July/August 2017 Volume 12, Issue 4
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ask for the transaction to be processed as a credit or where you sign to authorize the transaction rather than enter your PIN. Only transactions received by GBT as a signature based debit card transaction will qualify for cash back. Transactions must post to and clear your account during the statement cycle. No cash will be earned on debit card transactions where your PIN is used or any other type of electronic transactions. Cash rewards will be credited to the account the day after the statement drops. Signature-based debit card transactions are transactions where you do not enter your pin to process the transaction. Transactions include online transactions, ‘point of sale’ transactions where you choose credit or ask for the transaction to be processed as a credit or where you sign to authorize the transaction rather than enter your PIN. Only transactions received by GBT as a signature based debit card transaction will qualify © 2016, Gibsland Bank and Trust. All rights reserved. for cash back. Transactions must post to and clear your account during the statement cycle. No cash will be earned on debit card transactions where your PIN is used or any other type of electronic transactions. Cash rewards will be credited to the account the day after the statement drops.
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© 2016, Gibslanddebit Bankcard and transactions Trust. All rights Signature-based arereserved. transactions where you do not enter your pin to process the transaction. Transactions include online transactions, ‘point of sale’ transactions where you choose credit or ask for the transaction to be processed as a credit or where you sign to authorize the transaction rather than enter your PIN. Only transactions received by GBT as a signature based debit card transaction will qualify for cash back. Transactions must post to and clear your account during the statement cycle. No cash will be earned on debit card transactions where your PIN is used or any other type of electronic transactions. Cash rewards will be credited to the account the day after the statement drops. © 2016, Gibsland Bank and Trust. All rights reserved.
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magazine TIFFANY BYRAM
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VICKI CASKEY Sales Manager SHANNON LEWIS Sales Rep COVER & FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHY & RECIPES:
Heather McHorter Bailey, Social Bites
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JENNY REYNOLDS Founder
6 The World Needs Your Gifts
Melanie Massey Groves & Brian Russell, MOCO
12 Sizzlin' Summer BBQ
Recipes & Photos by Heather McHorter Bailey, Social Bites Intro by Tiffany Byram Bacon Wrapped BBQ Skewers Grilled Corn Truffle Oil Potato Salad Strawberry Honey Sweet Tea
22 A Summer Masterpiece Chalaine Scott
30 Boozy Popsicles:
Barbara Durbin Beth Fontenot Winnie Griggs Yvette Hardy
Wesley Harris Penny Jones Sara McDaniel Jason McReynolds Kathy B. Nelson Rachel Pardue Steven Smith Rosemary Thomas
Darla Upton
Strawberry Basil Margarita Tiffany Byram Office Phone: 504.390.2585 Ad Sales: 318.548.2693 Address: P.O. Box 961, Belle Chasse, LA 70037
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W hew! It's a hot one out there. Good thing this issue is full of cool summer treats. Our boozy strawberry basil margarita popsicles and refreshing strawberry honey sweet tea are sure to cool you down. If you're hungry, we have some amazing recipes perfect for your next summer BBQ. Bacon wrapped skewers, grill corn, and truffle oil potato salad are sure to be big hits. Our columnists have added all kinds of recipes to make this issue extra tasty.
I love to watch my boys run around the backyard eating homemade popsicles and chasing each other on their tricycles. It's even more picturesque when the hubby is flipping burgers on the grill and the baby is splashing around in the sprinkler. From my family to yours: God bless and happy summer.
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do work that matters. But, somehow we can get lost in the busyness of life, and we get stuck trying to just survive instead of thriving. If we always focus on what we are not good at, we miss out on the full impact of developing our God-given gifts into strengths. Are you living your life in ways that your personal brand of excellence gets reflected in everything you do? Think about the ramifications of not offering your gifts. Can you imagine if Mark Twain had never tried to get a book published? What if Mother Teresa had never moved to India? The world improves when we become our best, so don't downplay or diminish your uniqueness. Every person in this world carries around a diamond's worth of potential, but people can't benefit from it unless you seek to uncover it! When we begin to step into our calling and fulfill our potential, people will notice and benefit. You have gifts that others don't have. We need you! The world will go on without you, but the world will never be as great without the contributions of your distinct brilliance! You have two choices every week. You can either live a life of SELF or a life of SERVICE. When you live for yourself, you will either self-destruct or become perpetually unsatisfied. Your divine gifts are meant to be shared! The whole point of your natural abilities is how you develop the potential within them to serve others. Trying to fix your weaknesses only prevents failure, but the potential within your unique gifts is limitless! Give yourself away and fulfillment will always return to you. Give yourself away and the world improves. Who can you be a blessing to this week? Who can you
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encourage? Here are three habits to help you offer your gifts to the world:
Have you ever met a self-centered person that's filled with joy? The best homes, the best schools, the best churches, and the best businesses are all full of people who put the needs of others first. Your plans, your dreams, and your vision should never be limited to just you.
Within the development of the innate talents that we've been given, we have to maintain a spirit of remaining teachable. Two of the primary differences between talented, unsuccessful people and talented, successful people are the skills they build and the knowledge they acquire. Learning is work, and you have to be a lifelong learner to achieve and sustain excellence.
Use your time wisely and build experience with using your gifts. You need people in your life who can see your blind spots. Refining your talents into polished strengths requires growing in self-awareness and being open to receive honest feedback. Make the most of your time and always look for opportunities to practice serving with your gifts. Then, show gratitude to the people in your life who coach you and give you authentic accountability during your practice and your learning. How will you offer your gifts to the world this week?
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Simply Southern Cottage written by Sara McDaniel
Creating a Space for Community at the Cottage
B
ack in 2014, I learned about a sweet college friend, Sarah Harmeyer, who began a mission to love others well by simply inviting them to share a meal around her table. After chasing her career and feeling somewhat underwhelmed, Sarah eventually founded Neighbor’s Table: A Love Mission. Her focused shifted from “all things her” to “all things others.” Celebrating and loving her neighbors made her come alive! I heard Sarah speak at a conference and share the story of meeting her goal to gather 500 people around her table, in ONLY one year! My heart leapt! She shared about inviting her friends, her neighbors and even people off the streets to join her in a meal around a large, cedarstyle farmhouse table her dad skillfully constructed for her backyard. That was 2012. To date, Sarah has served over 2,500 neighbors around her table! I don’t believe it was any coincidence the Lord started stirring my heart around this same time to move home to Louisiana. I searched high and low for the perfect house. One of the requirements for my selection is it needed to have an AMAZING outdoor space! From the moment I heard Sarah speak about her table, I felt the Lord calling me to do the same. For years, like Sarah, I was too busy to focus on my neighbors. I’m ashamed to say that in some places I’ve lived, I never even met my neighbors. Unfortunately, I’m sure this rings truer for many of you as well. We aren’t called to work, pay bills and die. We are called to love and commune. It was in that season I began a conscious effort to change my life’s philosophy. Like Sarah, I began to focus less on me and more on others. Part of the draw to the cottage was the absolutely incredible backyard! Surrounded on three sides by a beautifully scalloped brick fence, it is the ideal backyard setting for gathering friends, neighbors and other divine appointments the Lord will place in my path. Not too big, not too small, the intimate, shady space is a perfect place to build community.
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But, one thing was missing. The cottage is flanked with a glorious front porch, made for rocking and sweet tea. But what lacked was a rocking porch on the backside. As I began to plan for the renovation, I knew adding a back porch was a must! I could envision lazy Sunday afternoons, reading in a bed swing and sipping lemonade. I could see people laughing and communing under a haint blue porch ceiling. I could envision a Neighbor’s Table sitting just under the large oak tree. Before, the back of the cottage was flat and unimpressive. Now, thanks to the amazing craftsmanship of Bolin Construction Company, there is an expansive back porch roughly 28 feet long and 10 feet wide. The columns were carefully constructed to be exact replicas of the columns supporting the front porch and true to the period the cottage was built. The brickwork framing the porch also matches the brickwork in the front. Part of the new, “old” bricks came from a neighbor a few blocks away, and others came from an
old school house. The back porch truly looks like it’s been there the entire 91 years the cottage has stood! Sarah’s love mission began with a goal to feed 500 around her table. Now, she has delivered numerous Neighbor’s Tables all across the country where thousands are gathering and communing over a meal. Bridges are being built. Walls are coming down. And neighbors, friends and even strangers are benefiting from the value of community. In just a few short months, Sarah will deliver my Neighbor’s Table to the Simply Southern Cottage. The porches and the backyard will soon be filled with laughter and love. Hope to see some of you around my table! I’ve created a space for community, especially with you in mind. (Be sure to check out www.neighborstable.com for more information.)
Hi there! I’m Sara! Home renovation is my passion. This columm documents the renovation process of my 1926 Louisiana cottage. Some would have chosen to it tear down, seeing no hope or future for a home in such terrible condition. Not me! I see resilience and charm hidden beneath the rot, decay and neglect. Much like my home, I too have been devastated and broken down. This cottage will personify beauty from the ashes…my ashes. Join me as I reclaim and restore both my life and my home. You can connect with Sara at: SimplySara.com or SimplySouthernCottage.com.
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strangers at my
coffeepot
written by Darla Upton Make the Plans
"W
hat about the weekend after Mardi Gras?" I looked at the message and thought about my schedule. I replied, "I can't that weekend. How about the one after?" "Got a birthday party. How about this next weekend? Sooner rather than later?" I thought of the baby shower I had, and the other Saturday afternoon events, and considered stacking a girls' weekend on top of it. I resigned it was just too much to stack my three girls in on top of this and that. I typed back, "I can't. But I'm going to be in Dallas in June, maybe that'll work?" "June? We were hoping to get out to see you before May! What does your May look like?" Thinking of the three birthdays and Mother's Day and end of school testing, I sent back, "May is hectic." Giving up on getting a date planned for a girls' weekend, I read this final note, "Ok, well when we get back from the trip in May, we'll come see you. We will figure it out when we get back. So, get ready! It's been too long!" My three friends left for a mini vacation that May. Upon their return, we were to iron out the details for the four of us to get together and have some fun. That get together never happened. Only two of my friends returned from that mini vacation. Our friend passed away unexpectedly in a freak accident. She was the funniest woman I had ever met, and she was gone. She was gone, and all I wanted was to make plans with her again. This last May, we all got together to celebrate her life on the one year anniversary of her passing. We toasted to her, and we vowed to do better. As
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we lifted our glasses, our sentiment rang out, "To Sam! Make the plans!" When my friend never returned from that trip, I had to acknowledge that there were times, not just in this friendship but in other ones as well, that I didn't want to make the trip, or just didn't text back, or meant to return the call later but didn't. I thought there would be time. For me, it hit so hard because she was supposed to see me when she came home. She was the funniest woman I knew, and the impression she made on me was never voiced to her. She left this world not realizing how much she intrigued me. I hope she knew how crazy I was about her. I swear, the next time we were together, I was gonna tell her. I was. The next time... Everyone hears stories of friends who have lost friends and we should learn from them but we don't learn, do we? We all know we should say and do more, but life has us running around in circles. How many times have you not picked up your phone and thought, "I'll call her back after I get the kitchen cleaned up." How many times have you sent a text breaking plans when the only thing keeping you home was the season finale of 'The Voice'? So, I'm not going to tell you to tell people how much they mean because you never know what might happen. I'm not going to tell you to hug like it might be the last hug you give. You know all that already.
What I am going to tell you is to make the plans. Don't put it off. Don't wait for the right time, more money or a longer weekend. Go ahead and go. Have the drink, even if you can't afford it or just order water. Go for dinner, even if you already ate and just have dessert. Swing by the barbecue. Go for a back road ride. Return the call. Send the text. Make the plans! Trust me when I tell you making the plans is worth it! Because it isn't about the meal or the drinks, it is about the friends that invited you. It's about the friends that sing as loud as you do in the car. It is about the friends that will hold the floatie in the pool so you can get on it somewhat gracefully. It’s about the friends that will laugh at your jokes. It’s about the friends that know your secrets and your natural hair color. Friendships come in all different shapes and sizes. They can be old friends you've known for years or new friends you make while waiting in line. If you are lucky enough to connect with a person, make the plans. Don't put it off. Sorry we didn't get another visit, Sam. Rest peacefully, my friend. You are missed so very much. --------------------------------------------------
Darla lives in Jefferson, Texas, where she raises her son, Atticus Gregory, with her significant other, Hugh Lewis II. She lived a decade in NC and a short time in Houston. Eventually she returned to her hometown of Texarkana, where she met Hugh while working at the Texarkana Gazette. When they met, Hugh was also the owner of the McKay House Bed & Breakfast. After 10 years in the B&B business they quit. Now, they live in a historic downtown building with a yorkie, a great dane puppy, two cats and a tween son. And vodka and a typewriter. darlam8472@yahoo.com
www.visitjeffersontexas.com 903-665-3733
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alk to me about summer. Tell me all about its warmth, its inviting nature. Fire up the grill and pour a glass of sweet tea. Let’s take a break and spend some time together talking about the future or strolling down memory lane.
We long for endless days of summer bliss. Those lazy days. Those dog days. Where the shimmering heat radiates from a plot of fresh cut grass. Where time stretches across the blue lake and sandy beaches, or the baseball field, or maybe just the backyard as our kids splash in the water laughing and squealing as they go.
Feel the sweat trickle down your neck as the thick lather of sunscreen begins to wear off. Bite into a giant wedge of watermelon. Do you remember its juice dripping down your arms as a child? Can you hear the crickets chirp as the sun sinks low in the sky?
There is something so universally relaxing about summertime. We long to rest, to play, to visit. As this summer winds down we hope you find time to gather together, share a meal, and catch up with those you love.
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STEAK • • • • • • •
2 pounds filet mignon chopped 1/2 pound bacon 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 2 tbsp Worcestershire salt & pepper to taste favorite bbq sauce
• Wrap bacon around steak, layer on skewer and top with seasonings.
CHICKEN
• 2 pounds chicken chopped • 1 package cream cheese • 3 jalapeños (seeded and chopped into quarters) • 1/2 pound bacon • salt & pepper to taste • favorite bbq sauce • Wrap bacon around cream cheese, jalapeños and chicken. Layer on skewer and top with seasonings.
DIRECTIONS:
• Place on hot grill, sear each side of meat. • Lather bbq sauce while cooking with basting brush. • Cook until desired steak doneness (about 10 minutes) and until chicken is fully done inside (about 20-25 minutes).
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INGREDIENTS: • • • •
4 ears of corn 1 stick butter softened 3 tablespoons seasoned salt aluminum foil
DIRECTIONS:
• Remove silk and husk from corn and wash. • Mix butter and seasoned salt together in small bowl. • Rub corn with butter mixture and wrap in foil. • Place wrapped corn on grill for 20-25 mins until done. • Salt, pepper, and butter to taste.
TOPPINGS:
Roll your grilled corn in these non traditional toppings for a tasty variation on the classic. • • • • • •
Pesto & Parmesan Grated Cheddar & Chopped Bacon Olive Oil, Garlic & Parmesan Melted Butter & Lemon-Pepper Melted Butter & Ranch Seasoning Mexican Style: Mayo, Crumbled Feta, Chile Powder & Lime Wedges
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INGREDIENTS: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1/2 pound asparagus tops 1 1/4 pound potatoes (I used fingerlings) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 pickled red onion 2 eggs soft or hard boiled 2 1/2 tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp fresh ground pepper 1-2 tablespoon truffle oil (or olive oil) 1 oz goat cheese 2 radishes (sliced) green onions to preference aluminum foil
DIRECTIONS:
• Wash potatoes and place them in a quart size saucepan. Fill pan with enough water to cover about 1/2" higher than the potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a medium low temperature until fork tender. • Rinse asparagus and pat dry. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil, top asparagus with sea salt and broil in oven for 2 to 3 minutes until tender. • Boil eggs by placing them in a saucepan of boiling water, lowering them in by a slotted spoon. Cook 5 to 15 mins until preferred doneness, take them out and immediately place them into ice water until cooled. Remove shell once cooled. • Once potatoes are cooked, slice in half or quarters, place them in a bowl. • To the bowl add your asparagus tops, pickled red onions, dijon, salt, pepper and truffle oil. Gently stir. • Top with radishes, green onions, eggs, and cheese. • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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INGREDIENTS:
• 3 cups water • 6 tea bags • 1/3 cup honey • 7 cups of ice water in a pitcher • 2 cups chopped strawberries
DIRECTIONS: • • • • • • • • • • •
Bring water to a boil. Add tea bags. On low, allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags. While tea is still hot, add honey. In a food processor, puree strawberries (approximately 45 seconds). Add 7 cups of ice water to pitcher. Pour tea and honey mixture and stir well. Add strawberry puree and stir. Taste for desired sweetness (if necessary, add more honey). Enjoy.
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headlines & hemlines written by Rachel Pardue Summer in the City
A
s all of my friends began searching for their summer internships in New York and San Francisco, I too began the job hunt. Over Christmas break, while I was home from Boston, I went to my dad’s office to use his computer because the internet at home in the woods of North Louisiana moves as slow as the pace of life out there. I sifted through desk job after desk job that would last from the beginning of my break in May until it was time for me to move back to Boston in August. An entire summer spent in an office building somewhere a thousand miles away from afternoon coffee with my grandparents and Saturdays with my brother on the boat didn’t seem quite right. From moving to Boston at 18 without knowing a soul to completing a relentless four-day climb in the Andes Mountains with the flu, I have been known to do exactly the opposite of what is expected, and it’s worked out wonderfully for me so far, so I thought why stop now? While my business school class was stressing over the life-defining summer before Junior Year Internship that supposedly determines your job after graduation, I enrolled in Fashion Design School at Parsons in New York City. I admit I have immensely downplayed my love for fashion because as someone who prides herself on intellect and being able to maneuver maledominated industries, I thought fashion wasn’t as impressive as my finance or macroeconomics classes. Then I had to ask myself, who exactly am I trying to impress? My friends loved and supported that I was going to design school (many even said they wished they had done the same) and my family thought it was about time I pursued this passion of mine, so who are these people that I was worried about? Isn’t it tragically hilarious that I nearly let myself be persuaded by the opinions of people who I could not name? Maybe it comes from growing up in
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a tiny community where knowing everyone’s business is a pastime and maybe some of you reading can relate, but it seems so common to worry about what ‘people’ will think when we can’t even put a face to the person we’re trying to impress. It’s just silly.
macroeconomic classes as before. I have always seen myself in the startup world working for my own company instead of in a corporate job developing someone else’s, and fashion, as it would turn out, seems to be the perfect industry to start my first business in.
One of my first weekends in New York, I had dinner with 20 of my college classmates who were in the city for an internship or who had already graduated and are now working there full time. While many of them are working for the biggest names on Wallstreet or highly successful tech companies, most of the dinner conversation revolved around asking about my classes, showering me with support, and begging to see pictures of my designs. They thought it was so cool of me to do something completely different from what a rising junior in business school is supposed to do.
Now I am back home from New York, writing this outside in the sun to the sounds of birds instead of in the city surrounded by concrete and constant sirens. I have two whole months to spend with my family horseback riding, fishing, and doing all of my favorite things that I would be day-dreaming about from a cubicle somewhere had I taken an internship. Time I get to spend creating more designs, working on manufacturing contracts, and building my ecommerce website.
During my time in New York, I took an intensive fashion design program that crammed an entire semester of classes from one of the most highly regarded fashion schools in the world in under a month. I was taught how to design and sew on a couture level under the close mentorship of an esteemed fashion designer who has his own label, and I was given the opportunity to become close friends with a wonderful group of young designers who opened my eyes to a world that could not be more culturally different from business school. Now I find myself happily floating between the math-based suit-wearing world of business and the creative undefined realm of fashion. I do not regret for a second my choice to go to business school and am just as nerdily in love with those finance and
The most rewarding moment of my summer, however, was celebrating my birthday in New York City. I looked around the table at the face of one of my oldest friends from high school in Ruston, Louisiana who I began riding horses with at age 5. There were also friends from college in Boston who became a second family for a girl who found herself alone and far from home, and friends from fashion design school who helped me embrace a side of myself I had been hiding. The friends from the three biggest stages of my life who all molded me in completely different ways were meeting each other for the first time. It was then that I realized in my 20 years, the biggest lesson I have learned is that no matter where you go, especially when you go all alone, there is always a kind, magnificent, and life-changing group of friends just waiting to be made on the other side of that one-way flight. ----------------------------------------------------
Rachel Pardue is a graduate of Cedar Creek School in Ruston, Louisiana. She is an aspiring entrepreneur who is studying business at Babson College outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Babson is ranked as the #1 School for Entrepreneurship in the nation, and Rachel is attending as a Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Scholar.
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Speak It!
written by Kathy B. Nelson
Silver & Gold
R
emember the line in the old Girl Scout song ‘Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.’? I learned that song when I was in junior high. I have since learned how true those words are. Having old friends and making new ones was so representative of my life. I lived in so many places throughout my school age years. Making friends, moving away, and then learning to make new friends in a new town was part of my life. I suppose the negative side of this pattern is that I never really got a chance to develop deep, lasting friendships with anyone. Those friendships are typically forged over time and grow deep and close by going through life experiences together. But, the positive side is that I have made friends across many miles. I learned that you can’t wait for someone else to do the asking and the reaching out to you. You must be proactive and let others know you want to know them and be their friend. One of my elusive dreams is to have all of those friends from every place I lived in one room to talk and share a meal (because there ALWAYS needs to be a meal). I would love to hear about their life and how they got to where they are now. I would ask about their life highs and lows. Cheer with them and grieve with them. Knowing some of them may not even be alive anymore is a very sobering reality. Life is just like that – it is so brief. A road trip to former hometowns might be fun. I have been able to visit a few
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of them in recent years, and by far the most memorable places were the homes where my friends lived. I would walk or ride my bike to visit, and we would play all day. I love these “gold” friends. My thoughts of them come more often now since I am older and reflect on my life story more often. Grateful is the word that comes to my mind the most. I am grateful for a rich and exciting childhood. One marked with joy and adventure and laughter. I suppose that is why I would cry when we moved away. I just couldn’t imagine that there would be friends as fun and wonderful as the ones I was leaving. But, there always were. I want to thank my “gold” friends for showing me Jesus was more than a faraway God that looked down on me and stepped in only when needed. They showed me he was very personal and loved all of me. He even considered me his friend. Of course, the sadness of leaving would subside when we rolled into our new hometown, and I began to meet the new people that would welcome me and create new friendships.
My new friends, the “silver” ones, keep me learning new things, appreciating life and new adventures. They bring growth and maturity and new life lessons. Meeting and developing the “silver” friends will push us out of our comfort zone and the “gold” circle we settle in to. I thank God for these new friends. Our capacity to love others is only as great as the source from which that love comes. And my source is a well that never runs dry! My word of encouragement to you is to stay in touch with the friends you have had for years – those “gold” friends. Check on them if you still can and remind them of how special they are, or were, in your life. But, make new friends, too. Put yourself out there and draw new people into your world. We should never stop making new friends. We need them, and they need us. This can be the summer of new friendship. What a great gift – friendship. “A man that has friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 --------------------------------------------------
Kathy is founder of Speak It Ministries, a ministry of encouragement and equipping others in their walk of faith in Christ. She loves any opportunity to teach God’s word to anyone that will listen. She is all about Living life, loving people and laughing out loud. You can follow her on FaceBook, on Twitter @cckathy and on her website www.speakitministries.com
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Written by Chalaine Scott Popsicles. A tire swing. A hose draped across the lawn. Prickly grass tickling the bottoms of bare feet. Little legs jumping high through sprinkler water. They asked me to paint my perfect summer. If I had a canvas to draw, the picture wouldn’t be what they’d guess. It wasn’t lavish. It wasn’t even always pretty. It wasn’t an island tucked away in the sea. It wasn’t a cruise ship sailing through the Pacific. It wasn’t a big city excursion or a trip to the shore. In fact, it wasn’t anywhere at all. It was them. “I Batman!” A little boy’d scream across the yard. Bike helmet on head, sheet cape on shoulders.
A panting dog would lick the water from my toes. The yelling Batman would run on by, soaked with each step from a sister holding the hose. It wasn’t an expensive waterpark or a fancy resort. It didn’t require a plane ticket or a guest pass. It was the backyard of a random little house in the middle of a nowhere town. Peanut butter smeared across the chin and icecream drops tangled in a long blonde ponytail. The whole world could come crashing down, but in that little lawn locked inside our gate, we were untouchable. It turns out when you think about the greatest season of your life, it’s never about where you went, but who went with you.
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Looking back, it’s not about the views you witnessed or the places you saw; it’s about who was beside you when you were there. It’s about the laughing, the 1 AM heart-to-hearts, the firepits, and the double dog dares, the “ah alright, one more hand” and one more song and one more game. It’s the running into oceans and lying under stars. And most of all, it’s knowing you never did those things alone. My family has a motto: “making memories.” Growing up, it sounds corny. But one day, all of a sudden, you’re all grown up, and you realize you’ll never get enough time to make enough of them. You realize it’s what life is all about. Sharing the worsts and the bests and the happiest and the saddest moments with the ones that were made for you. The ones God handpicked to be in your story. Your people. Your painting. It turns out the best place I’ve ever been wasn’t really a particular place at all. It was a mix of times and spaces and cars and backyards and dinner tables and lawns. It was anywhere they were. And it was him. He was there. He was here. I got 26.5 summers with a grandfather God painted into my picture. And I’m thankful, that's what I'd tell you if you asked. Thankful for the summers had. The hugs I got. The giggles I shared. The one July day where we lay in the grass making silly faces into a camera lens, and another when we sat beside a fire as my uncle strummed his guitar. I’m so, so thankful. But I'm selfish, so I'd ask for more. Knowing you don’t get another summer with someone you loved really makes you appreciative of the one’s you got. It makes you want to enjoy every other one you’ll be lucky enough to be given with the people you still have. Sometimes, I think we put too much pressure on a summer. Like we’re made as beings who need to take expensive trips and plan wild vacations in a certain season. Sometimes, I think
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we put too much pressure on ourselves to get away, when in reality, what we really need, is to just be present. What we really need isn’t far away at all. It’s a simple Saturday afternoon. Burgers flipping, cousins’ laughing, hammocks swinging, uncles singing, horseshoes’ throwing. It’s your family crammed into a backyard and their loudness echoing through your home. It’s filling a table with your favorite people and looking around to feel your heart just as full. Paint us your perfect summer, they’d ask. Some would sketch a yellow sun hovering in a light blue sky, a bubbly wave crashing into an ocean, a bright white seagull landing on a rocky shore, boats docked alongside one another in a bay. Me? It’d be peeling picnic tables covered in dollar store tablecloths. A blow up plastic pool and a pink bike with streamers hanging from the handlebars. The lawn wasn’t always green. The grass didn’t always grow. But it was paradise to me. And, yes, I could paint a cruise ship or an island amidst the sea, but the best thing about summer is painting them there with me. A copywriter, novelist, and columnist, Chalaine lives by her pen. She is always traveling and never settling, making memories wherever she roams. Living off her dog's cuddles, her brother's humor, and sweet iced tea, she is just a girl in love with the simplicities. Mostly though, she is just a mess in stilettos, living off God's grace and living to serve Him, welcoming inspiration from wherever it comes and pursuing her dreams with whatever it takes. Follow her @Chaleezy
magazine
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a fresh perspective from rosemary's kitchen
written by Rosemary Thomas Uncle Ned
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lthough a little late in arriving, it seems that Summer had decided to show up to the party after all. Summer is kind of like your Uncle Ned. You are really glad to see him because he always brings the dish of to-die-for Party Potatoes and he can be the life of the party. But as glad as we are to see Ned, we are usually just as glad to see him go because he is starting to repeat his jokes and is hanging out a little too close to the pitcher of Sangria. Come August, we will begin to feel the same about Summer. But for now, we will enjoy them both and know they won’t be here forever. Hosting – or attending – a Summer Get-Together is on the list of required summer activities. Whether it is a family reunion, a church pot-luck, or just a couple of friends over, try to make this happen. The attraction at a BBQ is usually – well – BBQ! Because I am a vegetarian – and I am trying to improve my eating habits, I need to tweak the usual array of BBQ ribs, potato salad, and chips. There are so many healthy options for a BBQ. This is the time when garden-fresh fruits and veggies are
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available. Check out one of our many local Farmer’s Markets (I love the one in RUSTON!) and find some local products and produce! ----------------------------------------------------
Portabella BBQ Burgers Grill up a Portabella cap (I remove the gills first with a spoon) with your favorite BBQ sauce. Slap that fungi on a bun, add your favorite burger stuff (lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickle for me) and you have a wonderful BBQ sandwich! Lots of folks in my family love this and they aren’t even vegetarian! ----------------------------------------------------
Pesto Potato Salad Instead of coating potatoes in mayo (and then worrying about keeping it cold), run those spuds around with a spoon or two of your favorite pesto (I love Basil Pesto). You can add other stuff too, like cut green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radish, green onion, etc. Pretty… Pretty healthy. Good Combo.
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Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
Add 2 cups crumbled feta cheese, some chopped red or green onion, 1 cup chopped mint and maybe a few pecans to some cubed watermelon. (You could also use cantaloupe!). If you wanted to be all fancy-pants, use a melon baller. Chill all of this together. When ready to serve, stir it up with a little dressing made with 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 T lemon juice, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp Tabasco and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. (Trust me – this is so good!) ---------------------------------------------------Embrace this summer like you would Uncle Ned that you haven’t seen all year. You’ll be ready to escort them both to the door soon enough, but for now – accept the gifts they bring and enjoy their company! Enjoy Summer. Enjoy Life. Stay in Gratitude.
Rosemary Thomas is an avid cook and gardener who enjoys the challenge of owning Rosemary's Kitchen in Ruston and working with her daughter.
a collage of southern stories and recipes:
seasoned moments written by Barbara Durbin
Porch Guests Are Best
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Summer time can be most any day of the year in the deep south. While the faint poignant lemon smell of magnolia blooms may be long past, breaking out the grill is never out of season. Southerners have been known to even cook the Christmas meal in a grill on the back of a flatbed truck. We are a most adaptable people, for we never know what conditions our weather may hold. The epitome of being instant in season and out holds true in this section of the country. As soon as a new day dawns, we check the weather and the cupboard, then plan accordingly. Based on the forecast, the pantry and the pocketbook, daily menus are arranged. We select inside or out, then prepare. Some days we take a quick spin to the supermarket to pick up hot dogs and pickle relish, and cold drinks with ice. Other days, we stay at home and enjoy the fruits of our labor from the front porch. “At home” is anywhere we “take and sit a spell,” whether it be your house or mine. Once assembled, we talk of the crops, the logwoods and timber, the neighbors, their business and God. Not necessarily in that order. Truly, southerners adapt well, both to weather, seasons, and situations. I believe the unhurried flow of the bayou leads us to live life in a more easygoing manner. Besides, if it is 89 degrees at Thanksgiving, it’s too hot to be in a hurry for anything. In any given time of year, we may barbecue from our deck, our dock or our floating dinghy.
thrust clothes into our suitcase and toss in our games of Yahtzee with dice then motor to parts unknown. A couple of unplanned days are all we need to warrant packing the picnics baskets and grabbing our beach towels. Stuffing folks, food, and fuel into vehicles like sardines in a can; we motor merrily toward our fun and down time. Whether we spend that time on the lake fishing, or on a trek through the mountains, we will need to eat. Should that be in a rented kitchen or over a campfire grill, or on a cabin stove, we must have nourishment as we ramble. Choose to enjoy your time of leisure. Life is much too busy. Besides, in our neck of the woods, whether they be backdoor, front porch, or party guest, any visitor coming to share a meal is always the best. ----------------------------------------------------
Grilled Fish & Vegetables
1 lb Tilapia fillets 1 t. Sea Salt 1 1/2 t. Lemon Pepper 4 T. Butter 2 T. Chopped Fresh Parsley 2 Cups Chopped Zucchini 1 Large Chopped Tomato 1 Small Onion Sliced 1/2 Small Lemon Sliced
Place each fillet in center of a piece of heavy aluminum foil. Season each with salt and lemon pepper. Place 1/2 cup of zucchini on top of each fillet. Divide the tomato and onions between each of the fillets. Place a slice of lemon on each and sprinkle with parsley. Bring up foil sides; double fold tops and ends to seal packet. Check for tightness. Grill over medium-high heat 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. Turn packet over halfway through cooking time. ----------------------------------------------------
Teriyaki Chicken
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts 3 T. Soy Sauce 3 T. Worcestershire Sauce 1 C. Brown Sugar 1 Clove Garlic, Pressed 1/2 t. Ground Ginger 1/4 t. Onion Powder 1/4 t. Seasoned Salt 1 T. Olive Oil 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube Combine ingredients, pour over chicken and marinate at least one hour. Charcoal grill or oven grill; basting once or twice with marinade. Be careful not to overcook, serve with rice. ----------------------------------------------------
Barbara Durbin is a legal secretary and a published newspaper and magazine columnist. When not at her "real job", she works on her baskets filled with vintage books/ china for "The Vintage Bee." She loves a walk in the woods and her time with God. Barbara and her husband have four children, eight grandchildren and a dappled dachshund named Bella. Look for her on facebook and follow her "Pocket Full of Moment" comments.
Many times choices lead us to quickly
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blissful chaos written by Yvette Hardy
Seize the Season
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ometimes in the summertime, I find myself focusing on the big things like where we’re going on vacation, planning it, organizing it, packing for it and finally going. I have to say sometimes the planning is better than the actual trip! Afterward, it’s back to life as normal and all its daily routines. How can we enjoy the mundane when we’ve waited and counted on the BIG trip to fulfill us? Then we dread the daily-ness and the stressors that life throws our way? I believe one way is not to let that feeling go away! One reason we are so excited about vacation is because it’s a change. Summer is a perfect time to try small changes. It’s a time when we can play a little more and worry a little less! So often we get caught up in the big events in our life that we forget to enjoy the smaller ones. Summer is upon us and with that comes vacations, beach trips, lazy days and late nights. Sometimes we find ourselves going and doing a lot more in the summer because of fewer demands on our time. But it should also be a time for a change in routine on a small scale too. Things like lazy afternoons on the porch swing with a pillow and a good book, breakfast outside before the heat becomes unbearable or sitting on the porch late in the evening when the hot sun sinks down behind the tall Louisiana pines, watching fireflies light up the night air. It is a time to remember to smell the beautiful flowers, maybe even plant some yourself or bring in the bounty from the garden and eat fresh. Summer is a time to try something new…whether you plant, read, garden, paint, relax, cook, don’t cook…just get out of the rut and routine! I have to admit, I am a creature of habit and sometimes find it difficult to embrace change. But if there were ever a time to do it, I believe summer is it. Maybe a big vacation isn’t in your budget this summer. What about a
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day trip? What about an in-state trip to visit places you always heard about but never really took the time to visit? What about a picnic in the yard? A blanket in the back of a pick-up truck while you gaze at the stars? I believe summer is a perfect time to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of life. The things we normally don’t take the time to notice! Here are a few other summertime ideas to consider. Wash a car with the kids and turn the hose on them! Have a water balloon fight, walk to the mailbox, put down the electronics, listen to a new kind of music, write in a journal, read your Bible outdoors in God’s beautiful surroundings, visit the library or a museum, go to the zoo or have
a picnic in the yard. You’ve probably heard them all before and can probably think of several more. But the goal was to get you thinking. What can you do this summer to get out of the same ole routine? What can you try new? It really doesn’t have to be a big deal. Just one small thing to say you’ve tried something new. To say you took advantage of LIFE! That YOU made the most of even the smallest thing! Remember when we used to think summertime lasted forever? Then we got older and realized it’s not as long as we thought? So before this summer passes you by, get out there and try something new. Seize the season! ----------------------------------------------------
Yvette is a mom to 3 brown-eyed beauties, a wife to a hard-working "Louisiana oil-man," a sister to two crazy gals, an aunt to many, and a child of the One True King. These are just some of the titles she holds humbly, and near & dear to her heart. She's still chasing a few dreams (even at her age), and trying to live intentionally! Yvette is a lover of all things old, southern hospitality, a gypsy at heart and happy in boots or heels! She is a nurse and the owner of Fashion on the Fly online boutique with a mobile fashion truck on the way.
Grilled Chicken Red, White & Blueberry Salad
Blue Hawaiian Pizza
This is what summer tastes like. Ruston
301 S. Vienna (just 3 short blocks from the festival) 318-329-1922
West Monroe 811 Splane Drive 318-329-1922
Steak & Chimichurri Sandwich
Monroe
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Lemon 29 Cake
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• 3/4 cup tequila or rum • 1 cup diced strawberries • 3 basil leaves, torn • 6 ounces limeade concentrate (half of can, thawed) • 18 ounces water • 10-12 popsicle bags
• Chop strawberries and mix with torn basil leaves in a small bowl. • In a separate bowl, mix liquor, limeade concentrate, and water. • Add a spoonful of the strawberry mixture to popsicle bag. Fill the rest of the bag with liquid mixture and seal leaving a small gap (volume will expand when frozen).A small funnel is helpful. • Place popsicles upright in freezer (to prevent leaking) and freeze at least 24 hours. • Makes 12.
• Skip the liquor for a version your kids will gobble up. You might leave out the basil too if your kids are a little picky. Mine lost interest in the green stuff pretty quickly.
We had such a good time making our peach tea popsicles last issue that we decided to double down with another awesome recipe. Boozy popsicles are one of the hottest trends this summer. You can use just about any cocktail mixture to create a frozen treat for the summer heat but we recommend starting with these oh so easy strawberyy basil margarita pops. Amazon carries popsicle pouches. We bought a 36 pack of the Zipzicle Zip-Top Ice Pop Pouches for $6.99.
Written by Tiffany Byram 31
the journey written by Jason McReynolds Grill Deeper
J
ust before I sat down to write this, the weather guy said that we’re entering our first five day stretch of 90+ degree heat. I’m surprised it took this long to get here, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to sweating when I walk to my mailbox (which is attached to the house 1 foot away from my front door). Summer is the fun part of the year, though. The sun shines bright, kids are out of school, plants are blooming, pools are open, and grills are being fired up! Summer is nice! Grilling may be my favorite. Yes, it’s hot, but that can be offset with a cold beverage and a canopy or umbrella. The thing I love the most about grilling out is the company. Whenever you go to a cookout, you never cook alone! There are always guys around the grill. It’s a community event. And it makes sense. There is something about the smell of meat wafting through the air that just makes the world right, you know? Even when I’m cooking just for the family, my neighbors will come up the driveway, or we’ll talk over the fence for a while. Or whenever my neighbors are cooking everyone wanders over like a moth drawn to a flame! There’s something irresistible about the grill! Every time I grill it reminds me of the animal sacrifices given in the Old Testament. They used to throw entire heifers on a giant grill! Imagine how far that wonderful aroma wafted! It’s as if there was a call to come and worship the Lord through the sense of smell! You know that smell that permeates your car when you drive past a Burger King? I bet that’s what Jerusalem smelled like all the time! I don’t think it would have been possible to be vegetarian in Jerusalem! But just like our grill outs, it wasn’t just about the meat. Sacrifices were
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about worshiping the God of Heaven. Now, most people think of music as worship, but the Bible says that worship is everything we do. Every action we take, every decision we make is a way to honor and glorify God. Just like our picnics, worship involved gathering to share life together. Just like in our driveways, it involved talking about our lives. Just like in our backyards, it involved eating together. Worship is all of these things with the added understanding that God is God and is over everything. Among those who are believers around the grill, He is present among them. Among those who do not believe, He is working in their lives to draw them to Him. Among those who are hurting, He has placed others there to encourage them and lift them up. Among those who are joyous, He has placed others around them to celebrate in that joy. There is a family in my church that smokes meat. They have a team that competes in bbq competitions, and they do really well. Let me tell you; it’s fall-offthe-bone good! People come out from all over to help or just to support them by buying whatever they are cooking up. Whenever they post their next location on social media, there is an automatic salivation reaction of those who read it! And every time I’ve gone to visit them people surround them. What an awesome way to worship God! They don’t have instruments out. They aren’t singing. They have made a decision to gather and eat meat. That’s always a good decision in my mind!
Now, just gathering doesn’t make worship. It’s the recognition of our Lord Jesus that makes it worship. It’s the fact that we acknowledge that He is present and guiding us. It’s the conversation about what He is doing in our lives. It’s talking with those who are inquisitive of Him about how Jesus is real and loves us so much that He died for us. You can easily gather, and at the end of the day, it means nothing. It’s only when you gather and worship God that it brings eternal substance and encouragement. No matter who gathers around my grill with me, we have a natural conversation about God. I don’t want a moment to pass by that doesn’t worship Him and doesn’t allow others to think about Him. What worth does that moment have after it is gone if it doesn’t worship Jesus? Worship of Jesus is the only thing that transfers from this life to the next. Not your car or house or the meat or any material thing. Just your relationship with Jesus. Every time you fire up that grill, you have the opportunity to draw others into the presence of God. Use it to share the life-changing message that God has for those around you! He is bringing them to you! Open your mouth and trust that He wants to use your grill to bring hearts closer to Him! ----------------------------------------------------
Jason McReynolds is the pastor of New Orleans Community Church. He and his wife, Liev, have two boys and one little girl. Jason enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, watching and/ or playing any kind of sports, and taking his wife out on dates. To learn more about him, or NOCC, visit: www.neworleanscommunitychurch.com
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D I A B E T ES C A R E L A .CO M 33
ramblings of a
coffee addict
Steven Smith
Louisiana Summer
A
h, summertime! The kids are out of school, the beaches are in full-swing, the parks are filled with baseball and softball teams, and the backyard grillmasters host barbecues that last late into the night. It’s everyone’s favorite time of year. But there’s a small problem with that; what if you don’t like summer? What if you hate the blistering sun beating down on your skin or the grit of sand invading every crevice of your body? What if the thought of spending any time outdoors during the daylight hours brings up nightmares of sunburns and unending sweat? Fear not, you’re not the only one! For the longest time, I believed that I was unique in my preference of the colder months over the hotter ones. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that, while vastly outnumbered, there are a significant number of rational adults that recognize the superiority of winter to summer. That doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy summer and have fun, we just have to be more creative in our summer activities, working hard to find events and activities where we don’t pass out from heat exhaustion. So to help those who feel as I do, I’ve compiled a list of activities, events, festivals, and more to help those that are more inclined to cooler weather.
Appreciate the Arts Summertime provides a great opportunity to indulge in the arts, whether they be visual, musical, or performance based. Museums such as the Louisiana Art & Science Museum in Baton Rouge, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Alexandria Museum of Art, and the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette offer a nice getaway from the summer heat and an opportunity to take in some culture. Or check online to see if your local town has an art gallery that supports local artists. If music is more your thing, then our state has definitely got you covered. Cities like Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport have many musical venues with genres ranging from rock to country to zydeco. If blues is more your thing,
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take a quick trip over to Mississippi, where clubs like Smoot’s Grocery in Natchez and Ground Zero Blues Club Clarksdale (partially owned by none other than actor Morgan Freeman) crank out that classic delta sound in authentic atmospheres. There are also many opportunities to celebrate the performing arts. Local theaters all over the state present plays and musicals during the summer. Check online with your local theater to see their summer schedule. In Shreveport, you can catch a film at the Robinson Film Center, an independent theater that specializes in showing indie, documentary, and classic films.
Eat the Summer Away One of the best things about living in Louisiana, no matter what time of year it is, is the food. Summer is prime food-truck season. These gourmet kitchens on wheels offer up some of the best food in the state, including BBQ, specialty tacos, and Cajun-inspired twists on classics like burgers and pasta. Some of my favorites include Boo Shay’s, which rotates between Alexandria/Pineville and Jena, Big Juicy's BBQ & C'est Bon Manger in the Lafayette area, and Fay’s Fatburger in Monroe. And of course, you can’t mention Louisiana in the summer without bringing up the classics; crawfish and snowballs! There are many restaurants in the state that pop up just for the summer and offer the best boiled crawfish, along with favorites such as fried shrimp and fried catfish. And there’s no better way to beat the
heat than with your local snowball stand. I may be a bit biased, but the best snowballs in the state are the New Orleans style, with shaved ice instead of crushed, and sweetened condensed milk. Louisiana also has a number of craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries spread across the state, for those adults looking to quench their thirsts with something a bit stronger. Locations including The Abita Brewing Company in Covington, Parish Brewing Company in Lafayette, Landry Vineyards in West Monroe, and Louisiana Spirits Distillery in Lacassine offer tours and tastings most weekends.
Festival Season If there’s anything that Louisiana is known for, it’s our enjoyment of a good party. No matter where you go in this state, there’s always a festival or party to be had. From small, local farmer’s markets to large, well-known festivals, Louisiana offers much to choose from. Some of the festival highlights this summer include: • Bastille Day Fete, New OrleansJuly 14 • Cajun French Music & Food Festival, Lake Charles- July 14-15 • Red River Balloon Rally, ShreveportJuly 14-15 • Louisiana Watermelon Festival, Farmerville- July 28-29 • Gueydan Duck Festival, GueydanAug 24-27 • 82nd Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, Morgan CityAugust 31- September 4 ----------------------------------------------------
Steven is a high school history and Spanish teacher, but his real passions are travel, coffee, and good food. He is married to an amazing wife, who shares his wanderlust.
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penny for your thoughts written by Penny Jones
A Hidden Treasure H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College A Fictional Narrative
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onfederate roses hang heavily above the ground, as their green leaves gently beckon the wanderer to gaze upon their brilliant blooms. They line the path to the white brick dormitories. The breeze brings with it the wet, muddy smell of the bayou as it trickles along its way…stopping for no one. The sun beams proudly in a cloudless sky, and its shine heats anyone who dares to step out into its brilliance. I hear the rush of wagons hastening by onto their destination. Horses whine as their owners take a respite within the shade of Ms. Josephine’s boarding house. The authenticity of this moment washes over me as I gaze upon the path winding underneath the trees. Students saunter around in awe of what’s to come, excited about the future, and yet hidden beneath the surface a tremor of fear can be seen as they nervously flip their hair back. I am on the grounds of H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College. I have arrived at an all-girls college and one of only a handful of colleges for girls at this time. My name is Adara, which means noble. Mama always said I was noble to step out of the Jewish community into the world of Gentile girls going to college. I am not sure if I would call it noble, virtuous, or sheer stubbornness. Whatever it is, I have always known I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to use my hands to make pottery. The earthen utensils of clay are meant to entice the public to stop and look at the inventive art forms, and their unique beauty. Thus, this is why I am here…to improve my artistic abilities. I walk along listening to the chatter of students congregating in small circles. Ms. Henrietta steps from the building. Tall and slender, her hair is the color of pine bark, and is pinned into a loose bun. Her smile speaks of wisdom
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and holds a glimmer of wistfulness to reassure us we are indeed in the right place. I can’t wait to begin school! Ringing her handbell, all goes silent. “Shh…Girls…Girls...I know you are excited to be here! It is a privilege to study for your future destinations in life, and today marks the beginning of a journey. It is a journey of hope, faith in the future, nervousness of the exams to come, and finally, excitement of friendships already forging. Today we break you up into groups. These groups are based on your intended profession. I would like all the art majors, specifically the pottery girls to step to the side.” The distinction for my group has been made, and it is time for me to move. I slip quietly to the left of Ms. Henrietta as she has signaled. I find one other girl standing in our section. Slender like a willow tree, eyes the blue of cornflower, and hair the color of silk she looks directly into my eyes and smiles. Instantly I light up. I am not alone! I have found an instant bond. Reaching her side, the girl grins and winks. She quietly whispers “I’m Charlotte” as Ms. Henrietta continues to separate girls according to their desired field. I respond, “I’m Adara.” Lifting an eyebrow, she scrunches her nose and asks “What kinda name is that?” I teasingly reply “Hebrew of course, as we are God’s favorite.” Laughing out loud, she snorts, “Don’t let Mother Maria hear that!” I reply, “I won’t.” That day began a friendship that lasted a lifetime. I now sit with my hands on the potter’s wheel fashioning a vase that will hold fragrant flowers. My time at Newcomb is long gone. At Newcomb, I came to appreciate the value of friendship and also solidified my faith. There is a story where a man of God is lead to a potter’s field. Then the Lord says to him “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand...” Sitting at my potter’s wheel, I work years of instruction into this clay and know that Ms. Henrietta would be proud. My fingers are sculpting a beautiful
piece of art, and I know only I have the power to mold and fashion this clay into something of priceless value. I find as my fingers curve the lip of the vase, this is like God. He molds me into his plan if I willingly submit to the process. Will I allow the curves of life, the pressures of pain, and the grip of grief to detour my shape? Or will I submit to this process and be fashioned into a lovely piece of pottery. I discovered through my years of art school that I wield the power, but the materials must yield to the making. The same is true with my relationship with God. He wields the power, and I choose to yield to his Lordship. Charlotte and I remain friends to this day. We own a small art gallery in New Orleans, and we both know we must yield to the Master of Life’s plans so we may become beautiful displays of his glory. Newcomb College was our place of yielding to the process. What does your yielding place look like? I encourage you to surrender to the process, for it is in the process that treasures are revealed. ---------------------------------------------------H. Sopie Newcomb College was established in the 1886, and specialized in pottery courses. The story is purely fictional, but if you ever find yourself in the New Orleans area stop by Tulane and visit the history of Newcomb, as Tulane and Newcomb are now in essence one school. The Biblical story referenced here can be found in Jeremiah 18. ---------------------------------------------------Penny Jones was born and raised in Louisiana, and finds joy in the history of this unique state. She holds a degree in English from the University of Kansas CityMissouri.
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a knack for
nutrition
written by Beth Fontenot, MS, RD, LDN
Extra Baggage
I
f you have a summer trip planned, you might not want to know what I’m about to tell you. Most people gain just under a pound when they go on vacation. A pound may not seem like much, but most adults are victims of “creeping obesity.” That’s the gradual weight gain that starts in your mid-thirties. It’s so small that it’s barely noticeable until you suddenly realize that you weigh 20 pounds more at age 55 than you did at age 35. Your annual vacation may be responsible for about one pound of that weight gain every year, according to a study published last year. When you’re on the road, you tend to eat more calories than you do at home. Free hotel breakfasts can turn into a calorie free-for-all if you don’t discipline yourself to eat about the same amount of food you eat at home. Unless you’re camping or staying in a place where you can prepare your own food, you eat at restaurants three times a day, and those meals are notorious for their high calories and large portion sizes. Because you’re in fun mode, you’ll probably indulge in sweet treats more often than you do at home, and you might do it every day that you’re away. The study I mentioned found that alcoholic beverages were a big source of extra vacation calories. Among the people in the study, eight drinks a week was average, but during a vacation, that number doubled. Calories from alcoholic beverages can add up fast. A four-ounce margarita has about 170 calories while the same size pina colada has 260 calories. Most mixed drinks you purchase are much
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larger than four ounces, so you can easily double or triple those calories with one drink. Now I’m not suggesting that you count every calorie you eat or drink while on vacation. Vacations are good for you. You need fun time away from the responsibilities and the rut of home and work. However, the temptation to throw caution to the wind and indulge in every culinary and alcoholic whim might need to be curbed. Unless you’re in the habit of weighing yourself often, you probably won’t even notice that extra pound when you get home, so you won’t make any effort to lose it. Add the creeping obesity factor to this year’s vacation weight gain and then next year’s, and you can easily see how it can snowball. So here are some ideas to help you be mindful of what you eat while on the road. Learn to read a restaurant menu creatively so you can eat as healthy as possible when you’re on the road. Some places will allow you to order from the child’s menu, especially if you are of a seasoned age. That will cut portion sizes substantially but won’t always leave you with many options. Splitting a meal with a travel partner works well. If you are doubtful that half a meal will satisfy you or your travel partner, order a salad as well. Or check out the appetizer menu and see if something there appeals to you, then add a salad.
Knowing you will be eating out more than usual, plan to eat two light meals a day and save most of your calories for one main meal. You might even consider cutting back to brunch and dinner instead of three meals a day. Limit how many sugary beverages you drink. Water is good. Pay attention to how often you eat fried foods, cheesy foods, or foods with creamy sauces. Pack some healthy snacks to carry with you as you enjoy the beach or hike through the mountains. Fresh, canned, or dried fruit, nuts, and whole grain crackers or dry breakfast cereal can take the edge off your hunger until mealtime. Take along plenty of water, and keep yourself hydrated. Limit alcoholic drinks made with mixers, syrups, and sodas. Light beers and wine are much lower in calories compared to some mixed drinks that can top 1,100 calories. Take advantage of being in a new place to see it up close and personal by walking, bicycling, swimming, kayaking, or engaging in any form of activity you enjoy to burn up some of those extra calories you consume. You work hard and deserve a vacation and a few indulgences, but give some thought to what you consume to avoid bringing home ‘extra baggage.’ ----------------------------------------------------
Beth Fontenot is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist who divides her time between the swamps of south Louisiana and the piney woods of north Louisiana. Though she’s been known to indulge in a certain Texas brand of ice cream or a fried seafood dinner, she does believe that good nutrition is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.
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bringing back
the past
written by Wesley Harris A Tough Nut to Crack
T
he person who first described a difficult task as a “tough nut to crack” must have struggled with smashing open a black walnut. Last fall I collected up some of the stubborn nuts from underneath the one and only black walnut tree I know is growing wild in Louisiana. And it is not a truly wild sample, having been planted at an old home site nearly a century ago. Only the walnut tree and a few foundation stones mark where a farmer raised a family in the midst of cotton fields terraced into rocky red clay hills. I knew from childhood experiences gathering my grandmother’s black walnuts under a tree she planted that nothing less than a heavy hammer is required to defeat the tough shell. Picking out the meat takes the skill and patience of a surgeon. I gave up after some halfhearted efforts to excise the meager morsels. Although the black walnut is a species native to Louisiana, finding a tree is as unlikely as digging up diamonds in your flower bed. Since the walnut’s distinctive flavor and texture are not lost in cooking, it has long been used in cakes, candies, and ice cream. Early colonial settlers in America discovered the wood to be hard, yet soft enough to work easily. It is coarse grained, finishes well, absorbs shock, only shrinks slightly when dried, and resists decay. The outer sapwood of the trunk is white and not highly valued, but the inner heartwood is a rich dark chocolate brown of unsurpassed quality, making it the most sought after native American wood, especially for furniture. It is the wood of choice for gun stocks. Seldom is modern furniture made completely of black walnut, however. Today, because of its rarity and expense, black walnut is cut into thin (1/32 or 1/64 inch) sheets–veneers to be glued over inferior wood for most walnut furniture. Black walnut paneling
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is available but is quite expensive. Until it was replaced by synthetics, walnut was used for airplane propellers. From the remnants of the old house foundation, the one tree must have been located just a few feet from the back of the house. The homesteader likely planted it for its nuts which mature at a time when other foodstuffs are unavailable. If there were other native trees in the area, they have all been cut. While not in danger of extinction, black walnut trees are uncommon in the natural landscape. Because of the great demand for walnut wood for over a century, they are rare outside established plantings. Their growing time is so long (a minimum of 60 years to get a reasonably large trunk) that repopulation cannot keep up with demand. Buyers search out smaller and smaller trees as their value rises. A well grown, straight trunked, 200-year old tree can sell for tens of thousands of dollars. The walnut fruit is protected by a green leathery husk that turns black after falling from the tree. Husks and
nuts allowed to sit in a bucket of water for several hours will produce a dark brown/black liquid, which if poured over soil, will drive every earthworm in the area up to the surface within minutes for easy picking. Boiling the liquid produces a dye that stains everything, including fingers. Native Americans and early pioneers used it to dye homespun cloth, giving it a dark brown color. Trappers boiled their traps in the dye to provide a modicum of rust protection. The tannic acid in the walnut hulls combined with the surface layer of the steel, creating a chemical bond between the dye and metal. As this bond was established, the steel changed from its steel gray color to dark black. The blackened traps were much more resistant to rust than bare steel. The walnut tree, and other food available from the land through hunting, fishing, and gathering, helped many a Louisiana farming family survive when crops were destroyed by floods, drought, and pests. ----------------------------------------------------
Wesley Harris is a native of Ruston. Among his books are GREETINGS FROM RUSTON: A Post Card History of Ruston, Louisiana and Neither Fear nor Favor: Deputy United States Marshal John Tom Sisemore, available from amazon.com. He can be contacted at campruston@gmail.com. Check out his Louisiana history blog at http:// diggingthepast.blogspot.com.
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a novel approach written by Winnie Griggs I'll Take My Stakes Well-Done
S
takes are what drive your story forward and make your reader care about the ultimate outcome. Simply defined, stakes are the consequences your character will face if he fails to achieve his goal. If there is nothing particularly life-changing about those consequences, then your reader won’t have a reason to care. However, stakes needn’t be large in scope; they just need to be large to your protagonist. Because if the consequences for failure doesn’t somehow destroy his world—whether physical, emotional or spiritual—then the reader will begin to think so what. Having the kind of stakes that your reader can relate to, that allows him to internalize the consequences of failure, is what ratchets up the story tension, and story tension is what propels your reader forward through the book. In other words, give your reader something in your protagonist’s world to root for, and then put it at risk. Here are a few tips for keeping your stakes front and center: • First and foremost, make certain your readers know what the stakes are. And the sooner, the better. The longer you take to introduce the stakes, the greater the risk you run of losing or boring the reader. • Never completely remove the stakes. If you remove the stakes, you remove the urgency from your story, in fact, you rob it of all story tension. If you must remove or resolve a particular goal or consequence of failure, make certain you’ve introduced something even bigger to take its place. • Which brings me to - Keep raising the stakes. Your stakes should escalate in stages throughout your story. In other words, the consequences for your protagonist if he should fail to achieve his goal
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should become more significant as the story progresses, and at the same time, his chances of success should narrow. Turn it into a nail-biter as you close in on the climax of your story. An added benefit from doing so is that it forces your character to make riskier and riskier choices. You should always be thinking how can I make this bad situation worse for my protagonist? • Reinforce the stakes occasionally. Despite what I said above, you can’t raise the stakes in each and every scene. So, when you’re not working on raising the stakes, you want to reinforce them. Subtly remind the reader what failure means, or show some aspect of the consequences that may not have come to light initially. • Make your stakes engaging. Your stakes need to really matter to the character in a way that engages the reader. But remember, the stakes needn’t be earth-shattering. Internal stakes can be compelling. For instance, imagine your character has sacrificed for years to work his way up the ladder and has tied his sense of self-worth, or the future well-being of his family, to his career. Failing to get the job your character set his sights on can be devastating to him, and vicariously to the reader. • Test your stakes. What would happen if the protagonist just walked away from his goal? Would there indeed be strong consequences for that character? If not, then you don’t have high stakes. This is true even if there are dire consequences to ‘nameless others.' What the reader cares about, what they are investing
their time and emotions into, is your protagonist. Ways to raise the stakes in your story • Be Clear. Even if you’re not ready to reveal all the repercussions, there should be a clear impression that the stakes matter. • Use Subplots to Fold in Additional Stakes. Subplots are a good way to introduce smaller stakes to keep things moving in Act Two. And if you want to show your protagonist failing early on, this is a place to do it. • Escalate. Start with small but intriguing consequences, then let them snowball into something bigger as the story progresses. If you pile it all into your opening scenes, that leaves you nowhere to go. But you want a logical escalation. Show how decisions that are made each step of the way cause an escalation of consequences down the road. • Show What Your Protagonist Must Sacrifice. Part of what’s at stake is that your protagonist will change, which will likely require a sacrifice on his part. Before the climax, show us how deep this sacrifice will be. You want to give your resolution as much power as you can. Keeping these points in mind will help you maintain the fast pace and pageturning quality in your story that all writers strive for. ----------------------------------------------------
Winnie Griggs grew up in south Louisiana in an undeveloped area her friends thought of as the back of beyond. She and her siblings spent many an hour exploring the overgrown land around her home, cutting jungle trails, building forts and frontier camps, and looking for pirate ships on the nearby bayou. Once she ‘grew up’ she began capturing those wonderful adventures in the pages of her notebooks. Now a multi-published, award winning author, Winnie feels blessed to be able to share her stories with readers through her published books. You can learn more about Winnie at www.winniegriggs.com or connect with her at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author
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We are excited to announce Health First Walk In Clinic will soon be open from 8:00am until 8:00pm to
We are excited to announce Health First In Clinic be family open from until care 8:00pm to meet your healthcare needs. Health FirstWalk is available to will you soon and your when8:00am your primary
meetphysician your healthcare needs. Health First availabletoto you and yourRoom familyforwhen your primary may be unavailable and as an is alternative the Emergency non-emergent (life orcare
physician may be unavailable and as such an alternative to the Emergency Room for non-emergent (life or limb threatening) medical situations as: limb threatening) medical as: and Asthma • Coughs, colds and flusituations such • Allergy • Strepcolds and Sore • Coughs, and throat flu
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This facility and its affiliates comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1 (318) 377-2321. ATTENTION : Si vous parlez français, des services d'aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement. Appelez le 1 (318) 377-2321.
MINDEN MEDICAL PAVILION 101 Murrell Street - Suite 2 in Minden 318-377-3111 | www.mindenmedicalcenter.com/healthfirst
MINDEN MEDICAL PAVILION 101 Murrell Street - Suite 2 in Minden 44