The Minute Magazine by The Minute Magazine

from the

editor

hat an issue. We’ve been busy designing, resizing, and updating our publication, and now we’re proud to show you the end result of our hard work. The new format is smaller, easier to handle, and we hope that you love our new look as much as we do. Life has been crazy around the office lately. Between the new look of the magazine, the growing sales department, and the lengthening list of articles on our run sheet, it’s obvious that we’re growing. We’ve always been the little engine that could, chugging away uphill and saying “we think we can, we think we can.” But now, we’re changing our mindset. Because if we’ve learned anything during the last few years, it’s that we know we can. Our focus has always been to bring you positive, encouraging and enlightening articles. That doesn’t exactly fit the mold of typical journalism, so we’ve invented a new way to look at our profession. We’re JOURNALists. (Heavy on the journal, please.) And we love it. With each issue, it is our responsibility to bring you articles, columns, and stories that highlight the beautiful, unique culture of Louisiana. So thank you, our dear readers, for making it possible.

Jacquelyn Lewis

by Jackie Lewis

do you enjoy every single

Minute of Life? Take

a wild guess at how many minutes we have been promised. If the little voice inside of your head answered with the word “zero,” then you already know one of life’s greatest secrets. We’re not promised a single minute. And there is no REWIND button to help us undo our mistakes or to help us to gain back wasted time. I don’t want to scare you, but did you know that your life is slipping through your fingertips? I know because I’ve got the math to prove it! Here is a week from a typical American’s life, broken down into percentages. • •

•

There are 168 hours in a week. 40 of those hours you will spend at work, which is around 25% of your time. And that’s if you don’t work late. You should spend 56

•

hours a week sleeping. Taking time for 8 hours of sleep per night, multiplied by 7 days, finds you devoting an estimated 33% of your life to SLEEP! Start out with our grand total of 168 hours available in one week. Subtract 40 hours of work, 56 hours of sleep and you’re left with only 72 hours a week to spend as you choose. That means that you will only spend 42.8% of your time doing what you love to do!

slip through my fingertips anymore, and I hope and pray that you decide to join in the movement with me. So how exactly can you battle the time-gobbling monster? You can defeat it with two words: time management. Though the thought of time management may sound a bit dreary, it’s really quite simple. Sit down with your family and ask them what activities they would like to do together, and pencil their thoughts onto a family calendar. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish when you squeeze in a few hours here and there every month to tackle small projects as a family. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

We’ve all got those little chores around the house that we’re going to “get around to later.” We’ve all thought about that exciting vacation that we’re going to take “next year,” though when it comes down to it • we never actually book the tickets. Life is full of moments that we let slip by us uneventfully, and I am taking a stand! I’m not going • to let my 72 hours a week of valuable life-living time •

Drive down to the local ice-cream shop and buy a double-scoop topped cone after dinner. Mulch the flowerbeds as a family. Take a scenic drive

• •

•

through the country using a roadmap instead of your GPS unit! Make a batch of cookies from scratch! Take a walk around your neighborhood and count how many trees are within a three block radius of your house. Don’t take nature for granted. Begin making plans for a spring garden!

Once you’ve made the decision to spend your time doing something worthwhile, it will become second nature. I will caution you, though. Once you cross this path and begin living life to the fullest, you can never go back to “normal.” But if there’s one thing that I can assure you, it’s that once you begin truly living life as opposed to just passing time, you’ll never want to stop.

================

inside this

issue The Minute Magazine is distributed throughout Caddo, Bossier, Claiborne, Bienville, DeSoto, Ouachita, Red River, Natchitoches, Webster, Lincoln & Orleans Parishes in Louisiana. They are FREE for you to enjoy. Take a few to your friends, relatives or anyone else that you think might need a refreshing, enlightening “minute.” For a list of locations near you, viwit www.theminutemag.com today!

JACKIE LEWIS & TIFFANY BYRAM Owners/Publishers Regional Editors Graphics/Layout

VICKI CASKEY Sales Manager

GLORIA HAYNIE Account Representative

ion t p i r

SHAUN LEWIS

sub

JENNY REYNOLDS

This magazine is

Accounting

Founder

Circulation & Distribution: James “Shay” Callen Contact Information: Office Phone: 318.382.1900 Ad Sales: 318.548.2693 512 Fort Avenue Minden, Louisiana, 71055

FREE!

However, you can have it mailed to you for $20 a year to cover postage & handling. Call us at 318.382.1900 and we’ll put you on our mailing list!

Sharon Jackson Jackie Lewis Megan Lord Jason McReynolds Elizabeth S. Pickett Lela Robichaux April W. Timmons

For Good Memories by Margaret Timmons

Antique Junkie by Donna Arender New Year, New You by Tiffany Byram Louisiana Girl Revelations by April Timmons Frugal Friend by Elizabeth Simpson Pickett White Elephant by Galen White Simply Cooking by Melissa Teoulet Weeder’s Digest by Anita Goodson Blueprint for Preservation by Megan Lord Life’s Blessings by Vicki Caskey The Journey by Jason McReynolds Girlfriend Weekend by Jackie Lewis Hormonal Woman by Elizabeth Drewett On the Spectrum by Lela Robichaux Decorating Diva by Enid Harvey PJ’s Point of View by Phillip Volentine Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced without permission. The Minute Magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials. The editorial content of The Minute is prepared in accordance with the highest standards of journalistic accuracy. Readers are cautioned, however, not to use any information from the magazine as a substitute for expert opinion, technical information or advice. The Minute cannot be responsible for negligent acts, errors and omissions. The opinions expressed in The Minute are those of our writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher has the right to accept or reject any advertising and / or editorial submitted.

contributors Donna Arender Tiffany Byram Vicki Caskey Elizabeth Drewett Anita Goodson Enid Harvey Laura Horton

10 15 16 18 21 23 24 26 32 35 37 38 41 44 54 56

Margaret Timmons Melissa Teoulet Phillip J. Volentine Galen White

cover The cover shot is of singer/ songwriter Fefe Byram, and was taken by Morgan Tarpley in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information about Fefe Byram, visit her Facebook Page or download her album on iTunes today!

as if trying to grab hold on to something stable and then stomp their feet frantically, as if feeling for the emergency brake.

====================

First Flight Memories ====================

an you imagine riding in an airplane with no body shell, no wings, no means of steering, no way to control the altitude, no manner of maintaining balance, and no brakes? Does this sound like something out of a Stephen King movie or possibly the newest ride at Six Flags? I’m afraid not, my friend. This was my daddy’s idea of a “fun thing” for all of the newest baby additions to our family. It was kind of an initiation. He called it an “airplane ride”. Ha! I say. Perhaps so if you were intentionally shot down in some terrorizing war zone and had a warped sense of humor! Perhaps, if you could fine tune your imagination and picture this. My daddy, a Goliath of a man, would sit a little unsuspecting child, preferably a baby, on the palm of his uplifted hand, while at the same time, grasp the top of their leg with his thumb and second

finger. Now, I’ll give you the facts. The size of my daddy’s hand, in ratio to the baby’s little bohunkas, was much to be compared with an adult in the seat of a 747! Once he had a little one comfortably seated in the palm of his hand and two fingers entwined around the top of their leg, he would test them for balance in preparation for liftoff. Then, soaring into the wild, blue yonder and zooming at the speed of sound, the baby went up, up, up with eyes bulging and tongue stuck to the top of their head.

slow down? How do you turn your airplane around or land? What on earth do you hold on to? Where in the world are the brakes?” All you have is a seat!

Not all of the children, who took their first flight with “Captain Carnell”, reacted the same way. Actually, some of the more docile ones seemed to enjoy it. Some, in temporary states of insanity even asked him to “do it again!” They are easily recognizable to this day. They are the ones with the wide-open, glazed eyes, and hair that stands on end. Every now and then, they Now I ask you, “How do you also flail their arms about,

Now that all of those children are grown and “MATURE” in more than one way, we have no greater joy than to walk up to Daddy, look him in the eye, and say, “Hey, Daddy! Do you remember how you used to fly us like an airplane above your head while we were sitting on the palm of your hand? Well, let’s see if you can do it now!” It is at that time that we have the last laugh when we watch our Daddy’s eyes get that wide open, frantic look and his hands gesture wildly, and he hurriedly excuses himself from having to give any one of his ‘wellendowed’ children one last airplane ride!

For me, as a person

who loves primitives, the word “pink” is usually not in my vocabulary. By nature, I’m just not a girly-girl. I’ve always been a little tomboyish, but maybe that had something to do with being raised with my brother and two step-brothers. Several years ago, actually about 15, I decided to wander off my beaten path of decorating style and I ended up in Victorian land. Now, no offense to anyone who likes the Victorian style, because I still admit it and appreciate the beauty and charm it has to offer. But for the purpose of explaining my story, I have to tell it like it is. Back in 1995, my husband Mike lost his job offshore and we went over six months with no real income. This experience changed our lives drastically. We literally raked leaves and washed cars, or did whatever odd jobs we could find to make ends meet and feed our

two children. It was during this time that we decided to sell EVERYTHING that wasn’t a necessity, such as beds, appliances, etc. As I looked around at all the wonderful old antiques and collectibles that God had blessed us with, I knew in my heart that these items were just things. Providing for our family was more important than even the most expensive antiques. (And y’all know me well enough by now to know that my treasures were bargains or freebies with little or no cost.) The awesome thing was that God “tested” me during this time to see if I trusted Him. So one by one, and piece by piece, I began to sell everything we owned. Pictures, furniture, collectibles... it all had to go! And I must give God the glory because he multipied the amount of money we received compared to what little we had spent during the ten years we had been married and started collecting. After we sold our stuff, we moved away then moved back to Minden four months later. The previous year had taken its toll, and we had to start completely

over. I was ready for a fresh new look, so I decided to go Victorian. My poor family endured dusty rose (pink) walls, flowered wallpaper border, and gold accents everywhere. I had angels, dolls, and teacups/ saucers along with ever frilly or lacy scarf and doillie you could imagine. My family must have felt like they were living in a doll house for grownups! But just as quickly as I caught the Victorian bug, I snapped out of it. I came back to my primitive roots, so to speak. Once again, I was drawn to rustic or primitive antiques and accessories. They are just so plain and simplelike me. Being surrounded by elegant, fragile and ritzy things makes me about as uncomfortable as wearing a dress, high-heels, and pantyhose! I prefer my old jeans, t-shirts and worn out shoes over the glam, glitter and gaudy any day! Slowly but surely, I began to replace all of the frou-frou Victorian stuff with handmade one-of-a-kind pieces. The only things left that serve as reminders of my girly-girl days are a few pink treasures. (Yes,

I said PINK!) There’s a tiny pair of baby shoes, an old drawer, picture frame, and several baskets. These are a few of the things that I kept because they were pink. I display a pink baby dress that was mine. One of my favorites, and perhaps the most unusual, is a pink oil lantern that actually works. Regardless of their size and shape, these things remain part of my family because of their color. I have become very fond of my pink treasuresthey still make me smile! It’s been 15 years since we started on the journey that led us to sell everything we had and start over. I’ve learned a lot through the years and we’ve endured some really hard times. I do enjoy decorating and surround myself in pieces of the past. But they are just things to enjoy while I’m here. Then one day, after I’m gone, I hope they can be passed along to someone who enjoys them as much as I do. I’ll leave you with the Bible verse that got me through those hard times fifteen years ago. It meant much to me then, and it still does. I hope that you can gain wisdom from the words as well. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Mattew 6:19-21)

written by Tiffany Byram

C hange. I hate change. I don’t really like

trying new things either. I always like to think I’m in control of the situation. Trying new things for me is a little bit scary. Sometimes we really need to embrace change or it can end up being our worst nightmare. Many years ago, my now mother-in-law, now sister-in-law, and I decided we needed a girls weekend and booked a room at a well known Hot Springs hotel. This hotel specialized in massages and baths. I had never had a massage before, so I was just a little nervous. From all the hype I was getting about how wonderful massages were, I was very excited. The morning finally arrived and we all went down to get our massage. In my mind I had already pictured how my masseuse would look. She would be Swedish of course. Her hands would be warm and the room would be inviting and calming. The reality was far from it. The first sign that this wasn’t going to be a good experience was when she walked in

and I saw her moustache. I knew right then she wasn’t Swedish. Then she asked me if I was old enough to get a massage. I said, “Well, how old do you have to be?” and she said “Twelve.” I was very insulted. I was twenty. So, Moustache Sally leads me to the room and the excitement was building. The room wasn’t really a room but more of a partitioned space. Still, I had only my imaginary expectations so I wasn’t too disappointed. Then, the massage began. Even though I had never had a massage before, I knew that this wasn’t right. I’m here to tell you that my parents never whooped me harder or longer than this lady did. At first, I thought it may be a warm up to get my blood flowing, but after 10 minutes of slapping, I knew something was wrong. This woman did not rub, softly touch or massage – she abused me. It sounded like she was sounding out Morris code on my back the slaps were so loud. I tried to keep it together because my mama raised me right – she taught me never to yell at someone older than me. For thirty solid torturing minutes, I was lightly beaten. When she got to my arms and gave me an “Indian Burn” I involuntarily yelped. When

she asked me if something was wrong and I told her she was hurting me. I think it angered her, but thankfully my time was up. My skin was red and stinging from the beating I had endured and I promised myself I would never get another massage again. Even though this “new thing” I had done was a flop, I was so glad I had done it and I eventually went back again. I just didn’t use ole Slappy. During the course of our lives, new things can pop up and leave you grasping for the way things were. For those of you who don’t know me, my brother was burned in a work related accident in August. The day it happened changed my life forever. I didn’t have control or any choices. I was left on my

knees praying for his life. I wasn’t alone. A whole community prayed right along with me. With those prayers, and many months of recovery we can finally say that Heath is going to be OK. The best part of this whole situation is that I now understand the phrase “Life is short”. It only takes one minute for your whole world to fall apart in front of your very eyes. Your future can change in an instant. You won’t see it coming and you won’t be able to stop it. Sometimes tragedies are God’s way of showing you just what you have and what you should be living for. You should embrace every single day with a smile and gracious heart. With every New Year come promises and resolutions. This year, instead of promising yourself you will lose that ten pounds, promise yourself you will play outside with your kids. Instead of promising yourself you will save a million dollars, spend a day with your loved one doing something fun. Don’t let a tragedy in your life force you to change your outlook. It may never come. But if life does whoop you like a moustached non- Swedish masseuse, find a way to embrace it and go back for more.

common However, I’ve done this countless times at various drug stores. Plus, Sam’s doesn’t accept coupons. Myth #1: It takes too long to clip coupons. It’s just not worth Myth #4: The best way to save the time it takes to do it. money is to shop at discount stores like WalTruth: On average, I save $175- Mart and dollar stores. $200 per week using coupons. It takes me Truth: about two hours to plan my Before I really knew what shopping trip so that means to do with coupons, I would I “make” between $80 to march into Wal-Mart with $100 per hour. That’s all my grocery store sales money in my pocket that ads and have the cashier I would otherwise spend. “price match” what was on What could you do with an sale. I’d couple that with coupons and save about extra $800 each month? 10% on my bill. That just isn’t really worth the effort. Myth #2: There are no coupons for The biggest disadvantage to shopping at Wal-Mart is the things I buy. that they don’t double or triple coupons like grocery Truth: Most companies are stores will, and they have now using the internet to no incentive programs to market their products. You reward you for shopping can go to just about any like the drug stores have. manufacturer’s website and see some kind of promotion Myth #5: for its products. Many times I’ll spend more money they have coupons that you buying things I don’t need can print straight from their just because I have a site. Another good idea coupon. is to get on companies’ mailing lists because you’ll Truth: get some great coupons in If you do it the “Frugal Friend” way, you won’t be the mail. spending much money at all! Myth #3: It’s cheaper to buy in bulk So now that you have the at Sam’s. facts, go get started. And Truth: I’ve never walked join the Frugal Friend into Sam’s and gotten 15 Facebook page for more bottles of shampoo free. money saving tips!

debunk some coupon myths.

A bout a year and a half ago, I gave birth to

the most precious little girl God ever created. Well, at least I think so! She was the miracle baby that I thought I’d never have. Although I enjoyed my job as a high school teacher, it was just too tough to leave her each morning. I made the decision to leave my job and be a stay-at-home mommy. It was a tough decision because it really took both my income and my husband’s to make ends meet. A dear friend of mine told me I should start couponing. I vividly remember rolling my eyes and listening to her tales of savings only out of courtesy..until she showed me 7 boxes of name-brand cereal that she paid absolutely nothing for! I quickly learned to do it myself and have saved my family thousands of dollars. Maybe you are skeptical. Maybe you think it’s too good to be true. Well, my frugal friends, it IS possible to save significant amounts of money. But before you rush out into the world of not-so-good deals, let’s

==================== NOTHING CAN REALLY BE SOMETHING ====================

F olks, I’m suffering here. I’m suffering from a

malady known as “writer’s block”. Just in case you’ve never heard of this treacherous “disease”, it occurs when a writer has absolutely nothing to write about. Now, the only cure is for the writer to write about something. Since I have nothing to write about, that’s just exactly what I’m going to write about...., nothing. In other words, the something I’m going to tell you about is nothing. Okay, okay. I hear some of you saying “That’s nothing unusual. You’ve never written about anything in the first place.” Well, that may be true, but as I said, this time I’m writing about nothing, which is something that’s better than nothing at all. It should be obvious that nothing is actually something. It may not be much, but it’s more

than the nothing you think it is. For example: Remember that loud noise that came from your son’s room? That’s the same room that was already too quiet in the first place, you know. Immediately after you reclaimed your heart and put it back where it belonged, you screamed out, “What in tarnation was that!?” To which your son answered, “Nothing.” Now, you tell me. Isn’t this nothing something? And wouldn’t you believe it to be a significant nothing that was really more than something as well? Actually, the noise was your son as he hit the wall. This, of course, was after he climbed onto the bed, grabbed the ceiling fan, and swung ‘round and ‘round on it until he lost his grip. To him, it was nothing. But that nothing could have really been something had he landed on his back. Luckily, he hit his head. You see, sometimes being hard-headed has its advantages. Another example: You come home from a hard day at work, grab the paper, and sit down in your recliner. Your wife is in the kitchen preparing supper while the dog lays at your feet and all is well with the world. Or so you think. That’s when you hear pots and pans banging around as if a small tornado

has spawned right there in your kitchen. Cabinet doors close with a bang and the refrigerator door sounds out as it is slammed shut. Although you are afraid to ask, you inquire of your wife, “Honey, what’s wrong?” In a manner that only a female can intone, she replies, “NOTHING!

Nothing at all!” Only a fool would actually believe it was nothing. So here again I’ve proven nothing can, in reality, be something. And a pretty significant something, to boot! For if you don’t cautiously and carefully inquire further as to why your wife is stompin’ her feet on the ceiling, in thirty minutes the first nothing will most definitely be something. I guarantee it! Okay, if you folks who believe all I ever write about is nothing, you now have the ammunition to back up your beliefs. For those of you who believe I do write about something, you can believe it’s nothing. So with nothing else to say, please excuse me while I go do something. ====================

easier, no measuring required. Well not exactly no measuring, you do have to measure out the couscous but that’s all, I promise. ====================

Ingredients:

====================

Israeli Couscous

====================

everal months ago, I had the privilege to attend a Hindu wedding ceremony. It was beautiful, exotic, and so completely different from any other wedding I’ve ever been to. Although I didn’t get to attend the entire ceremony, which I believe was a 3-day affair; I was able to experience the actual wedding ceremony and the luncheon that followed. It was during this luncheon that I made an interesting discovery. On my plate, there was a grain of some kind that I had never seen before. It was the pale yellow color of pasta, and looked very much like a tiny pea or ball. Prepared similar to risotto, it tasted rich and creamy. I asked several people at my table what they thought this might be, but no one had ever seen it before. One person guessed quinoa but I knew that was incorrect. Since we had to leave immediately after

luncheon, I had no chance to grill any other guests during the reception, not that I would have anyway. I only knew two people at this wedding: my boyfriend who had no idea what it was, and the groom who was much too busy to answer crazy questions about mystery ingredients.

Now that I had a name, online research was much easier. According to several websites, Israeli couscous is made from semolina flour and is toasted which imparts a nutty flavor. It can also be called Jerusalem couscous, pearled couscous, or a handful of other names.

So I came home and spent a week searching online for what this might be. I poured through pictures and descriptions trying to find any comment of a small ball shaped grain. And I found nothing, there were plenty of unusual grains I’d never heard of, but none seemed to match mine.

Armed with this knowledge, I trekked on over to Whole Foods to find some. Sure enough, there it was in the bulk section. After buying about 1 lb so I’d have plenty to experiment with, I headed over to the ethnic aisle to see if I could find it in a bag. Not in a bag, but I could find it in a box; a Near East box mix to be exact. Near East is carried in a regular grocery store, so I would suggest looking in the rice/grain aisle where you would find the box mixes. It was titled pearled couscous. I’ve only cooked it once so far, but it was exactly as I remember. Chewy texture, nutty flavor; this might be my new favorite side dish.

Deeply disappointed, I stopped searching. Fastforward 8 months to a lunch date with the newlywed couple. Since this is the first time we’re seeing them since the wedding, the talk naturally moves in that direction. Of course I ask. How could I not? This ingredient had perplexed me to no end and I couldn’t let such a prime opportunity as this go to waste. And so the answer is Israeli couscous, which is not a grain at all, but technically pasta. That certainly explains why I could never find it in grains.

I didn’t use an exact recipe but I did read online that the ratio is 1 part couscous to 1½ parts water and the couscous can be cooked risotto style, which was how I choose to do it last night. Here is my thrown together recipe using ingredients I What is Israeli couscous usually have in the fridge. and how do you cook it? It couldn’t have been any

½ diced yellow bell pepper ½ diced red bell pepper ½ diced green bell pepper ½ diced yellow onion 5 small cloves minced garlic or 3 large cloves Olive oil 1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous 1 14 oz can chicken stock Dried Basil Dried Thyme Cajun seasoning Salt & Pepper

Directions:

In a medium pot, add the peppers, onion, garlic, and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Sauté on medium-high heat till cooked well. Stir in the dry couscous, and then add in the whole can of chicken stock. Simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once all the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is creamy, remove from heat. Add in basil, thyme, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Eat and enjoy. See I told you it was easy. The hardest part was dicing all the peppers and onions, but even that can be easy if you buy the prediced stuff. Other things to try this with might be cans of diced tomatoes or diced frozen vegetables. Israeli couscous would be an excellent addition to soup instead of rice. There are so many possibilities; I can’t wait to experiment some more. ====================

He can help keep your digestive system on tract. Right here at home. When you have a digestive problem, Dr. Leonel Lacayo is here to help you live a healthier life. Dr. Lacayo is a board-certified gastroenterologist who serves Lincoln, Ouachita and the surrounding parishes. A graduate of LSU and the Tulane School of Medicine, Dr. Lacayo treats conditions ranging from heartburn and indigestion to acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. He also provides preventive care such as colonoscopies and other colon cancer screenings. For an appointment, please call 318-254-1274.

Leonel Lacayo, M.D. Board-Certified Gastroenterologist

51448_NLMC_Lacayo_9_75x6_08c.indd 1

411 East Vaughn Avenue, Suite 205 Ruston 318-254-1274 Member of the Medical Staff at Northern Louisiana Medical Center

9/30/10 10:35 AM

Parsley in a well-drained moist highly fertile soil. Space plants 10” to 12” apart. If planting from seed, sow seeds thinly and cover seeds with ¼” of fine soil. Keep seeds evenly moist. Seedlings will emerge in 14 to 21 days. Thin to stand about 6’ apart when seedlings are 1-2” high.

Ivy for a trailing plant, and Blue Pansies. 5. Whiskey barrels would look great planted with Goshiki False Holly, a midheight accent Evergreen shrub. Combine this with Black Mondo Grass, Purple nce you start Pansies, and Curled Parsley. trying to do the right thing by plant names, you find that Goshiki False Holly can also there are a great many that be planted with gold leaf you have mispronounced shrubs to highlight the multiall your life. Then your lot colors of this Asian native. is not a happy one. For Osmanthus heterophyllus you must choose between is mentioned in the oldest continuing in the wrong and surviving historical record feeling very foolish. Having of Japan. It is believed to always said “ox-alice” and have been used to make pitt-osporum,” I cannot holly wood spears and now change to “ox‘-alis” used in battle. The prickly and “pittos’-porum” without and non-prickly plants are a blush or a stammer”. sometimes referred to as ~Elizabeth Lawrence, male and female, although the leaf texture is not “Camelias and Such,” related to the plants sex. Through the I’ve written of this shrub Garden Gate, 1965 because I have researched what to plant in my whiskey You are probably wondering barrels, for the fall and what to plant for your fall and winter. I found it very winter decoration outside? interesting so I wanted to Winter Plant combination’s share it with you. Goshiki that will go beyond a False Holly, common name, pansy container include: and the botanical name is 1. Rosemary, Dusty Osmanthus heterophyllus Miller, and Thyme. ‘Goshiki’. The botanical 2. Purple Cabbage pronunciation: oz-Man-thus combined with Golden het-er-o-Fil-us is a mouth Moneywort and full. I prefer the common Euphorbia Blackbird. names of plants myself. 3. Blue Point Juniper looks False Holly is much easier nice with White Violas, White to say and remember. Ornamental Cabbage, and Goshiki’ translates from variegated Asian Jasmine. Japanese as “five colors”. 4. Arizona Cypress Its new leaves emerge looks great with Black red in color and quickly Mondo Grass, English turn green. The daubed

“O

green leaves are covered with spots of creamy white, gray-green, and yellow-green. This lovely selection makes a great evergreen accent or hedge, in huge pots or beds. False Holly is a year round interesting shrub, slow growing to 3.5 ft. tall and 3 to 5ft. wide. It has a slow growth rate with compact habit. Its showy flowers bloom in the fall so if you trim it be sure it is in the spring so not to cut off your blooms. This evergreen has a cold hardiness zones from 6 to 9. It is far wider that it is tall so it can be used in bare areas of the garden, also in groups to cover large areas. Plant in partial to full sun. It needs regular watering, weekly or more in extreme heat. Not as much water once established. This is a nice addition planted with other Asian inspired pants like Nandina and Peony. It is truly a very easy shrub to take care of and I am happy to add it to my garden. So glad I stumbled upon it. My herb of the month is Parsley, Petroselinum Crispum, is a biennial usually grown as an annual. Its origin is Europe and Western Asia. Parsley will grow 8 to 12” tall in zones 5 to 9. It prefers full sun or filtered shade but tolerates shade. Plant

Parsley comes in many varieties including Curley and Italian flat leaf, and has a mild flavor. I purchased seeds of Extra Curled Dwarf, which grows to a height of 12in. Plant in full sun. I will update you on my selection, how it grew, the taste, and if different from the flat leaf variety. The leaves of curly parsley have fine, ferny, curled and ruffled, deep green leaves that are held on long stems from the crown of the plant. The foliage of flat-leafed types resembles that of celery. Parsley has a fresh, tangy flavor with an undertone of sweetness. Its fragrance is much like its flavor. Chewing a sprig after you eat cleans and freshens the breath. The only pest problem is the Carrot Weevil, he is 1/5in. tall. Biological controls are beneficial nematodes. Cultural controls are crop rotation and compost which contains beneficial organisms that prey on this pest. It could be considered that the 2 inch parsleyworm,(swallowtail butterfly larvae) can become a pest by stripping the leaves. I love butterflies so I share my parsley with them. I plant plenty for me and the worms to eat. Crown rot is the only disease known to affect it. So don’t over water this herb. Parsley uses includes cooking, garnishing, and cosmetics. Surprised, it is used in hair conditioners! Parsley helps prevent dandruff and conditions the hair. cont’d on pp. 28

Parsley can be harvested and placed in the refrigerator for later use. Rinse it well in cool water, place loosely in an open plastic bag. Don’t seal or tie the bag, for the bit of air will keep the herb fresh. Freshpicked herb leaves can rot or turn moldy if you store them in moist conditions. You can also dry parsley in a dehydrator for best color and flavor. Don’t limit parsleys use to garnishing other foods this herb is so versatile that you can add it to almost any dish. Remember when using dried herbs, you need to break them up to release their stored flavor. You can simply pulverize them between your fingers as you add them to a dish or use a mortar and pestle to grind them as finely as you wish. The essential oils become concentrated in the drying process, you will find that it usually takes less of the dried product in a recipe than it does of the fresh herb. How long you have had the herbs stored can affect the strength. If in doubt throw it out. The old rule of thumb is: ¼ teaspoon dried, finely powdered herb = 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons fresh chopped herb.

damage easily and cause plants to flower and set seed prematurely. The flowers are flat QueenAnne’s lace-like umbels of tiny greenish yellow flowers that bloom in late spring of the second year of growth.

(Recipe taken from: The American Horticultural Society Illustrated If you are not seed worthy, Encyclopedia of Gardening not patient enough to Herbs & Spices. ) sprout the seed, perhaps a seedling would be for you. Try your local home store. If you haven’t tried parsley, you will be amazed at how Recommended easy an herb it is to grow. reading: This is a recipe you may wish to try on spinach, lettuce, and parsley leaves picked fresh from the garden. It also makes a perfect party dip as well as a flavorful dressing for chicken and seafood salads.

Green Goddess Dressing: 2 egg yolks ¾ C. safflower oil 1T. lemon juice ½ C. Finely chopped parsley 4T. tarragon-flavored white wine 2T. Finely cut chives vinegar 1/3C. sour cream 2t. Dijon-style mustard 2 shallots, peeled 1t. salt 4 anchovy fillets (optional)

A tip from Rachel Ray: Put fresh parsley in the freezer in a clear plastic vegetable bag. Take it out as you need it and cut off the portion you want to cook with, replace bundle in the freezer for further use. I also In a blender place egg use this tip with cilantro. yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, Other tips: parsley seed is and salt. Blend a few coated with a compound seconds. With blender that inhibits germination. running, gradually pour To overcome this soak in oil in a slow steady the seed overnight stream. Add parsley, (pretreatment) and then chives, shallots, and pour cool water over it. anchovies and blend Sow seeds indoors in a few seconds. Stir in peat or newspaper pots sour cream, turn into a eight to ten weeks before sauce bowl. Chill. Recipe your last spring frost date. makes about 2 cups. Transplant your seedlings To serve as a dip, use to the garden one week with raw vegetables before that date. Be very such as chilled raw careful when transplanting radishes, whole 1-inch seedlings to their new mushrooms, diagonally home. the tap root can cut carrot & celery

slices, turnip wedges, green pepper strips, cucumber slices, and whole cherry tomatoes with stems.

Your Backyard Herb Garden, A gardener’s guide to growing over 50 herbs plus how to use them in cooking, crafts, companion planting, and more, by Miranda Smith; The Pleasure of Herbs, a Month-by-Month Guide to Growing, Using, and Enjoying Herbs, by Phyllis Shaudys; Send off for info on the : “Traveler’s Guide to Herb Gardens” at The Herb Society of America,

9019 Kirtland Chardon Rd., Mentor, Oh, 44060. LSU Planting Calendar recommended plantings for January include: carrots, beets, shallots, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, turnips, mustard greens, spinach, English peas, Irish potatoes, & broccoli. February: carrots, beets, shallots, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radish, mustard greens, Irish potatoes, and cauliflower. In the greenhouse start your tomatoes, eggplants, & hot peppers seeds. Remember to Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle. Happy Gardening! ====================

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Calling all Questions! Have a question about preservation or old house repairs? email at minutemagazine@gmail.com.

Send me an

Each month Megan will feature a

brief Q&A with real-world problems and practical solutions appropriate for your old house. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

====================

To insulate or not to insulate? For older homes, that is the question. ====================

hile adding insulation can increase the energy efficiency (read: comfort) of your older home, what really matters is what type of insulation you choose and where you install it. Most older homes were constructed without insulation so you’ll want to carefully consider your insulation options – and the potential damage

they could cause – before you invest. Most of the time, there are more costeffective, simple methods for increasing your home’s energy efficiency than adding insulation to its walls.

circulation system, you risk disrupting the natural movement of air and moisture through your home, setting the stage for rot, termites, mold and other old-house nightmares.

Most people rationalize that adding insulation to the walls of their house is an energy efficient upgrade that keeps their building up-to-date with new construction. What they don’t realize is that most old buildings were constructed to take advantage of the changes in air temperature inside and outside of the house. Unlike modern buildings, the construction techniques, materials, and architectural features of pre-1950s structures work together as a system to keep the occupants comfortable. When you introduce a new material, such as insulation, into your home’s air

The key to warming your drafty old house isn’t coating your oldgrowth timber framing in irreversible spray foam insulation. In fact, adding any type of insulation to your sidewalls is the greatest culprit of exterior paint failure, mortar deterioration, and rotten framing. The solution is a much simpler and more affordable method that requires some investigative work from you, the homeowner. First, you need to understand how air moves through your house. Much like it moves through a chimney, warm air in your home rises straight

to your attic and flows out through your roof. On the rare occasions when it snows in Louisiana (a heavy morning frost will also do), go outside and take a peek at your roof. If there’s no ice or snow on the shingles, you’re losing too much heat through your rafters and its time to insulate or beef up the insulation in your attic space. What are the best types of insulation for attics? Stick to plain old batt insulation (the pink stuff) or blown in cellulose (a recycled paper product). You may want to consider installing radiant barrier between the roof rafters to repel the sun’s heat during the summer months. Old house owners must remember that their building is not constructed in the same manner or with the same materials as modern structures. Don’t compare your old building to a new one! Because new houses have insulation installed at the time of construction, modern building codes require a vapor barrier to keep moisture from ruining the insulation’s R-value and inviting further deterioration of the structure. Old houses are different. Constructed without wall insulation and vapor barriers, an air cavity within the walls gives moist air the chance to move freely, condense, and evaporate without doing damage to framing materials or exterior finishes. Insulation salesmen will try to sell their product to old house owners, explaining that spray foam or cellulose insulation may be easily “blown” in through a small hole made near the

top of the wall. This is an invitation for disaster for several reasons. First, no vapor barrier has been installed. Warm, moist air that we produce by breathing, cooking, showering, etc. in our homes will move through plaster walls and condense once it hits the insulation. With the air gap filled with insulation, and in the absence of a moisture barrier, water moves through the insulation to the adjacent façade – causing exterior paint to peel, bubble, and ultimately fail. When homeowners tire of peeling paint, they often decide to mask the problem by installing vinyl or aluminum siding. Unfortunately, this “solution” only exacerbates the problem by acting as a permanent exterior vapor barrier that traps moisture between your walls with no room

for escape. The exterior of your house appears maintenance free, while underneath the original siding and framing deteriorates. What’s the solution to this worst-case, yet all-too-common scenario? In addition to attic insulation, install weather stripping on your windows and doors. Your local hardware store will have a supply of foam, rubber, or bronze weather stripping that will seal even the tiniest air gaps. Do a yearly maintenance check around the exterior of your house to inspect the life of your home’s paint job. Keep wood siding caulked (only caulk the vertical joints) and well painted. With yearly spot maintenance, a good paint job should last ten years or more. Want more simple solutions to keeping warm? Interact

with your old house. Lay area rugs over cold floors in the winter. Hang insulated curtains and shades over windows to keep cold air out. Open shutters to let sunshine and heat in during the afternoon. Build a fire. Keep your thermostat set at a constant temperature and layer clothing if you’re cold natured. Before you buy into false claims that the only way to be energy efficient is to rip out, replace, and upgrade all the systems in your old house or building, take a good look around your structure and remind yourself what you love about it: old wood windows, wavy panes of glass, plaster walls and picture rails, solid wooden doors, sturdy heart pine floors, and the patina of old paint on wood clapboards and shutters. Remind

yourself that it is possible to protect these features AND stay comfortably warm in the winter, with only a little extra effort to understand and interact with your house. ====================

Megan Lord holds an M.F.A in Historic Preservation and is finalizing an M.A. in Architectural History from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She lives and works in Alexandria and thoroughly enjoys exploring the city with her husband and son.

with children.

xception to the rule is what she said. Wait, did I hear her correctly? Yes, I did! The voice of my sixteen year old daughter echoes in my ear still today. The sound of those words rolling so softly off of my daughters tongue was as sweet to my ears as molasses is on hot buttered biscuits. Those are words I had hoped to hear one day, maybe when she herself was a mother but never at sixteen. When Ruby was five years old her father and I made a choice that would forever change the course of my beautiful brown eyed baby’s life. It was a choice too many families make; yes I am talking about divorce. However, Ruby’s father and I made some decisions during our parting of ways, that for us has allowed our daughter to grow up never doubting that although we are not married any longer we are still very much on the same team, team Ruby! Allow me to share with you some of the things we agreed upon, they just might work for you if you have gone through or are going through a divorce

1. Never speak ill of the other parent 2. Communicate 3. Encourage visitation 4. Support the new spouse 5. RESPECT each other 6. Agree to disagree 7. NEVER argue in front of your child 8. Take family photos at different events (even though divorced my Ruby still wants photos with her dad and I, we are her parents.) 9. Pray with your children 10. Never Give Up Now there are many more things we each can do that will allow our children comfort and assurance, these are just some that worked for my family. You may have different, special things that will comfort your children. Figure out what those are and make them work for your family. Now some of you may be reading this and going, well I can do all of that but the other party will not meet me half way. I say to you, DO YOUR PART, your child will remember! You stay positive and your child will feel it. Team Ruby has grown in the past 10 years.

I am remarried now to a wonderful man who could not love my child anymore if she were his own. He and Ruby’s father have never had a cross word and are often found at different events sitting together cheering on my daughter. We choose to get along, and yes we actually do like/ love each other and those choices shine through in our daughter in the form of happiness, confidence, self assurance and more. Yes, we all get strange looks sometimes. Once, some of Ruby’s friends even talked to her about how odd it was for us to all be sitting together. We realize such unity is not very common, but we just laugh and count our blessings. The comfort is in having a child who feels so secure, that is reward enough for us. We are entering a new year where many of

us set goals to lose weight, exercise more, eat right and so on. While these are all very important goals, why don’t you also consider setting a different type of goal? One that brings joy to your whole family, start small, choose a goal that is achievable and conquer it then move on to the next. One baby step at a time and before you know it you have a little more harmony in your life and home. Eleven years ago I only hoped that when my precious Ruby was an adult and parent that she would look at me and tell me how grateful she is that her father and I remained friends. Never could I have predicted it would come at sixteen right smack in the middle of her busy teenage life that she would call us, her parents, Billy, me & Wayne, the EXCEPTION TO THE RULE! Be the exception in your children’s lives! What a blessing it is when you realize you are! We have not been perfect but we have done our best.

==================== Disclaimer: I am not a counselor nor do I have any formal training on the subject of divorce or child psychology, these thoughts I share along with a great big God are just what worked for my family. ====================

====================

Legacy

====================

ecently I began asking myself this question: What will my legacy be? Actually, that sounds kinda grandiose for the way that I view my life. Perhaps the question should be, “How will people remember me?” You’ve asked yourself this question before. You went to a funeral and heard the pastor talking about someone and thought, “This pastor didn’t know him at all cause that ain’t the guy I knew.” Well, for one, cut the pastor some slack (sorry, we do our best) and two you’re right. What you remember about someone is really what their legacy is. So what will yours be? As a pastor who has done a few funerals I always want to know the truth about someone, not just that the deceased was a good person. That doesn’t help me at all. Being good doesn’t equate to being in heaven. I need to know who this person was to help the process of closure. I don’t need to be an unknowing liar. It is hard to be the pastor who says one thing when everyone else is obviously thinking another. Are you the dad who works hard to provide for your family (but was never around to see

the family)? Are you the mom who has it all together (but is actually a mental and emotional wreck behind closed doors)? Are you the fun loving girl who never passes up a good time (but actually has no idea who you are or why you do the things you do? Hey, nobody’s perfect but you know all this stuff sticks. Ever seen Vertical Limit? The movie with Chris O’Donnell? In it, his character, Peter Garrett, his sister, and his father are rock climbing. Above them are these two idiots who are messing around, fall, and catch on their lines. The father is the one at the bottom of the rope with the idiots pulling on everyone. Within seconds everyone is going to fall to their deaths. What does dad do? Pulls out his knife, tells his kids he loves them, and cuts the cord. (Go rent it cause that’s just the first 5 minutes of the movie!) What does that say about his reputation? He loved his kids. You know who had a good reputation in real life? Mother Theresa. Do you remember her? Old lady in India who helped the poor, sick, and orphaned in Asia? Now I’m not Catholic but she’s cool with me (even though she died in 1997). What about John Wooden? Legendary basketball coach for UCLA who died early last year? His goal was never basketball but to build young men. That’s a good reputation. What about that person you know who has an outstanding reputation?

You know, that guy who is always giving you a call to find out how your doing and you think, “Man, I need to do that more.” Or the lady you look up to because it seems like all the decisions she makes are helpful to everyone around her. And you think, “I wish I had that wisdom.” Well, they all have something in common. They aren’t selfish. They don’t think about themselves before they think about those around them. They may not even think about themselves at all. I have a friend like that. He drives me crazy and challenges me and encourages me all at the same time! It’s like an emotional hurricane going on in my heart and I have to just allow myself to be swept up and taken away because when I finally get thrown down I realize that I have a choice to make almost every minute of the day. Do I help myself or do I help others around me? As a pastor I can think only of Jesus as someone who was completely unselfish. Think about it. Before He came to earth as a baby He was in Heaven. He gave that up for us! He came into a world filled with selfishness to show how to be unselfish. While He was here, He demonstrated what sacrificial love was, which is the ultimate form of unselfishness. He died on a cross to take the punishment of hell away from all those who follow Him. That is unselfishness. Now, here’s the

problem. If you try to be unselfish you’ll just wear yourself out. I mean you’ll be mentally insane because you can’t do it. Every person’s default mode is to be selfish in some way. However, when you surrender your life to Jesus, when you allow Jesus to lead you, when you decide to listen to Him and do what He asks of you, you’ll find that God, who lives within you, creates a heart and desires that are unselfish. But you can’t do it. Sure, here and there you can. Sometimes you can fake it. But for the majority of your life, you and I are just selfish old us. But Jesus changes all that. He makes us selfless. He makes us into compassionate, loving, life changing people. So, how will people remember you? What if they remember you as the person who followed Jesus. Or what if they tell stories about how you had an incredible love for your Savior because it was something that revealed itself through action. What if they remember how you helped the less fortunate, how you gave of your time, talents and treasure to those who had less, or how you called people up when they were down. This is Jesus working in you. So do me a favor, tell your family not to lie about you when you die. Tell them to share the whole truth about you. Then live unashamedly for Jesus. Live a life that leaves a legacy, not a reputation. =====================

Jason McReynolds is the pastor of New Orleans Community Church. He and his wife, Liev, have three children. To learn more about him, or NOCC, visit: www.neworleans community church.com

Girlfriend W “Where tiaras are mandatory and reading good books is the rule!”

espite what anyone else might tell you, there are really only two types of southern women. There are those that learn the hardknock lessons in life the most painful way, through trial and error, and then there are the women with the good sense to read about what might happen to them before fate steps in and gives them a good, hard slap across the face. And when you walk through the doors of Beauty and the Book, Kathy Patrick’s beauty shop and bookstore in historic Jefferson, Texas, you instantly know that she belongs to the latter of the two groups. Kathy isn’t simply a lover of literature. She’s a published author, hairdresser extroardi-

Mrs. Kathy Patrick

Pulpwood Queen Extroardinairre

Weekend 2011 The

skin deep. Yes, Kathy did a fantastic job on my hair. But as she combed and snipped my unruly locks, I realized that I had found more than a good beautician. I had discovered a rare jewel: a very special lady with the ability to see the bigger picture in life. For Kathy is a fellow lover of literature, a complex woman with an insatiable literary appetite and a natural-born hunger to write works of her own. And I found my time with her to be inspirational.

But Kathy doesn’t stop with her blog and her beauty shop / bookstore. She is running a fantastic book club; so fantastic, in fact, that she has been featured on OXYGEN NETWORK, ABC’s Good Morning America, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Kathy’s always busy promoting literature, but she also took the time to create one of the most amazing literary events that a girl could ever hope to attend. GIRLFRIEND WEEKEND, held annually for the past eleven years in Jefferson, is a chance for well-read women to meet their favorite writers. And this year’s literary lineup is more than impressive: Fannie Flagg (author of Fried Green Tomatos at The Whistle Stop Cafe), Pat Conroy (author of The Prince of Tides), and Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Rick Bragg (author of The Most They Ever Had) will be there to meet and greet, sign autographs and promote literacy. But that’s not all, not by a long shot. GIRLFRIEND WEEKEND will feature dozens of authors; amazing writers like Cassandra King, Bernie Schein, Janis Owens, Melissa Conroy, Robert Leleux, Neil White, Mark Childress, River Jordan, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and Ad Hudler, to name a few.

Kathy’s love for literature has taken her far in life. And if you, too, want to travel the road to selfdiscovery that she and thousands of Pulpwood Queens walk on every month, then you just might be a Pulpwood Queen at heart. And believe me when I tell you that you should visit Kathy’s blog, stop by to see her in her shop, or try your best to get your hands on one of the sold-out tickets to GIRLFRIEND WEEKEND. Because Kathy Patrick is going to make sure that we’ll all have a ball, one beautifully written chapter at a time.

nairre to the stars, and the founder of

Pulpwood Queens Book Club.

Her website, www.pulpwoodqueen.com, sums up her personality perfectly, and it will give you a beautiful introduction to Kathy’s mission. There, just below the web address, you’ll read the first few words on Kathy’s blog: “The adventures and musings of Kathy L. Patrick, the Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Founder of the Pulpwood Queens, the largest “meeting and discussing” book club in the world.”

“There are so many writers out there that I adore. But my favorite writers, literary greats like Pat Conroy and Harper Lee, made me realize that fiction isn’t just about putting words on paper. It’s about writing down the story of our lives,” said Kathy as I sat in the chair of her beauty shop last summer. I was so transfixed on her enthusiasm for literature that I wouldn’t have noticed if she had shaved my head completely bald. I walked through her door hoping for a fantastic haircut, and Kathy Patrick gave me a make-over that was much more than

Contact Kathy:

============ Kathy Patrick (Beauty and the Book) 608 North Polk Street Jefferson, Texas 75657 (903)665-7520 or email Kathy at kathy@beautyand thebook.com

============

writte

n by ja

ckie le

wis

change. But what are the roadblocks that so often entangle us and prevent the resolution from becoming ==================== a lifestyle? I can think of a hundred. But here’s a few I Resolving to Choose have experienced that might ring true for you, too. Definition #8. I’m too busy. As a mother/wife/daughter/ ==================== marketing director/ operations manager/piano teacher...well, you get the picture. Some days, I find it difficult just to get a load of laundry done, much less devote time to making a e s o l u t i o n . life change permanent. According to the dictionary, Periodically in my life, usually one definition of resolution is at my husband’s request “a resolve or determination: (Thank you, honey!), I deto make a firm resolution to clutter my life of activities. do something.” I think that’s It’s easy to say yes to so what we most commonly many projects or volunteer associate with the New opportunities that interest Year. me. It’s hard to say no. But New Year’s Because my “no” doesn’t resolutions never last long. work as good as my “yes,” I The first two weeks, it’s go periodically clean house on time. The third and fourth my obligations. weeks, it’s hit or miss. By How to choose? February, I am beating Start with your priorities. For myself up for not sticking me, it’s God, family, work, with the resolution and self, friends. I’m not saying accomplishing THE goal. this is the “right” order. But I am determined, it’s my order. Every activity however, that this year will needs to be evaluated with be different. I’m going to go your priorities in mind. In with definition #8. According January, I’ll once again go to Dictionary.com, definition through this process in my #8 states that a resolution is life. It’s time to bow out of the “a solution, accommodation, activities that don’t relate to or settling of a problem, the highest priorities because controversy, etc.” I like the busyness of my life has that definition. It has more become “a little too much.” permanence. A solution. A It’s also time to embrace the settling of a problem. That’s opportunities that support my the kind of resolution I want new resolutions for 2011. to have. Is my resolution It’s a lifestyle motivation superficial or

genuine? I’ve learned a lot about motivation in my lifetime. One of the most difficult and most valuable lessons came from my experience as Miss Louisiana 1992. The experience of competing for that title marked my life with countless positive life skills. But swimsuit competition created within me an ugly secret - a superficial desire to be skinny. Don’t get me wrong. Young girls watching TV or looking at today’s fashion magazines can be lured into the same ugly motivation. It’s not my pageant experience that gave me that unhealthy motivation, it was me. Over time, I have conscientiously focused my attention on the pursuit of good health. Changing your internal motivation is a tough one. But being motivated by a genuine purpose instead of a superficial one sure makes it easier and more honest to be committed to a goal. In transforming my motivation from a superficial motivation to a genuine one, I find myself more comfortable in my own skin, even if I’m no longer a size 2. True contentment cannot exist where motivation is superficial. Is my plan realistic? Any resolution requires a plan. Too often, my resolution plan has been overly optimistic. I am convinced that being realistic is a trait acquired over time and with life’s experiences. I am an optimist. And if I err, it’s on

the side of biting off way more than I can chew! So my realistic plan requires baby steps and long-term goals that aren’t out-of-reach. Lack of moral support. Making authentic change requires accountability to be successful. We all need a good friend or maybe even our spouse to remind us of our resolution. And the more support we surround ourselves with, the higher the likelihood that we will be successful with those resolutions. We all need a team. So let’s surround ourselves with people who will encourage us and keep us on track with making that resolution transform from just an idea into a lifestyle. So what will your resolution be? Will it be a solution? Will it be a settling of a problem in your life? Will you make it through the quagmire of potential pitfalls? I resolve to make 2011 the year that the resolution becomes reality. ===================== Elizabeth Haynes Drewett: a hormonal woman rumored to be somewhere between the age of 30 and 50. Her job: Marketing Director for Seasons, the medical practice of Dr. Nathan Goodyear, and Seasons - The Spa in Ruston, LA. Her training: bachelor of arts in journalism degree from LSU and a bachelor of fine arts degree in piano performance from LA Tech University. Her life: wife of Ruston architect C.P. Drewett, Jr. and doting mother to Langdon, age 12, and Reagan, age 6. Her passions: the state of Louisiana - as Miss Louisiana 1992 she devoted her year of service to breast cancer education and the importance of early detection; lover of music invested 10 years as a piano teacher into the lives of the most wonderful kids in the world; lover of a good game - job experiences include PING Golf Equipment and the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Her favorite things: an underdog who overachieves, a good laugh, a good book, a good word, and a good hair day.

===================

A narrative about one family’s life on the Autistic Spectrum, written by Mrs. Lela Robichaux of Shreveport, Louisiana. ===================

K nowledge is the most valuable thing you

can give yourself. There is so much information out there about autism, it will make your head spin. Go ahead, go type ‘autism’ in the Google search engine and see how many results you get. It’s astronomical, and from what I’ve seen, not even a third of it is good or reliable information. When my son was in the stages

where we were trying to figure out what was going on with him, someone mentioned autism to me. I didn’t want to accept it, but deep down, a tiny voice was telling me it was true. So, I went home that night and searched ‘autism’ on the internet. I searched for days, which turned into weeks. I took in so much information I thought my brain would explode. I sat up until 3 o’clock in the morning at times, just reading anything I could find that sounded remotely like what we were experiencing. These are the days I came across all the information about vaccines and the studies that have linked them with autism along with other serious childhood conditions like asthma, diabetes, and ADHD. Of course, for every study there is saying they are linked, you can find one saying they are not. Most all of the information is this way. Over time you learn to weed out the good information from the bad. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s not and you have to dig deeper

other people who had been where I was. They had already done the same things I was doing. I contacted several groups (and believe me, there are A LOT of them). I found the one that most matched what I believed in personally about autism and I joined. It is the Autism Society of America (www.autism-society. org). Then I found a place called Families Helping Families (www. fhfregion7.com), which led me to the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council (www.laddc.org). On this latter website, you can find a link to something called Partners In Policymaking. This is free training given by the state to people with disabilities or parents of people with disabilities. It gives you all the information you could possibly want about how to help your child, no matter what his/her disability may be.

and for longer a longer period of time before you can rule it out. I would be afraid to add up the hours I’ve spend on the internet researching autism and behaviors and therapies and alternate treatments and methods of parenting. There was stuff out there that told me everything I had done for my child was bad, but there was also stuff that I could find that told me I was doing everything in my power to help him. It is also very empowering. The For days I would be people involved in this convinced I was a training encourage horrible mother and you to learn and to get something I did when he involved. It was possibly was either still gestating the best thing I had or when he was in the ever done for my child. first months of life had I fortified myself with screwed him up forever. knowledge about his I would cry and get disability, about the laws depressed when reading on education, about the there was nothing I state laws and programs could do to help my son available to him, and and then the next day about federal laws and I would find a plethora protections afforded him of articles and studies throughout his life. convincing me that if I just threw every therapy I also met people who in the book at him I were experiencing the could cure him. It is an exact same things I was emotional rollercoaster and I made some of and it is neither healthy the best friends I could nor conducive to good hope to have. People parenting. I still call on to this day when I need a shoulder, Then I started finding have to find information

or need backup. They are scattered all over the state and I feel very lucky to have them as contacts and friends.

it down. I print it out, I forward it on to educators and lawmakers and leaders. I search now for specific information at every stage of my child’s I came home and life. offered my services to our local ASA chapter Right now, as a pre- Northwest Louisiana teen, I look for counsel Autism Chapter and on how to deal with have since become puberty and how to help the vice-president. My him understand what passion is to help others he is experiencing. I wade through the sea of no longer look for that advice, enlightenment information on ‘curing’ and knowledge. You him. I’m not completely have to decide what convinced that autism you and your family hold can be cured. But mostly most important and what it’s because my son has you believe and start expressed that he would from there. be offended if anyone tried to change who he I still spend hours is. This is part of him, he searching for instruction. accepts it and so do I. I buy books, CDs, and magazines. I absorb all my mind will comfortably hold, and as I get older, I find this isn’t as much as I’d like! So, I write

will continue to provide protection, even if a child’s health changes, provided premiums are paid as required by the policy. • Financial Security – Life insurance can be the foundation for a strong financial plan. The child may be able to borrow against the accumulated cash value (with interest charged) to pay for future expenses. While loans decrease death benefits and cash surrender values, the proceeds can be used for important expenses such as a college education or the purchase of a home

========================

Give your grandchildren the gift of Life

grandchildren, you can have a tough time sifting through the newest trends and fads. Last week it was this pop star, next week it may be a new cartoon character. On top of that, you don’t want to get something that won’t last 10 minutes out of the package.

There are many reasons why it can be an excellent gift for your grandchild.

• Affordability – The younger the child’s age, the lower ======================== the premiums. • Protection – Illness or injury may affect a child’s ability to purchase life insurance coverage later in life. hen you are trying to One gift that will last for many years is a life insurance policy. Coverage purchased now choose just the right gift for your

Giving a gift of life insurance to your grandchild can be one of the most significant things you do during your lifetime. He or she may not understand at the time how important the gift is, but should grow to appreciate it in the future. Take the guesswork out of your gift shopping. Life insurance is a gift that will last a lifetime. ========================

==================== IS YOUR MIND READY FOR SUCCESS? ====================

Y ear after year millions of people set New

Year resolutions in hopes of meeting their goals and setting dreams. These people have the best

of intentions when they decide that they are finally going to take control of their health and nutrition. They know in the utmost of their hearts that they desperately need to make a change in the way they live and eat. They promise themselves that this is it, no more excuses. It is the beginning of the year and they are feeling pretty positive. Next thing you

In writing this article I really want my readers to know how the mind plays a role in your success in overcoming health obstacles and every issue you encounter. Make it a priority to think positive thoughts about your body and life. If you BELIEVE, you can! The only difference between you and the next person who has lost 10lbs is their mindset. Once you conquer having the right mindset you will be amazed at the accomplishments that you will make. If you are willing to change your mind, you will change your life! These are a few quotes to inspire you to get ready for the best year ever in 2011:

know, March rolls around and they are back in the same old boat. What these people fail to realize is that in order to be successful they must have the right mindset. Having the right mindset is so important to achieving your goals. You can have the best intentions in the world,but if you have not decided in your heart, you will fail to stick with the plan.

'Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you’ve got.” (unknown) “Success is a state of mind, If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.” (Dr. Joyce Brothers)

good lighting. A well planned room will have lighting at varying levels and intensities appropriate to the activity of the area. Close attention should be given especially to task lighting for activities such as reading, dining, and cooking and desk top work. This is one New Year’s resolution that you and your family will be pleased you kept for years to come. From all of us at Decorating Den Interiors have a Happy New Year 2011!

T his coming New Year, in addition to making

that same old New Year’s resolution of losing those ten pounds or going to the health club three times a week, resolve to give your home a New Year’s face lift! These decorating tips should serve you well as you move towards an updated, fresh new look for your home: 1) Start a file of magazine pictures of rooms that you like. Even if you can’t exactly pinpoint why you find a room setting so appealing, by reviewing your file, your decorator will be able to quickly understand the feel that you want for your home. 2) Involve your professional decorator at the very beginning of your project. Doing so will help you avoid the costly mistakes that many homeowners make. The most successful decorating projects are those where the decorator and homeowner are very candid with each other regarding tastes, priorities, budget, timing and goals. 3) Your first goal should be to design your home to suit the way you and your family actually

live. Analyze all the rooms of your home – are some underutilized and some just exhausted from use? Maybe its time to relocate some activity centers and redirect some traffic patterns. 4) Be realistic when determining the amount you plan to invest in the project. If you haven’t redecorated in several years, you may need to acquaint yourself with today’s pricing to determine your budget range. 5) Resist the urge to repaint your interior as the first step in your new look. There are a myriad of beautiful paint colors to compliment your final fabric selections, but painting your walls first will severely limit your choices in fabric selections. Color schemes should flow smoothly from room to room, especially in the adjoining living areas. This means some detailed attention needs to be paid early to the long range overall color plan. 6) Forget matching sets of furniture and monochromatic “safe” schemes. A far more interesting look is a room of complementing wood pieces and companionable fabrics in exciting complementary colors. 7) Something slightly whimsical in every room will ensure that your rooms don’t take their new look too seriously. Lamps, area rugs, candles and

other accessories are all opportunities for a novel touch to keep rooms feeling light and welcoming. Use many different textures, materials and surfaces. Combinations of metals, woods, glass, woven reeds, fabrics, ceramics and stone will provide depth and interest to your decorative theme. 8) Insist upon

==================== Enid Harvey is a Certified Interior Decorator, a Window Fashions Certified Professional and a Green Certified Leader you can reach her at 318-798-2214 or at www.enidandtom. decoratingden.com Email address decdenbc@gmail.com

QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY QUALITY HEALTHCARE Quality healthcare may seem like an overused term, butHEALTHCARE when you or a loved one needs QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE hospital care, it’s the most important consideration. Quality healthcare means getting the right care, delivered the right way at the right time. QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE For the second time in just six years, healthcare experts who compare hospitals have QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE honored Minden Medical Center as one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals for excellence in QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY clinical outcomes, patient safety, patient QUALITY satisfaction,HEALTHCARE financial performance, andHEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE operational efficiency. QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE ‘If’ all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as Medicare patients HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY treated in the winning hospitals, more than 107,500 additional patients would HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY survive each year. Futhermore, nearly 132,000 patient complications would QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY QUALITY HEALTHCARE be avoided annually, expenses would decline byHEALTHCARE $5.9 billion a year, and QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE the average patient stay would decrease by nearly half a day. QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE MINDEN MEDICAL CENTER leading the way in QUALITY hospital quality. QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY www.mindenmedicalcenter.com HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE 377-2321 QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY (318) HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE 55 QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE QUALITY HEALTHCARE

BEST WHEN YOU’RE THE

others take notice.

uality

had to make the most of it. When our shoes did get wet we would sit in front of the old space heater and wait for them to dry before we could go back outside. I realize now why heaters were sometimes called stoves, because they would bake you on one side and freeze you on the other. Once during that day I came inside with cold feet and stuck my shoes too close to the heater and melted the soles off both my shoes.

====================

Winter Storm

====================

I remember very well one winter in the early

sixties there was an ice storm. My brother and sister and I were hoping for snow. It was probably around two inches of ice with a little snow on top. We made a snowman although he was hardly recognizable because he was so small. The street that ran in front of our house had a good coating of ice that made sledding possible. We used a sheet of galvanized roofing and turned it up on the end to make a sled. We attached a rope to the end and we were in business. I was young at the time but old enough to pull a sled. I wasn’t old enough to know that it wasn’t my responsibility to pull it up every time. After three or four trips up the hill Mother came out to the road where the other kids were waiting for me to return with the sled. Before I reached the top of the hill all the other kids met me about half way and offered to pull me up

the hill on the sled. They pulled the sled for the rest of the day. That sure was sweet of them! I noticed they volunteered more when Mother was nearby. Whenever there was snow, Mother would make snow ice cream. As long as it was sweet it was great. It didn’t matter if it was half ice. Just after the ice cream break, my older brother Boo slipped and broke his wrist. I tried to convince him to wait until lunch before he told Mother so we could play a little longer. A broken arm lasts a long time, but snow would only be around until the sun came out. Mother came out again and this time she came over to me and grabbed me by the collar and popped me with a switch for telling Boo to wait until lunch to tell of his broken wrist. And I thought she was on my side. Anyway I had thirty minutes of free rides before she found out so I think it was worth it! Oh, I need to mention the bread sacks. Before WallE-World, people used bread sacks for almost everything. They could be used for storing fish, wild game and practically everything else we put in the freezer. When it snowed or there was ice on the ground we put bread sacks over our

shoes to keep our feet dry. Our bread sacks weren’t the most durable material ever made so it helped to be creative. We would turn them to a new spot if a hole came in them. When our shoe came through a hole in the toe of the bag we would use bread ties to tie the end so we could keep using the bag. We only got one pair so we

It snowed several times while I was growing up but this snow is the one we talk about most often when we get together. Some moments stay in your mind like a picture on a wall and this was one of those times.

====================

Your primary care is his primary concern. When it comes to the well-being of your family, you can rely on the knowledge and compassion of Tobe Momah, M.D. A board-certified family practice physician, Dr. Momah is dedicated to helping your family get well and stay that way. So whether it’s a simple stomachache, preventive care or the management of a chronic condition like diabetes, Dr. Momah will provide the attentive care you need. He treats adults and children of all ages and has a particular interest in women’s health. Dr. Momah is now accepting new patients. For an appointment, please call 318-263-7003.

Tobe Momah, M.D. 1251 Hazel Street • Arcadia

318-263-7003 Member of the Medical Staff at Northern Louisiana Medical Center

51083_NLMC_Momah_4_8x6_08c.indd 1

9/22/10 9:39 AM