want, Santa, is an official Red Ryder lever action BB gun. I’ve been extra good this year.” The kid in the movie, A Christmas Story, had nothing on me except that his Christmas wish came true, and mine was delayed for about fifty years. Christmas morning came early at the Bryant house, with my sisters and me charging down the stairs to see what Santa had brought. I didn’t get that Red Ryder BB gun. I do remember a shiny new Schwinn bicycle along with camping gear and an assortment of other presents. Later that morning, as we were eating breakfast before our annual trek to my grandparents’ for Christmas dinner, my mother asked me if I had had a good Christmas. “I guess so. My new bike is great.” “Hon, I know you’re disappointed about not getting a BB gun, but Santa knows that those things are dangerous. You can hurt yourself or one of your friends.” “Yesum,” I replied and thought I could still shoot Andy’s That afternoon, as we were preparing to leave the farm for home, my granddad called me back to his study. “Before you go, Buddyrow, I wanted to talk to you for a minute. I understand that you didn’t get that BB gun you wanted this Christmas.” “Yes sir,” I replied. “Mom thinks I could get hurt and so does Santa, I guess.” “Well, she’s right; BB guns are useless to a real hunter. All you can do with those things is shoot songbirds, and you can’t eat those. You know how we feel about eating what we kill.”

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August 2010

T H E S P O RT I N G L I F E

“Yes sir, that’s what my dad says all the time, too.” “You wait here a second. I’ll be right back.” He left the room, heading back to the side porch. I was ready to get home to my new bicycle, so I stood impatiently, balancing on one foot and then the other. A couple minutes later, he came back in the room with a long box under his arm. “Santa dropped this by the house last night and asked me to give it to you today. He also gave me some special instructions to go with it.” My mouth was hanging open because

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Santa didn’t bring me a BB gun, but he did get me a real 22 rifle.

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printed across the box was Remington Model 550-1 Semi-automatic 22 Rifle. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Santa didn’t bring me a BB gun, but he did get me a real 22 rifle. “Now hold on there, Bubba,” my granddad said as I was pulling the rifle from its box. “This present comes with some caveats.” I didn’t know what caveat meant, but I was sure it had something to do with my new rifle. “You can’t take it home with you yet,” he continued. “Not until you’ve passed my weapon safety test and have hunted with me a few times. Your mom wouldn’t like it if you hurt yourself with this rifle, and your grandma wouldn’t like it if you hurt me. So here’s the plan: Next weekend come on back down here, we’ll do a little squirrel hunting and I’ll start teaching you how to handle this thing without hurting yourself or anyone else. Until then, the rifle stays here.” So that was the beginning of my lifelong association with rifles and shotguns. I’ve never been afraid of a weapon, but I’ve always respected them; and over the years (knock on wood) I’ve never had a close call because of that respect.

T H E S P O RT I N G L I F E

Handguns came later in life. My granddad always told me that a handgun was useless for hunting. “Even Annie Oakley couldn’t hit a duck with one of those things. All they are good for is killing people.” That adage was good for the fifties but that was then; today is a little different. I was trained with and fired my first pistol in the Marine Corps, and after that obligation did not fire another one until years later. A couple of weeks ago, I pulled an old Smith and Wesson .38 police special out of my gun safe and decided to take the license-to-carry course and see what it was all about. Several of my friends had taken the course up in Alamance County and were hauling pistols around in their trucks in case they ran up on a bear or something. I couldn’t let them get one up on me, so early one Friday morning I arrived at Ed’s Gun Shop ready to take the course under the capable tutelage of Dwight Creech. Dwight is a medium-sized fellow with a professorial look, and his license-to-carry class was taught better than many of the classes I had in college. His actual profession is education, and he’s the principal at Calvary Christian School. He grew up on a farm in Johnston County and attended East Carolina, where he majored in psychology and got a master’s degree in philosophy. A lot of his education and Christian beliefs bleed over into his course, and after a short conversation, I could tell that he’s a dedicated man. I immediately respected him for that. The course was from 9 a.m. until about 5 p.m., and then we went to the pistol range at the Moore County Wildlife Club to fire approximately fifty rounds at different feet from the target. Sixteen people participated in the class, and I believe all passed both sessions. Passing the course is just the first part of the process. Next would be getting an application from the sheriff’s department for a concealed handgun permit and completing all the many North Carolina requirements. When this is finished, submitted and approved by the state, the permit would be issued in about six weeks. I’ve yet to start the second part of this process and really don’t know if I will. A handgun is great for family protection; but for hunting, like my granddad said about Annie Oakley, I still couldn’t hit a duck with one. PS Tom Bryant is a lifelong outdoorsman and PineStraw’s Sporting Life columnist.

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L

Art of the Draw They say a hook won’t listen. I say fine by me

BY LEE PACE

Decisions, decisions.

There are many choices between here and 180 degrees. Smoked pig with vinegar-based sauce or a mop made with ketchup? Ocean Drive in July or Blowing Rock? Limbaugh or Carville? Coke or Pepsi? The soft palette of Monet or the harsh lines of Picasso?

And in golf, the draw or the fade? To my personal sense of feel and style, there’s nothing like a draw. There’s nothing as mouth-watering as a left-side hole location or a dogleg left hole. There’s nothing like the crisp slice of turf and the tiny speck flying high against the blue sky, turning ever so lovingly and gently from right to left. A three-wood picked off the ground is perhaps the litmus test of a well-oiled and precise swing, and a three-wood cleanly struck with a gentle draw is golf’s utopia. Real men hit a draw, if you ask me. Drawers of the ball eat steak, faders get quiche. A draw is the offspring of a good grip, an athletic address, an on-plane path, the proper closing of the clubface at impact and extension down the line afterward. Gads, man, but you’re standing inside your swing, so how else can you hit the ball? Hank Haney, who began his golf instruction career at Pinehurst in the late 1970s and later acquired clients as diverse as Tiger Woods and Charles Barkley, says a perfectly on-plane swing can do nothing but produce a draw for that very reason. “You want to contact the inside part of the ball with the clubPineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

face closing as it comes through in order to start your little draw to the right of the target,” Haney says. “This is a fact. I’ve never heard a teacher dispute this point.” John Gerring won the ACC golf title in 1957 for Wake Forest and went on to become a longtime club pro in Atlanta and a well-respected golf teacher. He moved to Biltmore Forest in Asheville in the fall of 2009 and carried with him the nickname “Dr. Hook,” borne of his proclivity to play and teach a right-toleft ball flight. “The hook has two advantages,” says Gerring. “It’s longer and it’s more forgiving. It’s more forgiving because the angle of approach is shallower.” Gerring looks at the folly of a plump 45-year-old listening to someone sing the praises of Ernie Els’ swing and applying them to their own game. Instead, find someone whose body type matches yours and imitate him. Case in point: South African Bobby Locke, the four-time winner of the British Open. “He was fat, couldn’t see well and would be the last man you’d pick to be on your basketball team,” Gerring says. “Yet he wore everyone out. He drew everything. He even drew his putts.” Jack Burke Sr. used to teach that “you only own the inside half of the ball,” that you had to find a swing that let you come from inside to square to the target. Harvey Penick once told Don Wade of Golf Digest that he thought it was a myth that a draw would not stop as quickly as a fade if — and it’s a big if — the ball was struck cleanly and properly and not pulled. The mechanics of a good swing demand a hook, Ben Hogan said in a LIFE magazine piece in 1955. “To get distance, the hands roll into the ball just before the point of impact, and after it is hit the wrists roll over the top of the shaft. When hit this way, which is the way the best tournament players hit it, there is nothing for the ball to do but take off low and hard. It curls

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August 2010

G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L

from right to left at the end of its flight. It comes into a green or fairway hot, like a fighter plane landing.” There are impact bags on the market to help you close the face and hit a draw. There are gizmos to teach you the proper release to effect a draw. There are training gloves to put your hands in position to produce that sublime right-to-left arc. A drawn shot travels farther. It has more oopmh at impact. Would that I never hit a piddly fade again. Of course, many will argue these points, mainly because if you over-cook a draw, you’re left with a screaming hook that is bereft of backspin and any sense of direction. Have more careers been sidetracked over too much Old Crow or too many duck hooks? It’s probably a dead heat. “You can talk to a fade, but a hook won’t listen,” Lee Trevino once famously observed. Trevino was haunted as a young man on

Hogan had exorcised the demon hook in the mid-1940s by finding what he called “the secret.” the hardscrabble Texas public courses by an out-of-control hook, and he marveled one day in 1963 when he was invited to Shady Oaks Country Club in Forth Worth while watching Hogan hit practice balls. Hogan had exorcised the demon hook in the mid-1940s by finding what he called “the secret.” The essence of that mystical panacea has been debated for decades, but two elements certainly were a grip adjustment and the cupping motion Hogan developed with his left wrist, an action that put the brakes on his lightningquick hand action that earlier produced so many hooks. Trevino, a driving range attendant at the time and still four years removed from his first foray onto the PGA Tour, didn’t dare approach Hogan that day at Shady Oaks. But what he saw stayed with him for life, and he took the image of Hogan’s soft fades back to the practice tee.

G O L F TOW N J O U R NA L

“The only way I could figure out was just to grab the club and hold on for dear life,” Trevino says, implying that such firm grip pressure would prohibit the clubface shutting down through impact. Trevino was talking golf casually one day in 2009 when he mentioned that Tiger Woods’ only swing deficiency was his wayward driver. He halfjokingly said he’d be happy to tutor Woods. “Tiger needs to learn how to hit a power fade,” Trevino said. “If he learns how to drive the ball, he won’t lose a tournament. He’s got nothing to lose, just call me. Heck, I’d go see him; he wouldn’t have to do nothing.” Jack Nicklaus was a junior golfer in Columbus, Ohio, in the 1950s, and he developed a bread-and-butter fade because it was the example set by Hogan, the game’s finest player of the day, by his desire to hit high, soft shots, and because most of the out-of-bounds at his home club, Scioto Country Club, were on the left. Columbia’s Bobby Foster remembers playing Gastonia’s Charles Smith in the 1964 North and South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 when Smith hit an approach shot on the first hole that appeared heading left of the green. Foster took his eye off the ball, but he looked to the green a few seconds later and saw the ball six feet from the cup. Foster was officially introduced to Smith’s trademark fade. “I had never played against a good player with a controlled fade,” Foster says. “I had never seen before nor seen since such a controlled power fade as Charlie Smith played. But he was a world-class player. I marveled that whole round. There were a couple of tee shots that looked like they’d been hit to left field, and someone threw them back into center.” Hogan was Smith’s idol, and Hogan’s welldocumented battles with the hook made an impression on Smith. “I read about Hogan, and he said he’d fought the hook and got rid of it by moving his left hand under the club,” Smith says. “I tried it and liked the way it felt. It took the left side out of play. I played that way my whole life just about.” That’s fine. Smith has his two Walker Cup appearances and one Carolinas Amateur title. Nicklaus his 20 majors, Hogan his nine majors and Trevino his six majors. I’ll take a couple of bob on the weekend Nassau with the ever so sweet feel of a draw. PS Lee Pace, author of “Pinehurst Stories,” is an award-winning sportswriter and a longtime resident of Chapel Hill. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Beautiful Skimmers This languid afternoon in the third month of summer’s rule Finds me adrift on the water, Keeping better tabs on dragonflies than lake trout, Recalling what my grandfather the fisherman told me long ago about Such beautiful skimmers – How their flight just above the surface, this iridescent dance on air and water The brief examination of a fingertip, a rusted lantern handle, or late-summer bloom, Is merely a reminder to pay closer notice. Dragonflies, said he, are such sacred things you can only learn to love them When you’ve lived sufficiently long enough to know Summer’s brevity, its fragile green flight. And I smiled, as he made a lovely lazy cast, not having a clue what he meant Till now. — Noah Salt PHOTOGRAPH BY HANNAH SHARPE

Photograph by Tim Sayer. Featuring Sheriff Lane Carter and Will Bode.

Is Th ere a Real Mayberry? ( We th ink So) BY JOHN CHAPPELL

t’s nice to live in Mayberry. That’s what we say in Carthage, you know. And I ought to know, because I myself happen to be the last sheriff of Mayberry. Back in my Hollywood days I won out over a half dozen other actors to snag the part of Mayberry’s sheriff on the pilot for a new series. The show was called “Goober and the Girls” and was the latest attempted spin-off from the wonderful “Andy Griffith Show” that had already launched “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” George Lindsey was the other Pyle, the Goober Pyle he played with Andy on “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1964 through 1968. Goober appeared later on “Mayberry R.F.D.” where he stayed through the end of its run in 1971. After that, George spent more than a decade playing his classic character on “Hee-Haw” and raising money for Special Olympics (over $1,000,000 so far) with his celebrity golf tournament. In the late ’70s CBS decided to bring him back to network TV with his own show. The idea was to set it back at Wally’s Filling Station in Mayberry where Goober worked and which he later bought

and ran. He’d expand it and add a lunch counter, where “the girls” worked. Producers thought “jiggle” was “in” and so the Landers sisters were added to bring us up-to-par with “Three’s Company” and the name changed from “Goober” to add “…and the Girls.” Mistake, of course. Mayberry — Andy, Opie, Barney, Gomer, Goober and all the rest — is a place of innocence, a hometown pretty much like Carthage, where I live now, and Robbins, where I started out. It isn’t a jiggle place. I had a great time rehearsing my sheriff-of-Mayberry job, working with and getting to be friends with Mickey Jones (of “The First Edition” and many a movie) and Bill Medley, the Righteous Brother. Lindsey himself couldn’t have been nicer, funnier, or more generous an actor to work with. He’d cut his teeth in classic theater, then studied with the famed Stella Adler. Like me, he was a former high school teacher. We shot the pilot using a new-fangled device called a videosteadicam. The idea was to save money by using only one camera crew, instead of three (like filmed shows) or five (like taped shows). All our friends came to the taping, which was supposed to start at 8 p.m. on a sound stage in Hollywood. It didn’t. The video-steadicam failed somehow, again and again. We got our first shot sometime between 11 p.m. and

Photographs of Carthage by Jack Dodson

midnight before a yawning, weary and considerably diminished crowd. CBS paid for the pilot, but passed on the series. As far as I know, the pilot never aired. Thanks to Goober, my father got to see it. Dad passed through later on his way to visit my sister in Hawaii, so I called George. Goober called the producer, and the next day Dad and I crowded into a breakfast booth at his house with George so Dad could see the pilot episode. That’s how great a guy George “Goober” Lindsey is, since he didn’t have to go to so much trouble but did it anyway. I’ve always figured it was because he has a lot of Mayberry inside him. Now, back home in the Old North State, it turns out I’m living in a Mayberry — one of them, anyway. That’s Carthage, the county seat Julian and Rodney Pleasants’ dad dubbed “Sweet” Carthage, and it is, too. It’s the sort of place where you really don’t have to signal for a turn, because everybody knows where you’re going anyway. They know where you were last night, too, because everybody knows everybody’s car. It’s a place where directions tend to be given by history and memory: “You just turn left down there after you go by where the high school used to be before it burned … ” And it’s a place, like TV’s imaginary Mayberry, where the locals like to have fun with strangers. The late Arthur Barber (whose son Artie sits on the town board now) never drank a drop — but he could be the drunkest drunk you ever saw, when he spied strangers on Courthouse Square. He’d amble over and begin to introduce himself, stumbling and lurching and slurring words, a gleam in his eye and an expression on his face somewhere between curious uncertainty and a flirtatious leer. “Wel - … ah, (hic) … - come t’Carfage (hic),” Arthur would mumble. “S’cuse me.” Then he might lie down on the sidewalk and apparently go to sleep. Sometimes he’d lie down like that right in the street itself, they say. Cars would have to go around him. Folks would just say, “That’s Arthur.” The biggest difference between drunk Arthur and Otis on “The Andy Griffith Show” was that Arthur wasn’t really drunk. He was just having fun. When he worked at the little Hillcrest store on the edge of town, Arthur used to think up things he claimed would bring in trade. He and Charlie Fry had a stuffed alligator, for some reason or other, so from time to time they’d paint it up with ketchup, plop it down on the 15-501 centerline, and go to beating it with a broom. Cars had to dodge the two men furiously battling that “bloody” alligator on their way to and from the county seat. On nice days Arthur would sometimes set up a folding chair out there in the highway and sit there holding a fishing pole and pretending to fish. The line was tied to a brick in the bottom of a bucket, so he could pull back. Man, would he fight that “fish” — the rod bending almost double. That’s Carthage, and it hasn’t changed all that much since Arthur left us. Our visiting circuit judge holds court in a morning, then at lunch break he’s apt to be found snapping his fly rod to send its line curvPineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ing over Lake Luke Marion in hopes of landing a bass on the fly he tied in chambers the day before. That little lake lies between the Ag Center where we vote and Pinelake Nursing home where we visit our people — the same place a young Carthage cop stopped a shotgun-blasting killer last year, going right in without waiting for backup, just like Barney — but a better shot. It wouldn’t have occurred to Justin Garner to wait any more than it would Barney, or Andy. Somebody was shooting people, and a cop had to stop it. So he did. And, like Andy, our chief Chris McKenzie quickly took to turning down TV offers from Dr. Phil and other shows looking to bandwagon. He didn’t think it right to capitalize on a tragedy like that. Nice place, this Mayberry. One time my wife and I left our house to go to jailer Charlie Smoak’s retirement party and forgot about the candle we’d lit earlier. It was left on the counter by the sink, and was still burning if it hadn’t caught the house yet. We just phoned the Carthage police department. “Is the house unlocked?” “Of course.” “Don’t worry about it then.” We didn’t. The officer on duty drove over to our house, went in the back door and blew out our candle. We didn’t call to check, or worry. Hey, it’s Carthage. “Nice to live in Mayberry,” we said. Another Mayberry moment comes to mind. Not so long ago I came out of the drugstore here and discovered my car was missing. I called Chief Chris Mckenzie only to find out a neighbor I’ll call Mr. D. had just reported his Dodge Durngo stolen. Well convened in front of the drugstore minutes later, in true Mayberry fashion, and sorted out the problem. It seems I’d inadvertantly climbed in his Durango parked next to my Chevy Blazer on the square in Carthage and blithely driven off to get a prescription filled for my wife at the drugstore — using a Chevy ignition key, no less. After getting the prescription, I came out looking for my Chevy Blazer but found it nowhere. We all had a good laugh and decided it could only happen here — other places like it. Which leads me to think that maybe Mayberry is a state of mind. Maybe its neighbors and memories are an echo of kindness and a courtesy that were once commonplace in America. Maybe there are still lots of Mayberry towns. Maybe that’s why we still tune into reruns of the old Andy Griffith show, especially if it’s black-and-white. We could be watching something new in full color and high definition super-realism — but somehow it doesn’t seem as real as Mayberry. I think there is a real Mayberry because, here in Carthage and up in Robbins, we live here and see it every day, plain as our neighbor’s smiling face. We see our Howard Spragues and our Aunt Bees at the grocery store. Andy and Barney come to our rescue. We hang around with Otis after church. Goober changes our oil, fixes our trucks. It sure is nice to live in Mayberry. PS

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August 2010

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Me an Aun Bee BY MELANIE CROW

t twelve years old, I might have been more excited if David Cassidy and the Partridge Family were living next door. However, it was 1974 and Frances Bavier, a.k.a. “Aunt Bee,” was living in the house beside us on West Elk Street in Siler City, and that was pretty amazing. This was long before reality television and 24-hour entertainment news. My friends and I got our celebrity gossip from teen magazines. Frances Bavier may not have been on the cover of “Tiger Beat,” but I certainly knew who Aunt Bee was. Like everyone else, I had watched her offer sweet maternal advice to Andy and Opie over a home-cooked meal many times on the “Andy Griffth Show” and “Mayberry RFD”. Siler City was even mentioned in a few of the episodes. Now she was my neighbor! Miss Bavier, as my parents instructed me to call her, had moved to Siler City following her retirement from the show because she had a friend there and she liked our small town atmosphere. Many of the details of that time have faded over the years but some remain surprisingly vivid, like the pea green Studebaker she brought from Hollywood and occasionally drove to the grocery store. I can still hear the sound of her voice as she went out each day at 5:00 p.m. and called all of her cats in for the evening. Not long after Miss Bavier moved in, we were shocked to see Greyhound buses filled with sightseers rolling down our quiet street. Sunday afternoons brought a procession of cars and curious strangers constantly walking up to her house, ringing the doorbell. I guess they thought she would actually ask them to come in and sit for a spell. The first Halloween Aunt Bee lived next door we ran out of candy very early because of what seemed like hundreds of trick-or-treaters,

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

probably half of whom wanted to see her. On the up side, at Christmas we got all the best carolers! Everyone wanted to see Aunt Bee. Once, a local boy, who ironically had red hair and freckles, ran away from home and ended up suitcase in hand on Miss Bavier’s front porch. I never heard why he ran away from home or why he decided to go to her house. Maybe he just felt the need to sit down at the kitchen table, have some homemade pie and talk things over with Aunt Bee. On the flipside of her fame, strangers reportedly turned up unannounced on her doorstep, everybody from worshipful fans to brazen frat boys, causing Miss Bavier to develop a reputation for being a touch cranky at times. My fondest memory runs like an Andy Griffith episode itself. One afternoon, my friends and I were outside playing and saw smoke billowing out from the screen door of Miss Bavier’s house. Thinking the worst, we ran up calling out for her. She came to the door in an apron with her hair in that iconic gray bun. The pan in her hand was smoking and she said, “It’s ok honeys, I just burnt some beans on the stove.” When she passed away in December 1989, much of her reported $700,000 estate went to the town of Siler City and our own Moore County Hospital where she received treatment over the years. Her grave marker in Oakwood Cemetary simply reads: To live in the hearts of those left behind is not to die. And that’s the way I will always remember my neighbor, America’s most beloved aunt, my own little piece of mythical Mayberry. PS Melanie Crow is a longtime Pinehiurst resident.

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August 2010

A Walk in

Mayberry BY ASHLEY WAHL

hanks to hot summer afternoons spent watching TV Land reruns in my grandma’s den, being an ’80s baby hardly put me at a disadvantage — I could whistle the Andy Griffith Show theme song with the best of them. I may not have seen all 249 episodes of the show that hasn’t been off-air since its 1960 debut, but I saw enough of them to develop a schoolgirl crush on Opie Taylor, and to realize that there was something special about that not-so-far-away land where the sheriff needn’t carry a gun and a cold bottle of pop could quite possibly make anything better. Interestingly enough, most fans of the enduringly popular show prefer its first five seasons, before color seemed to wash away the mystique of Mayberry and the carefree characters that called it home. In black and white, see, the Andy Griffith Show was a wistful depiction of simpler times — an escape from the trials of present-day. Color seemed to make it all too real. And in a world so very connected to war and adversity and problems bigger than, for instance, the ineptitude of Barney Fife, who wants real? When loyal followers of the show began noticing unmistakable coincidences between the so-called fictitious town of Mayberry and Griffith’s own hometown of Mount Airy, people began to wonder how “made-up” Mayberry really was. Andy’s birthplace became a tourist attraction soon enough. A few weeks back, upon the occasion of the celebrated show’s 50th anniversary, I decided to head up Highway 52 to Surry County — just past Pilot Mountain, a hop, skip and a jump shy of the Virginia border. Heck, if Mayberry was real, I wanted to know about it. Upon arriving on Main Street, I picked up a map from the Visitor’s Center and set off for Snappy Lunch, strolling past at least half a dozen shop windows displaying such covetable goods as Mayberry-opoly, Aunt Bee’s Cookbook and Goober coffee mugs along the way. One store even filled the streets with a tinny, accelerated rendition of the show’s theme song. “Talk about a town that’s totally defined by its glory days,” I said to myself upon entering Mount Airy’s oldest continuous eatery, home of the pork chop sandwich made famous by its reference on you-knowwhat. “What’ll it be?” asked the waitress. As if there was any other option. While waiting for my porky delight, I studied the framed pictures and newspaper clippings surrounding me, including a Greensboro News and Record article on how this diner “got snappin’ with Andy’s ‘Let’s go!’” and a picture of Oprah laying a fat one on the cheek of the chef. I was studying my map when the waitress returned. There it was, snug between two buns — the thick and tender leg-

end itself — topped with tomato, lettuce, onion, slaw and, fundamentally, chili sauce. As I took an oversized bite of Mayberry’s finest porkchop sandwich, I noticed an elderly gent in the next booth giving me a wink and a nod. “How do you do?” I asked after an embarrassingly long chewing session. He removed his straw brimmed hat, nodded again and asked where I was from. “Ever heard of Moore County?” I said to him. “Oh, yes! Carthage! I knew Mayor Frye, but that was many, many years ago,” he replied. Certain of what his answer was going to be, I decided to ask anyway. “Do you live here?” “Born and raised,” he said with another wink. “This is the closest to Mayberry you’ll ever be, right here.” I asked if he and Andy were classmates. “Heavens! Do I look that old?” my new friend said with a chortle. “Andy’s 84, I’m only 80. We went to the same church though, for a while anyway…” James Kemp began to ramble, giving the history of both his and Andy’s places of worship. “Whatcha really need to do while you’re here is head next door to Floyd’s barbershop,” the old lad suggested. “The barber, Russell Hiatt, used to cut Andy’s hair. Swell fellow. Did you know there was a Floyd’s barbershop in the Andy Griffith Show?” I nodded, enjoying my sandwich and, evidently, a true blue citizen of the real Mayberry. Two women ambled by in search of an empty booth. “You ladies need a seat?” James asked, picking up his straw hat and standing before they had a chance to say, “Yes sir, thank you.” He gave a friendly “see-you-later” wave and then he was gone. What a guy, I thought. After dishing out a few bucks and opting not to kiss the cook, I moseyed over to Floyd’s, where, according to the sign, haircuts are “still only $8.” “He’s on his way to a friend’s funeral,” piped up a familiar voice; “you missed him by about ten minutes.” James — or as I came to think of him, Mount Airy’s mystical tour guide, — was sitting comfortably in front of a shrine of pictures of the tens of thousands of visitors who’d come specifically to sit in Russell’s chair. No doubt Oprah was on that wall. He offered directions to Andy’s childhood home — right on Rockford, left on Haymore — and with a wink, turned to the man getting his hair cut by Russell’s assistant, and asked where he was from.

Photographs of Mount Airy by Ashley Wahl

“Oh, yes! Raleigh…” I heard him say as I waved gracious thanks. After a stop at Opie’s Candy Shop for a treat and a charming performance from the Guitar Man on Main — quite possibly Mount Airy’s very own Otis, by the way — I hooked a right on Rockford. A TV Land landmark statue of Andy and Opie was a good enough excuse for a brief detour. Ditto the nearby Andy Griffith Museum, so I stopped in to marvel at the world’s largest collection of Andy memorabilia. Griffith’s classmate and longtime pal Emmett Forrest offered to show me around the place, pointing out his favorite items — Sherriff Taylor’s desk, the key to the Mayberry jail — all things Andy had happily offered up for Emmett’s personal collection prior to the opening of the museum, not long after Mayberry Day last September. The town’s annual event roped in close to 30,000 visitors in 2009. “What did you and Andy do for fun as youngsters?” I asked. “Play any sports?” “Andy wasn’t much into sports,” Emmett said with a laugh. “We played silly games, told ghost stories, went fishing, stuff like that.” I smiled at the latter. “Where’d you fish?” “Lovill’s Creek. Times were simpler back then.” After picking Emmett’s brain, I continued my trek up Rockford, poking through a yard sale blocks before I made it to Haymore, and thinking the trees looked greener here. Andy’s house was a letdown, mostly because, out of respect for the guests renting it, I had to keep my distance. No sitting on the porch swing let alone peeping through windows. Bummer. I made my way to Lovill’s Creek instead, hoping to salvage a bit of the

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Mayberry spirit to lift mine. The paved walking trail and white picket fence winding alongside the creek’s bank were lovely enough, but it wasn’t the Mayberry fishing hole I’d expected. Although the trail did lead me past grazing donkeys and wild daisies, the sounds from the nearby highway and visions of Belk’s and Rose’s over the hillside didn’t quite cut it. I needed a bottle of pop. Back on Main, the old Lamm Drugstore’s soda fountain still serves those thirsty for a cold treat. I sat at the bar, ordered a root beer, and asked about the wooden sign hanging above the register that read: There may not be that much to see in Mount Airy, but what you hear makes up for the difference. “I’ve no idea what that means,” said the blonde lady clerk, proceeding to tell me the story of how the woman at the Cider place down the street, who used to work at this drugstore, eloped some several years ago. “She told her mom she was going to work, came in the front door, walked straight through the back door, and got hitched without her momma knowing. If you don’t believe me, go ask. She and her husband own the business.” “That sign’s been here since we bought the place,” said the blonde woman’s own husband. He used words like “piddlin” and phrases like “blowed up” when referencing the small black and white photograph they found of Andy in the storage area, now sitting in a 5 by 7 frame. As the cold pop fizzled on my tongue, I couldn’t help but think that, even if Mount Airy wasn’t really Mayberry, it sure was filled with Mayberry moments. This was one of them. PS

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August 2010

Sandhills Photography Club Class A Winners â&#x20AC;˘ June Open Competition The Sandhills Photography Club welcomes all who have an interest in improving photographic skills and gaining the technical knowledge that goes along with it. The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at Christ Fellowship Church on Midland Road at Pee Dee. Regardless of skill or background, any prospective member is invited to attend. Website: sandhillsphotoclub.org

1st Place Jim Davis Calla Lily

2nd Place Marilyn Owen Top of the Light

3rd Place Chris Christiansen Sword Billed Hummingbird

Honorable Mention Jill Margeson Guardian of the Grapes

Honorable Mention Chris Christiansen Birth of a Monarch

Honorable Mention Tom Reedy The Trainer

Honorable Mention Jim Davis Mill Shoals Falls PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Sandhills Photography Club Class B Winners â&#x20AC;˘ June Open Competition

2nd Place Brenda Hiscott Bursting with Excitement

1st Place Carole Barnard Woodland Spirit

3rd Place John German Sunset at Caswell

Honorable Mention Pamela Wandry Spring Rain

Honorable Mention Marti Derleth The Beauty of Produce

Honorable Mention Carole Barnard Cool, Cool Water

Honorable Mention Pamela Wandry Kissy Face

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

S TO RY O F A H O U S E

Blackberry Summer

Firmly Lodged in History The Twin Houses of Pine Cone Lodge Serve Multiple Purposes BY DEBORAH SALOMON PHOTOGRAPHS BY GLENN DICKERSON

Pine Cone Lodge as it appeared on postcards from the 1920s

ith a name like F. Gump and Pine Cone Lodge for an address, there’s got to be a great story. Frank and Marjorie Gump settle back into the delightfully retro, definitely elegant living room of their “lodge” in Southern Pines and oblige: “This house found us,” Marjorie says. But first, they found each other. “Ours is a great love story,” Marjorie begins — with a second-time-around plot from happy-ending films of the fifties. “Frank was my boss — but I wasn’t happy with him as a boss.” Frank, the world-traveled CEO of Assessment and Development Group International, and Marjorie worked together in the late 1980s at company headquarters in Toronto. Frank was married with children; Marjorie — from small-town Pennsylvania — was divorced. She left her job but kept up with Frank through acquaintances. They met again in the early 1990s. This time he was free but Marjorie was dating someone else. “There wasn’t any attraction on my part,” she recalls. As in any good romance the plot thickened, gradually. In 1995, Marjorie, an only child with no children of her own, became Mrs. Gump at a dreamy wedding in Antigua.

The dormered white lodge with veranda, recently added, is shielded by magnolias, shrubs and ivy.

A rear patio, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zen-likeâ&#x20AC;? according to Frank Gump, is where he relaxes and enjoys birdsong.

The lounge â&#x20AC;&#x201D; built as a twin living room â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is brightened by serigraphs by Karl Appel (left). Bamboo stalks form an interesting nature sculpture (right).

A house of angles: staircase, guest bedroom with eyebrow windows and doors.

Frank relocated his business, now transacted online and by travel, to Raleigh. Marjorie ran a career development program for Duke University Medical Center. Jazz in January introduced the Gumps to Pinehurst. They were looking for a big city or small town. Raleigh was neither. In a leap of faith, the couple purchased an Old Town cottage and Marjorie took over The Book Place in the village. One day, a knock on the door: “Would you like to sell this house?” For an interlude after the sale Marjorie and Frank tried Florida. When they returned, artist/author Glen Round’s home in Southern Pines had just been renovated (see September 2009 PineStraw) and was for sale. “Our heritage is older places,” Frank says. He grew up in an imposing Tudor. Marjorie’s childhood home had been in the family for four generations. Besides, the garage appeared suitable for Frank’s office. The Gumps lived in Round’s “artist’s cottage” for 18 months. Then, once again, knock-knock. Just as well. “We needed a bit more space,” Marjorie says, preferably a space steeped in history, but modernized. “We were through renovating. We just wanted to decorate.” She and Frank had often walked their dogs through the Weymouth neighborhood. One place in particular caught their eye — a large white house canopied by magnolias and ivy extending far back from the road: Pine Cone Lodge. By coincidence their realtor lived next door. “You know, that house might be available,” they were told.

The Gumps rented for a year before purchase. Space it had — more than 4,500 square feet plus a Charleston courtyard with arbor, wide front veranda begging painted wicker, wrought-iron fenced yard and this adorable little outbuilding which Marjorie converted into a studio/office. She calls it the Girls’ Club. Her desk is glass, her window treatments, poufy silk. Hear that, man-shed dwellers?

ine Cone Lodge is expansive because it was conceived as twin side-by-side homes joined internally by a hall and staircase. The architect’s contract, circa 1919, identifies Mrs. Charles Smith and Miss Annie Ellis as clients. Frank learned the sisters wanted to live together in separate spaces. They entered through a front door but once inside each had a living room, kitchen, dining room, maid’s room, attic, assorted parlors, guest rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms on two levels. The gardens must have been paramount since the house was designed with doors leading outside from almost every room. Frank enjoys research. He discovered that Katherine Halderman owned the house from the 1930s until 1972, when it was purchased by the Taylor family, who kept it until 1991. During the Halderman tenure, the double residence became a boarding house with 11 bedrooms (some quite small) rented to locals and tourists. Officers-in-training at Fort Bragg were billeted at Pine Cone Lodge during World War II.

Above the living room mantel — the Gumps’ prize: a signed lithograph by John Lennon. Wood blinds replicate window treatments of a bygone era.

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Family room and adjoining kitchen (below) are the sole structural modifications in twin homes designed for sisters, in 1919.

Marjorie and Frank Gump (with bichons) use Pine Cone Lodge as their home base for world travel — business combined with pleasure.

Marjorie can almost feel their presence, as she gazes out balcony doors to the courtyard below. In the 1980s the Archbishop of Jerusalem and Jesse Helms attended events at the lodge. The Gumps feel antiquity, solidity and character within the thick plaster walls, through the 70 paned casement windows and upon the polished hardwood floors. Built-in china and book cupboards, window seats, eyebrow doors speak of an era that demanded craftsmanship and details. “I especially like the patio,” Frank says, “where it’s absolutely quiet, very Zen-like, with only the sounds of birds.” The mirror-image parlors with fireplaces are still living rooms but one is now called the lounge. Yes, that is a signed, limited edition John Lennon lithograph over the mantel. “I picked it up for virtually nothing in 1971, at a gallery in Toronto,” Frank recalls. A library, Frank’s office and an exercise room extend back from the lounge. The sleek kitchen, faintly Japanese in hue and simplicity, is Frank’s domain with Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, his guru. “All my toys are stuffed in the cupboards,” Frank says. His prize: a 40-year-old Wolf commercial gas range with a supplementary electric wall oven. Rooms beyond the kitchen were combined into an informal but luxurious family room — the sole architectural anachronism. The second floor is a warren of connecting bedrooms, oversize bathrooms (some with classic fixtures), sitting and dressing rooms. Marjorie appreciates art deco, expressed in massive British armoires with round shoulders. Her palette is a gradation of neutrals: café-au-lait walls and upholstery, tans, saddle brown leathers as a backdrop for their art, which includes six serigraphs in bold primaries by Dutch abstract expressionist Karl Appel, which hung in Frank’s Toronto boardroom. Her per-

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

sonal favorites include a black-and-white photo of an old Polish woman in babushka titled True Beauty. Another frame displays a letter typed on White House stationery by Eleanor Roosevelt to her cousin Robert, dated May 4, 1944, part of Marjorie’s collection of signatures. “I like women who have achieved things in their lives,” she explains. Glen Rounds is represented by a Lion King drawing. Marjorie proudly displays an oversize Swiss music box which her father danced to as a boy. This, she says, is what she would rescue were there a fire. Because Frank and Marjorie travel extensively on business (Frank relates to George Clooney’s character in “Up in the Air”) their home showcases souvenirs, most recently a vase from Nottingham, Robin Hood’s hometown. Yet a larger-than-life bust of Athena anchoring the living room comes all the way from Cabbages & Kings in Aberdeen, Marjorie admits. When her book group meets, Athena wears a necklace or hat. For all their objects, Frank and Marjorie have created an uncluttered atmosphere where each piece — from a massive leather sofa to sculpturesque bamboo stalks — stands out. But two people in more than 4,500 square feet set on a manicured acre? “We weren’t really sure we wanted a place quite this big,” Marjorie says. Their Christmas party accommodates a harpist, flautist and full children’s choir. The layout is such that sometimes their paths don’t cross for hours. Yet they have found ways to use and enjoy the spaces, separately and together, according to time of day and season. This vibrant couple still has plans. “Life unfolds. One leg of a journey brought us here,” Frank summarizes. “Now maybe my kids will come down. Heaven knows, we have the space.” PS

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August 2010

The Art Sleuth Authenticating and commissioning great art takes years of experience — and a sharp eye for the perfect detail BY MARY ELLE HUNTER ave you ever wondered who selects the artwork that enhances the walls of upscale hotels and corporate offices, or, for that matter, advises the owners of splendid residences on which painting or piece of sculpture is the perfect choice for a particular setting? Meet Debra Rhodes Smith, a Pinehurst woman with a fascinating career of offering fine art services and compiling art collections for major corporations, as well as for private individuals. Art has always been a part of Debra’s world. She studied art throughout her youth and at Alfred University, where she first majored in art education. A later switch to business administration brought her closer to her pre-graduation goal of becoming a museum curator. But that path was transformed when she was offered a position at New York’s HMK Fine Arts, then an internationally known fine art print publisher. She quickly advanced through the company and began to interact with commercial interior decorators on various projects. “I discovered a niche of working with interior designers for hotels and corporations,” Debra says. “One in particular encouraged me to go off on my own and start my own consulting business. I took that advice, and Marsh & McLennan, a prominent insurance firm, became my first client.” In subsequent years her list of clients became quite diverse — from Neiman-Marcus and Comcast to American Airlines and British Airways, where she met her husband, Bill Smith, a senior executive of the company. She has also acted on behalf of luxury hotel chains, such as Hyatt, Renaissance and Marriott. Debra Rhodes Smith expanded her fine art services to another dimension when she enrolled in New York University’s Fine Arts Appraisal program, and became a member of the Appraisers Association of America. She has also been accredited as a Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) appraiser. The USPAP standards, legislated by Congress in conjunction with the Appraisal Foundation in Washington, D.C., are used by the Internal Revenue Service, insurance companies and other regulatory and administrative entities. These standards include a stringent set of criteria, providing a yardstick for art and other types of personal property appraisals. The USPAP appraisal is a legal document, Debra explains, totally different from off-the-cuff verbal type valuations. She goes on to describe an experience where she was asked to appraise artwork consisting of a suite of limited edition prints that had been a gift to a nonprofit organization, who wished to liquidate the prints and use the proceeds to strengthen their operating fund. The prints (lithographs) were on paper by a modern well-known artist. “I was a bit leery of the true value, as this artist had often been the subject of fakes. As I examined the work, I noticed that the watermark on the paper was ‘a little off’ so I took a photograph of the watermark, submitted it to Arches, the company who had produced the paper, and

Top right clockwise: Fin Restaurant at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, NJ. Detail of the original mural by Paula Montgomery. Glass fish. Mural in place at Fin. Above: Art expert Debra Rhodes Smith.

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Right to left: Moroccan Suite at the Tropicana. Art and accessories at the Southwest Suite. Bedding ensemble at the French Suite.

Michael Mahan and Debra Rhodes Smith

asked for verification. The reply I received was that it was an imitation, and I was faced with the unpleasant task of telling the client who had hired me to do the appraisal that the suite of prints was not appraisable and why. Whoever had created the bogus prints even went to the trouble of attempting to knock off the watermark as well.” Her work schedule can best be described as a “proverbial roller coaster.” In addition to her appraisal requests, she never knows what the next phone call will bring, and “out of the clear blue sky, a project drops into my lap.” New inquiries for her fine art services are supplemented by calls from clients with whom she has worked previously. Her talent is having a sense of recognizing precisely what the client is looking for. “With only a few bits of information, I often can tell exactly what will fit in the setting.” For instance, Debra had a call from a designer who was working on a celebrity dressing room, and needed accessories and furnishings. “I immediately thought of the look made famous by the renowned interior designer Dorothy Draper, and her successor, Carleton Varney. Besides coming up with several decorative items, I located some unique chairs to be placed around a table — in pristine white with silhouettes of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe imprinted on the back panels. It was just the right touch for a celebrity dressing room.” Over the course of her career, Debra Rhodes Smith has amassed a significant catalog of resources, which she is constantly updating and expanding. During the years she lived in New York City, she acknowledges she frequently limited her resources to the metropolitan area. However, since she and her husband moved to Pinehurst ten years ago, she relies on the Internet to a greater extent, and is able to deal on a much

wider scale with artists and craftspeople across the county and around the globe. Nevertheless, in two current cases, she found the right resource in Moore County. She had been contacted by the Hyatt organization, the first hotel chain with whom she had worked. They were seeking artwork and accessories for guest rooms in their newest luxury boutique hotel, the Andaz, being built on Fifth Avenue across from the New York Public Library. “One of the projects was an unusual request for a footbath to be placed in the shower stall in each guest bathroom. Originally it was thought that they should be made of cloisonné, but that idea was discarded, and stoneware was substituted.” Actually, the project was put on hold for more than a year due to the economy, and then, just when Debra received a purchase order to go ahead, the original craftsperson suddenly wasn’t available. Seeking a replacement, she turned to the Internet, and saw a webpage featuring a spokesperson for the Seagrove Potters Association, who happened to be Michael Mahan. As the cliché goes, the rest is history. “I commissioned Michael, who has been creating pottery in the Seagrove area for twenty years, to come up with a prototype of a ceramic footbath bowl eighteen inches in diameter and weighing seventeen pounds, with a beautiful glaze similar to graphite. William Paley, the senior designer on the project, called it an outstanding interpretation of just what they were looking for. It is not only functional, but it is a beautiful fine art piece. Michael has been working on the creation of 198 of the footbath bowls, with 75 of them completed by the end of June, and the balance due in August.” The other instance of finding a local artist to work on a special project revolves around the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, also

previous clients of Debra Rhodes Smith. She was asked to “refresh” some high-end two and three bedroom suites that she had first worked on in the mid 1990s. Then, for a new restaurant called “Fin,” the Tropicana people wanted to have two square columns in the middle of the room decorated with murals like ones they had seen at another location where the columns were embellished with figures of Cirque du Soleil performers. “A short time ago I had commissioned Paula Montgomery, a well known Sandhills area artist, to do a mural at the Overlook at Pine Knoll for St. Joseph in the Pines,” Debra says. “So I immediately thought of her for the Tropicana job, and presented her sketches of a mermaid mural, which were enthusiastically accepted. These comely creatures are depicted in deep blue waters surrounded by various denizens of the sea. The entire mural for each column is seven feet tall by nine feet wide, and they are painted on heavy-duty canvas, which is applied around each column like a durable wall covering.” Another request for the restaurant was for some blown glass fish which would appear to be floating on a wall. Debra got in touch with FusionZ, a California company that specializes in designing and wholesaling hand-blown art glass created in this country and abroad. The

end result was the installation, which she supervised on-site earlier in the summer, of a school of thirty glass fish, blown in Czechoslovakia. Anywhere from nine to sixteen inches long, the fish are dramatically balanced along one wall of the restaurant, affixed by use of unseen rods. Locally, Debra Rhodes Smith has worked extensively with interior designer Michelle Gowan. “People who have moved to the area from other parts of the country are interested in repositioning the artwork they have brought with them, or even adding to it,” she observes. “The light here is different, or they want art that blends in with the overall design of a new home, or they would like to simply change the framing of a piece.” The home which Debra and Bill chose in Pinehurst reflects their own particular taste in artwork. A focal point in the tastefully furnished living room is a large painting by Jan Wunderman, an expressionist whose work Debra admires. “Even though some of our visitors may not like contemporary art, they are always taken by the soft fusion of colors in the work,” she says. In other rooms distinctive paintings, sketches or prints by foremost American and foreign artists are exhibited, and the great room has an

Home Style

impressive display of large framed photographs taken by Debra, representing images of memories from the couple’s travels throughout the United States and abroad. Their latest journeys have included a Baltic Sea cruise, as well as a New England cruise, and earlier this spring, with another couple, they spent time on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the collection of 468 holes of championship-caliber golf at eleven courses across Alabama. Her travel on business has declined substantially, compared with what her schedule was when they first moved to North Carolina, thanks to the wonders of the iPhone, e-mail and the Internet. “I can work late at night or early in the morning, doing research, and selecting pieces for a designer’s or client’s consideration. This way they can review proposals at their leisure, and my actual on-site meetings are kept to a minimum. “Aside from those few trips, the business traveling I do is to important shows of fine arts organizations or the American Craft Council, and the occasional nostalgic trip to New York City, where I make a tour of the museums and galleries, soaking up the city ambience for a few days before returning to the very comfortable life we enjoy under the Carolina blue skies.” PS

Home Style

“

Count on me to provide the best

homeowners insurance value in town.

”

State Farm Agent:

Jim Leach

Hwy 211 West, Pinehurst, NC 910-215-8150

www.jimleachagency.com

“Call me when you refinance your home for a great rate.” 70

t h g i l e ato A m o T fternoon Dugust A i pe BY DEBORAH SALOMON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HANNAH SHARPE

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ugust is the climax of the tomato season. Voluptuous, bursting with juices, tomatoes will not be enjoyed as such for another year. Cradle one in the palm of your hand — weighty, fragrant, warm from the vine with skin like silk. Admire the dimples, the cleavage, the hue no lipstick has achieved. No wonder the French call them pommes d’amour — love apples. Little wonder, too, that in bygone slanguage, a tomato meant a hot chick. Surely there exists no more sensuous fruit. And now, with heirlooms outshining ordinary slicers, their shapes, their protuberances, cheeks and orbs are ripe for the same naughty interpretation Georgia O’Keeffe applied to flowers, Rorschach to ink blots. Writers gush: South Carolinian Dorothy Allison, in “Bastard out of Carolina:” “ … tomatoes so ripe they split and sweeten the air.” Atlanta humor columnist Lewis Grizzard: “It is difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” John Denver, in song: “Only two things that money can’t buy, that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.” Warm-blooded tomatoes absolutely must be eaten at room temperature. A frigid tomato never recaptures its texture or flavor. A ripe tomato tastes best nude. A few grains of sea salt, a grind of pepper, a pinch of sugar perhaps. Drowning an August globe in (shudder) bottled dressing is worse than putting a bra on Venus de Milo. Unlike the limp banana or the pear that rots from the inside out, overripe tomatoes are indecently glorious. How to eat them: Walk into the garden under the midday sun. Wave off the buzzing bottle flies. Select a fruit drooping heavy on the vine. Pluck it off. Sink your teeth into the nether end. Squeeze gently while sucking out the juices. Exhale. Ahhhh… Of course other adorations exist. The simple tomato sandwich, darling of Southern folk and Julia Child: a holy trinity of mushy white bread, mayonnaise and thick tomato slices. The classic tomato salad: center cutlets from large, irregular tomatoes, stroked with fruity olive oil and just-pressed garlic, arranged on a buttery lettuce leaf, crowned perhaps with a crumble of goat cheese. And the blessed pomodoro: ripe tomatoes peeled by the dip-in-boiling-water method, roughly chopped, tossed with angel hair pasta and olive oil, perfumed with herbs. Over it, grate a hunk of Parmigiano reggiano — cost be damned. Tempt your honey with a Tuscan tomato tart: thin slices overlapped and baked on foccacia dough with oil-cured olives, capers, fresh basil and oregano tucked into the crevices. Tantalizing, lush, dripping elixir — garden tomatoes, like summer romance, fade with the September sun. Be quick. Love one now. PS

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August 2010

Water Garden Magic BY RON SUTTON • PHOTOGRAPHS BY HANNAH SHARPE

t all began in 1990, when I visited Lilypons Water Gardens near Frederick, MD. Founded in 1917 and named after the famed coloratura opera singer of the ’30s, it was there I was struck by the beauty and the challenge of water gardening. I went home and decided to build a small water garden in my backyard in Bethesda, MD. Well…build isn’t exactly the correct word — assemble would be more accurate. I dug a large hole and bought a 200 gallon, crescent-shaped, fiberglass shell to put in it. I added water, a pump for circulation, and a couple of lilies and bog plants. I loved that little pond and put some 20 fish in it, “mostly comets and 2 fantails” read my notes from August of 1991. When my wife Sara and I retired to Pinehurst in 1997, I dreamed of creating a larger water garden in our backyard. I had re-visited Lilypons often and met its owner, Charles B. Thomas, grandson of the family that founded these gardens. His book, Water Gardens for Plants and Fish, had served as my bible for my Bethesda garden. I was pleased and surprised to learn upon visiting Joe Granata’s Star Ridge Aquatics in Carthage that Joe had interned at Lilypons as a student from the Sandhills Community College garden program. Star Ridge was impressive and inviting and friendly to novice folk. I noticed Joe was giving a talk on water gardening at Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities. That day at Weymouth, as I helped Joe take some of his AV equipment to his car, I asked him that if I volunteered to work in the water gardens at Weymouth, would he help me with any problems I ran into due to my inexperience. He assured me he would. Actually he knew the Weymouth gardens well. He and his mother had just installed new liners for the two 25’ x 30’ ponds. Assuming I would be working under a more experienced volunteer, I told Dirt Gardener leader, Marshall Berg, I would help. Upon arriving at Weymouth for my first day in the water I discovered I was the only volunteer. To flatter me into the job, Marshall and the others gave me the tongue-in-cheek title:

“CURATOR OF THE WATER GARDENS.” I served in that capacity for the next ten years. Actually I learned a lot by working at Weymouth and in the summer of 2001 started on my own water garden. Design came first. I plotted the course of the sun across the yard — water gardens need at least 6-8 hours of sun a day. I had an 8’ drop in elevation to work with in that part of the yard and I decided to design not one but three ponds, each one dropping into the next. My friend Bart O’Connor, who had a background in landscape design, helped me draw the layout and dimensions. The largest pond, shaped as a crescent, would be at the bottom. It was 6’ across x 18’ long x 2’ deep. The middle pond was the smallest, 6’ x 3’ x 16”. The top pond measured 6’ x 6’ x 18”. I planned two stone waterfalls that linked the bottom two ponds. Work began on June 5, 2001, and the pond was completed and celebrated by 60 friends and colleagues at a Pond Party, October 14, 2001. Those five months were quite a learning experience for me. Digging the pond was the easy part, thanks to our sandy soil. Grading, leveling, and making the sand walls stay in place was the hard part, along with all the PVC plumbing and electrical work. Neighbor Bill Blake was always ready to help, especially with digging and plumbing, and my friend, Marty Doherty, assisted with the electrical connections. Flat Scape provided the required 41/2 tons of “Old Moss Thick” rocks and of course the special 4 mil liners, the pump, bio filter system, and other accoutrements came from Star Ridge. I had it pretty well all together by July 13, but then disaster struck. I filled the three ponds with water and there wasn’t any leakage. I then turned my half horsepower pump on and quite foolishly let it run through the night. The water pressure created by the pump caused a seam or two to open. The water completely vanished from the lower pond and the brand new $270 pump burned out. I had already laid 4 tons of rock around the edges of the pond and had to take that up to find the leaks, rebuild two

walls in the lower pond with cinder block, purchase new, longer pieces of liner. It took until August 5th to redo everything. My notes describe this rebuilding process as a “tough learning experience that builds character,” not that you have much choice with three gaping holes in your backyard. My daughter, Kim, son-in-law Mark, and my two teenage grandkids, CJ (16) and Nicole (13), arrived from New Jersey in October and helped me finish off a few of the heavy jobs that were left. I added the lilies and bog plants at the end of August as well as a pair of 6-inch Koi, one orange and one yellow. They are now some 22 inches in length and 9 years of age at least. I added a 12-inch Ivory Channel Catfish from Star Ridge a number of years ago, and he presently is close to 3 feet in length and growing! It’s hard for me to imagine our home, yard and life without our beautiful water garden. Max, the vigilant decoy heron, stands guard over the layout; however, the real protection from the great blue herons’ appetite for fish comes from a device called a Scarecrow that fires swishing, circular jets of water when its infrared and motion sensor is disturbed. It’s hard to say what I like best about our water garde. The restful, rushing sound it provides comfort night and day; the daily ritual of feeding “the guys,” my fish, each day from April through Thanksgiving; or the color of my perennial hardy lilies, “Sunrise,” “Colorado,” and “Pink Beauty,” alongside the enormous blooms of my lovely creamy yellow “Sunburst Lotus,” a gift from my daughter, set against the blue or purple bursts of color from my tropical lilies, “Surfrider,” “Pamela,” and this year’s “King of Siam.” My bog plants add diversity of leaf size, texture and shape and include Blue Pickerel Rush, Umbrella Palms, Red Thalia, Lizard Tongue, Arrow Head, Floating Yellow Heart, Parrot’s Feathers, and Iris of various types. My two recently transplanted pots of Cat-of-Nine-Tails are struggling just now. A stone bench from which I feed the fish, a garden swing from Habitat for Humanity, a lovely new red cut leaf Japanese maple overlooking the middle pond, our towering longleaf that guards the big pond and the other border plants and shrubs all add to the joy and pleasure the water garden brings us. After nine years of working in it and caring for it, I can say with conviction: I really do love my water garden. PS Ron Sutton is a Pinehurst resident. Top left, clockwise: King of Siam, Floating Heart, Dragonfly, Blue Pickeral Rush, Ivory Channel Cat, Pink Beauty, Arrowheads, Lotus Seed Pod, Pickerel Rush. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

August Sunday

ART EXHIBIT & OPENING RECEPTION. 2 – 5 p.m. Artists League of the Sandhills.(910) 9443979.

Monday

ROOSTER’S WIFE: Summer Music Series Christine Lavin. 6 p.m. Postmaster’s House, Aberdeen. (910) 9447502 or visit www.theroosterswife.org.

ROOSTER’S WIFE: Summer Music Series. Jeni and Billy, Stevie Coyle. 6 p.m. Postmaster’s House, Aberdeen. (910) 9447502 or visit www.theroosterswife.org.

OUTDOOR CONCERT: SCC Jazz Band. 6:30 p.m. Sandhills Community College. (910) 695-3829.

Tuesday

COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) 295-3663.

W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar, Southern Pines. (910) 692-3066.

U.S. KIDS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. August 3-8. Kids ages 612. (888) 387-5437 or www.homeofgolf.com/usk idsgolf.

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Douglas Community Center, Southern Pines. (910) 692-7376.

10 SENIOR

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Virginia Dare’s Birthday. 11:30 a.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376.

W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar. (910) 6923066. SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376. GOLF TOURNAMENT: One-Day Tournament. Tobacco Road. (910) 673-1000.

W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar. (910) 6923066.

COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) 295-3663. SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376.

30 MOORE ON THE MENU. Through September 5. www.homeofgolf.com.

Thursday

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376.

Friday

ROBBINS FARMERS DAY. 6 p.m. – midnight, Robbins. (910) 464-1290.

SENIOR ACTIVITY: END-OF-SUMMER Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. LUAU. Southern Pines Douglas Community Public Library. (910) Center. (910) 692-7376. 692-8235. FIRST FRIDAY. 5 – WINE TASTING. 7 8 p.m. Southern Pines. – 9 p.m. The Village www.firstfridaysouthernpi Wine Shop, Pinehurst. nes.com. (910) 295-5100.

SENIOR W.O.W. Wine on SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – Wednesdays. The Wine ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 ACTIVITY: Jesse 4 p.m. Douglas p.m. (910) 692-7376. Owens’ Day. 11:30 a.m. Cellar. (910) 692-3066. Community Center. Douglas Community SENIOR ACTIVITY: SUMMER READING (910) 692-7376. Center. (910) 692-7376. Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 CLUB: Southern Pines p.m. Douglas Library. (910) 692-8235. WINE TASTING. TEA PARTY. 2:30 Pilsners: Untapped. 5:30 Community Center. p.m. Lady Bedford’s Tea WINE TASTING. 7 – p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. Parlour. (910) 255-0100. (910) 692-7376. 9 p.m. The Village Wine (910) 295-3663. COOKING CLASS. PRESCHOOL STO- Shop. (910) 295-5100. PICNIC IN RYTIME. 3:30 – 4 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. OLDIES & GOODIES PROVENCE. 6 – 9 p.m. Southern Pines Public (910) 295-3663. Library. (910) 692-8235. FILM SERIES. 2:30 – 4:30 Weymouth Center. (910) p.m. (910) 692-8235. 692-6261.

COOKING CLASS. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) 2953663.

Wednesday

SENIOR ACTIVITY: National Inventor’s Month. 11:30 a.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Elliot’s on Linden. (910) 2953663.

Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden, . (910) 295-3663. SUMMER READING CLUB. Southern Pines Public Library. (910) 692-8235.

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden.(910) 2953663. WINE TASTING. 7 – 9 p.m. The Village Wine Shop.(910) 2955100.

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376.

Saturday FARMERS DAY. 9 a.m. –11p.m. Robbins. (910) 464-1290.

LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. The Wine Cellar, (910) 295-3066. MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hollyhocks Art Gallery. (910) 255-0665. BATTLE REENACTMENT. 2 p.m. (910) 9472051.

MEET THE ARTIST. Hollyhocks Art Gallery. LIVE MUSIC. The Wine Cellar. (910) 6923066. SECOND SATURDAY. House in the Horseshoe. (919) 947-2051. BLUE GRASS AND BBQ. The Fair Barn. (910) 295-3141.

MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hollyhocks Art Gallery. (910) 255-0665.

WINE TASTING. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) WINE TASTING. 295-3663. Grenache: Uncorked. 5:30 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) 295-3663. FESTIVAL OF BEERS. 3 - 5:30 p.m. JAZZY FRIDAYS. 7 – Weymouth Center. 10 p.m. Cypress Bend LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 Vineyards & Winery. p.m. The Wine Cellar.. (910) 369-0411.

27 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center. (910) 692-7376.

LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. “April Fools.” (910) 692-3066. MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (910) 255-0665 COOKING CLASS. (910) 295-3663. WINE TASTING. The Reds of France. Elliott’s on Linden. (910) 295-3663.

August Calendar August 1

August 5

ART EXHIBIT & OPENING RECEPTION. 2 – 5 p.m. The Artists League of the Sandhills presents an art exhibit of small works and fine art miniatures measuring eight by ten inches or less. All artwork was created by League members. Exhibit runs through August 26. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange Street, Aberdeen. For more information, please call (910) 944-3979 or visit www.artistleague.org.

GOLF TOURNAMENT: One-Day Tournament. Legacy Golf Links, Aberdeen. For reservations and more information, please call (910) 673-1000 or visit www.carolinasgolf.org. ROOSTER’S WIFE: Summer Music Series. 6 p.m. Picnics welcome, bring a blanket or chair. Christine Lavin, Amissville. Postmaster’s House, 204 E. South Street, Aberdeen. For more information please call (910) 9447502 or visit www.theroosterswife.org.

August 3

END-OF-SUMMER LUAU. 5:30 p.m. Kids in grades K8 and their parents are invited for an evening of face-painting, balloon sculptures and other fun at the Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235.

August Movie & Event Schedule

COOKING CLASS: Let’s Salsa. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Menu: Traditional Picante & Corn Ground Chips, Verde Salsa with Grilled Chicken Quesadilla, Sweet Corn Salsa & Pork Picadita, Mango Salsa & Drunken Margarita Chicken Fajitas and Strawberry & Basil Salsa Tostado. Cost: $45. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

FIRST FRIDAY August 6 5-8:30pm

WINE TASTING. 7 – 9 p.m. The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. For more information and a schedule of live music, please call (910) 295-5100.

COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. A dinner that tastes slow cooked: Lump Crab and Sweet Corn Cake served over wilted greens with roasted tomato and basil bisque, followed by What was Up is now Down Peach Cobbler. Cost: $25. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

Box Office 910-692-3611 Administrative Office 910-692-8501

in the Sunrise Greenspace FREE CONCERT THE NEW FAMILIARS

August 5-7

U.S. KIDS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP. Kids ages 6-12. To be played on Pinehurst courses No. 3, No. 4 and No. 8, as well as nearby Hyland, Legacy, Mid Pines, Talamore, Midland Country Club and Little River. For more information, please call (888) 387-5437 or visit www.homeofgolf.com/uskidsgolf.

ROBBINS FARMERS DAY. Thursday 6 – 9 p.m., Friday 6 p.m. – midnight and Saturday 9 a.m. – midnight. Enjoy country, bluegrass, gospel and beach music and one of the largest horse parades on the East Coast. Free festival, small fee for Rodeo, carnival rides and games. Entertainment also includes fireworks, mule show, arts & crafts and an antique tractor show. Food vendors on site. Middleton Street, downtown Robbins. For more information, please call (910) 464-1290 or visit www.robbinsfarmersday.com.

August 4

August 6

August 3-8

W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. A matching card game in which the object is to create melds of cards of the same rank and then go out by playing or discarding all the cards in your hand. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

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SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. FIRST FRIDAY. 5 – 8 p.m. A family friendly community event featuring live music from The New Familiars in the grassy knoll adjacent to the Sunrise Theater, Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information visit www.firstfridaysouthernpines.com. WINE TASTING. 5:30 p.m. Semillion uncorked. This white wine varietal is the star in the dessert wines of

Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports

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BABIES

910.673.4170

Aug 8&9

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August 2010

CA L E N DA R Bordeaux, France and is making quite a name for itself in Australia as a dry white wine. Cost: $20. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. JAZZY FRIDAYS. 7 – 10 p.m. Live jazz music and hors d’oeuvres, rain or shine. Admission is $8/person. Cypress Bend Vineyards & Winery, Riverton Road in Wagram. For more information, please call (910) 369-0411.

August 6 - 27 FINE ARTS FESTIVAL & OPENING RECEPTION. Opening Reception on Friday, August 6, 6 – 8 p.m. Exhibit is displayed through August 27 at Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For information and schedule, please call (910) 692-2787.

August 7 LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. COOKING DEMONSTRATION. 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Grapes Galore. Event is free. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. WINE TASTING. Spanish Values. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Diane Kraudelt at Hollyhocks Art Gallery, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 255-0665 or visit www.hollyhocksartgallery.com.

August 7 - 8 REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLE REENACTMENT. Saturday 4 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Reenactment of the 1781 skirmish at the house between Loyalist (Tory) and Rebel (Whig) militias. Encampment of soldiers and families, artillery and small arms demonstrations, craft demonstrations. House in the Horseshoe, 324 Alston Road, Sanford. For more information, please call (910) 947-2051. EQUESTRIAN EVENT: Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Rd., Raeford. For more information please contact Kay Whitlock at (910) 692-8467 or visit www.carolinahorsepark.com.

August 8 ROOSTER’S WIFE: Summer Music Series. 6 p.m. Jeni and Billy, Stevie Coyle. Picnic’s Welcome. Bring a blanket or chair. Postmaster’s House, 204 E. South Street, Aberdeen. For more information, please call (910) 9447502 or visit www.theroosterswife.org.

August 9 OUTDOOR CONCERT: SCC Jazz Band. 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. In the event of rain, concert moves to Owens Auditorium. Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Rd., Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 695-3829.

August 10 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Jesse Owens’ Day. 11:30 a.m. Play Wii and compete against other participants to honor Jesse Owens. Choose between baseball, tennis, bowling, golf and boxing. Cost: $2 residents/ $4 non-residents. Register by August 3. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For registration and details, please call Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. TEA PARTY. 2:30 p.m. Dress up and bring your Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports

CA L E N DA R American Girl Doll (or other favorite friend) and come for tea. Cost: $10 per child (includes children’s tea and gift). Reservations required. Lady Bedford’s Tea Parlour, 21 Chinquapin Road, Pinehurst. For reservations and more information, please call (910) 255-0100. COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Sandwiches with taste and flavor, without the hidden calories and fat. Cost: $25. Grilled thin sliced ribeye sandwich on grilled sourdough with sun-ripened tomato & cracked pepper mayo, oven fried garlic potato wedges and Ms. Farmer pound cake. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

August 11 W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. A matching card game in which the object is to create melds of cards of the same rank and then go out by playing or discarding all the cards in your hand. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

Seven Lakes

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PRESCHOOL STORYTIME. 3:30 – 4 p.m. For infants and toddlers (kids through age 5). Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235.

August 12 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Don Hammerman instructs all levels of participants. Bring a board and enjoy the challenge. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

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SUMMER READING CLUB: Band of Bookies. 11 a.m. The Summer Reading Club for kids in grades 5-8 meet at the Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235. WINE TASTING. 7 – 9 p.m. The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. For more information and a schedule of live music, please call (910) 295-5100. OLDIES & GOODIES FILM SERIES. 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Madame Curie starring Greer Garson. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Menu: Sweet Buttermilk Onion Rings, Classic French Onion Soup, Tres Cousins Shallot, Leek & Sweet Onion & Goat Cheese Tartlet, Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Peppers & Vidalia Onions over Bison Tips and Iced Onion Salad. Cost: $45. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

August 13 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. HISTORIC WALKING TOUR AND TEA. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Discover the stories of Pinehurst’s history and enjoy the traditions of classic high tea at the Pinehurst Resort, one of America’s Historic Landmarks. Cost: $25/person. Space is limited, call (910) 235-8415 for reservations. WINE TASTING. 5:30 p.m. Pilsners Untapped. Simple, clean and crisp. Come taste both styles and discover the style that suits you best. Cost: $20. Elliott’s on Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Sanford

CA L E N DA R Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. PICNIC IN PROVENCE. 6 – 9 p.m. The Women of Weymouth and Mark Elliot combine their talents for this indoor, catered event. Proceeds benefit the Weymouth Center. Cost: $45 (includes wine). Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For reservations and more information, please call (910) 692-6261.

August 14 MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Jane Casnellie at Hollyhocks Art Gallery, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 255-0665 or visit www.hollyhocksartgallery.com. LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. “Java Mules.” The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. COOKING DEMONSTRATION: Butter Up! 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Event is free. Elliot’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. WINE TASTING. Summer Brews & Rose. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. SECOND SATURDAY. A Family event that combines arts and heritage with food and fun at House in the Horseshoe, 288 Alston House Road, Sanford. For more information, please call (919) 947-2051 or visit http://ncdcr.gov/2ndsaturdays.asp. BLUE GRASS AND BBQ. 5:30 – 8 p.m. Smithfield BBQ at the Fair Barn with music provided by the Blue Grass Tradition. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Pinehurst Police Department for $20 or at the door for $25. Please make all checks payable to SONC (Special Olympics of North Carolina). The Fair Barn, Pinehurst Harness Track. For more information, please call (910) 295-3141. BACKYARD BOCCE BASH. Sandhills Children’s Center hosts its 3rd annual event at The Harness Track in Pinehurst. VIP Team of four: $350; Team of four: $100. For reservations and more information, please call (910) 692-3323 or visit www.BackyardBocce.org.

August 14 - 15 GOLF TOURNAMENT. The 69th Annual Moore County Men’s Amateur Golf Tournament is open to all amateur men. There will be three divisions: Open (16 and older); Senior (55 and older); Super Senior (65 and older). Proceeds will benefit The First Tee of the Sandhills. Seven Lakes Country Club, West End. For more information, please call Dick Wilson at (910) 949-4675 or email him at flogger@embarqmail.com.

August 17 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Virginia Dare’s Birthday. 11:30 a.m. Go back in time and discuss the first colonies established in the New World. Bring old photos and memorabilia while celebrating with light snacks and beverages. Cost: $2 residents/ $4 non-residents. Register by August 11. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For registration and details, please call Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 6927376. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. An easy menu that combines fresh ingredients with lean protein and naturally low fat cheese. Roasted chicken stuffed with artichokes, spinach & feta, traditional Mediterranean tabouli salad with tomatoes & parsley and cherry clafoutis. Cost: $25. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports

CA L E N DA R

August 18 W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. A matching card game in which the object is to create melds of cards of the same rank and then go out by playing or discarding all the cards in your hand. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

Resale Retail Retail Resale

GOLF TOURNAMENT: One-Day Tournament. Tobacco Road, Sanford. For reservations and more information, please call (910) 673-1000 or visit www.carolinasgolf.org.

August 19 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Don Hammerman instructs all levels of participants. Bring a board and enjoy the challenge. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS. 5:30 p.m. Smoked wild salmon roulades, apple & pecan seared duck in citrus glaze, maple young sweet potatoes, seared pear & pinapple salad and hickory farmhouse cheddar apple pie. Cost: $55. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. SUMMER READING CLUB: Book Bunch. Kids in grades K-4 meet at the Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave. For more information, please call (910) 692-8235. WINE TASTING. 7 – 9 p.m. The Village Wine Shop, 80 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. For more information and a schedule of live music, please call (910) 295-5100.

August 20 SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreations and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. WINE TASTING. 5:30 p.m. Grenache uncorked. The most widely planted varietal. Cost: $20. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. JAZZY FRIDAYS. 7 – 10 p.m. Live jazz music and hors d’oeuvres, rain or shine. Admission is $8/person. Cypress Bend Vineyards & Winery, Riverton Road in Wagram. For more information, please call (910) 369-0411.

August 20 - 22 DRAG RACE: Mirock Super Bike Series/Schnitz Racing Summer Sizzler. Rockingham Dragway, 2153 US Hwy 1 North. For tickets and more information, please call The Rock at (910) 582-3400.

August 21 LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. “Carolina Jazz Trio.” The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sandy Scott at Hollyhocks Art Gallery, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 255-0665 or visit www.hollyhocksartgallery.com. WINE TASTINGS. Prosecco & Crisp Whites. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663. COOKING CLASS: A Sweet Tea Party. 12 p.m. and 2 Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

CA L E N DA R p.m. Elliot’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

other related data, please call the Pinehurst Tournament Office at (800) 795-4653, ext. 3, or (910) 235-8140.

schedule of live music, please call (910) 295-5100.

DINNER/DANCE PARTY: Moore County Area Shag Society (MASS). 7 – 11 p.m. Dinner followed by dance at the Southern Pines VFW. Proceeds will benefit Moore County Special Olympics and the Food Bank of Moore County. Advance tickets: $8. At door: $10. Advance ticket purchase includes a pool party earlier in the day. For more information, please call (910) 692-4144 or email Mooreshaggers@gmail.com.

GOLF TOURNAMENT. The 53rd North and South Senior Women’s Championship is being played on Pinehurst No. 2, 5, 8. For more information on format, sign up or other related data, please call the Pinehurst Tournament Office at (800) 795-4653, ext. 3, or (910) 2358140.

August 27

FESTIVAL OF BEERS. 3 - 5:30 p.m. Enjoy food and sample from a large selection of some of the Carolina’s finest breweries. Live entertainment included. Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For tickets and more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (910) 692-3926.

W.O.W. Wine on Wednesdays. The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066.

GOLF TOURNAMENT: 14th Annual Rigsby-Clark Cup. 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. shotgun starts at The Pit Golf Links. Annual fundraiser for Moore Buddies. For more information and registration form visit http://moorebuddies.org/Golf.html.

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Canasta. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. A matching card game in which the object is to create melds of cards of the same rank and then go out by playing or discarding all the cards in your hand. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreations and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

August 26

August 24 COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. A perfect meal reminiscent of childhood days. Stovetop macaroni & cheese, hot & spicy skillet beans, marinated broccoli salad and brownie parfait. Cost: $25. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

August 24 - 26

August 25

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Chess. 1 – 3 p.m. Don Hammerman instructs all levels of participants. Bring a board and enjoy the challenge. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreations and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS: Chef’s Choice. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Cost: $55. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

GOLF TOURNAMENT. The 59th North and South WINE TASTING. 7 – 9 p.m. The Village Wine Shop, Senior Men’s Championship is being played on Pinehurst 80 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. For more information and a No. 2, 5, 8. For more information on format, sign up or Key: Art Music/Concerts Dance/Theater Literature/Speakers Film Fun History Sports

SENIOR ACTIVITY: Bridge. 1 – 4 p.m. Douglas Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. For more details, call the Southern Pines Recreations and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376.

August 28 LIVE MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. “April Fools.” The Wine Cellar, 241 Northeast Broad Street, Southern Pines. For more information, please call (910) 692-3066. MEET THE ARTIST. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Beverly Brookshire at Hollyhocks Art Gallery, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 2550665 or visit www.hollyhocksartgallery.com. COOKING CLASS: Back to School, Pack Up & Go! 12 and 2 p.m. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 2953663. WINE TASTING. The Reds of France. Elliott’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

August 30 - September 5 MOORE ON THE MENU. A dozen or more local restaurants showcase their diverse culinary options. Fourcourse dinners cost $35. For information and complete list of participants, please visist www.homeofgolf.com.

August 31 SENIOR ACTIVITY: National Inventor’s Month. 11:30 a.m. Discuss the most popular inventions of our

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CA L E N DA R time. Cost: $2 residents/ $4 non-residents. Register by August 24. Douglas Community Center. For registration and details, please call Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department at (910) 692-7376. COOKING CLASS: 30-Minute Meal. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. End of Summer Celebration. Grilled honey & lemon tenderloin with peach salad, fresh corn on the cob, crisp garlic & dill green beans, Italian marinated tomatoes and zucchini bread with blackberries. Cost: $25. Kitchen Essence Cooking Class. Elliot’s on Linden, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst. For more information, please call (910) 295-3663.

Art Galleries BROADHURST GALLERY, 2212 Midland Rd., Pinehurst, showcases works by nationally recognized artists such as Louis St. Lewis, Lula Smith, Shawn Morin, Rachel Clearfield, Judy Cox and Jason Craighead. Meet-the-artist opportunities are available. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 1-4 p.m. (910) 295-4817, www.broadhurstgallery.com. ART GALLERY AT THE MARKET PLACE, 2160 Midland Road, Pinehurst, features original art by local artists Joan Williams, Deane Billings, Jeanette Sheehan, Mike D’Andrea, Janet Burdick, Nancy Yanchus, and Cele Bryant. Meet one of the artists Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (910) 215-5963. ARTIST ALLEY features juried art and fine crafts from local and regional artists, 167 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday. (910) 692-6077. ARTISTS LEAGUE OF THE SANDHILLS, located at 129 Exchange St. in historic Aberdeen. Exhibit hours are noon-3 p.m., Monday-Saturday. (910) 944-3979. THE CAMPBELL HOUSE GALLERIES, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, and every third weekend of the month

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

from 2-4 p.m. (910) 692-4356, www.mooreart.org. THE GALLERY AT SEVEN LAKES, a gallery dedicated to local artists. The Gallery is open on Wednesday and Thursday each week from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 1145 Seven Lakes Drive, The St. Mary Magdalen building. Just 9 miles from the Pinehurst Traffic Circle up 211. HASTINGS GALLERY is located in the Katharine L. Boyd Library at Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst. Gallery hours are 7:45 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; and 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. HOLLYHOCKS ART GALLERY, 905 Linden Road, Pinehurst, features original artwork by local artists Diane Kraudelt, Carol Rotter, Beverly Brookshire, Sandy Scott and artist/owner Jane Casnellie. Daily 10:30am to 9:30pm and Sunday evenings 6pm-9:30pm. (910) 255-0665, www.hollyhocksartgallery.com.THE OLD SILK ROUTE, 113 West Main St., Aberdeen specializes in Asian original art, including silk paintings, tapestries, Buddhist Thangkas and Indian paper miniatures. Open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 am until 4 pm. (910) 295-2055. SEAGROVE CANDLE COMPANY, 116 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, showcases the arts and crafts of the Sandhills and Seagrove area. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday-Saturday, (910) 695-0029. SKY ART GALLERY, 602 Magnolia Dr., Aberdeen, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. (910) 944-9440, www.skyartgallery.com. WHITE HILL GALLERY, 407 U.S. 15-501, Carthage, offers a variety of pottery. (910) 947-6100. THE DOWNTOWN GALLERY (inside Flynne’s Coffee Bar) is located at 115 NE Broad St. in downtown Southern Pines. Ever-changing array of local and regional art, pottery and other handmade items. (910) 693-1999. LADY BEDFORD’S TEA PARLOUR, located at 25 Chinquapin Road in Pinehurst, is featuring local artist Nancy Campbell. Original oil and watercolor paintings are on display inside the tea shop. Open Tuesday - Saturday 8

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August 2010

CA L E N DA R a.m. - 5 p.m. (910) 255-0100, www.ladybedfords.com.

Nature Centers SANDHILLS HORTICULTURAL GARDENS (32 acres of gardens). The Sandhills Horticultural Gardens are handicapped-accessible. Daylight hours year-round. (910)695-3882. WEYMOUTH WOODS SANDHILLS NATURE PRESERVE (898 acres). 1024 Ft. Bragg Road, Southern Pines. (910) 692-2167.

Historical Sites

BARTLETT. BECAUSE DOGWOOD POWDERY MILDEW IS A GROWING PROBLEM. We’re Bartlett Tree Experts and with over 100 years of experience, there isn’t a plant disease we haven’t seen, researched, or managed. No matter the size or scope of your needs, our experts can identify and treat most any disease or pest that threatens the livelihood of your trees and shrubs. And every step of the way, we bring a rare mix of local service, global resources and the latest practices to make your landscape thrive. Trees add value to our homes and our lives. And Bartlett adds value to your trees.

BETHESDA CHURCH AND CEMETERY. Guided tours for groups by appointment. 1020 Bethesda Road, Aberdeen. (910) 944-1319. BRYANT HOUSE AND MCLENDON CABIN. Tours by appointment. (910) 692-2051 or (910) 673-0908. CARTHAGE HISTORICAL MUSEUM. Sundays, 2-5 p.m. or by appointment. Located at Rockingham and Saunders streets, Carthage. (910) 947-2331. HOUSE IN THE HORSESHOE. Open year-round. Hours vary. 288 Alston House Road (10 miles north of Carthage), Sanford. (910) 947-2051. MALCOLM BLUE FARM AND MUSEUM. 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Group tours can be arranged by appointment. (910) 944-7558 or (910) 603-2739. NORTH CAROLINA LITERARY HALL OF FAME. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. (910) 692-6261. SHAW HOUSE PROPERTY. Open 1-4 p.m. TuesdayFriday. (910) 692-2051. TUFTS ARCHIVES. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday. (910) 295-3642. UNION STATION. Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Located in downtown Aberdeen. (910) 944-5902. ——————————————————— To add an event, send us an e-mail at pinestraw@thepilot.com by the first of the month prior to the event.

PINENEEDLER ANSWERS Puzzle answers from page 91 1

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C O N

E M O

4 1 8 6 2 9 3 7 5

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S 57

S I

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5 6 7 8 3 4 1 9 2

K 47

2 4 9 7 1 6 5 8 3

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W A

CALL 877 BARTLETT 877.227.8538 OR VISIT BARTLETT.COM

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M O R O N

1 8 3 2 9 5 6 4 7

DINING GUIDE

Celebrate The Local Farmer 910.246.3510 140 E. New Hampshire Avenue Downtown Southern Pines Serving Dinner Tuesday-Sunday

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MOORE COUNTY

FARMERS MARKET Watermelons, Cantaloupes,Tomatoes, Corn, Blueberries & Peaches Fruits, Veggies, Jams, Meats, Flowers & Plants

Mondays- FirstHealth (Fitness Center)

170 Memorial Dr â&#x20AC;¢ Pinehurst 2pm-6pm

Will be open through October 25th

Thursdays- Morganton Rd (Armory Sports Complex) Southern Pines 9am-1pm

Saturdays - Downtown Southern Pines Broad St & New York Ave 8am-Noon Will be open through October 30th

Call 947-3752 or 690-9520 for more information. On the web: Google Moore County Farmers Market Local Harvest Visit us on facebook! Operated and Managed by members of the MCFM, INC

SandhillSeen

Southern Pines Living

Moore County Hounds Puppy Show

Simply The Best Location!

Photographs by Jeanne Paine Kayela Smith, Savannah Russell, Kaitlyn McVeigh

Front Porches. Winding Sidewalks. Community Gathering Places. Pool. Clubhouse. On Site Builders Center. Existing New Homes or Custom Build Ian Zerbel

Elizabeth Adams, Mel Wyatt, Beth Clark, Kim Phelps

Single Family Home from $350,000 Cottage Homes from $295,000

866.295.9040 910.295.9040 Direct 910.725.1319 www.TheArboretumSP.com Halie Cunningham

Taylor Ellis

Nicole Lindamood, Colter Creed, Caroline Kirkland

Kayela Smith

Laura Lindamood

Savannah Russell

Halie Cunningham, Kaitlyn McVeigh, Kayela Smith

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

Wayne and Judy Osborne (Piney Award winner)

SandhillSeen The Piney Awards Photographs by Al and Annette Daniels

Honoree Chuck Lunney (Piney Award winner) Sadie Small, Vivian Kelly, Mary Morrison, Betsy Harris

Vera Bassett, Betty Campbell

Robert and Thomasina Murphy

Jim Dodson

Anna Murphy, Blanchie Carter, and Paul Murphy (Piney Award winner)

Blake Schrein

Ashley Wahl, Andie Rose, Annette Daniels

Catherine Church, Joan Williams, Nancy Yanchus

Beth Cunningham, Linda Bruening, Sharon Hall

Beth, Chuck and Tish Lunney

Daniel and Jill Brown

Reverend Dr. William E. Smith, Kit McKinley

Kitty Pyne, Cathy Hilton

Baxter and Taylor Clement, David Woronoff

Darlene Stark, Carolyn Brady

Linda Bruening, Cele Bryant, Mary Ellen Warren

Martha and Franklin Butler

Laurel Stanell, Kathy Boyle Lisa Gessner, Jim Dawson

Tommy McDonell, Chuck Lunney, Caroline Love

SandhillSeen Roots of American Music at Weymouth Center

Photographs by Victoria Rounds The Fine Blue Line

Mabel Barker, Vivian Jacobson

Mary-Stewart Regensburg, Mary Ann & Dick McCrary

Vivian Jacobson, Billy Stevens

Gospel Choir of the First Missionary Baptist Church Jordan Cole, Martha Butler, Jadah Cole

Joeli Baldwin

Chad Daws, Michael Price, Pat Daws, Diedre Newton, Chris Arnold

Carol & Rudy VanZanten

Tom & Valerie Kessinger, Dick & MaryAnn McCreary, Mary-Stewart Regensburg, Anne Agnew

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

SandhillSeen

Charlotte Gantzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 101st Birthday at Penick Village Photographs by Victoria Rounds

Miriam Borel and her daughter Judy

Anne Agnew, Rachel Trahern, Shirley Chalker

Charlotte Gantz, Marshall Berg Libba & John Watson

Helen Stires, Vivian Travis

Ila Williams

Lisa Bailey, Frances Quis

Nita Bruner, Shirley Chalker

Karin Taylor, Barbara Reynolds, Violet Piner

Jean Lylerly, Kim Hehir

Bill Shore, Marshall Berg

Jack Porter, Ginny Kelliher, Jennifer Dalton

Mary Francis Coxe, Fred London

Ned Bailey

SandhillSeen

Communities in Schools Golf Tournament at Little River Golf Resort Photographs by Victoria Rounds Beverly Stewart, Latoya Murchison Ron & Michelle Jackson

Shirley Ward, Todd & Kim Stout Marvin Waters, Lesley Bradley, Dick Berkshire

Drew & Rollie Sampson, Jim & Amy Caliri,

Julie & Kurt Wohlrab, Lesley Bradley,Dawn Lee, Lynette Williams, Donnie Lee, Chan Williams

Johnni Johnston, Dustin Barton, Dick Johnston

Kathy Kennedy, Joe Mason

Janie Boland

Kathy Jones, Rashad Gatling

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Yvone Peterson, Michael Parker

Yann & Mary Jacquemont

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August 2010

SandhillSeen The Blues Crawl Photographs by Cathy Marion

Walter & Martha Clark Steve & Crystal Carrico and Greg Jett

Sophia Fitzer & Roberta Harding

Taylor Hambrick & Maria McGill

T & Yvonne Lassiter

Pat Wallace & Cony Atwell Scott Sheffield & Deborah Davies

Ross & April Lightsey

Nona Eldroubi & Vicky Lanza

Ken Howell, Justin Bradford,Alex Bouton, Roger Brady, Jimmy Gehl, Roger Mitchell

Anne Constable & Jeanne Williams

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Panek

Maggie Bradley & Clarence Young

Lisa Dickerson

Elizabeth Reece & Barry Heartney Evan Roddenberry & Maggie Powers

Barbara McKenzie-Hess & Hunter Hess

August PineNeedler ACROSS 1 Fool 6 1st reason to be a school teacher 10 Bikini part 13 Certain Arab 14 Ripens 15 Musical sign 16 Patches up, like exes 18 Ivy League school 19 “Aladdin” prince 20 2nd reason to be a schoolteacher 21 Maine national park 23 Feeling 25 Over thar 26 Stalk 27 Pencil end 30 “The Three Faces of ___” 31 Propel a boat 33 Birdbrain 34 NCSU color 35 Salary 37 ___term 38 Loch____ 40 “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria owner 41 Catch a dogie 43 Common deciduous tree 44 Not well 45 3rd reason to be a schoolteacher

Alleviate Louisa May Auto body Clay worker Limerick, e.g. Teacher’s favorite Fencing sword Make too perfect (2 words, hyph) 62 Atlantic and Pacific and others 63 Great ____ (great dog) 64 Carried, as by the wind 65 “To ___ is human ...” 66 Objectives 67 Crosswise, on deck DOWN 1 Bog, quagmire 2 Breakfast choice 3 Jean Baptiste _____ 4 Lennon’s widow 5 “Teenage Mutant ___ Turtles” 6 Prison guard 7 Hideous 8 Maiden name 9 Tried 10 Urinary organs 11 Takes over for, at Fort Bragg 12 Scared 15 Blue hue 17 Prettier 22 Long cigar, blunt ends

24 E.P.Aconcern 28 “Farewell, mon ami” 29 Ground cover 32 Oxygenate 35 A very hard hitter 36 “There’s nothing coming” (2 words) 37 Automobile sticker fig. 39 Barely gets by, with “out” 40 Cat breed 42 Beat on horseback 43 Additional 46 Gets a touchdown 48 Shoot for, with “to” 49 Reddish brown color 50 Admiration 52 Lyric poems 54 Amorphous creature 56 Await judgment 60 Delivery vehicle 61 Watch chain

Puzzle answers on page 82

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

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

47 51 53 55 56 57 58 59

BY MART DICKERSON

SUMMER!

43 46

6 9 7 4 1 8 4 8 6 8 1 3 1 4 5 8 7 4 8 5 2 7 3 5 7 6 8 9 2 8 5 9 1

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August 2010

Grande Pines

Fairwoods on 7

Pinewild

Custom Homes • Renovation • Real Estate

910.295.2800 precision@nc.rr.com | www.precisionhomes.com

CUTLER TREE

Tree Pruning • Removal Plant Site Consulting Stump Grinding • Shrub Care Tree Conservation for New Home Sites Free Estimates Geoffrey Cutler 910-692-7769 Fully Insured 910-690-7657

THOUGHTS FROM THE MAN SHED

The Pickled Priest and The Porte-Cochere Driveway hazards at 300 Hammond Street BY GEOFF CUTLER

There was a point when our clan

was spreading to such a degree that my father spent almost everything he had on a place that could hold eight kids, his mother, and some staff to feed us and take care of the little ones. We named our place by its address and called it simply, 300 Hammond Street. It was of Georgian design, yellow with white trim and held up in front with two sky-rocketing pillars. We never used the front door between those pillars, preferring instead the side entry under the port-cohere. While we lived there, this porte-cohere was a source of great amusement to us because almost everyone we knew smashed their car into the thing at one time or another. There was a drunken vegetable delivery man named Harry, who fancied our mother. He scraped through the impenetrable stone foundation of the porte-cochere almost every week. Both sides of his green truck wore long and persistent scars but Harry was either too soaked, or he didn’t mind the dents because he never got them fixed. We kids would climb on board once he’d finally come to a stop, and he’d let us each take a handful of fresh green beans. Breathing rancid fire on us from stale whiskey, he’d ask if our mother was available to come out and look over his farm-fresh produce. She rarely came out, preferring instead to send whoever was doing the cooking at the time. This upset poor Harry terribly, but the man was persistent and could be counted on to scratch his way through the portecochere again the following week. We took our penny candysized bags of beans and went to eat them on the swing-set. Like most porte-cocheres, ours was designed to allow people to enter or exit their cars without weather worries. It was well lit from above, and friends, guests, even the postman could alight from their vehicles and gain side entry to the house, and all without getting wet. To that end, the porte-cochere worked wonderfully. But for some reason, maybe the original architects didn’t design it quite big enough, it confounded drivers no matter what level of sobriety or skill. I hit the thing once. Barely able to see over the dash of our station wagon, (it was custom in our family to teach the kids to drive early,) I was bringing the car up from the garage one winter morning. My dad, clad in his bathrobe and slippers, liked the car warmed up before he’d return us Monday mornings to

PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

boarding school. Just as I was gaining entry, which required a slight turn of the wheel to the right, I slipped sideways on the ice and wham! Utterly mortified and upset, my dad came out, shaking his head, with my brothers laughing at me. “Never mind,” he said. “Happens to the best of us.” And off we went, with me feeling that I’d just joined the rank and file of others in a long line of those who’d been bested by the porte-cochere. But perhaps the premier porte-cochere cruncher was the inestimable dean of Boston College, who out of courtesy to the church will be allowed anonymity. Even in those days our house had begun to be surrounded by B.C., the campus of which was spreading like water ripples from a stone tossed into a pond. Whenever a house in our neighborhood went on the market, it was gobbled up by the school. And as soon as the ink was dry on the sales agreements, B.C. would move into the lovely old mansions and institutionalize them with handicap entries, railings and painted parking spots. Inside, they’d drape and paint everything with the thick gold and maroon colors of the school and heavily sculpted crucifixes and sturdy hardback wooden chairs replaced the family art and furniture. When they finally got 300 Hammond Street it was dedicated to the faculty for functions and relaxation. Many years later, I took a tour of our childhood home. There’s something very odd about seeing a row of urinals where your tub used to be and an office of Irish Studies where you slept. Anyway, this priest was a regular visitor to afternoon tea with my mother. These informal salons would very often turn to tasty cocktails by 5 o’clock or so, and it wasn’t uncommon for my father to find my mom sitting with any number of different Jesuits when he returned from work. He’d usually pour himself one and sit down to join these gatherings, and in no time, he’d have caught up with the intellectual conversation du jour. One evening, after the gathering had broken up, the good father directed his nondescript black sedan onto the portecochere. The pickled priest didn’t merely wing the stone foundation, he and his vehicle attempted to mount it, taking two wheels off the ground and sticking the undercarriage of the car fast. My dad discovered the good father trying to gun the car off its perch, and thinking that this might cause the Jesuit to ricochet over to the other side of the porte-cochere, and perhaps finally bring the structure tumbling down, coaxed him out of his car, saying that a wrecker was needed, and that he should return inside and soothe his nerves with my mother and another cocktail until things were made whole. The wrecking crew did finally lift the vehicle off the portecochere, and the good father was walked home. He lived just next door. PS Geoff Cutler is owner of Cutler Tree LLC in Southern Pines. He is a regular contributor to both The Pilot and PineStraw. He can be reached at geoffcutler@embarqmail.com.

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August 2010

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M A G A Z I N E

P.O. BOX 58, Southern Pines, NC 28388

BY ASTRID STELLANOVA

Leo (July 23- Aug. 23) Well I’ll be a monkey’s shrink! You keep dodging the same old problem like it’s a kiss from a kid with cooties! Sooner or later you’d better nip it in the bud, Hon — wait too long and it’ll get nastier than linens at a cheap motel. That Leo new moon on August 9 will do for your ego what male enhancement drugs do for Bob Dole. Stick a pushpin through it on the 20th when Mercury turns retrograde or you’re liable to fall plumb on your posterior. On the 26th, you’ll realize it might be high time to rethink the way you handle certain situations. Remember, it ain’t always the load that breaks you down, Charlie Brown — it’s the way you carry it!

Virgo (Aug. 24 – Sept. 23) Listen, Sweetheart, all work and no play ain’t worth a hill of beans. Lighten up a pinch, especially on the 10th, when you’re more ornery than a full-blooded Italian at a breadless buffet. When the sun and Neptune get in a little tiff on August 20, you’ll feel finer than a fruit fly in a fig tree; that overconfidence might be a sign that something bigger than Jupiter’s beauty mark is heading your way. Oh yeah, and with Mercury in a state of limbo toward August’s end, don’t be surprised if your brain follows suit. Sorry, Sug’ums.

Pisces (Feb. 20 – March 20) How now, brown cow? Don’t bite off more than you can stomach when Mars kicks you into turbo gear on August 4. You’ve got more time than you think to plan your future, so lay a solid foundation. Ten pounds of dough doesn’t exactly make a big biscuit, after all. (Trust me, I’ve tried that before.) Dreamy Neptune may have you seeing stars mid-month — rub that sleep from your eyes or you’ll be in for a rude awakening on the 21st. August could be a good month for you, Child. But I suppose a nod’s as good as a wink to a blind horse.

Libra (Sept. 24 – Oct. 23) Don’t let a change in the rhythm of life cook your goose, Buttercup. As my Aunty Pearl used to tell me, when the wind stops blowing, pick up your paddle and start rowing! Besides, something new might do you good, so keep an open mind on the 7th when love-drunk Venus opens up a new door for you. Although your head might be foggier than a peek through Phyllis Diller’s lenses — maybe even for the better part of the month — remember that the sun and Pluto won’t let you down … even if everyone else seems to.

Aries (March 21 – April 20) If life were a juggling act, I’d say you’d have less coordination than Chris Farley after a quart of peach schnapps, Cake Face. Sometimes you’ve got to focus on one puzzle piece at a time before you can see the big picture — life ain’t a Polaroid, after all. The new moon on August 9 will have you feeling more jittery than a Starbucks barista — use that extra energy to take care of some unfinished business concerning a certain relationship. We all know how the Titanic ended. Sometimes you’ve got to let go, Deary.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22) Don’t worry your noodle about the horse being blind and just load the doggone wagon, Darling. With the new moon lighting up the night on the 9th, the world will be your East Coast clam — go dig it and relish its goodness. When you’re surrounded by a few characters that are more uptight than Joan Rivers’ jawline near the 18th, don’t fret, even if you’ve got to do some dancing around to avoid stepping on the wrong toes. Keeping the peace is your best bet, Sugar. Otherwise, well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Taurus (April 21 – May 21)

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21) Well, bake my biscuit ’til it’s brown! You’d better hold tight to your climbing rope this month, Bean Sprout — looks like you’ve got quite the mountain to clamber over. With emotions more rocky than Sylvester Stallone’s resume from the 6th through the 10th, remember that trying to be somebody else won’t solve a cotton-picking thing. Spoiling yourself a little will only make you sweeter, so take advantage of life’s lull on August 24th when a pick-me-up could do your spirit good. After rain come rainbows, Baby Cakes. Don’t forget that.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 20) Honey, getting your knickers in a twist for every Tom, Dick and Harry that can do something better than you won’t get you anywhere — save for the pharmacy searching for hemorrhoid cream! Don’t let jealousy get the best of you when Venus opposes Uranus on August 21. Instead, let the creativity and talent of others inspire you. The full moon on the 23rd couldn’t come at a better time for you, Sugar Muffin — take advantage of its motivation and see the world with a new pair of eyes. Trust me, if I were you, I wouldn’t swap shoes with anyone else for all the tea in China. Aquarius (Jan. 21 – Feb. 19) Oy vey. Ever heard of the little red sports car theory? With no bite to backup that bark on the 4th, you’ll be redder than Raggedy Ann’s stocking stripes if someone finally calls you out on that poppycock, Porkchop. (And if they don’t? Well, even a broken watch is correct twice a day, I guess.) On August 21, it’ll be time to rid yourself of some of the bootless ideas that haven’t gotten you any farther than you can jump. For Pete’s sake, stop being so afraid of failing and just be, Sweet Pea.

Know the difference between a tomato plant and a bottle of Heinz 57? Nothing but a little doggone ingenuity (not that you’d know what that is). With Venus strutting into the picture on August 8, you’ll think you’re cuter than a kitten in a cotton field. I’ve got news for you, Butterbean; you’ve got the brain capacity of a fruit fly if you think batting your eyelashes is going to get you anywhere. Keep your nose to the grindstone on the 20th when Mars brings more seduction into your life than doomed damsels in a vampire film. Heaven help you.

Gemini (May 22 – June 21) For the love of peach pits, Sweetie, I’d like to spend five minutes in your head about as much as I’d enjoy being nibbled to death by ducks. With Venus puckering up and flaunting her way into your house of love on August 6, you’d be wise not to succumb to your overindulgent ways and try practicing a little self control. A step forward isn’t progress when you’re standing on the edge of a cliff, you know. When you think you’ve got things figured out on the 20th, Mercury’s going retrograde. Get ready, Pumpkin. Your head’s about to spin like my favorite Pink Floyd record.

Cancer (June 22 – July 23) Child, getting in the middle of somebody else’s conflict on August 4 is about as useless as a screen door on a submarine. In sticky situations, people are liable to turn on you like pet tigers. Though an unexpected visitor on the 8th could knock you off balance like a shot of white lightning after a long run, they’re likely to teach you something about yourself (namely, it’s OK to let your guard down sometimes, Sugar). And when the full moon on the 24th reveals an unexpected opportunity, for Pete’s sake, jump on it like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat!

Astrid Stellanova, 55, owned and operated Curl Up and Dye Beauty Salon in Windblow, NC, for many years until arthritic fingers and her popular astrological readings opened up a new career path. Feel free to contact Astrid for insights on your personal stars or hair advice for any occasion at astridstellanova@rocketmail.com. PineStraw : The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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August 2010

S O U T H WO R D S

I, Beach Bum For better or worse, I’ll take sea, sand and sun any old day

BY JENNIFER KIRBY

free to bask in them with no one nagging me about sunscreen. By the end of the first day I glowed red and could neither take a shower nor wear shoes without pain. I kept waiting for it to “sink in” and “turn to tan.” It never did, but finally it peeled off. I bought sunscreen and learned to use it. Mom and Dad were right about that. But I never have come to share their indifference about the beach. In fact, as soon as Matt and I got married, we moved to Wilmington with no jobs and no plan, just a vague hope of extending our honeymoon. We worked just enough to pay rent and spent an inordinate amount of time at the beach. For six short but oh-so-sweet months, our savings supplemented that lifestyle. The beach – any beach – remains our favorite escape. Over the years we’ve spread our towels on a lot of them, from secluded Caribbean spots to, yes, Myrtle Beach. We aren’t picky; we require only sun, sunscreen, sunglasses and a bag of good books. Having a baby changes everything, as people trip over themselves to tell you. And it’s true, a day at the beach isn’t so relaxing right now. Between keeping 1-year-old Claire slathered in sunscreen and stopping her from eating sand, there’s not a lot of time to gaze at the ocean and think deep thoughts. I know this too shall pass. Matt swam almost as soon as he walked. Claire, too, shows early signs of being a water baby. In only a few years, I suspect, she and her future siblings will spend their days at the beach holding bodysurfing contests and faking shark attacks on each other, happy to pretend their parents don’t exist until they need someone to buy them lunch. Matt and I will be back to our books – probably wishing they’d let us join the fun. PS Jennifer Kirby is a writer and resident of Pinehurst.

Illustration by Pamela Powers January

rowing up, I wasn’t exactly what you’d call a beach bum. It was an aspiration of mine, but I was born into the wrong family for it. My parents are wonderful people, but prone to sunburns and cautious about skin cancer. My dad wears sunscreen under a longsleeved T-shirt while mowing the grass. My mom collects cute wide-brimmed hats. At 10 years old, my greatest wish was for suntan lines. Thanks to my parents’ affinity for SPF 45, it wasn’t to be. Meanwhile, across town, the boy who eventually would become my husband was living my dream. Matt’s family had just enough Lebanese blood to matter. His mom’s astonishingly dark tans were legendary; his dad routinely refused to leave his beach chair until he’d seen the sun set. Most summers their family spent at least two weeks at the beach. My family went to the beach every year, too, but these trips weren’t particularly memorable and, in retrospect, I suspect my parents endured rather than enjoyed them. A quick call to my mom confirmed this. “What did we do at the beach?” I recently asked her. “Oh, we took walks, played in the water, built sandcastles ...” she began. “But never between 11 and 3, right?” (That’s when UV rays are most intense.) “Oh, no.” “So what did we do then?” “Well, we stayed inside, in the air conditioning, mainly. We read books and stuff like that,” she said. “We never played Putt-Putt, we never did water parks, we never went to the amusement parks. We didn’t go shopping. We did eat out. We usually only stayed one night, you know. “I’m not much of a beach person,” she clarified. To add insult to injury, my parents took us to quiet, family-friendly North Carolina beaches — Holden, Ocean Isle; Matt’s family favored Myrtle Beach. While my sister and I collected seashells, Matt and his brothers watched barefoot (and pregnant?) teenagers say “I do” over the crashing of waves. Even the seafood buffets where my family ate were more modest than those south of the border. My big break as a beach bum came my senior year of high school, when Matt got to invite several of his friends to join his family in the Cayman Islands for spring break. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to tropical rays, and I was