July PineStraw 2022 by PineStraw Magazine

2022-23 Subscriptions & Single Tickets Available Now! • SandhillsBPAC.com Ticket packages start at $199 for six shows.

SandhillsBPAC.com 910-695-3800

3395 Airport Rd., Pinehurst ▬

CONCESSIONS AVAILABLE

Beer • Wine • Soda • Snacks

Welcome Chris Hunt

Chris has joined Menendez & Ritter Retirement Group and is dedicated to delivering comprehensive Financial Planning and Investment Advisory services to his clients. He specializes in working with corporate executives, business owners and affluent families. Since 1991, the Menendez & Ritter Retirement Group has been developing lasting, meaningful and open relationships. Chris is ready to continue that legacy with you.

Chris Hunt - Financial Advisor 110 Turnberry Way | Pinehurst, NC 28374 | 910.693.2430 | www.fa.wellsfargoadvisors.com/mrrg | christopher.hunt@wfadvisors.com

Investments and Insurance Products: • NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and nonbank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2021 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0522-01702

Always a Step Ahead

July 2022 Thinking about selling your home? Contact us for a no-hassle, no-cost market analysis of your home's current value.

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

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Anna Virtue (Admin)

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

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July �� FEATURES 65 Evensong

Poetry by Joseph Bathanti

66 Fire Up the Grill

By Rose Shewey

Cookout classics with a twist

72 When Bogeys Are a Good Thing Former major leaguer manages new team

By Jim Moriarty

76 Heir to a Legacy

By Amberly Glitz Weber Vinh Luu and the American Dream

80 Lakeside Serenity

By Deborah Salomon

Delighting in the unconventional

93 June Almanac

DEPARTMENTS 19 24 29 31 35 39 40 44 49 51 53 55 57 61 104 115 119 120

By Ashley Walshe

Simple Life By Jim Dodson PinePitch Tea Leaf Astrologer By Zora Stellanova The Omnivorous Reader By Stephen E. Smith Bookshelf Hometown By Bill Fields The Creators of N.C. By Wiley Cash Art of the State By Liza Roberts The Pleasures of Life Dept. By Ashley Walshe In the Spirit By Tony Cross Out of the Blue By Deborah Salomon Birdwatch By Susan Campbell Sporting Life By Tom Bryant Golftown Journal By Lee Pace Arts & Entertainment Calendar SandhillSeen Pine Needler By Mart Dickerson Southwords By Ruth Moose

Cover photograph by Rose Shewey Photograph this page by John Gessner 6

PineStraw

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Home is a Feeling find yours at Opulence…

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

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

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

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

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

LIFETIME LIMITED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY! UNLIMITED TIME…UNLIMITED MILES! NO ADDITIONAL COST! Lifetime limited non-factory warranty on all new Toyotas. Good at participating dealerships nationwide. No additional charge. See dealer for details.

2 YEARS NO COST MAINTENANCE! * The ﬁrst 2 years/25,000 miles are covered under the Toyota Care program.

5 YEARS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE! * You get 5 years of Roadside Assistance, regardless of miles!

COMPLIMENTARY LOANERS!

We value your time. That’s why with any major service at Pinehurst Toyota, you will receive the use of a complimentary loaner.

OUR BEST PRICE DIFFERENCE!**

If within 3 days of purchasing your new vehicle from us, you ﬁnd a lower price on the exact same vehicle on our lot, we will refund you 100% of the diﬀerence!

COURTESY CAR WASH WITH EVERY SERVICE!

You will receive a complimentary car wash anytime your vehicle is in for service, maintenance, or repairs!

100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEE!***

If within 72 hours of purchasing your new or pre-owned vehicle you are not completely satisﬁed, bring it back and exchange it for another vehicle at Pinehurst Toyota! *2 years No Cost Maintenance and 5 years Roadside Assistance provided by ToyotaCare. **Must present written oﬀer or ad on exact same vehicle from our dealership. ***Mileage driven must not exceed 200 miles.

Browse Inventory / Get Pre-Approved / Complete Paperwork CURBSIDE PICK-UP & DELIVERY OF YOUR NEW CAR!

THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, WE HAVE WON THE BEST OF THE PINES 2021 FOR THE #1 DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY TO EXPERIENCE #1 SERVICE

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IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL JULY AUTHOR EVENTS

CHECK THE STORE WEBSITE AND TICKETMESANDHILLS.COM FOR MORE EVENT INFORMATION

SCRATCH OFF SUMMER is in full swing at The Country Bookshop

Stop by The Country Bookshop today for an entry sheet and return the completed form before August 15th for a chance at some fun prizes.

WHERE’S WALDO IN SOUTHERN PINES

July 11th - 18th at The Country Bookshop IT’S BACK!! Stop in The Country Bookshop July 11th - 18th for a list of participating stores and start your journey to find Waldo in Southern Pines.

HUGH EAKIN

RICK RIDGEWAY

Life Lived Wild Friday, July 15th at 6pm at The Pilot Rick Ridgeway calculates that he has spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents. Those nights taught him to “distinguish matters of consequence from matters of inconsequence” throughout the rest of his life.

MICHAELA GOADE

Berry Song Tuesday, July 19th at 4pm Virtual Event A magical intergenerational story of gifts and cultural rituals shared between a grandmother and her granddaughter. Michaela is a Caldecott Award Winning illlustrator

MYERS MADNESS Tuesday, July 26th at 4pm at The Country Bookshop

Picasso’s War Wednesday, July 13th at 1pm Virtual Event In Picasso’s War: How Modern Art Came to America, journalist Hugh Eakin details the never-before-told story of how a single exhibition, years in the making, finally brought the 20th century’s most notorious artist U.S. acclaim, irrevocably changed American culture, and in doing so saved dozens of the twentieth century’s most enduring artworks from the Nazis.

Join us for a storytime and an afternoon of Myers Madness as The Country Bookshop hosts author/illustrator Matt Myers and author Maya Myers as we celebrate the book birthday/release for Matt’s newest picture book: The World’s Longest Licorice Rope

We are a great stop for hand picked summer care packages for kids and adults alike! 140 NW Broad Street • Southern Pines, NC • 910.692.3211 • www.thecountrybookshop.biz Text us for special orders. - 910.690.4454

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LUXURY

415 Fairway Drive, Southern Pines

$2,475,000

4 bed • 7/1 bath

Pamela O’Hara (910) 315-3093 MLS 100297806

Dunross Manor, built by Donald Ross in 1929 in Knollwood Heights on 2.3 acres. Beautiful chef’s kitchen, 1,900 sqft workshop, carriage house, fabulous outdoor kitchen, and breathtaking gardens.

LUXURY

D L O S

129 Saint Mellions Drive, Pinehurst

$1,375,000

4 bed • 4/1 bath

Frank Sessoms (910) 639-3099 MLS 100328446

Beautiful all brick, golf front home located in the coveted Pinehurst National #9. Easy walk to clubhouse, tennis courts and pool. This 4,008 sq foot home was built in 2007 with all the custom features.

D L O S 1212 Youngs Road, Vass

$575,000

3 bed • 2 bath

Jackie Ross ((904) 613-4480

Beautifully renovated cottage on a fenced acre in horse country. Large trees, covered front porch, shed, firepit, back deck. Lovely country place.

MLS 100325884

3 Whirla Way, Pinehurst

$525,000

4 bed • 2/1 bath Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099 MLS 100320438

Enjoy the Pinehurst lifestyle in this beautiful home. From the welcoming front porch, enter light and airy first level with wood floors. Screened in porch with vaulted ceiling overlooks back yard with fireplace and privacy fencing.

236 National Drive, Pinehurst

$950,000

4 bed • 4 bath

Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099 MLS 100316830

National Pinehurst #9 living at its best, with transferrable Pinehurst Country Club Charter Membership. Welcoming front porch and private backyard oasis, this home is crafted with attention to detail.

D L O S 101 Ramsgate Court, Pinehurst

$379,900

4 bed • 3 bath

Karen Iampietro (910) 690-7098 Jennifer Nguyen (910) 585-2099

MLS 100318342 Welcome to this spacious home located in the desirable Seven Lakes South Community. The floorplan is bright, open and flows well for daily living.

Ask us about our convenient mortgage services.

Pinehurst • 42 Chinquapin Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374 • 910 -295 - 5504 | Southern Pines • 167 Beverly Lane, Southern Pines, NC 28387 • 910-692-2635 ©2022 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC

Minjee Lee - 2022 U.S. Women’s Open Champion

One champion may have taken home the trophy,

BUT THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF WINNERS BEHIND THIS EVENT. Thank you to all those in our community who made this historic event possible.

1005 Midland Road • Southern Pines, NC 28387 • 800.747.7272 • pineneedleslodge.com

M A G A Z I N E Volume 18, No. 7 David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Give Your COVID-19 Vaccination Protection a Boost Booster shots are now available for everyone 5+ and vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccines continue to work very well at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. A booster shot is an extra dose that helps keep up your protection.

When to get your booster

Get your 1st booster as soon as you’re eligible: • 5 months after your 2nd dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. • 2 months after your single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

You can get a 2nd booster 4 months after your 1st, if you’re: • •

50+ and got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. 18+ and got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Find free vaccines near you

Visit vaccines.gov Text your ZIP code to 438829 Call 1-800-232-0233 Scan the QR code

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, Amberly Glitz Weber 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, Laurel Holden, Sara King, 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 ADVERTISING SALES

Ginny Trigg, Advertising Director 910.693.2481 • ginny@thepilot.com Jennie Acklin, 910.693.2515 Samantha Cunningham, 910.693.2505 Jessica Galloway, 910. 693.2498 Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513 Erika Leap, 910.693.2514 ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Rebah Dolbow • pilotads@thepilot.com ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancey

PS Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497 Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488 SUBSCRIPTIONS 910.693.2488 OWNERS Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels Jr., Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff

Content last reviewed: May 20, 2022

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145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright 2022. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. PineStraw magazine is published by The Pilot LLC

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Children’s Museum in Downtown Rockingham

SIMPLE LIFE

“The Cocktail Cat” The spirit of a roaming feline

By Jim Dodson

I have a friend

ILLUSTRATION BY GERRY O'NEILL

who never fails to show up at cocktail time.

Wherever he’s been, whatever he’s been up to all day, he appears like clockwork as I settle into my favorite Adirondack chair under the trees to enjoy a sip of fine bourbon and observe the passing scenes of evening life. Fortunately, he doesn’t drink bourbon. He doesn’t do much of anything, near as I can tell, except annoy the dogs and pester me well before dawn for his breakfast after a night out carousing the neighborhood, before snoozing all day on the sunny guest room bed like a house guest who won’t leave. We call him Boo Radley after the peculiar character who saves Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Our Boo, an old, gray tomcat who would rather watch birds than chase them, hasn’t caught a bird of any sort in years. At cocktail hour, rain or shine, you can set your watch by Boo’s punctuality. Hopping up on the arm of my chair or the small table where I set my whiskey while I reflect on the day’s events and find pleasure in watching birds at the feeders, Boo is either too fat or too old to bother trying to catch them. Even in his salad days he was never much of a killer, though he would leave the occasional mouse on a discreet lower step of our back porch. Like his cinematic namesake, Boo’s an oddly friendly fellow once he gets to know you, though he generally doesn’t cotton quickly to strangers. Curiously, we’re half convinced several folks in the neighborhood are secretly feeding him, because he’s beginning to resemble a bowling pin. Perhaps he has them fooled into believing that he’s actually homeless. Nothing is further from the truth. He’s managed to ditch every expensive collar and bell we’ve put on him over the past 10 years in order to keep his dining ruse going. In fact, Boo Radley has had at least three very nice homes. The first was in Southern Pines when No. 2 son brought him The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

home on a cold winter evening. He was just a small gray foundling you could hold in the palm of your hand, a friendly little cuss who appeared half-starved and very grateful. Second Son named him “Nikko,” which means “daylight” in Japanese, and planned to take him off to Boston, where his new job in the hospitality industry awaited. His mom wisely interceded, pointing out that the last place a homeless kitten needed to live was with a single career guy working long and impossible hours. So we inherited Nikko. The first thing I did was give him a new name and identity. He seemed to like the name Boo Radley, though who can ever say what a cat is really thinking. I suppose that’s part of that peculiar feline charm. Dogs occupy space, someone said. Cats occupy time. They act like you’re on this planet to serve them and should be damn grateful to do so. Another friend who has several cats informs me that cats know the secret of the universe. They just won’t tell anybody. During our many years in Maine, we had a succession of barn cats who wormed their way into our affections. As a lifelong dog lover who occupies more space than time, even I came to admire their independence and pluck, somehow surviving the fierce Maine winters and coyotes. Boo grew up with our three dogs, sometimes sleeping with them, often stealing their food, giving them a passing swat now and then as a friendly reminder of who was really in charge. Bringing up Boo was like raising a problem child. We eventually moved to a house that had 2 acres of overgrown gardens. Boo didn’t miss a beat. He was always out in the garden, night and day, either following me around or snoozing in the shade on hot summer afternoons. A neighbor warned us there were foxes in the area. One evening around dusk, I saw Boo sprint across the yard, PineStraw

SIMPLE LIFE

chased by a young gray fox. Moments later, I saw the young fox run the opposite way, chased by Boo Radley. This game of cat-and-fox tag went on for weeks. Nature will always surprise you. Not long after that, we moved to the Piedmont city where I grew up and Boo found a new pal in the neighborhood, a large, brown, wild rabbit that comes out every evening around cocktail time to feed on clover and seeds from our busy bird feeders. I named him “Homer” after the author of the epic Greek poem about a fellow who wanders for 10 years trying to get home. Our Homer seems very much at home in our yard, keeping a burrow beneath my hydrangea hedge. Boo is highly territorial about our yard — woe to any other cat that sets foot on the property — but has no issue whatsoever about sharing space with a large wild rabbit. I’ve seen the two nose-to-nose many times over the years. Such are so many sweet mysteries in this world that we cannot explain. But maybe we don’t always need to. Perhaps it’s enough to simply notice them. In his splendid essay, “A Philosopher Needs a Cat,” NYU religion professor James Carse writes: “It is not accidental that the word animal comes from the Latin anima, soul. The primitive practice of representing the gods as animals may not be so primitive after all. Soul is not only the small ‘still point of the Tao’ where there is no more separation between ‘this’ and ‘that,’ it is also the

presence of the unutterable within.” A mystic would probably say it’s enough to simply pay attention as different worlds intersect when we least expect it, revealing the presence of the unutterable within. I have no idea what Boo Radley would say about such matters, being a cat of few — or actually no — words. He’s not one for small talk. But after so many years and miles together in each other’s company, it’s enough that Cocktail Cat never fails to sit with me as the evening fades, season after season, displaying the kind of timeless nonjudgment and spiritual detachment a Buddhist monk might envy. Boo is perfectly companionable while betraying absolutely no opinion on — or apparent interest in — the trivial matters I present to him as we watch birds feed and I sip my expensive bourbon. At the end of the day, there doesn’t seem to be much separation between his “this” and my “that.” It also occurs that maybe I have the philosophical proposition plum backwards. Perhaps this aging, well-traveled tom cat simply needs an armchair philosopher to sit with in silence at the end of the day. Only the Cocktail Cat knows for sure, and he ain’t telling, a perfect presence of the unutterable within. PS Jim Dodson can be reached at jwdauthor@gmail.com.

Lin Hutaff’s PineHurst reaLty GrouP

Village of Pinehurst | 910.528.6427 | linhutaff@pinehurst.net 20

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

If you want to KNOW Pinehurst, you need to KNOW Lin. 910-528-6427

170 EAGLE POINT LANE – SOUTHERN PINES Gorgeous home with extensive detail throughout. 4 ensuite bedrooms, wine celler, home theater and more. “Superior walls”. Golf front and pond view.

$1,750,000

1 CANDLEWOOD LANE – FOXFIRE Gorgeous! Custom home built on 10 acres. Choice of porches, and decks. Beautifully landscaped, dog run with “doggy door” to basement area. $995,000.

NT R CO NDE

T RAC

$1,175,000

255 MAGNOLIA RD – OLD TOWN 1920 Cottage in the heart of the Historic Village of Pinehurst! Beautifully updated with two large ensuite bedrooms. Pella architectural windows, Roof 2014-2015. $595,000 ER UND

138 STEEPLECHASE DR • LONGLEAF CC Stately Golf front home. Large family rm and walls of glass for long golf course views. $489,000

29 DEVON DR – PINEWILD

STUNNING & MOVE-IN-READY! Situated on the 17th tee of the Magnolia Course in the gated Community of Pinewild CC. Beautifully remodeled with top-of-the-line materials.

T CON

490 CENTRAL DR – PINE NEEDLES GOLF COURSE Over one acre on PINE NEEDLES Golf course, site of 2022 LPGA Women’s OPEN. 4-5 bedrooms, living rm, fam rm, Office, utility rm. Private. $495,000

T RAC

3 QUAIL LAKE RD W – PINEHURST Golf front home on Pinehurst No 3. Lots of upgrades. Club membership available for transfer. $385,000

1503 MT WASHINGTON CIRCLE – BRETTON WOODS Completely updated. Screened porch. Corner LOT. Beautiful landscaping. 2BD, 2BA. $389,000

PRIVATE ESTATE

5 bedroom, 4.5 bath. Hardwood floors. Updated throughout. Custom wine cellar. Lush gardens. 1 mile to village center.

CALL LIN FOR A COMPLIMENTARY MARKET ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOME

Lin Hutaff’s PineHurst reaLty GrouP 25 CHinquaPin rd., PineHurst, nC 28374 | lin@linhutaff.com| linhutaff@pinehurst.net

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Southern Classics with an Elevated Twist Wholesome Food Local Produce Bring your friends and have your own brunch picnic on our patio! Enjoy the summertime with a Mimosa Tower or one of our cocktails especially tailored for brunch. When it comes to food, you can never go wrong with a classic southern staple like our sweet and savory Chicken and Waffles or Mac N Cheese Au Gratin. Make brunch worth celebrating! 100 Pavilion Way, Suite B Southern Pines, NC 28387 910-725-2123 Open Every Day 8am-4pm @yellowbirdsouthernpines

PinePitch

Everyone Is a Reader If you’re on the hunt for a summer read join The Country Bookshop’s Kimberly Daniels Taws for three author events in July. Hugh Eakin will be chatting virtually with Taws about his book Picasso’s War on Wednesday, July 13, from 1 - 2 p.m. On Friday, July 15, author Rick Ridgeway will be at The Pilot, 145 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines, from 6 - 7 p.m. to talk about his outdoor explorations in Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the End of the Map. To wrap up the month, join author-illustrator Matt Myers on Tuesday, July 26, at 4 p.m. to celebrate the release of his new book, The World’s Longest Licorice Rope. His wife, Maya, will discuss two of her books, Not Little and Little Kids First Big Book of Baby Animals at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets for all events: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Fireworks and Fun Check out the rockets’ red glare at the Pinehurst Harness Track from 6 - 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 3. Fireworks will begin around 9:15 p.m., with plenty to keep you busy until then, from a kids zone with inflatables; a variety of food vendors; and Liquid Pleasure, the great dance and show band that has appeared with stars like Paula Abdul and Aretha Franklin. 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org.

Up Close with Roy Firestone Laughs guaranteed at this one-night-only show featuring Roy Firestone, the seven-time Emmy Award-winning host of ESPN’s legendary Up Close Primetime. You may also remember Firestone from his appearance in the film Jerry Maguire, where he played himself in an unforgettable scene, but did you know he was also a critically acclaimed humorist, musician and impressionist? Firestone has performed in more than 2,000 venues spanning two decades. You can catch him at the Owens Auditorium from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www. ticketmesandhills.com.

PineStraw

Far Out Artwork If you miss the psychedelic ’70s, then climb into your VW bus and drive to Seagrove for a special trip down memory lane. Carolina Bronze East, a studio and gallery space in the Historic Lucks Cannery in Seagrove, is owned by two ’76 East Carolina University grads, still making art, defying the odds. Their new display, “The ’70s Show,” showcases the talent that walked through the art school during that decade. Be quick about it, though, because the show closes July 7 at the Historic Lucks Cannery Artwalk, 365 Fernandez Loop, Suite 205, Seagrove, N.C. For more information call (336) 873-8291. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Summer on the Stage

PHOTOGRAPH BY TED FITZGERALD

Switch up your poolside routine and check out the inaugural Summer Theatre Festival, brought to you by the Judson Theatre Company. Beat the heat in the intimate, air-conditioned Bradshaw Performing Arts Center’s McPherson Theatre as three exciting 21st century shows receive their Sandhills area premieres. Running from July 22 – 31 is the two-man musical spoof of aspiring playwrights seeking Broadway contracts, Gutenberg! The Musical! Then catch Buyer & Cellar August 5-14 for a comedic fantasia about a struggling actor working in the basement mall of Barbra Streisand’s Malibu home. Wrap up the summer Aug. 19-28 with tick, tick . . . BOOM, a three-person musical by the author of Rent about an aspiring composer worried he made the wrong career choice. BPAC is at 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For tickets visit judsontheatre.com. See you at intermission.

Patriotism on Parade Nothing says Independence Day like a parade, and the village of Pinehurst is ready to celebrate, decked out in red, white and blue! Move your feet to snag a seat before the official parade begins at 10 a.m., Monday, July 4, at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Christmas in July If you’d rather deck the halls than sweat on the deck, you’ll want to join in the Yuletide festivities at Given Memorial Library on Saturday, July 23. Santa Max will be flying in on a summertime sleigh to celebrate Christmas in July. There will be a photo opportunity with Santa, a craft and a goodie bag to take home. Reservation required. There are two time slots to choose from, 9:45 - 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

Hot Town, Summer in the City It’s the deals that are burning up the sidewalks in Southern Pines on July 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tables will be set up both inside and outside of the downtown stores so you don’t have sweat to get the biggest discount. The event is hosted by the Southern Pines Business Association. PineStraw

DR. SHANNON ALLISON GOLF HANDICAP: 11 DENTAL HANDICAP: SCRATCH

DR. CRAIG ALLISON

GOLF HANDICAP: 12 DENTAL HANDICAP: SCRATCH

DR. REBECCA FRONHEISER GOLF HANDICAP: 32 DENTAL HANDICAP: SCRATCH

NOT THE GREATEST AT GOLF, BUT GREAT AT DENTISTRY! JUST ASK OUR PATIENTS.

15 Aviemore Drive Pinehurst, NC www.pinehurstdentist.com (910) 295-4343

America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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TEA LEAF ASTROLOGER

Cancer

(June 21 – July 22) If ever you’ve ridden a drop tower — one of those gut-in-yourthroat “free fall” rides at the carnival — then you can imagine what it feels like to know and love a Cancer. But only those born under the influence of this cardinal water sign know what it’s like to be perpetually at the whim of such sensational pinnacles and descents. This month will be no different, especially with that full supermoon on July 13. May as well enjoy the ride.

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you: Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Something needs watering. Hint: It’s not a plant. Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

You can’t see the signs if your eyes are closed. Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Let the tea steep. Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

You already know the answer. Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Keep moving. They’ll come around or they won’t. Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

You’re thinking the fun out of it. Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

The prize is never inside the box. Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Tell it to your dream journal. Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Best to get it straight from the source. Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Leave your phone. Forget the umbrella. Let life happen. Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

The invitation will be obvious. 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. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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THE OMNIVOROUS READER

Follow the Money Ben Franklin’s blueprint for America By Stephen E. Smith

How is it possible that Ken Burns’ recent four-

hour Ben Franklin documentary received ho-hum reviews? Have PBS devotees grown too familiar with Burns’ still-life voiceover production style? Maybe. But the lackluster reviews are more likely the fault of the kite-flying, bifocaled purveyor of the bon mot, old Ben Franklin himself. He’s every American’s everyman, the most human of our Founding Fathers.

We grew up learning about Franklin, and most of us believe we know what needs to be known about the archetypal American Renaissance man. Historian Michael Meyer’s Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet: The Favorite Founder’s Divisive Death, Enduring Afterlife, and Blueprint for American Prosperity is a timely reminder that there is still much to learn about the influence Franklin continues to wield in 21st century America. When he died in 1790 at the age of 84, Franklin was not universally mourned by his countrymen. Meyer reminds readers that George Washington and the Congress refused to acknowledge attempts by the French to express their condolences at Franklin’s passing, and John Adams had little good to say about his former diplomatic partner. Among his later detractors were Mark Twain, who wrote that Franklin “early prostituted his talents to the invention of maxims and aphorisms calculated to inflict suffering upon the rising generation of all subsequent ages”, and D.H. Lawrence reveled in revising and ridiculing Franklin’s 13 virtues. Meyer’s primary focus is on the influence of Franklin’s last will and testament. William, Franklin’s first-born son who had sided with the British during the Revolution, was left worthless property and ephemera, and his daughter and grandchildren received gifts commensurate with the esteem in which he held them. But it was his “Codicil to Last Will and Testament,” a wordy but straightforward document, that morphed into a hydra-headed legal instrument that would vex administrators, the courts and politicians who attempted to oversee and control its ongoing disbursements. Franklin established endowments for the cities of Philadelphia and Boston. “Having myself been bred to a manual art, printing, in my native town,” Franklin dictated, “and afterwards assisted to set up my business in Philadelphia by kind loans of money from two friends there, which was the foundation of my fortune, The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

and of all the utility in life that may be ascribed to me, I wish to be useful even after my death, if possible, in forming and advancing other young men . . . .” Franklin left each city £1,000, or about $133,000 in today’s dollars. The funds were intended to provide small loans to manual and industrial workers — cobblers, coopers, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpenters, etc. — to be repaid at 5 percent interest over a 10-year period. In addition to offering a helping hand for the socioeconomic class employed in manual labor, the funds’ underlying intention was to promote good citizenship. (“I have considered, that, among artisans, good apprentices are most likely to make good citizens,” Franklin wrote.) If the principal from the bequests were properly administered, the initial investment should have yielded billions in today’s dollars, making Franklin our first billionaire philanthropist. So, what became of Franklin’s fortune, and where did his generosity lead us? Meyer follows the money, providing a decade-by-decade accounting of the funds’ expenditures while factoring in economic trends, poor oversight by fund managers, legal squabbles, political infighting, and losses incurred during national recessions and depressions. All of which sounds incredibly boring. But be assured there’s nothing tedious about Meyer’s chronicle. What emerges is a lively and thoroughly researched social history of the country viewed through our evolving economic affluence and the increasingly litigious nature of American society. The early ledgers read much like a personalized history of the country: “Turning the musty pages of each loan agreement can feel like reading an old swashbuckling story,” Meyer writes, “bringing the same sense of relief when the last line reveals that a character has made it through. Three cheers for the cabinetmaker Christopher Pigeon, who repaid his debt on time. And a compassionate wag of the head for Paul Revere’s son-in-law, one of only two Boston defaulters.” Unfortunately, there was skullduggery aplenty in the management and disbursement of Franklin’s gifts. In 1838, Philadelphia’s

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Franklin Legacy treasurer John Thomason purchased Philadelphia Gas Works stock with Franklin’s bequest, thus impeding the money’s growth and transforming the fund into a tool of corruption and patronage. In 1890, Franklin’s descendants were so aggrieved they felt compelled to file a suit claiming that his bequests should revert to their control. Boston did not suffer a similar level of financial chicanery. In 1827, William Minot, who administered the fund for 50 years, deposited much of Franklin’s principal into Nathaniel Bowditch’s Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company to acquire interest, thus enabling Boston’s fund balance to surpass Philadelphia’s for the first time. Beantown never trailed again. In the final analysis, Franklin’s bequests accomplished very little of their original intent. In the days before central banking, loans were difficult to administer in an equitable manner, and many of the later loans suffered default or were not repaid on time. By 1882, Philadelphia had only about $10,000 left in its fund. Franklin had failed to factor in even a single default, and he had no way of foretelling the emergence of liberal credit terms and the growing availability of loans charging less than 5 percent interest. In 1994, the entirety of Boston’s Franklin fund went to the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology. The Philadelphia Foundation continues to manage its Franklin Trust Funds for its original purpose. At this moment of intense political division and national soul searching, Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet is a timely reminder that we remain a generous people, and that philanthropy lives on in the hearts of ordinary Americans. The popularity of GoFundMe pages is the latest manifestation of our desire to help those in need, an example of the civic-mindedness exercised by the “good citizens” Franklin hoped to encourage. 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. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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BOOKSHELF

July Books

FICTION The Ruins, by Phoebe Wynne If you are in need of a riveting Gothic novel set on the dazzling French coast, this is your next read. A group of abhorrent, self-absorbed British school chums gather at a French chateau with spouses and children in tow. As old secrets surface and bad behaviors erupt, the neglected children suffer until it all comes to a cataclysmic end. This is an intense, white-knuckle trip of a story you won’t soon forget. Fellowship Point, by Alice Elliott Dark Celebrated children’s book author Agnes Lee is determined to secure her legacy — to complete what she knows will be the final volume of her pseudonymously written Franklin Square novels; and even more consuming, to permanently protect the majestic peninsula in Maine known as Fellowship Point. To donate the land to a trust, Agnes must convince shareholders to dissolve a generations-old partnership. And one of those shareholders is her best friend, Polly Wister. Fellowship Point is the masterful story of a lifelong friendship between two very different women with shared histories and buried secrets, tested in the twilight of their lives, set across the arc of the 20th century. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin On a bitter cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even 25 years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts. Spanning 30 years, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect. The Poet’s House, by Jean Thompson Carla is in her 20s, working for a landscaper, lacking confidence, still unsure what direction her life will take. Viridian is a lauded and lovely aging poet whose reputation has been defined by her infamous affair with a famous male poet, Mathias, many years earlier. When Carla is hired to work at Viridian’s house, she is perplexed by this community of writers: their tendency to recite lines in conversation, the stories of their many liaisons, their endless wine-soaked nights. And still she becomes enamored with Viridian and her whole circle, and especially with the power of words, the “ache and hunger that can both be awakened and soothed by a poem,” a hunger that Carla feels sharply at this stagnating moment in her young life. Thompson’s novel is at once delightfully funny and wise, an unforgettable story about a young woman who discovers the insular world of writers. Calling for a Blanket Dance, by Oscar Hokeah Told in a series of voices, Calling for a Blanket Dance is a moving and deeply engaging debut novel about a young Native American man finding strength in his familial identity. It takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle through the multigenerational perspectives of his family — his father’s injury at the hands of corrupt police; his mother’s struggle to hold on to her job and care for her husband; the constant resettlement of the family; and, the legacy of centuries of injustice. Ever must take the strength given to him by his relatives to save not only himself but also the next generation of family in this honest, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story. PineStraw

BOOKSHELF

CHILDREN’S BOOKS The World’s Longest Licorice Rope, by Matt Myers The best picture books are the ones that make readers giggle, inspire curiosity and elicit a genuine hmmmmm? The World’s Longest Licorice Rope does all three. Join us Tuesday, July 26, at 4 p.m. at The Country Bookshop to celebrate the book’s birthday. There will be snacks and a surprise ending. Tickets are available at https://ticketmesandhills.com/events/ myers-madness-7-26-2022. (Ages 4-8.) First Words USA From the redwood forests to the Gulf stream waters, this book was made for you and me! Celebrate America’s

birthday with this fun first words book featuring all things USA. (Ages birth-2.) I Just Want to Say Goodnight, by Rachel Isadora With monkeys, chickens, goats and ants, this one is anything but the typical going-to-bed book. You’ll fall in love with the clever and charming LaLa and may not mind reading this one again and again and again. (Ages 1-3.) The Pet Potato, by Josh Lacey Pets come in all sizes and colors and shapes. In Albert’s case, the shape is, well, a potato! This fun read-aloud is perfect for any family considering bringing a new pet into the home — even if it is a vegetable. (Ages 4-7.)

Wild Horses, by Melissa Marr Chestnut, gray, bay. You’ll fall in love with horses of every color in this stunning real-picture picture book just perfect for any young horse lover. (Ages 4-8.) See You Someday Soon, by Pat Zietlow Miller So many of the ones we love are so very far away. This sweet story with retro illustrations will help keep those faraway friends and family close at heart. (Ages 3-7.) PS Compiled by Angie Tally and Kimberly Daniels Taws

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

HOMETOWN

By Bill Fields

The town

ILLUSTRATION BY MIRANDA GLYDER

where I have lived for a long time has lovely public beaches on Long Island Sound. I’m grateful to get a sticker for my car each spring and have access to them. There have been plenty of peaceful, breezy afternoons by the water, and notwithstanding the $75 ticket for parking in a fire lane — the signage wasn’t clear — it is an upside of residing in Connecticut. That said, these beaches are not “the beach” that I and many of my contemporaries knew growing up. For our family it meant a week away if money wasn’t tight, a long weekend if it was. Our destination for vacation was usually Ocean Drive, with a Cherry Grove or a Windy Hill thrown in every couple of years, all the rental cottages or motels being in the same flip-flop shop region known for a long time now as North Myrtle Beach. The anticipation of these summer trips can’t be overstated, for they were Christmas without the presents, the journey itself being the gift. If I could relive those days, I wouldn’t change much except sparing my father the annual request to drive all the way to the Gay Dolphin in Myrtle Beach one night during our stay so I could empty my change purse on a plastic shark or rubber gator. Looking back, Dad had the right idea in floating on his back just beyond the breakers, oblivious to my mother’s worries that he was out too far. We kept closer to shore, always wondering if the wave-riding would be superior with one of the rental rafts than our flimsy dime-store model. Overall, though, there was about as much envy as sand-free sheets. I got to eat corn dogs and sno-cones and drink all the soft drinks that I wanted. For a year or two I was obsessed with a brand that wasn’t sold in the Sandhills, Topp Cola, and urged The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Mom and Dad to pick up a supply when they went shopping at the Red & White upon arriving in Ocean Drive. The culinary highlight every year was dinner — we called it supper — at Hoskins, the seafood restaurant in Ocean Drive that had opened in the late-1940s. The flounder, shrimp and oysters fried there were light and tasty. The hushpuppies were sublime, not as dense as the ones I cranked out on my weekend shifts in the kitchen at Russell’s Fish House. The air conditioning felt great after a day in the sun. Hoskins was just two blocks from the best place we stayed at the beach, a house owned by Leland and Marquita Daniels. It had a large screened-in area in the middle with bedrooms on one side, and a kitchen and living room on the other. If, after eating at Hoskins, we didn’t go back there for cards or board games, it meant that I had gotten my way and our gang was going to play miniature golf. (I still have a wooden nickel from Jungle Golf on Highway 17 that I sometimes use for a ball marker.) Most days I would already have gotten in plenty of practice at the Putt-Putt in Ocean Drive, then located right on the oceanfront. For a couple of bucks, you could putt all you wanted until 5 p.m., nirvana for someone whose town didn’t have miniature golf. Years later, I discovered that one of the kids who was spending hours at that same Putt-Putt location around that time was Rick Baird, who in 2011 became one of the rare few to ever ace all 18 holes in a round of Putt-Putt. Our family beach mini-golf games amid the faux tigers and lions were for bragging rights and, for this budding golf nerd, a highlight of the trip, even if I didn’t develop into a world-class putter. When the car was packed and we were heading away from the ocean, another beach trip over, it felt like watching one of those colored golf balls disappearing down the chute on the 18th hole. For a year, I’d have to put a shell to my ear and listen. PS Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent. PineStraw

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

From Loft to Launch Mark Bayne sends his works to sea By Wiley Cash Photographs by M allory Cash

Master shipwright Mark Bayne is stand-

ing in an open bay at the workshop where he has been teaching wooden boat building at Cape Fear Community College in downtown Wilmington for the past 10 years. Over his shoulder, the murky brown Cape Fear River plods slowly eastward, where it will meet the Atlantic Ocean in just a few miles. It’s not quite summer yet, but the day is hot and bright. A stiff, warm breeze rolls in off the river, adding to the late morning’s warmth. All around us, people are working on a half-dozen wooden boats in various stages of construction. There’s a flats boat that was specially designed so fishermen can stand with stability and cast a line from the broad deck; beside it is a beautiful, narrow melon seed just waiting for a sail; in the far corner of the workshop is a Jersey speed skiff that, as soon as it’s complete, will move next door (to the engine program) for the fall semester, where the team who built it will fit it with an inboard motor. After decades building boats on his own and another decade of teaching people to do the same, Mark is accustomed to being

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surrounded by the sounds of saws and routers, the fine mist of sawdust floating through the air. He’s also accustomed to teaching others to build a variety of different kinds of wooden boats because that’s what he made a career doing before he found himself in the classroom. “I’ve specialized in not specializing,” he says. Mark is tall and handsome in the way that capable people often are. It’s as easy to picture him captaining a boat as it is to picture him building one. He’s quick to smile, and he’s still carrying the glow of holding a new granddaughter who was born down in Charleston, South Carolina, just a few nights before. That’s where Mark was raised, and his whole family, including his wife and their four grown children, live there now. He splits his time between the low country and the Cape Fear, teaching at the college during the week and heading home to Isle of Palms on the weekend. His wife used to make the trips with him, but now that she’s surrounded by grandchildren she’s less likely to leave home. Bayne understands. He hears the call to home. For that reason, this is the last course he’ll teach for Cape Fear Community College’s wooden boat building program. But in order to understand how his time at the college is ending, you have to understand how it began. He grew up on “the backside” of Isle of Palms, South Carolina, in the marsh, sailing small boats, swimming, and crabbing with his younger brother and kids from the neighborhood. When I ask if they were ever so bold as to round the island and The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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

head for the open water, he smiles and pauses as if his mother and father are within earshot. “Officially, we did not do that,” he says, meaning, of course they did. After a brief stint in college, Mark dropped out and worked at Mount Pleasant Boatbuilding Company as a helper in the joinery shop, where he learned to build and fit small, intricate parts to boats. He already loved boats, and he found that he also loved building and working on them. A welder in the boatyard mentioned that he’d heard about a new wooden boat building program beginning up the coast at Cape Fear Community College. Mark enrolled in 1978 and was a member of the program’s first class. With his classmates and instructors, he literally helped build the program: They put down the hardwood floor in the workshop, and they built the workbenches from old bowling alley lanes that had been stored in a chicken coop in Southern Pines. After completing the program and getting his degree, Mark went back to the Mount Pleasant Boatbuilding Company with the knowledge of how to loft boats, which is the process of drawing out plans on the floor, cutting and fitting the pieces, and constructing the boats using hand tools. On the weekends, he worked for himself, meaning he built boats apart from his work at the boatyard. He found that he could make more money on his own while also building boats that interested and challenged him. In the late 1980s, he opened Sawdust Boatworks, and then

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

he opened Sea Island Boatworks. “No one has to have a boat,” Mark says, “so when someone hires you to build one, it’s a very special relationship.” He can still remember the earliest boats he built. The first boat he built after opening Sawdust is still around; it’s a 14-foot marsh hen hunting boat. “That guy turned into a good customer,” Mark says. “I built multiple boats for him.” “I enjoy building things,” he adds, “and boat building allows you to be creative. Sometimes you build a boat to a plan that somebody else drew, and sometimes you build a boat by eye. You’ve got to know a lot. I worked with a guy in Panama City, Florida, once, and we built a 68-foot shrimp boat, just him and me. He was the master and I was the apprentice, but there was no plan, so you have to know all the construction details. When you’re doing it by hand with no plan it’s called rack of eye. It’s fun, it’s rewarding.” Over the decades, Mark traveled up and down the East Coast, building boats from the Gulf of Mexico to the Chesapeake Bay, including the iconic Spirit of South Carolina, a tall ship that was constructed and ported in Charleston. The keel was laid in the summer of 2001, and the final plank was installed in the summer of 2006. In 2012, Mark left the boatyards of South Carolina, as well as his life as a far-ranging boatbuilder, and returned “home” to

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

Cape Fear Community College as head of the Wooden Boat Building program, where his professional career had started over three decades earlier. When he arrived, he found that he wanted to bring his vast experience to bear on the program’s curriculum. “They had a good program going, but it wasn’t the way I wanted to do it,” he says. For years, the program had focused on moving students through stages of instruction on several different boats at various levels of completion. The students learned piecemeal, but that meant that they never completed a whole boat from start to finish. “I wanted students to work from lofting to launching,” he says. “Mark has done a great job of giving this program a shot of momentum,” says Walter Atkins, an instructor in the boat building program who has decades of experience as a boatwright, his specialty building custom boat interiors. “I’ve learned a ton from Mark. It’s been awesome. We don’t use software where everything is designed on a screen. This is 1,000 percent old school.” Over three semesters, including a summer term, students begin working with hand tools before graduating to power tools. Soon, the class moves up to the loft above the shop floor where they draw life-sized plans for the various boats they want to build. “People slowly pair up,” Walter says. “You see the groups start to clump together.” Recent high school graduates partner with retirees. Often, service veterans find one another, bonding over their shared experiences and their interest in boat building. It’s clear that both Walter and Mark find relationships with student-veterans important and endearing. “I don’t ask about their service,” Mark says, “but I listen when they talk about it.” Soon, the class moves to the shop floor, building the forms, fairing the hulls, and fitting the interior cabinetry. By the end of the program, as many as six complete boats are ready for the water. Once the boats are proven seaworthy, they’re auctioned off on a public website, where eager buyers are already lying in wait. The boats are purchased by people up and down the East Coast. It’s clear that Mark takes pride in his students’ work, and he admits that if not for his wife, four children and growing number of grandchildren living down in the low country that he’d continue to work in the boat building program at Cape Fear. But he’s not really retiring. He’ll work some with his oldest son, Coulson, who is now building boats on his own while making good use of the family name: He decided to call his company Son of Bayne Boatworks. And there’s a 145-year-old historic schooner down in Panama City that was destroyed by Hurricane Michael that Mark wants to get his hands on. He’ll be busy, but according to him, he won’t be working. “Boat building has never been a job,” he says. “I’ve never felt like I had a job a single day in my life.” 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.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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A R T O F T H E S TAT E

Super Natural

Pamlico Sound Bank

Davidson artist Elizabeth Bradford celebrates the beauty of the wild By Liza Roberts

In a former cotton shed in Mecklen-

burg County, Elizabeth Bradford paints the natural world around her. With extraordinary, saturated colors and meticulous, zoomed-in details, her landscapes can be exotic, surprising, even strange. They are also poetic: meditative celebrations of the beauty, interconnectedness and geometry of the natural world. On canvases nearly as tall as she is, Bradford takes countless hours over many weeks to paint the magic she finds in nature. Sometimes it’s an eddy of water. Sometimes it’s the messy bank

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of a receded river, where roots protrude and collide. Trees, fields, ponds, creeks: Bradford finds wonderlands in them all. Representational, but with deep, twisting tentacles into abstraction, her canvases beg the viewer to look hard. In January 2023, Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte plans a solo exhibition of her art. Wilmington’s Cameron Art Museum exhibited a powerful one-woman show of Bradford’s work, entitled A House of One Room, in 2021. Her paintings are also in the permanent collections of the Mint Museum in Charlotte, the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, as well as in many top corporate collections. This University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate considers herself largely self-taught as an artist, but she also The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

A R T O F T H E S TAT E

Weeds at the Treadwell (left), Float Dream (right) studied painting and lithography at Davidson College and worked as an art teacher before devoting herself full time to her craft. Bradford says her work began to “develop a power” when she started backpacking in the mountains of North Carolina about nine years ago. With two friends, she started “going into a lot of obscure places, wild places, where the world is crazy,” she says. Now armed with a pole-mounted camera, she takes photos as she goes, hundreds of them in the space of a few days’ hike. These images become her inspiration when she returns to the studio. “Truth is stranger than fiction,” she says. “The wild is stranger than anything I can dream up.” The truth is also more meaningful. The wilder the land, the more Bradford says she finds to care about. “I’m on a mission to sensitize people to the beauty of the earth,” she says. To take things “that aren’t obviously beautiful and to render them beautiful.” She does that in large part with unexpected, vibrant oil and sometimes embedded shards of glass, something she once eschewed as a “cheap trick.” But after a number of years of hewing as close to the actual color of the natural world as possible, she decided she was selling herself short. “Why are you being this ascetic?” she says she asked herself. “Why are you denying yourself access to something you love so much? And so I started pumping up the color. And as a result I’ve gotten The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

A R T O F T H E S TAT E

PHOTOGRAPH BY LISSA GOTWALS

Cumberland Island Swamp more imaginative, more intuitive. More soulful.” She brings all of that to every one of her subjects, most recently weeds. “Weed studies have introduced me to some really cool forms,” she says. “Arabesques and extravagant curves. I’ve been playing with a lot of that . . . I’m always trying to keep moving outward, not just repeating the same things. I keep looking for newness.” Actively challenging herself has become an ingrained habit, one that began the year Bradford turned 40 and made a promise to herself: “Instead of getting bummed out about getting old, every year for my birthday I would pick something I didn’t think I could do, and I would spend a year trying to do it.” That first year, she decided she would paint a painting every day. A few years ago, she made the commitment to learn French. Lately, she’s begun renovating an 1890s farmhouse, one she discovered deep in the woods on the bank of a creek, far from roads and traffic and noise. A two-hour drive from her (also 1890s-era) Davidson home, it will serve as Bradford’s summer residence and studio. “It’s my dream,” she says. And so as she ages, Bradford’s world gets more and more interesting — not that boring is an option. “The world is just so complicated and fascinating,” she says. “There are just not enough years of life to do everything you want to do.” PS This is an excerpt from the forthcoming book Art of the State: Celebrating the Art of North Carolina, to be published by UNC Press this fall.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Village of Pinehurst • 910.295.3905 105 Cherokee Rd, Pinehurst, NC 28374 The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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

The Sunfish Too small to keep. Too big to forget.

By Ashley Walshe

This isn’t a big fish story. Quite the opposite, actually. And it starts right here on Lake James, the massive hundred-year-old reservoir lapping the eastern edge of our state’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

It’s the pinnacle of summer. High on a red clay ridge, the whip-poor-will, whose incessant chanting often stretches well into the balmy morning, has gone silent. The red dog is weaving among windswept pines, and I am sitting on the wooden deck of a Coachmen RV, a sparkling sliver of lake visible a half-mile in the distance. My grandparents used to live here. Not in this 32-foot travel trailer, home to my husband, the dog and me for a warm and watery season. But on down the meandering shoreline, in the brick and stucco home with the vaulted ceiling, lakeside gazebo and sweeping view of Shortoff Mountain. Papaw kept his pontoon at a nearby marina. If I close my eyes, I can almost see two kids swinging their legs at the edge of his boat slip. I’m the little girl with the auburn curls and wild swath of freckles. My younger brother, all blue eyes and dimples, is perched beside me. Neither of us have fished before. On this day, Papaw is cradling a box of live crickets, and Dad is showing us how to hook them. The black and silver schnauzer, whose feet and beard are permanently stained from the red earth, is barking at the wake as a neighboring boat glides up to dock. Once we cover the basics (don’t snag your sibling or grandpa), we cast a few lines, jiggling the rod to make our crickets dance. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Papaw watches from the captain’s chair as Dad teaches us a ditty from his own childhood. The song changes based on who’s singing it. Mine goes like this: Fishy, fishy in the lake, won’t you swim to Ashley’s bait? I sing incessantly. And guess what? In no time, I feel the coveted tug of what must be a whopper at the end of my line. I squeal. I reel. And up shimmies the smallest sunfish you’ve ever seen. A bluegill, I think. No bigger than my tiny, freckled hand. “Can we keep it?” I ask, twitching with excitement. “If he’s long enough,” says Papaw. Gripping my whopper in his leathery hands, he gently slides out the hook then slips the fish into a shallow bucket of water. “We’ll measure him later.” My brother and I cast several more lines — first at the boat slip, then out in a quiet cove on the water. Although the song appears to have stopped working, that doesn’t deter us from our fervent chanting. We sing until the crickets are spent, my sunfish our singular catch of the day. I know now that we had no business keeping that tiny sunfish. But it was never about the fish for Papaw. Peering down into the bucket, my grandpa announces that the bluegill is “just big enough,” then gives me one of his signature winks. I wink back from my seat outside the camper, smiling through time at a proud little girl and her very first fish. That night, while the rest of the family ate crappie from a previous haul, I savored every bite of my pan-fried sunfish. It didn’t look like much on the plate, but the memory has fed me for a lifetime. PS Ashley Walshe is a former editor of O.Henry magazine and a longtime contributor to PineStraw. PineStraw

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

IN THE SPIRIT

Rum, Anyone? Three styles to pique your curiosity

By Tony Cross

I love rum.

On its own; stirred in Ti’ Punch; shaken ice-cold in a daiquiri; in a box; with a fox. I love rum. This probably comes as no surprise. Whenever I get a chance to splurge, I’ll order more than a few bottles online — usually brands that I already know. Over the past two years I’ve been on a Clairin kick. You remember Clairin, don’t you? It’s the sugar cane spirit from Haiti that’s high in proof and lovely on the palate. Well, I still have plenty of that left over from last year, so this go-round I decided to grab a few bottles I’m familiar with, and a few that I’m not. Here are two old favorites, and one that’s made just west of an island I grew up on.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CROSS

Plantation 13 Year Jamaican Rum 2005

I’ve had the Plantation Distillery rums before and, as soon as my most recent order arrived, I grabbed a bottle and made a daiquiri. I thought I had picked their signature blend (which retails at $24.95). My daiquiri was so damn good, I immediately made another. I was floored by how tasty it was. Turns out I had dipped into the 13 year ($64.99) instead. Honest mistake: The packaging is kind of similar, but I should’ve spotted the difference. Not to worry, it was one of the best daiquiris I’ve ever had. It’s great on its own, too. Aged for 12 years in bourbon barrels in Jamaica, it’s then shipped to France to mature for another year in small cognac barrels. It’s dry on the front palate, but then hits you with fruit and a touch of funk on the back end. I noticed that the longer it sat in my glass, the easier it was to pick up notes of banana, vanilla and whatever else I can’t remember. It was delicious.

Cor Cor Okinawan Rum Red Label

I was shocked to see rum from Okinawa available online. I grew up there as a lad and have nothing but fond memories. This was also a staff pick from the website I frequent, so clearly it was

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

a no-brainer to give it a shot. This rum is different. On the nose: dirty vodka martini. Swear to God. On my first sniff, I was like, “Whoa, that smells briny!” The sniffs that followed (I hope I never have to type that again) yielded, “Yeah, that’s a dirty martini.” Weird. On the palate it’s a little saline, light, slighty grassy. Okinawan grassy? I really don’t know. I think I need more time with this one. I’ll probably make a Ti’ Punch with it to see what a touch of sugar and acidity do to it.

El Dorado Special Reserve 21 Year Rum

This bottle was a splurge. It retails for around $100. I’ve had it a few times before and figured it was time to be a big boy and have my own bottle. Before I get into why this rum is so special, I’d like to touch on something I read from one of the website staff members who reviewed it. “While whiskey gets increasingly expensive and certain bottles become harder to find, rum’s vivid and decadent flavors are an easy jump to make for a bourbon or Scotch drinker.” Whiskey prices are ridiculous these days and, honestly, I find a lot of whiskies to be overrated relative to the cost. Maybe it’s because I live in North Carolina, but I sometimes find rum to be my little secret. I know so many people that love to chat “whiskey this, whiskey that,” but when I show them a good rum, their minds are blown. The few times I’ve enjoyed the El Dorado 21 year, it’s been as a nightcap after a lovely dinner. This is a long, slow sipper that’s meant to be enjoyed on its own. Caramel on the nose, with toffee and spices on the palate, and sweet smoke on the finish, this rum from Guyana is elegant. Consider this as a gift for a whiskey connoisseur, and you’re guaranteed to make them a rum fan. PS Tony Cross is a bartender (well, ex-bartender) who runs cocktail catering company Reverie Cocktails in Southern Pines. PineStraw

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

OUT OF THE BLUE

Swinging on the Vine Did I hear what I think I heard? Probably not.

By Deborah Salomon

Before email, before text and Facebook,

before Twitter, before even Instagram there was the grapevine. Who could forget the late, great Marvin Gaye belting out, in 1968, “I heard it through the grapevine . . . ?” The term became synonymous with salacious news.

Lately, my antennae twitched over the following entries, all in good fun, of course: Putin: OK, OK. So I bit off more than I can chew. I’ll take a week at the Black Sea billion-ruble dacha with one of my children’s mothers. Rudy Giuliani: Those dopes say my rants prove that I’m senile. Hogwash! Look (drip-drip), my hair isn’t even gray. Coach K: One-and-done? How about 1,202 (wins) and done. And look, my hair isn’t even gray. Mayim Bialeck: “Sure, I’m a TV spokesgal for Neuriva (brain supplement). If I didn’t take it, I’d be hosting The Price Is Right instead of Jeopardy!” Ivanka Trump: “Of course we need 10 bathrooms in our new Florida estate. We have five people in this family.” President Joe Biden: “Jill, honey, . . . where did I leave my walker?” First Lady Jill Biden: “Who said blondes have more fun?” Probably L’Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the richest woman in the world. Downton Abbey: A New Era: Lights! Camera! Costumes! The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Secretary of State Antony Blinken: “Where are Winken and Nod when you really need them?” Prince Harry: “Of course she married me for my personality. And look, my hair isn’t even . . . there.” Prince William, channeling Richard III: “Hair plugs, hair plugs! My kingdom for some hair plugs.” Crown Prince Charles: “Who needs hair? I’m the heir.” Vice President Kamala Harris: “Today is Tuesday, which means the baby blue pantsuit. Wednesday is maroon, with matching stilettos.” Good choice, ma’am. Harder to put foot in mouth while wearing stilettos. Martha Stewart: “Inflation? What inflation? Let ’em eat cheesecake!” Elon Musk at the karaoke bar, channeling Sinatra; “Fly me to the moon . . . ” Melinda Gates, on ex-hubby Bill: “He’s just a big ol’ Microsoftie.” Donald Trump, on Jan. 6: “No big deal. Just celebrating Elvis’ birthday two days early.” Melania Trump, channeling Greta Garbo: “I vant to be left alone.” Barron Trump: Denies relationship to Larry Bird. Yet, at 6’7” the resemblance is unmistakable. Except The Birdman smiles. Patriotism: July 4th, dude. Gotta do something patriotic. Like pay a hundred bucks to see Hamilton or wear some stars-andstripes flip-flops which now, like everything else, cost $1.25 at the Dollar Tree. Truth or rumor? Fact or fiction? Stick with Marvin Gaye: “I heard it through the grapevine . . . ” PS Deborah Salomon is a writer for PineStraw and The Pilot. She may be reached at debsalomon@nc.rr.com. PineStraw

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

B I R D WA T C H

Rare Bird Alert Keep an eye out for the roseate spoonbill

By Susan Campbell

With its bright pink body, the roseate

spoonbill is certainly the most distinctive and garishly colored bird in North America. And what about that odd bill? Although their typical range does not include North Carolina, spoonbills do stray into the extreme southeastern part of our state in late summer into early fall. So, if you keep your eyes peeled at this time of year, you may be lucky enough to spot one. Research indicates that breeding colonies are found in parts of Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Unfortunately, the birds there are not widespread, even where they are regular. Loss of foraging habitat has restricted roseate spoonbills to protected areas such as wildlife refuges. Water quality has also reduced prey, as sedimentation and chemical pollution have inundated bays and estuaries in the Southeast. There are several species of spoonbills worldwide, but roseate is the only one found on this continent. Their name comes from the birds’ bright red-pink plumage and spoon-shaped bill tip. Their extremely sensitive mandibles snap shut around food items The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

such as small fish, crustaceans and insects found in the shallow waters they probe. Roseate spoonbills swing their heads side to side as they slowly walk though brackish or saltwater. The types of foods they capture result in their bright feathers. Those amazing pink feathers put the birds at risk of extinction during the 19th century when many spectacularly colored birds were hunted for their plumes. The wings of roseate spoonbills were, unbelievably, actually sold as fans as well as for hats and other adornments. When these amazing birds are spotted in our state, they are almost always mixed in with other waterbirds such as herons and egrets. They are extremely gregarious year-round. The best place to scan along the coast beginning in mid-July is Twin Lakes, in the Sunset Beach area. However, individual roseate spoonbills have also been found at Ocean Isle and North Topsail, as well as in the mouth of the Cape Fear in recent years. Last summer, there were many reports of roseate spoonbills, not only inland in North Carolina but well to our north, including immature birds with their size and unusual bill as well as their pale pink plumage. One roseate spoonbill was sighted in Pinehurst and up to four in Woodlake. If you catch sight of one of these distinctive birds anywhere in the Sandhills or Piedmont, please let me know. PS Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. Contact her at susan@ncaves.com. PineStraw

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SPORTING LIFE

Truckload of Memories And there are some adventures left

By Tom Bryant

It was about 8:30 and I planned to call it an

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN GESSNER

early evening since I was to be up and at ’em at sunrise the next morning to do a little pond fishing, my favorite kind. Linda, my bride, was in the den watching Jeopardy!, her favorite game show.

“I’m sacking out, Babe. Up early in the morning. You want me in the guest room, or do you want to watch the sun come up with me?” “Guest room. You can tell me all about the sunrise. I hear your phone.” My phone was in the kitchen, ringing its persistent nagging call. I checked the number and saw the caller was our son, Tommy. “Hey, Tom Bryant. Whatcha doing?” “I’m up on Three Top, just coming down off the ridge. I had to detour from the trail a little. Saw a bear cub about 50 yards away and sure didn’t want to get in between the cub and its ma.” Tom had just bought several acres on Three Top Mountain close to Jefferson and was planning a little hunt cabin because the property borders the game lands. “That’s smart thinking, buddy roe. There’s nothing worse The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

than an angry mama bear. It’s pretty late, almost dark here. I hope you’re about off the trail.” “Plenty of light here, and I’ll be back to the truck in a few minutes. Andy called and wants to talk to you about buying the Bronco.” Andy is a good friend of Tom’s. They both went to LeesMcCrae College in Banner Elk and stayed in touch after graduation. Andy and his wife live in New Hampshire, but he travels to Pawleys Island in South Carolina often to visit his family. “He wants to buy the Bronco?” “Yes, sir. He remembers the truck from the time I had it up here at school. He fell in love with it back then.” “Tom, the old Bronco has been sitting in the garage for years. You know that. I only crank it up every now and then, back it out and let it run a bit and then put it back in the garage.” “He says he really wants it. He’s becoming something of a car collector. Or wants to be.” “I’ll be happy to talk to him,” I replied, “but I don’t think I want to sell it right now. I understand those old Broncos are commanding quite a dollar figure.” “OK. I’ll tell him. Be looking for his call.” We talked a little longer about his doings in the mountains, and I said good night and gave the phone to his mom. She loves PineStraw

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to talk to Tommy. He’s approaching 50, but like moms everywhere, she figures her kid never gets too old to receive a few instructions. As I was trying to go to sleep, I thought back to the history I had with the old truck. Some of my friends often said jokingly, “If that Bronco could talk, Bryant would be in all kinds of trouble.” We traveled to a lot of places, most of the time with a canoe on top. Trips to the Okefenokee, duck hunting at Mattamuskeet, and many, many trips to our own secret duck hole. In good times and bad, it seems that the Bronco was there. There is a photo somewhere with Tommy and my first Lab puppy, Paddle, sitting on the tailgate. Both the boy and the dog are smiling. The old vehicle has been kinda put on the back burner, resting in our garage like I told Tommy, only getting fired up every now and then. I bought the truck when it was brand new, smelling like all kinds of adventures. A friend and I had just started a weekly newspaper back in the days when newspapers were proudly appreciated. I spent many days and hours in the truck hauling newspapers from the press to the office and to racks around the county. I learned to live out of it, for work as well as play. One time I did a little inventory of the items I had accumulated in the Bronco over a period of time. It started with my gunning bag, in itself quite a useful tool. It has lugged shotgun shells in a variety of gauges and sizes for hunting ducks, doves and small game, a few rifle cartridges and several rounds of ammo for handguns. It has held cans of sardines, beanie-weenies and candy bars. In it I’ve found long-lost pocketknives, and one time a Leatherman tool that I swore I lost in the marshes of Bodie Island. The gunning bag made by Barbour is very versatile. It has served many times as my carry-on bag aboard flights to New York City, emptied of hunting paraphernalia, everything except a sack of beef jerky. I like to take a little of home with me when I travel. I also keep training tools for my Lab in the classic truck like retrievable training

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SPORTING LIFE

dummies, an extra dog collar and a few dog biscuits in a sack. I got tired of her eating my jerky. There was a towing strap, three spark plugs, 50 feet of camouflage duck rope. Two rolls of toilet paper, two hats, a pair of gloves and an old, worn down to the good, camouflage duck coat. There also was a pair of ragged L.L. Bean boots that fit me just right, a canteen, which I think was a carryover from Pinebluff Scout Troop 206, and an old Army mess kit with a bent but still serviceable Sterno stove. (I don’t think they make Sterno anymore.) I usually had a spinning outfit with a few lures hidden in a back corner of the truck, and a small hand-painted camouflage cooler with a couple of warm beers rolling around in the bottom. What happened to all that magnificent stuff, as much a part of the truck as its fourwheel drive? It has gone away, disappeared like some of my youth. But the basics are still here. My gunning bag rests close, ready to go whenever I am. The other stuff is around somewhere just waiting to be found, like my old Leatherman tool. The morning after I talked to Tommy and before I headed to the pond to do some fishing, I backed the Bronco out of the garage and just sat in it, listening to the soft burble of the engine. All the smells were there, and it wasn’t hard for me to conjure up the days when it was loaded to the gunnels with all kinds of necessary gear, ready to go. You know, I thought as I drove the Bronco back in the garage, it wouldn’t take much to get her ready for the woods again. But I remembered my mama and one of her favorite sayings, especially as she neared what she called her golden years. “There’s a season for all things, son. You’ll realize it as you age a little.” Mom was right. A lot of things I used to do and take for granted come a little harder today, but I think the vintage Bronco and I just might have a couple of seasons left. PS Tom Bryant, a Southern Pines resident, is a lifelong outdoorsman and PineStraw’s Sporting Life columnist.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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

The Pinehurst Look The natural treasure of the Sandhills

By Lee Pace

Three years

PHOTOGRAPH BY TIMOTHY L. HALE

into the Robert Dedman and ClubCorp era of Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in 1987, green fees to play Pinehurst No. 2 were $24 with a $15 surcharge for hotel guests. That year Don Padgett Sr. joined the staff as director of golf, and the former PGA of America president and long-time golf industry insider immediately moved to double the base fee to $48. “It was not as if we were trying to make more money,” remembers Pat Corso, the resort CEO from 1987-2004 who hired Padgett. “Don said if our value is that low, people will perceive us to be that low. We had to do better than that.” Today most rounds of golf on No. 2 are factored into a golfer’s membership at the private country club or a visitor’s hotel package, but the rack rate is upward of $500 in high season. Talk about inflation — not only in dollars but prestige. The 2022 U.S. Women’s Open was held recently at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, unofficially launching the next high-water mark in the Sandhills’ visibility in the national golf scene. The day following the Women’s Open, the USGA broke ground for its $25 million Golf House Pinehurst, the equipment-testing facility, innovation hub, museum/visitor center and offices on ground adjacent to the Pinehurst member and resort clubhouses. Later this month, the USGA launches the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open, to be held at Pinehurst No. 6 and contested by players with physical, visual and intellectual impairments. And in two years, the U.S. Open returns to No. 2 for its fourth The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

rendition and the first of five Opens it has secured within the framework of having been designated in 2021 as an “anchor site” for the American national championship (the others coming in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047). “It’s more than just a championship for us here in the Sandhills,” says John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s director of championships. “The players can speak to it. They love a golf course like Pine Needles. Great golf courses produce great champions. How do you argue what’s come about here?” Michelle Wie West, who won the 2014 Women’s Open on No. 2, and Lydia Ko, who finished sixth at Pine Needles, were among the players who soaked up the Sandhills vibe. “There’s so much history around this place,” Wie West said of a morning stroll through the village of Pinehurst. “Just to be walking here and playing, it’s a huge honor.” “This is a huge golfing community,” added Ko. “It’s actually nice to go to places where people love it, people are excited about women’s golf being here, people are excited about golf in general.” The 2014 USGA doubleheader on No. 2 with the men’s and women’s national championships just after the Coore and Crenshaw 2010-11 course restoration combined with the recent event on a Pine Needles course similarly renovated by Kyle Franz have cemented what has evolved into “The Pinehurst Look” — a distinctive array of sandscapes, wispy grasses, jagged edges and towering pines that reflect the native environment. That’s as it should be and is a style to be embraced by the Sandhills golf community. Televisions at various corporate entertainment venues at Pine Needles through the weekend showed simultaneous coverage of the golf at Pine Needles and from the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village on the PGA Tour. Visuals from the Memorial screamed of green, green and more green in an organized and seamless fashion. Golfers missPineStraw

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ing fairways and greens bent over and peered into the lush rough to figure out how much of their ball was accessible. In contrast, the views from Pine Needles reflected haphazard displays of Mother Nature doing her Sandhills thing — random and arbitrary plant growth, and fairway edges and tinges of brown in the bouncy fairways. Franz in his restoration of the 1928 Donald Ross design over 2017-20 removed 11 acres of Bermuda rough, leaving wayward shots finding an infinite array of lies and challenges amid the wiregrass and volunteer vegetation. “This look brings out the architectural features that Donald Ross envisioned before irrigation and takes much less water to maintain,” says Jim Hyler, the 2010-11 USGA president and a part-time resident of Pinehurst. “It emphasizes the ground game, which places a different set of demands on the player than a green, lush course.” Elsewhere around the Pine Needles campus, the USGA erected large banners heralding future Women’s Open venues. Each golf course reflected its essential nature and calling card — the ocean at Pebble Beach, the fescue roughs and treeless landscape of Erin Hills, the eucalyptus trees and kikuyu rough of Riviera, the notorious bunkers of Oakmont. There was a time when Sandhills golf courses had lost their way, when the 2005 Open was played at No. 2 and the 2007 Women’s Open at Pine Needles and the visuals were dominated by narrow, bowling-alley fairways, layers of different mowing heights for roughs, and a misguided effort to look like Augusta National North. “You could have been anywhere in the southeast United States where there is Bermuda grass and pine trees,” says Ran Morrissett, a Southern Pines resident and curator of the Golf Club Atlas website. “Pinehurst No. 2 no longer reflected that it was in the Sandhills of North Carolina. The golden age fairways typically were 42 to 47 yards wide. At one point before the Coore and Crenshaw restoration, I paced off the first fairway at 24 yards and at one point on the seventh fairway — I think the

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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crook of the dogleg — it might have been 12 yards wide. “That’s not how Donald Ross defended par. He defended it at the greens. But what happened was some guy plays it for the first time and you ask, ‘What did you think of 13?’ and he says, ‘Well, which hole was that?’ The holes were no longer distinctive.” Minjee Lee, who won the Women’s Open with a four-shot margin and a 13-under-par total, certainly understood the distinctiveness of these Ross-designed courses through her final round. On the sixth hole, she missed the fairway left and had to thwack her ball through a tuft of wiregrass. On seven, she was wayward right, her ball sitting clean on the hardpan sand, but at address her clubshaft was swallowed by a willowy wiregrass plant. And on the par-5 10th, her second shot missed the green left and came to rest within a nesty enclave of dead grass. So what if the scores were relatively low and Lee won with a 271 total, the lowest in the history of the Women’s Open? You had good weather and little wind. “All great architecture is prone to players playing really well on it,” Franz said. “The conditions are right, and that’s the greatness of Ross’s style.” Low scores and the pure Sandhills look beat higher scores artificially promulgated by fertilizer and irrigation. The template has been properly reinstituted, these Donald Ross treasures coming full circle to when the young man from Dornoch embraced the similarity of the Pinehurst ground to that of his homeland in Scotland. It’s a look of its own and one that prompted USGA President Mike Whan to remark in lengthening shadows of the 18th green Sunday evening at Pine Needles, “You feel like you’re at the home of golf in America.” Treasure that and lock it down. PS Lee Pace has written about the Pinehurstarea golf scene for more than 30 years, including authoring Sandhills Classics — The Stories of Mid Pines & Pine Needles. Write him at leepace7@gmail.com and follow him @LeePaceTweet.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

July �� Evensong At opposite ends of the feeder, dangling from the buckeye by a sliver of jute, a cardinal and indigo bunting feed, seemingly oblivious to the blue and scarlet other, their self-absorption an ongoing evolutionary tick completed this very instant. Birdseed falls into the tall grass under the tree. The cardinal flies off, upsetting the feeder’s ballast. It sways, wildly at first, then less and then less until less, like a hypnotist’s gold watch, while the bunting, fading by degrees into the falling blue spell of evening remains perfectly still. — Joseph Bathanti Joseph Bathanti served as North Carolina’s poet laureate 2012-2014. His most recent book is Light at the Seam.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Fire

up the

Grill Cookout classics with a twist

Story & Photographs by Rose Shewey

ontrary to popular belief, grilling is not just for meat lovers. Whether you grill a juicy burger or mushroom caps, the universal experience is much the same — hot glowing embers, sparks flitting about like fireflies, the bitter aroma of smoke wafting in your face, and the sheer joy of preparing a meal under the open skies. The symphony of sounds, smells and the visual excitement of grilling speaks right to our hearts as most of us recollect beautiful childhood memories of breezy, carefree summer days spent with friends and family. To clear up one common misconception for my fellow expats and anybody from north of the Mason-Dixon line: Grilling and barbecuing are not the same in our neck of the woods, despite most of the English-speaking world using these terms interchangeably. Ask any native Southerner with a penchant for pork. Authentic Southern barbecue calls for low heat, a considerable amount of smoke, and plenty of patience, to name just a few ingredients, whereas grilling requires hot and dry heat, which will swiftly and effortlessly cook the food. So, this season, join us in celebrating traditional, mouth-watering, grilling fare with a bit of a Bohemian twist!

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Strip Steak with Cherry Mint Chutney Instead of preparing sophisticated and laborious marinades and brines, stick to the basics. Achieve bold and intensely rich flavor with a simple yet potent pre-rub: Brush steaks with olive oil; mix equal parts of ground cumin, paprika and coriander; and rub on the meat. Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly cracked pepper and grill for about 4–5 minutes per side. For an exotic twist, serve it with a cherry mint chutney — use your favorite, basic vinegar-based chutney recipe, replace the fruit with fresh, pitted cherries, and add fresh mint leaves to it.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Moroccan Grilled Shrimp with Harissa Coated in ras el hanout, a unique spice blend abundant with aromas of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and rose, these crustaceans are exceptionally zesty as shrimp effortlessly adapt flavor. With a little char from the grill, a dollop of smoky harissa and fragrant, crushed mint leaves, the Mediterranean doesn’t seem so far away anymore. Make your own harissa using a mixture of dried and fresh chilis combined with caraway and cumin seeds, fresh garlic, lemon juice and rosewater. Blend into a fine paste. Pair with an herby couscous salad and fresh mint tea, or push the boat out with a mojito — the choice is yours.

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Greek Chicken with Toasted Almond Hummus Undoubtedly, the thighs are among the most richly flavored parts of the chicken, next to the wings. With a respectable skin-to-meat ratio and a high fat content, chicken thighs carry and amplify any flavor or seasoning you might add. For a Mediterranean twist, combine yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest, fresh minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours) in the fridge. Cook chicken thighs, bone-in, for about 8–10 minutes on each side until cooked through. Serve with fresh, chopped veggies and toasted almond hummus — simply dry roast sliced almonds in a frying pan until fragrant and puree together with your hummus ingredients.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Balkan Burger with Ajvar and Blue Cheese How to elevate the ubiquitous, humble, all-American sandwich into epicurean realms: Dress it up with artisanal cheese and Old World-style relishes and condiments. The latter, we’re borrowing from Balkan cuisine. Ajvar, also called “Balkan caviar,” is made from sweet peppers and eggplant slow-cooked for several hours. The result is a refined, opulent, richly flavored spread that can be teamed with many dishes but works especially well atop a juicy burger, together with a pungent, sharply flavored cheese.

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Grilled Peach Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese, Honey and Thyme The quintessential North Carolina summer fare, as far as I am concerned, is grilled peaches, hands down. Peaches are seductive in their natural state but become even more enticing grilled. The fruit sugar caramelizes and flavors intensify, the char marks form and smoke imparts woodsy notes into the skin and flesh. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, serve atop silky smooth whipped goat cheese on grilled slices of bread, and drizzle with honey. To whip goat cheese, combine 2 parts goat cheese with 1 part cream cheese, a generous dash of olive oil, and pulse in a food processor. PS German native Rose Shewey is a food stylist and food photographer. To see more of her work visit her website, suessholz.com.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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When Bogeys

Are a Good Thing

Former major leaguer manages new team By Jim Moriarty • Photographs by John Gessner

ear the end of the baseball classic Bull Durham, strong-armed Nuke LaLoosh goes looking for his catcher, Crash Davis, to tell him he’s been called up to the majors. He finds Crash in a pool hall owned by Sandy Grimes, who’s sitting with his back to a wall and a cue stick in his hands. “Let’s get out of this dump,” Nuke says. “You callin’ my place a dump?” Grimes jumps to his feet. “No. He’s not. He’s not. All right?” Crash smooths it over. He turns to the phenom he’s been nursemaiding through the minors and says, “Do you

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

know who this is? This is Sandy Grimes. Sandy Grimes hit .371 in Louisville in 1965.” Grimes is quick to correct him. “.376.” “I’m sorry,” Crash says, genuinely apologetic. “He hit .376. That’s a career, man. In any league.” The chances are pretty good that, even when the full roster of the brand-new Sandhills Bogeys baseball team was introduced to their manager, Bernie Carbo, few if any of them knew who he was. And that’s OK, even if he was way, way better than Sandy Grimes. The Bogeys are the newest “franchise” in the Old North State League, where 13 teams compete for a couple of months in the summer the old-fashioned way — with wooden bats — just like the pros. They’re playing in a park built especially for them on the campus of Sandhills Community College, and the only aluminum you’ll find won’t be in a bat, it’ll be in a soda can. The players on the Bogeys can be forgiven if they didn’t recognize Carbo’s name. They’re in their late teens and early 20s, guys playing in college or getting ready to, and the man they were being told was guiding their summer team is 74. Carbo played in the big leagues for 12 seasons with five different clubs in both the American and National Leagues. He moved to Southern Pines The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

from Mobile, Alabama, about 18 months ago with his wife, Tammy, a retired educator. When they were first married, Bernie adopted Tammy’s son, who took the name Bernardo Christopher Carbo Jr., and is now a psychologist and an officer at Fort Bragg. “Bernie’s a trip,” says Alec Allred, who started the Old North State League in 2018. “Anytime we can have a former big leaguer that is the manager of one of our teams, obviously you can’t say no to that. He’s an incredible baseball mind. I enjoy just sitting around listening to his stories. He’s a legend, truly. The players are going to enjoy playing for him. They get to be around it every day this summer.” Sandy McIver, who was the pitching coach at Union Pines High School, and Tom Shaffer, who coached baseball at Georgetown University, will be doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to coaching the team, but it would be a mistake to think of Carbo as little more than a conversation piece. If your goal is to get better and you have a chance to talk hitting with a guy who has been teammates with Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Lou Brock, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski, Fred Lynn, Willie Stargell and Dave Parker; a guy who has run a few questions about the art of hitting past Ted Williams, Henry Aaron and Stan Musial; a guy who has stood in the batter’s box against Bob Gibson, Jim Palmer and Nolan Ryan; you might be able to learn a thing or two. And, if not, the stories are worth the price of admission. “First time I faced Nolan Ryan I heard the umpire go ‘Strike one’; ‘Strike two’; ‘Strike three.’ I turned around to the umpire and I said, ‘I didn’t see any of those pitches.’ And the umpire said, ‘Neither did I, but they sounded good.’” Versions of that story have been told about every pitcher whose velocity creeps into triple digits — including Bob Feller and probably going all the way back to Walter Johnson — but it’s a helluva a story, and even if it’s not 100 percent original, it sounds good, just like Ryan’s pitches. “Walk in the clubhouse, you’d see all the guys in the training room. We all knew who was pitching,” Carbo says. “Nolan Ryan. Nobody wanted to play. He struck me out 19 times in a row. He threw me a change-up and I hit a home run. “Jim Palmer gets me out for five years,” Carbo continues, the memories stirred together like cream in coffee. “I get a base hit off him and he comes to first base and says, ‘I want to shake your hand.’” Palmer even autographed a baseball for him. It said Jim Palmer 0-for-5 Years. Those are the stories Carbo tells on himself. But if you think he couldn’t hit because a couple of Hall of Famers gave him fits, you’d be mistaken. The first major league draft was in 1965. Rick PineStraw

Monday, Billy Conigliaro and Ray Fosse were in it. So was Bernie Carbo, picked 16th. Johnny Bench was taken 36th. Carbo’s first full year in the majors was 1970. He hit .310 with 21 home runs and 63 RBIs and was second in the Rookie of the Year voting. That’s a career, man. In any league. And he just happened to have a starring role in one of the greatest baseball games ever played. You can look it up. Game six of the 1975 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds. Carbo was on the Red Sox, but he’d previously been a Red for four seasons. He knew both dugouts intimately. The Reds had Pete Rose, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Davey Concepcion and George Foster. The Red Sox had Carlton Fisk, Fred Lynn, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice, who couldn’t play because he was injured. Altogether there were six Hall of Famers in the series, seven if you count Reds manager Sparky Anderson. With Cincinnati ahead three games to two in the series and leading in game six, 6-3, Carbo was sent in to pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Rawley Eastwick. In 2015 the National Baseball Hall of Fame brought Fisk and Eastwick together on stage to reminisce about the game. It was Fisk’s home run that hit the left field foul pole (now named in his honor) in the 12th inning that ultimately won it for the Red Sox. They lost the series the next day. The film clip of Fisk waving the ball fair as he hopped and leaped and clapped his way down the first base line is a classic. It’s more famous in Boston than Sam Adams. But it was Carbo’s three-run blast that gave him the chance. With the count 2-2, Carbo fouled off a couple of pitches and looked overmatched doing it. “Carbo had one of the worst swings that a major league ballplayer could have ever had; he just barely fouled the ball off to stay alive, or he would have been out,” Fisk said at the Hall of Fame. “And then the next swing it’s the best swing you could ever see in a game.” The drive easily

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cleared the center field wall, traveling somewhere between 420 - 450 feet, setting up Fisk’s heroics. “The game started on October 21st and ended on October 22nd,” Fisk said. In the top of the 10th Rose came up to hit, looked back at Fisk and said, “This is some kind of game, isn’t it?” Undoubtedly there are a few expletives omitted in that telling, but the sentiment was sincere enough. Later, Rose told his manager it was the greatest game he ever played in. Hitting advice, however, isn’t the only way Bernie Carbo can help the Sandhills Bogeys. He can tell kids what not to do, too. Carbo’s self-published biography is titled Saving Bernie Carbo. It’s written with a psychologist, Dr. Peter Hantzis, using an unusual format. Hantzis does a brief introduction of each chapter; Carbo talks the reader through it; and, at the end, the doctor makes “educational comments” evaluating Carbo almost as if he were making notes about a patient. Hantzis still uses the book in the psychology classes he teaches at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. “For Bernie the most important thing was finding his faith. That’s what really saved his life. And I agree. I think that’s exactly what happened,” Hantzis says. During his talk at the Hall of Fame, Fisk said that Carbo was more than offbeat, “he was just off.” Carbo’s autobiography explains some of the reasons why. His father was a cruel man, a fighter in a circus, and he beat both Bernie and his mother. He was a man with unrealized baseball ambitions of his own who simultaneously lived through his son while constantly berating him. “I became a drug addict and an alcoholic,” Carbo says of his years in the majors. “When I got to the big leagues, I quit working. What happened to me? I got worse.” Carbo can be a powerful force when it comes to explaining to young men how to honor their God-given talent. His mother tried to commit suicide when he was a boy. She succeeded when he was a grown man. “My mother commits suicide. My dad dies. I’m going to commit suicide,” Carbo says. He was saved by a couple of former teammates, pitchers Bill Lee and Ferguson Jenkins, and a Baptist minister he shared a Tampa hospital room with. “God put me with a preacher,” says Carbo. And it took. “Bernie Carbo did not receive treatment for his mental health and substance abuse problems until he was in his mid-40s,” writes Hantzis in Saving Bernie Carbo. “Sadly, even if Bernie had as a child been identified as a victim of abuse and trauma, his treatment options would have been limited. In the 1950s child psychiatry, child psychology, social work and family therapy were in their early stages, and unavailable to many children.” Clearly, when it comes to the art of hitting, Carbo can be a constructive influence for players who want instruction. Not everyone on the roster will, and he knows that. The Old North State League isn’t necessarily a steppingstone to anything other The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

than a summer of fun. “They’re coming to this league to have fun, to enjoy it and play baseball,” says Carbo. “But you never know who’s watching. David Justice went to Thomas Moore University. They were playing a Division I school and the Atlanta Braves had two kids they wanted to see on the Division I team. David Justice hit two balls out of the park. The guy from Atlanta calls the Braves up. ‘Thomas Moore has this kid and he’s just unbelievable.’ Next thing you know he’s the No. 1 draft choice. Plays in the World Series.” But if you do want a little help swinging the bat, there’s probably no one better in the Old North State. “These guys obviously understand the sport at a different level. You know his spring training coach was Ted Williams. Can you imagine?” says Hantzis. “Bernie has a great style of communicating. He looks you right in the eye. He’s so sincere and he’s so interested in you. Bernie is unique. This is a great man.” Sometimes, you do know who’s watching. One of the catchers on the Bogeys is Riley Cameron, who graduated from Union Pines in 2017, played two seasons at Wheeling University and will transfer next year to Catawba College. “I play summer ball every summer and I haven’t gotten to play close to home since I’ve been in college,” Cameron says, “so I’m glad that I can play in front of my family and friends again.” Allred, who is an associate scout for the Texas Rangers, sees opportunity in the Sandhills because of its strong high school baseball programs and thriving tourist economy. “It’s just a perfect market for a baseball team,” he says. “Our players are at the forefront of our thoughts in terms of how we try to do everything, The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

but we have started focusing more and more on the fan experience. That’s why we’re so excited about having this team in the Sandhills. We really want to try to go to a different level and incorporate a lot of what minor league baseball does in terms of the between-inning promotions and stuff like that to really get the fans engaged. This is almost going to be a pilot team for how we’re going to operate in the future.” Besides knowing when to look for the curve and when to call it a night, Carbo can offer at least one more piece of wisdom. The first time he was getting ready to hit against the Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, Carbo was in the on-deck circle but began creeping closer and closer to home plate, taking practice swings, trying to time Gibson’s pitches. (Just for context, in 1968 Gibson’s stat sheet read like this: He was 22-9 with an ERA of 1.12 and pitched 28 complete games, including three in the World Series. And you simply did not mess with Bob Gibson.) “The ball goes whoosh!” Carbo says, turning his head quickly. “I go back to the bench. ‘Sparky, that guy just threw at me.’ When I got traded to the Cardinals, I got to know Bob a little bit. ‘Bob, do you remember throwing at me in the on-deck circle? He says, ‘Yeah, I missed you.’ I ask him ‘Did you intend to hit me?’ He says, ‘Yes.’” The upshot is, you need to find those places in life where you’re safe. It took Bernie Carbo more than 40 years to find his. PS Jim Moriarty is the Editor of PineStraw and can be reached at jjmpinestraw@gmail.com.

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Heir to a Legacy Vinh Luu and the American Dream By Amberly Glitz Weber Photograph by Tim Sayer

ne early morning in 1979, Vinh Luu’s parents dressed him and his six siblings as if for school, before leading them cautiously out into the dark city streets of Saigon. Beneath those outfits, they wore as much clothing as they could put on, walking away from their family home with little more than the clothes on their backs. They were headed to an unnamed location to meet the smugglers they’d paid to arrange their escape. There they waited to be ferried in smaller, less conspicuous groups to board the rickety fishing boat they hoped would carry them to a new life. The Luus had lived in Saigon since Vinh’s grandparents immigrated from China. His father worked as a dentist with the South Vietnamese Army, and his mother’s grocery business was the breadwinner 76

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for their large family. Vinh remembers her as a hard worker, and successful. Living in the capital city, the family did not see much bloodshed during the war years. “I remember after the fall of Saigon, you hear a lot of these celebrations by the Communists, shooting guns up in the air,” he says. “I remember seeing tanks tearing up the streets when they came in.” After the fall of Saigon, the family stayed, hoping things would be better — they weren’t. In mid-1975 the Communist Army confiscated his mother’s grocery business, shutting down the entire supermarket with the promise that they would eventually return it to the local owners. His parents decided to flee soon after. “You know, I think about it all the time,” Vinh says. “I can’t imagine bringing seven children, risking everyone’s lives for this trip. You take a chance at life; you have to make a decision. I can’t imagine just putting one life at risk, so for them to do that, it was desperate.” And not just their seven children — the Luus brought along extended family, loaning three uncles and numerous extended family the funds necessary for escape. They paid extra — all in gold, as the currency was by then worthless — to ensure everyone was on the upper deck. Simple inland boats used mostly on the Saigon River, the holds were barely suitable for carrying any cargo, much less the human kind. Above: Luu family During the escape, Vinh and his older sisters were separated from their at the island parents and placed below deck. “This refugee camp. Left: Tote bag is a rickety old fishing boat,” Vinh with the family’s remembers. “The smell of engine oil official refugee and saltwater down there — I passed case number. out. When I woke up, I was completely naked. Literally, I was marinated in that engine oil, saltwater mixture.” Eventually reunited with his parents on deck, his mother’s first concern was, “Where are your clothes?” Vinh’s infectious smile lights up his face as he gestures comically. “I’m like, ‘Mom, how am I!’ Come to find out later she had sewn gold necklaces and bracelets into our clothes to live off of at the refugee camp.” Their ship floated in the South China Sea for nine terrifying days, struggling with broken engines, faulty navigation, seasickness, crowded conditions and little food. The passengers worked to stabilize the craft during storms, moving from port to starboard in an effort to avoid capsizing on the rough seas. Vinh remembers being so weak, he doubts he would have lived had they not made landfall when they did. One of his 2-year-old cousins died on the boat, as did his paternal grandfather. Their bodies

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

were thrown overboard. “After I reunited with my parents on the boat, I sat next to my dad. I don’t know when my grandfather died on the trip, but my dad, he was just bawling. I didn’t know why, and I cried with him. But now, looking back, I know why — either his father passed away, or he didn’t think that we were gonna make it.” The boat landed on an isolated Indonesian island, where they remained for almost three months. Their boat disintegrated the day after landfall. Discovered by the island’s inhabitants, they were eventually moved to a more official camp. “The first island we were on, it was like what you pay to go to now. It was like paradise. The men built huts out of coconut leaves,” Vinh says. They spent the next three months in the second, larger camp before being moved to Galang Refugee Camp, where they would be processed for relocation. The latter two camps were rife with disease. Vinh remembers being sick throughout, the family living in what amounted to a cardboard box. He has a reminder of the camps preserved on one of the few family heirlooms to have survived the escape, a black leather tote bag. Marked on the bag and still visible is the family’s official refugee case number, which was used for everything in the camps, from housing to meals. It’s engraved in Vinh’s mind as well, a five-digit number he’ll never forget. He says it twice, first in Vietnamese and then in English — 62291. Their stay in the camps was prolonged, since the Luus were determined to wait until space restrictions allowed for two conditions: that they go to America, and that they go together. Ultimately a church in Gastonia, North Carolina, sponsored the family. Vinh doesn’t remember much from his first sight of America, but he does remember his first days in Gastonia. “We had a beautiful snowstorm. I ran outside barefoot — and came right back in,” he says and laughs at the thought of his coldfooted scamper. That contagious grin is as etched on Vinh’s face as his family’s case number is on the leather bag. Starting school in Gastonia, he couldn’t speak the language. “I was pretty fortunate. We had a teacher’s assistant and she devoted a lot of time helping me. I was fortunate to have wonderful teachers growing up. They had an incredible, long-lasting impact on my life,” he says, his eyes beam-

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Above: Vinh and his friends, Jason Jones and Dennis Muldowney. Right: Vinh with his American mom and dad, Kathy and Jim Muldowney.

ing with gratitude. It didn’t hurt that he’s incredibly smart. It’s the first thing his close friend, Jason Jones, noticed about him. “The first time I heard his name was in algebra. Every time we had a test, our algebra teacher would announce who got a 100. She’d call out, ‘John Smith and Vinh Luu made a hundred.’ And then the next test, ‘Amy made a hundred and Vinh Luu made a hundred.’ And I was thinking, ‘Who is this Vinh Luu guy?’” Despite having been in the country only a few years and still learning a new language, Vinh tried his hand at anything and everything. Jones produces their 1989 high school yearbook as proof. While keeping excellent grades and working as a grocery bagger at Food Lion, Vinh's smiling face appears throughout the volume. Jones laughs and taps the Quiz Bowl Team image lightly. “Even though his English was bad, every week he would come and we would ask questions. And even though that was not his strength, he still wanted to learn; he still wanted to participate; he still wanted to just do it. That’s Vinh,” he says. The two friends take trips together every few years. One took them to Las Vegas, where they elected to try something other than gambling on the strip. They rented bikes to ride the Red River Canyon, a challenging 30-mile trip. As the experienced cyclist, Jones could tell Vinh was struggling on the uphill, hot desert route. Every time he checked on him, Vinh’s reply was a quavering, “I’m O-O-O-K,” right up to the moment he dismounted and heaved his morning’s breakfast at the side of the road. Jones wanted to call “a paddy wagon, or 911,” but Vinh wouldn’t hear of it. “And we finished that 30-mile ride. I couldn't believe it — but that's just the kind of guy Vinh is.” Vinh’s older sister married and headed to San Francisco at the

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end of his junior year. His family decided to move with the newlyweds. Vinh went out that summer but found himself homesick for North Carolina. “There’s a big Asian community out there” he says, “and this is pretty funny, but I started school there, and I couldn’t find American kids. It was all Asian kids. And I was homesick. ‘Where are my American kids to hang out with?’” He laughs. His parents agreed to let him move home to Gastonia, where he stayed with his friend Dennis Muldowney’s family for senior year before enrolling at N.C. State. His “American mom and dad,” Kathy and Jim Muldowney, say he’s been part of the family ever since. Jim gestures to a large photograph on the living room wall of their Raleigh home — a beautiful family portrait of children and grandchildren at the beach for a Thanksgiving reunion. Jim points to Vinh in the center of the frame. “That's our family.” “I joke he gets adopted by about 20 people a year,” Jones says of Vinh’s ability to make friends and create family. When an elderly neighbor mentions their worries about the long drive to a family wedding in Florida, Vinh volunteers to chauffeur them. A 90-year-old neighbor’s son visits regularly from out of state, and Vinh delivers him to and from the airport, refusing payment. A neighbor posts on the NextDoor app looking for assistance and Vinh answers the ad, generating another close bond. As the oldest son, Vinh still maintains his family role as patriarch despite the nearly 3,000 miles separating him from his West Coast family. For him, there are no passing acquaintances — every relationship sparks a long and meaningful connection. Jones remarks fondly that although “Vinh’s never married, I don’t know

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

anybody that has as big a family as he does.” After graduating from N.C. State, Vinh began a long career at Ericsson Telecommunications, working in the Research Triangle. During the ’90s a new co-worker arrived from Iran, a political refugee who relied on Vinh for his advice and guidance. Years and a few out of state relocations later, the two stay in touch. Vinh’s a good mentor for anyone, but particularly for those seeking to build a new life. “Assimilate,” he says, passing along his best advice. “Your roots and everything, it’s very important to carry on. But the faster you assimilate, the better off you are. And there’s nothing wrong with that, because this is your new life. And work hard. There are so many opportunities here, people don’t realize.” While the family was blessed to find a welcoming community in Gastonia, they met with their share of challenges. Vinh still remembers the time a group threw rocks at their home, shattering windows before beating a hasty retreat. The experiences of his early years — a house fire in Vietnam that claimed the life of an older sister and his family’s terrifying escape from Saigon — could have been a struggle to overcome, the stuff of mental anguish. Vinh mentions that at one time he suffered from sleep paralysis, a sensation of being conscious but unable to move before waking, evoking terror and a sense of powerlessness. But Vinh has a superpower of his own, a buoyant nature and deep connection to others through simple, genuine kindness. “It’s much different now than in the ’80s when we came here. People are more knowledgeable about things outside the U.S.

and Americans are very — they care,” he says. “So, these refugees that end up here, I think they’re gonna be well taken care of. There’s hope.” After Ericsson closed its R&D section in the Triangle, Vinh Luu’s expertise brought him to the Sandhills in 2016 to work as a contractor on mobile wireless technology for U.S. Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg. He feels as though he’s come full circle. “You know, you have the Americans who went into Vietnam and fought for the South Vietnamese, us. And now, I’m doing work that protects the troops — keeps them safe, and America too, in that respect. It’s neat when I think about it. It’s more than a job, you’re actually protecting America.” Service may be his profession, but his hobby is people. “I do a lot of stuff for some older folks that need help. I don’t have an exciting life,” he says with characteristic humor. His friend Jason Jones goes to the heart of the matter. “Vinh is a good example of what America should be about — and has been about. This is why we are a country of immigrants, and this is why it is a dream.” The dream expressed by Martin Luther King Jr., “that every man is heir to a legacy of dignity and worth.” It is an inheritance Vinh Luu earns every day. PS Aberdeen resident Amberly Glitz Weber is an Army veteran and freelance writer. She’s proud to live in a country where there are Vinh Luus.

Left: Vinh and his family. Below:Vinh and his parents.

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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Lakeside Serenity Delighting in the unconventional By Deborah Salomon Photographs by John Gessner

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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uestion: How much should a house reflect its occupant’s background/taste/lifestyle/ beliefs? Somewhat, with a few pertinent artifacts, mementos? Definitely, with unity of theme or period, palette or furnishings? Completely, for Le-Arne Morrissett of the lilting Aussie accent. This requires formidable juxtaposition, since Morrissett’s house is cookie-cutter contemporary, located in a cluster of villas, circa 1980s, overlooking Lake Pinehurst. The interior, however, conjures distant continents: A paella pan hangs from the wall, and a tagine sits on a rough-hewn refectory table, in front of a vast counter assembled from reclaimed wood which, aided by a massive cedar beam, divides the open kitchen from the great room containing a cream-colored sectional and two chairs upholstered in orange velvet. “Orange is a color that has an awareness to it, and makes people happy,” Morrissett believes. From the tagine comes chicken tagine, a Moroccan specialty redolent of preserved lemons, apricots, olives and spices. The aroma — totally casbah. From the paella pan comes Thanksgiving dinner. Beside her front door, Morrissett planted a Buddha garden,

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

selecting a small statuette from her collection. On the walls hang century-old woven tapestries called suzani, once included in bridal dowries. A single swath of Uzbekistani fabric drapes a sidewall window and cascades onto the floor. While the effect might excite a Western eye, Morrissett — having experienced Asia, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Europe — describes it as “calm,” a favorite word. Zen abides here.

t was a former husband’s golf quest that lured this distaff Marco Polo to Pinehurst. “I’ve always lived by the water,” Morrissett explains, looking out over the sun-sparkled lake. “I love the calmness and quiet nature of the water, the ducks and geese.” What she didn’t love was the predictable condo layout, which cut 2,000 square feet into cubicles. So she took most of the main floor down to the studs, opened it up, then closed off the loft (accessed by a free-standing winding staircase) to make a guest suite. This created a second-story wall — perfect for hanging abstracts, one by her daughter at age 5. Other oversized décor includes two weathered barn doors attached directly to a wall. A

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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ceiling fixture was constructed from three massive glass jars resembling light bulbs suspended from the cathedral ceiling. The floors: What could this material be, so cool to bare feet? Puddles of bright, navy-blue-against-gray concrete, sealed with a glaze, common in Australia, replaced vinyl floors and, surprisingly, kitchen countertops. Carpet wears out, wood needs refinishing, Formica stains. Concrete is forever. Area rugs in blue and orange Middle Eastern designs soften footsteps in hightraffic areas. Morrissett is an artist. Her medium, hair, which she styles at Beautopia, her salon in downtown Southern Pines. But she also indulges in shoes. Remember Imelda Marcos, first lady of the Philippines, infamous for her politics, famous for her 3,000 pairs of shoes? Morrissett’s collection numbers only 100, visible from a made-to-order cabinet in the master bedroom. “Shoes make me happy,” she says. No surprise, hers are colorful, unusual, better The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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for dancing than office wear. So why not display? Obviously, this lady revels in the unconventional. The remodel of her bathroom puts a tub inside the glass shower enclosure, a nod to Turkish bath houses — surely a first in Moore County. In her son's room and throughout the house, case pieces are painted in East Indian motifs and hues. Buddha makes several more appearances. Because Morrissett loves to cook exotic dishes, the major investment went into the kitchen, now quasi-industrial, with gray walls, stainless steel cabinets and appliances. “I live in this kitchen,” she says The view, as seen from a large deck, remains an ungilded lily and emblem for Morrissett’s philosophies. “The lake reminds you just to breathe, to be so grateful of what is around you, to be aware of its sustainability.”

ecorating against the grain requires confidence, selfawareness, whether the result is Scandinavian contemporary in Hong Kong or Jaipur in a Carolina golf community. Morrissett has embodied both traits in this highly personal and expressive residence. “At night when you can’t see the lake I sit outside and look into the house . . . just magic,” she says. “This house was my therapy. I bought it by myself, furnished it by myself.” Finally: “How a house lives is so much more important than how it looks.” Now to her liking, this one lives calm. PS

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The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

A L M A N A C

July

By Ashley Walshe

All Ears, Baby

uly is the great melon harvest, a bellyful of sweetness, the mother lode of summer. In the sun-soaked garden, swollen fruit ripens on tangled vines. A green-striped wonder steals the show. One hundred days ago, when the Earth was newly soft, a flat, dark seed journeyed from palm to soil — a token from last summer. A tiny stem rose from the dirt. Leaves emerged. Vines ran in all directions. After an explosion of tiny yellow flowers: an explosion of tiny green fruits. Today, a whopper. The watermelon tells you when it’s ready. Sort of sings out, sending a signal through its smooth, thick rind. You give it a thwack, close your eyes and listen. The sound is rich and resonant — pitch perfect — like the beat of a primal drum. The tendril closest to the fruit is shriveled and brown, just as it should be. And when you roll the melon over, another telltale sign: the yellow field spot on its underside. Its aroma is the final giveaway. Not too strong. But even through the rind, the sweetness is undeniable. You gently twist the melon from the stem, carry it in your arms like a sacred offering. Everyone knows that a watermelon isn’t just a watermelon. It’s an entire cosmos, the culmination of summer. Inside, a vibrant pink world is studded with hundreds of tiny black seeds. When you sink your teeth into that half-moon slice, the flavor hits you at once. You taste spring rains and summer days; bee tongue and butterfly kisses; the nectar of the journey and the freshness of the right-now. As pink rivulets run down your chin and fingers, you want for nothing more. Because in this moment — wet, sticky and sweet — summer is everything. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Nothing says Fourth of July like bread and butter pickles. Blueberry picking. Watermelon ice cream. And did someone mention sweet corn? Platinum Lady or Bodacious? Regardless, fresh is best. Make shucking a family thing (the kids still think it’s fun). Bring out the salt and pepper. Loads of butter. And if you’re the one behind the grill, you can’t go wrong with pure and simple. The best memories always are.

Watermelon — it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face. — Enrico Caruso Super Buck Moon Native Americans called this month’s moon the Buck Moon since male deer antlers, which were velvety nubs back in the spring, have reached full maturation by July. Also called the Thunder Moon and the Hay Moon, this month’s full moon rises on Wednesday, July 13 — the second and final super moon of the year. No matter what you call it, you can expect totally dreamy. PS

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

In the world of the Real Pets of PineStraw Magazine, being extra is guaranteed, glitzy collars are key and the louder the bark, the softer the bite. This spring, we asked PineStraw readers to share photos of your favorite furballs, and you did not disappoint! If you’re a pet lover, you’ve come to the right place. Over the next few pages, we’re showcasing some of our favorites, along with the top three photos that were selected by reader votes. Co n te st s p o n s o re d by Taylor Floyd Norbury Taylor.norbury@kw.com

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Peggy Floyd peggyfloyd77@gmail.com

Each office is independently owned and operated

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89 Stoneykirk Drive

Pinewild Country Club | Pinehurst Plenty of space for everyone. This home in Pinewild Country Club has a pool, situated on 3 acres, over 9000 square feet, 7 bedrooms. Best price per square foot on the luxury market at $191.57. $1,800,000

What our clients are saying: “Taylor was a huge help to us in our relocation to PInehurst from Columbus, Ohio. She was a joy to work with and made the process go smoothly. She has vast knowledge of the local area. We highly recommend Taylor!” - Bob and Laurie “We are Canadians and had Peggy sell our home in Pinehurst #9. We were delighted with the professional service we received from Peggy as she is a detail person and kept us in touch every step of the way. She is an expert on the current market and gave us excellent advice. She is also a fun person to deal with and we had a good experience with her. We recommend Peggy to anyone wishing to sell their home in Pinehurst.” – Paul and Susan “We give a five-star review commendation to Peggy Floyd and Taylor Floyd Norbury for the outstanding service they provided in preparing our Mother’s home for sale in Pinehurst. They arranged and supervised the inspections and repairs of issues requiring repair. After our Mother moved, we were left with the task of cleaning out her large home at CCNC that had years of memories and memorabilia, books, furniture and more in it. We needed help and Peggy Floyd and Taylor Floyd Norbury came to our rescue. They found the right people to clean it out, clean the house and then had it sold within days of listing it for more than listing price! We were relieved and thrilled. They are an awesome team and we highly recommend them to list and sell your home in Pinehurst.” – The Walkers The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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54 Dungarvan

175 National Drive

Golf front at National, sold in 7 days at 105% of asking price– $780,000

Golf front at National, sold in 1 day for for 110% of asking price– $790,000

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(910) 639-3517 | Taylor.norbury@kw.com

Peggy Floyd

910.639.1197 | peggyfloyd77@gmail.com Each office is independently owned and operated

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“There are no skeletons in my closet, but I have a few bones.”

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Announcing the Fan Favorites!

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The Coziest Summer Pjs Ever! GIFT CARDS AND GIFT WRAPPING AVAILABLE

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Tues - Fri: 12-5PM; Sat: 12-4PM Private appointments always available. Email info@knickers-lingerie.com or call 910-725-2346 150 E. New Hampshire Ave / Southern Pines, NC 28387

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“There’s not much I wouldn’t do for a treat. But only one way to find out.”

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Trust Us With Your Pets While You’re Away Voted Best of the Pines for Best Place to Board Your Pet 6 Years in a Row Voted Best of the Pines One of the Top Groomers Every Year

Boarding Daycare Grooming 1495 Montrose Rd., Raeford • 1 mile from Carolina Horse Park fivepointspetresort.com • 910-904-5787 US Hwy 1 North, Vass • Beside Spay/Neuter Clinic • fivepointspetresort.com • 910-692-2275 The Art & Soul of the Sandhills PineStraw 99

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Everything for the Pet Lover

A HOLE-IN-ONE FOR YOUR PET’S VETERINARY CARE

Premier Veterinary Care, Dental Care and Boarding in Moore County Comprehensive veterinary care from the first pediatric/ puppy visit through the senior stages of your dog or cat’s life, emphasizing client education, preventative care, dental care and surgery.

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195 Dr Neal Road • Southern Pines, NC 28387 (910) 692-3551 • www.pinehurstvet.com Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm, Saturday 8:00am-12:30pm The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

WHEN CHOOSING HOW TO FEED YOUR PETS, LOCAL IS BEST

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110 Commerce Ave, Southern Pines, NC 28387 (910) 621-7297 www.urgentvetsforpets.com The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The Art of the Perfect Sandhills Wedding

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Don’t let your skin concerns ruin your special day

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Services: General Dermatology – Treatment for various skin, hair, and nail conditions

Pick up a copy of the 2022 Bride & Groom at The Pilot’s office or online at pinestrawmag.com

LET US CREATE THE Perfect SMILE FOR THE Perfect DAY

DR. JORDAN RIDGE D.D.S. of DR. FRED RIDGE D.D.S. FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

115 Turnberry Way Pinehurst, NC 28374 (910) 695-3100 www.pinehurstdentistry.com We’ll Keep Your Smile Healthy for Life

FOOD IS OUR FORTE. HOSPITALITY IS OUR PASSION. Catering to all your wedding needs

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Whatever you fancy for your special day! First dance for bride & groom Lessons for group dance Parents dance We make the experience enjoyable & relaxing

Gift Cards and Gift Wrapping Available Tues - Fri: 12-5PM; Sat: 12-4PM Private appointments always available. Email info@ knickers-lingerie.com or call 910-725-2346 150 E. New Hampshire Ave Southern Pines, NC 28387

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Events - Weddings Decorative Accessories - Fresh Florals 120 W. Main St., Aberdeen 910-944-1071 PineStraw

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Arts Entertainment C A L E N DA R

Good Shot Judy 7/

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

JOY OF ART STUDIO. Painting, drawing and mixed media. Offering both private and small groups with safe distance. Classes are held at Joy of Art Studio, 139 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Suite B, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 528-7283 or www.joyof-art.com or www.facebook.com/ Joyscreativespace/.

SCAVENGER HUNT. Pick up scavenger hunts at the Given Book Shop, Given Memorial Library or online at www.giventufts.org/program-and-events. The scavenger hunt will take you through the village of Pinehurst and there will be multiple themes such as science, shapes, historic buildings and more. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. BOOK SALE. Masks recommended

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Photo Club 7/

in the book shop. Given Book Shop, 95 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: 910-295-3642. SUMMER READING. Learn new things, meet new friends, and find new reads during Summer fREADom 2022. This year we are taking the stress out of summer and encouraging everyone to read what they love. Simply register, get a free T-shirt, book buddy, and book to keep and start the summer right. Then read what you want, when you want, all summer long. Explore new concepts and connect with your community at special programs. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. Friday, July 1 ART SHOW. 10 a.m. The Arts Council

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of Moore County presents “Inspirations of Color and Earth.” The artwork will be on display through July 15. Campbell House Galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2787 or www.mooreart.org. THEATER SHOW. 7:30 p.m. Temple Theatre presents Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids. Temple Theatre, 120 Carthage St., Sanford. Info: www.templeshows.com. Sunday, July 3 MEDITATION WALK. 2 - 3:15 p.m. Join us for this monthly meditation walk, with your guide, Eve Gaskell. The group will meet on the outside patio area of the visitor’s center. If it is raining, the event will be canceled. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: harmonylifebalance@gmail.com.

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SUMMER CONCERT. 5 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy the Rock the Cradle Summer Concert with Ray Fulcher performing. There will be food available for purchase. Pinehurst Country Club, 1 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst. CONCERT AND FIREWORKS. 6 - 10 p.m. Come hear the band Liquid Pleasure. There will also be bounce houses and inflatables in a kids’ zone and a variety of food vendors on-site. Fireworks will begin around 9:15 p.m. Pinehurst Harness Track, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org. Monday, July 4 PINEHURST PARADE. 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. The downtown streets will be filled with red, white and blue. The official parade begins at 10 a.m. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org. WOMAN’S EXCHANGE. The Sandhills Woman’s Exchange is closed for the summer season but will be part of the popular Pinehurst Fourth of July parade. Learn about the 1843 historical cabin and reopening on September 7. Info: www. sandhillswe.org. SEED LIBRARY. Anyone can come in and take seeds to plant. No library card required. There will be several programs throughout the year related to the Seed Library. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or email ajames@sppl.net. Tuesday, July 5 BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a new brain fit-

ness class. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. Thursday, July 7 CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES. 7 p.m. Charlie’s Angels will be playing. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com. Saturday, July 9 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. COMMUNITY YARD SALE. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Enjoy shopping 30 - 40 individual outdoor booths offering everything from handmade crafts, modern tools and electronics, vintage and antique collectibles, and even an assortment of everyday household items or clothes. A food truck will be on-site. The Bee’s Knees, 125 N.C. Highway 73, Pinehurst. 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. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. OUTDOOR CONCERT. 7 p.m. Good Shot Judy will perform. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

Sunday, July 10 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, July 11 PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. The Sandhills Photography Club monthly meeting features Alison Mees, a photographer residing in England, who will share with us her experience of living in Africa for 16 years and give us insights on how to photograph animals on the move. Theater of the Hannah Marie Bradshaw Activities Center of The O’Neal School, 3300 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.sandhillsphotoclub.org. Tuesday, July 12 FASHION PRESENTATION. 5:30 p.m. Casey Jones, owner of the downtown vintage shop Daisy Daydream, will visit the library to talk about Sustainable Fashion and Personal Style. She will share a short presentation about expressing yourself through fashion and demonstrate ways to style vintage pieces. This program is geared toward teens and adults. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. Wednesday, July 13 GOLF TOURNAMENT. 7:30 a.m. Join Habitat for Humanity for their Drive it Home Golf Tournament and Fundraiser.

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Cost is $200 per player. There will also be a silent auction. Forest Creek Golf Club, 200 Meyer Farm Drive, Pinehurst. Info: www.sandhillswomenbuild.org. BOOK EVENT. 1 - 2 p.m. The Country Bookshop’s Kimberly Daniels Taws will be in conversation with author Hugh Eakin to talk about his book Picasso’s War. This will be a virtual event. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Friday, July 15 BOOK EVENT. 6 - 7 p.m. Join The Country Bookshop in welcoming author Rick Ridgeway as he talks about his outdoor explorations and his book Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the End of the Map. The Pilot, 145 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

DOCUMENTARY. 7 p.m. In Search of Mozart. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

OUTDOOR MOVIE. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade will be playing. This is an outdoor movie beginning at sunset. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

Thursday, July 14 PLAY TIME IN THE PARK. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Kids ages 3 - 12 and their parents can join other friends for giant checkers, giant Jenga, bubbles, fun, and more. Free event. Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

Saturday, July 16 SIDEWALK SALE. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Shop the best bargains of the year at your favorite downtown stores. New this year are sale tables inside the stores as well as on the sidewalk so shoppers don’t have to endure the heat to get the discounts. Hosted by

the Southern Pines Business Association. Downtown Southern Pines. DANCING. 6 p.m. Carolina Pines Dance Club invites you for a fun evening of social dancing — 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. LIVE PERFORMANCE. 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Roy Firestone, a seven-time Emmy Award-winning host of ESPN’s legendary Up Close Primetime, will have a one-nightonly show, guaranteed to entertain. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. OUTDOOR MOVIE. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade will be playing. This is an

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outdoor movie beginning at sunset. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com. Sunday, July 17 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. Monday, July 18 READING STATIONS. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Join Growing Moore Readers and the C.A.R.E. Group, Inc. for our annual Summer Reading Stations to help combat the summer reading slide. Come to any of our reading stations set up all around Moore County and read with your children, receive a free book, a STEAM activity sheet, and

a snack to take home. The stations will be up through July 21. Follow us on Facebook for day-to-day updates on locations at www. facebook.com/mooreliteracy. Info: (910) 6925954 or email nancy@mcliteracy.org. CRAFT N’ CREATIONS. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. We have a plethora of craft supplies and we want to create. Join us for fun DIY crafts. Cost is $6 for residents and $12 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. Tuesday, July 19 BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to a new brain fitness class. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. BINGO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to come play 10 games of

bingo. Prizes given to the winners. Cost is $3 for Southern Pines residents and $6 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. TEEN WRITING CLUB. 5 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: (910) 692-8235 or email: kbroughey@sppl.net. Wednesday, July 20 LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an after-school program for children ages kindergarten through second-graders who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and learning. This will be a special Summer fREADom

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edition. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. Thursday, July 21 LUNCH OUTING. 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older can join Southern Pines Recreation and Parks for a fun lunch outing at Li’l Dino in Pinehurst. Enjoy great food and fellowship. Lunch and transportation on your own. 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. CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES. 7 p.m. Sunset Boulevard will be playing. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com.

Friday, July 22 MUSICAL. 8 - 10 p.m. The Judson Theatre Company presents Gutenberg! The Musical! Performances run through July 31. McPherson Theater at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. Saturday, July 23 CHRISTMAS IN JULY. 9:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Santa Max is coming to celebrate Christmas in July at the Given Memorial Library. There will be a photo opportunity with Santa Max, a craft and a goodie bag to take home. Reservation required. There will be two time slots to choose from, 9:45 - 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642. COOKING WORKSHOP. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. The Cooking with Herbs Workshop

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will be hosted by Janice Roberts, from the Moore County Cooperative Extension. Learn about different culinary herbs that you can use from your garden and how to incorporate them into your cooking. Bring your family and join us for this aromatic and delicious workshop. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. Tuesday, July 26 BOOK EVENT. 4 p.m. Join The Country Bookshop as it hosts author and illustrator Matt Myers and his author wife, Maya, to celebrate the release of his new book, The World’s Longest Licorice Rope. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. MUSICIANS’ JAM SESSION. 6 - 9 p.m. Bring your own instrument and bever-

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age or just come and enjoy the music. Attendees must have the COVID vaccination. Free admission. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

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Wednesday, July 27 WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE. 5:30 p.m. Join us as we welcome current Weymouth Writer-in-Resident Lee Pace, Chapel Hill-based author, editor, publisher and broadcaster. Free admission, registration required. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org. Thursday, July 28 DOUGLASS CENTER BOOK CLUB. 10:30 a.m. Multiple copies of the selected book for the month are available for checkout at the library. Douglass Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or email: mmiller@sppl.net. Homestyles CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES. 7 p.m. Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again will be playing. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sunrisetheater.com. THEATER SHOW. 7 - 8:15 p.m. Imagine Youth Theater presents Matilda Jr. There will be a second performance on July 29 at 7 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

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Saturday, July 30 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. www.highcottonconsignment.com 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. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net. NIGHT WITH THE MAKERS. 6 - 8 p.m. Led by local abstract artists Grace Crawford and Christin Daubert, this workshop is a fun and casual atmosphere to explore your own abstract art style. Tickets include all creative materials you will need. Against the Grain Shoppe, 220 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. THEATER SHOW. 7 - 9 p.m. Imagine Youth Theater presents Grease. There will be a second performance on July 31 at 7 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, August 5 MUSICAL. 8 - 9:45 p.m. The Judson Theatre Company presents Buyer and Cellar. Performances run through Aug. 14. McPherson Theater at BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com. 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 and registration: (910) 692-7376. Info: (910) 692-7376. INDOOR WALKING. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Improve balance, blood pressure and maintain healthy bones with one of the best methods of exercise. Classes are held at the same time Monday through Friday. Ages 55 and up. Cost for six months: $15/

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resident; $30/non-resident. Southern Pines Recreation Center, 210 Memorial Park Ct., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. 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 all for free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Tuesdays 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 outside the library at 11 a.m. Dates this month are July 12, 19 and 26. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net GAME DAY. 12 p.m. Enjoy bid whist and other cool games all in the company of great friends. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W.

Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376. 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 Firestation 82 is for ages birth through 2 and kids will have a chance to see firetrucks. Dates this month are July 19 and 26. Fire Station 82, 500 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net 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 and registration: (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 and registration: (910) 692-7376. BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. FARMERS MARKET. 3 - 6 p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features some of the many farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers our area has to offer. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org. TAI CHI. 6:30 p.m. Come learn tai chi. There is no age limit and the classes are open to the public. Cost is $10 per class. Seven Lakes West Community Center, 556 Longleaf Drive, Seven Lakes. Info: (910) 400-5646. Thursdays MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The year-round market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. Market is located at the Armory Sports Complex, 604 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines. GIVEN STORY TIME. 10 a.m. Wonderful volunteers share their love of

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reading. Stop by and join the fun. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: 910-295-3642. CHESS AND MAJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. 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. Visit the restored tobacco barn featuring the history of children’s roles in the industry. Docents are ready to host you and the cabins are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Shaw House, 3361 Mt. Carmel Rd., Carthage. Info: (910) 692-2051 or www.moorehistory.com. MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:30 a.m. and 2 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 3 – 5-year-olds. Dates this month are July 14, 21 and 28. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net 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. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (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 and registration: (910) 692-7376. RESTORATIVE YOGA. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Practice gentle movements to improve your well-being with certified instructor, Jahaira Farias. 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 and registration: (910) 692-7376. BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. 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: $30 for residents and $60 for non-

residents. Cost is for a monthly membership. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info and registration: (910) 692-7376. Saturdays MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. The market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local, and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers, and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams, and jellies are also available, accompanied by live music. Market is located in downtown Southern Pines at S.E. Broad Street and New York Ave. and runs weekly (with the exception of Autumnfest) until the end of October. FARMERS MARKET. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Sandhills Farmers Market features some of the many farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers our area has to offer. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.vopnc.org. PS

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OIL AND ACRYLIC Introduction to Oils for Beginners - Linda Bruening – Monday and Tuesday, August 8, 9, 9:30-3:30 $135 Next Step-Oil Painting - Linda Bruening –Thursday and Friday, August 11. 12, 9:30-3:30 $120 Fingerpainting Hydrangeas (Acrylic) – Magda Sonderfan - Wednesday, August 17, 1:00-3:00 $31 Beginner’s Acrylic Pouring - Meredith Markfield – Friday, August 19, 11:30-2:30 $44 Intermediate Acrylic Pouring – Swipe and Chain Pull Technique - Meredith Markfield Monday, August 22, 11:30-2:30 $46 OTHER MEDIUMS Inktastic/Intermediate Alcohol Ink - Pam Griner- Tuesday, July 12, 11:30-2:30, 11:30-2:30 $46 Basic Cake Decorating – Pam Griner – Wednesday, July 13, 12:30-3:30 - $61 All decorating supplies included and students keep. Next Step Cake Decorating/Flowers - Pam Griner - Wednesday, August 24, 12:30-2:30 $39 Intro to Encaustic Wax – Pam Griner – Wednesday, July 27, 1:00 – 3:00 – $42 Supplies included. Inkfinity/Advanced Alcohol Ink - Pam Griner - Wednesday, August 10, 11:30-2:30, 11:30-2:30 $46 Go with the Flow/Begin

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Six weeks of sensational shows starting July 22!

Exciting • Entertaining • Contemporary shows in their SANDHILLS AREA PREMIERES live on stage in the intimate McPherson Theatre at BPAC SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES , PRIVATE PERFORMANCES, & GROUP RATES AVAILABLE!

July 22-August 28 • McPherson Theatre @BPAC

JudsonTheatre.com

Tix/Info/Donate: Live Professional Theatre in the Sandhills since 2012

The 501c3 not-for-profit Professional Theatre Company in Residence at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center

Daniel Haley, Artistic Director • Morgan Sills, Executive Producer

SandhillSeen Jazz Brunch

Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities Sunday, May 22, 2022 Photographs by Diane McKay

Michelle, Brynn & James Medwick

Peter Lamb and the Wolves

Bill & Evelyn Sparko, Perry

Erin & Paul Dalpe, Rue

Shane, Zoey, Savannah & Margaret Larson

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

The Malan & Judd Families

Gloria, Jim, & Dale Slate, Anne-Marie Wiginton

Justin, Wolfgang & Ashley Lynch

Kit Akin and Sid Vicious

Mary Ansley, Chris Sweet

Mike, Adam & Wendy Malone

Emily & Jon Womack

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SandhillSeen Inspirations of Color & Earth Campbell House Galleries Friday, June 3, 2022 Photographs by Diane McKay

Alyson Bahr

Tess Gillespie, Carol Tumser, Lynn Goldhammer

Paula Weiss, Melinda Handkey, Randy Burnett

Phil Benjamian, Crista Casas

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Lynn Connolly, Franceska Aaron, Lois Holt

Johanna Weber, Cecilia Ten Braak

Linda Nunez

The McAdoo and Maxwell Families

National League of Junior Cotillions

Pinky Doyle, Lisa Fulghum

Jessie MacKay, Doug Roper

Steady Meares, Aubrey Denton, Jillian Ledwell

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

SandhillSeen Walthour-Moss Dog Show Lyell's Meadow Saturday, June 4, 2022 Photographs by Diane McKay

Patricia Jugeat & Wiskey

Carol Dowd, Liz Rose, Meredith & Stan Eskridge

Judy Howell & Sundari

xxx

Ben Blackstone, Sullivan Whitely, Burger & Dewey

Charlie & Terry Cook, Paddy & Grainne

Montgomery Maiello & Dorthoy

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

Ann Benson & Bazsa, Denise Roberts & Lola

Susan Gaines, Jo-an DeSellHyman

Kaily Meeks & Jackson

Brynn & Brystol Garrett, Oliver & Buddy

The Barker Family & Parker Hyman

Stephen Later, Caroline Plummer, Graham, Seven & Wilson

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Pine ServiceS

Vintage Watches Wanted

ENJOY SUMMER PEST FREE

BUZZWORTHY FINDS at

ROLEX & TUDOR Omega, Hamilton Breitling Patek Philippe, Panerai, Seiko

Pilot-Diver Chronographs Military Watches Buying one Watch or Collection

Personal Care and Private Duty Nursing Medication Planning • Meal Preparation Medical Appointment Assistance every year, Your hard work and dedication is appreciated

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

Ed Hicks Vintage Watch Collector

910-227-3883

910.425.7000 or 910.977.5656 www.battlefieldmuseum.org www.warpathmilitaria.com

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

(910) 420-8970 • @BeesKneesPinehurst 125 NC HWY 73, at the corner of 15-501

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

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

110-B Applecross Road Pinehurst, NC 28374

Christina’s Kittens

Ensure your gutters are ready for summer storms!

910-246-0586

Interested in Advertising?

SERVICES HOUSE WASHING WINDOW CLEANING GUTTER CLEANING CONTACT US!

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Tree Removal Stump Grinding & Removal Trimming & Pruning 24/7Emergency Tree Services Call or Text 910.882.2802 for a Free Estimate www.precisiontreetrim.com Licensed, Bonded & Insured

Cats Only In-Home Pet Sitting Service

Insured by Business Insurers of the Carolinas

Call 910.692.7271

863-608-0070

Plumbing with Pride since 1965

Tired of running out of hot water? We’ve got your solution! Gas • Plumbing • Remodeling • Water Heaters Drain Cleaning • Water Sewer Discounts for Veterans, Military, & Teachers 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE | 910-295-0152 MENTION THIS AD FOR

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WE ALSO PRESSURE WASH HOMES

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

Large & Small Jobs

Call for All Your Home Needs!

910.639.5626 or 910.507.0059 Free Estimates & Fully Insured

The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

July Pine Needler ACROSS 1. 1922 Physics Nobelist 5. “Honor and ” 9. Suitable 12. Sundae topper, perhaps 13. Art subject 14. Shrub sticker 17. Heavy recyclables (2 wds) 19. Itty20. Hearing ointment 21. Beginner 22. There once was a crabby old 23. Walloped, old-style 25. Diamond units 28. Complaining while getting a 29. King 32. Skilled 33. Toys with tails 35. Old French coin 37. Agcy. involved in the Human Genome Project 38. While these days are the 40. Make a mistake 41. Caribbean, e.g. 42. Foe 43. Mistreat 45. African financial building, (Init) 47. mode 48. Bliss

Seasonal Limerick

49. 51. 52. 55. 59. 60. 62. 63. 64. 65.

Train tracks Zero Estate sharer “Makin’ ” Babbling waterway And heat is the Fur jacket! Beach toy Wine valley I guess the tan man needs a 66. Creative 67. Benzene derivative

DOWN 1. Speaker brand 2. Boat in “Jaws” 3. Frau’s partner 4. AAA handout 5. Burger or hot dog topping 6. Belch 7. Tokyo, formerly 8. Longing 9. Religious leader 10. Evergreen hedge 11. South American monkey 15. And so on, after a list 16. “The Catcher in the ” 18. Gabble 21. Afternoon church service 23. Disgraces

24. 25. 26. 27. 30. 31. 33. 34. 36. 39.

Pirate’s pal Tins “Farewell, mon ami” Drug user’s help Run out of (2 wds) Human body trunks Toll, as a bell Depot Liver production Broadcasting (2 wds)

44. 46. 48. 50.

Sandwich meat Anatomical ring Wicked “American Idol” singer Clay 52. “60 Minutes” network 53. Crumb 54. Clop maker

55. 56. 57. 58. 60. 61.

Habeas corpus, e.g. Tree fruit Catch a glimpse of And others, for short Health club Pine product

Puzzle answers on page 112 Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be reached at martaroonie@gmail.com.

Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contain the numbers 1-9. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

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SOUTHWORDS

Baking Betty Research, research, research

Betty Crocker and I go back a while,

though I don’t go back as far as she goes. Betty Crocker, icon for General Mills, is 100 years old this year. One of the most recognized advertising symbols in the world, Betty has only gotten younger. Many up-to-date hairdos and wardrobe changes. She has kept up with the times. My relationship with her ended amiably enough, and I have my little red spoon of confidence lapel pin to prove it.

Many years ago when I lived in Charlotte in a split-level house, carpooled in a wood-paneled station wagon, and did all kinds of PTA and Boy Scout stuff, my family was a member of a very exclusive club. We were one of 500 General Mills test families across the country. I tested recipes that ended up on the backs of cereal boxes, flour packages and General Mills products, excuse the expression, in general. I wasn’t paid but was reimbursed for the cost of recipe ingredients. I figured since I baked and cooked anyway, why not make it interesting? And I like to try new recipes. Helen Moore, my good friend as well as neighbor, was at that time food editor for the Charlotte Observer. She invited me and several other women of various ages and stations to a lunch with two home economists from General Mills. It was a lovely lunch in a nice restaurant, a real treat in the middle of the week. Good food, fun conversation, and afterward I was asked to be part of 500 families scattered across the country. The home economists explained that, though they tested recipes in their laboratory kitchens in Minneapolis, they wanted reactions from real people in real home kitchens. Where the pasta meets the road, so to speak. During the years I tested a variety of recipes, everything from vegetable dishes (carrots cooked in frozen apple juice with fresh ginger was a good one) to cookies made with various cereals, to a whole series of recipes using wine. I saw many of these later in cookbooks. For the most part, my family was good-natured about the whole thing. They were used to seeing different things on the table when they sat down to dinner. After I tested a recipe, I filled out forms that included what I

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had paid for certain ingredients, whether I had them on hand, how difficult they were to find, and so on. Other forms asked if the instructions on the recipe were clear. Was it hard to follow? How much time did it take to make it? And there was always the question of my family’s reaction. They were the ultimate arbiters. Actual people eating real food in a home kitchen. Nothing complicated. Except the time I was sent a recipe for gumbo. No, I did not have filé powder on hand. No, I did not keep canned okra on my pantry shelf. I didn’t know you could even CAN okra. And it surely didn’t sound appetizing. Breaded and fried okra is food of the gods! But okra in a can? In the South yet? Sacrilege. So, I went in search of canned okra. In those days Amazon wasn’t even a twinkle in Jeff Bezos’ eye. Managers of the A&P, Kroger’s and Harris (before there was Teeter) laughed at me. Was I some kind of nut? Canned okra? I finally found a lonely can on the bottom shelf of a tiny exotic foods market. Exotic for North Carolina, certainly. Then I made my first and only gumbo. My family’s reaction, after a couple of mouthfuls, was to ask if we couldn’t go to McDonalds. We did, leaving plenty for the garbage disposal and a nonetoo-glowing report for Betty Crocker. After that, whenever my sons sat down to something unfamiliar, their immediate reaction was, “Are we eating Betty Crocker?” I probably tested recipes for Betty for six or eight years. The gumbo was the only unqualified disaster. A lot of the recipes I still make — a Wheaties cookie; many of the wine dishes, including a pot roast cooked with Burgundy. The program was discontinued but, as a token of their appreciation, I was given a tiny version of Betty’s trademark, a small, enameled red spoon lapel pin — the Phi Beta Kappa of gumbo, I suppose — and a real conversation piece at dinner parties. PS Ruth Moose taught creative writing at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for 15 years and tacked on 10 more at Central Carolina Community College. The Art & Soul of the Sandhills

ILLUSTRATION BY MERIDITH MARTENS

By Ruth Moose

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

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Southern Pines

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

July PineStraw 2022

Articles inside

The Pleasures of Life Dept. By Ashley Walshe