Sand & Pine February/March 2017

February/March 2017

SAND & PINE Paranormal Pinehurst

The ghosts among us

CrossFit

The cult of exercising

Holiday Spirits We'll drink to that

Plus

Jambalaya America's dish

Home is where the Heart Is...

Jessica Geraghty

Broker

910.585.5438

...andWe have the Keys.

Bowman

Jodie Roybal

910.528.4902

910.315.2826

Nikki

Broker/Owner

Broker

Properties of the Pines

760 B NW Broad Street • Southern Pines

realtyworldofmoore.com

2 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

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910-420-2902

We Keep the Sandhills on Its Feet!

Dr. A. Anthony Haro, III FACFAS

Pinehurst Clinic

200 Westgate Drive, Suite A 2 miles from Moore Regional Hospital, on 211 West

Specializing in: Ankle and foot disorders • Diabetic foot care Bunions and Hammertoes • Joint replacement Ankle arthroscopy Sports injuries / fractures • Heel pain Raeford Clinic

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910.295.7400 / 877.295.0079 (fax)

contents 12 Ghosts

The Village Paranormal Research Society has something to share with you. There are ghosts and spirits among us. But what stories do they tell?

SAND & PINE

20

18 Garden Variety

Holiday Spirits

Shamrocks are synonymous with the luck of the Irish, but there's nothing keeping us from enjoying these lucky clovers throughout the year.

Not that we need to give you a reason to imbibe (responsibly), but then again, a drink during a celebration just seems to taste better. So here you go....

Publishers Greg Girard, Amanda Jakl Editor Greg Girard greg@sandandpinemag.com

Creative Director Amanda Jakl

SA N D & P IN E February/March 2017

Paranormal Pinehurst

The ghosts among

us

CrossFit

ising

The cult of exerc

amanda@sandandpinemag.com

Word Geek Rachel Dorrell

On the Cover Image: Could it be one of the haunting spirits of Pinehurst?

Holiday Spirits We'll drink to that

Plus

Jambalaya America's dish

Ad Peddler Vince Girard vince@sandandpinemag.com

Contributing Scribblers Darcy Connor, Robert Farrell, Anthony Parks, Casey Suglia, J.M. Walter, Claudia Watson Our Girl Friday Iris Voelker iris@sandandpinemag.com

Visual Alchemist Carter Beck

4 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

P.O. Box 892 Southern Pines, NC 28388 Tel. 910.315.0467 info@sandandpinemag.com www.sandandpinemag.com facebook: SandandPineMag

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© Copyright 2017. Sand & Pine Magazine is published six times annually by Sand & Pine, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited.

Good Reads 6

Quicksand 8

To Your Health 16

Puzzles 24

26

30

Music

At the Table

CrossFit

Last Word

Is it Spanish or French? Maybe it comes from the West Indies. No, there's a touch of Africa in there too. Ah, it really doesn't matter. Jambalaya is simply delicious.

34 38

If you have a friend or family member obsessed with CrossFit, they probably won't disown you, but they may try to recruit you into this exercise cult.

editor note

by Greg Girard

I lived in a haunted house. My mom called these uninvited

guests our friendly visitors.

We lived in an old house—really old—during some of my teenage years. It was built in 1742. As you can imagine, that kind of age comes with a certain amount of history. The house, at one time, was used to process dye, a fabric store, a gristmill office and a farmhouse.

There were no grisly killings or tragic endings, at least that we're aware of, but there were many people who resided and visited the house over the centuries (there was some talk of George Washington visiting, but that seems to be a recurring story connected to most 18th century New England homes).

The murmurings we heard were usual at night, although if you were alone in the house and in a quiet environment you could sometimes hear them during the day. Nothing distinct, but clear enough that initially we thought it was people on our front steps about to knock on the door. Then there were the impressions on the bed in the master bedroom, as if someone had just been laying there. That was slightly creepier. And when we first moved into the house, our dog was not a happy camper.

In a recent poll, nearly half of Americans say they believe in ghosts or spirits. Lauri Carter, founder and lead investigator of The Village Paranormal Research Society, will tell you that she can rarely get through a day without someone telling her about a personal encounter with a ghost or someone they know that had an encounter.

The torrent of cable shows about the paranormal over the past several years has certainly heightened interest in the topic but it can also lend itself to more than a few eye rolls as they try to dramatize their "encounters." My skeptic alarm usually goes off when they try to convince me the dark, indistinct blob the camera may or may not have caught for a split second is a spirit from the afterlife. And I had to watch the entire hour show to see it!

I have no trouble believing there are phenomena going on "beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding." I think as humans it would be arrogant of us to assume otherwise.

There must be something else out there, don't you think? Can't you feel it? www.SandandPineMag.com | 5

Good Reads

by Darcy Connor

Preschool/Toddler Picky Eaters Written by Ellen Jackson Illustrated by Amy-Clare Barden

We all know there are many picky eaters out there.

Well, it turns out there are many animals that are just as particular. With arctic foxes dining on lemmings and koalas only eating eucalyptus, this book introduces readers to different animals and what they eat. Children will not only enjoy the fun story and illustrations but will also learn that having a variety in your diet isn’t such a bad thing. There is more to the culinary world than chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, right?

Picture Book Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Written by Judi Barrett Illustrated by Ron Barrett

This time of year is always filled with some crazy weather, but not as crazy as the town of Chewandswallow. The town is just like any other small town—except that their weather brings the food. From raining soup and juice to snowing mashed potatoes, living in Chewandswallow is nothing but delicious. Delectable, that is, until the weather takes a turn. If you and/or your child have only seen the movie adaptation of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, you’re missing out on a wonderful story.

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.”

- Fran Lebowitz 6 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

Upper Elemetary & Middle School The War that Saved My Life Written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The War that Saved My Life, a Newberry Honor recipient, is a story that will stay with you long after the final page. Set during World War II, it tells the story of Ada, whose cruel mother physically and verbally abuses her because of her embarrassment over Ada’s twisted foot.

When her little brother is evacuated from London to escape the war, Ada sneaks away to join him. In the countryside, under the care of Susan, the woman forced to take in the children, Ada flourishes. For the first time in her life she begins to feel hope but will the feeling be able to survive? Artfully weaving the heroine’s compelling story with vivid historic detail, Bradley makes this an engaging read.

1200 N Sandhills Blvd, Aberdeen - 910.695.2621

Adult The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper Written by Phaedra Patrick

After his wife of more than 40 years dies, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper works hard to maintain the strict routine they had always lived by: He wakes every morning at 7:30, wears the same gray slacks and waters the ferns. But on the year anniversary of her death, Arthur discovers a hidden charm bracelet that he had never seen her wear.

Curiosity about the charm leads Arthur on a journey of discovery, not only of his wife’s hidden past but one of self-discovery as well.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper refers to the charms of Miriam’s bracelet, but “charming” is also the perfect way to describe this book. The book came out on paperback Jan. 31.

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2016 Home of the Year

Excellence

in Remodeling

A Special Feature

in Our March/April Issue

PinehurstLivingMagazine.com

www.SandandPineMag.com | 7

Quicksand The Oscars

8.5

The number of pounds each Oscar statuette weighs.

Each statue is plated in copper, nickel, silver and 24-karat gold. The multi-metal “Oscar” stands on a reel of film with five spokes that represent actors, writers, directors, producers and technicians.

36

Number of founding members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927. The founders included the original Robin Hood, Douglas Fairbanks, “Birth of a Nation” creator D.W. Griffith and the lesser known DeMille brother, William. There are more than 6,200 voting members now.

15

Length, in minutes, of the first Oscar ceremony in 1929. It was also the shortest ceremony on record. The longest lasted 4 hours, 23 minutes in 2002.

125K

The potential value of swag bags given to Oscar nominees (but not the winners).

Recipients of the swag are required to pay taxes on the gifts.

19 Number of times Bob Hope has hosted the award ceremony, starting in 1940 when “Gone With the Wind” won for Best Picture. His last gig was in 1978 when “Annie Hall” took the golden man.

50

Number of nominations for composer John Williams, the most for a living person. He’s won just five. We can thank Williams for the iconic movie compositions of Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan and Jurassic Park, to name just a few.

45 Number of seconds each winner gets to thank their agent, their mom and God, or blurt out “You like me, you really like me!”

A Look Ahead

APT APPS...

and other tech marvels

Road trip! Beyond the boundaries of our little sandbox, there is much to see. Here are a few events worth checking out. For events with a more local flavor, check out moorechoices.net.

Reddit Chances are the latest meme, funny photo or viral story that’s floating around Facebook was stolen from Reddit. The original, low-tech, community website offers members a place to commiserate, browse news headlines, dive into weird topics and share funny personal stories. Despite being one of the most popular websites on the internet (No. 11 most visited site in the U.S.) and having been around since 2005 (ancient for the internet era), the site hasn’t had an official app until now. The “front page of the internet” is now one tap closer (free on iPhone and Android).

FEBRUARY 24-26 18th Annual Nevermore Film Festival Durham / carolinatheatre.org/films/festivals/nevermore WHY: W ho doesn’t love a good slasher movie right after Valentine’s Day? The horror and gothic film festival features entries from around the globe because screams are a universal language.

Wunderlist

For all the list makers out there, add Wunderlist to your arsenal. Wunderlist offers the satisfaction of checking off boxes, even offering a melodic ding before your finished task disappears. And best of all, it will sync with all your devices. So load up that list on your desktop, then check it on your phone later. Set up reminders, due dates and notifications, share lists with family members and make notes on tasks. Get ’er done with this app (free on iPhone and Android).

The Bugle

APRIL 21-23 Tuck Fest / Charlotte / tuckfest.org

WHY: H eld at the U.S. National

Missing Jon Stewart? Of course you do. Miss the Colbert Report? Yup. Then get your fix for satirical comedy about current affairs with The Bugle, a British podcast hosted by Andy Zaltzman and John Oliver. As noted on its website, The Bugle leaves “no political hot potato unbuttered, and have presided over, and/or caused, and/or commented on (delete according to preference) the downfall of several of the world's least desirable despots and dinner companions.” Ah yes, we’re in the mood for some buttered potatoes.

QUOTABLES

Whitewater Center, Tuck Fest celebrates all things outdoors and includes demos and competitions in trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up paddleboarding and adventure racing. The best part? There are family races/obstacle courses to get your whole clan to work together.

ALL DATES Acid Park Wilson / atlasobscura.com/places/acid-park WHY: T he name alone should draw your curiosity. Fans of kitschy roadside attractions should make a point to drive by.

The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scots as a joke, but the Scots haven't seen the joke yet.

- Oliver Herford

Love is much nicer to be in than an automobile accident, a tight girdle, a higher tax bracket or a holding pattern over Philadelphia.

- Judith Viorst The world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

- Sean O’Casey www.SandandPineMag.com | 9

Quicksand QUICK TIP A dog may be man’s best friend, but sometimes they’re a pain in the neck, especially to runners. Of all the animals that runners encounter, dogs are at the top of the list for actual attacks. Don’t let an errant pooch ruin your daily run. Here are a few tips to help you when being chased by our fourlegged friend.

Slow down. It may seem counter-intuitive, but dogs are predators and can be triggered by quick movements.

Walking away in the opposite direction of the dog will make you less interesting and get you farther away from the threat.

Don't stare. Dogs can perceive staring as a threat and may cause it to attack. Avoid direct eye contact, but keep the dog in sight at all times.

Don't cower. Stay upright and calm, and don’t crouch down to the dog’s level. Dogs react to body language just as much as vocal commands. Use a firm, calm voice to convey a sense of authority when speaking to the dog. A shrill or frantic voice conveys weakness and may incite the dog.

Carry water or mace. If an aggressive dog gets too close, a splash of water to the face can keep them in check. If you’re really concerned about a close encounter, carry pepper spray. It can be used at a distance of 10-12 feet, doesn’t cause long-term injury to the dog and will give you enough time to get away.

Report it. Contact Moore County Animal Control (910.947.2858) if you are continually threatened by a loose animal.

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FEBRUARY 25 / MARDI GRAS MILES Southern Pines 5K, Fun Run | Active.com MARCH 4 / RUMBA ON THE LUMBER Lumberton 10K, 5K, 1 Mile Fun Run / RobesonRoadrunners.com MARCH 11 / SHAMROCK 'N' ROLL RACE Whispering Pines 10K, 5K, 1 Mile Fun Run / ShamrockNRollRace.com MARCH 26 / ALL AMERICAN MARATHON Fayetteville Marathon, Half-Marathon, 5K / AllAmericanMarathon.com APRIL 15 / RUN FOR THE RIBBONS Rockingham 5K, 1K / Active.com APRIL 15 / RUN THE ROCK Lillington 25K, 50K / RoamUltras.com

What's on the Web? Love our music columnist Anthony’s playlists?

Check them out on our Spotify account: https://play.spotify.com/user/sandandpinemag or search for sandandpinemag on your Spotify app.

10 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

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Be Part of the Solution.

DONATE TODAY! The Companion Animal Clinic Foundation makes affordable spay and neuter for individuals without a private veterinarian and animal welfare groups at the Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic.

Thanks to your support More than 50,000 surgeries possible since 2008.

Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic 5071 US Hwy. #1, Vass, NC (910) 692-3499 (FIXX)

Donate at www.companionanimalclinic.org

Companion Animal Clinic Foundation

PO Box 148, Southern Pines, NC 28388 www.companionanimalclinic.org • info@companionanimalclinic.org 1-855-439-3498 (FIXT) 501c3#20-2886984

www.SandandPineMag.com | 11

Paranormal pinehurst Take a Walk on the Spirit Side

by Greg Girard Photography by Amanda Jakl

12 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

The clicking heels of the lady in the red dress invokes the first wave of goosebumps.

We’re standing in the echoing atrium of the old theater in Pinehurst, and Lauri Carter’s voice reverberates off the high walls as she delves into the building’s prestigious past—and its paranormal present. If it’s not the supernatural clicking heels that gets you, then it will certainly be the caretaker in the black trench coat seen in the windows of the back staircase. No? If it’s not that, then just wait, the skin on your neck will eventually prickle. Lauri’s story in one of the Village’s dark alleyways will do the trick.

Lauri is the founder and lead investigator of The Village Paranormal Research Society; its office is tucked neatly in the old theater’s ticket booth. You can’t miss it; just look for the stuffed crow and the Ichabod Crane lantern.

“I’ve had a lot of things happen in this building,” she says, as we talk in her office a few weeks before I take the tour, “especially around here. This seems to be a pretty little active area. I get that static a lot.”

That static is coming from the K-2 meter Lauri has sitting on the counter next to us, and it’s just one of several tools paranormal investigators use to prove paranormal activity.

The paranormal world

It’s easy to disregard the idea of paranormal events—to brush it off as just your mind playing tricks on you, an overactive imagination, an optical illusion or simply a scam that preys on the hopes of a willing participant.

Skeptics will quickly argue that science can debunk the rest and that ghosts don’t exist—souls don’t get trapped, haunting the environs of their past.

Yet in a recent poll, nearly half of all Americans say they believe in ghosts, and ghost stories are present in cultures across the world. This idea and belief in spirits can be seen in many religions as well. Native Americans believe those who die pass into a spirit world and that they can still communicate with their ancestors.

Hinduism believes in reincarnation and the spirit moving back and forth from life to death.

It would be hard to find a U.S. city without a ghost tour today. The centuries of our history lend to stories of spirits and hauntings. Indeed, there are certain locations notorious for activity, like the Moon River Brewing Company in Savannah, Georgia. A hotel used to be at the site, but it was destroyed along with 400 other structures during a massive fire in 1820. Since then, www.SandandPineMag.com | 13

"I'm not saying this is 100 percent truth. I'm just saying I'm trying to figure out why with someone who has passed, how can an energy that sounds like them, acts like them, how can that come together and speak to those that are still living? I'm fascinated by that."

- Lauri Carter

14 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

people visiting have seen all forms of aberrations, even ghosts joining the tour and visitors being mysteriously pushed from behind.

Curiosity, particularly about the afterlife, is a fundamental human characteristic. What really happens to us after we die? And this curiosity pushes us back into the realm of science. Thomas Edison, in the 1920s, worked for years on a “telephone to the dead.”

“For my part, I am inclined to believe that our personality hereafter will be able to affect matter,” Edison wrote. “If this reasoning be correct, then, if we can evolve an instrument so delicate as to be affected, or moved, or manipulated—whichever term you want to use—by our personality as it survives in the next life, such an instrument, when made available, ought to record something.”

The idea, then, for Lauri and others in the paranormal community, is to take that belief and curiosity of life after death and try to prove it scientifically through electromagnetic readers, electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) recorders, infrared cameras and many other forms of technology.

“I’m not saying this is 100 percent truth,” Lauri admits. “I’m just saying I’m trying to figure out why with someone who has passed, how can an energy that sounds like them, acts like them, how can that come together and speak to those that are still living? I’m fascinated by that.”

The investigative process

Along with the ghost tour, Lauri and her team of investigators have been invited to area homes to investigate strange occurrences: everything from items levitating and being moved to ghost sightings and voices.

Any investigation Lauri conducts is first based on research, “where you’re working to find out what happened—the history of the location, what may have happened and why is this place getting these particular things.”

Once she has the history of the location, Lauri and her team will then investigate, using the information she has found about the location. It could be a spirit haunting a location because of a tragedy that occurred or possibly a

“tag along” spirit that is connected to an antique recently purchased at a flea market or an estate sale. And then once the team has discovered the source, they do what they can to help the situation, with Lauri explaining the idea of the homeowner claiming their space or explaining to the spirit that they mean no harm.

Lauri doesn’t charge for these sessions, and she readily admits she’s not always successful.

Case in point: the abandoned nursing home in Aberdeen that is supposed to be haunted.

“There are YouTube videos about how haunted this place is, and I got nothin’,” she says laughing. “We had infrared cameras, night vision stuff, and there was nothin’. It’s just part of the research. And just because it’s dark and creepy doesn’t mean it’s haunted.”

Pinehurst's haunting past

The Pinehurst Ghost Walk ends outside the Magnolia Inn. For the past hour, Lauri has shared a succinct and fascinating history lesson on the Village interspersed with the lore of ghostly encounters. She offers a notebook of evidence for several of the locations—evidence eyed with willing acceptance by the believers, with a slight snicker by the skeptics.

Is it a ghostly orb in the picture or just a lack of focus and lighting by the camera? Was that an EVP on the recorder or are we trying too hard to hear words that may be common background noise? Is the K-2 meter reading an unexplainable energy force or simply capturing an outside radio frequency?

Lauri asks the same questions. “That is where I want to go, OK, I want to see what else is out there. There are imprints that are left in a room. Sometimes you just know something bad has happened there. You feel it.

And it doesn’t have to have anything to do with your religious beliefs. Why do you feel that? Well, I want to go into places where this stuff is really active. Feel it for myself and then come to my own conclusions or come to conclusions with a group or team. Oh, you felt that? You heard that? I heard that too.”

Are you a skeptic or a believer? The Village Paranormal Research Society is ready to help you find out.

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www.SandandPineMag.com | 15

To Your Health!

Get Your Group On

By Kari Garbark, FirstHealth Program Manager

Y

ou’ve finally decided to join a gym, then you get there and have no clue where to begin, and the wandering commences.

Many new exercisers are unsure of what to do when they get to the gym. If you fall into this category, group fitness classes are a great place to begin.

I know, you may not like groups or don’t feel ready to learn about the equipment, the people or the terms, but that’s exactly what the classes are for. Trust me: Take the plunge and try it. The music is motivating. The instructor walks you through everything so you don’t have to make decisions and figure out what to do. People of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels will be there— and they were all the new kid once, too. They’ll welcome you and celebrate your new quest for better health.

You may not know all the terms, but it’s not a test.

Follow along the best you can, and each time you go, you’ll learn more and it becomes easier. You’ll also begin to recognize others in class, and although it may start with just a shared bashful smile, you’ll start keeping each other accountable. Class times may also help keep you on schedule and exercising a little longer/harder than maybe you thought you could.

A couple pointers to make the most of a group class:

And a cherry on top!

February 20 is Cherry Pie Day and while sweets should be limited, go ahead and enjoy a slice. Cherries are chock full of antioxidants and vitamins, especially potassium, which can naturally lower blood pressure. A cup of sweet cherries contains roughly the same amount of potassium as a small banana, making it an ideal source for the essential mineral. Don’t go overboard on the pie, tempting as it may be.

Be Like Napoleon, Einstein and Edison What do these men have in common? They all understood the importance of a daily nap.

Restore alertness, prevent burnout and protect your heart, all in one 20-minute nap. Aside from helping the eternal fatigue, cat naps (15-20 minutes) can help reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, according to a 2007 study, three naps a week can reduce the risk by more than 30 percent. Try to factor in some snooze time after lunch. Your heart and mind will thank you for it.

• It will be busy, so get to class early.

• Let the teacher know it’s your first time— they’ll share quick pointers and be able to give you discrete modifications during class, if needed.

• Remember, we’re not going for perfection.

Do your best and celebrate the accomplishment.

Totally not sure • Ease into it and have fun! about this. Maybe I just need to sleep on it.

16 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

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Welcome to The Home Team

Tomas Stevens and Tracy Murphy!

Mark & K aren Caulfield Tomas Stevens & Tr acy Murphy

The Home Team Mark: 585.233.2237 (cell) Karen: 910.725.0220 (cell) Tomas: 910.303.4933 (cell) Tracy: 910.633.9553 (cell) TheHomeTeamNC.HomesCBA.com facebook.com/TheHomeTeamNC

Finding homes for families like yours. www.SandandPineMag.com | 17

Garden Variety

e h T k c o r m a h S BY MAST ER GA RDENER CL AUDIA WATSO N

18 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

d e t t o p A k c o r m a sh

makes an attractive gift or party decoration for St. Patrick’s Day. But did you know most of the shamrocks offered in stores are not real shamrocks?

Oxalis acetosella

The shamrock that St. Patrick most likely plucked was Sucking Clover (Trifolium dubium ‘Shamrock’), a member of the pea family and wildflower of Britain and Ireland.

For purists, seeds are readily available, but fair warning: This clover is difficult to grow indoors.

Thanks to the greenhouse industry, the shamrock plants sold in stores are members of the oxalis or wood sorrel family. Most plants have three or four divisions per leaf, making them stand-ins for the real thing.

One of the most commonly grown varieties for indoor enjoyment is the Irish Shamrock (Oxalis acetosella), with its delicate green leaves and tiny white flowers.

Purple Shamrock (Oxalis regnellii ‘Triangularis’) has an abundance of deep purple leaves and soft pink flowers. It can be happy indoors or moved to a patio in the summer if protected from hot afternoon sun. Be careful—this variety is toxic to pets.

Oxalis requires a dormant period each year, so do not toss it if it looks weary. Let it die back, stop watering and fertilizing, store it in a cool dark place for 2 to 3 months, and then bring it out again.

Tip #1

Place oxalis in a cool room (55-65 degrees at night and never more than 75 degrees during the day) and grow in bright, indirect light. Provide only enough water to keep the soil slightly damp.

Tip #2

Fertilize monthly with a 10-10-10 fertilizer at one teaspoon per gallon of water.

When growing stops, feed every other month.

Tip #3

No matter the shamrock, tie a festive green ribbon around a pot o’ luck to share on St. Patrick's Day!

Oxalis regnellii ‘Triangularis’ /NCMGMooreCnty www.SandandPineMag.com | 19

Holiday

Spirits

by J.M. Walter

W

hen you think of imbibing during the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s are naturally on the top of the list. They are the trifecta of peak holiday drinking in the year. We like to think those are just the warm ups. Hopefully one of your New Year’s resolutions wasn’t cutting back on the drink because we have some tasty recipes that will get you through the doldrums of winter.

20 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

Valentine’s Day

Tuesday, February 14 We may have Geoffrey Chaucer, famous for his Canterbury Tales, to thank for the nauseating amount of red hearts and teddy bears that hit stores earlier and earlier every year. When Chaucer wrote in Parliament of Foules, “For this was on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to chese his make,” he firmly established the mate-finding holiday. Hallmark and flower shops rejoiced.

As for the saint in Saint Valentine, there were multiple throughout history, but the one associated with the February date is Saint Valentine of Rome, who died in 270 AD. He is the saint of couples and happy marriages, that we all know, but he is also the saint for beekeeping, epilepsy and the plague, because really what says romance more than insects, seizures and contagious diseases.

Cocktail: Hanky Panky 1 1/2 ounces gin 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth 2 dashes Fernet-Branca Put ice in shaker and pour in all three ingredients. Stir to chill, and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the orange twist.

Presidents Day

Monday, February 20 Originally celebrating the birthdays of the beloved presidents Washington and Lincoln, Presidents Day recognizes the importance of the highest office in our land, and gives many of us a Monday off in February. Two other presidents have birthdays this month—Harrison and Reagan—and the holiday never falls on the birthday of any president.

We’ve noted in the past Washington’s penchant for imbibing—particularly after signing the Constitution— but he was also a purveyor of the drink. In 1797, he built a distillery and two years later, it was the largest distillery in the nation. Talk about having your whiskey and drinking it, too.

Lincoln has some interesting connections to the spirits too. He was born on Knob Creek (yes, the bourbon is named after it) and his father worked part time at a local distillery.

While history notes him as a teetotaler, probably because of his speeches on temperance, Lincoln did occasionally put away a few before becoming president, but it was all in the name of business. He ran a grocery back in the 1830s that sold liquor to be consumed at home, rather than on the premises. While spirits could be bought for a song—a half pint of apple brandy cost 12 cents—his business partner, William Berry, was an alcoholic and drank them into debt.

When Berry died, Lincoln assumed the debt and managed to pay it back when he was elected to Congress in 1848, making it the only time a politician got himself out of trouble by entering politics.

Cocktail: Jack Rose Said to be a favorite of Abraham Lincoln 2 ounces applejack 1 ounce lemon or lime juice Dash of grenadine Shake the ingredients together in a shaker. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

www.SandandPineMag.com | 21

Mardi Gras

Tuesday, February 28 We all know Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” and offers one last hurrah before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of restraint and fasting before Easter. While Mardi Gras is inextricably linked to New Orleans, the first Mardi Gras was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703. Mobile was the first capital of French Louisiana; New Orleans wouldn’t be founded for another 15 years.

Mardi Gras is anything but restrained. Jocular traditions—over-the-top costumes and masks, parades, flaming torches, coconut painting and bead throwing— make for the best party in the dead of winter. Coconut painting? That’s right. Every “krewe,” the groups that organize and march in the parades, has a particular “throw” (item that they throw to the crowds). The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, the oldest African-American krewe, has thrown—well, handed out is more accurate— painted coconuts since 1910 (except in 1987 when lawsuits claiming assault by coconut prevented the club from parading). Luckily, the “Coconut Bill” was passed the following year excluding the fruit from liability for alleged injuries from Mardi Gras throws. Let’s raise a glass to passing frivolous bills to prevent frivolous lawsuits.

Cocktail: Hurricane Not even a hurricane could stop a Mardi Gras celebration. In 2006, after Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast, New Orleans partied on.

1 ounce light rum 1 ounce dark rum 1 tablespoon passion fruit syrup Juice of half a lime 1 teaspoon superfine sugar, or to taste Ice cubes Mix all ingredients except ice in shaker.

Stir to dissolve sugar. Add ice cubes, shake well, and strain mixture into a cocktail glass.

Tip: If passion fruit syrup cannot be found, us a tablespoon of passion fruit sorbet and a teaspoon of grenadine in its place.

22 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

Ides of March

Wednesday, March 15 Who doesn’t observe the assassination of a famous Roman dictator every year? Don’t spend the day looking over your shoulder. Instead, think of the lasting impression Julius Caesar had on the world.

We can thank him for the months of July and August, for one. After his death, the Romans honored Caesar by re-naming the month Quintillis to Julius, which later became July. His successor and grandnephew, Augustus, had, you guessed it, August named after him. But here’s the impressive part: Many Roman emperors tried to change the names of months, but none of them stuck. Emperor “I’llfiddle-while-Rome-burns” Nero, for example, altered the fourth month to be a bit more eponymous but luckily for us, Neronius Fools didn’t stand the test of time. Only Julius (followed by Augustus) had the muscle to last for two millennia. If that’s not a reason to raise a glass to Caesar, we don’t know what is.

Cocktail: E Tu, Brute?

The last words of Julius Caesar before his murder, according to Shakespeare. His actual last words were more akin to “Even you, child?” which just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

1 ounce rye whiskey 1 ounce white rum 1 1/2 ounces orange juice 1/2 ounce Licor 43 (can substitute Tuaca) 2 drops orange bitters Shake and strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

S t. Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 17 Ahh, the luck o’ the Irish, a misnomer if there ever was one. With not one but two potato famines, three centuries of occupation and decades of civil war, the Irish have a knack for taking a beating without being beaten. If only we all could be a little Irish. Fear not, we can! Celebrated as the death date of Saint Patrick, St. Paddy’s Day (not Patty, since Patrick in Irish Gaelic is Pádraig and Patty is the diminutive of Patricia) offers us a chance to drink copious amounts of whiskey and don emerald-hued apparel.

We know St. Patrick brought Christianity to the Irish pagans in the fifth century, but contrary to popular belief, he did not drive any snakes out of the country. The “snakes” turned out to be a poetical term for the pagan druids “infecting” the island. Ireland never had any snakes to begin with, thanks to the Ice Age splitting the island from Great Britain.

What other Irish myths are still floating around? We hate to break it to you, but corned beef and cabbage, the phrase “top o’ the morning,” green beer, and the song “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” are all American inventions. But so is the over-the-top commercialization of St. Patrick’s Day, so raise a glass to excess and your 3 percent Irish heritage.

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dwilson@Artistic-Kitchens.com www.Artistic-Kitchens.com www.SandandPineMag.com | 23

Puzzles

A TENSE SITUATION

DIFFICULT

Place numbers into the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains each of the digits 1 to 9. No guessing is needed.

EASY

Across 1. Cylindrical larva 4. Flat-topped seamount 8. Objective case of I 9. Otherwise 10. Long period of time 11. Hello there 12. Part of the verb “to be�

14. Organ of hearing 16. Image of a deity 18. Strike breaker 20. Salt of uric acid 22. Lad 24. Atmosphere 27. Plume 29. Plume of feathers 29. Adjustable resistor 31. Even (poet.)

32. Intoxicated 35. Big 38. Lather 39. Spoollike toy 41. Doctrine

43. Th e ratio between circumference and diameter 44. Not off 45. Beverage made with beaten eggs 47. Prefix meaning without 49. In the direction of 50. Degenderize 51. Stage items Down 1. Arrive at 2. Perform 3. Wrath 4. Depart 5. Single entity 6. E xclamation of surprise 7. Sesame plant 10. Sin 13. Befitting a maiden 15. E xamine account books

17. Poisonous mushroom 18. Frighten 19. To exist 21. Main artery 23. Intense light beam 25. Neuter singular pronoun 26. Peruses 28. Tenuous substances 30. Masculine pronoun 33. Objective case of we 34. P repares for publication 36. First-class 37. T wo-wheeled onehorse carriage 39. 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet 40. Single unit 42. Impair 46. Bovine beast 48. Negative vote

GOOD NEWS Ladderword puzzles are like crosswords but with a twist. The words in the middle column are anagrams of the words of the first column.

The words in the last column are anagrams of the middle column plus one additional letter. The anchor words (the down clues) are related by a common theme.

Across

1. Thorn 3. Slat 5. Writing implements 6. Back streets 7. Open 8. Let loose 9. Elector

10. Quantity which has magnitude and direction 11. Perform in an exaggerated manner 12. From that time 13. Become slick 14. Giggle

15. Castrated cockerel 16. Awning 17. Corporation Down

2. Fortunate 4. Amulet

24 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

Puzzle answers found on SandandPineMag.com

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www.SandandPineMag.com | 25

At the

Table

Jambalaya!

If you were to prepare a meal that represents the melting pot of America, jambalaya would be the entree.

The influence of France, Africa, Spain, the Caribbean and the United States are all on display in this Gulf State staple, with ingredients that meld to create a flavor explosive unmatched in cuisine.

The exact origin of the word jambalaya is still up for debate. Some believe jambalaya is rooted from jambalaia, a French word from the Provence region of France that means a mix or mixture. Or it could have originated from the Spanish word for ham, jamon, combined with paella, a traditional Spanish rice dish. Then again, others believe it comes from the French word for ham, jambon, together with aya, an African word for rice. And there is yet another theory that the word comes from the Atakapa, a Native American tribe from the Louisiana region, who had a saying: “Sham, pal ha! Ya,” meaning “Be full, not skinny! Eat up!”

Is it a soup? Is it a stew? Maybe it’s safe to put jambalaya in its own category.

Jambalaya brings together chicken, sausage, ham, spices, seafood, rice and vegetables for a unique culinary experience. And if you’re ever in Louisiana, they might just throw in turtle, boar or alligator to spice things up even more.

Whatever the origin, whatever the category, jambalaya is a great to dish to try this Mardi Gras season.

26 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

Jamba-facts Cajun jambalaya is more meat-based, and originates from the French Catholics who emigrated to New Orleans from Canada after they were expelled by the British in the 1700s.

Creole jambalaya takes its influence from the French, Spanish, African and West Indies, and traditionally includes tomatoes and seafood.

According to the Dictionary of American Food and Drink, jambalaya was first created late one night when a traveler arriving at a New Orleans inn well past dinner requested food. The inn’s cook, Jean, was told to balayez or “throw something together” for the traveler.

"Creole is New Orleans city food. Communities were created by the people who wanted to stay and not go back to Spain or France."

- Chef Paul Prudhomme

www.SandandPineMag.com | 27

At the

Table

What to drink with

jambalaya?

Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with spices of jambalaya, as will a light lager or amber beer.

Southern Pines Brewing Company's Duck Hook makes a mighty fine pairing.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Le Recipe

Jambalaya!

Chef Daniel Gironda, Serving SP

1 pound andouille sausage 1 pound smoked ham, cubed 1 pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined 6 cups chicken stock 3 cups long grain rice 1 yellow onion, diced 1 jalapeno pepper, diced 1 bunch of celery, diced

Ingredients

1 cup tomato, seeded and diced 2 red bell peppers, diced 1 cup scallions, diced 3 tablespoons tomato paste Juice of 4 large lemons 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons oregano, diced 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, diced

Directions

• In a large, thick-bottomed soup pot over medium to high heat, add olive oil and andouille sausage. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.

• Add ham to same pot and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove ham and set aside with sausage. In same pot, add butter, onions, celery and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomato, jalapeno, thyme, garlic, oregano and tomato paste. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Add chicken stock and cook until a rolling boil.

28 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

6 bay leaves 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 10-12 dashes of chipotle Tabasco sauce

• Once boiling, add rice, sausage, ham, salt, pepper, bay leaves and Chipotle Tabasco sauce. Return to a boil then turn temperature to low. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup parsley, 1/4 cup scallions, lemon juice and shrimp.

Stir well and remove pot from heat. Cover pot and allow jambalaya to steam for about 15 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley and scallions, and a dash of chipotle Tabasco, if desired.

www.SandandPineMag.com | 29

CROSSFIT

The Cult of Exercising

A

sk anyone that does it and they’ll tell you CrossFit is first a family, then a cult, and then a good workout. At least, that is how it is for the members of Southern Pines CrossFit. Located in the heart of downtown Southern Pines, just off Broad Street on Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines CrossFit caters to 165 people who belong to the gym and partake in this exercise with a “cult-like” following.

Southern Pines CrossFit is not like any other gym—but CrossFit is not like any other workout. CrossFit caters to everyone, according to one of the gym’s owners, Sarah Ellman, but the workout requires a few things from its participants, namely the will to get healthy and challenge themselves.

CrossFit is a combination of basic exercises like pushups, sit-ups, burpees, squats and running, with little rest in between. This is called metabolic training. The other part of CrossFit requires lifting weights with movement, using medicine balls, kettle bells, deadlifts and even the participant’s own body weight to complete the exercise. Even some gymnastic elements, like headstands, are incorporated into the workout.

CrossFit focuses on the body’s movement and capabilities, strengthening this through the intensity of the workout.

As a coach at Southern Pines CrossFit, Anthony Rains says it’s his primary objective to help people achieve their goals, taking them from inactivity to finding their own strength.

30 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

by Casey Suglia Photography by Amanda Jakl

“It is something that anybody can do,” says Ellman.

“CrossFit is a lifestyle choice, but it is also functional fitness. It is a workout created for longevity and to function better outside of the gym.”

CrossFit is a kind of workout where participants will see change in their overall body, not just one specific area of it.

Instead, says Rains, attendees will improve their physical strength and tone their bodies in the process.

The format of each class is simple: A set exercise is determined every morning.

Attendees who come to each class complete the day’s workout and then log their results. Every workout is different, no day is the same, but each workout lasts 20 minutes. Ellman says first time CrossFit users will feel the burn in their butts first and then begin noticing a big change within three months of attending classes.

The CrossFit evolution CrossFit was invented by Greg Glassman over the course of several decades, with the intention of measuring fitness in a meaningful way, according to the CrossFit website.

By targeting various functional movements, Glassman realized he had something on his hands. Glassman found that by constantly changing up the workout while targeting various functional, high-intensity movements, for short periods of time, dramatic gains in fitness would occur.

Not just any gym can teach CrossFit nor can any trainer be a CrossFit coach. Coaches must earn their Level

“EVERYBODY HERE IS SO NICE, AND YOU LOOK AROUND AND THEY DON’T CARE WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OR HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH. THEY DON’T CARE IF YOU WEIGH 250 POUNDS. THE HALF OF IT IS THAT YOU GO TO THE GYM AND YOU SHOW UP. - KATHERYN CHASE GODFREY

www.SandandPineMag.com | 31

One certificate before being allowed to teach. Gyms, like Southern Pines CrossFit, are allowed to teach it through an affiliate program that charges an annual fee. In turn, gyms are sent workouts though CrossFit coaching and programming that allows coaches to lead a more effective workout.

Ellman was a triathlete before taking on CrossFit; she had never done CrossFit before moving to Southern Pines. She began exercising with a small group of original members of Southern Pines CrossFit, formerly located in a garage next to O’Donnell’s Pub in downtown Southern Pines. From there, it just grew.

Then on New Year’s Eve in 2015, Ellman and her business partner, Dr. Toni Anne Washington, took over the business and began renovating the gym. The business has since transformed into a second home for Ellman—she knows everyone by name, even the babies who attend the complimentary daycare at the gym while their mothers work out.

Ellman emphasizes that health is in the backbone of Southern Pines CrossFit. Her husband, Peter Ellman, is a cardiac surgeon at the FirstHealth and Washington is an anesthesiologist at Pinehurst Surgical. So it makes sense that Ellman would approach health in her own way — through physical fitness.

“CrossFit is very scientific,” Ellman said. “Every workout has a purpose.”

Show me the proof CrossFit may seem intimidating just by the name, or

by Southern Pines CrossFit’s motto: “No mirrors. No Machines. No Mercy.” But Ellman is reassuring when she explains it’s not supposed to be. Instead, CrossFit welcomes a group of people with different goals, which are laid out on the 2017 goal wall in the back. Some are personal goals to lose weight, others are CrossFit-centric.

When Katheryn Chase Godfrey started taking CrossFit classes in September, she was lifting a PVC pipe while her classmates lifted weights. Less than four months later, she is deadlifting 145 pounds and has lost 20 pounds.

Chase Godfrey cites the constantly changing workouts and the welcoming feeling of Southern Pines CrossFit as her motivation for sticking with the routine.

32 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

“Everybody here is so nice and you look around and they don’t care what you look like or how much you weigh,” says Chase Godfrey. “They don’t care if you weigh 250 pounds. The half of it is that you go to the gym and you show up. And that takes a lot of guts when you go into a gym and everyone is beefed out to the max. But the coaches and students were so encouraging from the first day, and it was wonderful.”

Anna Brownback offers a similar story. In the seven months since Brownback has been taking CrossFit classes three times a week, she says the changes in herself are right before her eyes. “I get to see how much more weight I can lift, how much more I can run, how much more I can do each workout,” she says. “You see the progress and the people around you see the progress too, which is really great.”

Both Brownback and Chase Godfrey say that attending CrossFit classes has also helped with becoming more confident.

“I suffer from anxiety and depression, and by doing the exercises, I realize I am a strong person mentally and physically, and CrossFit has showed me that,” says Brownback. “It can be scary seeing people who are ripped, doing things that look intimidating, but it is the most welcoming place in your life. It is a refuge.”

Competitive motivator Another aspect of CrossFit is the voluntary competition.

Each gym has a digital white board where attendees log their progress after each class to track their own personal goals and keep data, which, according to CrossFit’s website, is used to define the metrics of a workout. With each day and each value logged, individuals climb to the top of the leaderboard for the day. It’s these elements of personal growth and fitness, as well as the ability to push oneself through competitive spirit, that attract people to CrossFit. At the end of the day, CrossFit may seem like a lot to handle, but for many it becomes like a second home.

Many Southern Pines CrossFit attendees hang out outside of the gym, and can even be found grilling burgers on the outdoor workout area during the warmer months.

“We create a community here,” says Rains. “People are in the same class, the same fitness group, and then start coming to community events. CrossFit brings people together.”

SP

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www.SandandPineMag.com | 33

Music

Struck a Chord

BY ANTHONY PARKS PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMANDA JAKL

We put away the Christmas decorations today.

Overall, it was a great two months of family, food and friends. I must admit, though, that this year it became more difficult to get gifts for the kids. When they’re young, toys easily fill the space under the tree, but as they grow, constantly, it’s not so easy to choose items from their wish list.

Some want electronic devices that cost as much as a decent used car, or they want some downloadable expansion pack for a video game they play on their phone, a gift you can’t see, touch or return to a store. It also seems the gift card is here to stay, which is convenient, but where is the love?

The upside to this evolution of our Christmas celebration is all four of our kids were big on getting presents they picked out for others, using their own money, which brought a little warmth and meaning back to the season. Those became the sweetest gifts under the tree. As the smell of pancake syrup and my son’s new body spray mixed with the sounds of the annual wrapping paper ball fight, I put on my new pajama pants and started thinking about the best gift I ever received.

When I was younger, my parents hid the bow and arrow I desperately wanted and didn't give it to me until a few very long hours after we had opened gifts. It was awesome.

My kids have given me handmade crafts that I will forever cherish, and I have, of course, received the grandest gift of all, a spot on this earth. It wasn’t until later in the day though, 34 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

when I was enjoying my favorite past time, that I remembered the gift that had the most impact on me.

I don't really practice guitar, I just mess around. I’ve messed around with it for years. Since I was 18, in fact. That also happens to be around the time my father gave me my fist guitar. That was the gift that, for so many reasons, tops the list.

The soundtrack of my youth began with my dad’s blues records, before my buddy and I turned up the the Zeppelin, Metallica, Hendrix and anything on Rock 92.3 with a guitar solo. Then I hit 19 and every band I was into centered around an amazing guitar player. I loved Grant Green’s jazz chops, Jerry Garcia’s floating tapestry of notes, the smooth bluegrass runs of Tony Rice, the drone of Widespread Panic’s Michael Hauser, and the speed and beauty of Paco De Lucia. I wanted to learn how to make this magic myself, but I badly needed one thing.

My dad managed a Sears department store in the ’60s, and with his employee discount I'm sure he brought home a lot of great goodies for the family over the decades he worked there. There was one though, for my 19th birthday that I wasn't thrilled to see: His banged-up Sears guitar with a gift bow stuck on the bridge. It was a Silverstone brand guitar.

Big, brown and smelly, it was a dinosaur in my eyes. He had

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www.SandandPineMag.com | 35

U M S FRO

The North Mississippi Allstars Shake Hands With Shorty

:

Derek and the Dominoes Live at The Fillmore

CHAN GER

B AL

E S I X- D IS

C

M

TH

Widespread Panic Space Wrangler The Tony Rice Unit Manzanita The Allman Brothers Live at Ludlow Garage

Grant Green Live at The Lighthouse

Stanton Moore Kooks on Parade

Grateful Dead Without a Net

Eric Clapton From the Cradle

The Meters Funkify Your Life

Buena Vista Social Club Soundtrack

Paco De Lucia Friday Night in San Francisco

36 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

put new strings on it but the action was so high that they cut my fingers and it changed the key of the strings when you held them down. Still, I gladly accepted it, and, at the time, I didn't know how to play the thing anyway so it didn't matter (my dad’s thinking too, I assure you).

I had a couple of lessons at the start, but at that age it just seemed like more homework. I had no plans to become famous anyway, so I just played along with the albums I was listening to. I would put CDs into my six-disc changer—that’s right— and hit random play. I tried to find the right key and play along with everything from New Orleans funk and jam bands to bluegrass and classic rock.

I drove people crazy for years. I never learned a song or any chords really. I would just solo along with the music, but I found what would become a lifelong hobby, and I’m still at it today.

I’ve made new friends from behind a guitar. I realized I wanted to be in a band, about 25 years after most kids do, and had the privilege of playing in several. I got to record music that I helped create. I even got to play guitar in my daughter’s orchestra performance. There’s a segment of my friends that when they are around, the guitars come out and the same old tunes get polished up a little more.

Still never practicing, I learned from other guitarists by just playing with them. When I need to step away from the world around me, I just pick up my guitar and disconnect. I’m not a great player and it was a slow road to where I am now, but I love it and I don't seem to bug people when I play anymore.

My wife will even sing along if I play her favorites.

I’ve had a few guitars since I pulled the bow off my dad’s old Silverstone. Each one playing sweeter and with more ease than the last. That first guitar has a little rust now, and a lot of battle scars. It can’t be played anymore, but I’ll never let it go. That sad old guitar gave me a lifetime of creativity and joy. What I thought at the time was a gift from a man who simply didn't know what else to get a kid my age, turned out to be something that became part of me. Who knows, if it were today, I might have gotten a gift card to Target instead. Thanks, Dad.

SP

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www.SandandPineMag.com | 37

Last Word Changing Times

by Robert Farrell

A

s the lyrics of an old Bob Dylan tune goes, “the times they are a changing,” and that’s just what we’re witnessing with the recent growth in much of Moore County. It is evident in new home construction, new neighborhoods, commercial growth and when traffic reminds you that we are not immune to gridlock at certain times of the day.

We see this growth with the number of young families that are finding this area to be ideal for putting down roots and raising their children in a safe and inviting environment. A cursory look at any outdoor events, such as First Friday in Southern Pines, a concert on the Village Green in Pinehurst or Spring Spree in Aberdeen, will confirm the evidence of an influx of military families and new arrivals to our area.

With this growth come challenges that municipalities, county government, health care providers, schools and others must contend with to continue our quality of life, and keep and attract others to our communities. Issues facing county and local governments are ongoing and often complex: where to build new roads, zoning to ensure orderly growth, and how to maintain the quality of our schools and facilities. These issues and many more take dedicated citizens to plan and execute innovative ideas that will enhance what attracts growth while not losing the natural qualities and history that make the Sandhills so attractive to live, work and play.

As the mayor of a community impacted by this growth, I have seen the population of Aberdeen double in 15 years and continue unabated. New homes and

subdivisions are being built in all sections of town. As a third-generation resident of Aberdeen, I have firsthand knowledge of this growth. When I graduated Aberdeen High School in the 1960s, there were three police officers.

Today there are 30. The Aberdeen Fire Department recently took possession of a new 100-foot ladder truck, one of two in the county. This growth in personnel, infrastructure and services are necessary to ensure continued quality of life in our communities.

As a retired school teacher, I also recognize how this influx of families is straining the resources and facilities of our local schools. Many old, pre-integration schools are obsolete, inefficient yet are still being utilized today. It is imperative that the issue of schools be front and center in any discussion of growth in Moore County. The quality of schools is one of the leading indicators where families with school aged children decide to rent, build or buy homes.

Providing modern and inviting classrooms will be an ongoing challenge that the Moore County Commissioners and School Board must address. A Master Schools Facility Plan has been adopted, and its implementation will correct many of these deficiencies and ensure equal access to a quality educational facility regardless of which community each child calls home.

In all of life’s endeavors, change is inevitable. Moore County is changing. Now is the time to plan and prepare for it.

SP

Robert Farrell is a native of Aberdeen and a retired public educator. He is an East Carolina University graduate, served on the Aberdeen Town Council and is in his second term as mayor. He is married to Laura Farrell, an adjunct instructor at Sandhills Community College, and has two sons, Robert and Stephen.

38 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2017

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Dr. Joseph D. Wahl, Chiropractic Physician 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst / 910-295-4677

sandhillswe.org

361 N. Bennett Street, Southern Pines 910.692.5207 / www.NCChiro.com

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107 W. South Street • Aberdeen, NC

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910.944.1580