August PineStraw 2021 by PineStraw Magazine

$4000

McDevitt town & country properties

Always a Step Ahead

August, 2021 Amy Stonesifer ®

Thinking about selling your home? Contact us for a no-hassle, no-cost market analysis of your home's current value.

Serving Moore County and Surrounding Areas! 910.684.8674 | 120 N ASHE ST | SOUTHERN PINES, NC 28387

www.maisonteam.com

Walter Newton®

Jason Guyot®

Crystal Pate®

Kevin Milligan®

Jamy Cope®

Leiha Garay®

Heather Jackson®

Marlisa Prestidge®

Jani Newton®

Louise Bartosak®

Paula Nash® RCE, e-PRO, AHWD

Buy, Sell or Rent through us - we do it all! 910.684.8674 | 120 N ASHE ST | SOUTHERN PINES, NC 28387

Matt Bamber®

August ��

FEATURES 67 Snap the Whip Poetry By Millard Dunn 68 Into the New By Frances Mayes 72 The World is Still the World Fiction by Daniel Wallace 76 A Stitch Around Her Mouth Fiction by Etaf Rum 80 From the Ground Up Photographs by Tim Sayer A sculpture grows in the Gardens

88 The Ross Brothers By Bill Case

Donald and Aleck Ross left indelible marks on golf and Pinehurst

92 Pretty as a Picture By Deborah Salomon An artist’s home captures bygone America

105 August Almanac By Ashley Wahl DEPARTMENTS 17 20 25 31 35 39 40 45 49 51 53 55 61 118 122 127 128

Simple Life By Jim Dodson PinePitch Good Natured By Karen Frye The Omnivorous Reader By D.G. Martin Bookshelf Hometown By Bill Fields The Creators of N.C. By Wiley Cash In the Spirit By Tony Cross The Kitchen Garden By Jan Leitschuh Out of the Blue By Deborah Salomon Birdwatch By Susan Campbell The Naturalist By Todd Pusser Golftown Journal By Lee Pace Arts & Entertainment Calendar SandhillSeen PineNeedler By Mart Dickerson Southwords By Kate Smith

Cover photograph by John Gessner Photograph this page by Tim Sayer On the Cover — Amy Davis, who organized

PineStraw

To view John Gessner’s time-lapse photography of the creation of Patrick Dougherty’s sculpture What Goes Around, Comes Around, scan the QR code on this page with your cell phone. Gessner used four cameras, each taking 30 frames every 15 minutes for three weeks, synthesized into one minute.

volunteers to build Patrick Dougherty’s sculpture, catches up on her reading.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Lingerie Sale 20% off

All Sleepwear and Loungewear The Month of August

For over 90 years, DUX has blended sleep science with world-class craftsmanship to deliver one of the most advanced beds available. DUX, headquartered in Sweden, is committed to improving life through better sleep, combining research, the finest materials and the most experienced craftsmen, to ultimately provide a more healthful sleep. Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you to discover the difference The DUX Bed can make in your life.

Opulence of Southern Pines and DUXIANA at The Mews, 280 NW Broad Street, Downtown Southern Pines, NC 910.692.2744

at Cameron Village, 400 Daniels Street, Raleigh, NC 919.467.1781

at Sawgrass Village, 310 Front Street Suite 815 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 904.834.7280

www.OpulenceOfSouthernPines.com Serving the Carolinas & More for Over 20 Years – Financing Available

Talent, Technology & Teamwork! Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team! D

SOL

PINEHURST • $375,000

PINEHURST • $460,000

PINEHURST • $470,000

9 LAKE SIDE COURT Beautiful WATERFRONT lot on Lake Pinehurst. Gently sloping wooded lot that offers spectacular big water views facing south!

4 ASH COURT Attractive 5 BR / 3 BA home in Lake Pinehurst area w/ bright open layout and fine detail throughout.

13 DEVON DRIVE Stunning 3 BR / 2.5 BA home situated on 16th fairway of Pinewild’s Magnolia course w/many special features.

ACT

NTR

ISTI

L NEW

CO DER

ACT

NTR

CO DER

PINEHURST • $485,000

PINEHURST • $370,000

PINEHURST • $465,000

230 WESTCHESTER CIRCLE Inviting 3 BR / 2.5 BA brick home w/spacious interior, updated kitchen w/new appliances and fabulous garden-like private backyard.

40 GARNER LANE Immaculate 4 BR / 3 BA home in beautiful Village Acres. Newly updated kitchen and large fenced backyard.

6 CARTER LANE Charming 4 BR / 2.5 BA home w/inviting layout and lots of natural light. Gently sloping lot in beautiful location.

SOL

PINEHURST • $410,000

SEVEN LAKES SOUTH • $350,000

PINEHURST • $434,000

95 FILLY PLACE Immaculate 4 BR / 3.5 BA brick home situated on two lots w/special touches and features throughout.

101 BERKSHIRE COURT Nice 3 BR / 2.5 BA golf front home in desirable gated community. Home is situated on generous corner lot on 7th green.

39 DEERWOOD LANE Attractive 4 BR / 3 BA move-in ready home w/ versatile upper level bonus room and well-appointed floorplan.

IN MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

Luxury Properties Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

NEW

ING

RAC

ONT

LIST

SOL

RC NDE

PINEHURST • $565,000

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $1,000,000

PINEHURST • $895,000

51 STONEYKIRK DRIVE Stunning custom 5 BR / 3.5 BA brick home in beautiful Pinewild CC. Home offers exquisite finishes and detail throughout.

113 JOSEPHS POINT Beautiful LAKEFRONT point property w/water on three sides. Truly one of the most amazing lots on Lake Auman.

25 FIRESTONE DRIVE Glorious, Mid-Century Modern 3 BR / 4.5 BA home on 2.5 acres of beautifully landscaped property on 11th hole of #7 course.

ACT

NTR

CO DER

SOL

E Y TH LD B

E RY T

GENT

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $725,000

PINEHURST • $750,000

ABERDEEN • $625,000

104 STANDISH POINT Wonderful 3 BR / 2.5 BA single-level WATERFRONT home w/spectacular views of picturesque Lake Auman.

12 HAWICK PLACE Fabulous golf front 3 BR / 3.5 BA home w/great floorplan and fine detail. Home is located on beautifully popular Pinewild Challenge course!

1490 ASHEMONT ROAD Custom built in 2018 - 3 BR / 3 BA . Spectacular blend of luxury and comfort on 22 acres.

SOL

E Y TH LD B

E RY T

GENT

34 MCMICHAEL DRIVE Drop dead gorgeous 4 BR / 3 Full BA, 3 Half BA home on popular Holly course in Pinewild. Spacious and elegant Southern Living plan!

E RY T

GENT

PINEHURST • $1,000,000

E Y TH LD B

PINEHURST • $810,000

PINEHURST • $764,000

16 BIRKDALE DRIVE Elegant custom built 4 BR / 4.5 BA home dripping in Southern Charm in desirable Forest Creek.

28 MIDDLEBURY ROAD Extraordinary golf front 4 BR / 4.5 BA home located on north course of Forest Creek.

Re/Max Prime Properties, 5 Chinquapin Rd., Pinehurst, NC 910-295-7100 • 800-214-9007 • Re/Max Prime Properties 5 Chinquapin Rd., Pinehurst, NC

www.ThEGENTRYTEAM.COM

• 910-295-7100

The Long View

ForesT Creek

M A G A Z I N E Volume 17, No. 8 David Woronoff, Publisher Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andie@thepilot.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor

jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Alyssa Rocherolle, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Lauren M. Coffey, Graphic Designer laurenmagazines@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Editor Emeritus Deborah Salomon, Staff Writer

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Gessner, Laura Gingerich, Tim Sayer

CONTRIBUTORS Jenna Biter, Harry Blair, Tom Bryant, Susan Campbell, Bill Case, Mallory Cash, Wiley Cash, Tony Cross, Brianna Rolfe Cunningham, Mart Dickerson, Bill Fields, Laurel Holden, Sara King, Jan Leitschuh, Meridith Martens, D.G. Martin, Jason Oliver Nixon, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Scott Sheffield, Stephen E. Smith, Angie Tally, Kimberly Taws, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Wahl, Claudia Watson, Renee Whitmore ADVERTISING SALES

Ginny Trigg, Advertising Director 910.693.2481 • ginny@thepilot.com

33 Elkton Drive • Pinehurst This Forest Creek golf course residence offers luxury and drama in a home balanced with inviting, livable spaces. Soaring ceiling heights and double height windows offer dramatic views of the lake and golf course. The luxurious master suite is ideally located on the main floor. The ground floor hosts a series of game rooms and a theater, perfect for children, guests and family living. A sweeping stairwell flanked by a baby grand piano leads to the second floor library offering another dramatic lake view. A cluster of guest bedrooms on the second floor are accessed by a back stairway linked to the kitchen, breakfast room and family room. This area is serviced by the house’s second laundry room. Main floor highlights include a screened porch near the breakfast room and a deck that sweeps across the living room facade. Grand but comfortable perfectly describes this exceptional home. Built in 2006 with 6859 square feet. Offered at $1,945,000.

To view more photos, take a virtual tour or schedule a showing, go to:

Maureen Clark

www.clarkpropertiesnc.com

when experience matters

Pinehurst • Southern Pines BHHS Pinehurst Realty Group • 910.315.1080 ©2015 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of American, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC.

PineStraw

Jennie Acklin, 910.693.2515 Samantha Cunningham, 910.693.2505 Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513 Erika Leap, 910.693.2514 ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Emily Jolly • pilotads@thepilot.com

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancey

PS Steve Anderson, Finance Director 910.693.2497 Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488 SUBSCRIPTIONS

910.693.2488 OWNERS

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels Jr., Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff 145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright 2021. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SOLD

451 Old Mail Road • Southern Pines

The jewel of Moore County’s horse country, Fox Hollow Farm is secluded on 10.52 acres with easy access to thousands of acres of equestrian land. 4BR, 4.5BA, 5,276 sq ft. Offered at $1,950,000.

101 Cook Point • Seven Lakes • West End

Magnificent lakefront residence on the shore of Lake Auman. There are delightful views and extraordinary aspects to every room. All the desirable lakeside amenities from an outdoor kitchen to a boat lift are featured. Offered at $1,750,000.

Maureen Clark

910.315.1080 • www.clarkproperties.com

under contract

205 Crest Road • Southern Pines

420 E. Massachusetts Ave

Classic Colonial Revival in Knollwood Heights, built in 1930 on 2 acres, 6700 sq ft with 5 BR, 5.5 BA and attached 2 car garage. Highlights include fireplaces in living, dining, master and Carolina room, original hardwoods, and large backyard pool. Offered at $850,000.

oaded with charm and stunning architectural detail, this 1914 residence features gracious proches from the past, uncommon ceiling height, and original flooring detail. Highlights include a metal roof, finished basement and proximity to downtown. 3 BR, 2.5 BA. Offered at $495,000.

SOLD

under contract

123 Pinefield Court • Southern Pines Built in 2006, this 6580 sq ft residence on 8 acres includes 5 BR, 6.5 BA, theater room, billiard room, open living plan, wine cellar, 3 car garage and outdoor kitchen. Gated privacy. Offered at $1,900,000 .

2776 Niagara Carthage Road • Carthage

This idyllic farm, nestled on a hillside above Thaggard’s Lake, has it all. The log home, centered on the property is surrounded by lush pastures, a back yard fenced for dogs, a 4-stall center isle barn, storage shed and generous carport. Offered at $975,000.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeSercies and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.Housing Opportunity.

DON’T JUST LIVE HERE...

LOVE IT HERE.

Schedule a tour today. Call to learn more. Residents of Quail Haven Village love the living choices, abundant resort-like amenities and nearly endless social engagements available to them. Here, residents and their families will love the emphasis on nutritious dining options, whole-person wellness and the peace of mind that comes from having continuing care in place should they need it. Call 910.295.2294 to schedule a private tour and don’t just live here...LOVE IT HERE. 155 Blake Blvd., Pinehurst, NC 28374 A Life Plan Community offered by Liberty Senior Living.

SIMPLE LIFE

Miss Mully’s Garden It may be unfinished, but what in life is not?

By Jim Dodson

When COVID-19 shut down the world as we know it last year, I decided this was a sign from on high to finish building my backyard shade garden.

The cosmic joke, as any gardener worth his composted cow poop knows, is that, while no garden is ever really finished, it may well finish (off) the gardener. That said, I set myself a goal to have the garden fully laid out and growing by the time the dog days of August rolled around. Beneath ancient white oaks, I began to see elegant stone pathways winding through beds of cool ferns, colorful hostas and other shade-loving trees and plants — the ideal place to sit and read a book when the oppressive heat of late summer lays upon us. You might say I worked like a dog — and with a dog — from February to July, hoping to get the job done. After clearing out the last of the weeds and some forlorn, overgrown shrubs of the property’s former owner, I drew up plans and constantly revised them, laying out pathways and building beds for young plants. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Alas, August is here, and while I toiled and toiled away, my ambitious shade garden is yet unfinished. Still, my old dog, Mulligan, never missed a day of work. She’s 16, and either deaf or simply uninterested in whatever her owner has to say. We’ve been together since I found her running wild and free in a park where I’d just given a talk at a festival, a joyous black pup with the happiest eyes I’d ever seen. Workers in the park told me she was a stray that nobody could catch, had been around for weeks, either a runaway or a pup someone simply dumped. She was living off garbage and small critters she chased down in the woods. The girl was a hunter. To this day, I’m not sure whether I found her or she found me. She raced past me as I was preparing to leave, heading back for the woods across a busy highway where I’d seen her cross into the park an hour before, somehow just missing the wheels of a truck. I simply called out, “Hey, you! Black streak! Come here.” Something remarkable happened. The pup stopped, looked back, then ran straight into my arms. I named her Mulligan, a second-chance dog. Mully, for short. PineStraw

SIMPLE LIFE

We’ve been together ever since. Any time I’m working in the garden, she’s there. Every trip to the plant nursery, the grocery store, or any errand around town, she’s along for the ride. It’s been like this for a decade and a half. She’s my constant travel pal — my best friend and the best dog ever — always ready to hit the road. Four years ago, Miss Mully was along for the ride when I started down the Great Wagon Road for a book about the Colonial Era “highway” that a couple hundred thousand Scots-Irish, English and German immigrants, including all three wings of my family, took to this part of the world during the 18th century. As I laid out this long-planned journey in my mind, Mully and I would simply breeze down the mythic road together from Philadelphia to Georgia over the span of three or four weeks, meeting colorful characters, diving into frontier history and gathering untold tales from America’s original immigrant highway. The book would almost write itself. I’d finish it in no time flat. Evidently, God and wives both laugh when foolish men make plans, to paraphrase an old Yiddish proverb. From the beginning, my wife, Wendy, thought it would take me five years to complete my mighty road book. She was right. Ditto God. Like my backyard shade garden, my mighty road tale is not yet finished. The sweeping scope of its history and people, not to mention the motherlode of remarkable folks Miss Mully and I en-

countered along the road, argued for a much deeper dive and more thorough approach to my subject. An unplanned bit of plumbing surgery and a worldwide pandemic that shut down the globe for more than a year hardly helped to shrink the time horizon. But that’s life. We all have unfinished business. We are all works in progress. With a little luck and continued work, I hope to complete both my book and my backyard garden around the same time, maybe by Thanksgiving. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I understand that the day is growing late for my old dog and her master. She still walks a mile with us every morning, and her dark eyes still shine with the happiest light. Every afternoon, she takes a slow walk around the garden as if inspecting my work or memorizing the plants. I often catch her just sitting alone in the middle of the garden, thinking God knows what. For the moment, our journey together is unfinished. But someday I hope to sit in the middle of Miss Mully’s Garden, reading a book and thinking God knows what, too. Something tells me that won’t be the end of the journey. Maybe just the beginning. PS His all-time favorite book: James Salter’s Light Years. Jim Dodson can be reached at jim@thepilot.com.

Lin gets Results! toP 1 % of Moore County reaLtors toP 1 % of u.s. reaLtors

ENERGY. EXPERIENCE. EFFORT. WWW.LINHUTAFF.COM

PineStraw

Lin Hutaff’s PineHurst reaLty GrouP Village of Pinehurst | 910.528.6427 | linhutaff@pinehurst.net The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

If Pinehurst has it, Lin can get it for you! Go to LinHutaff. com

SOL

315 N BEULAH HILL ROAD • OLD TOWN SOLD PRICE $1,200,000.

E UND

R CO

NTR

48 OAK MEADOW RD • FAIRWOODS ON 7 SOLD PRICE $930,000.

AC T E UND

14 GREYABBEY DRIVE • PINEWILD Offered at $795,000.

CO DER

NTR

R CO

NTR

E UND

R CO

NTR

64 STONEYKIRK DRIVE • PINEWILD Offered at $825,000.

AC T E UND

5 MCFARLAND RD • OLD TOWN Offered at $784,000.

AC T

22 MCMCMICHAEL DR • PINEWILD Offered at $739,000.

AC T

R CO

NTR

104 LINDEN TRAIL • OFF LINDEN RD Offered at $750,000.

SOL

30 WALNUT CREEK ROAD • FAIRWOODS Offered at $669,000.

AC T

30 ROCKLAND LANE • DORAL WOODS SOLD PRICE $520,000.

215 INVERRARY ROAD • FAIRWOODS ON 7

4 AUGUSTA WAY • PINEHURST

Private Estate on over 4 acres within the gates of Fairwoods on 7, a gated Community on the Pinehurst Country Club grounds. Surrounded by 1000 feet of Golf frontage, gracious grounds, extensive covered porches. Gorgeous home with panoramic views.

Private Estate steps from OLD TOWN with spectacular grounds in the Donald Ross area. Terraced back yard flows to large Pond with total privacy. Character and charm abound in this Southern Country home with handsome “hunt room’ and cozy wine cellar.

ENERGY. EXPERIENCE. EFFORT.

Lin Hutaff’s PineHurst reaLty GrouP Village of Pinehurst | 910.528.6427 | linhutaff@pinehurst.net

PinePitch Friday Night Rocks

The Asheville-based soul/funk/rock/jam band Travers Brothership will take the First Bank stage at Sunrise Square, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, on Friday, Aug. 6, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Their performance, described as a “wild block party,” supports the Sunrise Theater. Food trucks, refreshments and beer from Southern Pines Brewery will be available. No outside alcohol. No rolling, strolling or roving coolers allowed. Leave man’s best friend at home. For more information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisethreater.com.

25th Anniversary Celebration A touch of Robbins comes to Pinehurst on Friday, Aug. 20, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fair Barn for the 25th Anniversary Celebration benefiting the Northern Moore Family Resource Center, home of the HOPE Academy Preschool. There will be mechanical bull riding, rubber pigeon skeet shooting, live music, food from Elliott’s Catering Company, live and silent auctions and beer, wine and high spirits. Tickets for the event at the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road, Pinehurst, are $125 per person. For information go to www.moorefamilyresource.org.

“Many a Good Hanging Prevents a Bad Marriage”

Gathering on the Green The Bradshaw Performing Art Center’s summer concert series continues Saturday, Aug. 14, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. with Mountain Heart and its special guest, Carly Burruss. Bring chairs and blankets — but no outside food or beverages — to BPAC’s McNeill-Woodward Green, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For information and tickets visit www.ticketmesandhills.com.

So says Twelfth Night. Shakespeare in the Pines and the Uprising Theatre Company return with one of the Bard’s famous comedies on The Village Green, Tufts Memorial Park, Friday, Aug. 20, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. There are additional performances on Aug. 21, 27 and 28. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Links and Drinks Join The Sway at the Pinehurst Country Club, 1 Carolina Vista Drive, for a women-only golf clinic combining happy hour and friendly instruction from a Pinehurst resort professional on Monday, Aug. 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Perfect that swing and test your skills on The Cradle. Each session is limited to 20 players and the cost for the lesson, a cocktail and swag is $55. For more information go to www. ticketmesandhills.com.

PineStraw

Bocce Bash It’s back for a 14th annual! The Backyard Bocce Bash to benefit the Sandhills Children’s Center rolls on at the National Athletic Village, 201 Air Tool Drive, Southern Pines, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. or until the last ball is bowled on Saturday, Aug. 21. All proceeds help provide vital therapies to children with special developmental needs. Entry fee starts at $25 per player. Sponsorships are available. For information and registration call (910) 692-3323 or visit www.sandhillschildrenscenter.org. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

TEA LEAF ASTROLOGER

Weymouth Puts the Moves On Join MARO movement for a modern dance experience staged outdoors on the grounds of the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities at 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21. The audience moves along a navigated path, experiencing site-specific dance works on their way to a mainstage show. Tickets are $40 and include two motion tours, the mainstage event, spirits and hors d’oeuvres. Food trucks will also be on site. For information call (910) 692-6261 or go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Have you ever met a Leo with a show dog? I doubt it. Because if there’s one thing this fire sign hates more than sharing the spotlight, it’s feeling inferior to another being in any way. Who has the silkiest locks, the smoothest gait, the most charming disposition? Of course you do, Leo. But this month — and yes, everyone knows it’s your birth month — don’t be surprised if you’re not getting the undying affection you so desperately crave. Do yourself a favor: relax. Your fans still adore you. Especially your rescue mutt.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you: Virgo (August 23 – September 22) Brush up on your social skills this month. Interrogation and flirtation are inherently different. Libra (September 23 – October 22) Love is in the air. But you won’t catch it with a butterfly net. Read that again.

Get Saucy The three-day Pinehurst BBQ Festival celebrating “all things barbecue” begins Friday, Sept. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and continues throughout Labor Day weekend in the village of Pinehurst, 6 Chinquapin Road. Presented by Pinehurst Resort, US Foods and Business North Carolina magazine, the festival celebrates Carolina barbecuing tradition from the mountains to the coast and features award-winning pitmasters. For tickets and information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Lakeside Live! Saxophonist Dennis Hardison and A New Creation will be performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, August 13 at The Cardinal Park, 657 S. Walnut St., Pinebluff. Gates open at 6 p.m. and admission is $15. You must be 21 years old and above to enter. Dress is all-white, casual party attire. A DJ will pick up the show at 9 p.m. For more information visit www. thecardinalpark.com. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) Spin and you’ll win. It’s really that simple. Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) Don’t throw the crazy out with the bath water. You know you’d be lost without it. Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) Two words: Muscle through. Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Let’s not beat around the bush. You know what to do. Swallow your pride and ask for help. Pisces (February 19 – March 20) Too much of a good thing isn’t the case this month. Just don’t forget to say thanks. Aries (March 21 – April 19) You’ve just moved mountains. Don’t think people haven’t noticed. And don’t let that go to your head. Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Plant the seed. Then leave it be. Seriously. Walk away. Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Pack your bags, sweetheart. Go someplace you’ve never been. It’s time for a little perspective. Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Don’t spend it all in one place. But if you do, remember that abundance is a mindset. Zora Stellanova has been divining with tea leaves since Game of Thrones’ Starbucks cup mishap of 2019. While she’s not exactly a medium, she’s far from average. She lives in the N.C. foothills with her Sphynx cat, Lyla. PineStraw

IMAGINE YOUR HOME TOTALLY ORGANIZED

$300 OFF PLUS FREE Installation Terms and Conditions: $300 off any order of $1198 or more, $200 off any order of $998-$1198 or $100 off any order of $698-$998, on any complete custom closet, garage, or home office unit. Not valid with any other offer. Free installation with any complete unit order of $600 or more. With incoming order, at time of purchase only. Expires in 90 days. Offer not valid in all regions.

CUSTOM CLOSETS • GARAGE CABINETS • HOME OFFICES • PANTRIES • LAUNDRIES • HOBBY ROOMS

Call for a free in-home design consultation and estimate 919-850-9030 I closetsbydesign.com 22

PineStraw

Licensed and Insured • Locally Owned and Operated

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

LUXURY

9 W Wicker Sham Court, Pinehurst

$1,250,000 5 bed • 5/1 bath

Kathy Peele (312) 623-7523 MLS 206333

145 Leesville Loop, Aberdeen

5 bed • 4 bath

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099 MLS 206634

$1,150,000

Beautiful Village home located on a quiet golf front cul-de-sac located on the 13th fairway of the Tom Fazio North Course. This charming, light filled home features 4 ensuite bedrooms and a bonus/bedroom above the coach house.

G N I D N E P $499,000

406 Meyer Farm Drive, Pinehurst

Beautiful Legacy Homes home. Dream kitchem, hardwood floors, office, loft family room, bonus storage room, and more. Over 4,000 sqft with 3 car garage.

BHHSPRG.COM

5 bed • 5/2 bath

Kathy Peele (312) 623-7523 MLS 206037

103 Forest Creek Drive I, Pinehurst

$419,000

1 bed • 1 bath

Kathy Peele (312) 623-7523 MLS 204121

Your very own pied-a`-terre in the cradle of America’s golf! Suite I has great views of the water on 9 South. Tom Fazio designed courses. This suite is perfect for a getaway. An approved Forest Creek membership is a requirement of owning a clubhouse suite.

With picturesque views of the golf course & water from all levels, this timeless home has space for everyone & everything. Spacious throughout. Highly sought after open layout floor plan with commanding views.

13 Elkton Drive, Pinehurst

$375,000 Kathy Peele (312) 623-7523

Water and golf front on approximately .76 acre overlooking water and the 17th fairway on North at Forest Creek Golf Club

MLS 204170

D L O S 134 Firetree Lane, West End

$336,000

3 bed • 2 bath

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-209 MLS 206116

Lake front log cabin nestled in the pines on Big Juniper Lake. Enjoy lake life with a large deck, yard, and private dock. Open family room and kitchen plus loft.

33 Chestertown Drive, Pinehurst

$175,000 Kathy Peele (312) 623-7523

Ask us about our convenient mortgage services.

Remarkable golf front lot overlooking the 3rd and 4th fairways of South course at Forest Creek Golf Club. Approximately 1.70 acres.

MLS 204208 Pinehurst • 42 Chinquapin Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374 • 910 -295 - 5504 | Southern Pines • 167 Beverly Lane, Southern Pines, NC 28387 • 910-692-2635 ©2021 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

Wine Tasting & Small Bites Sunday, September 26TH | 1-5 pm Sandy Woods Farm 540 Sandy Woods Farm, Aberdeen, NC 28315 Join us for an afternoon of wine tasting with Napa Valley Winemakers paired with small bites from local Chefs. Artist Thomas Arvid will be painting as well as displaying his work. Take part in a silent and live auction to help raise money for local organizations. Live music! 100% of the procceeds will be shared with the following charities

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSORS:

For more information go to www.friendsofpsc.org/fundraising-events/

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at friendsofpsc1946@gmail.com

G O O D NAT U R E D

wrights v ille

b e ach

sailing into

Forgive and Forget

AUGUST

You’ll be healthier because of it

By Karen Frye e have all experienced some form of emotional or physical pain in our lives caused by another. Some are easy to overcome, but there are times when the pain is deep and it doesn’t seem to go away, and we endure the torment for too long. In most situations, the person who caused our pain moves on, completely forgetting about what happened — or is even unaware of the pain they’ve caused. It is the victim of the experience who must do the work and let go of the past, move on and forgive. This can be challenging if we don’t, with all our heart, forgive the person who hurt us. Holding on to unresolved feelings of anger or resentment will keep you in a mental prison of torment. This emotional state of mind can affect our physical health in dangerous ways. A mind that is in a constantly negative and unforgiving state is unhealthy, creating a more acidic body where disease can thrive. Changing your diet to include more fresh fruits and vegetables will help counter the acidic imbalance. True forgiveness, however, is a journey that heals the body, mind and soul. Some pain can take years to forgive, but it is the first and most important step in freedom from a troubled mind. Forgiveness brings peace. All the hurt and bitterness will disappear. Forgiveness doesn’t mean your memory banks are wiped clean — you just no longer feel the pain. It frees the heart. When we forgive, we heal ourselves. The natural flow of love dissolves all the pain. The more you practice this, the easier it becomes. Learning how to forgive is the greatest form of unconditional love. It is the love you feel from your parents, the love you give to your children. It is the love we all yearn for, the love that allows us to be who we are. Embrace the power to forgive easily. It is not worth another day of bitterness. Free yourself and enjoy life with a happy heart. PS Karen Frye is the owner and founder of Nature’s Own and teaches yoga at the Bikram Yoga Studio. Her favorite book is The Game of Life for Women and How to Play It by Florence Scovel-Shinn

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

GOOD TIMES ON THE WATER Stay in oceanfront luxury, learn to sail from our ASA instructors or simply relax aboard an evening sail on the Zoe, the newest addition to the Blockade Runner fleet.

blockade-runner.com 844-891-9707

PineStraw

THE CAROLINA PHILHARMONIC is pleased to welcome you back to the concert hall

Mark your calendars! 2021/22 Concert Season

Thursday, October 7, 2021, 7:30pm • Home Again (featuring Broadway Guest Artists) Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Wednesday, December 15, 2021, 7:30pm • Holiday Pops at The Fair Barn The Fair Barn, Pinehurst

Saturday, January 22, 2022, 7:30pm • Picture This Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Saturday, February 19, 2022, 7:30pm • Flow – Solo Piano with David Michael Wolff Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Saturday, March 12, 2022, 7:30pm • Pops: Movie Muse Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Saturday, April 16, 2022, 7:30pm • Viva Voce (For the Love of Song) Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Sunday, May 22, 2022, 8:00pm • Pops on the Green

Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, McNeill-Woodward Green

The Carolina Philharmonic’s Annual Gala Friday, October 29, 2021, 6:30pm • Rendezvous Heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, exceptional entertainment

2021/22 Children’s Educational Concerts Robert E. Lee Auditorium, Pinecrest High School

Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 10:00am and 12:30pm • Encore! Kids Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 10:00am • Link Up

Tickets go on sale August 23rd, 2021 26

PineStraw

For additional information call

The Carolina Philharmonic Box Office

910.687.0287

www.carolinaphil.org The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Whatever you're searching for, our team of highly trained market professionals are here to help!

130 Turner St., Ste. A, Southern Pines | 100 Magnolia Rd., Pinehurst | 455 SE Broad St., Southern Pines |

@CBAofthePines

It's a hot market! We have the tools to get your house sold in record time. Moving to the area? Our neighborhood experts can help you find a place to call home. Call us at 910-693-3300 to get started today!

Are you serious about real estate?

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

So are we!

PineStraw

r e m m Su ler Sizz

Splash into summer with a hot deal from FirstHealth Fitness.

Join the Pinehurst Center for one, two or three months at a discounted rate.* Student (ages 14 and up)

Community

55 $ 105 $ 150 $

Active-duty Military One month Two months Three months

40 $ 75 $ 105 $

One month Two months Three months

FirstHealth Fitness – Pinehurst

170 Memorial Drive • (910) 715-1800 www.firsthealth.org/fitness *This special offer is valid from May 1-Aug. 31, 2021. Memberships must be purchased and redeemed during this time period. **Some restrictions apply and youth must be accompanied by an 18+ member.

933-101-21

Chill, Papa, chill! What in the world is a retaining wall?

THE ONLY LIMITATION IS YOUR IMAGINATION

BRICKWORK

FAMILY VACATION WHEN PAPA IS A MASON STONEWORK

FIREPLACES

OUTDOOR LIVING

910-944-0878

www.howellsmasonry.com 10327 Hwy 211 • Aberdeen, NC 28315

THE OMNIVOROUS READER

The Soong Saga

North Carolina’s link to the fall of “The Last Emperor” By D.G. Martin

One of North Carolina’s most interesting

stories takes us back to the 1880s when a young Chinese boy winds up in Wilmington, where he converts to Christianity and then returns to China as a missionary. He becomes wealthy, and his family becomes extremely powerful. How it all happened is a saga that is almost unbelievable.

In Wilmington there is a small granite monument on the grounds of the modest, lovely Fifth Avenue Methodist Church building. It reads: “Charlie Jones Soong, father of the famous Soong family of modern China, was converted to Christianity in the old Fifth Street Methodist Church, which stood on this site. He was baptized on Nov. 7, 1880, by the Rev. T. Page Ricaud, then pastor. One of his six children, Madam Chiang Kai-shek, whose Christian influence is world-wide, is the wife of China’s devout generalissimo and president. Erected in 1944.” Here is the report from the November 7, 1880, Wilmington Star announcing an event that would ultimately have a profound impact on modern Chinese history: “Fifth Street Methodist Church: This morning the ordinance of Baptism will be administered at this church. A Chinese convert will be one of the subjects of the solemn right (sic), being probably the first ‘Celestial’ that has ever submitted to the ordinance of Baptism in North Carolina. The pastor, Rev. T. Page Ricaud, will officiate.” That Celestial, as some Americans then referred to a Chinese person, was Charlie Soong, a teenager, whose North Carolina Methodist sponsors arranged for his education and subsequent return to China as a missionary. A minister in Wilmington persuaded Durham tobacco and textile manufacturer Julian Carr to take an interest in Soong. Carr brought Soong to Durham and then arranged for him to enroll as the first foreign student at Trinity College in Randolph County. Carr and Soong developed a “father-son” lifelong friendship, despite Charlie Soong’s serious flirtation with Carr’s niece, which resulted in Charlie’s exile to Vanderbilt University for more religious training. After being ordained as a Methodist minister, Soong went back to China as a missionary. Once there he drifted into business, developing the Bible printing operation that became a springboard to greater financial success, often with Carr’s backing. When much of China’s limited manufacturing capacity was under the control of foreigners, Soong showed that the Chinese

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

could do it for themselves. He helped construct a platform on which China’s modern manufacturing base is built. He printed Chinese Bibles so inexpensively that they drove the competition — mostly Europeans — out of business and, in the process, became one of the country’s wealthiest and most powerful business and political insiders. It was the last days of the Qing Dynasty and “The Last Emperor,” and China was in revolutionary turmoil. Soong helped fund the activities of the major revolutionary leader, Sun Yat-sen, sometimes called the “founder of the Chinese Republic.” Soong sent most of his children to the United States for education. When his three daughters came back to China, they married prominent Chinese. One daughter, Ching-ling, married Sun Yat-sen and, as Madame Sun Yat-sen, remained an important figure in Chinese government long after her husband’s death. She even served under Mao Zedong as a vice-chairman of the People’s Republic from 1949 to 1975. The oldest daughter, Ai-ling, married banker H.H. Kung, who became finance minister in the Nationalist government. Another daughter, May-ling, married Chiang Kai-shek, who led the Nationalist government until he was driven to Taiwan by Mao’s forces in 1949. Madame Chiang Kai-shek was well known to Americans and a favorite of many until her death in 2003 at the age of 105. One son, T.V. Soong, represented China at the founding of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945. After the Communist takeover of China, he moved to the U.S. and became a highly successful banker. The Soong family was so important in China that it is sometimes referred to as The Soong Dynasty, the title of the most popular and detailed version of this story, written by Sterling Seagrave and published in 1985. It presented an unfriendly version of the family history, but a review in The New York Times saw it differently. “Indeed the charm of the man often outshines Mr. Seagrave’s attempts both to debunk him and make him sinister,” said the Times. A more recent book by former Greensboro resident Ed Haag, Charlie Soong: North Carolina's Link to the Fall of the Last Emperor of China, gives us a more balanced account. Although the Charlie Soong story is not new, Haag dug up previously unpublished material, much of it from the Soong papers housed at the Duke University library. Haag explains better than earlier authors how Charlie Soong became so wealthy. While others have written about Soong’s missionary work leading to a business printing Bibles, his association with a flour mill in Shanghai also contributed to his success. According to Haag, PineStraw

OMNIVOROUS READER

Mary Aiken Barrow

Lynn P. Burleson

Caitlin Bush

Casey Fidler

Steve Mansbery

Evan Horwitz

Jaye Meyer

Fred Morelock

Jeffrey R. Russell

Alice Stubbs

YOUR MOORE COUNTY RESOURCE FOR FAMILY LAW Board certiﬁed specialists in Family Law, Mediation, and Arbitration, handling the full range of divorce issues, including child custody, child support, alimony, and equitable distribution, as well as domestic violence and appeals in family law matters.

910•660•0487 www.tharringtonsmith.com

PineStraw

Soong’s greatest wealth came from his role as a “comprador,” a fixer and go-between who helped bridge the different customs and expectations of Western suppliers and traders and their Chinese counterparts. Those North Carolinians who already know about Charlie Soong will appreciate Haag’s refinements and additions. For those who never heard of Soong, Haag’s book is a great starting point. But the Soong family’s connection to North Carolina doesn’t end there. On Aug. 30, 2015, his great-grandson Michael Feng came to Wilmington to be baptized in the same church where his greatgrandfather received the sacrament. Feng and his wife, Winnie, are longtime active participants at The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, a historic church in New York City, at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street. “It was the church of my grandfather, T.V. Soong, where Winnie and I were married and raised our two children,” said Feng. “I had just never gotten around to being baptized. I guess my parents were too busy when I was young. Winnie had been after me for a long time to be baptized. And when we were planning a trip to North Carolina for a wedding, we decided this would be a wonderful time and place for my baptism.” Feng explained to the congregation at Fifth Avenue Church that his family remained grateful to the North Carolinians who provided his great-grandfather the educational, spiritual and financial resources that made the difference for Charlie Soong. “He gave these resources to his children and our family,” said Feng of a Chinese dynasty announced in a note in the Wilmington Star 135 years before. Almost seven years after his baptism in Wilmington, Michael and Winnie Feng remain active at the Church of Heavenly Rest, where there is another North Carolina connection. The leader of that church is its rector, the Rev. Matthew Heyd, who grew up in Charlotte and was a Morehead Scholar and student body president at UNC-Chapel Hill. Surely, Charlie Soong would be pleased. PS D.G. Martin hosts North Carolina Bookwatch Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 5 p.m. on UNC-TV. His favorite book is Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

JUMBO LOAN FINANCING One of the most important steps of shopping for your dream home is finding the right type of financing for your needs. I am ready to help you with our flexible jumbo loan options:

• Financing available up to $5 million • Fixed & adjustable rate mortgage options • Purchase & refinance options • Primary residence & second homes eligible

TRACY PERRY

Mortgage Consultant Cell: (240) 274-4318 Email: Tracy.Perry@phmloans.com Website: TracyPerry.phmloans.com NMLSR #2090410 Licensed in NC & CO Loan limits vary by state and county. Consult your mortgage consultant to determine limits in your area. All first mortgage products are provided by Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC. (877) 275-1762. Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC products may not be available in all areas. Not all borrowers will qualify. Licensed by the Delaware State Bank Commissioner. Massachusetts Mortgage Lender License ML75164. Licensed by the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance. Also licensed in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NC, ND, NH, NM, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV and WY. NMLS ID #75164 (NMLS Consumer Access at http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/) ©2021 Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (06/21) #MC211087 Expires 09/21

Stunning” nning”“Si“Simply mply Stunni ng” Paul D abek P D aul abek D ab Times -The-TheTimTimes es Paul TICKE TICKETS TS

Paul Paul PDaul Dabek abek Dab

host & co-star host &of host co-star broadway’s & of co-star broadway’s “the of broadway’s “the illusionists” illusionists” “the ill

LiveLive in Pinehurst in Live Pinehurst in Pineh host & co-star broadway’s “the illusionists” host &of host co-star & of co-star broadway’s of broadway’s “the illusionists” “the ill August August August 28 28 • 7:30 • 7:30pm 28 pm • 7:

nning”“Simply “SimplyStunning” Stunning” Times -The -The Times Times

LiveLive in Pinehurst in Live Pinehurst in Pineh August 28 28 • 7:30 August August • 7:30pm 28 pm • 7:

“Amazing... “Amazing... “Amazisong...Awesome!” so Awesome!” so Awe -NBC -NBC TIC T IK CK EETTSS

nning”“Si“Simply mply Stunni Stunning” ng” k Steals“Paul “Paul theDabek Show” Dabek StealsSteals the Show” the Show” Times-Daily-The -The Ti m Times es “Amazing... “Amazing... so Awesome!” “Amazing... so Awesome!” so Awe TICKETS TICKETS Express-Daily-Daily ExpressExpress -NBC -NBC

k Steals“Paul “Paul theDabek Show” Dabek Steals Steals the Show” the Show” -Daily Express-Daily-Daily ExpressExpress is aEntertai First-Class “Dabek is a“Dabek First-Class is“Dabek a First-Class Entertainer” ner” Entertainer”

-BroadwayWorld.com -BroadwayWorld.com -BroadwayWorld. c om “Dabek is a“Dabek First-Class is “Dabek a First-Class Entertainer is aEntertainer” First-Class ” Entertainer”

“Amazing... “Amazisong.Awesome!” . “Amazing... so Awesome!” so Awe TrueA A Broadway True True Broadway Broadway Experience Experience Experien -NBC -NBC

-BroadwayWorld.com -BroadwayWorld.com -BroadwayWorld.com TrueA A Broadway True True Broadway Broadway Experience Experience Experien

k Steals“Paul theDabek Show” “Paul DabekStealSteals s the Show” the Show”

bek TICKE TS

bek

lusionists”

BOOKSHELF

August Books

FICTION hurst Damnation Spring, by Ash Davidson lusionists” generations, Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped :30 pm For a livelihood out of the redwood forest along California’s

hurst :30 pm

rugged coast. Now, Rich and his wife, Colleen, are raising their own young son near Damnation Grove, a swath of ancient redwoods on which Rich’s employer, Sanderson Timber Co., plans to make a killing. For decades, the herbicides the logging company uses were considered harmless. But Colleen is no longer so sure. As mudslides take out clear-cut hillsides and salmon vanish from creeks, her search for answers threatens to divide a town livesTand T I C that KE Sdies on timber.

esome!” -NBC

Once There Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConaghy Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland with her twin sister, Aggie, to lead a team of biologists tasked with reintroducing 14 gray wolves into the remote Highlands. She hopes to heal not only the dying landscape but Aggie too, unmade by the terrible secrets that drove the sisters out of Alaska. Inti is not the woman she once was, either, changed by the harm she’s witnessed. As the wolves thrive, Inti begins to let her guard down, even opening herself up to the possibility of love. But, when a farmer is mauled to death, Inti knows where the town will lay blame. Unable to accept her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. If the wolves didn’t make the kill, then is something more sinister at play?

esome!” TICKETS -NBC

” m”

Lightning Strike, by William Kent Krueger Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to 12-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. When Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family and himself. Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff, and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.

esome!” nce -NBC

m nce

Children of Dust, by Marlin Barton In researching his family history in the year 2000, Seth Anderson discovers an unexpected story from the late 1800s. In 19th century rural Alabama, his relative, Melinda Anderson, struggles to give birth to her 10th child, tended by Annie Mae, a part-ChocThe Art & Soul of the Sandhills

taw midwife. When the infant dies just hours after birth, suspicion falls upon two women — Betsy, Annie Mae’s daughter and the mixed-race mistress of Melinda’s husband, Rafe; and Melinda herself, worn out by perpetual pregnancies and nurturing a dark anger toward her husband. Seeking to clear her own name, Melinda enlists the help of a conjure woman who dabbles in dark magic. Filled with haunts, new and old, Children of Dust is a novel about the relationship between two women allied against a violent man with secrets of his own. NONFICTION

A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel to the Car to What Comes Next, by Tom Standage Beginning around 3500 BCE with the wheel — a device that didn’t catch on until a couple of thousand years after its invention — Standage zips through the eras of horsepower, trains and bicycles, revealing how each successive mode of transit embedded itself in the world we live in. Then, delving into the history of the automobile’s development, Standage explores the social resistance to cars and the upheaval that their widespread adoption required. Cars changed how the world was administered, laid out and policed, how it looked, sounded and smelled — and not always in the ways we might have preferred. All In: An Autobiography, by Billie Jean King An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. King recounts her groundbreaking tennis career — six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, 20 Wimbledon championships, 39 grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes. She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women’s movement, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She describes the myriad challenges she's faced — entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed — and offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality and love. YOUNG ADULT Dog Island, by Jil Johnson Willy stared out through the crisscross wires of his cage. He had figured out a few things. One, being born a spunky beagle wasn’t always cookies and naps. Two, there was no way he was staying in this barbed wire apartment. And three, as he listened to the rows of dogs barking and howling, he wasn’t going alone. (Ages 8 and up.) PineStraw

BOOKSHELF

CHILDREN’S BOOKS Becoming Vanessa, by Vanessa Brantley-Newton That first day of school can be hard on anyone, but especially if your name is looonnng and has more than one “s” and your style is a little more colorful than your new classmates. But, no matter what, it is important to be yourself. Stunning illustrations reminiscent of the brilliant Molly Bang bring this important first-day-of-school book to life. This one is a must-have for rising kindergartners. (Ages 4-6.)

A Day Shopping with Grandkids

L WO R L

D THE

F IN

A Night Out with New Friends

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL AT...

A Life Plan Retirement Community Retirement should be the best time of your life. At The Village at Brookwood, you’ll find all the options you need to build the life you want. From wellness classes to dining choices, you’ll find top-of-the-line living in a comfortable community.

Call to schedule a visit today! (336) 361-2611 BURLINGTON, NC • VILLAGEATBROOKWOOD.ORG

PineStraw

T. Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes, by Anna Lazowski Baby horses can stand up. Narwhals change color. And red sea urchins can live for 200 years! But nobody can do everything. Laugh out loud with the animals of the alphabet as they show what they can and cannot do in this super-cute ABC book that is perfect for story time, bedtime or anytime. (Ages 3-7.) The Foodie Flamingo, by Vanessa Howl At the Pink Flamingo restaurant, it’s shrimp, shrimp, shrimp, shrimp. But when Frankie the Flamingo gets a wild feather to sample something different, she becomes Foodie Flamingo. Soon everyone is sampling new things and the Pink Flamingo will never be the same! Fun with food for all ages. (Ages 3-6.) How To Spot a Best Friend, by Bea Birdsong It’s easy to spot a friend, but how do you know when you’ve discovered a best friend? This sweet story is the perfect read together for the night before back-to-school or any new situation. (Ages 4-7.) PS Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally. Angie's favorite book is The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas by Gertrude Stein and Kimberly loves The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

9 W Wicker Sham Ct, Pinehurst, NC 28374

PRICE REDUCTION $1,200,000

Beautiful 5 bedroom Village home located on a quiet golf front cul-de-sac located on the 13th fairway of the Tom Fazio North Course. Charming, light filled home features 4 en suite bedrooms and a bonus/bedroom above the attached coach house. Primary bedroom on main floor. Open floor plan. Natural stack stone foundation and cedar shake roof. Interior main floor includes ambrosia maple. Mature landscaping, professional landscape lighting. Maintenance free decking and railings. Covered back deck with stack stone fireplace. Gated community. Club Membership available upon application approval. Membership not required. Kathy Peele Sales Associate 312.623.7523 | kathy.peele@bhhsprg.com 42 Chinquapin Rd. Pinehurst, NC 28374 The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

Bring Green into Your Life

One of the best-kept secrets for home furnishings and decor, Southern Design Furniture carries multiple name brands such as the beautiful Bassett furniture featured here, as well as an assortment of accessories to add that little something extra to your home.

PineStraw

4909 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28304 | 910.423.0239

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

HOMETOWN

Neighborhood Gold Clearing the bar in the backyard

By Bill Fields

A few years ago, not long after

I began freelancing as a booth researcher at golf tournaments broadcast by NBC Sports, someone pointed out a slim, silver-haired man walking into a trailer in the television compound. This particular camera operator, my colleague told me, had a distinct background. It was Ken Walsh, a former American Olympic swimmer who won three medals (two gold, one silver) in 1968 in Mexico City.

I hadn’t seen Walsh since I was 9 years old. Or at least I imagine I probably watched him on ABC during the ’68 Summer Games, because as a fourth-grader obsessed with sports, those Olympics were a very big deal when they flickered on our living room Zenith. (Portions of the Olympics were shown in color for the first time, but we still had a black-and-white set.) Decades later, some of the competitors’ names from that year — the Summer Games were held in October — jump to mind more easily than those of childhood friends even though the television coverage of that period was a fraction of the airtime today. There was Bob Beamon, shattering the world record in the men’s long jump with a leap of 29 feet, 2 1/4 inches that wasn’t bettered for 23 years and remains the Olympic mark. Bill Toomey won gold in the decathalon, Randy Matson the shot put and Al Oerter the discus throw (for the fourth straight Olympics). Kip Keino of Kenya ruled in the 1,500 meters and Bob Seagren in the pole vault. Dick Fosbury shook up things by winning the high jump with his novel backward style. Walsh? As I discovered, he was on the winning 4x100 freestyle relay and 4x100 medley relay teams and finished second in the 100-meter freestyle behind Australian Mike Wenden and ahead of fellow American Mark Spitz, who would win seven gold medals four years later in Munich. My neighborhood buddies and I ran our sprints up and down

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

East New Jersey Avenue — there was little traffic, and it was slightly downhill to the chalk-drawn finish line heading toward May Street — but come Olympics time in ’68 we really were more interested in the field events. Chuck, my best friend, and I constructed a high jump behind his house out of stray 2x4s for supports with an old broom handle resting on two nails as the bar to jump over. We improvised a landing pit out of dirt, pine straw and leaves. The long jump didn’t require as much preparation — just a couple of baseballs to mark the take-off spot and a yardstick to measure where our Converse tennis shoes made a mark in the sand. We made a few feeble attempts at the triple jump but couldn’t quite figure out when to hop and when to skip. The real backyard drama came in an event the younger kids only watched. One of Chuck’s older brothers, Ricky, was up for most anything. When he wasn’t roaring around on his minibike or tackling opposing players like Dick Butkus, he liked to pole vault — and not just in the Southern Pines school gym or at Memorial Field. Ricky pole-vaulted in his yard, using bamboo stalks he got from a nearby thicket and taped up for a better grip to go up and over. A pile of saw dust and a couple of cheap, inflated beach rafts cushioned the landing. Ricky’s friends would join him, and so would one of the men who lived on our block, Mr. McNeill, a good athlete who had played on the town’s semi-pro baseball team. He probably was only in his late 30s, but that seemed ancient to a little kid. Clad in his work clothes on those late afternoon jumps, Mr. McNeill gave no quarter to the teenagers. The way those bamboo poles bent after being planted in the homemade box, it seemed like only a matter of time before the rescue squad would have to be summoned for broken bones, although bruises and sprains are the worst injuries I can recall. I’m slated to go to my first Olympics this summer, the Tokyo 2020 Games that were delayed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ll be working on the golf production, a long way from where the vaulters will be headed skyward on space-age poles and a long time from the fun and games of 1968. PS Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent. His favorite book is North Toward Home by Willie Morris PineStraw

T H E C R E AT O R S O F N. C .

Totally Blawesome

A flower farm where miracles bloom year-round By Wiley Cash Photographs By Mallory Cash

On a lush four acres of land nestled be-

tween Chapel Hill and the Haw River, 24-year-old Raimee Sorensen spends his days growing, harvesting, assembling and delivering stunning bouquets and custom flower arrangements. According to his mother, Rebecca, “He emanates joy.” The oldest of three siblings, Raimee works alongside Rebecca and a small, devoted team of farmers. It’s clear that everyone at Blawesome flower farm is dedicated to two things: delivering high-quality, organically grown flowers to the waiting hands of their customers and ensuring that everyone on the farm has the opportunity to live and work to their full potential, including Raimee, who has a diagnosis of autism and epilepsy. “When given the opportunity to be amazing and successful,” says Rebecca, “folks with disabilities will rise to meet that chal-

PineStraw

lenge. If we are able to provide more opportunities for folks with disabilities to be successful, then I think we would see a moral shift in our communities.” And farming is certainly challenging. “There are always opportunities to problem solve,” Rebecca says. “It’s very cerebral work.” In the morning, Raimee looks at his check list and gets to work, deciding how much preservative solution to add to which type of flower and what kind of tool is necessary to harvest each variety. “And when he takes his bouquets out into the world, he gets the confirmation of ‘You’re a wonderful farmer, and you grow amazing things,’” Rebecca adds. From season to season, Raimee’s knowledge and confidence have grown, and Rebecca has seen the skills he’s learned on the farm transfer to other areas of his life. For example, when they host tours and workshops on the farm, Raimee is able to share his knowledge about what’s going on in each production zone, and if someone asks a question, it’s Raimee, despite challenges with expressive and receptive language, who often chooses to answer it. Before starting the farm, the Sorensens homeschooled Raimee for eight years, and during that time, they set up community internships where he could explore a number of opportunities while building varying sets of skills. He particularly excelled at a community farm where he volunteered for four years. He enjoyed being outdoors and working alongside others. Eventually, the Sorensens enrolled Raimee in a charter school specifically geared toward students with disabilities, but when the school abruptly shut down, they realized they needed to find an opportunity for him to achieve his greatest sense of independence. Better yet, they would create one. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

T H E C R E AT O R S O F N. C .

Initially, the Sorensens’ decisions were practical. They had a 1/4-acre strip of land alongside their driveway, and based on how Raimee performed in his work at the community farm, they decided to cultivate the small area into a flower garden. After all, he was good at growing things, and he enjoyed connecting with the community. What better way to connect with others than by putting fresh flowers in their hands? Raimee was not the only Sorensen with a background in farming and a love for flowers. Rebecca grew up in rural northeastern Pennsylvania with a father who was an avid gardener. In high school, she worked at and eventually managed a greenhouse, and later, on the other side of the country, she worked at an organic farm, growing peppers and houseplants in greenhouses in Oregon. She felt confident that she and Raimee could turn this small plot of land beside their house into a successful venture that would allow them to explore their interests and talents. And then the four-acre lot next door went up for sale. Rebecca and Raimee’s vision for what they could do grew, and the family shifted again. After purchasing the land, Rebecca applied for a micro-enterprise grant. The initial grant was for $5,000 but after completing the application, she learned that more money was available. She went back to the drawing board, carefully envisioning a project and wrote a proposal that eventually won a $50,000 state grant from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The shift had happened. The Sorensens were now owners of land that would become a flower farm, and all they had to do was build it. Working with a team of land specialists and local farmers, the Sorensens grew intimately familiar with their new land, working to create a plan that was realistic in terms of what they could grow and harvest with their small crew. At the same time, Rebecca, whose background is in social work, was traveling the state, leading workshops on affordable housing for adults with mental illnesses. She met an architect from Elon University whose son had a diagnosis, and he suggested that they work on a project together. He went on to design the barn on the Sorensens’ new property, and he brought out teams of university students to help construct it. He would later design the home where Raimee and a supported-living provider live.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

T H E C R E AT O R S O F N. C .

Blawesome was born, and the flower farm that began on a small strip of land beside the family’s driveway grew into a working farm that provides fresh flowers for everything from weddings to businesses, plus events at UNC-Chapel Hill. But no matter how much the Sorensens had been willing and able to shift over the years, COVID presented an incredible challenge. They lost national contracts with huge corporations. Weddings were cancelled, and the university moved nearly all of its business online. But people still wanted flowers, and Blawesome met that need. Individual orders soared, as did memberships in their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which provides seasonal flowers year-round to subscribers. “The community just came out and lifted us up in a way we could’ve never anticipated,” Rebecca says. “It was extraordinary.” That says a lot coming from someone who has seen extraordinary things happen, both in her family and in her community. Raimee took medication for obsessive compulsive disorder for eight years, and then he was able to stop taking it one year after starting the farm. He has epilepsy, but according to Rebecca, he’s had only one seizure in the

same time span. “You can pull Raimee’s Medicaid file for the past four years and see that he has not accessed any of the services he used to access since we started the farm, because he’s happier and healthier than he’s ever been,” she says. Both Raimee and the farm are thriving. “A lot of people in his situation don’t get told how special they are,” she adds. But it is hard work, and the work never stops. “I don’t know if people understand how completely consuming farming is. It’s a lifestyle,” Rebecca says. “I like that for Raimee because it’s every part of his day. There’s not any time when he’s not thinking about it or planning for it or anticipating something, but it’s pretty miraculous to be part of something that is a living, breathing organism. I feel like I’m surrounded by miracles all the time.” PS Wiley Cash is the writer-in-residence at the University of North CarolinaAsheville. His new novel, When Ghosts Come Home, will be released this year. His all-time favorite book? Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

A West Coast Lifestyle Boutique CoolSweats in the Village of Pinehurst 910.295.3905 105 Cherokee Rd, Pinehurst, NC 28374 42

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SURGICAL EXPERTISE

AU G UST IS

National Wellness Month Pinehurst Surgical Clinic's large selection of health departments and award-winning providers are here to help you live a wholesome, well-rounded lifestyle.

Audiology & Hearing Aids

Ophthalmology

Urologic Surgery

Ear, Nose, Throat, Head and Neck

Orthopaedic

Vascular & Vein Care

Physical Therapy

Women’s Comprehensive Health

General & Bariatric Surgery

Plastics & Facial Plastics

5 First Village Dr., Pinehurst, NC 28374

PineStraw

Our Communities Feel Different Because They Are NATIONALLY ACCREDITED LIFE PLAN COMMUNITIES Independent Living | Assisted Living | Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation

Independent Living at Pine Knoll

Independent Living at Belle Meade

With a variety and choice of comfortable residences with convenience to attractive and purposeful senior living amenities, Pine Knoll offers history and comfort.

Surrounded by lush greenery, Belle Meade is a gated, resort-style community that offers a wide variety of senior living options, including spacious homes and lavish apartments.

Call today to schedule your visit! For more information, call 910-246-1023 or visit www.sjp.org.

Southern Pines

IN THE SPIRIT

Frozen

Break the ice this summer By Tony Cross

If you’ve

PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CROSS

ever experienced a Carolina summer, you’ll know that the heat and humidity are enough to beat you down to the point you’ll ask a bartender for a Zima. Almost. Instead of having 10 drinks on a menu that each have a hundred steps before the bartender can put that lifesaving, cool drink in front of you, I learned to integrate punches and bottle cocktails that could be served as quickly as pouring a glass of wine. Another batched elixir that’s perfect for taking the sweat out of summer is a frozen cocktail.

I remember going to the bowling alley with my family in the early ’90s and seeing a daiquiri machine. Daiquiri-schmackeri. All I knew was that it looked like something for kids but that I wasn’t allowed to drink it. Once I was of age, I finally got to have a frozen cocktail of my own in New Orleans. I honestly can’t tell you if those slushy hurricanes were nice and balanced. I was in my early 20s. It was the Big Easy. I wasn’t very balanced myself. Trends come and go, but luckily for cocktails, we’re blessed with creative men and women behind the bar who can make what was once unpalatable, desirable. So, I headed out to a few bars and restaurants in the Triangle to learn their tricks for getting frozen cocktails just right. The restaurant scene in downtown Durham has exploded in the past decade. A town that once took a backseat in the culinary department to neighboring Raleigh isn’t in the shadows anymore. Dashi, a Japanese ramen shop and izakaya (the word for a Japanese pub that’s located above the restaurant), has only had its doors open for a few years, but the combination of yummy and speed keep their guests

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

coming back for more. All of the cocktails at Dashi are made in the izakaya. “So, when the staff downstairs are really busy, they push these,” says bar manager Gabe Turner, pointing to his slushy machine. “They’re delicious, too, so it’s not like we’re sacrificing quality for efficiency.” Purchasing a slushy machine was a no-brainer for Turner. “When we started fooling around with recipes, we stumbled into a pretty good template,” says Turner. “We don’t like to use too much sugar. Using an oleo-saccharum (oil-sugar) helps us keep a nice balance in our drinks.” And you won’t find Gabe and Co. doing frozen margaritas. “The style we’re doing is a Japanese cocktail called chuhai, which traditionally is shōōchūū (a fermented Japanese liquor made from sweet potato, barley, rice and other ingredients with a relatively low alcohol proof) and fresh juice. In Japan, they call them sours. The idea was, ‘Let’s do frozen chuhais.’ We used shōōchū,ū fresh juice, and then sake to round it out. To get the alcohol level up, we’ll add a little bit of vodka, but not enough to change the flavor profiles.” One of Dashi’s current chuhai slushies combines the classic ingredients along with a spicy ginger syrup, orange oils and juice. How popular are the frozen chuhais? “I’ll make a whole batch of our slushy cocktails every week,” says Turner. Each batch serves around 50 8-ounce drinks. “We use the Bunn slushy machines and have a second machine in the back, so they don’t get too burned out. They’re being used 24/7.” If it’s not slushy season — a rarity at Dashi — two weeks is the longest they’ll keep a batch before letting the staff dip into the leftovers. “Rarely does it not sell out,” Turner says. Too bad for the staff. Dashi carries two different slushy cocktails at a time — a quick and cool option for a bar otherwise known for its myriad sake and shōōchūū bottles. What if your establishment (or you) doesn’t want to invest, or can’t find room, for a slushy machine? Get creative. A block away from Dashi, the chic cocktail lounge Alley Twenty-Six has its own twist on frozen drinks. Longtime bartender Rob Mariani, formerly of Alley Twenty-Six, says, “While a slushy machine is on the wish PineStraw

IN THE SPIRIT

YOU’RE SWEATING OUTSIDE

Why Not Sweat It Out Inside? Sign up for live classes at HotAsanaStudio.com or use our on-demand classes on HotAsanaOnline.com 910-692-YOGA (9642)

SCHOLARSHIP F UND 21ST ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT Saturday, August 14, 2021 Whispering Woods Golf Club Hosted by: Southern Pines Lodge #484

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE 10:30 a.m. Registration – Each Player can buy two Mulligans 12:00 p.m. Lunch – A delicious lunch is included 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start – Beverage and snack carts will be provided Awards Presented by Event Sponsor. All teams need to stay for pictures OUR TOURNAMENT SPONSORS

CONTACT AND SIGN-UP INFORMATION Sean Kaiser c: (910)-691-3323 or e: kaisersprk@gmail.com (Senior Warden of Southern Pines Lodge #484)

list, we don’t have one. That doesn’t mean we couldn’t make frozen drinks. By using crushed ice and giving it a good shake, you can get a drink that mimics a slushy and has a similar dilution rate. One would think that smaller ice melts faster than larger ice, which would be true if we were looking at two cubes melting on their own, but when you pack a glass full of crushed ice, there is lots of surface area, and the dilution rate is quite slow.” Mariani has mastered the technique and suggests adding a bit more sugar to your specs. “The ideal ABV (for a frozen cocktail) is about 10 percent and the max is around 18 percent. Anything above that will not result in a frozen texture. Bitterness and sweetness are suppressed by cold temperatures, so more sugar is needed to achieve a balanced, frozen drink,” he says. “Up your sweet by 50 percent. For example, instead of using 1/2 ounce of simple, use 3/4 of an ounce.” There are many ways to master a frozen cocktail — having a machine constantly rotating the perfect, temperature-controlled slushy is one — but there are multiple ways to skin an ice cube, at home or away. Mariani shares one of the frozen cocktail recipes he uses for his weekly Cap’n Rob’s Waikiki Wednesday.

Frozen Rum and Tonic 1 1/2 ounces aged rum 3/4 ounce tonic syrup (Mariani uses his own Alley Twenty-Six Tonic.) 3/4 ounce pineapple juice 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice 4 dashes Angostura bitters Combine all ingredients (sans the bitters) with crushed ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake like hell or until you can’t feel your hands. Pour into a Pilsner glass. Top with crushed ice and four dashes of Angostura bitters. Garnish with a large sprig of mint and dehydrated lime wheel. PS Tony Cross is a bartender (well, ex-bartender) who runs cocktail catering company Reverie Cocktails in Southern Pines. His favorite book is No Death, No Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh.

The Freemasons are a 503(c)(10) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Celebrating19 Years Years in Business! Business! Let us help you & your kids get the Let you us help youjust & your kids for get the rest rest need in time getting you need just in time for getting back back to school. We have all sizes in to school. We have all stock from the brands yousizes love.in stock from the brands you love.

OUR LABOR DAY

100'S OF MATTRESSES IN STOCK & SAME DAY PICK SALES UP OR NEXT DAYENDS DELIVERY! EVENT SEPT. 13!

Nolly R.

LaDariusG.

Eve v.B.

Will J.

Sanford Operator & Mattress Therapist

Head Delivery Driver Delivery Team Member

Marketing & Design Coordinator

Warehouse Specialist Delivery Team Member

Nolly joined the Sweet Dreams Team in 2019. Raised in Florida and living in France for 30 years, she is definitely a trilingual people's person. She has been running the Sanford store showroom, expressing her knowledge and passion while helping her trusting and faithful clientele to provide the benefits for better rested nights and Sweet Dreams!!

LaDarius was born & raised in both Moore & Hoke County. He played football for Pinecrest High School for 4 years, directly after which he played for the Greensboro College football team. In 2018 LaDarius joined the Dream Team & he is now our head delivery driver. Giving back to the community is an added benefit of working for for Sweet Sweet Dreams Dreams due to the Dreams 4 All Foundation.

German-born artist Eve returned to NC after work, travel & life took her to various cities around the world. In 2019 she joined the DreamTeam & utilizes her background in art in many creative ways within the company, including graphic design & marketing. She thrives on the collaborative energy at Sweet Dreams & loves helping it manifest its’ visual goals into artistic reality. When Eve isn’t creating, she loves travel, yoga, meditation, her cat Noel & dog André.

Born into a military family, Will never called just one place home until his move to Whispering Pines in 2006. With hard work & community involvement, he made the Sandhills feel like home, raising his 2 year-old daughter alongside his wife, a Moore County native of 5 years. He is our full time assistant warehouse manager, delivery driver, & he further assists part time with the store's non-profit, Dreams 4 All Foundation.

NEED A NEW CRAWL SPACE?

PRESENTED BY

Lin Hutaff’s

WE OFFER FREE INSPECTIONS AND FREE ESTIMATES

PineHurst reaLty GrouP

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Best of the Pines contest!

Mosquito Control Yard Treatments Termite Control Household Pest Control PROTECTING HOMES & FAMILIES

Since 1960

We are excited to announce the winners on September 19th in The Pilot or online! Conven i ence. www.bestofthepines.com Without Com prom ise.

FREE INSPECTIONS • FREE ESTIMATES

Safe, Secure, Quality Care

“Customer Satisfaction One Job At A Time”

910.944.2474

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR US

NC License #277PW

214 Poplar St. • Aberdeen, NC • Alan Parker, Manager • aparker@nc.rr.com Member American Mosquito Control Association

PineStraw

Free Estimates

We Retur All Calls n

Fully Insured

29 Yea Experienrs ce

24 Hour Emergency Service Asphalt • Cedar Shakes • Colored Metal Roofing • Slate • Synthetic Slate EPDM Rubber • Roofing (Flat Roofs) • Rolled Roofing

Serving Moore County and Surrounding Areas VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AT 301 FIELDS DR. - ABERDEEN, NC

910-757-0505

Pinehurst Medical Clinic offers virtual visits to registered patients! Virtual visits are easy, safe and secure. Allowing you convenient care with peace of mind.

Contact your provider to schedule an appointment.

PIN EH U RSTM ED ICAL.COM

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

All Strung Out Try a special brand of squash

By Jan Leitschuh

Check any that apply:

— Looking to eat better, fewer carbs and processed foods, and shed those COVID pounds? — Searching for ways to work more vegetables into your diet? — Need to avoid gluten due to sensitivities or autoimmune issues? — Want a simple, low-fuss, low-muss meal?

Spaghetti squash, coming onto markets this month, is the gourd for you. You’ve probably seen these largish, lemon-colored winter squashes in local markets. This plain, oblong vegetable contains a surprise inside — an extraordinary texture, long strands of squash that, when cooked, make a useful substitute for pasta noodles. I have grown it in my Sandhills vegetable garden. Local markets will start to feature it toward the end of the month, and it is readily available in supermarkets. Spaghetti squash stores fairly well, about two, even three, months in a cool place. Once cooked, the flesh of spaghetti squash can be forked into fine strands resembling angel hair pasta. Its mild flavor offers a clear stage for a variety of tastes and treatments such as pestos, red sauces and curries. The simplest dinner treatment is to halve a 2-3 pound squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds from each half, brush with a little oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in a baking dish at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until the flesh is fork-tender. Cool slightly, enough to handle. If you don’t like wrestling large squashes with sharp objects, you can also bake yours whole. If whole, slice off the stem end, then pierce the rind with a fork before placing in an ovenproof baking dish with a little water. Sealing the dish with foil helps speed things up a bit. The baking may take longer, up to an hour and a half for a larger squash. Remove when skin is softened. An oven mitt is helpful to steady the hot rind. Open carefully — the steam can scald — and scoop out the seeds. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The fastest method for a quick supper is to microwave the whole squash. Pierce the rind several times to avoid a buildup of steam. Place on a plate and microwave until tender, 20 minutes or so, until softened. The easiest dinner prep? Place each squash half on a plate and fill with your favorite jarred marinara. A sprinkle of Parmesan on top and . . . Voila! A healthy, easy meal for two. The eater does the work of pulling free the squash strands. For a less-slack treatment, tease out the strands by drawing a fork gently down the flesh lengthwise. Toss the strands with some iteration of garlic, red sauce, Italian spices, grated cheese, mushrooms, peppers, ground sausage, etc., before returning the mix to the baked squash rind. The scooped flesh can be used in casseroles in place of thin wheat pasta. The “noodles” can be given an Asian, Indian or Southwestern twist with a change in seasonings and flavors. Low-carbers even make a ketogenic pizza crust using the strand, eggs and cheese. For a fancier plating, some folks have been known to take the scooped strands and form “nests” in muffin tins, to be filled with your favorite stuffing. The nests can also star at breakfast, baked with eggs. Or cut your squash into horizontal “rings” instead of in half lengthwise. This fun baked presentation shortens the cooking time and can then be stuffed with goodies. Speaking of goodness, spaghetti squash is nutrient dense but low in calories. It can deliver vitamins A and C, folic acid, niacin, manganese, potassium and other nutrients. A whole cup of the squash is only 10 carbs, much lower than wheat pasta — 28 percent, in fact — and only 42 calories. If you haven’t explored spaghetti squash yet, give this interesting vegetable a try. PS Jan Leitschuh is a local gardener, avid eater of fresh produce and co-founder of Sandhills Farm to Table. Her favorite book is Jayber Crow, by Wendell Berry. PineStraw

Before

$75 off

full roof cleaning

Expires 8/31/2021

After

we are celebrating 10 years of business serving moore county

Don’t Replace it. Restore it!

10+ Years in Business Friendly Uniformed Staff Fully Insured and Bonded Accepts Credit Card Payments Employees are screened with background checks annually

Those black streaks on your roof are caused by algae. Our safe, non-pressure cleaning process can make your roof look new again, restoring your home’s beauty and value!

CALL FOR MORE DETAILS Visit our website

910-725-6170

www.gentlerenew.com to receive an instant quote

Patio Furniture | Pavilions/Pergolas | Vinyl Playsets | Umbrellas

Sam & Betty Glick

Uniting Families Outdoors Through American Craftsmanship

225 W Morganton Rd Southern Pines NC | 910-725-0394 | www.greyfox-outdoor.com 50

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

OUT OF THE BLUE

Windsor Knots These are the ties that bind

By Deborah Salomon

Back in the day, ancients be-

lieved their leaders descended from the gods, therefore possessed “divine right” to rule. Those chosen few — observing the lifestyle royalty affords — furthered their cause by concocting stories that reinforced the myth.

And so it went. Wars were waged between competing “royals.” Contenders (who perpetrated a similar myth) beheaded each other with frightening regularity. Kings solidified their positions by marrying only royal maidens who, failing to produce male heirs, were booted to a chorus of “Hit the road, Jack(ie), and don’t come back no more, no more . . . ” Revolutions happened, monarchies tumbled in favor of republics, democracies, socialist states, yet even when they possessed only ceremonial power, kings and queens, princes and princesses survived, mainly to christen ships, open orphanages, attend Ascot and feed our fantasies. Their subjects still bow and curtsy. A sign of respect, I’m told, sometimes good for a giggle: The queen is not allowed to vote or express partisan opinions. But she’s allowed a lady-in-waiting to carry her hankie and bouquets, as well as to clear the loo before a royal visit. Have you guessed where I’m heading? Down the solid gold brick road to Buckingham Palace. Windsor Castle. Balmoral. Sandringham. Clarence House. Shocking that 2020-21 was both the Year of the Pandemic where millions suffered and died and the Year of the British Royal Family, who provided audiences with a mud-wrestling extravaganza. No wonder Mr. Trump feels deserted. Royal tribulations regularly shove him off Page One. The BBC put out a casting call for courtiers. Any news will do, from the tragic death of a consort to the tragic death of a puppy. A misstep President Biden makes in Her Majesty’s presence becomes a headline so imagine the kerfuffle over her eldest grandson (Princess Anne’s offspring) getting divorced. New babies keep popping up, Prince Andrew’s scandals keep going down. And that’s in addition to Harry and Meghan’s carefully scripted Oprah-fest. Don’t get me wrong; I think Queen Elizabeth is a fine old lady The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

who performs her duties with grace and distinction. After all, it’s a pretty good job which includes room(s) and (a groaning) board, transportation (gilt carriages, maroon Bentley limo, a stable of Range Rovers and Thoroughbreds, private train and aircraft) plus health insurance, paid vacation, a generous pension and, most important, uniforms. Who cares, if you can’t order Chinese at 10 p.m.? The thing I’m not buying is royal “blood,” the “lineage” that sets them apart. Sadly, recent events have suggested those veins need transfusing. I also notice a dereliction of duty on behalf of the royal-watching media, who used to remain tight-lipped regarding improprieties. Now, like hawks and fishwives, they screech the latest scandal from towers and turrets. Do we need to know that granddaughter Zara Tindall gave birth on the bathroom floor? Or that Kate Middleton’s brother is suffering from depression? Some mean-spirited cartoonist has even dredged up those old separated-at-birth head shots of Prince Charles and MAD Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman. To balance the negative — and spur competition — tabloid hacks jumped on the bandwagon driven by Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, newly identified as the queen’s BFF, confidante and spokescountess who, obviously, prefers her crumpets buttered on both sides. So it shall continue, because Americans are hooked, mostly on the clothes, those incredible outfits with flying-saucer hats and deadly stilettos worn by young royals, not to mention Her Majesty’s neon ensembles. I am hooked because I’d rather read and write (shamefully three times in 12 months) about soap operas played out across the pond than the political tragi-comedies underway on home turf. Still, enough is enough. Diana and Philip are dead. William’s bald head is old news. Jeffrey Epstein’s buddy Prince Andrew has been benched. Harry’s changing diapers, eating corn dogs and drinking Coors while Charles, wearing (shudder) tartan kilts, weeds his organic garden. But the queen, God bless her, still sips a gin and Dubonnet with a twist before lunch, wears Mad Hatters and runs on Energizers. I’m thinking she just might outlast us all. PS Deborah Salomon is a writer for PineStraw and The Pilot. She may be reached at debsalomon@nc.rr.com. Her favorite book is Sophie’s Choice by William Styron PineStraw

Homeowners Association Services Managing A Community Can Be Time-Consuming, Stressful, & Costly

Services Include: Accounting Services • Online Portal for Residents Online Portal for Board Members • Emergency Call System available 24/7 Periodic Property Inspections • Contracting Services Annual Meeting Support • Reporting Maintaining Association Files

Property Management

Carolina Commercial Property Management offers HOA Services to manage your community so that you don't have to. Contact us today!

Blake Webb, CMCA • 910.690.4986 • blake@carolina-commercial.com • www.carolina-commercial.com 375 Pinehurst Ave, Ste 6, Southern Pines, NC 28374

2021 MOORE COUNTY FARMER’S MARKET Producer only Fresh and locally grown

TWO DAYS A WEEK! THURSDAYS

604 W. Morganton Rd (Armory Sports Complex) Southern Pines, NC 28387 9am - 1pm ~ Year Round (Thanksgiving Week, Wed. Nov. 24)

Facility Courtesy of Town of Southern Pines

SATURDAYS

Downtown Southern Pines SE Broad & NY Ave. So Pines, NC 28388 8am - Noon ~ April 17 - October 30, 2021 (No Market on Oct. 2nd due to Autumnfest) Facility Courtesy of Town of Southern Pines

PineStraw

Mid-State Furniture of Carthage

403 Monroe St. Downtown Carthage 910-947-3739 The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

B I R D WA T C H

A Majestic Wader Wood storks become a more common sight

By Susan Campbell

Believe it or not, although fall is

still a way off, the summer solstice has passed, and for some of our birds, the breeding season is over. Many have begun wandering ahead of their southward migration. At this time of year, we have a few species that actually move in a northerly direction during mid-summer. The wood stork, one of North Carolina’s newer breeders, is one of these.

Wood storks are large, white wading birds, a bit smaller than great blue herons. They have heavy bills that curve at the tip. In flight, they are very distinctive. Not only do they fly with their head and neck outstretched, but their tails and flight feathers flash black. They are frequently spotted soaring high in the sky on thermals, not unlike hawks and vultures. These birds forage not only for small fish, crustaceans and a variety of invertebrates, but also reptiles and amphibians, as well as occasional nestlings of other species. Wood storks are visual hunters that search for movement in the shallows. They also may sweep and probe with their bills in murky areas until they feel prey, and then they will snap their mandibles shut and swallow the food item whole. It is not unusual for them to shuffle with their feet and flick their wings to disturb potential meals in muddy water. Unlike their European kin, storks here nest in trees — not on chimneys. Also, as opposed to legend, these birds do not mate for life but pair up on the breeding grounds each season. They can live a long time, however: The oldest known (banded) bird from Georgia was over 20 years old when it was re-sighted in South Carolina. Stork nests are bulky stick-built affairs located over water, often

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

in cypress trees. However, any sturdy wetland tree species may be utilized. Both parents are involved in construction. Grassy material will line the nest that is, quite uniquely, adhered together with guano. It will take almost two months for the one to five young to reach fledging. Not only will wood storks nest alongside others of their kind but they tend to be found in colonies with heron, ibis and egret neighbors. The wood stork is becoming a more common site in the Carolinas, breeding locally in freshwater or brackish, forested habitat. They prefer locations with an open canopy, since they require a good bit of space in order to negotiate a landing. There are now two large nesting colonies of storks on private property: one at Lays Lake (Columbus County) and Warwick Mill Bay (Robeson County). These lakes have been home to nesting storks for less than a decade. I would not be surprised if pairs are using a few other remote sites in the southeastern corner of the state. Stork numbers have been growing rapidly as the bay lake habitat seems excellent for raising chicks. Following fledging, however, family groups may move away from the nesting area to wet habitat where food is plentiful. In dry summers, that movement may be significant — and in any direction. In our state, the largest concentrations of individuals show up annually at Twin Lakes in Sunset Beach (Brunswick County) by mid-summer. They can reliably be found in and around the eastern pond. The birds seem to like probing the flats on the back side of the pond, away from the golfers on Oyster Bay Golf Links. Also look for them loitering in the stout trees along the shoreline into early fall. But do not be surprised if you happen on one, or perhaps a small group, in any wet area from marshes to farm ponds or golf course water hazards in the Piedmont or Sandhills. Wood storks are unique and majestic waders that deserve a special look! PS Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by email at susan@ncaves.com. Her favorite book is the one she’s reading right now, How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island, by Egill Bjarnason. PineStraw

Moore County’s Best New Restaurant has the Largest Selection of NC Beers and a Hops Garden! Visit our website or follow us on social media for the full entertainment calendar. www.roastnc.com Facebook: @roastnc Instagram: @roastfarm2table

Taste The Difference | Taste What’s Local | Taste The Roast Monthly live entertainment

910.725.7026 | Next to Ace Hardware on Capital Dr. | Southern Pines, NC 28327 | roastnc.com

PineStraw

DRIVE THRU PICK UP AVAILABLE

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

T H E NAT U R A L I S T

Legion of the Night

The beauty of moths

Polyphemus Moth By Todd Pusser

Butterflies get all the love. All around

the world, festivals are held in their honor. Entire gardens are planted specifically to attract them. Poems praise their beauty. Kids even dress up as butterflies for Halloween.

Moths, on the other hand, are frequently overlooked and ignored by most people. If noticed at all, moths generally get a bad rap. Gardeners despise hornworms, the large caterpillars of sphinx moths, feeding on tomato plants in the backyard. Gypsy moth caterpillars, capable of defoliating entire trees, are the bane of property owners throughout areas of the Northeast. Even in popular culture, moths are frequently associated with superstition and death. The calling card of the serial killer from the popular 1990s movie Silence of the Lambs was the cocoon of a death’s-head hawkmoth (yes, there is such a thing) placed inside the mouths of his victims. About the only time moths have received any positive press is when Mothra dragged Godzilla by the tail out of Tokyo. Last July, on a hot and humid night, I pulled into the parking lot The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

of a brightly lit gas station along the edge of the Dismal Swamp in the northeastern corner of the state. It was during the height of the pandemic, and few other cars were around. In need of caffeine, I stepped out of my vehicle and walked along the side of the building toward the front door. Casually glancing up, I was stunned to see a large luna moth clinging to the side of the building, its striking limegreen wings contrasting sharply with the white paint. The gentle luna moth is the teddy bear of the insect world, sporting a plump, furry body, feathery antennae, and a pair of 3-inch-long sweeping tail streamers. It is among North Carolina’s largest and most spectacular moths. I was so pleased to see one that I casually mentioned it to the station’s clerk while paying for my beverage. A blank stare was my only response. Finally, she asked quizzically, “You saw a what?” I said again, “There’s a luna moth outside your front door.” Blank stare once more. “Oh,” said the clerk with a nervous smile. “Have a nice night.” Most people think of moths as drab and boring. It is true that many moths possess muted shades of brown or grey colors, but a surprising number are as colorful and intricately patterned as any butterfly. Take, for example, the giant leopard moth, common to many parts of North Carolina. Looking like a flying Dalmatian, it is a large, bright white moth covered in an array of black polka dots. PineStraw

AUTHOR EVENTS VIRTUAL

LEAH WEISS August 4th • 7:00pm

All the Little Hopes Leah Weiss retired in 2015 from a 24year career as an Executive Assistant at Virginia Episcopal School and All the little Hopes is her second novel. She will be in conversation with Kimberly Daniels Taws from The Country Bookshop about her book, a Southern story of friendship forged by books and bees, when the timeless troubles of growing up meet the murky shadows of World War II.

CHEF BAI

VIRTUAL

September 8th • 12:00pm Bailey Ruskus, chef, holistic nutrition, and health coach with The Plant Remedy podcast and founder of Chef Bai chats with Kimberly Taws about adopting a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. We will also chat about her new cook book Cook. Heal. Go Vegan! and how you can easily make some of the same changes!

NATHANIEL PHILBRICK

IN PERSON

Hanna Center Theater September 18th • 4pm

Travels with George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy Nathaniel Philbrick joins us in Southern Pines to talk about his book that has an echo of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charlie. Bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick argues for Washington’s unique contribution to the forging of America by retracing his journey as a new president through all thirteen former colonies, which were now an unsure nation. Travels with George marks a new first-person voice for Philbrick, weaving history and personal reflection into a single narrative.

VIRTUAL

TOM STANDAGE

August 18th • 12:00pm The Country Bookshop is in conversation with the Deputy Editor of The Economist magazine about his provocative account of a sometimes-overlooked form of technology-personal transportation-and explores how it has shaped societies and cultures over millennia.

GERVAIS HAGERTY

IN PERSON

Country Club of North Carolina September 16th • 11am

In Polite Company

If you like reading Kristy Woodson Harvey then join us for this event! A captivating debut novel that looks inside the private lives of Charleston aristocracy, where a former debutante learns that sometimes good behavior leads to bad decisions.

WILEY CASH

IN PERSON

In-Person at The Country Bookshop September 25th • 3:00pm

When Ghosts Come Home The eagerly awaited novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Land More Kind Than Home, a tender and haunting story of a father and daughter, crime and forgiveness, race and memory

CHECK THE STORE WEBSITE AND TICKET ME SANDHILLS FOR MORE EVENT INFORMATION 140 NW Broad Street • Southern Pines, NC • 910.692.3211 • www.thecountrybookshop.biz 56 PineStraw The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

T H E NAT U R A L I S T

Cecropia Moth An entire family of moths known as underwings sport drab tree-barkpatterned forewings and brightly colored hindwings, which they only flash when frightened by a predator. Speaking of underwing moths, many possess common English names reflecting a marital theme, a quirky tradition started by Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy. Among the more descriptive ones are the tearful underwing, the betrothed underwing, the dejected underwing, the divorced underwing, and the oldwife underwing. Clearly, entomologists have a sense of humor (and perhaps one too many beers) when it comes to naming moths. Or perhaps they are just in need of a good marriage counselor. Moths are among the most diverse groups of animals on the planet (surpassed only by beetles), with over 200,000 species (and counting) found worldwide compared to just over 17,000 species of butterflies. They come in an infinite variety of shapes and sizes. Many of our state’s smallest species, known as micro moths, could easily fit onto the head of pin. The largest species in North America, the cecropia moth, possesses enormous wings that stretch 7 inches from tip to tip, making them larger than many species of bat. A member of the spectacular silk moth family, the cecropia (and the luna moth mentioned earlier) does not feed as an adult and relies on stored energy from its caterpillar stage. As such, the cecropia lives for only a few days, leaving it precious little time to find a mate and perpetuate the species. Unlike the showy silk moths, many night-flying moths are masters of disguise and closely resemble bark and leaves to help them blend into their surroundings during the day. Some even look like bird droppings. Not all moths are nocturnal. Many fly during daylight hours. Those that do tend to mimic other insect or animal species, such as bees and

Luna Moth

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

T H E NAT U R A L I S T

wasps. One well-known day-flying moth is the hummingbird clearwing, which mimics the size, shape and flight pattern of the ruby-throated hummingbird. Like its namesake, it is frequently observed hovering over flowers in urban gardens. Just this past April, I was admiring a cherry tree in full bloom in a friend’s yard when I did a double take. What I initially thought was a bumblebee hovering over a blossom above my head turned out to be a moth known as Nessus sphinx. With two bright yellow bands wrapping around a black abdomen, the moth was a perfect replica for the stinging insect. As I followed it from blossom to blossom, I realized the rapid wings of the moth even sounded like the buzz of a bumblebee. Like bees, moths are important pollinators of many flowers and crops. Throughout all their life stages, from caterpillars to adults, moths serve as a critical food resource for many birds and other animals. Studies have shown that moth caterpillars are the preferred food for nesting birds, such as eastern bluebirds, as they are both easy to digest and full of protein. Unfortunately, moths have suffered serious declines in their populations due to habitat loss, light pollution, and the extensive use of pesticides on the landscape. Their ecological importance and the

Tulip Tree Beauty Moth impact that they have on the world around us is difficult to understate. PS

Naturalist and photographer Todd Pusser works to document the extraordinary diversity of life both near and far. His images can be found at www.ToddPusser.com. His favorite book is Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

GOrGeOus Kitchen without the high-priced headache!

cabinet reFacinG saves time, money & hassle! • ALL-nEW AMISH-MADE DOORS, DRAWER fROntS • 1/4” SOLID WOOD fACInG • nEARLy unLIMItED COMbInAtIOnS Of WOOD, StyLE, COLOR OR fInISH • MODIfy & CuStOMIzE: CHAnGE, EXtEnD, ADD • InStALL DRAWER bAnkS, ROLL-OutS, AnD MORE • COMpLEtED In < 1 WEEk!

AmericA’s Finest cAbinet reFAcing & cUstOm cAbinetrY

Lifetime Warranty

woodreface .com

reAD OUr 5-stAr reVieWs OnLine!

PineStraw

Get up to

sa n d h i l l s

Est.1979

Free

in-hOme cOnsultatiOn

1,000 OFF your complete kitchen reface. 910-255-0090

Call for details & mention Offer COde PS2108. Not valid on other offers/previous sales. Expires 8/31/21

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

CALLING ALL EQUESTRIANS 383 FURR RD, VASS, NC

7.5 Fenced Acres, 150’x300’ Sand Ring Full Size Dressage Arena Adjacent to Walthour Moss, 2 Run In Sheds, Mid Carolina MLS#206793 Asking $295,000

Clio Carroll - Real Estate Broker

CELEBRATE YOUR SMILE THIS SUMMER BY SCHEDULING A VISIT WITH US!

860-368-9728 clio.madeleine@gmail.com

BACK TO SCHOOL

and back to you!

Fulfilling the spectrum of general dental needs:

Cosmetic, Implant, and Family Dentistry.

330 West Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines 910-695-3334 • www.edwardmonroedds.com

Treat yourself to a facial, massage, manicured nails, or new hairstyle at Karma. Karma also offers a variety of spa packages for the ultimate spa day for yourself or with a group of friends. 115 Turner St, Southern Pines (910) 246-9838 • karmabeautybar.com

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

Where Food Meets Spirit. Extraordinary Food in a Comfortable, Casual Atmosphere

Feed Your Spirit! Chef Driven American Fare Open Every Day for Dine-In, Patio Dining, Take-Out and Deliveries (910) 246-0497 • 157 East New Hampshire Ave • Southern Pines, NC • www.ChapmansFoodAndSpirits.com

Like us on

“Creating Community Value through Meaningful Relationships.”

Connecting retail to real estate • Delivering the best sites • On time • Proven Results

PineStraw

Pinehurst, NC Rockingham, NC cfsmithpg.com 910-997-2544 info@cfsmithpg.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

G O L F T OW N J O U R NA L

All About Moe Sandhills links to a legend

By Lee Pace

It was a 20-hour

PRINT BY RICHARD CHORLEY FROM OLD SPORT & GALLERY

drive from the outskirts of Toronto to the Florida coast town of Titusville, and dead in the middle of the drive was Pinehurst. Just as the goldfinch, sparrows and blue jays made their annual migrations in fall and spring from north to south and vice versa, so too did a curious little golf professional named Moe Norman.

Each April headed north and each October going south, Moe drove his Cadillac stuffed with golf clubs, shoes and balls and most of his worldly possessions off I-95 and ventured into the Sandhills, where he found friends, smiles and comfort at Pinehurst, Knollwood Driving Range and Pine Needles, and dropped in on village shops like Gentlemen’s Corner and Old Sport & Gallery. “Moe was a remarkable guy,” says Eric Alpenfels, director of instruction at Pinehurst Resort and a young intern in the golf shop when he first met Norman in 1983. “He was a big history buff. I think he appreciated Pinehurst for its history. I think people in town made him feel welcome and comfortable. So every fall and every spring, you expected to get a call from Moe or just see him show up to hit balls.” Norman was a crack Canadian golfer from the Toronto suburb of Kitchener who won back-to-back Canadian Amateurs in the late 1950s, played in the Masters, and in 1966 won five of the 12 Canadian Tour events he entered. Over his career, he shot three 59s, made 17 aces and nine double-eagles, and counted his course records at 41. But he never made a mark on the PGA Tour because with his childlike persona and eccentric ways (he routinely drank The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

two dozen Cokes a day), he was uncomfortable in the fishbowl of tournament golf and nervous around strangers. He never sought psychological treatment, but when the movie Rain Man came out in 1988 with Dustin Hoffman portraying a middle-aged autistic man, many who knew him said, “That’s Moe.” But he was a mythical figure among golf pros and had an insatiable appetite for hitting balls. He was so straight and so consistent he had the nickname Pipeline Moe. “I don’t know of any player, ever, who could strike a golf ball like Moe Norman,” Lee Trevino once said. “If he had just had some sort of handler, manager, someone to handle his affairs, everyone would know the name today.” Moe was short at 5 feet, 6 inches, liked pastel colors, often mixed plaids with stripes, and wore turtlenecks in warm weather. He often said things twice and with a noted up-lilt on the final syllable. He gripped the club in his palms with a wide stance and took what looked to be a three-quarters swing on one plane, ending not with a picturesque follow-through of a limberback but with his hands and club gyrating above his head à la Arnold Palmer. He liked to say he and Ben Hogan were the only golfers who took the clubhead straight down the line exactly 22 inches. He once said he played the same wooden tee for seven years. The stories of his ball-striking are legendary. Moe was playing an exhibition with Sam Snead and Porky Oliver at Toronto when they came to a par-4 with a creek crossing the fairway 240 yards out. Snead advised Norman against hitting his driver, saying, “This is a lay-up hole.” “Not if you play for the bridge and run it across,” Moe said, and then did exactly that. He once hit more than 1,500 drives in a seven-hour exhibition, all landing within a 30-yard-wide landing zone. “I wish we played 30-yard fairways and out-of-bounds,” he once said. “I’d be the only guy hitting driver.” At other times he’d fire off dozens of piercing 4-irons in succession, PineStraw

Have you met our sister publications?

ohenrymag.com Greensboro, NC

You don’t need a tee time to try this club.

waltermagazine.com Raleigh, NC

southparkmagazine.com Charlotte, NC

Southern Pines G o l f

C l u b

1906 Grill Dine-In and Takeout

pinestrawmag.com

290 Country Club Circle • Southern Pines, NC 28387 910.692.6551 • southernpinesgolfclub.com

Southern Pines/Pinehurst, NC E-editions for all magazines available at thepilot.com

20PNM044.PNDiningAd(3.875x9.625)FINAL.indd 1 PineStraw

10/16/20 3:10 PM

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

G O L F T OW N J O U R NA L

pause and chirp to anyone listening, “Never off-line. This swing can’t hit it crooked.” Once Moe spent several days being filmed hitting balls and giving instructional tips on drivers, fairway woods, long irons and wedge shots. The third morning, the producers planned to ask him about longdistance putting. “Moe, we want you to talk about lag putts, how to manage a 50- or 60-footer.” Norman blew them off. “I never had one. Why would you want to be 50 feet away?” If someone told him a hole was a “driverwedge hole,” Moe was liable to hit a wedge off the tee and a driver into the green and say, “You’re right. Driver-wedge.” Pat McGowan, the head of instruction at Pine Needles, was playing the PGA Tour in the 1980s when he first saw Norman give an exhibition at the Canadian Open. “Ben Crenshaw, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, the whole golf world would stop practicing and walk over and watch Moe hit balls,” McGowan says. “I remember the first time I saw him. He hit 25 or 30 straight drives. Every one of them carried over 220 yards and stayed in a 25-yard fairway. Moe smiled at everyone and said, ‘You want me to hit 50? I’ll stay all night.’” Alpenfels was working the counter at the Pinehurst golf shop in 1983 when someone nodded to a little man and said, “That’s Moe Norman.” Alpenfels remembered the name from conversations with Jim Hardy, his mentor in California. Alpenfels struck up a conversation, watched Norman hit balls and developed a friendship. He was invited to Norman’s winter headquarters at Royal Oak Country Club in Titusville that year to hang out. “Moe was a brilliant ball-striker,” Alpenfels says. “He virtually could do what he said he could do. If he told you that he was going to hit five drives in a row and that all would land within a 5-foot radius, he’d pretty much do that. He was amazing. From a ball-striking standpoint, it was crazy how good he was.” Chris Dalrymple, owner of the Gentlemen’s Corner clothing store in the village, remembers Moe would “just appear out of nowhere, sort of like a genie,” and would look around the shop, never buying anything. “I remember he wore two watches, one on each wrist,” Dalrymple says. “I asked The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

COME HOME TO STRESSLESS RECLINERS FROM EKORNES VOTED THE WORLD’S MOST COMFORTABLE RECLINER

160-L Pinehurst Ave. Southern Pines, NC comfortstudio.net 910-692-9624 ENDORSED BY

The Sandhills Original TEMPUR-PEDIC Showroom

The American Chiropractic Association now endorses the “Stressless” seating solution from Ekornes, the largest furniture manufacturer in Scandinavia. This premium line of reclining sofas and chairs provides comfort and quality through its adaptive features, including a unique “Plus” system that ensures correct support for both the head and lower back.

LOCATED ON PINEHURST AVENUE BETWEEN ARBY’S AND LOWE’S HOME IMPROVEMENT

3703 Bragg Blvd. | Fayetteville, NC | 910-868-8319 PineStraw

G O L F T OW N J O U R NA L

COMBINING NEW TRADITIONS & CLASSIC CUISINE

BANQUET FACILITY WITH SEATING FROM 1 TO 100! GREAT BURGERS & SANDWICHES IN THE LOUNGE

Locally Owned & Operated for Over 25 Years

www.beefeatersofsouthernpines.com

Dinner Mon-Sat 5-10pm • Lounge 5pm-until Monday-Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm 910-692-5550 • 672 SW Broad St. Southern Pines, NC

Paul E. Gauthier D.D.S. ARE YOU PREPARED?

Dedicated to Serving our Sandhills Community. We offer a safe, clean environment with the latest technology and would be honored to treat you and your friends.

- FREE In-Home Assessments - Easy Financing - 24/7 Service - Fully Certified & Factory Trained - Affordable Maintenance Plans - Locally Owned and Operated

910-241-4752 | GeneracNC.com 64

PineStraw

Southern Pines Family Dentistry

655 SW Broad St Southern Pines 692-6500

him why he did that. He said, ‘I just do.’” From Pinehurst, Norman would drive down Midland Road and visit another friend, Greg Gulka, the head pro at Knollwood, and then on to Pine Needles to hit balls with Peggy Kirk Bell and Jim Suttie, the head instructor there in the 1990s. “The first time I ever saw Moe, he was hitting drivers out of divots,” says Kelly Miller, Mrs. Bell’s son-in-law. “He was rifling golf balls down the range, one after another. They came out of that divot like a rocket.” Moe had money problems for most of his adult life, saying he “had slept in bunkers all across Canada.” He never had a credit card or a checking account. He refused Miller’s offer for a bed at Pine Needles but would accept several hundred dollars Miller would slip in his pocket after entertaining guests at Pine Needles with an exhibition. Some thought Norman spent most of his nights in his car, but he usually had enough funds for a Motel 6 or Super 8. His finances were buttressed significantly when he met Titleist CEO Wally Uihlein at the 1995 PGA Show. Uihlein watched Norman hit balls and said Norman was a national golfing treasure and allowed that Titleist would pay him a $5,000-a-month stipend for the rest of his life. That lasted until September 2004, when Norman died of a heart attack. “He had everything he needed. He had a good car, a place to stay and wonderful friends,” Alpenfels says. “He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.” A documentary film about Moe Norman’s life is in the works. “It’s an underdog story. It’s a story about a guy who never should have succeeded, but did,” says Barry Morrow, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Rain Man and a co-producer of the film. “I think he wanted to be the best at something. And hitting a golf ball was it,” adds Suttie. PS Lee Pace has written about golf in The Sandhills for three decades. His newest book, Good Walks — Rediscovering the Soul of Golf at 18 Top Carolinas Courses, will be available wherever you buy books. His personal favorites include anything by P.G. Wodehouse. Tied for first are Heart of a Goof and Right Ho, Jeeves. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

WESLEY PINES’ MANAGEMENT COMPANY

RANKED TWO YEARS RUNNING!

uu oo kT kkYY nu n ao a hY h ThanT g gg in in in k k k a a a M M M m m m rrr oro foorr F fo fo F F ee th ssth us the uU u U U Retirement Retirement Retiremen Retiremen Com Co t mm t t Retirement n nRetirement n eti e e m re re re ti ee RR 11 #1 Re#ti # y y y it it it n n n u u u mm mm oo Comm CC nn oo ss esRoR ee bb ono in Rob in in ! ! ! ty ty ty n n n u u u o o o C CC

Proudly Proudly Proudly Serving Ser SeO

Life Care Services Awarded Highest Customer Satisfaction Among U.S. Senior Independent Living Communities in J.D. Power Study

WesleW

1000 WESLEY PINES RD • LUMBERTON, NC 28358 • (910) 738-9691 • WWW.WESLEYPINES.ORG

185 Shepherd Trail • Aberdeen, NC 28315 • www.trimtimelawnandgarden.com • 910-757-0193 The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

P I N E H U R S T R E S O R T

D I N I N G

From the gourmet Southern flavors of the Four-Diamond 1895 Grille to the casual atmosphere of the Pinehurst Brewing Co., dining options at Pinehurst include something for every taste.

Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina • 910.295.6811 • pinehurst.com

August ��

Snap the Whip Winslow Homer (1872)

You know the game: everybody runs hard as they can, holding hands, and then the boy on the near end suddenly stops, sets his feet hard against the ground, and the others swing, like a gate made of children, swinging faster the farther out, fighting centrifugal force now to keep from being flung away, flung out of the sudden circle this line of children has become a radius of, and those farthest out have to hang on for dear life. What saves them is how tight they and their friends can hold on, and for how long. The farthest from the center need the strongest friends.

— Millard Dunn

Millard Dunn is the author of Places We Could Never Find Alone.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

A brave new world Earlier this year, in the midst of global lockdowns, pandemic fatigue and an unprecedented sense of loss, we asked three North Carolina authors — Frances Mayes, Etaf Rum and Daniel Wallace — to share their tales of our brave new, old world. Offering glimpses of resilience, hope, fear, transformation and what-ifs, each piece is an exploration of freedom and the mystery of the human spirit. Read on for one memoir and two works of fiction that open our eyes, minds and hearts through incomparable storytelling.

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Into the New By Frances Mayes Illustration by Gerry O’Neill

uring the pandemic, I became enthralled with The New York Times word game, the Spelling Bee. I’d never been attracted to crossword puzzles, Mensa quizzes or those already-penciled-in Sudoku squares in airline magazines. I’d rather read a book. But there I was at midnight, spending good hours I should have used on my nascent novel, staring at seven letters that must be arranged into words. At least I could excel at finding the pangram — the word that uses all the letters. What I couldn’t do at all was imagine what my fictional characters Charlotte, Lee and Annsley possibly could be up to in their imagined world, given that a plague was loose in the real world. Their concerns seemed of no concern. But I was learning dozens of new words such as lambi, boba, libelee, doggo and ricin — words that proved useless outside of boosting me from “amazing” status to “genius.” Ah, genius. What an accomplishment, that is, until the next morning when the new puzzle appeared. Many friends also had developed obsessive activities. My husband, Ed, seemed always to be mowing the grass, even measuring the height so it remained at 2 inches. My friend Susan tore through several Indian cookbooks, leaving containers of spicy food at our back door constantly, and an Amazon truck pulled up daily at our across-the-street neighbor’s driveway. She was shopping maniacally. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

Those of us who were lucky survived that suspended and puzzling and frustrating siege. Remember wiping off grocery bags on the porch? Remember when fashion masks in silk prints appeared? Remember those annoying suggestions to keep a gratitude journal? For decades, we’ll be puzzling through this aftermath of grief, its effects on students, what refusal to believe the virus existed means, the incalculable, staggering losses, the global politics, on and on. Per ora, for now, as the Italians always caution, we are reassessing, realizing that we are lucky to do the things we so took for granted. Are we in a Brave New World? By metabolic nature, I’m a traveler. After having covered a lot of the globe and written many books about place, of course I knew that those journeys play a major part in my life. During confinement, I chafed. I started spending hours researching the history of Cyprus, the accommodations at Machu Picchu, a hike from Bratislava to Prague. Working on the Spelling Bee one week about eight months into house arrest, I came to an impasse. Instead of forming the usual words, I saw that I was picking the letters for “London,” “Rome,” “Miami,” “Hawaii.” Not allowed, any place names, but my travel gene was taking over. I couldn’t get “bountiful,” “exciting,” “texting” but adamantly typed in “Paris,” “Kenya,” “Greece.” Travel, it turns out, isn’t just what I like to do, it’s who I am. Did others find such truths? I pushed my novel to the back of my desk — bye-bye Annsley, Lee, Charlotte — and began writing about home. Where’s home? Why leave home? What happens when you do leave home? Why do memories of various homes come back over and over in dreams? How do you make a home? The pull of this subject, so unlike my novel, took over my days. I quit pouring that second, third glass of wine with dinner; I exercised; I lost twenty pounds. Despite all the activity, the desire to go, just go, became overwhelming.

PineStraw

Ed and I donned N95 masks and traveled to our home in Italy. I felt like we held our breaths the entire way. We were allowed in because we have residency cards. Everyone greeted us like returning Olympic stars. We quarantined at our home, then lined up for entering the negozio di frutta e verdura for groceries, enjoyed our friends within the limits of our houses, harvested our olive crop, and, before returning to North Carolina, spent two days in Rome prior to departure. Rome alone. I walk. All day. At night. Walking the soles off my shoes. In this slowed, surreal scape, here’s Rome washed clean, the city showing its beauty unalloyed. I revisit favorites of mine, even though many are closed — Bramante’s Tempietto on the Janiculum Hill, the Baroque extravaganza Palazzo Colonna, the chalk pastel palazzi on Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, kiosks of botanical prints and severe engravings of ruins at the Mercato delle Stampe, Gelateria del Teatro for sublime gelato of lavender and white peach, or cherry, or orange and mascarpone. Who can choose? At Trevi fountain, Ed and I stand there alone. For the first time in decades, I toss a coin. In Piazza Navona, too, I can hear the musical splash of water from the Four Rivers fountain and walk around the lovely ellipse of the ancient stadium. The great Marcus Aurelius, copy of the second-century bronze rider, atop his prancing horse at Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio, gains in majesty as he surveys a vacant piazza. Totally real, Rome feels imagined, conjured as one of Italo Calvino’s invisible cities. Eerie. There’s a lone woman with red fright-wig hair wobbling along the sidewalk with a basket of oranges; the familiar aroma of dark coffee wafting out of a bar, where the barista stands polishing glasses for no customers. The sky is a color a watercolorist might mix, find it too milky pale, and decide to stir in another dollop of cerulean. Trajan’s Column seems to tilt against rushing clouds. The forum appears doubly ancient, columns white as bleached femurs. Church bells send out circles of silver sound. The sculptural pines, the vulgar magenta bougainvillea, the surprise of palms. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Because Rome was still “yellow,” low-risk but cautious, some restaurants are open for lunch outside. We order both the fried artichokes and the artichokes with tender homemade pasta. We’re talking about whether anything of this Rome can be carried forth into normal times. We remember the day we showed our grandson 18 fountains in one day. We remember that Keats rode a pony around the Piazza di Spagna in his last weeks. We remember an apartment we rented with a roof garden that looked down on a clothesline with flapping giant underpants. The waiter forgets our glasses of wine, apologizes, and brings over a whole bottle. (That’s Rome.) I’m thrilled to see Rome like this: an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience for this traveler. I hope never to see Rome like that again. After a day, I missed the scramble to see what’s on at the Quirinale, new restaurants, friends toasting at wine bars, shopping for shoes, tracking down 10 things on my to-see list. All this amid a chaos of sirens, horns, weaving motorcycles, tsunamis of tourists, overflowing garbage bins, buses spilling out groups from all over the world, silly goofs trying to get in the fountains. Life. People, annoying, glorious people.

ack at home, the bleak holiday season arrived, then in January, hallelujah: the vaccine. A quasi-normal life recommenced. Am I grateful for this period of solitude, introspection, focus? Not a bit. I’m grateful that no one I love died, that’s it. Let’s not whitewash: the period was relentlessly awful and a flash of panic washes over me when I wonder if it will happen again. What remains? Is there no silver lining? Yes, the major takeaway: a heightened awareness of carpe diem, seize the day. I love so many people; have I said so enough? All the posts and emails showed friends The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

making their level best of the situation. I saw anew their humor, resourcefulness, brilliance, thoughtfulness and determination. They signed off not with “ciao,” or “xoxo,” but now with “Love you,” “Miss you,” “Always and Forever.” Don’t forget this, I told myself, when we’re back at Vin Rouge and JuJu, toasting and chatting and exchanging plans, feeling invincible. We are not invincible. The drastic happened. Don’t forget the lively crowds in Istanbul, the subway crush in New York, the swarms reveling in the extreme beauty of Cinque Terre. Living their lives. Keep the table set, keep the antenna alert for friends in need, keep working to know what’s really going on, keep the rosé chilled, write the check to someone running on ideals, say you are dear to me, order the flowers, the Georgia peaches, the book I just read that X might enjoy. Oh, I do this, but now, my effort doubles and cubes. Brave New World — we know Aldous Huxley’s depressing novel and his title has been used and used, ironically and seriously. Maybe used up. He took the words from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the whole quote is now somewhat lost. The last half of the sentence is best. Miranda speaks, “O brave new world, that has such people in it.” What mind-bending losses. Memento vivere, remember to live. We go on now, together. You are dear to me. I didn’t give up on the daily Spelling Bee but if I can’t be a quick genius, I click over to visit Annsley, Lee and Charlotte. They’ve been waiting a long time to resume their lives. When last seen they were arising from the table after a dinner party, about to make enormous changes. I think they are ready. SP Frances Mayes is a novelist, poet and essayist known for work including the New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun. She and her husband split their time between North Carolina and Italy. Her favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. PineStraw

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The World is Still the World Fiction by Daniel Wallace Illustrations by Lyudmila Tomova

n our last day at the beach the sun came out, and the fog, which for that whole week had draped the shore in a veil of cotton, burned away: we discovered there was an ocean here, after all. It wasn’t blue, really, closer to black, but when the waves flattened out across the beach, the water was perfectly clear and full of minnows and tiny crabs. The shells were just so-so, mostly shards of something that used to be beautiful, like ancient pottery washed up from the ocean floor, there to remind you the world was old. I’d like to say that these discoveries inspired in us a recognition of our own mortality, but the truth was it just felt good to have the sun on our shoulders as my wife and I — so young, newlyweds in fact — walked across the warming sand, hand in hand. She was wearing a black two-piece, simple and very small, and so striking that even the women we passed couldn’t help but stare. Her hair (thick and chocolate brown) was in pigtails, and somehow this girlish maneuver heightened her brazen but effortless display of pure, glorious womanhood. I was invisible in the best possible way.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

“I’m glad our honeymoon wasn’t ruined,” she said. I stopped walking and looked at her. “I didn’t know it was even close to being ruined,” I said. “We’ve made love like a hundred times, read three novels and watched an entire season of The Walking Dead. That’s almost perfect.” “Yeah,” she said. “I didn’t mean ruined. But you can’t go back and tell people that it was foggy and it rained the whole time and you read and watched TV. It sounds gloomy.” “You skipped the part about making love.” “Because you can’t tell people that.” “No,” I said. “Let’s tell them it was sunny every day and we swam with the dolphins.” “But that would be wrong,” she said, and we laughed. Somehow this had become a joke: saying but that would be wrong after every wrong thing we talked about doing. I have no idea why or how, but it was hilarious to us, just to us, the way that something that clearly isn’t funny becomes funny for reasons impossible to explain. “That being said, I’ll totally never forget that ride we took on the humpback whale.” “Because it’s unforgettable. We’ll tell our kids about that.” “Little Johnny and Marie.” “I thought we’d settled on Zeus and Hera?” “I just think that might put too much pressure on them, honey.” I slapped my forehead, and a few grains of sand fell into my eyes. “Of course, you’re right. Why did I never think about that?

PineStraw

Sometimes I feel like I knew nothing until we met.” Pause. “At least I know you’re a goddess.” She squeezed my hand. “Keep ’em coming,” she said. “Don’t worry. We’re good for the next ten years at least.” “Whoa. You stockpile flatteries?” “Flatteries are my specialty.” “Oh no,” she said, in a husky whisper, knocking against me with her shoulder. “No, they’re not.” How long had we been walking? I had no idea. I stopped and looked behind us: I couldn’t see our hotel or any landmark at all. Civilization had disappeared behind the curve of the shore. I could imagine that we were on a deserted island, looking toward the horizon for a rescue we knew would never come. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she had that faraway look in her eyes as well, and as I looked into them (her eyes were the color of ivy), the tail end of a wave chilled my toes. I almost gasped it was so cold. She turned to me. “I’m going in,” she said. “No way.” “I could never live with myself if I went to the beach and didn’t get in. I would be ashamed for the rest of my life. You’re coming in, too.” “I don’t think so.” “You’re my husband now,” she said. “You have to. It was in our vows.”

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

“Those vows were ambiguous.” “On purpose, just for occasions such as this.” She let go of my hand and took a deep breath, girding herself. I took a step toward the water myself, but with her hand on my stomach, she held me back. “I’m first in,” she said. “I’m always first in. Ever since I was little. That’s what I want on my tombstone: First In, Last Out. Remember that.” “I will.” “I’m serious,” she said, and she studied my face. “You’ll remember?” “I’ll remember. But I didn’t know that about you.” “Well,” she said. “I guess there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” “Oh yeah? Like what?” But she was already gone. She ran into the water, whooping, and kept running as fast as she could, but slowed as the water got deeper. She pushed into it until she couldn’t walk at all, and then she dove under, disappearing completely for what seemed like a long time. Then she reappeared about five yards out, the bigger waves rolling against her back, lifting and releasing her, up and down, up and down. I think she was smiling. We’d planned a big wedding, with friends and family coming in from all over. There was going to be a band and your choice of

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

chicken or fish or veg, and a first dance and a sound system that could turn even my mousey 80-year-old Aunt Muriel’s voice into that of a roaring lion. But all that was postponed, of course. We’d talked about waiting, to do what we’d hoped to do just a little bit later. When things got back to normal. But we couldn’t wait a minute longer. We were married at the courthouse, with our two best friends, witnesses to our contract, safe behind a Plexiglas wall. Now here we were at the beach, in the days just before summer, the rest of our lives ahead of us. Six days of fog and rain, one day of sun, and then the rest of our lives. She waved, I waved. “Come and get me if you dare!” she yelled into the wind, my freckled goddess in the wine-dark sea, the woman who had already told me the words she wanted on her tombstone when death does us part. I wanted to tell her what I wanted on mine, too, but the water was cold, and she was already so far away. PS Daniel Wallace is the author of six novels, including Big Fish and, most recently, Extraordinary Adventures. He lives in Chapel Hill, where he directs the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina. My most recent favorite book is Bewilderness, by North Carolina writer Karen Tucker. It’s a rollercoaster, page-turning literary gem.

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The Stitch Around Her Mouth Fiction by Etaf Rum Illustration by Marie-Louise Bennett

he stitch was starting to come undone, shedding fine, thin threads at the corners of her mouth. For as long as she could remember, she had never seemed to notice it — a ribbon the color of dust woven tightly around her lips. It had been there ever since she was a child, ever since her mother taught her how to roll her first grape leaf, ever since her grandmother read the thick, musty grounds of Turkish coffee at the bottom of her first kahwa cup. By the time she did notice it, she was a mother herself, devoting her energy to her husband and children, her feet firm in the fabric her family had sewn. When she awakened one morning to find the stitch unraveling, a wild terror overcame her. She dared not tug at the loose ends of her stitch in fear her world would unspool. She paused to think now as she hurried to complete her chores before her children returned from school. What was it that had snagged her stitch loose now, after all these years? She wondered if she had done something wrong. The worst thing a woman could do was question her condition. Her mother had told her that once. Only she’d barely been thinking lately. She knew such freedoms were the province of boys and men, not for women, whose delicate fibers were spun like webs on the kitchen curtains like a daily reminder. Not for a woman whose life was a tight pattern overlapping her mother’s. There was nothing to think about. Things have always been this way. She closed her eyes to the image of her 7-year-old face as she waited in line at the fabric store. Mama had prepared her for the stitching tradition the way Mama’s own mother had done before, wrapping her unruly hair and staining her hands with rust-colored henna. While all the other young girls had locked their eyes on the brightest ribbons, her gaze fell quietly on a strand as pale as wheat. She snatched it, gripped it close to her chest. She thought if she must endure the numbing and needling, the pain that comes with saying words too full, the swallowing of thoughts, the stitch should at least blend in with her olive skin. Others should never know. She stood over the stove now, her afternoon chores completed. The steam from an ibrik of mint chai prickled her stitch. She felt her mouth stiffening, a burning sensation around the edge of her lips. In the distance, she could hear the sound of a school bus, then her two children approach-

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

ing — a boy of 8, a girl of 6. She tucked her thoughts away. She didn’t want them to notice her loose stitch, confusing them, or worse, igniting their curiosity. She had no answers to the questions they might ask. The oven clock read 7 p.m. by the time she finished helping the children with homework and cooking dinner. More than once she considered calling her husband to ask when he would be home. But each time she stopped herself. It would be unseemly to question him, to ask where he was or what he was doing as if he wasn’t working the way she was working. Only what if he wasn’t? She teased her loose stitch with the tip of her henna-stained finger before pulling it away. No, she shouldn’t question such things. Growing up, Mama had said the stitch would make her more desirable, not only in the eyes of men, but also women, who were taught to see beauty in lips that were tightly sealed. Yet it was Mama who originally suggested that she choose a ribbon that would blend in. A plain ribbon will help you endure the pain, Mama had said, holding her hand at the fabric store, steering her down the fig-colored aisles. She could see other mothers in the aisles too, smiling as they helped their daughters select their ribbons. Some ribbons had the luster of pride and joy; others had a glow of satisfaction. But not hers. She had wondered why her mother steered her to a ribbon that was barely visible, and why she even needed to get a ribbon at all. What would happen if she decided not to get a ribbon, like some of the unstitched women she knew? She wondered what her world would be like without a stitch around her mouth. The next thing she knew, the thought escaped her lips. “What if I don’t want to get a stitch?” “Nonsense,” Mama said, shaking her head. “But not every woman gets stitched,” she said, frozen in the center of the aisle. “The woman who reports the news doesn’t have one. Or the widow who opened up the pharmacy in town. Or even the girl who lives a few blocks away from us.” Mama fixed her with a glare. “This is the way things are, daughter. It’s always been this way.” Soon after the stitching she began to feel a burning sensation in the corners of her mouth, the quiet ripping of flesh. She did what she could to dull the pain, swapping out words, shortening thoughts, sometimes even getting rid of ideas altogether. Some words, she realized, would never be hers to say. Maybe her mother was right. After all, women were woven with a fabric meant to endure the knots and coils of their lives, like carrying the bulbous world in their center. The stitch was just another natural difference, another law of womanhood.

PineStraw

Now there was a sound at the front door, then the twist of a lock, and quickly she turned off the faucet, dried her hands, tucked a strand of dry hair behind her ear. She felt the tip of the dusty wheat ribbon tickle her hands, like the touch of her grandmother’s finger when she read her palms as a child. What would her grandmother say if she knew her stitch was coming undone? What would Mama say? Surely they would tighten it. Her stitch was supposed to last a lifetime, a legacy passed along generations. A loosened stitch was the ultimate disgrace, a shame that would swallow her family whole. Wasn’t it her grandmother who said that no good can come from a wide-mouthed woman? And hadn’t Mama agreed, unquestioning, stitching her lips before she learned how to question? Well she was a mother now, to a daughter whose mouth would soon need stitching. She swallowed a lump in her throat. She didn’t like to think of it. Her husband awaited her at the kitchen table, glancing at her with knitted brows. There was a silence between them, one which she had learned not to mind, and she hurried to pour the lentil soup into four bowls. A blanket of steam covered her face and she withstood the temptation to open her mouth, if only for a moment, and stretch the stitch loose. She could feel her children watching her and she didn’t want them to see her this way, opening her mouth in such an unnatural position, the contortions of her face the opposite of womanly. No — there are some moments a child will never forget, like the sound of a mother’s tears, roaring like rain against the roof. Her children shouldn’t have to feel what she felt now, a mountain of memories clung to her chest. She decided she would only stretch her stitch when no one was watching. Somehow at the dinner table, she could hear her grandmother in her ear, the same way she had heard her as a child. Sayings and lessons, like fortune cookies hanging from her ears. “A woman belongs at home,” her grandmother would say. “No good will ever come from a woman thinking.” Her husband cleared his throat, bringing her back to the room. “I have to travel for work tomorrow,” he said. “Where to?” She let the words leak through her stitch as if by accident so as not to make her mouth hurt. It was a trick her mother taught her. “A conference in D.C.,” he said, shoving soup into his mouth as if to purposely end the conversation. She said nothing, having learned from a young age to find safety in silence. She placed a crumb of bread between her slightly parted lips and clenched hard. Dinners were the same every night, with her husband sitting at the end of the table and all three of them curled around him like children. More often than not, one of them would signal her, and, as if wired to be true to her nature, she would drop her food and leap with eagerness, refilling cups and bowls, smiling to the rhythm of clinking spoons. Look how much they need me, her tender heart would whisper as she scurried around the table. Delighted, her husband would look at her and smile as if to say: Look at the family we’ve created, you and I. Look at what we’ve done. Only tonight, huddled around the dinner table with her family, she could hear another whisper: What has she done? The question grazed her stitch, bitterness on her tongue. She The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

looked up at her daughter and felt a tide of guilt rolling in her chest. For a long time, she studied her daughter’s face, resting her eyes on the dull brown mole on her left cheek. All she could think of was the fine needle, slithering up and down her lips like a snake. Soon her daughter would be 7 years old, and what could she do then? She couldn’t stop it. Lately she had begun to think the stitch was the reason she only had two children. Her mother-in-law never missed an opportunity to remind her to get pregnant, as if she had somehow forgotten her duty. In fact, she closed her legs purposefully at night, feigning exhaustion or sleep, or when she was particularly distressed, a desperate sadness. On those nights she felt an ache swelter not only from her stitch but from a place buried inside her. But now, looking at her daughter’s mouth, thinking of what was soon to come, never had she felt a pain deeper than the shame of mothering another girl. She wondered if her son knew how lucky he was. Her husband, noting the strain on her face, scrunched his eyebrows in a knot. “Is there something wrong?” She met his eyes and instantly turned red. Had her face betrayed her? Had her thoughts escaped her stitch? “No, no,” she whispered. “Nothing’s wrong.” He lowered his gaze to the bowl, stirred the soup fiercely before scooping a spoonful into his mouth. Swallowing at once, he said, “There’s something on the corners of your mouth.” He handed her a rag. “Here, wipe.” Calmly she took the rag from his fingers and pressed it against her stitch. She looked at the stain: it was blood. Her husband stared at her in silence before clearing his throat. “Careful now,” he said, reaching over to tighten her stitch. “The children and I need you around.” At that, her children looked at her in their usual way, their eyes glistening with the past and future as if always to remind her. It was as though they’d made a permanent mark upon her heart from which she could never escape. No, she would never escape. In awe of herself, she swept the thought away. Wasn’t she a believer of God, a believer in His will? If He wanted her this way, with this stitch around her mouth, then surely it was for the best. Besides, did she want to be like some of the unstitched girls she knew, still in their mother’s house, unmarried — or worse, divorced — an ocean of shame in their ribs? Of course she didn’t want that. Yet within herself, she didn’t understand why she couldn’t be happy. Inside she could hear all the women, and all the women she could hear were tired. She bit the inside of her lip, swallowing her thoughts. She could hear a whisper in her ear. Be thankful, or God will take it all away. The days passed and her stitch kept bleeding: at the dinner table, during the day, whenever she stopped to think about it. Only when she wasn’t thinking did she seem to forget the uncomfortable grip around her mouth. But soon enough she would remember, feeling the heaviness in her mind sink into her lips whenever she spoke. Then the sound of a stitch unraveling, then the taste of blood. Sometimes it felt as if her mouth was only one stitch away from slitting all together, as if at any moment a thought would come and undo everything. Her life as she knew it. She became afraid. Then she began to wonder: Perhaps it’s all my fault. Perhaps I am being unreasonable. And even though there were no noticeable changes in her, all The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

she could think of was what would become of her life if she let the stitch unravel. This fear had become an everlasting whisper in her chest which no amount of thinking could get rid of. Four months passed. The day had finally come. Outside, the sky hung oppressively low, suffocating her. Quietly she reached for her daughter’s hand as they walked into the fabric store. The room was made of glass, with gold circles glistening across the walls. Between the brightly colored aisles, she thought she could hear, very faintly, the silent sounds of sorrow. She let go of her daughter’s hand. From a distance she watched her reach for a dusty pink ribbon, almost identical to her own. Her heart swelled in her chest. She could feel her stitch ripping open, blood leaking from her lips, desperate to spare her daughter. But she said nothing. How she sewed the ribbon, how she stitched her daughter’s mouth — none of that could she remember later. Only one thought came to her now: the mild expression of submission painted on her daughter’s face as if it had been given to her since birth. Alone, she studied her own stitch in the mirror with shame. She ran her fingers along the edges of her lips, dug them into the corners as if to rip the ribbon out. Trembling, she tried to keep from screaming. She could taste her mother on her stitch and it made her weep. PS The daughter of Palestinian immigrants, Etaf Rum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She has a Masters of Arts in American and British Literature as well as undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and English and has taught undergraduate courses in North Carolina, where she lives with her two children. Etaf is also the founder of @ booksandbeans. A Woman Is No Man is her first novel. All-time favorite book: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

From the Ground Up A sculpture grows in the Gardens Photographs by Tim Sayer

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

atrick Dougherty’s most recent sculpture, What Goes Around, Comes Around, blossomed in three weeks from a dogwood flower. After laying a few petals on the ground, the internationally renowned artist, who grew up in Southern Pines, posed himself a question: “What could we do if these flower petals had walls and became something else?” What they became was the large stick sculpture that stands, for as long as Mother Nature will allow, behind the visitors’ center of the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens at Sandhills Community College.

Dougherty and a cadre of volunteers worked for three weeks in June creating the piece. “We drilled a series of holes around the perimeter of our footprint, set scaffolding and bent those limbs over into the shapes you find out there,” he says. Like drawing on a canvas, Dougherty uses additional sticks to give the outer wall of the sculpture its flowing surface. He and his crew spent the last few days “really, erasing things we didn’t like” and sprucing (no pun intended) up the installation so people could walk through it and interact with it. The commission was a chance for Dougherty, who graduated from the old Southern Pines High School on May Street, to reconnect with the community, and friends, of his youth. “Everybody that I knew in a previous lifetime ended up coming back and talking to me,” says Dougherty. “And I look at all the new friends I made. My volunteers. Each person brought their own story, their own expectations. They know about me, so I get to understand about them.” And leave a door to the imagination behind. — Jim Moriarty

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The Ross Brothers

By Bill Case

ven the closest of brothers look to pulverize one another in competition. This was undoubtedly the case at the North and South Open held at Pinehurst Country Club in April 1907. The tournament hinged on the battle between Scottish ex-pat siblings, both employed as professionals at Pinehurst CC — head man Donald Ross, 34, and his kid brother and assistant, Aleck (Alec or Alex) Ross, 27.

Outdistancing their fellow competitors, the Rosses stood deadlocked atop the leaderboard after Saturday’s morning round with iden-

PineStraw

tical scores of 73. Donald took charge during the afternoon’s closing 18, surging to a comfortable lead of four strokes over Aleck with six holes to play. But a couple of loose shots by Donald frittered away half of the cushion, and his regrettable 7 on the 16th dissipated it altogether. The Ross brothers finished the championship tied again, but Aleck capped his comeback by winning the playoff. His third North and South title equaled Donald’s victory total in the event. For Aleck, the triumph ignited his greatest year of golf, 1907, while it would also mark a critical milestone in Donald’s life: His crowning architectural achievement, Pinehurst’s No. 2 course, would debut later that year. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE TUFTS ARCHIVES

Donald and Aleck Ross left indelible marks on golf and Pinehurst

The Ross brothers’ emergence as notable figures in American sport could not have been foreseen during their youth in Dornoch, Scotland, a remote northerly town in the Scottish Highlands. The eldest of four brothers (John was two years younger, Aleck seven and Aeneas nine), Donald was drawn to golf at an early age and frequented the local course at every opportunity. But, as the eldest, Donald was expected to support himself financially at an early age. It seemed a pipe dream to be able to make a living from golf in his home village — Dornoch Golf Club did not even employ a professional. The boys’ father, Murdo Ross, a stonemason, steered his sons toward traditional trades like his own and, at age 14, Donald began an apprenticeship with local carpenter Peter Murray. While the woodworking skills he acquired would prove useful, Donald found shopwork overly confining. The lad was much more interested in the comings and goings at the local club where Old Tom Morris of St. Andrews had just transformed Dornoch’s seaside links into a magnificent test of golf. The lure of the redesigned links was irresistible to the oldest Ross boy. He spent every spare hour outside the carpentry shop there, caddieing and playing, and quickly developed into a stellar golfer. Dornoch GC’s secretary, John Sutherland, impressed with Donald’s talents, thought he might be the right man to become the club’s first golf professional, but he believed the young Ross, by then 19, needed further seasoning. Who better to provide it than Morris? Old Tom had mastered the varied skills required of professionals: greenkeeping, clubmaking, instruction, competitive playing — he was four times the “Champion Golfer of the Year” — and managing the disparate needs and bruised egos of members. Disregarding his parents’ wishes, Donald headed south to St. Andrews in 1892 to begin an apprenticeship with the legendary Morris. So miffed was the family that Donald’s mother, Lillian, refused to speak to Sutherland for some time. In The Life and Times of Donald Ross, Southern Pines author Chris Buie suggests that Ross’ exposure to Old Tom’s multi-layered role at St. Andrews would be the “template Ross used in his approach to Pinehurst and the development of American golf.” Following his apprenticeship with Morris, Ross received additional training in Carnoustie at Simpson’s Golf Shop, founded in 1883 by renowned clubmaker Robert Simpson. In November 1893, Ross returned to Dornoch and became the golf club’s professional, a job he enjoyed except for the tedium of greenkeeping. “What I really did was to go out in overalls on my hands and knees and care for the turf and the bunkers and the greens,” Ross said. “And how I used to hate it. But, as it turned out, that was the best training I could have had for what turned out to be my future.” Aleck, 14, and a natural golfer, joined his brother in the Dornoch shop. “Being the older brother, it was left to me to order him about occasionally, and, as you would expect, he generally told me to mind my own business,” Donald said. It made for a busy, though not particularly prosperous, life for the golfing brothers. In the 1890s, Dornoch Golf Club (now Royal Dornoch Golf Club) was far from the must-play golf destination it is today. Given its backwater inaccessibility — the closest railroad station was 7 miles distant — few outsiders visited Dornoch. If intrepid Harvard professor Robert Willson had not made his way to the town during his 1898 holiday abroad, the Ross brothers might never have left the Scottish Highlands. Recently hooked on golf, the American arranged for a series of lesThe Art & Soul of the Sandhills

sons from Donald that resulted in the educator’s rapid improvement. The delighted prof was doubly pleased with Donald’s recommendation of a local tailor who took care to measure both of Willson’s sleeve lengths — an unusual nicety. Impressed with Donald’s acumen, Willson advised him to consider emigrating to America, indicating that golf was new in the country and there was money to be made. “He said I could make 50 cents an hour for lessons,” recalled Ross in an interview. “You see that was three times what I was making in Dornoch.” Willson also urged Donald to “call him up” should he ever find his way to Boston. Ross wasted little time mulling over the pros and cons of leaving Scotland. By March of the following year he was bidding adieu to Aleck and the rest of his family and sailing off on the ship Majestic to New York. Once in America he boarded a train for Boston, arriving at that city’s South Station with $2 in his pocket. Ross sought to contact Willson in hopes the Harvard professor would assist him in getting settled. After a kindly operator showed the perplexed Scot the vagaries of using a telephone, Ross was able to reach his lone American friend. The professor told him to take the trolley to his home but, fearful of exhausting his limited resources, Ross hiked the 8-mile distance. Willson greeted his erstwhile swing instructor with a sandwich and a glass of milk. As luck would have it, the fledgling Oakley Golf Club, where Willson was a charter member, was looking to hire its first professional. With the professor vouching for Ross’ credentials, he was quickly hired. While Ross was getting settled into his new post, there was an unforeseen development in the construction of the Oakley course. Several holes required re-routing after the club failed to renew a lease on the land where the holes were supposed to be built. Adding to this chaotic state of affairs was the unavailability of the course’s architect due to illness. The desperate Oakley board asked Ross if he would take charge of relocating the holes. Their new professional had hands-and-knees experience with turf maintenance and proper drainage. So, why not? He assured the board he was up to the task. With the additional responsibilities thrust upon him, Ross persuaded the Oakley board to hire a second professional to give lessons and assist with clubmaking. The man he had in mind was an ocean away — his brother, Aleck. Soon, the younger Ross, now 21, made his own Atlantic crossing, joining Donald at Oakley. By the fall of 1900, the new holes laid out by Ross were ready for play. His surehanded work received rave reviews, and the grateful Oakley board paid him $2,000 for his efforts. The dutiful son promptly forwarded the windfall to his mother in Dornoch. It was Donald’s first taste of the kind of money that could be earned by designing golf courses. Ross’ efforts drew the attention of wealthy New Englanders, including soda fountain magnate James Walker Tufts, who had founded Pinehurst and its resort five years before. Tufts had originally conceived Pinehurst as a restful haven that would furnish fellow Northeasterners a soothing place to restore their mental and physical health. In particular, he courted sufferers from tuberculosis. Once it was discovered that the disease was communicable, Tufts needed a new business plan. Ultimately, he redirected the resort’s marketing campaign to emphasize golf and other outdoor activities. Sensing that Ross could enhance PineStraw

Stereotype images of the brothers in action: Donald (left), and Aleck (right)

Pinehurst’s golf profile, Tufts offered him the head professional position. Donald was amenable but with two caveats: It had to be a package deal that included Aleck, and the Ross brothers would be permitted to retain their summer positions at Oakley. A deal was struck and on December 5, 1900, the Rosses arrived in Pinehurst and established quarters in the Casino Building. Tufts did not hire Donald for the purpose of designing new courses. The resort already featured a challenging 18-hole course. A second pitch-and-putt layout, played mostly by ladies, was opened during the brothers’ first season in Pinehurst. Donald did, however, initiate course improvements, lowering tees and acquiring a steam-powered machine to roll the resort’s sand greens. The brothers were often called upon to compete in exhibition matches for the benefit of the resort’s guests. Many were new to golf and keen to observe how experts played the strange game. Well-heeled patrons passed the hat, building a purse to add some buzz to the matches. Sometimes the siblings teamed together in four-ball matches, but more often wound up on opposing sides. While the Rosses rarely faced each other in one-on-one exhibitions, they played numerous individual matches against visiting professionals. One such opponent was English pro Bernard Nicholls, who had the temerity to defeat the host pro, Donald, in a singles match in the spring of 1901. A revenge match was scheduled days later between Aleck and Nicholls. It would be the kid brother’s first big test in an individual exhibition and came, no less, against a player who was known to have defeated the great Harry Vardon the previous summer. Aleck routed Nicholls, posting a medal score of 152. The Pinehurst Outlook reported that his performance “was one of the best exhibitions of golf ever seen here” and that older brother Donald was “highly elated.” As the Ross brothers’ first Pinehurst season wound down, the Outlook praised their teaching skills. “Pinehurst has been very fortunate in having two such instructors as Donald and Aleck Ross . . . They have the faculty of imparting to others the science of the proper stroke to make a successful drive.” A formidable team, the Ross brothers integrated themselves into Pinehurst society. Both men were elected honorary members of The Tin Whistles, the club’s male golfing society. As professionals, they rarely participated in the Whistles’ weekly competitions, but they could be counted on to attend dinners and other social events. The Rosses commuted between their jobs in Massachusetts and North Carolina depending on the season. While Donald summered at Oakley, Aleck moved on. In 1905, after a brief stint at Woodland Golf Club, he was hired as the pro at prestigious Brae Burn Country Club in West Newton, Massachusetts. As influential as the Ross brothers

PineStraw

were in Pinehurst, they also became a force in Bay State events. Donald won the first Massachusetts Open in 1905, and Aleck was the victor in the ’06 championship. Together they would eventually win eight Massachusetts Opens. Both Donald and Aleck entered the 1907 U.S. Open, scheduled for the St. Martin’s course of the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Donald had finished in the championship’s top 10 several times, but his chances at St. Martin’s seemed modest, at best — he had spent the bulk of his time the previous year designing courses for Leonard Tufts. A second nine had just been seeded for course No. 2 and its existing nine was being substantially toughened. The new improved No. 2 was scheduled to open for play in the fall, but there remained a plethora of final details to resolve. He had also designed a third Pinehurst course of nine holes that had posed a significant challenge due to the hilliness of its terrain. Keeping his golf game in top shape had taken a backseat. By contrast, Aleck was in good form. His successes in ’06, including a sixth-place finish in the U.S. Open, filled him with confidence. After Thursday’s opening two rounds in Philadelphia, steady cards of 76 and 74 staked Aleck to a one-stroke lead over Scot Jack Hobens. Three other contenders lurked two back. One of them was Bernard Nicholls. Despite a decent third round of 76 in the morning, Aleck fell two strokes behind the surging Hobens and one in back of Nicholl’s younger brother, Gilbert. Another 76 in Friday afternoon’s final round proved good enough to vault him past his rivals to the title. Ross’ finishing score of 302 bested Gilbert Nicholls’ by two strokes. He collected the munificent sum of $300 for winning America’s national championship. Donald finished 10 strokes behind his champion brother. While Aleck’s playing ability had always been respected, his victory in the U.S. Open, along with a repeat victory in the Massachusetts Open later in the summer, catapulted him into the front ranks of America’s golfers. Aleck’s presence in exhibitions was suddenly in high demand. For the first, and perhaps only, time in the brothers’ careers, Donald played second fiddle to his younger brother as the two played matches throughout New England in 1907. The barnstorming afforded Donald an opportune time to do what he called his “missionary” work, touting the wonderful new courses he was building at Pinehurst. When Pinehurst’s course No. 2 opened for play in the fall of 1907, initial reaction in some quarters was that the layout was too difficult — a “freak” course. But public opinion rapidly turned around and soon the course, and Ross’ architectural talents, were being applauded. Course No. 3’s nine holes (later expanded to 18 holes in 1910) would also receive high praise. In The Legendary Evolution of Pinehurst, author and course architect Richard Mandell wrote that No. 3’s popularity, “quickly trumped its older siblings,” and that many deemed it Ross’ “best The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

of the Scots.” yet.” The acclaim for his new courses Aleck did possess a bitingly dry caused design work to flow Donald’s wit. A friend once criticized his dog as way. In 1908 the commissions included being too fat. a redesign of Essex County Club in “Too fat!” responded the pro. Manchester, Massachusetts. Ross “What do you know about dogs?” would become the professional there The man replied, “I ought to know from 1909-13 until his design work something. I have six of them.” became so popular he needed the time To which Aleck rejoined, “That more than he needed the job. doesn’t prove anything; you have In ’08 Aleck would achieve a threeeight golf clubs and you don’t know a peat in the Massachusetts Open with blessed thing about any of them.” a then historically low 72-hole score Aleck Ross served as Detroit GC’s of 290. He also won the North and head professional for 30 years, retiring South for the fourth consecutive time. in 1945. The banquet the club threw As the sun was setting on the first in his honor produced an outpouring decade of the 20th century, the Ross of affection. Donald could not attend brothers continued to play excellent golf. Aleck would eventually win a total Early members of “The Tin Whistles” including Donald Ross (second but forwarded a warm message extolling Aleck as his “loyal friend and of six North and South Opens and from top in cap) and Aleck Ross (immediately below and to the right beloved brother.” He also summed of his brother) six Massachusetts Opens. In 1910, up Aleck’s estimable accomplishDonald made a spirited run at winning ments, writing that he, “had a full part in the early development of golf the Open Championship contested at his old stomping grounds, St. in America. He was a great player, a lover of golf, and he believed in its Andrews. He finished tied for eighth, 10 strokes behind winner James finest traditions. He was a good loser as well as a modest winner.” Braid. It was Donald’s last hurrah in championship golf as the volume When Horace Rackham died, he honored the Scottish immigrant of his course design business exploded, leaving little time for anything he had brought to Detroit by establishing a $30,000 fund for Aleck’s but casual rounds. Soon, Donald Ross-designed courses could be benefit, payable in monthly increments upon the pro’s retirement. found in nearly every state east of the Mississippi. A lot of that business Horton Smith, winner of the Masters in 1934 and again in 1936, suctranspired when resort guests, wowed by the Pinehurst courses, would ceeded Aleck as Detroit GC’s pro. Smith was later followed in the post ask Donald to build them a course back home. by 1953 PGA champion Walter Burkemo, giving Detroit GC three Detroit attorney Horace Rackham was a prime example. Having head pros who had won major championships. made a $5,000 investment to help his client, Henry Ford, get his new In his penultimate book, Unplayable Lies, the brilliant, albeit curautomobile business off the ground, Rackham became a millionaire mudgeonly, golf writer Dan Jenkins makes the point that the early pros many times over. He retired early and relished his frequent golfing have never been given proper credit for their important tournament visits to Pinehurst with a group that called themselves the “Snowbirds,” triumphs. Prior to the advent of the Masters in 1934 and the PGA fellow members at Detroit Golf Club. Dissatisfied with the existing Championship in 1916, the North and South Open, the Metropolitan Detroit course, Rackham retained Ross to design not one, but two new Open, and the Western Open were considered the important titles 18-hole layouts. Donald completed the North and South courses for of their day. Aleck’s six North and South victories coupled with his the Detroit GC in 1914. Today, the club hosts the PGA Tour’s Rocket U.S. Open triumph would give him a whopping seven titles of major Mortgage Classic. import. While it is true that his first three North and South wins Rackham liked Donald’s brother, too. At Horace’s urging, Detroit were against lesser fields, the last several were not. Donald Ross was GC tapped Aleck to be its club professional in 1916. One newspainducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977. Aleck has never per hailed his hiring this way: “The advent of Aleck Ross, former been nominated. national open champion, at the DGC has caused a boom in golf Donald, the oldest of the Ross boys and the architect of over 400 interest in the motor city. The members of the new club in which he courses, died in Pinehurst in 1948. Aleck passed away in Florida in is attached are expecting that his instruction will put the club on the 1952. His ashes were spread over the grounds of Detroit GC. While golf map with a vengeance.” Donald’s passing received high profile coverage in all of golf’s publicaWith his competitive skills waning, Aleck segued into administrations, Aleck’s death was generally noted on the back pages, the obits tive roles. He served as the Michigan PGA’s first president in 1922 and invariably mentioning that he was “the brother of Donald Ross.” did much to promote junior golf in the state. He continued wintering If Aleck Ross didn’t mind being in Donald’s shadow, it may have in Pinehurst, but also found time to travel. A favorite destination was been because he managed to shine quite brightly himself. PS Switzerland. The veteran had enough game left to win the Swiss Open championships of 1923, ’25 and ’26. Pinehurst resident Bill Case is PineStraw’s history man. He can be reached at While Aleck was not especially outgoing, once they got to know Bill.Case@thompsonhine.com. the man, the Detroit GC members found him endearing. Donald described his brother as having “a heart of gold and is full of kindly His favorite book is King of Lies by John Hart sentiment, but he has a hard time showing it, which is a characteristic The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

STORY OF A HOUSE

Pretty as a

Picture

Artist’s home captures bygone America By Deborah Salomon Photographs by John Gessner

onet painted from a studio adjacent to his country home in Giverny. Van Gogh rented four Spartan rooms in Arles, which he immortalized on canvas. Cézanne built a studio on farmland, in Provence. All painted fruit and flowers in the still life mode. During the late 19th century, the ateliers of a hundred starving artists dotted the Left Bank. How they would covet Carmen Drake-Gordon’s set-up: a 100-year-old farmhouse converted as a studio with 14-foot windows facing north, for consistent light. Close by, a new house that appears 100 years old, with elongated porch, furnished in country antiques. Beyond the house, an idyllic pond, where Muscovy ducks swim and catfish jump for treats. A shady chicken coop; a fenced yard for three goats who earn their keep by clearing the wisteria. A red barn workshop where Carmen’s partner, Wade Owens, a multi-skilled retired Army officer from Iowa, builds, repairs and blacksmiths. Between the studio and farmhouse, raised beds yield kale, peppers, tomatoes, beans, eggplant, paw-paws and jujubes. Then, for whimsy, an adorable outhouse with running water built by Carmen’s children, instead of installing a septic system for her studio. “I call it my Pee Palace,” she says and laughs. All this surrounded by 15 acres of grass, woods and wildlife where she walks with Dean, a devoted mixed-breed dog she rescued minutes before euthanasia.

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

This homestead’s proper name is Oak Hollow Farm and Studio, and its tall, blonde, artfully dressed (“funky,” is her description) occupant, a grandma who is, in the best sense, a piece of work. From this studio Carmen — inspired by her surroundings — creates and sells paintings nationwide through virtual and other galleries. She hosts workshops that include lunches of garden produce served at her stretch table. But unlike Monet, Van Gogh and Cézanne, her portraits and still lifes follow classical realism as practiced by Dutch and Flemish masters — a technique that’s uber-photographic, threedimensional, and eminently artistic.

armen grew up in Maine and Connecticut. Her artist mother provided lessons for the early-bloomer. “I was oil painting by 12.” Modernism? “I wasn’t into that.” Carmen married young and “dabbled” while raising three children. The family settled in Southern Pines in 1986, when her husband was stationed at Fort Bragg. Carmen remained here after he was killed in Mogadishu, in 1993. “The military became my family.” She pursued a love for Italian religious art, also appreciating “things — especially utilitarian things. “I find beauty in them.” The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Studying with Jeffrey Mims at the Academy of Classical Design in Southern Pines, and later with local artist Paul Brown, channeled and refined her talent. Every artist longs for a studio. “I like to surround myself with a peaceful, calm atmosphere where I feel a connection with what I create.” That includes whatever exists outside her studio door. She and Wade looked for land. A waterscape would be nice. The parcel they found had potential. This land, known as the Short family farm, came with a rickety farmhouse (once a used bookstore), and a double-wide, also in disrepair. They bought the acreage in 2001, cleaned up the double-wide and lived there until completing the house in 2004. The old farmhouse-bookshop, now with heat and AC but no running water, became Carmen’s studio in 2018.

he main house — white clapboard, two stories with full basement, more than 3,000 square feet — spreads longitudinally across a knoll, with manicured grass sloping down to the pond, where Carmen and Wade have constructed a low stone wall and seating area. Their porch may appear Southern but the interior hums Yankee Doodle. Carmen found a set of plans that were adapted to include 10-foot ceilings and so much more. Construction took 18 months, but when it was finished, the house, with its unusual floor plan, won a Moore County Home builders Association Award. Just inside the front door stretches a dining table easily seating 10, made by Wade. The mismatched chairs include old-timey high chairs for Carmen’s two grandchildren. This long, narrow room with angled The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

fireplace began as the sitting room, with a smaller dining room off to the right. Carmen had no trouble switching designations to accommodate their extended families for holidays. Both rooms contain multiple armoires, settees, candlesticks, lamps, shelves, tables, paintings and enough historical artifacts to warrant a catalog. Some are remnants of Carmen’s antique shop, C.R. Drake Mercantile in Cameron. Many pieces showcase her inventive touch, like a ladder repurposed as a quilt rack. “I’m not comfortable without knick-knacks,” Carmen explains. Being surrounded by old things satisfies a need: “I imagine how many people touched them. I connect with that.” The elongated dining room ends at the kitchen, visible from the front door. Creating a century-old atmosphere around modern appliances can be tricky. Carmen chose a dusty yellow for the footed carpenter-made cupboards with black metal pulls to match the black soapstone countertops and protruding island, with breakfast bar. One wall is fitted with a combination of open shelves and tall cabinets. An antique spice jar rack with tiny drawers labeled in German says volumes about Carmen’s attention to detail. She didn’t stint on moldings, window frames and beadboard ceilings, either: “These little touches make a big difference,” as do square nails in the wide-board knotty pine floors. To make up for the splurges, “I painted the inside to save money.” On the counter, a gallon of blueberries picked from nearby bushes speaks of the couple’s culinary requirements. Carmen and Wade both cook. Whatever they don’t grow comes from local farmers markets. The main floor is bisected by a back hallway leading to the master bedroom, where Carmen has positioned a king-sized bed against a smaller wrought metal headboard, flanked by tall, narrow windows. The effect: airy, bright, comfy, simple. Each bathroom vanity originated as a bureau. One loo actually has a pull-chain toilet with high wall-mounted tank. Upstairs, a guest bedroom with parallel twin beds is a Nantucket B&B

100

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

101

102

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

look-alike. Wade uses a second upstairs bedroom as an office. For hall decor, Carmen hung a pioneer woman’s dress and coonskin hat like those worn in the Revolutionary War re-enactments she and Wade attend.

armen’s studio, a 50-yard stroll past the gardens, chickens and goats, represents another world: “It’s definitely my space. Everything in there speaks to me.” The interior walls made from horizontal boards painted green were left intact, but the ceiling came down to make space for windows soaring into the exposed attic, since, for an artist, proper light is crucial. Her workroom, cluttered with paints, brushes, props, paintings, a 1940s radio, a small pedestal on which stands a fancy chair, feels more decadent Parisian than rural Carthage. As with Cézanne, no one enters this studio without an invitation. Even more decadent, adjacent to the workroom, a parlor with The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

floor-to-ceiling shelves spills over with art volumes, some stacked on coffee and side tables squeezed between fireplace and white sofa. Victorian was Carmen’s intent; however, the crystal chandelier reminds her of French chateaux. “This is my thinking room, my art cave, my girly space. I look through the books for inspiration, ideas.” She also teaches and entertains other artists here. Beyond the parlor, a workroom for framing paintings and storing costumes is guarded by a skeleton, which helps plot articulation when painting the human body. Carmen Drake-Gordon has achieved a rare confluence where art and life live peacefully, side by side. This artist paints the flowers she picks and birds’ nests she finds; she eats the produce she grows. She lives alongside friendly animals and soothing water. She is surrounded by things and people she loves, who love her back. She works hard, but on her own terms and in her own space, rewarded, fulfilled — a painting come to life. PS PineStraw

103

Homestyles

Bring a Touch of Italy into Your Home

Featuring: Brighton • Tribal • Corky’s Gretchen Scott • Lulu-B • Bogg Bag Simply Noelle • Hello Mello • Mud Pie

Pair Summer Heat with

SOMETHING CHIC www.highcottonconsignment.com

104

PineStraw

LOCATED DOWNTOWN 302 East Washington St | Rockingham, NC 28379 (910) 817-7494 Hours: Tues-Fri 10:00-5:30 | Sat 10:00-1:00

710 S. Bennett Street, Southern Pines, NC 28387 910-725-0975 • www.one11main.com Tuesday - Saturday, 10-5:30

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

A L M A N A C

August n

By Ashley Wahl

Green Corn Moon

Behold the earliest apples, the earliest figs, bushels of sweet corn and tomatoes ripening faster than you can say bruschetta. When the Green Corn Moon rises on Sunday, August 22, take a lesson from the squirrels: Now’s the time to preserve your summer harvest. Can the fresh tomatoes. Sun-dry the herbs and figs. Pickle okra, cukes and peppers. As for the rest? Cook now and freeze it for later. Squash soup, anyone?

ugust leaves you wanting. In the afternoon, when the air is all milk-and-honey and the primal thrum of late summer has reached a crescendo, she will boldly take your hand. “Close your eyes,” she will whisper, and as her golden light flickers across your face and shoulders, you all but dissolve into her dreamy essence. “This way,” she will tease, giggling as she guides you someplace a little darker, a little cooler — a shadowy hideaway beneath the trees. You’ll stop at the tangle of wild blackberries, where deer tracks resemble spirals of ancient text and a sparrow whistles sweetly in the distance. “All for you,” she will promise, slowly feeding you the last of the dark, warm berries, and then she will guide you along. You can tell by the sun on your skin that you’ve entered some clearing, and when you crack open your eyes, bees and butterflies light and stir in all directions. “Keep them closed,” she warns, leading you through wildflowers and down to the dock of a swollen pond, where yellow-bellied sliders bask on the bank, largest to smallest, like a set of wooden stacking dolls. Bare feet dangling in the water, she leans in close, perfume thick as honeysuckle, plants a soft kiss on your cheek. Because her voice is like nectar — slow and sweet and dripping with intrigue — it makes no difference what she says next: “I’ll never leave you” or “Wait right here.” Besides, you’re too enraptured to notice that the days are growing shorter, that the gray squirrel has been busy storing nuts. As the summer light begins to fade, the fireflies blink Morse code. The cicadas, too, scream out. All the signs are here, but you can’t see them. When you open your eyes, she is already gone. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Late Bloomers

The bees and all who hum and buzz are, in a word, nectar-drunk. Among the late summer bloomers — crape myrtle, lantana, lobelia, ageratum and phlox — a favorite is butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, caterpillar food for Monarchs. Drought tolerant, deer resistant and kin to milkweed, what’s not to love? And their orange-and-yellow clusters mirror the joy and warmth of summer.

Threshold

When in still air and still in summertime A leaf has had enough of this, it seems To make up its mind to go; fine as a sage Its drifting in detachment down the road. — Howard Nemerov

PineStraw

105

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PS PROfiles The People & Businesses That Make The Sandhills A More Vibrant Place To Live and Work!

HAIR & MAKEUP BY RETRO PHOTOGRAPHS BY TIM SAYER AUGUST 2021

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

BRANDON HADDOCK VICE PRESIDENT, CONTRACTOR

Pinehurst Homes was established in 1986 by Wayne Haddock with the goal of providing quality custom homes and other remodeling services to clients throughout the Sandhills region. Thirty-five years later and now under the management of Wayne’s son, Brandon, the family business has become one of the most respected names in construction in Moore County. Brandon Haddock grew up in the family business spending time on his father’s construction sites as a kid. The experience he gained in all aspects of the industry at such a young age helped him work his way up to field supervision and then company management over a 15 year period. He received his bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from East Carolina University in 2013. Pinehurst Homes has always prided itself on being true custom builders working diligently on every detail of each home to make their customer’s dreams become a reality. Quality work is of the utmost importance. Over the last 35 years Pinehurst Homes Inc. has built hundreds of homes across the area including new construction homes, historic remodels, whole home renovations and equestrian properties. Their fine, high quality work through the decades has earned Pinehurst Homes 75 “Home of the Year” awards through the Moore County Home Builders Association and over 25 STARS Awards from the North Carolina Home Builders Association. A true outdoorsman, when he’s not on the job, Brandon can usually be found riding motorcycles and ATVs or fishing with his 3-year-old son, Briar. He and his wife, Ashley, who is the office manager for Pinehurst Homes, recently welcomed a new daughter, Jo Lee, to their family. Discover first hand what it feels like to “Come Home to Quality” with Pinehurst Homes.

(910) 294-5400 www.PinehurstHomesInc.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

107

SPALI MEDICAL AESTHETICS

For 13 years, SPALI Medical Aesthetics has been helping women achieve a fresh new look. This year they got a facelift of their own when they opened their brand new location with a spa-like feel.

needling, Kybella, vaginal restoration and even tattoo removal.

SPALI (formerly Southern Pines Aesthetics and Laser Institute) provides top-quality aesthetic care specializing in medical-grade skincare, women’s health and anti-aging (nonsurgical) procedures such as body contouring, laser photo rejuvenation, laser wrinkle treatment, skin tightening, Botox Cosmetic and dermal fillers.

Local OB/GYN, Dr. Barry K. Buchele founded SPALI to further his mission of helping women feel confident in their own skin. Much of this is achieved by staying abreast of the latest modern technology. SPALI boasts the addition of more than half a dozen exciting new, state-of-the-art technologies and modalities in just the last year. He is most excited about the Votiva machine for vaginal atrophy and stress incontinence treatment.

A visit to their med-spa is a step into a calming world of self-care. Estheticians will pamper you with services like Hydrafacials, Diamond Glow facials, dermaplaning and chemical peels. SPALI’s team of experts can also target troublesome areas with laser hair removal services, micro-

The caring professionals at SPALI always put their patients’ needs and experience first. They are dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to big-city technology while providing the attention to personal detail that we come to expect in a small town.

Bottom Row: Sarah Dedo, NP, Lisa Richardson, Stephanie Moore, RN Top Row: Melanie Simons, Chloe Wasch, LE, Lynn Nall, RN, Dr. Barry K. Buchele, MD, Sydney Neilson, LE, Trina Schalin, Suzanne Shelton

108

2105 Juniper Lake Rd Ste. A West End, NC 27376 (910) 684-1588 www.spa-laserinstitute.com PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

WESLEY & BETHANY JACKSON OWNERS

A couple of entrepreneurs, Wesley and Bethany Jackson love challenges, whether it’s a new house or a new business venture. While both have backgrounds in the medical field — Wesley as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and Bethany as a nurse — they took a chance and opened their own real estate business. Premier Real Estate of the Sandhills began in combination with the Kirby Construction family with a poster board of contacts, some inspiration and a stack of referrals. Five years later, they are projected to sell $50 million in homes. With 27 agents Premier serves Moore, Richmond and Scotland Counties, and is currently expanding to Oak Island. While Premier’s main focus is caring about their clients and helping them through every step of the process, they also excel at understanding the market and reaching a variety of buyers, including military, medical, and investors. Wesley, who loves to travel, and Bethany, an avid cook, also opened Pinehurst Vacation Rental and just recently started Motto Mortgage with four loan officers, giving them a fleet of businesses to help people buy, sell, rent, clean, and even finance homes. Based previously in Bethany’s home state of Florida, they decided to move back to Wesley’s hometown to settle down and have their three children, Eli, Eleanor and Isla. After 10 years in the Sandhills they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. With Wesley’s drive and entrepreneurial spirit, Bethany’s grounded realism, and the positivity and adaptability of their close friend and COO, Ashley Donovan, they have built a thriving business. 160 W New York Ave, Suite 2A Southern Pines, NC (919) 744-4701 www.sellsouthernpines.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

109

HUNTER DOWNING HEAD BREWER

Hunter Downing’s career at Pinehurst is as home grown as the beer he brews. He started working at Pinehurst Resort right after high school graduation when he joined the banquet and events team. He jokes that over the next few years he held more job codes at Pinehurst than anyone before him, moving from server to bar staff to event management as needed. But when he heard Pinehurst would be opening its very own brewery he let anyone and everyone know that’s where he wanted to work. His father-in-law, a professional brewer, had introduced Hunter to the home-brew process and he was hooked. Thankfully Pinehurst granted his wish and he joined the brewery team in 2018, playing a vital role in the first ever beer to be brewed with Pinehurst Resort’s name. He’s proudest of their flagship beer, Pivot, but since taking over as head brewer in February of 2021 Hunter takes extreme pride in making seasonal brews, bringing his recipes to life for guests to enjoy. On any given day, beer enthusiasts are offered at least seven varieties of Pinehurst beers on tap. Hunter’s brews can quench your thirst on tap at select Pinehurst bars and restaurants and on the links at Pinehurst courses. Since brewing went from his hobby to profession, he now fills his spare time with disc golf.

300 Magnolia Road Village of Pinehurst, NC 28374 (910) 235-8218 www.pinehurstbrewing.com

110

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

FirstHealth’s new Concierge Signature Medicine practice in Southern Pines offers a physician-patient relationship based on mutual respect and trust built over time. The team provides exceptional, comprehensive, highly personalized care that far exceeds the care and convenience that traditional primary care practices offer. When you purchase a membership, you have 24/7 access to a provider whenever health issues or illness arise. Same day or next day appointments are guaranteed. You’ll never have long waits in the lobby or exam room to see your provider, and extended office visits are not only accommodated, they’re encouraged. Concierge medicine puts the patient first in every way possible including an overall focus on wellness and prevention. They also provide sick care, acute and chronic disease management, nutritional counseling, massage therapy and personal training at the FirstHealth Fitness. Loni Rogers Belyea, M.D., earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed an internship and residency at the University of Hawaii where she served as the

LONI ROGERS BELYEA M.D., MBA.

CONCIERGE SIGNATURE MEDICINE The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

associate program director for inpatient medicine. She completed a fellowship in geriatric medicine at Yale University and also has an MBA from Brandeis University. W. Miller Johnstone III, M.D., a Moore County native, studied at East Carolina’s Brody School of Medicine where he earned his medical degree and Ph.D. in physiology. He also completed an internship, residency and fellowship in geriatrics at ECU before becoming the director of the division of geriatric medicine at the Brody School of Medicine. He is happy to return home to Southern Pines with his family. Julie Baugher, M.D., was in the Air Force before coming to practice in Moore County more than 12 years ago. She brings a wealth of health care expertise to the practice. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her husband and children on their family farm. As a military veteran herself, she enjoys volunteering for and contributing to veteran’s benevolent organizations.

JULIE BAUGHER M.D.

DR. W. MILLER JOHNSTONE III, M.D., PH.D.

1690 US 1 South Southern Pines, NC 28387 (910) 684-5499 www.firsthealth.org/concierge PineStraw 111

JORDAN RIDGE DDS

More than 15 years ago, Jordan Ridge’s family moved to Pinehurst after falling in love with all the golf the Sandhills has to offer. An avid player, as a teenager she entered the first ever U.S. Kids Golf tournament in Pinehurst and continued to play competitively throughout college. Jordan played golf at Coastal Carolina University before graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from North Carolina State University. She went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry. As an adult, her passion for dentistry and her strong family ties have brought her back to Pinehurst to work alongside her father, Dr. Fred T. Ridge. At Pinehurst Dentistry, Jordan and her father treat patients of all ages. They pride themselves on helping patients maintain healthy smiles with maximum comfort, function and appearance for their entire lives. Using advanced technology, they are able to offer complete smile makeovers in just one day with the use of veneers. Used to treat a number of different cosmetic concerns, including chipped, broken, discolored, or unusually shaped teeth, veneers can transform a patient’s entire smile in just a matter of hours. When she’s not practicing dentistry or playing golf, Jordan enjoys traveling, spoiling her cockapoo, Piper, and spending time with friends and family. If you’re looking for a friendly, caring dentist who is committed to excellence, call Dr. Jordan Ridge today.

115 Turnberry Way Pinehurst, NC 28374 (910) 695-3100 www.pinehurstdentistry.com

112

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ALISON & BRIAN HAINLEY OWNERS

In love with food and each other, Mason’s Restaurant & Grocery began over Alison and Brian’s Hainley’s first brunch date as they brainstormed the concept of a “local brunch hang” with delicious, seasonal fare. Nearly 8 years later, Mason’s was founded and opened its doors in January 2020. Brian and Alison both have extensive backgrounds in the food industry. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, Brian has always had a passion for hospitality. Alison is a foodie at heart and worked for The Fresh Market corporate office in Greensboro as a Merchandising Specialist before relocating to Pinehurst with Brian. In opening Mason’s in Downtown Aberdeen, they took on the renovation of the historic 100-year-old building, restoring some of its original elements while creating a bright, contemporary space that lends to the restaurant’s modern, energetic atmosphere. Now Mason’s caters to hungry Moore County residents, becoming the local gathering place they dreamed of years ago. Beyond the scratch-made biscuits and craft cocktails, Alison and Brian are launching their catering company, Genuine Hospitality Catering, at the end of the summer, and will be bringing wood fired pizza to Downtown Aberdeen. Pizzeria Grazia, named after their 4-year-old daughter Grace, will open this fall right next door to Mason’s, which was named after their 7-year-old son, extending the Hainley family food empire.

111 N Sycamore St, Aberdeen, NC (910) 757-0155 www.eatatmasons.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

113

MATTHEW HOLLYFIELD OWNER & LEAD DESIGNER

Style…Creativity…Unmatched Design Matthew Hollyfield founded Hollyfield Design in 2014 with these goals in mind. Building a talented team known for their diverse styles in floral design, weddings & events, his group has gone on to win Best Florist three years running as well as Best Wedding and Event Coordinator with Best of the Pines. Expanding into furniture, home accessories, and gifts within the 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Southern Pines, Hollyfield Design has quickly become the one shop you don’t want to miss in the Sandhills.

If you ask his customers about the shop, they are sure to tell you that “Hollyfield has something for everyone.” “Unique and beautiful and always changing.” “The best place to take your out-of-town guests.” “Make sure you visit over the holidays – it’s a winter wonderland come to life!”

130 E. Illinois Ave., Southern Pines, NC 910-692-7243 hollyfieldinc.com

114

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNIFER B PHOTOGRAPHY

When asked what he considers the most important qualities of his shop Matt shares, “We value our relationships with our customers and hope they have a great experience every time they visit. Whether they’re looking for a sofa or planning a wedding, we want them to enjoy the Hollyfield experience and come back often.”

CLAUDIA DOOLEY

RESTAURANT MANAGER

Claudia Dooley loves meeting new people, fulfilling others’ wishes, and facing challenges head on. These passions, combined with her expertise in customer service and teamwork, brought her to the Country Club of Whispering Pines, where she thrives as Wedding and Events Manager. The Country Club of Whispering Pines believes that a golf course is the centerpiece of the community. Claudia makes it her mission to ensure that the Country Club of Whispering Pines has a lasting, positive effect on the lives it touches. She prides herself on her ability to service any need of any customer. Born in Maryland, Claudia attended college at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, N.C. She was a Registered Behavior Technician and Braillist before transitioning to her role at CCWP. Working in a school system and in support services to those in need enhanced her ability to help others. Claudia enjoys swimming, hiking, and spending time with her two German shepherd dogs, Leena and Axel.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN GESSNER

At work and at home, Claudia remembers the qualities her father instilled in her and her brother. She fondly recalls her father teaching her the importance of perseverance and motivation, and says he will always be her hero. Claudia leans into those traits as she looks forward to the grand opening of a new restaurant at CCWP, “Whispering Q,” and she is excited to share more about that in the coming months.

2 Club House Boulevard Whispering Pines, NC 28327 (910) 949-3000 www.countryclubofwhisperingpines.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

115

MEGAN WEITZEL, MOLLY SCHRADER OWNERS

Megan Weitzel and Molly Schrader formed an instant connection when their husbands’ military careers brought them together years ago. From this sister-like bond came a business where these fun-loving, party girls can be free spirits. Together they opened Retro in 2013. The salon, now with a staff of six, specializes in all things beauty! Megan and Molly, both makeup artists, offer their professional services for weddings, proms or any special occasion where women want to put their best face forward. The salon also offers regular hair services including cut, color and extensions (for both men and women). They round out their spa services with full-body waxing, brow and lash services and facials by a licensed esthetician. But it could be their champagne bar that really catches ladies’ attention. Whether you need to wind down from your day or ramp up for a night of fun, the Retro ladies invite you in for a glass of wine or champagne at anytime. No treatment appointment is necessary to get buzzed with these boss babes. Consider Retro for your bridal party’s beauty needs if you are a bride in search of just the right place for some pre-wedding fun on your big day. The Retro team will not disappoint! Visit Retro’s website or follow them on Instagram to learn more about the non-stop party that you won’t want to miss at the salon that keeps downtown Southern Pines rockin’.

116

155 East Pennsylvania Ave. Southern Pines, NC 28387 (910) 725-0588 www.retrostudiobar.com PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

TIM SAYER PHOTOGRAPHER

Tim Sayer developed his passion for photography while documenting his trips surfing abroad after college. He moved to Southern Pines and opened his photography studio downtown in 2004. He began his career with a focus on creative portraiture, fashion and commercial photography. In 2007 he was persuaded to shoot his first wedding and fell in love with the fast paced and high-stakes challenge of documenting a couple’s big day. Timing is everything with photography and Tim prides himself on his ability to swiftly assess locations to determine optimal lighting set ups and necessary modifications to make his subjects look their absolute best in the shortest amount of time. Also integral to his process is his talent for quickly building trust and rapport with his clients to help create a fun, comfortable work environment. His timeless and iconic photography has won him multiple Best of the Pines Awards, several first places and a Best in Show Award at the Arts Council of Moore County Fine Arts Festival, and 2010 Photographer of the Year for the Wedding and Portrait Society. He’s spearheaded multiple successful art gallery exhibitions, has shot hundreds of magazine covers and frequently has his work published in PineStraw magazine as well as other national publications and books. Tim’s work has taken him to places as far-flung as Iceland and Tanzania and is always looking for ways to use his art to benefit his community and those less fortunate.

(910) 692-6320 www.sayerphotography.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

117

Arts Entertainment C A L E N DA R

Movie in the Park 8/

Although conscientious effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, all events are subject to change and errors can occur! Please call to verify times, costs, status and location before planning or attending an event. JOY OF ART STUDIO. Summer Celebrate Your Creativity. For all ages. Painting, drawing and mixed media. Offering both private and small groups with safe distance. Classes are held at Joy of Art Studio, 139 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Suite B, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 528-7283 or www.joyof-art.com or www.facebook.com/ Joyscreativespace/. GIVEN BOOK SHOP. The Given Book Shop will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CDC guidelines are being followed. Please check www.giventufts. org for up-to-date information on the status of open days, hours of operation and book donations. The Given Book Shop, 95 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 585-4820. GIVEN MEMORIAL LIBRARY. Given Memorial Library will be open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDC guidelines are being followed. Please check www. giventufts.org for up-to-date information on the status of open days and hours of operation. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. LIBRARY READING PACKETS. Given Memorial Library has new reading packets available which include craft supplies and activity sheets. Pickup for packets can be done Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-6022 or info@giventufts.com. DATE NIGHT AT THE SUNRISE. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Rent the Sunrise Theater for your private event. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Email MaryBeth@ sunrisetheater.com to help you plan your special night out. SCAVENGER HUNT. Pick up a scavenger hunt at the Given Book Shop, Given Memorial Library or online at www.giventufts.org/program-and-events. The scavenger hunts will take you through the village of Pinehurst, and there will be multiple themes such as science, shapes, historic buildings and more. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst.

118

PineStraw

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

Jazz Brunch

DISCOVERY BACKPACKS. Check out ecoEXPLORE Discovery Backpacks. Each backpack contains bug binoculars, a butterfly net, a trail camera, and everything you need to explore the wildlife of Southern Pines. Backpacks check out for one week with the option to renew and can be used to complete ecoEXPLORE challenges and earn badges. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

Registration required. Organized by The Country Bookshop. Tickets and info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM. Track the minutes that you read on the Beanstack website or app through Aug. 16 and enter to win a prize. All ages are invited to participate. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

Friday, August 6 OPENING RECEPTION. 5 - 7 p.m. The Artists League of the Sandhills August exhibit will feature small works of art, including miniatures. The exhibit will continue through Aug. 26. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: (910) 944-3979.

Sunday, August 1 YOUTH MUSICAL. 2 - 3:30 p.m. Imagine Youth Theater’s Junior program presents Disney’s Descendants: The Musical. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com. MUSICAL. 2 p.m. Following a week-long camp, students at Encore will be presenting the family-friendly production Moana Jr.! There will be a second weekend of performances on Aug. 6 at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. Encore Center, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.tix.com/ ticket-sales/encorecenter/6154. MUSICAL. 7 - 9 p.m. Imagine Youth Theater presents Rock of Ages: High School Edition. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills. com. Tuesday, August 3 LITWITS. 3 - 4 p.m. Join us for the first Litwits Book Club Interest Meeting. This book club is perfect for rising thirdthrough sixth-graders who are interested in discussing books and making new friends. We’ll play games, have snacks, and pick what our first book club selection will be. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: Kristen at kstockdale@sppl.net. Wednesday, August 4 AUTHOR EVENT. 7 p.m. Join us for a virtual author event with Leah Weiss, author of All the Little Hopes.

Thursday, August 5 SUMMER CLASSIC MOVIE. 7 p.m. The Birdcage. Tickets are $10 per person. Full concessions available. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com.

FIRST FRIDAY. 5 - 8 p.m. This free concert to support the Sunrise Theater features live music provided by rock band Travers Brothership. Food trucks, sponsors, refreshments and beer from Southern Pines Brewery will be available. No outside alcohol, rolling coolers or dogs permitted. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. FINE ARTS FESTIVAL. 6 - 8 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County presents the Fine Arts Festival, where local artists can showcase and sell their artwork. Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.mooreart.org. THEATER SHOW. 7:30 - 9 p.m. UNCP University Theatre presents a free event, At the Threshold. There will be a second performance on Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. ticketmesandhills.com. Saturday, August 7 KIDS PROGRAM. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Want to start the school year on top? Stop by the library for activities that will challenge and amaze you. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642. PLANT EVENT. 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Do you ever look at a plant and think of all the different ways it’s used by humans and wildlife? From providing habitat to beneficial insects to providing delicious vegetables for food, every plant has

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

a purpose. Join the Moore County Cooperative Extension at SPPL for “Every Plant Has a Purpose.” This event is free, but registration is required. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: https://bit.ly/EveryPlantSPPL. CRAFTS. 2 - 4 p.m. Drop by the library and create unique designs with Fuse Bead crafts. For grades 6 - 12. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net. OUTDOOR MOVIE. 8:30 p.m. The Birdcage. The movie will play outside the Sunrise Theater but will move indoors in case of inclement weather. Tickets are $10 per person. Bring a chair or blanket. No outside food or pets. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. Sunday, August 8 WRITING GROUP. 3 p.m. Interested in creating fiction, nonfiction, poetry or comics? Connect with other writers and artists, chat about your craft and get feedback on your work. All levels are welcome. The session will meet at the library. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. To join email: lholden@sppl.net. Monday, August 9 SUMMER READING STATIONS. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Growing Moore Readers will host summer reading stations where children can pick up free books. The stations will be set up through Aug. 12. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: 910-295-3642 or www. facebook.com/mooreliteracy. Tuesday, August 10 CREATIVITY CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Creativity Club celebrates the many ways there are to be creative, such as drawing, painting and writing. There will be creative activities planned and participants are welcome to bring any project they’re working on. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net. Thursday, August 12 AUTHOR EVENT. 5 p.m. Join us for an author event with local poet Iris Angle. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3211. SUMMER CLASSIC MOVIE. 7 p.m. The Big Lebowski. Tickets are $10 per person. Full concessions available. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. Friday, Aug. 13 MOVIE IN THE PARK. 8 p.m. Join Southern Pines Recreation and Parks for the outdoor movie Trolls World Tour. Downtown Park in Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. OUTDOOR MOVIE. 8:30 p.m. Top Gun. The movie will play outside the Sunrise Theater but will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather. There will be a second showing on Aug. 14 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Bring a chair or blanket. No outside food or pets. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. Saturday, August 14 MARKETPLACE ON THE SUNRISE SQUARE. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. An outdoor market featuring a variety of local small businesses, artisans and organizations in a safe, fresh-air environment. Pop-up shops are scattered around the Sunrise Square Park. Dogs are not permitted. Sunrise Square, 260 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

CONCERTS ON THE GREEN. 6:30 - 9 p.m. Bradshaw Performing Arts Center’s “Summer Concerts on the Green” continues with Mountain Heart and special guest, Carly Burruss. Bring chairs or blankets. No outside food or beverages. BPAC’s McNeill-Woodward Green, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. Sunday, August 15 TODDLER TIME. 3 p.m. Does your toddler like to move and groove? Join us to get those wiggles out. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net. Monday, August 16 LADIES’ LINKS AND DRINKS. 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Join The Sway for a women-only series of events that combine happy hour with fun and friendly instruction from a Pinehurst Resort golf pro. Perfect your swing and show off your skills with a game at The Cradle. Each session is limited to 20 players. Cost is $55 and includes an hour of instruction, a cocktail and Pinehurst swag. Pinehurst Resort, 1 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst. Info: www. ticketmesandhills.com. Tuesday, August 17 BINGO. 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to come play 10 games of bingo. Prizes given to the winners. Cost is $2 for Southern Pines residents and $4 for non-residents. Space is limited to 24 participants. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Wednesday, August 18 AUTHOR EVENT. 7 p.m. Join us for a virtual author event with Tom Standage, author of A Brief History of Motion. Registration required. Free event. Organized by The Country Bookshop. Tickets and info: www.ticketmesandhills.com. Thursday, August 19 EXHIBITION ON SCREEN. 10 a.m. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. A unique film opportunity to view this series of spectacular paintings. In an extraordinary exhibition, the Van Gogh Museum takes a new and revealing look at the five publicly owned versions of sunflowers in a vase. Tickets are $12 per person. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www. sunrisetheater.com. READ BETWEEN THE PINES. 5:30 p.m. SPPL’s book club for adults returns with the August book, Necessary Lies, by Diane Chamberlain. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. To join email: mhoward@sppl.net. CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE. 6:30 p.m. This month’s speaker will be author and historian Fred Kiger, with a presentation on “The Prisoner of War Camp at Salisbury, N.C.” Meeting starts at 7 p.m. Open to the public. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Ashe Street, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 246-0452 or mafarina@aol.com. Friday, August 20 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. 6 - 9 p.m. Join us for a fun evening in support of the programs of the Northern Moore Family Resource Center, home of HOPE Academy Preschool. This 25th Anniversary Celebration will bring the Farmer’s Day flavor of Robbins to the Fair Barn. Whether you take aim at shooting skeet or jump on the mechanical bull for a ride, this event will be an evening to remember. Elliott’s Catering Company has created an uptown menu with a nod to down-home cooking. Tickets are $125 per person. Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.moorefamilyresource.org.

FESTIVAL. 7:30 - 10 p.m. The Shakespeare in the Pines Festival is back with Twelfth Night performed by the Uprising Theatre Company. There are more performances on Aug. 21, 27 and 28. The Village Green at Pinehurst Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com. MOONLIGHT HIKE. 8 p.m. Join Southern Pines Recreation and Parks at Weymouth Woods as we discover nature by moonlight. Listen to the sounds of the night as you walk along the trail. Don’t miss out on this free event. Weymouth Woods, 1024 Fort Bragg Road, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. OUTDOOR MOVIE. 8:30 p.m. Rocky Horror Picture Show. The movie will play outside the Sunrise Theater but will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather. There will be a second showing on Aug. 21 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Bring a chair or blanket. No outside food or pets. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. Saturday, August 21 BOCCE BASH. The 14th Annual Backyard Bocce Bash to benefit Sandhills Children’s Center will be a fun, friendly competition with tailgating and bocce ball. It’s easy to play and all proceeds help provide vital therapies to children with special developmental needs. Entry fee starts at $25 per player. Sponsorships are available. National Athletic Village, 201 Air Tool Drive, Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-3323 or www.sandhillschildrenscenter.org. WEYMOUTH IN MOTION. 6:30 - 9 p.m. Join MARO Movement for a modern dance experience staged outdoors on their beautiful grounds. It begins with a journey where the audience moves along a navigated path, experiencing site-specific dance works on their way to a mainstage show. Audience members are also invited to meet and mingle with the performers afterward. Price includes two motion tours, mainstage event, spirits, and hors d’oeuvres. Food trucks will also be on-site. Tickets are $40. Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-6261 or www.weymouthcenter.org or www.ticketmesandhills.com. Thursday, August 26 DOUGLASS CENTER BOOK CLUB. 10:30 a.m. Multiple copies of the selected book for the month are available for checkout at the library. Douglass Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mmiller@sppl.net. Friday, August 27 SENIOR TRIP. 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join Southern Pines Recreation and Parks on a trip to Aloha Zoo. Enjoy beautiful animals before heading to lunch. Cost to participate is $26 for residents of Southern Pines and $52 for non-residents. Bus will depart from Campbell House parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Space is limited to the first 14 registered participants. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Saturday, August 28 LIVE MUSIC. 7 p.m. Straight from Virginia, Good Shot Judy returns to the Sunrise for an outdoor concert. The band performs hits from the swinging sounds of Sinatra, contemporaries like Harry Connick Jr., the beautiful ballads of Billie Holiday, and more. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com. MAGIC SHOW. 7:30 - 9 p.m. Paul Dabek, host and co-star of The Illusionists, performs. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

PineStraw

119

CA L E N DA R Sunday, August 29 JAZZ BRUNCH. Join us outdoors on the Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities’ beautiful grounds for cool jazz and a delicious brunch catered by Ashten’s Restaurant and Pub. Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-6261 or www.weymouthcenter.org or www.ticketmesandhills.com. CLASSIC ART FILM. 2 p.m. Loving Vincent. Tickets are $10 per person. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www. sunrisetheater.com. Tuesday, August 31 MUSICIANS JAM SESSION. 6 - 9 p.m. Bring your

instrument and beverage or just come and enjoy the music. Free admission. Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-6261 or www.weymouthcenter.org.

Friday. Cost for six months: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Info: (910) 692-7376.

UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, September 3 BBQ FESTIVAL. 5 p.m. The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival celebrates “All Things Barbecue” in North Carolina. The event continues through September 5. Village of Pinehurst, 6 Chinquapin Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www. ticketmesandhills.com.

INDOOR WALKING. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Improve balance, blood pressure and maintain healthy bones with one of the best methods of exercise. Classes are held at the same time Monday through Friday. Ages 55 and up. Cost for six months: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 210 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays WORKOUTS. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to get their workout on. Open Monday through

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

Pine ServiceS Medicine as it should be.

Vintage Watches Wanted ROLEX & TUDOR Omega Hamilton Breitling Pilot-Diver Chronographs Military Watches Buying one Watch or Collection

MAKE YOUR SKIN Glow WITH CRYOSKIN TREATMENTS! Try the Facial or Fat Reducing/ Toning Sessions

Family Practice & Geriatrics Membership Medical Clinic

Brian Sachs, MD (910) 335-8581 www.longleafmed.com

bookamassagebykathleen.com Now accepting CareCredit 1605 Central Dr, Southern Pines (910) 691-1669

Remodeling • Windows Door • Siding • Sunrooms Screen Porches • Decks Termite Damage Repair

Ed Hicks Vintage Watch Collector

910.425.7000 or 910.977.5656

Large & Small Jobs

Call for All Your Home Needs!

910.639.5626 or 910.507.0059 Free Estimates & Fully Insured

910.944.2474

www.battlefieldmuseum.org www.warpathmilitaria.com

80 Aviemore Ct. • Pinehurst, NC 28374

SandhillS RenovationS llC

ENJOY SUMMER PEST FREE

We are so proud and grateful to have such a wonderful staff of nurses!

SAVE TODAY!

UNLIMITED CAR WASH PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE!

910-695-1256

11085 HWY 15-501 • ABERDEEN Personal Care and Private Duty Nursing Medication Planning • Meal Preparation Medical Appointment Assistance every year, Your hard work and dedication is appreciated

••CNAs, RNs Available•• but this past year hasLPNs, brought unique challenges that you Complimentary RNgrace Assessment with ongoing have handled with and professionalism. and management Thank you supervision from all of us at care Bright Horizons Home Care! NC Licensed and Nationally Accredited

24 hour, 7 days a week availability • NO availability CONTRACTS REQUIRED 24 hour, 7 days a week

110-B Applecross Road • Pinehurst, NC 28374 NO CONTRACTS REQUIRED

110-B Applecross Road Pinehurst, NC 28374

local, veteran owned serving Moore County 910-246-0586 for

ter

for

ter

for

ter

Plumbing with Pride since 1965

Tired of running out of hot water? We’ve got your solution! Gas • Plumbing • Remodeling • Water Heaters Drain Cleaning • Water Sewer

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE | 910-295-0152 MENTION THIS AD FOR

25 OFF Any Repair

120

PineStraw

SERVICES HOUSE WASHING WINDOW CLEANING GUTTER CLEANING CONTACT US!

ROOF CLEANING DRIVEWAY CLEANING DRYER VENT CLEANING 910-986-9013

www.gentlerenew.com

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

CA L E N DA R Tuesdays OUTDOOR STORY TIME. 10 a.m. Story times will take place in the newly expanded outdoor story circle. Babies birth to 2 years old and their families are invited for a 20-30-minute story session. Each of these sessions is first come, first served with a capacity of 10 families. CDC guidelines are followed. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net or email lib@sppl.net. BABY RYHMES. 10:30 a.m. Baby Rhymes is specially designed for the youngest learners (birth- 2) and their caregivers. Repetition and comforting movements make this story time perfect for early development and brain growth. Dates this month will be Aug. 3, 10 and 31. There will be a duplicate session at 11 a.m. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6928235 or www.sppl.net GAME DAY. 12 p.m. Enjoy bid whist and other cool games all in the company of great friends. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. TABLE TENNIS. 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy playing this exciting game every Tuesday. Cost for six months is $15 for residents of Southern Pines and $30 for non-residents. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. Wednesdays FARM TO TABLE. Join Sandhills Farm to Table Co-op by ordering a subscription of local produce to support our local farmers. Info: (910) 722-1623 or www.sandhillsfarm2table.com. CHAIR VOLLEYBALL. 1 - 2 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Get fit while having fun. Free to participate. Douglass

Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET IN PINEHURST. 3 - 6 p.m. The market will feature local farmers, bakers, crafters and a N.C. fishmonger so locals can purchase fresh fish that is 24-48 hours from wave to plate. Fishmonger only comes on Wednesday. Regularly featuring 20 or more farms plus entertainment and opportunities for kids. Tufts Park, Pinehurst. Thursdays MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The year-round market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius. providing fresh, local, and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. Market is located at the Armory Sports Complex, 604 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines. GIVEN STORY TIME. 10 a.m. Wonderful volunteers share their love of reading. CDC guidelines will be followed. Stop by and join the fun. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: 910-295-3642. CHESS AND MAHJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376.

910-944-3979

PRESCHOOL STORIES. 3:30 p.m. Story times will take place in the newly expanded outdoor story circle this year. Ages 3 to 5 and their families can enjoy a session with literacy-building skills to help them prepare for kindergarten. This session is for your big kid who is ready to stretch, dance, listen and play. Dates will be August 5 and 12. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net or email lib@sppl.net. Fridays TAP CLASS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Cost per class: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Saturdays MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. The market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local, and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available, accompanied by live music. Market is located in downtown Southern Pines at South East Broad Street and New York Avenue and runs weekly (with the exception of Autumnfest on October 2) until the end of October. SANDHILLS FARMERS MARKET IN PINEHURST. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. The market will feature local farmers, bakers and crafters. Regularly featuring 20 or more farms plus entertainment and opportunities for kids. Tufts Park, Pinehurst. PS

Arts & Culture

TEMPLPERLE E THEATRE RG AT TTHEEM LESHOWS.O P M E T 5 5

SEPT 9-26, 2021

919.774.41 JAN 13-23, 2022

Gallery • Studios • Classes

More than Miniatures Small Art

FEB 10-27, 2022

Opening Reception Friday, August 6, 5:00-7:00pm Exhibit open thru August 26

OCT 21-31, 2021

Gallery Hours: Monday - Saturday 12-3pm WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP: Taking the Fear out of Watercolor - Ken Hobson - September 13, 14 & 15, 2021 Classes: Oil & Acrylic Enhanced Acrylics - Pat McMahon –Tuesday & Wednesday, August 10 & 11, 10:00-12:00 Knife Happy at the Beach - Oil Painting with Courtney – Monday & Tuesday, August 16 & 17, 10:00-3:30 Beginner’s Acrylic Pouring - Meredith Markfield - Monday, August 23, 11:30-2:30 Intermediate Acrylic Pouring - Meredith Markfield - Tuesday, August 24, 11:30-2:30 Classes: Other Mediums Go with the Flow/Beginning Alcohol Ink - Pam Griner – Wednesday, August 18, 11:30-2:30 (all supplies included) Gelli Printing - Pat Halligan - Friday, August 27, 1:0-4:00 Printmaking - Sandy Stratil - Tuesday, August 31, 10:00-4:00

Ask Us About Becoming a Member • 129 Exchange Street in Aberdeen, NC www.artistleague.org • artistleague@windstream.net The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

MAR 10-27, 2022

DEC 2-19, 2021

20S2T1A-G2E 0SE2A2SON

MAIN

APR 21 MAY 8, 22 20

age street 120 carrtdh, nc 27330 sanfo

N AGE SEASO T S IN A M 2 2021-202 PineStraw

121

SandhillSeen Walthour-Moss Foundation Dog Show Lyell’s Meadow, Southern Pines Saturday, June 26, 2021 Photographs by Diane McKay

Colleen Shell and Panda

Deb & Bob Carpenter and Lady, Karen Krogulski

Donna Turner and Phoebe

John Pellizzari, Muffin, Bacco

Juliette Cruz and Buddy

Craig Stokes and Boomer

Mathew Nesser and Sophie

Sharon Granito

Jim Granito and Lexi

Charlotte Castle, Billy Hammond, Summer Compton Gracie-Rae SwiftBird and Cricket

Mia Barker and Bugsy, Sue Copple and Bruno

122

PineStraw

Kathryn Saunders and Ursula

Kris Martinez and Pepper

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SandhillSeen First Friday

First Bank Stage at the Sunrise Friday, July 2, 2021 Photographs by Diane McKay

Victoria & Chuck Gallagher

Rob Dufresne, Jonathan Robinson, Joseph Felice

Bella Farrell, Ethan Floyd, Jennifer Johns

Kelly Stewart, Ann Claire Campbell, Neal Stewart, Katherine Campbell

Keely, Murphy & Mac Kavanagh

Terry Winfield, Nick Dabkowski Zandra & Devareaux Clark

Wesley Petzold, Jennie Wray, Penny

Jordan Cranford, Tim Fogarty

Mollie, Paul, Michael Tobias

PJ Perry, Kathy, Larry & Steven Sorrell

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Eric Parziale, Kailey, Keith & Annie Osterman

PineStraw

123

ENERGY EFFICIENT

North Moore Family Resource Center’s

25 Anniversary Celebration th

Air Conditioning Units Economic • Reliable • Powerful

Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc

Oil • Natural Gas • LP Gas Boiler • Steam or Hot Water

Join us Friday, August 20th 6 to 9pm

Serving the plumbing, heating & air conditioning needs of the Sandhills since 1948! License # 670

Sales • Service • Repairs New Installations & Replacements After Hours Emergency Services Available

Homes, Churches, Businesses, Schools

949-3232

Also - Here for all your plumbing repairs and upgrades Call us for all your commercial and residential HVAC and plumbing needs.

Lassoing the Robbins countryside and bringing it to the FAIR BARN in Pinehurst An indoor/outdoor event with separate social distancing areas of FUN, and TV screens for the Live Auction.

For tickets ($125/person) and sponsorship information,

visit moorefamilyresource.org.

Shop local & handmade at Downtown Southern Pines’ own pottery studio and gallery

Bull Riding • Rubber Pigeon Skeet Shooting • Toe-Tapping Music Live & Silent Auction • Food by Elliott’s • Beer, Wine & Spirits

Mon-Sat 10 to 5 www.ravenpottery.com

260 W. Pennsylvania Ave • Southern Pines, NC • 336-465-1776

TESLA HRC HAIR RESTORATION SOLUTIONS 125 Fox Hollow Road, Suite 103 Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-684-8808 | 919-418-3078 | teslahrc@gmail.com Anna Rodriguez • Confidentiality is ensured.

W H A C K M E N S A

H O G A N B R A W N

A M O L E A A R O N

M I L P L E H O O

124

P S E P U G L I N E D G E T S O M S C I S R D U L A B E L U O M A S K

PineStraw

H A N G

O T I C

A L E S

T A L U S

R E S T

A E R Y

G A G E

R E V E L

O C T A L

T G H L E O R D S E I S L I P L E E S E S R O P L A U E R S R E O R T

R O G U R E N C E T A X E R

E N U R E

R A S E D

S I E G E

S N A R E

O G D E N

PineNeedler Answers from page 127 6 8 5 2 1 3 7 9 4

3 7 1 9 6 4 8 2 5

9 2 4 5 7 8 3 6 1

7 1 6 3 5 9 4 8 2

4 9 2 1 8 7 5 3 6

8 5 3 4 2 6 1 7 9

5 4 7 8 9 2 6 1 3

1 6 9 7 3 5 2 4 8

2 3 8 6 4 1 9 5 7

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SandhillSeen Something Moore Tag Sale Arts Council of Moore County Thursday, July 8, 2021 Photographs by Diane McKay

Joan Bruno

Paul Murphy

June & Barry Buchele Alexis & Laurie Buse

Chip Caviness, Jeanne Paine

Gregory Cole, Alan Toon Kay Leonard

Eric & Anita Alpenfels

Janet Lowry, Alice Schalz Doris & Pete Gulley

Richard & Maryann McCrary

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Liz Murray, Mike Bartee, Randy Cadwell

PineStraw

125

“Tons” of new items

www.expernutritionadvisor.com/southern-pines-chiropractic

A healthy future begins with proper nutrition Learn how nutritional care and whole food supplements can assist your immune system and improve your quality of life.

Southern Pines Chiropractic, P.A. Serving the Sandhills since 1991

1650 Valley View Road• Southern Pines, NC Adjacent to Hyland Golf Course on US 1

Dr. Joseph D. Wahl, Chiropractic Physician

Hours: Wed.-Sat. 10AM-5PM and Sun. 1PM-5PM

910-692-5207 • www.ncchiro.com

910-692-0855 • www.WindridgeGardens.com

361 N.Bennett Street •Southern Pines

August 6 & 7 UNCP Theatre Presents: At The Threshold BPAC’s Owens Auditorium

August 18 Tom Standage A Brief History of Motion Author Event Online/The Country Bookshop

August 20 Northern Moore Family Resource Center 25th Anniversary The Fair Barn

For More August Events Visit TicketMeSandhills.com 910.693.2516 • info@ticketmesandills.com 145 W Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines

126

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ARRRRUGUST! August PineNeedler PIRATE Arrrrugust! Pirate Month MONTH By Mart Dickerson

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Across ACROSS 1. Slap66. “Guilty,” e.g. 15 16 14 1. Slap 67. Enter the traffic circle 5. "Darn!" 5. “Darn!” 68. Shrek, e.g. 18 19 17 10. Pirate drink 10. Pirate drink 69. Pirate’s fake hand 20 21 22 the heart is" 14. “Where the heart is” 14. "Where 70. More cunning 15. Pirate mask probably 15. Pirate face mask 71. face Freshman, 23 24 25 26 16. Artificial bait 16. Artificial bait 28 29 30 31 32 DOWN 17. All excited 17. All excited 1. Hit hard 18. Bind 36 37 38 33 34 35 18. Bind 2. Sgt. Shultz’s nemesis 19. “___ bitten, twice shy” 19. "___ bitten, twice 41 42 39 40 20. Prepaid phone items shy" 3. Carnival game whack___ (2 wds) 4. Pirate’s fake leg 46 43 44 45 20. Prepaid phone items 23. Injured below the waist, 5. Made a web (2 wds) e.g. 6. Put up, as a picture 48 49 47 23. Injured below the 24. Fishgig 7. Auditory waist, i.e. 50 51 52 53 54 55 28. Attain (2 wds) 8. Of the number eight 32. Jungle vine 24. Fishgig 9. “So ___!” 57 58 59 60 33. Exec’s degree 28. Attain wds) 10. (2 Shiny photos, in slang 64 65 61 62 63 36. Abdominal nerve 32. Jungle 11. Bleed, vine as fabric network (2 wds) 12. degree Mythical monster 33. Exec's 67 68 66 39. Historic times 13. “Fancy that!” 36. Abdominal nerve 41. Donnybrook 70 71 69 21. (2Bad day for Caesar network wds) 42. Arid 22. Pickle flavoring 39. Historic times 43. Spring flowers 25. IRS man 37. Medical advice, often 55. Animal catcher 46. Cabernet, e.g. 41. Donnybrook 26. Accustom 38. Equal 56. ____Nash 47. Pirate’s weapon 42. Arid 71. Freshman, probably 21. Bad day for Caesar 49. Pirate pet 27. Demolished a building 40. Forest tree (2 wds) 58. Ethereal 48. Razor sharpener (var) 43. Spring flowers 22. Pickle flavoring 51. Grads 44. Doing nothing 59. Plum variety 50. Ring-shaped 29. Yellow 46. Cabernet, e.g.male cats Down 45. Shoe bottom 25. IRS man 60. ___-friendly 52. Celebrate 53. Catch, at the rodeo 30. Brews 1. Hit hard 47. Pirate's weapon 26. Accustom 49. Pirate pet 61. Dash abbr. 54. Military blockade 57. Overwhelming 31. Anklebone 2. Sgt Shultz's nemesis 48. Razor sharpener 51. Grads 62. 1969 Peace Prize55. grp.Animal catcher 61. Actor O’Shea 33. Super-smart group 3. Carnival game whack 27. Demolished a building (var) 52. Celebrate 63. “Seinfeld” uncle 64. Pigmented eye layers 50. Ring-shaped 56. ____Nash 34. Muscle __ 54. Military blockade29. Yellow male cats 65. Thumb through 53. Catch, at the rodeo 58. Ethereal 35. Composer Copland4. Pirate's fake leg 30. Brews 57. Overwhelming 59. Plum variety 5. Made a web 31. Anklebone 61. Actor O'Shea 60. ___-friendly 6. Put up, as a picture 33. Super-smart group 64. Pigmented eye layers 61. Dash abbr. 7. Auditory 34. Muscle 65. Thumb through 62. 1969 Peace Prize 8. Of the number eight 35. Composer Copland grp. 66. "Guilty," e.g. 9. "So ___!" 37. 63. "Seinfeld" uncle Medical advice, 67. Enter the traffic Puzzle answers on page 124 10. Shiny photos, in often circle slang Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes 38. Equal 68. Shrek, e.g. suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be 11. Bleed, as fabric 40. Forest tree (2 wds) 69. Pirate's fake hand reached at martaroonie@gmail.com. 12. Mythical monsterSudoku: 44.so Doing nothing 70. More cunning Fill in the grid 13. "Fancy that!" every row, 45. every Shoe bottom column and every 3x3 box contain the numbers 1-9.

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

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

PineStraw

127

SOUTHWORDS

What’s in a Name?

By K ate Smith

My first nickname

was Catfish. Dad pronounced it at my birth because I arrived “slippery and wide-eyed as one.”

When I was old enough to comprehend the likeness between me and the bottom-feeder I was not amused, and tried renaming myself. Buck was my first choice, after the wolf pack leader of Jack London’s Call of the Wild. It’s how I signed my name on presents and on a stocking one Christmas. Typical Leo. When that didn’t stick, I tried imitating my best friend’s nickname, Bobcat Brandi, with the closest wild feline alliteration, Cougar Kate. I didn’t understand why the adults thought this was hilarious. And that gallant trail name I imagined I’d be given when I hiked the Appalachian Trail? Last fall, during a short 20-mile stretch, I was declared Peein’-on-the-trail-Kate. In hindsight, Catfish wasn’t so bad. Good thing, too, because it’s what Dad still calls me. Dad picked up catfishing in his 20s when he moved to North Carolina to work at Cameron Boys Camp. Still, 35 years later, on summer weekends, he leaves home in the late afternoon with a camp chair, pole and box of chicken guts to meet a friend with a boat, and fish all night. When I told my Georgia crew leader about this while we built a trail together in Alaska, his eyes got big: “Awe, man, your Dad goes noodlin’?” While Dad uses bait on a line rather than bare hands and a forearm thickened by scars from catfish teeth, I still think it’s pretty cool. Catfishing means Dad is out on the moonlit water when the fish bite best. He’ll come home at 5 a.m. with 80 pounds of wild game and solicit us five kids, most of us out of the house,

128

PineStraw

back to the family kitchen. Although growing up we bought most of our food from the grocery store and Dad worked a normal day job, it’s these times that define him most to me. Awake in the middle of the quiet night, providing. I grew up thinking that good dads are always awake: chasing away nightmares, driving the family halfway across the country for Christmas at Pop’s house, watching the fire smolder out safely during camping trips, up every hour to check the temperature of meat in the smoker the night before summer barbecues. Even now, if I have car trouble when driving late at night, I call Dad, and he always answers. I’ve inherited a lot of traits from Dad. I’ve got his eyes, his tawny skin tone, his all-or-nothing impulses. We both headbang to AC/DC and cry during praise and worship at church. And somewhere in there, I’ve got Dad’s love of the night. Something about the quiet and stillness prompts my deepest thinking, feeling, and creating. There’s a thrill and a sacredness about it, when no one else is awake except the 18-wheelers, people on their way to the airport, the crickets and cicadas and bullfrogs, and always, when I need him, my dad. August is my birthday month. Mom buys a card with an inspiring quote, and Dad signs it. I guarantee he’ll address his note to Catfish. And when I call to say I’m coming over, he’ll ask me what I want for my birthday lunch. At dawn the next morning, he’ll pull in the driveway from a night on the lake, ready to celebrate with a cooler full. PS Kate Smith is the herbalist and holistic health coach of Made Whole Herbs in Southern Pines. Her favorite book is whatever she is reading, though it’s doubtful any would top The Lord of the Rings. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ILLUSTRATION BY MERIDITH MARTENS

Sometimes it’s everything

MANIFEST YOUR BEST SELF AT THE NEWEST BOUTIQUE ON BROAD

HERE’S TO STRONG WOMEN. MAY WE KNOW THEM. MAY WE BE THEM. MAY WE RAISE THEM. WE CARRY: Michael Stars Lanston Sport Lanston Jens Pirate Booty Paige Denim Just Black Denim Thread and Supply

Dixie Kenda Kist Jewelry Diff Sunglasses Minnie Rose Articles of Society Skeem Design Many other awesome lines!

@manifest.boutique 240 NW Broad Street • Southern Pines • +1 (910) 684-8825

Photo by Tim Sayer

Buyer, Purveyor & Appraiser of Fine and Estate Jewellery 229 NE Broad Street • Southern Pines, NC • (910) 692-0551 Mother and Daughter Leann and Whitney Parker Look Forward to Welcoming You to WhitLauter. @whitlauter_jewelers

August PineStraw 2021

Articles inside

Pretty as a Picture By Deborah Salomon

The Ross Brothers By Bill Case

A Stitch Around Her Mouth Fiction by Etaf Rum

Snap the Whip Poetr y By Millard Dunn

Into the New By Frances Mayes