January PineStraw 2023

Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

PINEHURST • $475,000

44 HAMPSHIRE LANE

Wonderfully built, 3 BR / 2.5 BA home filled with newly constructed amenities. Closely located to the Village of Pinehurst

JACKSON SPRINGS • $499,900

32 WOODLAND CIRCLE

This charming, 4 BR / 3 BA home is situated nicely on a corner lot in the beautiful golf community of Foxfire Village.

CARTHAGE • $439,000

522 ABBEY ROAD

Gorgeous, 3 BR / 3 BA home in the Fox Grove community offers an open and inviting floorplan with lots of nice features!

PINEHURST • $275,000

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $135,000

JACKSON SPRINGS • $212,000

45 BECKETT RIDGE

Great, golf front lot in desirable and amenity rich, Fairwoods on 7!

Lovely, waterfront lot on a quiet cove on Lake Auman located in the amenity rich and gated community of Seven Lakes West!

168 SECOND WIND COURT

Magnificent acreage located at the end of a culde-sac adjacent to the 6 acre park in the peaceful, serene equine community of Grande Pines!

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $415,000

120 JAMES DRIVE

Wonderful, 3 BR / 2.5 BA home in desirable, gated Seven Lakes West offers a great floorplan with lots of upgrades and improvements inside and out!

559 LONGLEAF DRIVE #1

PINEHURST • $525,000

55 ROCKLAND LANE

Delightful, 3 BR / 2 BA brick ranch home in the beautiful Doral Woods community offering a bright, open floorplan all on one level!

PINEHURST • $346,500

20 SANDHILLS CIRCLE

Attractive, 3 BR / 2 BA home in a great Pinehurst neighborhood is open and bright, with gleaming hardwood floors through most of the living areas.

ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

Luxury Properties

Moore County’s Most Trusted Real Estate Team!

PINEHURST • $869,500

110 HIGH POINT ROAD

Stunning, custom brick 4 BR / 3.5 BA home in prime location. Brilliantly remodeled with lots of high-end finishes and exquisite detail throughout.

MCLENDON HILLS • $2,245,000

164 SADDLE RIDGE

Immaculate, 3 BR / 3 FULL BA / 2 HALF BA home on 7+ acres of one of the most unique private equestrian communities in Moore County!

SEVEN LAKES WEST • $1,125,000

105 BANCROFT COURT

Luxurious, 4 BR / 4.5 BA home situated on a marvelously landscaped lot off the 4th green of the Beacon Ridge CC golf course.

PINEHURST • $539,900

790 BURNING TREE ROAD

Amazing, 4 BR / 2.5 BA home in the popular Lake Pinehurst area. Offering a lively, open floorplan with lots of space! Transferrable PCC Membership!

PINEHURST • $945,000

10 BECKETT RIDGE

Impeccable, 4 BR / 3.5 BA waterfront home with an open design and amazing view from nearly every room in the house! Transferrable PCC Membership!

SOUTHERN PINES • $750,000

2 AUGUSTA LANE

Spectacular, 5 BR / 3.5 BA golf front home on 12th green of the Arnold Palmer course at Mid South Club. Transferrable membership!

PINEHURST • $650,000

16 LASSWADE DRIVE

Beautiful, one-story 3 BR / 2.5 BA brick home on the 16th fairway of the Magnolia Course. Brings lots of curb appeal!

WHISPERING PINES • $585,000

40 SUNSET DRIVE

Phenomenal, waterfront 3 BR / 3.5 BA home on a pleasantly landscaped lot with serene water views from every room.

PINEHURST • $860,000

5 BECKETT RIDGE

Fabulous golf front, 4 BR / 3.5 BA home on the 8th fairway in desirable Fairwoods on 7. Has a soaring two-story ceiling with cupola in the great room and high arched openings into the dining room.

Welcome 2023!

In 2022, we celebrated the first 100 years of our historic Boyd House. We now turn our eyes toward the future.

While we are born of history, we are not living in the past. We welcome ideas and change. We are a place that offers something for everyone and we welcome everyone; a place that offers programs and experiences designed to inspire and enrich our community, including literary, art, music, cultural, and social events; a place with 26 acres of gardens and grounds that are open to everyone and are free to enjoy.

We are a welcome place to learn. A welcome place to play. A welcome place to grow.

We welcome you to join us this month for these events:

Hounds on the Grounds

January 21

Moore County Hounds Meet. We’ll be offering a “stirrup cup” to all mounted/unmounted members of Moore County Hounds. Free Admission. Check our website for time.

James Boyd Book Club

January 17 • 2 pm

This month’s book selection: When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash.

Free Admission / Registration Required

Writers-in-Residence

Reading

January 25 • 5:30pm

Join us as we welcome Kelly Mustian, author of the best-selling novel The Girls in the Stilt House. Free Admission / Registration Required

Musician’s Song Circle

January 31 • 6 - 9 pm

Bring your own instrument and beverage or just come to enjoy the music!

Free Admission/Registration required

For tickets and more information, visit weymouthcenter.org

Thank you to our sponsors: Anonymous, Cindy & Robert Candler, Richard J. Reynolds III and Marie M. Reynolds Foundation; Gerald Claude Kirby Trust; North Carolina Arts Council; Arts Council of Moore County; The Palmer Foundation; Marion Stedman Covington Foundation; The Cannon Foundation; Donald and Elizabeth Cooke Foundation; The Pilot

555 E. Connecticut Ave. Southern Pines, NC A 501 (c)(3) organization

MAGAZINE

Volume 19, No. 1

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Miranda Glyder, Graphic Designer miranda@pinestrawmag.com

Alyssa Kennedy, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Emilee Phillips, Digital Content emilee@pinestrawmag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Deborah Salomon

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Gessner, Laura L. 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, Meridith Martens, Jason Oliver Nixon, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Scott Sheffield, Rose Shewey, Stephen E. Smith, Angie Tally, Kimberly Daniels Taws, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Walshe, Claudia Watson, Amberly Glitz Weber

ADVERTISING SALES

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

Samantha Cunningham, 910.693.2505

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Jessica Galloway, 910. 693.2498

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancey

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Rebah Dolbow • pilotads@thepilot.com

PS

Henry Hogan, Finance Director

910.693.2497

Darlene Stark, Circulation Director

910.693.2488

SUBSCRIPTIONS

910.693.2488

OWNERS

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff

In memoriam Frank Daniels Jr.

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

©Copyright 2023. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC

$1,950,000

7 bed • 5 bath

Julia Lattarulo (910) 690-9716

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099

MLS 100352455

Nestled in the heart of the Village of Pinehurst, The Cottage Colony School House is steps away from shops, restaurants, and the famous Pinehurst Resort and golf courses. This beautiful home has been lovingly renovated and remodeled throughout with original heart pine floors, updated windows, and more.

$1,335,000

4 bed • 5 bath

Debbie Darby (910) 783-5193

MLS 100360852

$479,000

4 bed • 2 bath

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099

MLS 100333259

Nestled in the pines, this pristine one-level home is located in the beautiful Woodlake neighborhood and is move-in ready. The home is welcoming with an open-concept kitchen, dining room, and living room with a fireplace.

$325,000

3 bed • 2/1 bath

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099

Stacey Caldwell (910) 391-4199

MLS 100346763

Get whisked away to another time and place upon entering this charming country estate. This unique home was built in 1930, and is filled with cherished details of heart pine, oak and brick flooring, high ceilings, detailed moldings and discoveries around every corner.

$599,000

3 bed • 4 bath

Debbie Darby (910) 783-5193

MLS 100354707

You won’t believe the space and storage in this Middleton Place Townhome! Single level with a finished basement plus an additional in-law suite off garage with an 597 aditional square feet. Enjoy the versatility that this amazing home offers!

Enjoy Southern Living from this rocking chair front porch. Wood floors flow throughout the home. Relax on the covered porch that overlooks a beautiful backyard for everyone to enjoy. This home is in a perfect location! It is centrally located to all shopping and restaurant amenities.

$260,000

3 bed • 3 bath

Callan Nagle (703) 303-8969

Nelle Rullman (910) 638-9373

MLS 100354872

Possibilities abound! 40-acre lot available to build your dream home. It is a beautiful, wooded lot only 15 minutes to Fayetteville. Whether you decide to keep the pine trees to provide your homestead privacy and shield it from any winds, or clear the trees and pursue other land opportunities, this is the lot for you.

1233 Greenbriar Drive, Vass

15 Dry Springs Court, Cameron

0 Doe Hill Road, Autryville

32 Ashley Court, Southern Pines

1290 E Indiana Avenue, Southern Pines

205 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst

Browse Inventory, Get Pre-Approved, or Complete Paperwork

CURBSIDE PICK-UP & DELIVERY AVAILABLE FOR YOUR NEW CAR!

Check out our Advantage Plan that is guaranteed with every purchase.

PINEHURST TOYOTA ADVANTAGE PLAN

At Pinehurst Toyota, we’re more than just a dealership. We’re a family. Every time you step onto our lot, our goal is to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your visit, whether you’re looking to purchase a new ride, secure financing for that vehicle, have your current auto serviced, or buy genuine Toyota parts. You can count on our staff to make you the number-one priority. Interested in joining the family?

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COMPLIMENTARY LOANERS

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Thanks to your support, we have won: Best of The Pines 2021 for the #1 Dealership Service Department. Schedule your appointment today to experience #1 Service

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Wishing you & yours a happy new year

Scarlett Allison

Christine Barrett

Maureen Clark

Joy Blake Donat

Tracy Gibson

Keith Harris

Maribeth Hough

Ross Laton

Christian McCarthy

Melody Bell McClelland

Meredith Morski

Lesley Dacko Pacos

Brenda Sharpe

Kate Shinkwin

Susan Ulrich

“Nature is pleased with simplicity.”

- Isaac Newton

One Journey Ends, Another Begins

Lessons from the road long ago taken, but not forgotten

by JiM dodSon

In ancient Roman religion, the god Janus was a two-faced chap revered as the deity of doorways and transitions, endings and new beginnings — hence the origin of this month’s name, signaling a moment when we wisely take time to reflect on where we’ve come from and what may lie ahead.

This year, this notion has fresh relevance to me.

Sometime this spring, assuming the good Lord is willing and the creek don’t rise, as my Southern granny liked to say, I hope to finish writing a book that means the world to me.

It’s about the legendary Great Wagon Road, described by historians as the most traveled road of colonial America, the country’s first immigrant “highway” that passed through the Appalachian backcountry from Philadelphia to Georgia, bring-

ing tens of thousands of Scots-Irish, German and other European settlers to the American South, including my ancestors and quite possibly yours.

Joe Wilson, the great historian of American roots music, once estimated that “a quarter of Americans today have an ancestor who traveled the Great Wagon Road. You can still see traces of it, a track across high ridges, a trough through piney woods, guarded by wild turkey and chipmunks, a road that was in use for a century — the most important road in American history.”

Six years ago, an idea nurtured since I was knee-high to a historic roadside marker was born anew. With some encouraging research in hand, I paid a visit to a former Navy engineer named Tom Magnuson who heads up the Trading Path Association, based in Hillsborough, where my own Scottish ancestors arrived in the mid-1700s. Magnuson’s marvelous organization researches and documents America’s historic lost roads in order to preserve and expand public appreciation of them. I figured if anyone could tell me if it was feasible or pure folly to try to find

the original roadway and follow it from Philly to Georgia 250 years after the fact, that fellow was Tom Magnuson.

My timing couldn’t have been better. He pointed out that recent scholarship by an army of historians, state archivists, archeologists and ordinary history nerds like me had actually determined the original path of the Great Wagon Road and even posted an exquisitely detailed description of its route through some of the most hallowed places in America.

“The Great Wagon Road,” Tom said, when I mentioned my objective, “is the grandaddy of America’s frontier highways — our creation myth, if you like — one that explains the origins of our national story better than any other. The people and ideas that came down that road shaped the character of this nation, both good and bad. That defines who we are today.”

This was all the encouragement I needed. Not long afterwards, I plotted my route and even purchased my very own “Great Wagon” for the journey — a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Grand Estate station wagon, said to be the last “true” American station wagon before Detroit switched to making SUVs.

I envisioned a pleasant three-week cruise along the winding 845-mile road in which I would encounter all sorts of interesting characters, local experts and fellow Wagon Road flamekeepers who shared my passion for this once lost frontier highway and its unique role in shaping America.

God laughs, as the ancient proverb goes, when grown men make plans.

In fact, the journey took five years and 2,100 miles to com-

plete, in part due to the incredible amount of history, marvelous people and stories I found along the way, but also because a worldwide pandemic struck in the middle stages of my research, knocking me off the road for almost two years.

Certain moments stand out, including meeting descendants of Founding Fathers and Daniel Boone; sitting with a fabled Lincoln historian during the annual reading of the Gettysburg Address; walking Antietam with the National Park Service’s first female battlefield guide; and playing guitar with an Appalachian bluegrass legend.

All told, I visited with — and interviewed — more than 100 extraordinary and ordinary folks from every walk of life who had their own love affair with the old road.

I cherish their diverse voices on my iPhone recorder because they belong to a wonderfully democratic mix of experts and colorful characters, activists and local historians, thoughtful museum curators, gifted poets and preachers, artists and war re-enactors, history nuts of every political persuasion and kind strangers whose names I simply forgot to write down.

In the end, listening to their stories about an old road that has gripped my imagination since I was a kid standing in front of a huge covered wagon in a museum brought me even closer to the country I love.

It taught me how amazingly far we’ve come — and have yet to go.

Somehow, I think the god Janus would approve. PS

Jim Dodson can be reached at jwdauthor@gmail.com.

Introducing 1 INVERRARY ROAD

A very coveted address in the gated Community of Fairwoods on 7. Surrounded by wildlife, a pond, a golf green, golf views and yes, PRIVACY! Live on your own peninsula. Short 2-minute walk to the Fairwoods’ Clubhouse and practice range. The waterfront and golf views are breathtaking and available in most every room of the home, plus large, screened porch, and patios for morning coffee or evening cocktails. In 2012 the owners rebuilt the entire first level offering updated construction. From the gourmet kitchen with Wolf cooktop and subzero refrigerator to the elongated screened porch with heated flooring, every room is filled with high-end features. PCC Membership No 1-9 with no waiting. $1,495,000.

Experience & Knowledge

PinePitch

Run with the Wolves

Join the bestselling duo of James Patterson and Mike Lupica as they discuss their new book, The House of Wolves. Catch all the ins and outs of this whodunnit where the plot thickens when the murder of a billionaire patriarch triggers a bloody battle for control of his empire. The bestselling authors will be at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 6:30 p.m., 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Movie Music

Let the sound of music sweep you off your feet at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium as The Carolina Philharmonic performs The Storytellers, an evening of music from the movies — including behind the scenes interviews — on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m., 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 687-0287 or www.carolinaphil.org.

Cloth, Canvas & Clay

Make this your year of art appreciation with a visit to the Arts Council of Moore County’s January/February exhibit, “Cloth, Canvas & Clay.” The show features paintings and pottery in addition to works by members of the Sandhills Quilters Guild. The opening night soiree is Friday, Jan. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through Feb. 15 at the Campbell House Galleries, 482 East Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For more info: www.mooreart.org.

Southern Suspense

Kelly Mustian will read from her sensational debut novel, The Girls in the Stilt House, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Written by a former Weymouth writer-in-residence, The Girls in the Stilt House is a beautiful and harrowing tale of murder, bootlegging, greed and the unlikely partnership of two teenage girls in 1920s Mississippi. For info go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Mothers Day Flowers by Patricia Thomas

Barbershop Brigade

Form up for the North Carolina Harmony Brigade’s 29th Annual Harmony Extravaganza. This elite group of barbershop singers from the United States, Canada and Europe come together to share their love of singing one weekend per year, so get your tickets for Saturday, Jan. 14. Show time is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School, 205 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. For info and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Books on Broad

The Country Bookshop welcomes Brad Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss The Devil’s Ransom, the newest addition to his Pike Logan series. A 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, retired Lt. Col. Brad Taylor has written 16 New York Times bestsellers. Sure to be no exception, this latest installment hits shelves only 12 days before you sit down with the author. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Just for Laughs

Whether taking on relationships, his Italian-American family or current events, comedian Joe DeVito’s deadon timing, unexpected twists and sheer flights of lunacy make him a favorite at the top clubs in New York City — and now BPAC. On Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. enjoy the laughs at the Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Capricorn

(December 22 – January 19)

Here’s what they don’t tell you about goat yoga: You become the mat. “What’s the harm in a bit of hair nibbling?” you might wonder. “Even the droppings are kind of cute.” When you’re accustomed to being the goat, it’s easy to see the world in this way. Others are less amused. This month, as you deftly scale whatever obstacles might arise on your path, try not to step on your allies’ toes. Honoring boundaries will get you further.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Wear your sunglasses.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

The remedy is within you.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Check the mailbox.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

You’ve made your own bed.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Go for the twin pack.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

The eagle has landed.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

You’ll know the red flag when you see it.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Rule of thumb: Rinse before use.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Move the plot forward.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Someone needs a hug.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Just take the stairs. PS

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

Finding Dylan

A riddle wrapped in a rhyme

By Stephen e . Smith

I lied to my mother, told her I was spending the night with a friend, and at 3 p.m. I climbed into a VW bug with two high school buds and blasted up the 200-plus miles of interstate to New York City’s Greenwich Village. We’d been listening to “Like a Rolling Stone” that summer, and we were determined to find Bob Dylan. We were confident he’d be hanging out in the Village, and as we milled about on the corner of Bleecker and MacDougal, I asked a bohemian passerby where Dylan was performing. He laughed in my face. “Good luck finding that guy,” he said.

Like most of my generation, I’ve been half-heartedly looking for Dylan ever since.

But that’s the point, isn’t it? Who is Bob Dylan, and why have we been talking about him for the last six decades? I’ve listened to most of his recordings, watched Martin Scorsese’s No Direction Home multiple times and read books by and about him. I’ve even seen him in concert. Now there’s a new book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, supposedly penned by the man himself, and the search continues.

Since Dylan is credited as the author, The Philosophy of Modern Song is an instant bestseller, and there are reviews galore in magazines, newspapers and online that will tell you exactly what you want to hear about the enigmatic songwriter’s literary efforts. But before committing myself to read all 350 pages, I had to be convinced that it was written by Dylan. After all, the guy has been known to mess with us. There were accusations that he borrowed lines in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech from Melville and a brouhaha about autopen-signed copies of the new book. So I plowed through the first five chapters, reread parts of Dylan’s Chronicles and watched the Scorsese film, paying attention to Dylan’s language patterns. And, yeah, what’s written in the book sounds like Dylan. His name is on the dust jacket. I trust Simon & Schuster. Dylan wrote the book.

Here’s what you need to know. First, there’s not an iota of philosophy in The Philosophy of Modern Song. If you’re looking for philosophical thought, pick up a copy of The Essential Kierkegaard Dylan is all about pop music, and in this latest offering, he’s simply chosen songs about which he’s passionate and written semi-expository/semi-poetic essays (I use the terms “essay” and “poetic” loosely) to accompany the songs. He’s no great shakes as a prose stylist, but he makes up for his lack of finesse with unbridled enthusiasm. He’s fervent about the songs he likes (or loves) and he tells the reader why in a torrent of bewildering but compelling prose.

Dylan has chosen more than 60 popular songs, and in chapters ranging in length from a few hundred to 3,000 words, he lauds the composers, singers and musicians who created the recordings.

It’s impossible to identify a dominant musical style in Dylan’s selection — pop, rock, country, R&B, folk, jazz, soul, rockabilly, gospel, etc. — all are represented. And there’s a mishmash of performers — Bing Crosby, The Fugs, Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Webb Pierce, Tommy Edwards, Vic Damone, Dean Martin, Little Walter, Ernie K-Doe, Charlie Poole, Ricky Nelson. He is, as popculture aficionados are wont to say, all over the musical map.

Dylan’s essays follow no discernible pattern. He’s occasionally analytical but more often gushes torrents of expressionistic prose that imperturbable readers are left to interpret. Uncle Dave Mason’s enchanting “Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy,” originally released as a single almost a century ago, is typical of Dylan’s approach to explicating a song.

“In this song your self-identities are interlocked, every one of you is a dead ringer for the other. You’re the Dalai Lama, the Black Monk and the Thief of Baghdad all rolled into one, and the whole world is your city. You’re prowling and shoplifting, going down the East End, back where you came from, to the wilderness and brush — back to Chinatown and Little Italy — saddlebags full of barley and cornbread, rosemary and ivy, and sides of bacon in your pocket. You’re unmuzzled and unleashed, nightwalkin’ up

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the crooked way, the Royal Road, stealing turkey legs and anything sweet and spicy, roaming through the tobacco fields like Robin Hood, broiling and braising everything in sight.”

Occasionally, Dylan steps from behind his curtain of words and lapses into playfully preposterous insights. He claims Marty Robbins’ classic “El Paso” as a song about genocide; he attacks the divorce business; and he lauds Nudie Suits and the supernatural powers of blue suede shoes.

When explicating Waylon Jennings’ “I’ve Always Been Crazy,” he dredges up a piece of history as a metaphor: “. . . and the individual peculiarities of the human condition are sliced as thin as a serving of potato during the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s. Which some people will, no doubt, also view as politically incorrect caricature even though the potato was a cheap staple of the Irish population and was decimated by a fungus that destroyed half the crop in 1845.”

This didactic passage isn’t necessary — anyone who reads Dylan is probably familiar with the Irish Potato Famine — but Dylan can’t abandon his clever illustration and goes on to mix the metaphor with drugs, rabbit meat and buckshot: “People try different ways to insulate themselves as their nerves are rubbed raw — there are various mood-altering substances, some self-prescribed, others classified by the government and only available by prescription. None of these are precise — they are more akin to buckshot than to a sniper’s bullet. And though they can be helpful, anyone who has hunted with a shotgun will tell you, you might enjoy the rabbit but you’re gonna spend a certain amount of time biting down on buckshot.” It’s difficult to imagine Dylan taking time from his “Never Ending Tour” to hunt rabbits, and we’re left to wonder if he’s taken to heart the chorus of Jennings’ song regarding his status as popstar: “I’ve always been crazy but it’s kept me from going insane.”

In the final analysis, we should simply step back and consider Dylan’s jumbled Kerouac-ish prose as one might behold Picasso’s Guernica, not so much as individual lines of text but as a holistic composition, an attempt to transfer emotion and energy without the encumbrance of form.

Even if you’re not a Bob Dylan fan — and there are a lot of you out there — you can make The Philosophy of Modern Song an entertaining and enlightening read. Here’s what you should do. Make sure your smart speaker has a subscription to a streaming music service such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, etc., then kick back in your easy chair and start reading Dylan’s chapter on Bobby Bare’s “Detroit City.” Call up the song on your speaker. Read along to the music. If much of what you read strikes you as nonsensical, Dylan’s wry, incongruous humor will nonetheless impregnate your cerebrum. Expect the unexpected. As Dylan sang so many years ago: “I’ll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours.” PS

Stephen E. Smith is a retired professor and the author of seven books of poetry and prose. He’s the recipient of the Poetry Northwest Young Poet’s Prize, the Zoe Kincaid Brockman Prize for poetry and four North Carolina Press Awards.

January Books

FICTION

Moonrise Over New Jessup, by Jamila Minnicks

It’s 1957, and after leaving the only home she has ever known, Alice Young steps off the bus into the all-Black town of New Jessup, Alabama, where residents have largely rejected integration as the means for Black social advancement. Instead, they seek to maintain, and fortify, the community they cherish on their “side of the woods.” Alice falls in love with Raymond Campbell, whose clandestine organizing activities challenge New Jessup’s longstanding status quo and could lead to the young couple’s expulsion — or worse — from the home they both hold dear. But as Raymond continues to push alternatives for enhancing New Jessup’s political power, Alice must find a way to balance her undying support for his underground work with her desire to protect New Jessup from the rising pressure of upheaval from inside, and outside, their side of town. Minnicks’ debut novel is both a celebration of Black joy and an examination of the opposing viewpoints that attended desegregation in America.

Just the Nicest Couple, by Mary Kubica

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found. Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and co-worker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered in this high-octane, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

The Mitford Affair, by Marie Benedict

Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters — each more beautiful, brilliant and eccentric than the next — dominate the English scene. Though they’ve weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader, and Unity follows her sister’s lead all the way to Munich, inciting rumors that she has become Hitler’s mistress. As the Nazis rise to power, Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters’ constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting docu-

ments, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.

The Faraway World, by Patricia Engel

Two Colombian expats meet as strangers on the rainy streets of New York City, both burdened with traumatic pasts. In Cuba, a woman discovers her deceased brother’s bones have been stolen, and the love of her life returns from Ecuador for a one-night visit. A cash-strapped couple hustle in Miami, to life-altering ends. The Faraway World is a collection of arresting stories from the New York Times bestselling author of Infinite Country. The Washington Post calls Engel “a gifted storyteller whose writing shines even in the darkest corners.” Intimate and panoramic, these stories bring to life the vibrancy of community, and the epic deeds and quiet moments of love.

Exiles, by Jane Harper

At a busy festival site on a warm spring night, a baby lies alone in her pram, her mother vanishing into the crowd. A year on, Kim Gillespie’s absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family. Joining the celebrations is federal investigator Aaron Falk. But as he soaks up life in the lush valley, he begins to suspect this tight-knit group may be more fractured than it seems. Between Falk’s closest friend, a missing mother, and a woman he’s drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge.

NONFICTION

The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin

Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound. Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can hone in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow.

TRENDS TRENDS@TEN

the melanie show

A variety podcast with honest conversations about various topics with guests. (this show contains explicit language)

MOORE OR LESS W/ TONY BARNES

An interview-style podcast with guests that have inspired Tony to discuss pressing and exciting topics.

THE LEARN MOORE PODCAST

Bringing general information for locals and visitors alike.

TRENDS @ TEN INSIGHT INTO EMERGING TRENDS IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING.

SOPINES SCENE

Local musician Mary Stone gives a weekly snapshot of Moore County’s music scene.

BOOKS IN THE COUNTRY

A series of conversations between authors discussing book releases and the stories behind them.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Ice! Poems about Polar Life, by Douglas Florian Brrrrfect poetry for the winter months. Ice! will warm the hearts of young readers with funny frozen antics of penguins, caribou, narwhals and other cold climate critters. (Ages 3-7.)

The Year of the Cat, by Richard Ho

Rat, pig, dog, sheep, monkey, rooster, horse, snake, dragon, tiger, rabbit and ox — all are stars of the zodiac. But whatever happened to Cat? Find out the rest of the story in this fun tale that’s the perfect way to honor the Chinese New Year. (Ages 5-7.)

Groundhog Gets it

Wrong, by Jessica Townes

Predicting the weather is a big job, so when Groundhog takes over as the spring seer, and things don’t go exactly as planned, he has to get creative to make meteorological magic happen. Not your normal Groundhog Day title, this humorous take on the celebration also includes a few historical facts to make the day even more fun. (Ages 3-6.)

Moon Rising: A Graphic Novel, by Tui Sutherland

The Wings of Fire series is the hottest property on the market for voracious readers in grades 3-6 and with a scheduled print run of 500,000 this sixth graphic novel adaptation is sure to be the book in every backpack when it lands on Dec 27. (Ages 8-12.) PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

The member’s favorite, this Pinehurst golf course offers wide manicured fairways and large elevated fast rolling greens. Fairway bunkers are strategically placed to grab the wayward shot and there is no lack of sand guarding the greens.

Widely considered the most challenging course, the Grey Fox features hilly terrain, several doglegs and towering pines. Golfers must avoid the sand and position the ball on the proper side of the fairway so that they get the best approach angle to the small greens.

THE RED FOX COURSE

THE GREY FOX COURSE

discoveryplace.org

Children’s Museum in Downtown Rockingham

Toying Around

The oldies but goodies

By Bill FieldS

For adults, the first month of the year is a time when we tend to take stock of ourselves and make resolutions on a host of fronts in the name of self-improvement, even though sometimes vows are gone quicker than the crispy tree put by the curb. But when I was a kid — back when a pressing concern was trying to convince my mother to splurge on a half-gallon of name-brand ice cream instead of store-label ice milk — January was perfect for another kind of inventory.

On the heels of Christmas, it was natural to consider the toys and games that you had — not just what a generous Santa Claus might have recently delivered, but diversions that stuck around season after season.

For staying power and hours of enjoyment, my Monopoly game was hard to beat. It brought the family together at the dining room table for years, my relatives tolerating my absurd early desire to be allowed to improve properties before owning all the properties in a color group. (I matured and played by the rules.) After many years of action, we had missing hotels, dog-eared money, Pepsi-stained Chance and Community Chest cards, and my mother, a teller by day, still detested being the banker or being stuck with the iron token.

In contrast to Monopoly’s time-tested appeal that made me love it from Day One, whatever initial excitement that came with receiving Lite-Brite and Etch A Sketch dissipated quickly. As for the former, when you start out with two misspellings in your name, how good can you really be? I would much rather watch Mickey Mouse on television than attempt to create his likeness by punching translucent, colored plastic pegs through a sheet of black paper illuminated from behind. When it came to Etch A Sketch, the detailed scenes said to be possible on the mechanical drawing screen by turning the two knobs weren’t in my wheelhouse. A crappy-looking mountain range was about the best I could muster. It never brought any cheer to realize that Lite-Brite and Etch A Sketch were in the recesses of my closet.

Then there were toys such as Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots and Electric Football that were much loved until fun turned into frustration. The heads of boxers Red Rocker and Blue Bomber were supposed to be knocked off with a powerful pushbutton punch. Over time, though, the heads would develop a mind of their own and occasionally raise from the shoulders without a hit, just from moving around the ring. Electric Football had a lot going for it — I don’t agree with author Bill Bryson’s contention that the game was “possibly the worst toy ever built” — but the vibrating players too often did want to spin around in circles as if drunk around a maypole instead of making forward progress. This was a reality regardless of how much surgery you’d done on their brushes that touched the metal field. And the tiny felt football utilized for passes and kicks was hard not to lose even with the excellent eyesight of youth. It was easy pickings for the Electrolux.

Just as a pet cat can enjoy an empty cardboard box more than an expensive “home” purchased by its owner, so it was with simple toy and game options growing up.

My plastic army soldiers fought multiple battles on hardwood, carpet or dirt, undeterred by bent bayonets or broken bazookas. A yo-yo was fun despite mastering a limited repertoire of tricks. Hot Wheels cars largely performed as advertised. Matchbox vehicles punched above their weight; opening and closing the doors to the ambulance shouldn’t have been fascinating but it was.

And there were the hours playing with things that didn’t cost a dime. While watching the Sunday afternoon NBA game on TV, by the second quarter I would have fashioned an indoor goal out of a clothes hanger on a door frame, convinced that neither Hal Greer nor Jerry West could fill up the hoop with a crumpled ball of tin foil better than I could.

A paper football was the only origami I was interested in, the finished product a much better use of a sheet of loose-leaf paper than multiplication tables. The thrill of having flicked a long touchdown by getting the triangular “ball” to hang over the table’s edge was only slightly less than scoring a TD out in the yard. If no corneas were scratched in the kicking of field goals, everybody was happy until next time. PS

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

The Buddy System

Old friends lend a Haand

By Wiley Ca Sh

p hotographS By m allory Ca Sh

If my best friends from high school and I were able to live our youthful artistic dreams we’d still be playing in a garage band called The Subterraneans. Luckily, ceramicists Mark Warren and Chris Pence, who met in high school in the late 90s in northern Florida, had a business plan. In 2012 they founded a ceramics and glassware company called Haand, which is named after the archaic Norwegian word for “hand,” and where everything is made by, you guessed it, hand. Since founding their company, Mark and Chris have partnered with restaurants around the world, including Beard Award winners and local culinary royalty like Ashley Christensen and Vivian Howard, with whom they’ve launched a special collection.

There’s an old saying that goes, “If you show me your friends I can show you your future ” If only we all had friends like Mark and Chris during high school. The best businesses, like the best friendships, grow organically from shared interest and vision, and while Mark’s and Chris’ professional paths briefly diverged after college — Mark pursued the arts while Chris worked as an accountant — they came back together over a decade later in rural North Carolina as roommates and business partners in a crumbling old mansion. (How crumbling? Let’s just say that the same bucket that caught water from the kitchen drain was used to flush the toilet.) In this auspicious setting, Haand was born.

On a warm fall morning in late November, I parked in the

grassy lot outside the Haand showroom and production studio in Burlington. The 13,000-square-foot brick building was once a hosiery mill, and it still retains its industrial feel, despite the gorgeous colors and earthy appearance of the countless handmade ceramic pieces that greet you as soon as you step inside.

I found Mark, Haand’s creative director and co-founder, as he passed through the showroom on his way out the door. He stopped and greeted me warmly with a broad smile that was nearly hidden by a thick beard. Mark very much looks the part of a potter, and he very much looks the part of someone who might enjoy living in a house where a single bucket serves as both a kitchen and a bathroom appliance. I hadn’t let anyone at Haand know I was coming, and I felt bad about dropping in during the middle of the day, but Mark didn’t seem to mind. He casually showed me around the production studio where a couple of dozen people were at work at various stations, each one marking an integral step in the process of achieving the distinct look and feel that Haand is known for.

As we walk through the space, Mark explains the process, beginning after he completes each design, whether it be for a vase, a coffee cup or a serving dish. A mold is built from each design, and into the mold is poured liquid porcelain slip. Once the piece dries inside the mold, it is removed, cleaned, smoothed with a sponge, and hand-inspected before being stamped with Haand’s

logo and the phrase “Made in NC, USA.” The piece is then bisque fired and heated to 1,800 degrees, and this is where each piece gets interesting and distinct.

“Our clay body itself is what’s called vitreous,” Mark says, “so it melts at a really high temperature, and then it will become kind of liquid during a period of the firing. The clay kind of remembers things that have happened to it. So if you bump it with your thumb or kind of move it, it might look strange going in, and then it comes out and it has melted and softened and completely shifted its form. You can’t really fight that unless you’re doing what they do in industrial kilns, which is not what we do here. There’s a deeper truthfulness that can come out of not trying to fight the process and just letting it be what it is. It’s a beautiful thing.”

There is no doubt that each piece made by the folks at Haand is beautiful not only in its design, but also in its color. After the pieces are fired they are glazed with a liquid coating of minerals that bonds to the clay, and brings a glassy and distinct color finish and texture to each piece, whether it be fern green or matte grey or one of the stunning Cloudware finishes that looks just like its namesake.

After the glazing, each piece goes into the gas kiln, where it’s fired at 2,300 degrees so that the clay and the glaze thoroughly bond. Afterward, each piece is polished and inspected before either being shipped out or stocked in the showroom.

All told, countless hands touch the pieces during the process, and every step reflects the hand of the maker who’s worked on it, which ensures that each piece, even if it’s part of a set, bears its own distinctions. Roughly 90 percent of Haand’s employees were novices before walking in the door, but each of them receives extensive training in the production process in order to maintain

Mark’s vision for every individual piece.

“It’s exciting,” Mark says, still seeming struck by the beauty of the process of designing, forming and firing even after all these years. “It’s right on the edge of chaos.”

But to the layperson’s eye, nothing about the scene at the production studio seems chaotic. People of all ethnicities, ages and backgrounds work quietly, whether they’re sponging or firing, many of them with earbuds popped in so they can listen to music, audiobooks or podcasts. Their work is accompanied by glances, smiles, nods of the head. The whole scene feels peaceful, thoughtful and grounded.

But it didn’t always feel that way to Chris, company president and co-founder, who I found after he stepped out of the office and gave me a tour around the showroom, where I immediately picked out two 10-ounce tapered mugs to take home. Chris had worked with clay since high school before forging a career

Instructors Demonstration Day and Class Registration Event

Sunday, January 8, 2023 • 2:00-4:00

as a corporate tax accountant in Jacksonville, Florida, where he often worked 80-hour weeks. It was on a trip to visit Mark in the dilapidated farmhouse that Chris truly considered reconnecting with his early passion for pottery. Mark pitched the idea of the two of them starting a business together; it ended up being an easy decision for Chris.

But those early days, rooming at the farmhouse with Mark while working in an outdoor studio took their toll on Chris, who quickly realized the differences between plowing through a 16-hour day behind a desk and the physicality of clearing brush to create more outdoor space, moving boxes of finished pieces, making phone calls and filling purchase orders.

“Moving into that house in the woods was a totally transformative experience for me,” Chris says. “I imagine that people were having thoughts like, ‘Has Chris lost it a little bit? Is he going a little crazy? He left a job he worked so hard for.’ I really looked up to Mark and relied on him to kind of show me what this new life was like.

Start the new year off by taking an inspiring art class or workshop. On January 8, visit the League and watch our instructors as they demonstrate the various mediums that they will be teaching - then register for the classes that interest you. There will be preview demonstrations and information about classes in Drawing, Pastel, Colored Pencil, Oil, Cold Wax, Watercolor, Gouache, Silkscreen, Silk Painting, Acrylic, Fluid Acrylic Pouring, Alcohol Ink, Mixed Medium, and Collage. Learn something new, advance your current skills, and discover the benefits and discounts of a League membership.

Thank you to our sponsors for their support

“But I definitely remember being in the studio by myself one day and the lights were off, and it was dark. I had a real big moment of existential dread, and I thought, have I made a terrible mistake?”

For Chris, after both the success of the company and his continued friendship with Mark, those moments of uncertainty are fewer and farther between. “I’m so passionate about what we’re making,” he says.

While Mark and Chris’ primitive way of living has changed since their days on the farm, the way they make their pottery has not.

“We haven’t changed the production method at all,” Chris says. “We’ve certainly refined it and gotten better at doing things, but if you were to have been there with us at the farmhouse and walked through how we made a pot, and then you were to walk through the way we do it now, you would see there are no fundamental changes. We can make things more efficiently, but it’s still a handmade mold, we pour the clay in, we pour the clay out, we finish it, we fire it, we glaze it, fire it again, and it’s done. The process is the same.”

Their friendship is the same too.

“Mark has just always been an incredibly fun person to be friends with,” Chris says. “I think it’s a blessing for both of us to have been such good friends before the business because having a business is hard, and it can really, really be difficult on every level, whether it’s financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually. Mark has always had my back, always been there for me, and always supported me.”

It’s clear that Mark has felt the same about Chris for years. “When you meet someone like Chris, you just kind of know them in totality. Chris is one of those people that if you know him it would be inconceivable not to want to be friends with him afterward.”

“And Mark was hilarious in high school,” Chris says, laughing. “I remember him showing up to a prom party at my house. He was a sophomore, so he wasn’t even invited to the prom.”

“Please tell me he showed up in a tuxedo,” I said.

“I think it was one of those T-shirts that has a tuxedo printed on it,” Chris says.

“It was,” Mark adds, the sudden recollection causing them both to break into laughter. “And I brought a beer bong that I’d bought on a German Club trip to Daytona Beach. It had never been used before, and I was like, ‘Let’s see how this works.’”

“That’ll be the next thing that Haand manufactures,” I say. “Ceramic beer bongs.”

“There’s a lot of demand for that,” Chris adds, and we all laugh again.

When you visit Haand or order any of their pieces online to be delivered to you, you will immediately recognize the care and attention that Mark and Chris have put into their craft. And when you spend any amount of time around Haand’s cofounders, you will say the same for their friendship.

Come for the kiln-fired pottery. Stay for the warmth. PS

Wiley Cash is the Alumni Author-in-Residence at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. His new novel, When Ghosts Come Home, is available wherever books are sold.

You, Me, Après-Ski

The art of smørrebrød

Story and p hotograph By roSe SheW ey

From St. Moritz to Sugar Mountain,

after-ski traditions are as varied as the topography of the mountains themselves. You might find yourself in a tavern with sticky floors, communal tables and craft brews on tap, or you might lounge on a secluded sun deck draped in a wool blanket, overlooking picturesque hillsides. Whatever your situation, one thing is for sure: After a day’s vigorous outdoor activity in the frosty cold, you will be in the market for some serious chow. Move over, moringa smoothies and açaí bowls, this is a job for pickled herring, Alpine fries, potato rösti, cheese fondue and goulash soup.

Or, for the culinary adventurous and fellow Scandiphiles, wander off the beaten path and explore the rich and colorful world of smørrebrød. The possibilities are endless, but let’s start with the basics: Take a slice of freshly baked rye bread, spread butter on it and layer with smoked, pickled or fresh meat or fish, then balance out flavors and textures with spreads, cheese, herbs, veggies or fruit.

Smørrebrød literally translates from Danish to “butter bread.” It is always open-faced and iconic in all of Scandinavia and many

parts of Europe, and for good reason. While other European countries have similar traditions (Germans love their “Brotzeit”), there is something rather intriguing about the Danish version of it.

There are some rules to observe (or deliberately ignore), but hands-down, the most important one is: Smørrebrød needs to be appealing to the eye, even sexy. It’s an art form and, at its best, it draws you in with appetizing compositions of fresh (or freshly preserved) ingredients, a mixture of colors and carefully curated garnishes. In Denmark, entire restaurants have dedicated themselves to creating the most enticing open-faced sandwiches with artisan ingredients. For an authentic experience, eat with a fork and a knife and never, under the penalty of public ridicule, fold your smørrebrød to eat as a sandwich.

Bizarre, but true: In Denmark, you can become a “smørrebrødsjomfru” — literally, a “butter bread maiden,” which is a recognized three-year apprenticeship and qualifies you to work in respected restaurants as a smørrebrød chef. While this culinary heritage became less popular sometime during the second half of the 20th century, it is now experiencing a renaissance, and not just in Denmark. More often these days, you will find smørrebrød on the menu of après-ski locations around Europe as a nourishing, wholesome meal option. While this delicacy is a yearround offering, it has special appeal during the winter months, particularly to those who like to eat in-season as it is an excellent reason to raid your root cellar for all things smoked and pickled.

Rollmops, Egg and Beet Smørrebrød (Serves 2)

3/4 cup pickled red beets, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

1-2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or to taste

2 slices rye bread

A handful leafy greens (e.g., arugula)

2 rollmops (pickled or salted herring)

2 boiled eggs, halved or sliced

1 small apple, sliced

2 tablespoons capers

Red onion, thinly sliced

Chives or sprouts for garnish

Combine red beets, sour cream and horseradish in a food processor and blend until you have a smooth cream. Spread a generous layer of red beet cream on the slices of bread, add leafy greens, rollmops, eggs, apple slices, capers and onions and arrange to your liking. Sprinkle with chives and serve right away. PS

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

To Drink or Not to Drink

A recipe for both worlds

few who have started January dry this year, my hat’s off to you. It’s very easy to start — you know, with all the gluttony that came and went with the holidays — but it’s not quite as easy to finish. After a couple of weeks without alcohol (especially if your diet is back on track), you start feeling much better after the punishment you put your liver through, and you might start thinking, “Gee, maybe it’s time I treat myself.” And off you go.

To cover all the bases, here is a low ABV cocktail for those who might slip up from time to time, and a non-alcoholic recipe for those who go all the way without a drop of spirit. Either way, both are delicious.

Strawberry-infused Campari and Soda

This is a very simple cocktail; the only catch is waiting a few days for your Campari to infuse. Campari is a bitter liqueur, an aperitif that is low in alcohol, and known by most for the part it plays in the Negroni, a cocktail classic.

To infuse your Campari, wash and slice 1 quart of strawberries and mix them in a container with 750 milliliters of Campari. Let sit for 3-4 days. Strain through a cheesecloth into a glass container when ready.

Put 2 ounces of your strawberry-infused Campari into a tall (highball) glass, add ice, and top with sparkling water. Stir slightly for a few seconds. Garnish with a lemon twist and strawberry.

Hay Is for Horses

This one, from The Aviary: Holiday Cocktails, is a bit elaborate, but you’re not drinking this month, so you’ll have plenty of free time to put it together.

Grapefruit ice

2 1/2 ounces juniper hay stock

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce maple syrup

1 bar spoon rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 ounces grapefruit-flavored sparkling water (Fever Tree makes a great one)

1 grapefruit peel

Place 3 cubes of grapefruit ice into a medium serving glass. Combine all ingredients (except sparkling water and grapefruit peel) with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until chilled and diluted, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into glass over ice. Gently add the sparkling water. Express the grapefruit peel over the glass. Discard the peel.

Grapefruit Ice

400 grams horseradish stock

200 grams fresh grapefruit juice

104 grams simple syrup

46 grams fresh lemon juice

If you’re one of the

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking to mix thoroughly. Fill a 1 1/4 inch (3.2 centimeters) square ice mold with mixture. Freeze into cubes until completely solid. Reserve.

Simple Syrup

60 grams sugar

60 grams water

Combine sugar and water into a medium bowl. Stir with a spatula to completely dissolve the sugar. Transfer to a glass bottle or other airtight container and reserve in the refrigerator.

Horseradish Stock

400 grams hot water

100 grams prepared horseradish

Place the water and horseradish in a medium bowl, whisking to combine. Allow the mixture to steep for 1 hour. Strain through a mesh strainer, discarding solids and reserving the liquid.

Juniper Hay Stock

40 grams fresh hay*

5 grams cinnamon sticks, crushed/broken into small pieces

5 grams coriander seeds

4 green cardamom pods, crushed

15 grams juniper berries

650 grams water

Peel from 1/2 lime (about 5 grams)

Peel from 1/2 orange (about 13 grams)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the hay onto a cookie sheet or sheet tray. Toast the hay in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, toast the cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom over medium heat until fragrant. Let cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine the toasted hay, spices, and juniper with the water. Bring this to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add lime and orange peels, cover, and let steep for 1 1/2 hours. Strain this mixture through a mesh strainer, discarding solids. Transfer the liquid to a glass bottle or other nonreactive container and reserve.

*If you have trouble finding hay, you can substitute rolled oats, or omit it completely . . . the final drink will still be tasty. PS

Tony Cross is a bartender (well, ex-bartender) who runs cocktail catering company Reverie Cocktails in Southern Pines.

Here in Southern Pines, Philip is just one of many Schwab Branch Leaders ready to offer guidance and a wide range of investment options for your changing needs. Philip works to put you first. Even if you’re not sure what comes next.

By deBorah Salomon

Kittyspeak 101

When a look says it all

Winslet, who spoke of a director who criticized how she delivered a line. “Don’t worry, I can say it with my eyes,” Winslet snapped. My Lucky’s huge yellow eyes speak reams, convey a range of emotions: contentment, questioning, fear, acquiescence, warning and, rarely, displeasure. He lacks a loud purr, but stretched out across my lap, his dreamy eyes convey love. If I’m gone for too long I sense reprimand. As feeding time approaches his stare becomes an urgent frown. When the doorbell rings, his eyes warn. But sometimes eye-talk isn’t enough.

A paw reinforces his query. I feel black velvet stroke my foot as I work on the computer. Pause. Repeat. If no response, a slight mew. I rise, he turns and leads me to his bowl, the back or front doors. Impossible to ignore the polite but insistent paw at 3 a.m. Lucky knows I keep treats in the bedside table. So does Missy, but she wouldn’t dare.

Welcome,once again, to the annual January kitty column — the ninth, I believe.

I am a lifelong animal lover/advocate. All are welcome except foxes and coyotes. Once I kept a caged snake in the garage for my son’s friend while he was at summer camp. I cannot count how many forlorn, destitute kitties have come to my door, instinctively knowing they would be fed, adopted, cared for, loved.

The all-black ones with kind, intelligent eyes are my weakness.

Like Lucky, who showed up in 2011. He had been neutered, declawed and abandoned when his family moved. After feeding him outside for weeks I opened the door. He strolled into my house, my heart. A year later a pudgy half-tabby with a clipped ear signaling a spayed feral began hanging around for handouts. She rewarded me with hisses. I couldn’t ignore her limp so I opened the door. Lucky — who doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his panther-esque body — just stared, stoically. The half-tabby hissed at us both for about a week, then turned on the charm. Now Hissy Missy anchors my lap as I write, leans against my leg when I sleep, and treats Lucky like Meghan Markle does Prince Harry.

In public, at least.

Though intelligence-wise, she’s a dozen Rorschach ink blots beneath him — I should have named him Mensa — they each communicate, ask, answer, demand, complain in subtle, nonverbal, kittyspeak.

I remember seeing an interview of Academy Award actress Kate

Lucky also displays a heightened awareness of his surroundings. I broke my wrist recently. When I appeared wearing a cast Lucky was all over it, licking. Did he feel my pain? Was he expressing sympathy or just curiosity?

Missy is more self-absorbed. In fine weather (her definition of temp/humidity) she likes to sit on the back porch table and watch the birds and squirrels nibble peanut butter sandwiches. While Lucky dozes on a chair she remains alert for danger. Like blue jays.

Missy’s maddening method of getting my attention is circling my feet, often resulting in a stepped-on tail. She never learns.

The best is watching them communicate with each other via long, penetrating stares. At least once a day she washes his face. Play may be beneath Lucky’s solemn countenance, but she occasionally shadowboxes — tabby vs. the sphinx. Other than that, Missy defers to him in all matters.

A glass ceiling-smashing bra-burner this gal is not.

I need an animal relationship. Through the years this has been fulfilled by dogs, cats and my children’s pets who knew my home as their own. As for folks who brand kitties cold, aloof and mean, let me remind you that an animal companion often reflects its master’s personality/behavior.

True, I’m neither dignified nor stoic like Lucky. Not a Missy flibbertigibbet either. But at least, day in, day out, through thick and thin, rain or shine, we speak the same language. PS

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

A Winter Wonder

Evening grosbeaks visit the Sandhills

By SuSan CampBell

Evening grosbeaks are a most unexpected surprise in North Carolina during the winter months. Last month I made a similar claim about purple finches, explaining that food shortages further north would bring these raspberrycolored songbirds our way in numbers over the coming months. In fact, much to my delight, that has already happened at our feeders in Apex. But evening grosbeaks, which could be found reliably here in our state every few years, are nowhere as numerous as they were just a couple of decades ago. Therefore, they are far less likely to appear even when seed resources plummet across southern Canada and the northern United States.

Evening grosbeaks are robin-sized birds with a distinctive heavy white bill and varying amounts of yellow feathering, depending on the bird’s age and sex. All individuals have white and black wings as well as a gray crown and nape. Adult males with their yellow eyebrows and bellies are hard to miss. Immatures as well as adult females are more muted, having limited yellow feathering above with gray underparts.

Being larger, grosbeaks’ songs and calls can carry a good distance. Furthermore, they are almost always found in flocks during the colder months. So they are likely to vocalize a good bit throughout the day. You may be startled by the cacophony of warbling songs or hear their buzzy chips as they keep track of one another.

These big birds have a broad diet. As with most songbirds, evening grosbeaks feed heavily on insects and insect larvae during the spring and summer. But beginning in early fall they seek out berries, not as much for the fruit but for the seeds contained within. With their large bill and strong tongue, they can easily manipulate these sizable morsels to get at the protein in the middle. During the colder weather they can be found foraging

on seeds from maple, ash, tulip poplar and pine. It is likely that a combination of a better-than-average breeding season with a poor mast crop is causing their winter range expansion. Individuals and small groups have already been spotted in our state — all the way to the coast. I was startled to hear one calling a couple weeks ago from high in the forest along the creek at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in Southern Pines. And I expect it is not the only encounter I will have this season.

Laying out the welcome mat for these handsome birds is not complicated. Of course, your odds of attracting evening grosbeaks are better if you have the native vegetation they favor. Commonly cultivated apples, cherries and Russian olives will also get their attention. Feeding stations with sunflower seeds will be a draw, of course — especially if the seeds are hulled. Additionally, they will consume peanuts and other larger nuts like pecans and even walnut pieces.

Given the size of a grosbeak, you can imagine that the amount of seed they consume on a winter’s day is not insignificant. But folks lucky enough to host them are usually willing to provide as much seed as the birds will eat. Paying the price for such special guests is worth the investment, especially if you are a Southern birdwatcher who likely will only have such an incredible opportunity once in a lifetime. PS

Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photographs at susan@ncaves.com.

Called to Order

The gang gathers for good times

By tom Bryant

The best friends in the world are the ones you don’t need to meet every day. Whether it’s been a day or 10 years, the conversation is the same.

— Anonymous

The members of the old Sleeping Black Duck Order were falling by the wayside. The organization, started many years ago on a brant goose hunt on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, was still honored by what was left of the active members, but probably on a much more sedate level than those early years.

The club was created after a successful day’s duck shoot on the Chesapeake Bay. The group was sitting in front of a blazing fire talking about the day’s events, who did what, good-naturedly ragging missed shots and bragging about good ones. There were seven in the party, good friends all, having known each other for years, hunting together most of them. Idiosyncrasies, good and bad, were acknowledged and overlooked when needed. In essence, they were more than friends; they were a lot like family.

The conversation drifted here and yonder, mostly about how great the day was and how the hunt was over too soon. The gang was to load up the next morning and head home. Jim, the sport who had organized the hunt, was talking about hunting over the hand-carved black duck decoys provided by the guide and how well they worked.

“Just look how beautiful that black is on the mantel.” He pointed to a sleeping black duck decoy that our guide, Grayson Chesser, had carved. Chesser is famous on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for his carved decoys.

“I’ve got a great idea,” Jim continued. “Let’s buy that decoy. We’ll take yearly turns keeping it, celebrating at the end of every duck season with a dinner, passing the decoy on to the next member in line. If we miss a year’s duck hunt, the decoy remains with the preceding associate until the next season.”

That’s what we did. Over the years, the sleeping black duck decoy became the starting point of many conversations, even though time and infirmities slowed down many hunts and even canceled a few. We grew older and the glory days of the group drifted away like a migrating duck. We’d known for a while that our best days together were gone, but just like that wandering duck, we hoped those good days would show up again in the near future.

Art called me early in the fall. “Hey. Tom, I’ve talked to John and Jack about a trip to Mattamuskeet, maybe in the early winter. You know, just to get together, hash over a few memories and maybe do some fishing. Remember the last time we were there, Dell said he would take us if we wanted and if it worked in his schedule.”

Dell and Karen Meekins are the owners of the Hyde County Lodges, beautiful cabins sitting on pilings right on the Pamlico Sound. We used their facilities several times in the past when we were actively pursuing the noble waterfowl and even a time or two when all we did was get together and, as Art so aptly put it, “hash over old times.”

Jack, the guy who arranges reservations and details whenever the group decides to take a road trip, put everything together with Karen, and we were scheduled to meet at the Lodges for four days of good times. Best of all, Dell agreed to take us fishing.

The trip to Hyde County is a pleasure in its own right. The

Hyde County Lodges

Tom Bryant

Dell Meekins PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY TOM BRYANT

ALL STRINGS

LEE AUDITORIUM, PINECREST HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTHERN PINES

Michelle Di Russo, conductor

Elgar: Serenade for Strings

Clarice Assad: Suite for Lower Strings

Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 7

C. Helen Malone, MD

Dr. Malone spent three years as a Mohs surgeon and Cosmetic Director for the Laser Center at the prestigious Baylor Dermatology Department and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas before joining the Pinehurst location of Cary Skin Center.

Dr. Malone has taken and successfully passed the new first-ever Board Certification Examination in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery and has achieved accreditation as a Mohs Surgeon of Excellence. This represents a new level of the gold standard in Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

C. Helen Malone, MD

county’s motto is “The Road Less Travelled,” and it lives up to that. Once you cross the Pungo River, you’ll meet a few cars, but very few. And the ones you do meet wave as they drive by. Hyde County is a friendly place.

Art, John and Jack arrived a little before I did, even though they stopped at Whole Foods in Raleigh for some needed supplies. The lodges are extremely comfortable, decorated in an outdoor motif that would make any sportsman happy, and we were in the two side-by-side units. The guys were already unloading food and coolers where we would headquarter and cook and have all our meals. John, being the head chef, called out marching orders on where things went. In no time we were relaxing on the big front porch.

John and Jack decided not to fish, but Dell agreed to take Art and me the next morning. The plan was for us to meet him at 7 a.m. at the little canal behind the lodges where he docks his skiff. Art handled all the particulars of the trip for the following morn-

ing; and that evening, after John had put together a fantastic meal, we kicked back comfortably enjoying a glass of wine that our connoisseur, Jack, selected. When a special wine is needed, we always consult him.

Art and I were up early the next morning to meet Dell at the dock. He breaks the mold when you think about a Down East waterman, although that’s how he grew up. He had all the gear needed so all we had to do was show up. Talk about a Hyde County success story, Dell and Karen Meekins could write the book. Both grew up there, fell in love and married early. They built the lodges in 2012, and their bookings have been growing steadily. Dell says that Karen handles all the reservations, and he does the mechanics and upkeep. Dell, a North Carolina State graduate, is also part owner of Engelhard Seafood, a wholesale supplier to restaurants.

A beautiful sunrise met us as we motored out of the canal into the Pamlico Sound. Dell was in a jovial mood and kept

Happy NEW YEAR REACH FOR MORE

SPORTING LIFE

talking about how we might not catch anything, but probably would. I was sitting next to him as he kicked the motor into high gear and we roared out into the bay. A slender, tall man, he moves with the confidence of an athlete, handling the boat effortlessly.

I’ve not fished with many guides, usually doing it on my own. And, in all honesty, Dell is not a guide — he just loves to fish and loves to take people fishing. It’s not his profession, but he is good. That morning we caught between 30 and 40 fish, everything from flounder to red fish. It was a catch-and-release morning, except Art and I decided to keep a couple of redfish and trout. All and all, thanks to Dell, it was a wonderful morning on the sound.

Before we could blink, the three days on the Pamlico went into the journal and it was time to load up and head home. We hadn’t done much, fished a little and rode around to visit spots where we used to hunt, but we accomplished the purpose of the get-together with flying colors, and that was to enjoy each other’s company.

We had to leave early the final morning. John had a meeting at his law firm that afternoon, so we were awake at sunrise. Loaded up and ready to move, we stood around in the parking area and watched the day come alive over the sound. Clouds banked before the sun and looked like another horizon. Goodbyes were said, and I watched as the crew motored down the driveway heading home.

Each lodge sits up high on pilings and I sat on a swing located in the below deck parking area, determined to catch the first rays of the morning. The sun slowly came visible over the clouds, and I watched as it rose majestically over the Pamlico. The Sleeping Black Duck Order has been whittled down a little, but we’re strong where it counts. Good friends and good times. I fired up the little Cruiser and headed home. What a pleasure. PS

Tom Bryant, a Southern Pines resident, is a lifelong outdoorsman and PineStraw’s Sporting Life columnist.

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Strange Magic

Doubling your Sandhills pleasure

By lee paCe

Whether it was Curtis in the 1970s winning the North & South Amateur or Allan today tootling around the village of Pinehurst, for nearly half a century the Sandhills have been close to the hearts of the Strange brothers.

“Pinehurst was just a place you fell in love with,” says Curtis Strange, the two-time U.S. Open champion. “Some of my proudest moments were some of the scores I shot on Pinehurst No. 2 back in college.”

“It’s just a great place to get away to,” adds identical twin Allan, a financial adviser living in Richmond, Virginia. “At first I knew Pinehurst just for the golf. But the more I got to know the village and the people, the stronger the draw became.”

Curtis and Allan were born in 1955 in Virginia Beach and were introduced to golf at 7 years of age by their father, Tom, a club professional and owner of White Sands Country Club. Tom also found time to play in six U.S. Opens, his best finish a tie for 48th in 1967 at Baltusrol.

“In our house, the U.S. Open always meant a great deal,” Curtis says. “Arnold Palmer told me a long time ago the Open is the hardest test in golf, and it should be, because it’s our national championship.”

Curtis joined coach Jesse Haddock’s juggernaut program at Wake Forest University, and Allan played at East Tennessee State. Curtis was a three-time All-American from 1973-75, won the 1974 NCAA individual title, and teamed with Jay Haas to lead the Deacons to team titles in 1974 and ’75.

With legendary caddie Fletcher Gaines at his side, Strange won the 1975 North & South Amateur by shaving defending champion George Burns, then followed with the 1976 crown by handily ousting Fred Ridley, now the chairman of Augusta National Golf Club.

“Fletcher and I had a lot of fun,” Strange says. “He was a great help. I really got to know No. 2 with Fletcher. Playing those greens requires a lot of local knowledge. Back then, I was just

kind of booming it. I didn’t have much management or strategy on the golf course. I would hit it long and go chase it. Fletcher tried to condense that strength and manage me around. He did a great job. He read all my putts.

“I shot some really good scores and hit a lot of good shots there. When you go to a place like Pinehurst and do well, it means so much more than winning on a golf course no one’s ever heard of. My name will be on that plaque in the clubhouse for a long time.”

Strange exploded on the PGA Tour in the mid-to-late 1980s, winning back-to-back U.S. Opens in 1988-89 and eight events total from 1987-89, and his $1.1 million prize winnings in 1988 marked the first time a pro golfer had topped the $1 million mark for a single season. He played on five Ryder Cup teams and captained the 2002 United States team. In the twilight of his career, he has worked as a TV commentator and now spends considerable time fishing from his homes in Morehead City, North Carolina, and Naples, Florida, and pursuing various philanthropic endeavors.

He’s made periodic trips to Pinehurst over the years, and in August 2022 he got a look at the construction site for the USGA’s new Golf House Pinehurst between the club and Carolina Hotel. On the second floor of that facility, the USGA is designating space for the World Golf Hall of Fame — Curtis was inducted in 2007 — which will move from St. Augustine, Florida.

“I’m so happy and thrilled with what the USGA is doing, building kind of a home away from home in Pinehurst,” Curtis says. “Add to that, the Hall of Fame is coming back to where it started. Everyone has their golf mecca. Ours is Pinehurst. The USGA . . . the Hall of Fame . . . Pinehurst No. 2 . . . it seems like a perfect fit.”

Curtis (left) & Allan (right)

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY VIRGINIA GOLF HALL OF FAME

GOLFTOWN JOURNAL

Allan, meanwhile, has taken a more circuitous route to find his own golf nirvana in the Sandhills.

He, too, played in the North & South in the 1970s, in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate with East Tennessee State, and then in the Hall of Fame Classic on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s. Then he entered private business in wealth management and eventually got his amateur status back. Throughout his working career in Richmond, he’d visit Pinehurst every half-dozen years or so.

“My wife and I had a place at Smith Mountain Lake, and after 10 or 12 years, that was kind of getting old,” he says. “We started looking at places within easy driving distance. I said, ‘Let’s go visit Pinehurst.’ She just loved the small town look and feel of the village. So did I. We came a second time. And third. The pull was pretty strong.”

Allan was also a friend of Ziggy Zalzneck, a longtime member at the Country Club of North Carolina and former club president. Over frequent visits to the Zalzneck residence at CCNC, he seriously considered joining the club. It came together about a decade ago with the Stranges buying the Liscombe Lodge on Linden Road, the winter home years ago for Gen. George Marshall, the U.S. Army’s chief of staff during World War II and later the secretary of defense and secretary of state.

“So it just kind of evolved — a home in the village and a membership at CCNC,” Allan says. “I have loved being here. The glue, of course, is the golf, but if I got old enough where I couldn’t play anymore, I’d still enjoy the village.”

Allan is a regular at CCNC and various restaurants around town, and often draws a double take, just as he did around airports in the 1980s and early ’90s when Curtis was at the height of his popularity. The twins have long shared similar body compositions, salt-and-pepper hair and facial features.

“More than a few times I’ve been asked, ‘That’s Curtis Strange, isn’t it?’” longtime CCNC Director of Golf Jeff Dotson says of Allan’s visits to the club.

GOLFTOWN JOURNAL

“I’ve signed plenty of autographs when it’s a kid who might be disappointed if I told him I wasn’t actually the U.S. Open champion,” Allan says. “It was probably more than you could imagine. But I was fine with it. It meant Curtis was playing well and winning.”

The Strange brothers talk by phone almost daily and participated in the Patriot Foundation Pro-Am at CCNC in August 2022. They played golf with veterans and service personnel, drank a few beers and raised money for scholarships for children of parents who had lost their lives in ser vice. Allan came away impressed with his brother’s demeanor and station in life.

“We spent two days together and I saw firsthand that Curtis was more relaxed than he’s ever been,” Allan says. “He’s enjoying life as much as he ever did, but in a totally different way. The enjoyment he had in the ’80s was pressure packed, it was climbing the mountain. Now it’s totally different, now he’s coming down the other side. I didn’t really know what this side would be like for him. He enjoys his family; he enjoys getting on the water every day that he can. He’s philanthropic in a private, quiet way. And he still pays very close attention to what is going on in golf.

“I wasn’t sure if he could enjoy this as much as he does. It makes me feel good.”

The Strange brothers will turn 68 in late January 2023. Look for them in body and spirit around the village — Curtis in name among the champions displayed in Heritage Hall at Pinehurst and perhaps even in person visiting his brother.

“I’ve seen Curtis more now because I’ve had a place in Pinehurst for eight or nine years, which is a nice unintended consequence,” Allan says. “It’s interesting how it all fell into place, starting with Curtis’ love of Pinehurst and success here. “I don’t think I’ll ever not have a second home in Pinehurst.” PS

Lee Pace is a Chapel Hill-based golf writer and a long-time contributor to PineStraw magazine. His latest book is Good Walks— Rediscovering the Soul of Golf at 18 Top Carolinas Courses, published by UNC Press.

By PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Perfect Sandhills Wedding

Talking in the Dark

Talking in the dark can be a way to begin falling in love or becoming friends again after a difficult day in summer when late light walks away, when the kitchen knives splayed on the table hold galaxies that remind us to be playful despite the sharp edges that the sun showed us. Paired in the dark, in passion, night knows us in ways we don’t know ourselves.

Something in us — coded into our cells? — goes back to the time of sleeping in caves when words were made to be believed, where the walls were painted for dreams, for magic, for hunts with spears, daggers, and hatchets. The people on the walls are working together. They have no anger. They have only hunger.

— Paul Jones

Paul Jones’ most recent book is Something Wonderful.

Spacing out with a Sandhills photographer

By Jenna Biter

Photogra Phs By L arry Pizzi

the Stars

M33, the Triangulum Galaxy

At the end of another day, the Earth turns its face from the sun, and dusk stretches its long arms over the horizon, tucking half of the globe under the heavy blanket of night. In the thick of North Carolina pine country, drowsy towns go dim but not yet dark, like fires burnt to embers.

Somewhere in Seven Lakes, on a wide corner lot occupied by an agreeable yellow house, one Northerner-come-south seems immune to the lullaby of night.

As a neighbor’s kitchen light goes out, the yellow house stirs. Its garage door rolls up, and a man dressed in a vacation-style shirt fit for Georges Seurat’s La Grande Jatte steps onto his driveway under the purple fresco of Starry Night. He pushes a tripod fixed atop caster wheels into the middle of the blacktop, then steps back to eye the mechanical spider. It has one oculus instead of eight, a 21st-century Cyclops capable of probing the heavens.

Larry Pizzi rolls the telescope forward and back, left to right, manually repositioning the tripod before fine-tuning the focus

and field of view with swipes on an iPad.

“My telescopes, you don’t look through them,” Larry explained earlier in the living room inside the agreeable yellow house. Antique clocks chattered from the walls, their pendulums tick-tocking as they waved hello and goodbye. Like a chorus of teakettles whistling with steam, the clocks burst into chirps and chimes and dings at set intervals — like clockwork.

“Sorry about that,” Larry said.

“That’s his other hobby,” his wife, Wendy, said, seated on the floor. Beside her, their small pooch, Dibley, champed at a stuffed alligator. He ripped with such enthusiasm that he seemed to understand the irony.

“There are a hundred clocks here, and a hundred still in storage in the garage,” Larry said, then returned to his other passion. “My telescopes, they’re like really big camera lenses.”

Larry’s dad, Joe, surprised him with his first telescope when he was in fourth grade. He didn’t get his first camera until a year later. Of course, Larry unscrewed screws and peeled back metal

The Western Veil Nebula or Witch’s Broom is the remains of a star that exploded more than 10,000 years ago

M45, the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters is easy to spot with the naked eye in the constellation Taurus, the Bull.

NGC 1499 the California Nebula is shaped like the Golden State. It’s a nearby neighbor — only 1,000 light years from Earth.

housings to investigate both gadgets, as little boys are prone to do.

“I was good at taking things apart, not really great at putting them back together,” he admitted. “I ruined that camera.” His tone sagged with momentary regret.

“God bless digital cameras,” Wendy cracked, bringing her husband back.

He grinned. “I had to know how it worked, you know?”

Larry kept up with photography through three careers and the lion’s share of his almost 70 years, focusing mostly on eyelevel wonders, from the covered bridges of Pennsylvania Amish country to Appalachian waterfalls. It was almost as though he had forgotten to look up.

“It was in high school that I really got into astronomy and started a little bit of astrophotography,” Larry said. “But then life intervened for about 40 years.”

It wasn’t until 2018, when the Pizzis moved south to the Sandhills, that Larry resurrected a telescope from the bowels of his garage and days gone by.

“Clear skies,” he said. “We came from New Jersey.”

“Plus, you were retired when you moved here,” Wendy pointed out. “You no longer had your day job.”

After serving in the Army for 21 years and working with

nonprofits for another decade, Pizzi retired from his third and favorite career in 2016. A classics major, he taught English and Latin for a dozen or so years in the part of New Jersey that thinks it’s Philadelphia.

Back outside, Larry, though no longer a teacher, diagrams his telescope with the quiet confidence of a veteran professor lecturing on the human skeleton. “This is the main camera,” he says, pointing to a cylinder at the butt of the telescope’s yard-long tube where the eyepiece would normally seat. “This is the guide telescope, and this is a guide camera.” He finishes the anatomical tour before gazing up at the now-black sky.

“Tonight’s target is a nebula,” he says. Like many of the clouds swirling with cosmic dust and gas, this nebula located deep within the Cepheus constellation, beyond the reaches of the naked eye, has no name, only a designation: NGC 7822. Nebulae reveal the life cycle of the gods. Either they’re the birthplaces of the stars, like this night’s target, or they’re like overturned funeral urns, spilling the ashes of luminescent giants into the void. On this particular night, this particular nebula arcs through the band of sky perfectly visible — between rooflines and the crowns of longleaf pines — to the Cyclops in the middle of Larry’s blacktop.

“Taking the pictures is actually the easiest part,” Larry says.

Part of a large complex of nebulae in the constellation of Orion. Upper left is the Flame Nebula. The dark formation is the Horsehead Nebula. The largest is M42, the Great Orion Nebula.

SH2-275, the Rosette Nebula, is a star incubator. Its gasses and dust allow stars to form in it.

Once the telescope locks onto its target, the oculus, like a landbound guardian angel, watches the cosmic traveler move through the sky, snapping photos all the while.

“When you’re taking a picture, you don’t take a picture,” he says, hanging onto the ‘A.’ “You take dozens if not hundreds of short exposures.” Larry usually shoots 100 to 150 frames in a session. “And sometimes, you do it over multiple nights, the same target.”

After shooting, Larry stacks the frames on top of each other like a digital layer cake. Then he attends to each frame individually, checking them for the taillights of stray aircraft or the glow of the neighbor’s kitchen, before combining the unflawed frames into the final photo.

“It’s at least eight to 12 hours to process the photos,” he says. The process happens on a pair of computer monitors at a corner desk in a corner room that Larry dubbed “the digital darkroom.” Of course, a clock chatters happily from the wall behind.

“The way I take pictures is the exact same way the James Webb Telescope takes a picture,” Larry says. “Webb is just a little more sophisticated.”

Once the telescope finds its target, Larry turns away. He wheels around shooting a green laser into the dark and circles constellations. There’s Draco, Cygnus the Swan, and the W-shaped Cassiopeia. He points out stars like a maestro lost in the music of space and time, conducting the celestial orchestra.

“I think the reason he’s rekindled this passion is that retirement is a challenging season in life, and I think that this has made retirement a plus instead of a minus,” Wendy says.

“This is a great outlet,” Larry says. “I think I’m a frustrated artist.” PS

Jenna Biter is a writer and military wife in the Sandhills. She can be reached at jennabiter@protonmail.com

A part of NGC 7000, the North America Nebula. The bright part is called the Cygnus Wall, a formation of very hot gasses and dust actively giving birth to stars.

Towering Inferno

Sixty years ago a wildfire ravaged the Sandhills

By BiLL Case

The day dawned brilliant and balmy at Tom and Nancy Howe’s Aurora Hills farm in Pinebluff, North Carolina. It was a gorgeous spring morning on Thursday, April 4, 1963, except for the gusty winds that would blow throughout day.

Tom finished breakfast with Nancy and the couple’s two young boys, Tommy Jr. and John, climbed into his pickup truck and drove to Pinehurst, where he worked at Clarendon Gardens, owned and operated by his father, Frank Howe.

Today, Clarendon Gardens is an upscale neighborhood off Linden Road, but in 1963, it was a magnificent, nationally acclaimed 160-acre botanical garden, attracting thousands of tourists who marveled at Frank Howe’s vast array of azaleas, rhododendrons and hollies. Springtime was Clarendon Gardens’ high season, and Tom Howe anticipated a busy day. The 25-year-old could never have foreseen the harrowing, grueling hours he and other Moore County residents were about to endure.

Two miles down Linden Road, west of Clarendon Gardens, lies the nearly 2,000-acre Sandy Woods Farm. Owners Mr. and Mrs. Q.A. Shaw McKean (Shaw and Katharine), having just arrived from Europe, were experiencing a bit of jet lag that morning. Their 6-year-old son, David, was playing in the McKeans’ rambling brick house while his three older brothers — John, Tom and Robert — were away at boarding school in the family’s home state of Massachusetts.

Shaw, a 1913 Harvard University grad and standout polo player, had amassed his fortune in banking and investments. His wife, the former Katharine Winthrop, was descended from Puritan John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She’d been a top-ranked tennis player during the late 1930s and early ’40s, winning the 1944 United States Indoors title.

Active participants in big-time Thoroughbred racing, the McKeans maintained an impressive stable of two dozen horses at Sandy Woods. The most prized was Polylad, winner of several important races including the 1961 Massachusetts Handicap in which the 5-year-old horse was spurred to a photo-finish victory by Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro. With major summer races upcoming, Shaw and Katharine would have been eager to catch up with head trainer John Donahue regarding the fitness of Polylad and his stablemates.

At around 10:30 a.m., when Donahue knocked on the McKeans’ front door, he was carrying more pressing news. A forest fire was burning several miles west of the farm. The operator of a small sawmill in West End had left a saw running while taking a water break. The unattended equipment threw off a spark, which in turn ignited a small brush fire. Before anyone knew what was happening, flames began spreading through the pine forest, supercharged by the wind and tinder box-dry conditions.

There was the prospect that intervening county roads could provide an effective firebreak, keeping the blaze away from Sandy Woods and populated areas. Given the prevailing wind, even if the fire leapfrogged the roads, it seemed likely to follow a path that would keep it north of the farm. While not an immediate threat to Sandy Woods, the situation was worrisome enough that Donahue and the McKeans considered the steps necessary to protect the property and themselves if the fire headed their way.

Meanwhile, Moore County forest ranger Travis Wicker was growing increasingly alarmed. He feared the exceedingly dry conditions, coupled with high winds (gusts between 40-50 miles per hour), were a recipe for disaster. Later, Wicker said the danger became magnified when the towering flames “jumped the old Jackson Springs Road. It got hot (out of control), and we knew we had a monster on our hands.”

It seemed nothing could stop or slow the fire. According to The Pilot, the blaze “skipped over roads and fields as if they weren’t there.” Driven by the wind, long prongs of intense flames licked out in multiple directions. The monster became multi-headed, and it was difficult to predict its precise path. There were fears the fire would strike downtown Pinehurst, then vault into the area’s other populated communities. Moreover, three lesser (albeit substantial) fires were burning in other parts of the county.

Fire departments from Moore County and elsewhere were dispatched to far-flung areas of the Sandhills. Coordinating them presented an organizational nightmare. The emergency code 911 didn’t yet exist, and radios didn’t link the volunteer fire departments to a central command center. “When we needed a rural fire truck to do a particular job, we had to send out another truck to hunt him up and give him the instructions,” said Wicker.

When the wind abruptly swung 45 degrees south, the path of the blaze shifted away from Pinehurst and straight in the direction of Sandy Woods’ stables and kennels. The McKeans and Donahue were suddenly faced with a worst-case scenario. But help was on the way, not only from local fire departments but also the McKeans’ friends and neighbors. Among them was Tom Howe, who hauled Clarendon Gardens’ spraying equipment to the scene.

He and other volunteers endured treacherous drives to the farm, blindly feeling their way down Linden Road through intense, spark-bearing black smoke. Given the near-zero visibility, they risked driving right into the inferno. Two brave responders were forced to dive under their truck and lie flat on the pavement until surrounding flames passed by them.

Donahue’s first priority was the evacuation of the horses. Using Sandy Woods’ own horse trailer along with another furnished by legendary harness racing great Octave Blake, Donahue transport-

Sandy Woods Farm, Shaw and Katharine McKean with sons John, Tom, Robert and David

ed 10 of the McKeans’ 24 horses, including Polylad, to safety. But before the trailers could return for a second load, the flames had reached the paddock area. Donahue faced an intractable dilemma. The remaining horses were doomed if he turned them out into the now fiery paddock. Hoping against hope that the blaze would skirt the stables, the trainer decided holding the frightened horses in their stalls was their best bet for survival.

Tragically, they were doomed. The Pilot reported that “with the gale shifting winds, there was no safety anywhere. In a second’s time, it seemed, the stables were ablaze from heat and flying sparks as well as the kennels, and all were engulfed in the inferno.”

The wildfire now loomed within striking distance of the McKeans’ brick home, a half-mile from the stables. Responders feverishly dug a firebreak trench around the periphery of the house while Howe, horseman Pappy Moss, and firefighters from Vass and Pinehurst drenched the structure and surrounding vegetation.

David McKean, now 65, has vivid recollections of his mother appearing at the back of the house and telling him, “We have to leave right now!” The anxiety in her voice was in such marked contrast to her usual unflappable demeanor that 6-year-old David realized the situation was gravely dangerous.

The McKeans hustled to the family car. On their way out the door, they managed to grab a silver trophy commemorating one of Polylad’s victories and a cherished 18th century oil painting by English artist George Morland.

Exiting the farm proved more perilous than it would have been to sit tight at the house. The farm’s mile-long drive to Linden Road had become impassable due to the fire at the stables, so Shaw and Katharine chose a seldom-used back way through the property that led to Roseland Road. David recalls that as his mother drove down the remote path, “there was a burning tree in front of the car — I don’t remember if it fell as we were driving, or if it was already there — and she attempted (unsuccessfully) to drive over it.” With the fire spitting at the McKeans from the rear, it was impossible to back the vehicle out of danger. David and his parents abandoned the car and ran to an adjacent field.

They were spotted by Pinehurst Harness Track veterinarian Dr. John Peters, who came to their rescue and transported them to safety. The McKeans’ house, though scorched in places, escaped serious damage, but their automobile was burned to a crisp. Also destroyed were Polylad’s trophy and the Morland painting, both left behind in the trunk.

Returning home from Chapel Hill in the early afternoon, Pinebluff Mayor E.H. Mills noticed black smoke in the sky west of Pinehurst. Mills followed the smoke to its source at Sandy Woods. Arriving at the farm, the mayor witnessed the frenzied

efforts of volunteers to create firebreaks and he, too, pitched in to help until he was met by reporter Valerie Nicholson, covering the disaster for The Pilot.

“Mayor,” she said, “you better get to Pinebluff. The fire is headed there. Your town could burn up.” Mills ran to his car and drove through the haze toward home. On the way, he pondered how his community of 600 could marshal the resources to repel the fire. Tom Howe, concerned with the safety of his wife, children and farm, also rushed home after the blaze at Sandy Woods was under control.

As the fire moved south toward Pinebluff, it caused considerable damage. According to the Sandhills Citizen, it “licked out a vicious tongue at the farming community of Roseland, two miles from Aberdeen, gobbling up two homes and nearly all outbuildings with some 10,000 chicks in two farmyards.” At the Country Acres subdivision off Sand Pit Road (then Gravel Pit Road), it consumed a house and trailer. “With the fire burning right into the yards,” reported the Citizen, “the homeowners watched in an anxious group from the highway intersection.” Several houses caught fire and responding firefighters beat out the flames.

Howe’s route home brought him within sight of Country Acres but, as Tom turned off Route 5 onto Sand Pit Road, he noticed something else. A herd of clearly distressed cows, enveloped by smoke, were straining at the fence alongside the road. A former dairy farmer himself, Tom stopped his truck, cut the fence and freed the cows, who meandered down Route 5 toward Aberdeen.

Back in his pickup, Howe was unable to proceed further because firetrucks blocked progress down Sand Pit. Desperate to assist his family, he maneuvered around the trucks by ramming his pickup through the fence where he’d just freed the livestock, flattening it.

Meanwhile, the fire near Sand Pit Road was bearing down on Elmore Smith’s small dairy operation located off West Baltimore Street just outside Pinebluff. Riding his tractor, Smith, 61, caught sight of approaching dense smoke. Since the blackness seemed far off, he assumed there would be time to take any necessary precautions. Comforted by the fact that his farm and outbuildings were surrounded by open fields and pasture — the woods were 500 feet away — Smith expected his operation would escape serious damage.

Within minutes, a breathtaking tornado of fire catapulted over Smith’s field and came down on his farm. “The sky was filled with fire, boiling in the air, an inferno 100 yards high,” said Smith. The gusty wind had caused the fire to crown, rocketing immense flames skyward a half-mile or more ahead of the heart of the blaze. According to The Pilot, Smith turned out his mule and seven cattle, “smacking them to run off and save themselves.” Elmore’s wife and 18-year-old son ran from the house. The family escaped, but the Smiths’ house, barns, chicken houses, two autos and two pickup trucks were consumed.

After wreaking havoc at Smith’s farm, the fire roared toward downtown Pinebluff. Fire Chief W.K. Carpenter, Jr. sounded the siren. Around 5 p.m., the flames crossed over U.S. 1 at the approximate location of today’s Dollar General Store. It had taken only seven hours for the fire to cover the 14 miles from West End to Pinebluff. According to the Sandhills Citizen, it “leapfrogged from tree to tree and crept relentlessly on the ground through thick pine needles from yard to yard.” A separate prong of the fire jumped the highway south of town.

A veritable army of firefighters from far and near, the District Forester’s office headed by Chief J.A. Pippin, members of rescue squads, as well as ordinary citizens, were poised to fight the blaze in Pinebluff. So, too, were soldiers. It was Tom Howe’s mother, Mary, who persuaded Fort Bragg military brass to authorize aid to the town.

Back at the Howe’s Aurora Hills farm, Nancy was unaware of these happenings when sister-inlaw Susan Howe Wain began pounding on her door and shouting, “I need to get on your roof with the garden hose!” According to her memoir titled Dear Owie, when Nancy went outside and looked up, she was aghast to see hot burning embers “falling and dancing on the roof, bouncing up and down, and sailing through the air like they were dissatisfied with my roof and were looking for a better place to land.”

When Tom pulled in the driveway and jumped from the truck, his face, recalled Nancy, was completely blackened and covered with soot, “except for his eyes that peered out from his glasses, like a frog looking for a fly to eat.”

Howe gave urgent instructions, detailed in Dear Owie. “I want you to pack up important papers and a few clothes, food, and water, and be ready to leave. If it gets bad, you all get in the car and drive as hard as you can into the middle

of the plowed field across from the house.” Nancy wound up huddled in the field with her boys. While the fire would miss them and their home, Tom’s work was far from over. He rushed to assist others in town where the battle to contain the fire had become a house-by-house struggle.

Hot embers relentlessly dripped from neighborhood pines onto homeowners’ roofs, igniting scores of little fires. Many houses caught fire “again and again only to have the flames put out by workers converging solidly upon them,” wrote the Citizen. Not all the proliferating fires could be extinguished in time to save homes. The residences of Richard Graham and Cad Bennett were destroyed, and countless others sustained severe damage.

Pinebluff’s town council had been scheduled to meet the evening of April 4. Madeline Charles, the town clerk, took the town’s books to her home so she would have them ready for the meeting. The Citizen reported that when the fire jumped the highway, “right in front of the Charles’ home, she searched wildly for a safe place to stash the books.” She wound up stuffing them in the family freezer before running off to fight the fire raging on her lawn.

With a second swath of the blaze threatening the south end of town, the Robbins Rescue Squad and several Fort Bragg soldiers, as a precautionary measure, moved to evacuate residents of the Pinebluff Sanitarium, now long gone. That second swath fortunately failed to reach either the sanitarium or residential areas.

Farther south down U.S. 1, David Spence, a machinist whose unique enterprise involved the specialized forging of horseshoes for harness racing horses, was not so lucky. His building and equipment were totally wiped out, causing an estimated loss of $40,000. The Addor area also was hit hard.

Dairy farmer Elmore Smith

So much water was thrown on the fire that the Pinebluff water tank ran dangerously low, and Chief Carpenter ordered his trucks to start drafting from the lake. “We have a fine water system,” said the chief, “but no small town is prepared for a thing like this.”

Those residents not involved in fighting the fire contributed in other ways, manning the Red Cross food station or retrieving lost pets. Carpenter’s own children, Cathy, 13, and Billy Jr., served food past midnight. “They wanted to help,” remarked their mother, Marion, “and I let them stay up even though they are so young. After all, this is their town.”

By 11 p.m. the danger to the town and Moore County was over as the fire blew farther south, ravaging acreage in Camp Mackall before finally petering out at Drowning Creek. The final toll was staggering: 26,000 acres burned, two-thirds of them woodlands; 5,000 acres of planted areas lost; engagement of 4,000 firefighters; the razing of 14 dwellings, 25 barns, two business buildings, and the death of an untold number of animals. Fortunately, no human lives were lost.

The nightmare wasn’t over for Tom Howe. Katharine McKean asked him to bury the horses destroyed at Sandy Woods. Howe told his wife it was the most gut-wrenching experience of his life.

Howe eventually started a nursery business at Aurora Hills, which he operated until his death in 2015. His two sons still run the business. Nancy continues to live in Moore County, as does Susan Howe Wain.

The McKean family still owns Sandy Woods, though the stables no longer house racehorses. Shaw and Katharine have long since passed on. Son John lived at the farm until his death in 2019. His brother Tom, a retired Massachusetts attorney, now looks over the property. Brother David, who escaped the fire that day, became a diplomat, serving as ambassador to Luxembourg and director of policy planning for the Department of State. He’s a successful author of books about 20th century American history.

Could the wildfire of 1963 happen today? One factor that reduces the chances of a similar catastrophe is the increased use of controlled burning. Forest fires require fuel to accelerate and, especially in a longleaf pine forest, much of that fuel comes from the wiregrass and scrub oak underlying the trees. Jesse Wembley of West End, whose mission locally is educating area landowners and farmers about the benefits of controlled burning, says, “We have to learn to live with fire. Particularly here in the Sandhills, it is part of the natural process. With it, we get an improved ecosystem and peace of mind.”

There was little piece of mind that day in April. Lifetime Pinebluff resident John Mills, son of the former mayor, says, “It is a miracle the fire missed Pinehurst and a double miracle it didn’t burn all of Pinebluff to the ground.” PS

Pinehurst resident Bill Case is PineStraw’s history man. He can be reached at Bill.Case@thompsonhine.com.

“The Big Fire” roars through Pinebluff near present day Cardinal Park

Ready to Ride

A French feel in the Sandhills

By DeBorah sa Lomon

Credit James Boyd, and mild winters, for enticing foxhunters to Moore County. Eventually, some branched out to eventing, dressage, jumping. The Walthour-Moss Foundation furthered the equestrian cause. Soon horse people from Northeastern cities began wintering their steeds in Southern Pines, accessible by rail and so much closer than Florida. They built small apartments — “hunt boxes” — over the barns, graduating to year-round estates.

This tight-knit community created and maintained an active social life. Their houses, located between Connecticut Avenue and Youngs Road, grew bigger, better

equipped and less rustic. Positioned near the top of this heap is the retirement home of Chris and Sallie Lowe, 5,000-plus square feet styled à la French chateau, on 10 grassy acres sloping to a pond.

In the barn (with tack room), two stall doors are topped with wrought metal. A full-sized dressage arena borders splitrail pasture fences while a row of tall, thick elaeagnus bushes separates the chateau from a narrow private road.

Sallie rides the horse, Chris rides the tractor, which has its own garage. Both are Virginians by way of Vermont.

How this happened could be a story written by Boyd himself, or maybe his buddy Thomas Wolfe.

Most equestriennes start young. Not Sallie. Her parents, suspicious of the lifestyle, guided her into high school sports, where at 6 feet tall and athletic, she excelled. In 2011, now married, a mother and teacher living in Vermont but hating the cold winters, she won a trip to Southern Pines at a fundraiser. “This is it,” she decided, after driving around. “This is where I want to spend the rest of our lives.”

No problem for Chris, who dubbed her adult riding quest “keeping Sallie sane.” In 2011 they bought a property close to town but with “a country feel,” and rented a place during construction . . . of what?

A year spent in France left its mark on Sallie. She looked for an architect who would interpret her ideas rather than imposing current trends. Research led her to Designing Your Perfect House and other titles by William Hirsch. Perfect! Imagine Sallie’s surprise, discovering that the internationally lauded architect and author lives in Seven Lakes. Chris, whose father was a contractor, worked happily alongside builder Mark Lally’s crew.

Sallie presented Hirsch with some unusual requests. She

had learned that authentic provincial chateaux are not grand at all, but rather informal country homes, sometimes with animals occupying the lower floor. “I’m not a fan of big open spaces,” she says. As a result, the main floor, although enormous, is a succession of moderately sized rooms — workroom, kitchen, sunroom, dining room with unusually small round table and large lazy Susan, living room, all with arches opening onto a 90-foot loggia (front hallway) with white travertine floor blocks arranged randomly.

At one end of the loggia, a triple garage; at the other, the master suite. Windows everywhere, allowing unobstructed pasture vistas to become part of the decor. Quimper pottery, made in Brittany for 300 years, hangs from the walls. Paintings depict Parisian scenes. A massive antique French armoire approaching the 9-foot ceiling dominates the master bedroom. Laundry equipment is part of his-and-hers dressing rooms.

“The mother in me needed a room for each son,” Sallie admits. They have two, grown and gone now, who were accommodated upstairs, a space that also includes a guest apartment with sitting room, bedroom, kitchenette and one of five bathrooms that are bright and attractive but hardly spas.

A French chateau doesn’t do spas.

The French experience also influenced Sallie’s palette, with yellow coming out the winner — not lemon or daffodil but a muted hue, perhaps butter diluted with crème fraîche, or a silky béchamel. This hue covers exterior walls with contrasting purplish-blue shutters and, surprisingly, the footed kitchen cabinets.

Ah, the kitchen, showplace of the American luxury home. Sallie wasn’t interested in sterile white or professional-grade appliances; more important to her, a backsplash composed of weathered, hand-painted tiles in colors and motifs that continue the European country chic feel. Chris points proudly to the top of a Vermont sugar maple chopping-block table inserted into the island. “It’s from my parents’ home. When I was young I would sit on it and talk to them.”

Furnishings combine antiques with spotlight pieces. In the living room, a coffee table contrived from twisted vines is topped by a toile tray, and a pair of oversized, heavily tufted slipper chairs face two Asian lamps made from tea canisters. In

the sunroom the drawer of a game table, from Sallie’s lineage, holds a Washington Post front page dated 1882.

“We’re not super-formal,” Sallie concludes, “but we give plenty of dinner parties with china and crystal. I wasn’t ready to give that up.”

Not your ordinary horse farm, even in an area known for elaborate installations. “I knew what I wanted and I held my ground,” Sallie says. Meaning custom-designed and custom-built, right down to the baseboards. Geothermal heating and cooling. A courtyard covered with pebbles, not grass. Splintery decorative ceiling beams from the Amish. A sweet rescue pup named Gracie. Outbuildings — one containing Chris’ man cave — that complement, but don’t detract from the main house which, sadly, Sallie and Chris never got around to naming.

How about Pièce de Résistance? PS

ALMANAC

January

By a shLey Wa L she

Year of the Rabbit

The Lunar New Year begins on Sunday, Jan. 22. Goodbye, tiger. Hello, rabbit.

January

is a creation story.

It begins with the wrinkled hands of a grandmother — perhaps your own grandmother — in the darkest hour of morning.

The wise woman knows the secrets of this barren season. She’s found warmth in the bone-chilling air; comfort in the aching silence; promise in the dwindling pulse of winter. When the frozen earth has nothing left to give, she reaches for the mother dough — the breath of life — then steadies herself for the tedious ritual.

The mother dough is a myth of its own: a wild yeast kept bubbling since the dawn of time. The grandmother feeds it once more — a bit of flour, a bit of water — then walks away.

Breadmaking is a dance of time and space.

Tonight, she’ll make the leaven. Tomorrow, the dough. The rest is as crucial as the work.

At first light, a nuthatch sings its rhythmic song. Grandmother washes her ancient hands, folds the dough four times over, then lets it sit.

Two, three, four — sit.

Two, three, four — sit.

Again. And, again. And, again.

The hours tick by. The dough rises. The grandmother hums as Creation is a process. After she shapes and scores the loaves, she bakes and cools them. Neither bread nor spring can be rushed. Such is the wisdom of this bitter season. Such is the wisdom of the grandmother.

Considered the luckiest animal in the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is a calm and gentle creature known for its grace, compassion and ability to take swift action. Those born in rabbit years are said to embody these desirable traits. Never mind their fickle nature and escapist tendencies.

But what does the Year of the Water Rabbit have in store for the whole fluffle (yes, that means bunch) of us?

Some say peace. Some say hope. The rabbits in the yard suggest more rabbits.

Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year, for gardening begins in January with a dream.

— Josephine Nuese

The Blank Canvas

January is for dreaming. Every gardener knows that. Fetch the sketch pad. Reflect on last year’s highs and lows. Ask what your garden is missing.

This frosty month of seed catalogs and new beginnings, allow yourself to think outside the planter box. Or inside, if that’s your preference.

Is yours a kitchen garden? Butterfly garden? Purely ornamental?

Suppose you added more fragrance. Snowdrops in the springtime. Aromatic herbs in summer. Chrysanthemums in autumn. Honeysuckle and jasmine woven in between.

Color outside the lines. After all, nature does it all the time. PS

PS PROfiles

The People & Businesses That Make The Sandhills A More Vibrant Place To Live And Work!

JANUARY 2023

SPONSORED SECTION

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOLLY NAZARIO

CAROLYN HELMS CARE LIAISON, FIRSTHEALTH CANCER CENTER

For those who have dealt with the diagnosis of cancer, they know it is more than just an illness. It becomes a heavy shadow that impacts the body, mind and spirit. The new FirstHealth Cancer Center will provide all cancer services and treatments in one integrated space. The core purpose “to care for people” always focuses on the needs of patients and their caregivers. The integrated space decreases the stressors and enhances the efficient, healing care for those living with cancer in our region.

FirstHealth serves a 15-county region that delivers excellent care to all who enter its facilities. As a community hospital the philanthropy of so many make the delivery of excellent care a daily reality. The Foundation of FirstHealth is the listening ear to the community it serves. The cost of the new cancer center could have been a major block to the fulfillment of the completion of the building. But the members of the community through generous giving, have pledged $30 million to assure the dream for our community is fulfilled. Those generous community members asked that we never forget the holistic needs of each patient and their caregivers. Along with infusion and radiation cancer treatments, the support services of wellness, yoga, nutrition, spiritual support, meditation, support groups, art, writing, palliative care, clinical trials, navigation and supportive care through the healing spaces at the Clara McLean Hospitality House coordinate and bring rays of light through the shadows of the healing journey through cancer care.

Kathy Stockham, president of the Foundation of FirstHealth, heard the community’s request and created the position of CARE Liaison for the FirstHealth Cancer Center. This role will assist in helping patients and their caregivers connect with support services located in the Cancer Center as well as the services at Clara’s House.

Carolyn Helms was a natural fit as the CARE liaison. From service as a minister of children and families at multiple churches in the area, to a hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator, to chairmanships on multiple non-profits, she has learned through experience what her neighbors need in time of grief and stress.

Since earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Carolyn has spent her life in service to others, offering both physical and spiritual care.

For those who know her, this ordained minister is often referred to as a ‘good shepherd’ working tirelessly to support those in her care. The Foundation of FirstHealth and its flock are in good hands.

MICHELLE DIPIETRO INTERIOR DESIGNER

Meet Michelle DiPietro, the owner of the new boutique interior design firm, Meyer Greer Interiors, founded in 2021 and appropriately named for her daughters, Fiona Meyer and Sloane Greer.

Originally from Northern Virginia, Michelle received a B.A. from Colgate University and a Masters from American University. With an appreciation for home furnishings, art, and design, Michelle has reinvented herself with an education from New York Institute of Art and Design in this new career as an interior designer.

Michelle’s design aesthetic is sophisticated yet approachable. Her comfortable compositions have elements of humor that invite conversation. Her style is influenced by the architecture and culture of the cities she has lived: London, Florence, Boston, Manhattan, and Washington, DC. Michelle’s appreciation for artful spaces stems from her professional background as a specialist for Sotheby’s and as a curator for the Smithsonians’ National Portrait Gallery and Museum of American History.

With her husband, Mike, she’s moved several times, but, for the better part of a decade she has called Moore County her home, and even claims that she may be a small town girl, after all!

Meyer Greer Interiors is the fulfillment of a professional calling. The firm has found a niche in helping investors decorate their income properties, while also tackling both commercial and residential design and real estate home staging.

Interior design can be deeply personal and as such, Michelle limits her contracts to ensure that every client and project receives her full attention. By taking time to know her clients, Meyer Greer Interiors is able to build a design that underscores their unique personality, likes and needs.

703-628-4408

www.meyergreerinteriors.com

PINELAND PROPERTY GROUP

With a name inspired by the culminating exercise that all Special Forces soldiers must go through to earn the coveted Green Beret, it’s also the namesake of Moore County’s newest realty team, Pineland Property Group (PPG). Founded in 2022, this deeply rooted team of women work together to bring their passion for service to the community.

Owner and founder Ashley Donovan is a businesswoman with an entrepreneurial spirit who has launched, owned, and operated real estate, property management and mortgage companies over the last several years.

Kristina Webster, a fellow military spouse with almost a decade of experience in real estate and the Broker-in-Charge of PPG, and Jessica Marsh, a North Carolina native with an impressive 20 years in the industry,

Pineland Property Group went from vision board to reality. These three women are the driving force behind Moore County’s newest Veteran, Native American and Woman owned business.

Joined by three more incredible brokers, Michelle Dipietro, Lindsey Sievers and Michelle Bunch (not pictured), the team at PPG is bonded by their shared sense of duty as military spouses, their dedication to the client, and their sense of community.

Charity, servitude, and positive client relationships are paramount to Pineland Property Group. The team at PPG are seasoned real estate brokers, equipped to handle any market, and provide a best-in-class real estate experience. Whether it is moving their military friends and clients across states and continents, or helping investors and locals find their perfect home, the skilled agents at Pineland Property Group have your back!

KAMERON RANDALL

REAL ESTATE INVESTOR

When Kameron Randall medically retired from the Army, he planned to be a real estate agent. But the Pinecrest graduate was turned off by the fast-pace of highly regulated volume sales, and chose to build his own business, one with the freedom to focus careful attention on each client.

Kameron founded Randall Real Estate Investments LLC in 2019 with the mission to take the stress out of selling your home. As a real estate investor rather than an agent, that mission takes many forms. Kameron offers homeowners an option to sell their home before or without the need for an agent, avoiding showings, inspections, or added hassle. The business’ broad reach includes rental homes, buying and renovating homes, assisting with estates, and all aspects of raw land sales.

What makes Kameron different is his attention to each homeowner. Unlike those investor companies dropping leaflets at your door, he doesn’t download lists of houses and throw lowball offers until one sticks. Instead, he visits individual homes to conduct his own thorough inspections, and works with each homeowner to sell their home in the best way possible for them. Whether it’s buying their home, or advising them to list with an agent, with expertise in real estate as a whole and knowledge in a variety of purchasing methods, Randall Real Estate Investments is focused on creating win-win situations for everyone.

When he’s not helping homeowners, Kameron Randall enjoys lake life in Seven Lakes, spending time with his five year old son, and sharing his skill as a licensed pyrotechnics operator with the community – he did most of Moore County’s professional fireworks displays this past 4th of July.

While you may want surprises in a fireworks show, they’re not preferred in home sales. So for a stress-free New Year, call Kameron first!

910-475-8702

www.facebook.com/randallrealestateinvestments

JEREMY STEWART OWNER/OPERATOR

A Moore County resident for more than 40 years, Jeremy Stewart (second from left) takes pride in his company’s ability to keep the floors of many local homes and businesses pristine for their customers.

Jeremy credits his team - his son Christian, his brother Brian, his brother-in-law Matt, his cousin, his nephew, and not to mention his high school sweetheart wife - for the success and the growth of his company. Not only are they committed to using cutting edge equipment and top quality products, one of their top priorities is the relationships they build with their customers. They’re always happy to work around their customers’ schedules. Their enthusiasm and friendliness is contagious, and clients are quick to sing their praises on social media. The Spot On team is usually the first on the dance floor at the Best of the Pines party after they collect another first place award for Best Carpet and Rug Cleaning (six years and counting!).

Jeremy has played bass for many years, and even played bass for a Christian rock band in his younger days, but he had to turn down going on tour with them in order to focus on his entrepreneurship. These days, in his free time Jeremy can be found slapping the bass for the Grace Church Worship team. He enjoys collecting comic books and going to concerts with his wife. Jeremy and his entire team also love pets, and not just because they offer job security - pets make their days at work even more enjoyable.

Spot On Floor and Carpet Rejuvenation specializes in transforming old and dilapidated carpets, floors and upholstery into pristine and wonderful additions to your home’s interior, and for many of your favorite local businesses, too. Give them a call and you’ll soon be saying right along with them, “It’s got to be Spot On to get the spot off.”

910-992-4160 Spotonfloorandcarpet.biz

BRIAN STEWART

MATT THOMAS

CHRISTIAN STEWART

DR. JANIE RODESILER AUD,

CCC-A

Pinehurst Surgical Clinic is excited to offer Moore County improved access to health care with a brand new clinic location at Morganton Park in Southern Pines. With the increased space comes new providers to the team!

Dr. Marshall Malinowski, DO, (right) is joining the Women’s Health team to treat a variety of comprehensive women’s health concerns, bringing with him 22 years of experience including 28 years in the US Army. He’s a West Point graduate who obtained his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology with fellowships at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Marshall Malinowski and the Pinehurst Surgical Team are ready to help you in the new year.

He’s grateful to have discovered Southern Pines through his military service and is excited to be settling in Moore County with his wife of 30 years, Suzanne, and their three children. In his free time, Dr. Malinowski enjoys gardening, spending time with family, and rooting for his favorite Cleveland, Ohio sports teams.

Pinehurst Surgical Clinic also has a new audiologist joining the team at their Pinehurst and Raeford locations. Dr. Janie Rodesiler, AuD, CCC-A (left) has clinical expertise in pediatrics, vestibular and balance disorders, and auditory processing disorders. She and the clinic team offer a variety of services including hearing tests for adults and children, balance assessments, hearing aid fittings, repairs, and custom earmolds.

Dr. Rodesiler grew up in Wilson, NC but her grandparents’ idyllic retirement to Moore County has long inspired her as the perfect place to settle down. Though she danced competitively for 15 years, these days Janie enjoys traveling and playing different golf courses with her husband. When they’re not out on the green, they’re inside rooting for it, cheering on the Green Bay Packers.

Dr. Janie Rodesiler was originally drawn to audiology by a desire to improve her patients’ quality of life, a trait which keeps her volunteering with the Special Olympics. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology and holds her certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

DR. KEITH MCCORMICK, MD PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGIST

Dr. Keith McCormick, MD believes in following your passion. It’s what first brought him to medicine. His father’s cataract surgery in Pinehurst introduced him to a love of science at age 13 years, which has sustained him through a long career in pediatric ophthalmology.

Dr. McCormick graduated from Duke University, followed by UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in Ophthalmology at Duke University Eye Center and a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Eye Consultants of Atlanta and Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. But for a man born and raised in Fayetteville, Dr. McCormick couldn’t stay away from the Sandhills. It is home.

Upon returning to the area, Dr. McCormick devoted himself to the mission of Pinehurst Surgical Clinic, and its commitment to patient care with compassion. Their individual attention to each patient and avoidance of “assembly line medicine” is what sets the practice apart. It’s an approach Pinehurst Surgical wants to maintain for everyone, which is why all medical insurance, including Medicaid, is accepted. Additionally, patients can schedule prompt appointments with minimum wait times. Dr. McCormick and his clinic offer care to children ages 0-18 for ailments ranging from blurry vision to major medical problems, and adults experiencing double vision and/or ocular misalignment (strabismus).

In his free time, Dr. McCormick enjoys saltwater fishing, snow skiing, golfing and defending his 3 handicap. When he’s not landing flounder, red drum or sea trout, he and his wife, Michele, can be found playing on the beach with their fourpound yorkie, Cooper.

For eye care which serves you or your child as a unique individual with unique needs, reach out to Dr. Keith McCormick and the Pinehurst Surgical Clinic team.

HANNAH PARBST ESTHETICIAN

JENNI HENK

RN, BSN

Putting your best face forward this New Year may mean brushing up your skin care. The team at Pinehurst Surgical Plastic & Facial Plastic Surgery is ready to assist!

Hannah Parbst has been working alongside Dr. Kilpatrick as the Licensed Esthetician at Pinehurst Surgical Clinic for over 20 years! And with a new teammate, Jenni Henk, RN, BSN the duo can serve more patients with more appointments for their desired services including laser resurfacing, injectables, waxing, dermaplaning, microneedling, HydraFacials, skin care products, makeup services, and more. Their relationship-driven, positive and collaborative environment is designed to best meet the needs of their patients from their first consult until they reach their skin-care goals.

Both women are boy-moms to active households! They use their own experiences in balancing family and work life along with their professional expertise to deliver compassionate, high-quality service to each one of their clients - helping them take time for all-important self- care, boosting their wellness, confidence, and self-image. Helping patients feel their best in healthier, more youthful skin is their top priority.

Discover what Hannah and Jenni can do for you in the New Year by scheduling a consultation or treatment at their new, state-of-the-art, private and convenient Morganton Park location in Southern Pines.

1-855-294-BODY | pinehurstsurgical.com

WEBB & MORTON

Clients want a law firm that is very good at a few important things – not mediocre in many things. That specialization in success is what sets local law firm Webb & Morton, PLLC apart from others. Webb & Morton concentrates on a few very important areas of the law, including Tax Law, Estate Planning/Probate, and Asset Protection. As a small boutique firm, they’re able to provide clients the attention they need without sacrificing the institutional knowledge of a large law firm. It’s a trait that attracts clients from around the world, from Moore County to the Ukraine to Japan. Each client can be confident they are in good hands, relying on the firm’s nearly 90 years of legal experience to best protect their interests.

Senior Partner Alex Webb (JD, CPA, PFS), with nearly 50 years ’experience, is best known for his success lobbying for a state-of-the-art North Carolina Captive Insurance law in 2013, which provides business owners tremendous opportunities for tax savings and asset protection. When away from the office, Alex enjoys snorkeling and spending time with his wife, Dianne, in her wine shop in Carthage, “The Watering Can”, and traveling to France and Italy.

Partner Jason Morton (JD, CCE), a Pinebluff native, has 15 years ’experience as a first-class tax lawyer, and was an early adopter of digital assets, which led him to cryptocurrencies before they made headlines. He now advises many crypto clients, blockchain startups, and produces videos for the firm’s YouTube Channel with over 40 videos and more coming. Jason is also an Army NG JAG Officer and lives in Carthage with his wife, their son, and beloved retriever.

Associate Attorney Austin Chestnut (JD, MBA, CTFA), a Southern Pines native, has focused his over 20-year career on Fiduciary Law matters and Estates and Trusts, and is a former Vice President with SunTrust Bank. Austin is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys spending time with his two teenage sons.

Webb and Morton’s motto is “we help clients sleep at night”. The firm aggressively protects its clients when facing some of life’s biggest challenges, be it health issues and needed estate planning, planning for a special needs child, proactively protecting hard-earned assets from attack, or fending off overbearing tax authorities, the IRS and NC Department of Revenue. At Webb & Morton, find comfort in knowing this team will defend you smartly with a caring and thoughtful hand.

To add an event, email us at pinestraw.calendar@gmail.com

arts & entertainment

Sunday, January 8

DEMONSTRATION DAY. 2 - 4 p.m. Watch our instructors as they demonstrate the various mediums they will be teaching and then register for the classes that interest you. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: (910) 944-3979 or www.artistsleague.org.

other resources with the Libby app. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: msilva@sppl.net.

Saturday, January 14

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

JANUARY EVENTS

Tuesday, January 3

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a Brain Fitness class. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TEEN WRITING CLUB. 4 p.m. Are you interested in creative writing and storytelling, connecting with other writers and getting feedback on your work? Join us for the Teen Creative Writing Club. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net or email: kbroughey@sppl.net.

Friday, January 6

ART SHOW. 6 - 8 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County presents the exhibit “Cloth, Canvas & Clay ” It will remain on display through Feb. 15. Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.mooreart.org.

Saturday, January 7

KID’S SATURDAY. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come in for a drop-in activity day. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

LEARN AND PLAY. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Come in for an open play date with your toddler or preschooler. There will be developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips on display for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

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. Info: lholden@sppl.net.

Monday, January 9

INFORMATIONAL SERIES. 4 p.m. Join Ashley Seace from Aging Outreach Services for a three-part informational series on multiple sclerosis called “Making the Most of Your MS Diagnosis.” One-hour sessions will be Jan. 9, 23 and 30 at 4 p.m. The series will cover getting a diagnosis, treatment options, and finding resources and support. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. The Sandhills Photography Club monthly meeting will be a presentation on pet photography by Lisa Miyamoto. Guests are welcome. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhillsphotoclub.org.

Tuesday, January 10

TEEN WORKSHOP. 4 p.m. Learn the importance of résumé writing and job skills in our new Teen Tuesday Workshop. Get hands-on help with writing your résumé and learn what tools the library has to offer. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net or email: kbroughey@sppl.net.

BOOK EVENT. 6:30 p.m. James Patterson will be returning with author Mike Lupica to discuss their book The House of Wolves. BPAC's Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Friday, January 13

TEA AND TECH. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Are you interested in learning how to access eBooks on your Kindle, iPad or other device? Come to our “Tea and Tech” program at the library. Learn all about downloading eBooks, audiobooks and

TEEN DAY OF SERVICE. Together we will work on projects for local community agencies. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www. sppl.net or email: kbroughey@sppl.net.

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

HORSE SHOW. Pipe Opener I (Dressage and Combined Test). Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

CHORAL SHOW. 7 - 9 p.m. The North Carolina Harmony Brigade is having its annual harmony extravaganza. Lee Auditorium, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SALSA PARTY. 8 – 10 p.m. Cost is $25 per person, $45 per couple and includes food and bar. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 725-1846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com.

Monday, January 16

WOMEN OF WEYMOUTH. 9:30 a.m. The Women of Weymouth will have a guest speaker, Dr. Mardy Grothe, a psychologist and author, speaking about words, language and quotations. Free admission. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

Tuesday, January 17

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a Brain Fitness class. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BOOK CLUB. 2 p.m. The James Boyd Book Club meets this month’s book, When Ghosts Come Home, by Wiley Cash. Free admission, registration required. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

Photo Club

Wednesday, January 18

WHITEHALL BOOK CLUB. 2 p.m. Southern Pines Public Library’s book club for adults meets to discuss this month’s book. The book club is open to the public. Whitehall Property, 490 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. Info: mmiller@sppl.net.

Thursday, January 19

SENIOR TRIP. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy a trip to see Unnecessary Farce presented by Temple Theatre. Lunch at Fairview Dairy Bar. Cost is $46 for residents of Southern Pines and $65 for non-residents. Attendees will depart from the Campbell House playground parking lot, 450 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

READ BETWEEN THE PINES. 5 p.m. SPPL’s book club for adults meets to discuss this month’s book. 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 will be the annual members’ meeting where members can do brief presentations on various topics. 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, January 20

THEATER PRODUCTION. 7:30 p.m. The Encore Center will present Dear Edwina Jr. There will be more showings Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. Encore Center, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.encorecenter.net.

Saturday, January 21

HOUNDS ON THE GROUNDS. 9:30 a.m. The Moore County Hounds will have a meet and celebration. Free admission. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

DANCING. 6 p.m. Carolina Pines Dance Club invites you for a fun evening of swing, line, ballroom, shag and Latin. Doors open at 6 p.m. Dance lessons at 6:30 p.m. Dancing until 9:30 p.m. Beginners and experienced dancers, couples and singles all welcome. Cost is $15 per person, cash at door. National Athletic Village, 201 Air Tool Drive, Southern Pines. Info: (724) 816-1170.

ORCHESTRA. 7:30 p.m. The Carolina Philharmonic, 5 Market Square, Pinehurst, pres-

ents Movie Music, including behind the scenes interviews, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 687-0287 or www.carolinaphil.org.

Sunday, January 22

STEAM. 2:30 p.m. Elementary-aged children and their caregivers are invited to learn about topics in science, technology, engineering, art and math and to participate in STEAM projects and activities. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

Tuesday, January 24

TEEN WORKSHOP. 4 p.m. Learn the importance of résumé writing and job skills in our new Teen Tuesday Workshop. Get handson help with writing your résumé and learn what tools the library has to offer. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net or email: kbroughey@sppl.net.

Wednesday, January 25

SELF-DEFENSE. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Learn situational awareness and basic warning signs in this beginner self-defense class. Registration is recommended, class is free of charge. Led by the Southern Pines Police Department. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

WRITER IN RESIDENCE. 5:30 p.m. Kelly Mustian, author of The Girls in the Stilt House, will host the reading. Free admission. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

Thursday, January 26

DOUGLASS CENTER BOOK CLUB. 10:30 a.m. Multiple copies of the selected book are available for checkout at the library. The Douglass Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mmiller@sppl.net.

Friday, January 27

TEA AND TECH. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Are you interested in learning how to access eBooks on your Kindle, iPad or other device? Come to our Tea and Tech program at the library. Learn all about downloading eBooks, audiobooks and other resources with the Libby app. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: msilva@sppl.net.

DANCE PARTY. 8 – 9:30 p.m. Cost is $15. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 7251846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com.

Saturday, January 28

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

BABIES FOR BEGINNERS. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Parents and caregivers of babies and infants are invited to learn about infant CPR, early literacy and baby brain building tips, community resources for parents and caregivers of young children, and receive a free board book. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

COMEDY SHOW. 7 p.m. Comedian Joe DeVito from FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! will perform. BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Sunday, January 29

THEATER SHOW. 3 - 4 p.m. Enjoy a performance of Confessions of a Former Bully, based on the books by Trudy Ludwig. BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Monday, January 30

ADULT STORY TIME. 12 p.m. Enjoy an adult story time with friends and bring your own lunch. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

Tuesday, January 31

TEEN WRITING CLUB. 4 p.m. Are you interested in creative writing and storytelling, connecting with other writers and getting feedback on your work? Join us for the Teen Creative Writing Club. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net or email: kbroughey@sppl.net.

MUSICIANS’ JAM SESSION. 6 - 9 p.m. Bring your own instrument and beverage or just come and enjoy the music. Attendees must have the COVID vaccination. Free admission, registration required. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, February 3

JAZZ MUSIC. 7 - 8:15 p.m. La Fiesta Latin Jazz Quartet performs. McPherson Theater at BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Saturday, February 4

BOOK EVENT. 2 - 3 p.m. The Country Bookshop welcomes Brad Taylor to talk about his book The Devil’s Ransom. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Saturday, February 11

CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Savor chocolate treats of all kinds, including our “church fudge.” Enjoy a gift boutique, doughnut and hot chocolate bar, a cake walk, chocolate demonstrations, silent auction and Children’s Chocolate Chase. Pinehurst United Methodist Church, 4111 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 215-4559 or www.pinehurstumc.org.

Hounds on the Grounds

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

SING FOR FUN. 9 - 10 a.m. Adults 55 and older can sing for fun while reaping the physical and mental benefits of a choir experience. Learn various songs from all genres. Cost per month is $36 for residents and $52 for nonresidents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STRETCH AND MOVE. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to do a gentle, low impact dance with inspirational music. Cost is $36 for residents and $52 for non-residents per month. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STRENGTH AND BALANCE

WORKOUT. 11 - 11:45 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a brisk workout that focuses on balance and strength. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

Dance

GAME ON. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. You and your friends are invited to come out and play various games such as corn hole, badminton, table tennis, shuffleboard, trivia games and more. Each week enjoy a different activity to keep you moving and thinking. Compete with friends and make new ones. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

SOUTHERN SOUL LINE DANCING. 6 p.m. No experience necessary, put on your comfy shoes and groove to some funky tunes with funk master Terry Julius. For adults 55 and older. Cost is $6 for Southern Pines

residents and $9 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DANCE. 8 p.m. Take a Ballroom Bubbles class. The class is held online through Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com.

Tuesdays

PLAYFUL LEARNING. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come for a drop-in, open playtime for ages 0 - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational playtime. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

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

BABY RHYMES. 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. There will be a duplicate session at 11 a.m. Dates this month are January 3, 10, 24 and 31. An active library card is required. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

HEALING YOGA. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can try an entry-level class, for a mind and body workout that fuses dance moves with gentle aerobics, tai chi, and yoga. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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.

TAI CHI. 1 p.m. Come learn tai chi. There is no age limit and the classes are open to the public. Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Station, 301 Lake Park Crossing, Aberdeen. Info: (910) 944-7275.

SPARK STORYTIME. 2:30 p.m. This Spark Storytime at Fire Station 82 is for ages birth through 2 and kids will have a chance to see firetrucks. Dates this month are Jan. 3, 10, 24 and 31. Fire Station 82, 500 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

SWING GROUP CLASSES. 7 p.m. Chacha and tango. Cost is $15. Classes are Jan. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 725-1846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com.

DANCE. 7 p.m. Take a group swing class with Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com.

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

CHAIR YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Help offset body aches encountered with desk work. This is an accessible yoga class for bodies not able to easily get up from and down to the floor. Do standing or sitting in a chair. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LEARN AND PLAY. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Come in for an open play date with your toddler or preschooler where there will be developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips on display for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Dates this month are January 4, 11 and 25. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

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

SLOW AND STRETCHY. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older can flow through yoga poses slowly and intentionally, moving breath to movement, stretching everything from your head to your toes. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

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

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

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an afterschool program for kindergarten through second-graders who enjoy activities, crafts, stories, and learning. Dates this month will be January 4, 11 and 25. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

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

INTERMEDIATE GROUP CLASSES.

7 p.m. Cha-cha and tango. Cost is $15. Classes are Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 725-1846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com.

YOGA. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Grab your yoga mat and head to Hatchet for a yoga session with Brady. Session cost is $10 and includes a pint of our DILLIGAF lager. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.hatchetbrewing.com.

DANCE. 7 p.m. Take a social foundations group class with Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com.

DANCE. 8 p.m. Take a Ballroom Bubbles class. The class is held online through Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com.

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

CALENDAR

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. Stop by and join the fun. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Does your toddler like to move and groove? Join us for outdoor Music and Motion to get those wiggles out and work on gross and fine motor skills. For ages 2-5. Dates this month are January 5, 12 and 26. An active library card is required. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

ADAPTIVE YOGA. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy yoga that meets you where you are. We’ll be creating a sense of balance and ease by slowly increasing your range of motion and mobility while maintaining your natural abilities. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS AND MAHJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Douglass

Homestyles

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

CABIN TOURS. 1 - 4 p.m. The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds, cabins and gift shop are open for tours and visits. The restored tobacco barn features the history of children’s roles in the industry. Docents are ready to host you and the cabins are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Closed January 1-5 for holidays. Shaw House, 110 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2051 or www.moorehistory.com.

ORCHESTRA REHEARSALS. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The Moore Philharmonic Orchestra has weekly rehearsals. Membership is open to youth and adult community members and there is no fee to join. Wellard Hall at Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.mporchestra.com or email moorephilharmonicorchestra@gmail.com.

TECHNIQUE GROUP CLASSES. 7 p.m. Cha-cha and tango. Cost is $15. Classes are Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 725-1846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com

DANCE. 7 p.m. Take a master group class focusing on technique with Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com.

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

Fridays

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

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

RESTORATIVE YOGA. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Practice gentle movements to improve your well-being. Practice movements that may help alleviate pain and improve circulation. Bring your own mat. Free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends.

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

LINE DANCING. 3 - 4 p.m. For adults 55 and older. If you’re interested in learning dance moves and building confidence on the dance floor, this class is for you. Leave your inhibitions at the door and join in. Cost is: $36 for residents and $52 for non-residents per month. Cost is for a monthly membership. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

NEWCOMERS GROUP CLASSES. 7 p.m. Cha-cha and tango. Cost is $10. Classes are Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Carolina DanceWorks, 712 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information call (910) 725-1846 or go to www.carolinadanceworks.com.

DANCE. 8 p.m. Take a Ballroom Bubbles class. The class is held online through Carolina DanceWorks. Info: (910) 725-1846 or carolinadanceworks@gmail.com. PS

These local business are here to help you focus on wellness, healthy living, and personal growth in 2023. Resolve to be happy and healthy in the New Year!

JAY BOZIOS – Owner/CEO

Credentials:

• NSCA-CPT certified since 2012

• NPTI certified since 2012

SandhillSeen

Holly Arts Festival

Village of Pinehurst

Tuesday, October 15, 2022

Photographs by Diane McKay

The Encore Tean Outreach Ensemble

Sara Younts, Jennifer Hanley, Charlotte & Christy Berreth

Marie MacMillan, Sherrie Johnson, Michelle Kenny

Janine Schroeder & Rena Beth Nice, Barb Shannahan, Dawn Tice Joanne & Michael Rabdav

Mark Jennings & Shadow, JoEllen & Charlotte Richter

Sarah Prestipino, Glenda Kirby

Roxanne Craft, Barry Blasko

Barbara Burley, Janice Verbic

Christian & Amy Soto, Gracie Martinez

SandhillSeen

Blessing of the Moore County Hounds

Cameron's Meadow

Thursday, November 24, 2022

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Ashfod & Chris Virtue, James Jefferson

Grace and Jay Bozick

Des McSorely, Anne Tate, Susan Wain, Terry Cook

Rhonda Dretel, Cathy Carter

Claudia Coleman Hazel Vincent

Peter Doubleday, The Rev. Tom Harbold

Diana Farr

Anderson Ulrich, Janie Wagstaff

Lincoln Sadler & The Moore County Hounds

Cameron Sadler

John Wagstaff, David Carter, Mike Russell

Shelly Talk Stacey Ingram, Ann Parker

Tara York, Carol Lueder, Chrissie Doubleday

January Pine Needler

ACROSS

1. Shape

5. Formally surrender

9. Had a bug

14. Minor

15. Crazily

16. Photographer’s request

17. Make elegant

19. Heathen

20. Kind of battery

21. Traffic stoppers ( 2 wds.)

23. Caribbean, e.g.

25. Mountain crest

26. Boat dock CEO

32. Assortment

33. Word that forms a new word when prefixed with piece, mind and stroke

34. carte, menu choice

37. Catch a glimpse of

38. Density symbol

39. Battery contents

40. v. Wade

41. Censor’s audio edits

44. Flimsy, as an excuse

45. Representative sample (hyph)

47. Morality

49. Word that forms a new word when prefixed with nest, drum, ache

50. Parting words

54. Hard, crisp breads

58. Architectural moldings

59. Cockpit device

Something New . . .

61. Nonchalant

62. Get ready, for short

63. Individual

64. Passover dinner

65. Aug. follower

66. Beef, lamb, cold cuts, e.g.

DOWN

1. Cigarettes in England: slang.

2. Christiania, now

3. 100 dinars

4. Wuss (2 wds.)

5. “Wheels”

6. Arabic for “commander”

7. Catch some Z’s

8. Barely managed, with “out”

9. Ambitious one

10. Graphics machine

11. Word that forms a new word when prefixed with hearted, ship, house, year

12. Overjoy

13. Animal shelters

18. Sundae topper, perhaps

22. When repeated, like some shows

24. Branch

26. Field worker

27. “Not to mention . . .”

28. Ready to harvest

29. Female horses

30. Contents of some urns

31. Ends

34. Berry in diet pills

35. Airport pickup

36. Gulf of , off the coast of Yemen

39. Charitable giving or self-sacrifice

41. Program for website access

42. Misplace

43. “Comprende?”

Puzzle answers on page 101

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

45. Word that forms new word when prefixed with straw, cake, cloth

46. Nag

47. American symbol

48. Tire feature

50. Watch chains or car entry key

51. Pool exercise

52. Entice

53. Increase, with “up”

55. gin fizz

56. nut

57. “Let it stand”

60. Decide to leave, with “out”

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

The Missing Consonant

An extra letter can speak volumes

By A mBerly Glitz WeBer

Growing up in a military family, frequent moves ensured I never felt quite comfortable with the question “Where are you from?” But I could always tell you where my mother’s people lived. Every other winter, we traveled from wherever we were living up North to find my grandparents’ North Carolina ranch bursting into bloom, a front porch heavy with camellias as the longleaf pines stretched up into the blue.

The adventure started as soon as we touched down at the airport in Greensboro. Bringing with us an eau de oddity, my twin sister and I were both delighted and impressed that the shuttle bus played country music on the speakers, as we peeled off sweaters and coats in what, to us, was balmy summer weather.

I always felt a little foreign in this vacation land. “Bless their hearts,” my aunt once said, “they sound just like little Yankees.” I remember conspiring with my sister to fake an accent in the Goody’s checkout line, just to see if we could pass. We were sure our mangled, mostly Chicagoan syllables made us stick out, blatant as — in those days — Wingate’s solo stoplight. I pity any cashier who had to endure the performance.

Our speech marked us even more than our shorts in January, so different from the magic and strange mystery of the voices we heard in Rockingham and Hamlet. Not voices with the refined husk of Tara, but a warm, earthy accent that found space for an extra “R” in water — right after the “A” — turning the syllables round and deep in my grandfather’s mouth.

Today, I’m a proud Aberdeen homeowner, and my first daughter’s birth at UNC-Chapel Hill earns her Tarheel status. Already my husband and I detect a hint of the South in her speech. Sometimes it’s so strong we think she must be putting us on — or is she? I doubt it will ever reach the height of my granddad’s drawl, his gravelly voice ever saying in my memory, “Come here an’ gimme some sugar.” It was a voice grown in Carolina, on a farm of many children and countless passing farm hands working the land.

We won’t be moving again, not for a long while. How strange to think that as they grow, my babies’ answer to the question that plagued my childhood will be “from here.” Now, on my daily commute or a mundane dash for groceries, pine trees piercing the Carolina blue sky give me a sense of holiday adventure, no matter the calendar. Here, the camellias burst into bloom in weeks where other ZIP codes are buried in snow. And, though I love this busy life and my once-little town — I find myself missing that extra “R” in water. PS

Aberdeen resident Amberly Glitz Weber is an Army veteran and freelance writer. She’s grateful for every minute among the murmuring pines of North Carolina.