Bainbridge Living Winter Edition

Bainbridge LIVING

Family means everything to us, and after the tough passing of my father, we understand that even more. We want to carry on family traditions with our two sons, Rhoades and Bailey. One of our tra ditions is showing livestock. Brock and her father, “Dr. Cliff Bailey” have already introduced it to the boys. Rhoades, our 2-year-old, has already shown interest by loving anything to do with cows, trac tors, and his “Doc”. Growing up, it was through showing livestock that we created many memories as a family. Showing animals has a way of teaching values such as hard work, leadership, and discipline.

These values were instilled in us at a very young age, and they are the same values we want our boys to have. Bainbridge is our home. Recently we have experienced the support of a small town through the birth of our son, Bailey. Our church, friends, and local businesses have been so sup portive during this time. We know this type of community is rare, and it’s one we are proud to live in and raise our two boys.

Serving Bainbridge Georgia Since 1974

Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, Well here it is, the Fall Edition of Bainbridge Living Magazine, and in my humble opinion it couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Just last week the temper atures dropped below 70 degrees and I ceremoniously unpacked a storage tote of woolen sweaters from the back of my closet. I’m pleased to report I have been wearing them for a solid hour each morning, or at least until I remember I live in Southwest Georgia.

I’ve always loved the holidays, no matter what holiday was being celebrated. But I’ve noticed that around this particular time of year there seems to be a strong pull to return to whatever place a person calls home. There’s an almost ritualistic kind of feeling to the way we gather; we prepare the same dishes year after year, use much loved family heirlooms to decorate and eat off, we even watch the same movies and listen to the same songs without fail. I’m not sure why we do that, maybe it’s some primal DNA code that compels us to use great-grandma’s turkey platter every Thanksgiving and hang the exact same star on the top of the tree as December 25th approaches. But whatever the reason, being home for the holidays gives us a sense of belong ing and a way to express what is important to us.

If you’ve talked to me at all then you know I’m not a Bainbridge Native; before you ask, no, I’m not in a witness protection program. But in all seriousness, Bainbridge and it’s surrounding communities have all the makings of the perfect place to call home, and the perfect place to spend the holidays.

You’ll have to trust me on that, at least until you’re finished reading the “Home for the Holidays” edition of Bainbridge Living Magazine. I wish you the most peaceful and happy of holiday seasons at home, in Bainbridge, or wherever that may be.

Table of Contents

CONTENT & EDITORS NOTE

OLD CUSTOMS, NEW WORLD CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS MERRY & BRIGHT GIFT GUIDE WITH LOVE, FROM BAINBRIDGE SHOP LOCAL - GIFTS FOR HOME SHOP LOCAL - GIFTS FOR HER SHOP LOCAL - GIFTS FOR HIM SHOP LOCAL - GIFTS FOR FOOD LOVERS LIVIN’ HIGH ON COTTON FINDING HOME MAKING SWEET MEMORIES SAVING SPACES & MAKING PLACES

Kathryn Crockett

Old Customs, New World.

Bainbridge’s Patel family was born into the old customs in India. Their daughters, Bansi and Dhara, were born in America. For them, handing down their cultural and religious traditions has become essential to family life here.

When most people think of fall holidays and festivities, Halloween and Thanksgiving usually come to mind, and thoughts of Christmas usually accompany that. Images of big turkey dinners, costumes, Thanksgiving football games, Nativities, and exchanging gifts are what most people picture in their heads.

Of course, other cultures have their seasonal holidays and festivals. Japan holds an autumn harvest moon festival known as Tsukimi, typically marked with Japanese pampas grass decorations, offerings to Shinto gods, and a celebratory food known as tsukimi dango (rice dumplings). In Europe and smaller communities worldwide, some people still keep the Old World pagan traditions and holidays alive, be it Haustblót, the Norse fall equinox feast, or Samhain, the

Written & Photographed by Ethan Reddish

Celtic pagan celebration that ultimately gave rise to Halloween.

For Indian Hindus, there are also seasonal celebrations, one of the larger ones for fall being नवरात्रि (Navaratri). The holiday honors the goddess दुर्गा (Durga) slaying the demon Mahishasura, with the festivities typically lasting ten days and nine nights.

The nine nights are dedicated to the nine different avatars of Durga, which are Shailaputri (“Daughter of the Mountain,” an incarnation of the goddess Parvati); Brahmacharini (“Mother of Devotion and Penance”); Chandraghanta (“Destroyer of Demons”); Kushmanda (“Goddess of The Cosmic Egg,” creator of the universe); Skandamata (“Goddess of Motherhood and Children”); Katyayani (“Goddess of Power”); Kalaratri (“Destroyer of the Darkness of Ignorance”); Mahagauri (“The Bright Complexioned One”); and Siddhidatri (“Giver of Perfection”).

Customs include Raas Garba, a group dance performed in a large circle, in this case around a statue of Durga; food offerings to Durga; and on the tenth day, in some parts of India, an effigy of the ten-headed demon Ravana are burned to commemorate his defeat by the god राम (Ram, or Rama).

For immigrants to America, keeping up with over a week of festivities isn’t as easy as it may have been. Brijesh “BJ” Patel, the owner of King’s Korner, is one of those immigrants. He and his family, consisting of his wife Vijal, father Jagdishbhai, and mother Indira, moved

Bainbridge,

In Hinduism, the goddess Durga, also known as Shakti or Devi, is the protective mother of the universe.

Here in

it’s just a peaceful life in a small community.

to America just under 20 years ago. BJ lived in Florida for three years before moving to Bainbridge, where he and his family have been for 15 years. “Here in Bainbridge, it’s just a peaceful life in a small community,” he said. “It has very nice friendly people you can find nowhere else. And it’s been a very good business opportunity for us.”

Last year marked the first time the Bainbridge Hindu community celebrated Navaratri locally, with the celebration being held at the Kirbo Center for only one night.

According to Bainbridge local Hashwin Patel, they all came together to hold the festival at home. In prior years they had to close their businesses early to travel to Albany, Macon, and even Dothan to participate in the festivities, only to drive home late into the night. “We own the business, so we

hardly have time to go out of town,” BJ concurred.

“But some other places here in the United States, like in big towns, they celebrate the full nine nights,” he elaborated. In some places, whole arenas are packed out for the event, and the effigies of Ravana are still burnt. Now, Hindus from Bainbridge, Thomasville, and even Cairo make a much shorter trip here to celebrate.

This year saw the festivities held in the Potter St. Elementary gymnasium after some venue complications. “It’s better to have everyone together,” Brijesh said. “It’s more enjoyable.” As the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

But culture isn’t a static, unchanging thing unique to one person. For Brijesh, his wife, and his parents, the old customs and traditions were what

they were born into.

When the couple had their daughters, Bansi and Dhara, in America, they wanted to pass the culture on to the next generation. “We teach them both,” he said. “They do American traditions besides that. They do celebrate Christmas, they do Thanksgiving, but meanwhile, they don’t forget their Indian culture.” He elaborated further, saying, “This is how our kids can learn the culture too, and they can figure out the details after that. Once they’ve stepped into that, they go further in depth.”

A common theme throughout the beliefs and customs of Navaratri is the slaying of demons. Similar to Christian hymns and traditions that celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and the Devil, or Jewish Passover, which commemorates the Israelite’s deliverance from

Egyptian slavery, for Hindus, Navaratri symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. “It’s just a celebration of victory over the evils,” Brijesh said. Navaratri is not the only seasonal festival the Hindu community celebrates around this time. November sees the celebration of दीपावली (Diwali), a festival of lights marking the Hindu New Year, and which also commemorates Ram returning home after slaying Ravana.

The community is also trying to find a way to celebrate more than just one day of Navaratri. “We’re trying to do that for more than one day,” BJ said, “but everybody has business schedules and all that. So we’re trying to do two days, at least two days.” Vijal hopes they will be able to continue the burning of Ravana ceremony as well. “If we grow more,

because we want more communities to support us, we want all of them to come and celebrate with us, and if we get more, yes, definitely, we’ll do something like that,” she said.

The community welcomes anyone, Hindu or not, to come and participate in Navaratri and their other holidays. “It’s a special day, and we want everyone to celebrate this with us,” Vijal said. “This year we had more support, all the school friends, the kid’s friends, they came and did it, and they were so happy. They want to come again next year and do it.”

The Patels are thankful for the support they have received in this endeavor. “We just want to say thanks for the support,” Brijesh said. “We want more support from the community, and we just want to go together, as one big community.”

“The community welcomes anyone, Hindu or not, to come and participate in Navaratri and their other holidays.”

My favorite thanksgiving tradition is baking desserts with my mom and sister a few days before Thanksgiving. When a slice of a pie or cake went missing, we knew exactly who the culprit was… my dad.

~ Sierra

My favorite memory from of Thanksgivings is when our children and grandchildren would arrive at our home, a hayride would be waiting alongside a warm cup of the best hot chocolate made by me. We all would hop on the trailer pulled by Guy, and then would ride through town looking at Christmas lights while all the town folks would stare and waive. Despite our grandchildren saying how embarrassing it was then, they often comment how much it’s missed since we moved from that home.

~ Lorenda

My grandmother was one who was a stickler for correctness and especially at the holidays. She was punctual and we all knew it! She had 9 children all by one husband. Keeping that in mind – one year my grandmother’s 9 children played a trick on her and each one of her children brought potato sal ad for the Thanksgiving luncheon. I’d never seen her so mad.

~ Vanessa

For generations our family has a tradition of slicing turkey breast and frying it on Thanksgiving. My favorite part is looking out onto our porch and seeing Brant and his dad with their heads together. I know that they are doing more than cooking.

~ Kristy

Cultivating Connections

The Provence Family’s focus on connection and fostering more meaningful family traditions quietly offers a sense of belonging to all who visit, meaning the balancing act of continuing his father’s legacy is a little less uncertain.

Written & Photographed by Kathryn Crockett

I dont remember a single person ever saying they decorate their Christmas tree whenever they feel like it. Not only will the response be concrete, but it’s usually accompanied with a list of explanations as to why its significant to them. Even though we don’t claim to be particularly ritual istic as a culture, rituals form a sig nificant part of our lives. Rituals are intrinsically connected to the concept of tradition, a word we tend to use with much greater ease.

Routine and pre-prescribed actions fill our lives, from the every day to the sacred, every person and family has them if you know where to look. We take first day of school photos in the same pose every year, we reserve grandmas platter for use on just one specific date, we prepare particu lar recipes of significance, we sing well-loved songs, we hang stockings on fireplaces, and of course, decorate trees.

In a broad sense, rituals are an act or series of actions regularly repeated in a particular way. Traditions are the offspring of rituals that became part of regular life, handed down from one generation to the next. The presence of traditions in a family creates a living, dynamic flow of rhythm and predict ability that spans many decades. They create shared memories between fam ily members, which can even cross the barriers of time itself. They build con nections and strengthen bonds; they help us find meaning and belonging in a world where we feel increas ingly disconnected. Americans are deeply ritualistic, and Southern ers perhaps even more so.

The idea of place often be comes significant in this process. With many of us adopting broader cultural traditions, we find ways to make them our own.

Christmas trees, for ex ample, have a complex history, with many

ancient cultures using the evergreen boughs of pine and fur trees for their symbolism. The early Romans marked the winter solstice with a feast called Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The druids and the celts likewise decorated their tem ples to symbolize everlasting life. The quintessential holiday tree tradition, as we currently know it, is attributed by many to Martin Luther. The sto ry goes that when walking home one evening from a sermon, the beauty of the stars glinting through the ever greens mesmerized him. Many believe he subsequently placed a cut tree in the main room of his home and wired its branches with candles to recreate some sense of the awe he witnessed in the original scene.

Early pioneers to the Southwest re gion would have undoubtedly found any version of a decorated and lighted tree odd, with early records suggesting German settlers in Pennsylvania in the late 1700s were the first to recre ate their homeland tradition on American soil.

These days, when it comes to finding the perfect tree for your holiday celebra tions, the first name to roll off anyone’s tongue is Springhill Tree Farm. Settled by James Dix on in 1844 from South Carolina, Springhill Farm grew crops typical for the area for over a century. But in 1981, the land found new stewards when the Provence Family real ized a longterm goal and bought the prop erty.

Dan

Provence was just 21 years old at the time, and while he had thought a career in law was what his future held, the little farm on top of a hill pulled his life in a dif ferent direction. Provence describes his memories of how he and his father looked for land together before buying the farm, “My Dad was from Oklahoma, a cowboy, farmer, you know, so he always wanted land. He sold everything he had in Atlanta and moved down here. He bought some businesses and then five or six years later, he was able to purchase this farm because of how well he did,” Provence recounted. “He always talked about it with me, we’d go out to look at land sometimes and it would just be flat. But when we drove up here that day, we kind of looked at each other and got excited.”

Initially, the Provence men ran cattle on the land, but true to their entrepreneurial spirit, according to Provence, they began thinking about other things they could do there. “My oldest brother was living here at the time, helping Dad with one of his businesses, and they decided they would do Christmas trees. I was working with the cows, but when the trees came in my brother had already moved back to At lanta because of some business he had up there. My dad was already working all the time, so I planted them. That’s how I got started in the Christmas tree business.”

Despite being a man of good health, Dan Provence’s father passed away in 1999 at the age of 84, which corresponded with the end of raising cows on the prop erty. But as his youngest son continued to share the story of the family farm’s leg acy, it became apparent that some tradi tions are so deeply imprinted on us that they appear instinctive from the outside. Whether changing their business model from wholesale to direct to consumer, di versifying their income streams, or build ing fully functional pumpkin trebuchets on an impressive scale, creating connec tions through their work in the agricul ture industry has brought the family to an entirely new pasture.

The Provence sons and, most recent ly, grandson, Daniel, have continued in

the family patriarch’s footsteps of in novating with a clear goal; creating a place where families can gather and make traditions of their own. When they decided to sell the cows more than two decades ago, Provence stepped into his father’s shoes and focused on the tree business, managing 25,000 trees outside his 9 to 5. But traditions mark the passing of years and help us grasp the finite nature of time, and that is reflected in how the Provence family still does business today.

“I still have people that come to

the farm to cut down their tree from me since that first day. The first year we did it was 37 years ago, and now their kids and grandkids come out with them. Then we have the people who get married here; we give them a free Christmas tree every year. And guess what? They come back each year to get it, and they’ll bring their kids,” Provence said, fighting back the tears. “So those traditions for me mean I see the same people each year, and it’d be hard for me to see that many people that I know in any other way,” he said,

“I get to know them, I see their kids growing up and I get to interact with them. For me, it’s just the way of life that I like.”

The composer Leonard Bernstein described the composition of music as “one note that follows another with complete inevitability,” we count on traditions like a well-loved melody. Dan Provence says he can’t prom ise the farm will be here forever, but building traditions around a legacy of hardworking innovators is as close to a sure bet as possible. The move to open

a pumpkin patch has proven to be a winning strategy, with popularity only increasing year over year. Now with his son returning to learn the family business, Provence says they’re in the third season of working out the kinks of cultivating several acres of u-pick strawberries.

“As long as Daniel can keep on learning how the business operates, he’s getting up to speed on all the lit tle things, so if something happened to me, I’m sure that he could continue it if he chose to. I can’t promise every body that we’re gonna be here forever. But my dad would be so happy that the farm is not going anywhere,” Provence said. “It’s enjoyable for me to look over at him on a Saturday morning while we work; we kinda look at each other,” he says, smiling. “The parking lot will be just packed already, and there are lines of vehicles 20 or 30 deep wait ing to come in, and he’ll just give me a thumbs up and keep on working.”

The thing about rituals, even the

most mundane, is that these seem ingly insignificant repetitive acts, like planting trees or selling pumpkins, are really about identity; they define us. Traditions show us who we are and who we can be. To use a much-loved example; the immortal Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof says in his open ing scene, “Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.”

The future seems ever-changing, especially for a family tree farm in a small southern town. But Provence’s focus on connection and fostering more meaningful family traditions provides grounding to his family and quietly offers a sense of belonging to all who visit, meaning the balancing act of continuing his father’s legacy is a little less uncertain.

To quote Tevye once more, “You may ask, ‘Why do we stay up there if it’s so dangerous?’ We say, ‘Because Springhill Tree Farm is our home.’”

Springhill Tree Farm has seen consistent support for their seasonal agritourism enterprises. Now three seasons in, they’ve learned a lot about growing strawberries and used their connection-making abilities to learn from peers whenever possible.

Bainbridge with love from

The holiday season is excellent for shopping and gift-giving for friends, family, coworkers, or anyone special in your life. Bainbridge square offers many gift-giving options that are unique to the area and hard to find at larger department stores like Macy’s or JCPenney. Shopping locally this holiday season will not only make the people receiving gifts happy but will also support Bainbridge’s community.

One store located on the square that offers many gift options is 229 Gifts. Owned by Renee Fisher, 229 Gifts offers everything from clothes to cooking supplies and home decor. It is a wonderful spot for both men’s and women’s gifts.

For men’s gifts, one unique set that 229 Gifts offers is the Bourbon Barrel food and cooking set. Bourbon Barrel features great stocking stuffers for men’s gifts as they provide

a variety of grilling and cooking rubs, sauces, bloody mary mixes, and more. Made in Kentucky, Bourbon Barrel is sure to take the grilling game to the next level this holiday season.

Some other unique pieces that 229 Gifts offer are jewelry and accessories made by Brackish. Brackish, located in Charleston, South Carolina, offers a great selection of earrings, men’s bow ties, and beautifully handcrafted necklaces. The earrings featured in the spread are 24k gold plated with pheasant and peacock feathers. These earrings and pieces are exceptionally unique and are perfect for Bainbridge’s southern style.

229 Gifts also has a unique selection of household items like custom, hand-sewn decorative pillows, floor rugs, and decorative glasses.

Another store on the square

that offers an incredible selection of Gifts is Reeves on the square. Owned by Amanda and Shea, Reeves provides a great selection of gifts for all ages, especially for women and household items.

Reeves has a variety of handbags, jewelry, and fragrances for women of all styles. Reeves is also an excellent stop for house gifts such as candles, cups, and all the stocking-stuffer essentials in 2022.

A store that can also be an excellent place for the whole family is Millie’s Mercantile. Millies is another great place for home decor as they offer pillows, a variety of wall art, and kitchen supplies. Millie’s is especially a great place for gifts for younger, collegeaged women as the colors and products are very popular within that age group.

With so many beautiful stores right here on your doorstep there’s no choosing between supporting local business and finding what you really want. You can have it all.

Local Style & Gift

livin’ high on cotton

Written & Photographed by Travis Politakis and Kathryn Crockett

Style is at the forefront of everyone’s minds during the winter months. With holiday events, company and family dinners, get-togethers with friends, and other outings taking up space on the calendar, it takes a lot of work to keep up appearances. Winter in the south can be milder than in other regions, but don’t fool yourself into thinking winter-wear isn’t necessary. Winter wear is still essential for winter in the south; think about layers and multi-purpose apparel that can easily un dergo a quick shake-up.

If you’re new to the area, don’t fret, Bain bridge has many great places to keep both men and women suited and booted this holiday season; here are just a few high lights.

One place that offers a great selection of styles is the newly reopened Rivers and

Bridge. Located next to 229 Gifts, Rivers and Bridge offers many pieces that match a unique southern style and turn people’s heads no matter the occasion.

For men, a famous clothing brand that Rivers and Bridge carries is Duckworth. Made in Nash ville, Duckworth is the go-to for men’s dress shirts, suit jackets, polos, khakis, and every man’s needs to look classy this holiday season. Because temperatures can vary from the low 30s in the mornings to the high 70s in the mid-afternoons, it’s essen tial to be prepared to feel the change in the air. Yes, we know that sometimes it stays cool all day, but when those temperatures change, y’all better be ready.

Rivers and Bridge have the guys covered (excuse the pun) on the layer ing trend this holiday season with their Duckhead gunmetal chinos paired with the Duckhead green dress shirt and the light blue banister jacket. This outfit, donned with our favorite Martin Dingman loafer shoes (not pictured), is an excellent combination that can be mixed and matched for any event, be it thanksgiving dinner, Christmas party, or church on Christmas eve. It matches the popular southern style regular ly seen in Bainbridge but has added color to ensure you don’t thoroughly blend in with the crowd.

For women, there are many genuinely great op tions in the local area, with many boutique own ers spending a lot of time curating their store fronts to perfection. Rivers and Bridge again offer many unique, quality pieces, but one item of clothing that caught our eye was the Spartina

Japanese Rose Garden dress.

Spartina 449 is an internationally known line featured in specialty retail shops across the country, and luckily for us, that includes Rivers andBridge in our very own Bainbridge, Ga. The dress is a beautiful daydream of eastern-inspired color during these dreary winter months and has a backstory to accompany it.

The dress was inspired by a sketch artist who started her entire clothing line with Spartina 449, and as you look at the prints adorning the label’s apparel this season, you’ll be as enamored as we were.

Dress it up with the Rachel wrist let designed by Abel in Nashville, TN, carried by Reeves Gifts, Jew elry, and More if you want to add something extra to the ensemble. Be sure to remember the earrings to match, of course. This outfit will sure ly be the talk of the holiday season, no matter where your plans take you in the upcoming months.

We obviously couldn’t talk about winter style in the south without touching on the need for some tried and test ed wardrobe staples like timeless jeans or the ever-versatile raincoat.

Living in Georgia means you have to buy items that can be used for multiple seasons; after all, there’s a lot of cross-over. Trendy things are always great to play with, and those with lower price points mean you can afford to have a little fun in your wardrobe. Spending less on those items often leaves room for investing in those multi-season pieces that are essential in the south.

229 Gifts carries the most incredible Ilse Ja cobsen Raincoats in gorgeous colors. While they may be priced a little above the average water proof layer, the luxurious feel will have you

Featured Stores:

Reeves Gifts Jewelry & More

124 E. Broughton Street Bainbridge, GA 39817 (229) 246-2200

Rivers & Bridge Clothing Company 102 North Broad Street Bainbridge, Georgia 39817 (229) 305-2065

229 Gifts 116 N. Broad St. Bain bridge, GA 39818 (229) 246-7200

Millie’s Mercantile & Trading Co. 123 N West Street Bainbridge, GA 39817 (229) 254-9617

doing a rain dance every time you spot a grey cloud in the sky. We loved the fun and trendy jeans and shirt offerings at Millie’s Mercantile & Trading Co., and don’t forget to check out their inexpensive accesso ries while you’re there. You will not be disappointed.

Bainbridgeart.com

One of our family traditions is to read books aloud together, not just during the holidays but whenever we can. My mother read to me when I was young, as many mothers do. And now I read with my children. She read books that made us laugh, like Roald Dahl’s “The Twits .” She read books secretly telling us to stop misbehaving, like “Dilly the Dinosaur” by Tony Bradman. We loved the poems of A.A.Milne best of all, and to this day, I find it hard to see a beetle and not want to call it Alexander. Over the years, I’ve come to the opinion that writing children’s books is one of the most challenging projects a writer can undertake.

Good picture books, the kind children want to read repeatedly, use precise but understated words strategically to work in tangent with intentional illustrations. Most importantly, the author can construct a complete and often complex story using a minimal word count. Sometimes, picture books are loved for their simplicity and familiarity. Occasionally, I come across a picture book that is so elegant and sophisticated in its ability to define the complexities of life that as I read it to my kids, I understand something about myself that was hidden from me just moments earlier. Several years ago, we stumbled upon a picture book biography titled “Grandfather’s Journey” written and illustrated by the award-winning author Allen Say. Say speaks from his perspective

as he tells the true story of his grandfather, a Japanese American immigrantwho boldly crosses the Pacific Ocean to explore the “new land.” The book is filled with luminous paintings of the author’s grandfather and the places he found, each bursting with their own untold family anecdotes. Say’s Grandfather settles in California for some time, but the text says he “remembered the mountains and rivers of his home. He surrounded himself with songbirds, but he could not forget.” In our youth, we are invigorated by the universal search for belonging, but as we age and begin to grasp the finite nature of our lives, what we search for becomes more clearly defined, home.

About six years ago, my family and I moved back to the US after an unexpectedly cut-short stint in Wales. It just so happened that the first Sunday at our new church coincided with the July 4th holiday; I remember sitting with tears streaming down my face as the congregation listened to a breathtaking piano solo of The StarSpangled Banner. My feelings were complex. I grappled with my love for the land of the free and my choice to leave my country once again. In truth, I was filled with grief and acceptance. I can’t tell you what small piece of me was gone, but something had been laid to rest, and there was a permanence about it I’d never experienced before. I consoled myself with the idea that home, for me, must be wherever my children were; I thought I had it figured out.

Indeed home wasn’t a place; it was people.

But as you can probably guess, life has a way of revealing all the clever ways we make ourselves comfortable to avoid doing the real work of growing. I’ve been compelled to question my hypotheses on what “home” means many times in the years since that day. Forgive me for sounding a little melodramatic; it’s been a bitter pill to swallow. With certainty, while people are part of our definition of home, they are not the sum.

In the concluding pages of “Grandfather’s Journey,” Say alludes to his path following in his grandfather’s footsteps as he leaves Japan to also make a life in California. On the last page, he writes, “I return now and then [to Japan] when I cannot still the longing in my heart. The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” The short autobiography is the perfect analogy for the paradox of the human condition; you want what you can’t have, lose what you love, and have what you were looking for all along.

If the elusive search for home outside oneself is a universal longing, the most straightforward answer is that home is a condition within us. T.S. Elliot famously said, “the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” Perhaps where we end up is literally and metaphorically where we started as children who know

only the most authentic version of themselves. In that authenticity, we can find contentment and peace. We can find “home.”

When we selected the theme “Home for the Holidays,” we knew it sounded a little cliché, but home and holidays mean so many different things to each of us. The holidays can be a joyous time, but for some, that may not be the case. Many cannot spend time in the physical presence of those they love. Some of us may not have a home in the physical sense to speak of, or at least a place of comfort and safety in which to be ourselves. Some of us will not be able to be in two places at once, and despite our best efforts,

there may be sadness mixed in with the traditions and celebrations of our current surroundings.

In the Welsh language, we have a word for which there is no direct English translation; Hiraeth (heereye-th). It means a longing for a home or at least a time that felt like home. It’s more profound than homesickness; it is a deep yearning for somewhere that may not quite exist as you remember it or for a place to which we cannot return. I believe we have all walked with “hiraeth” at some point on our journey because, at our core, we are all just traveling through this life for a short while, spiritual pilgrims on a quest to be made whole. We felt privileged

to get a glimpse into what gives meaning to some of the people we wrote about for this issue and what home means to them. I was moved by the authenticity and vulnerability of the men and women I talked with. I was humbled by their willingness to share parts of their hard-won wisdom with our community. If you find that throughout this holiday season, your life may be lacking in some way, I hope you know you’re in good company. That’s how it’s meant to be; it’s what forces us to look within.

We all are searching for home in one way or another, but it might just be closer than you know.

Written by Kathryn Crockett

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Making Sweet Memories

“ Sweets are as ubiquitous with most holidays as turkey or presents.

‘T

was the month before Christmas, and all through the town, families were prepping for the holiday insanity to go down. Though the times, they have changed, and it's visions of pumpkin pies, cakes, and cookies dancing through people's heads instead of sugar plums.

Sweets and baked goods have a long history with holiday celebrations, be it the aforementioned sugar plums, the once-beloved fruit cake, or the figgy pudding mentioned in "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." For whatever reason, be it the dopamine hit the brain gets from sugar or the fond memories we may have associated with sweets from previous holidays, sweets are as ubiquitous with most holidays as turkey or presents.

But what about those who may not have the skill or the time to make their treats? Or those who may want to grab a quick holiday-themed snack for themself?

Multiple bakeries and shops around Bainbridge may cater to those desires, not to mention grocery outlets like Walmart and Winn-Dixie have their bakeries. But few have the attention to detail or the home-like charm that claims a piece of our hearts as quickly as a piece of our wallet. With time already a precious commodity

Written & Photographed by Ethan Reddish Additional images by Kathryn Crockett

during the holiday season, finding one spot that can check multiple boxes can make it a go-to in the minds of consumers.

One such store is Scoops, a small but brightly colored daydream of a store that seems to have a siren call all of its own. Located at 211 E Water St., the store opened just under a year ago under the ownership of Sherry Young. According to Young, she and her husband, Doug, were inspired to open up their franchise location after a trip to McDonough. "We actually were in McDonough, Georgia, having dinner one night," she recounted. "We stopped in a Scoops, and my husband and I walked out, and we were like, 'Oh my gosh!' We thought this would be perfect in Bainbridge." With multiple locations across the state, the Bainbridge location marks the furthest Scoops has expanded.

Before opening Scoops, Young was no stranger to making sweet confections. "I've always enjoyed doing holiday treats and being in the kitchen, doing chocolates and stuff," she said. With ten employees working under her, cooking and treat-making have become a taller order. "It's on a bigger scale than what I did in my little kitchen, but it's fun. I enjoy it," Young laughed.

When the store opened, Young wanted to pique the public's interest and surprise them. "Last year, since we had just opened… I think everyone was anticipating the new candy and ice cream shop," she said. "We had taped up the windows, we wanted like a big grand-opening surprise kind of thing. We didn't want everyone to see the inside of the store, so we were kind of keeping it all a surprise." Scoops opened just before Christmas, and the community, whether it was because of

the newness of the store, the holiday season, or both, more than showed its support. "When we opened, Bainbridge just really turned out. We had an amazing two weeks right there at the end of the year. Traffic was great, at one point my husband had to shut the door because we had too many people in the store at one time."

Business continued to be good on holidays; perhaps unsurprisingly, Scoops was quite the busy joint on Valentine's Day. "We had a great Valentine's Day weekend, three days right before Valentine's Day, and even the day of Valentine's Day, we were really slammed," Young recalled. "Holidays so far have been really good, and we're hoping that this winter will be. Maybe the newness has worn off a little bit, but we're hoping that it'll still do great for the holidays."

Unfortunately, the trials and troubles of managing a business in the current economy have also reared their ugly head. "The price of product, since we've started even, the price of my chocolates has gone up, dairy, my ice cream. But since we're new, I hate to start increasing my prices," she said. "So I'm trying to keep the price down as much as I can, but it's been a challenge with our ice cream, with the creameries and stuff like that."

Despite navigating factors beyond her control, Young still enjoys her work. "I love the store. There's no better place to work than in a candy store, and just seeing all the happy little kids come in. Even adults will walk through the door, and they're like, 'Oh my gosh, I didn't know this was here!" Scoops is quickly becoming a family tradition for locals, not just through the holidays but on a more regular basis. That is

also true for Young's own family. Many grandparents can relate to wanting to make memories to stand the test of time, so having her grandson spend time with her at the store has been one of the sweetest benefits of owning a candy business. Young says his eyes light up when she asks if he wants to come to pick out a treat with her, and she hopes that never changes.

Scoops may be one of the newer businesses in town, but it's a place that may already invoke nostalgic memories for many when customers spot retro brands of candy that have been gone from shelves for decades. Their ice cream flavors are impressive, and made-to-order root beer floats and shakes are a big hit year-round. One of the first eye-catching displays that greet customers is a glass display case filled with a wide selection of chocolates. Stacked atop that case is another, filled with rows of gourmetdipped apples, ranging from a standard caramel-dipped apple to a pecan-turtle apple.

"All of them start with the caramel, and then they just get different layers on them," Young said. "Either chocolate, pecans, or peanuts, Oreos… even Reese's cup apples…."

Of course, seasonally changing treats are also on the menu, each with a fun and unique design tailored to kids (and the inner kid in older customers). For Halloween, spooky, gruesome, but delicious candy apples are crowd-pleasers. They hand-make a Frankenstein treat consisting of a block of marshmallow dipped in green chocolate with candy eyes, and a white chocolate-dipped Twinkie resembling a mummy has been a big hit.

For Christmas, Rudolph on a stick

is one snack up for grabs. "It's a marshmallow that we dip in chocolate," Young explained, "so everything is dipped in chocolate. The marshmallow is dipped in chocolate; then we decorate it with candy eyes, nose, and pretzels for the antlers." Snowman and Rudolph-themed apples will line the display case shelves during November and December.

But Young isn't just stopping at offering food for the holidays; she also has a few seasonal events in the works. "We want to bring Santa in and have him back in our courtyard," she said. "We'd love to have Santa in the back, and even have a little box where kids can put their 'Dear Santa' letters." The event still wouldn't just end there, though. "We'll go through the letters, and we would like to make some of those letters come true. I know last year, I read an article from the PostSearchlight… and it was a kid saying that all they wanted for Christmas was ice cream. Stuff like that, we can make those little presents come true."

"We're hoping that people will make their traditions here with us! Come here, get to know us! We have so many unique and exciting options, pick out some of the cool stuff we have for the kid's stockings and get a date night treat at the same time," Young said. So whether you're young or old, filling stockings for one or many Scoops is a must-stop on your holiday shopping list. While it may be a little unorthodox, Young's philosophy on living could become a family tradition all by itself, "Life's too short," she said, "eat dessert first."

Before old was cool and minimalist was a “thing,” homes, at least for most of the population, were things of utility. The function took precedence over form, leaving behind a record of life for those living inside its walls. When stories get lost and the history of a place becomes fuzzy, historic properties carry a sense of identity and the culture of a home in a distinctive way.

In recent years, the historic properties of downtown Bainbridge have been undergoing a revival in terms of popularity and aesthetics.

For many years, some of the community’s now most sought-after homes sat in disrepair; some even met their demise before being lucky enough to catch an investor’s eye. But With salvage movements gaining momentum across the country, many people are turning their hands to fixer-uppers. But Natalie Kirbo has been at the forefront of the work to save some of Bainbridge’s oldest homes for quite some time.

Saving Spaces & Making Places

Written & Photographed by Kathryn Crockett

Originally an attorney by profession, it took a little encouragement from loved ones to follow her heart into the dusty and derelict homes of the town. But after years of admiring the beautifully imperfect parts of Bainbridge and showcasing them on her Instagram account, Goodmorning Bainbridge, Kirbo leaped to work fulltime in the industry. “I really love old houses. I love all houses actually, but I really, really love old houses,” she said. “I was driving back and forth to Thomasville every day, we didn’t live here at the time but I rode around and looked at the houses and pretty places in town every chance I got. I didn’t grow up here, but I grew up coming here,” Kirbo said. So it makes sense that the love affair for structures of another era would absorb her business aspirations also. “Most of our rentals are old houses, and most of them are downtown; because that’s

just what I like to buy and fix up. I call it my collection,” Kirbo laughed, “I like to collect things,” she said. “I felt very strongly about this area; everybody else thought I was crazy, I think, including my husband,” Kirbo said with a grin, “But I felt that if I liked living downtown and we loved walking places, then surely other people would want to stay downtown too.” Her hypotheses thus far as been dead on.

One of Kirbo’s favorite renovations is what’s known in the south as a Shotgun House. Elvis Presley was born in the kitchen of a two-room shotgun house in Tupelo, Mississippi. Shotgun houses were built for the humid climate and were often all working-class folks could afford to build. But with their small footprint and heavy use, they’re becoming harder and harder to find. But Kirbo had her eyes set on saving a little structure on the other side of town that was due to be demolished. “I really wanted a shotgun house in my collection, but there’s only a few left downtown because they’ve typically been torn down.”

So when the opportunity arose to buy one, she didn’t hang around. “There are a couple of reasons people think they’re called shotgun houses. The colloquial version is that you can shoot a shotgun from the front to the back door and never hit a wall,” Kirbo said. “We owned a house down the street from us that the original home in the front had burned or been torn down a long time ago. I always wanted to put a house back there, but of course, I didn’t want to buy anything new because I don’t like new things, except for maybe air conditioners,” she said with a grin. Much has been written about the day Kirbo moved her little house, but since then, it’s taken on a new life. It’s a bright and sunny space, almost always filled with guests visiting beautiful Bainbridge.

But what’s so interesting about Kirbo’s renovation efforts is how effortlessly she integrates the why’s with the hows. The renovation of a historic building is

often the starting point for the redevelopment of a street, block, or district. Historic preservation is a thoughtful growth approach that can revitalize communities which can sometimes become a symbol of a community’s heritage, character, and sense of place over time. Individual efforts to preserve seemingly insignificant structures like the little shotgun house can attract investment from other parties and revitalize entire neighborhoods.

“It’s a little altruistic but I just think there’s a significance to old things that can’t be replicated. I don’t go to a town to see the new architecture. I don’t think anybody really does,” Kirbo said. “You don’t go to Thomasville to see the apartment complex that just got built on the edge of town. You go to Thomasville because

you want to walk the streets. And because the streets are old and beautiful. That’s why people come to Bainbridge, for our beautiful old square in the middle of town. And everything around it is old, and there’s character and charm in that. That matters.”

Historic buildings, districts, and neighborhoods embody those who built, worked, and lived in them. They tell stories about what a place was and connect us to our past, which makes preserving those stories an essential part of building a healthy community as we hand down traditions and culture. As suburban sprawl and roadside development make more and more places look the same, it becomes necessary for communities to keep their identities intact. Even one or two striking historic buildings can

help define a society from within, giving communities the power to make their town and homeplace a part of themselves finally.

“I think smalltown tourism is a bigger thing than anyone thought it would ever be. All the hard work that people have done downtown has made Bainbridge more of a destination than it ever was when I dreamed of all this,” Kirbo said, smiling as she continued. “There’s a point in the process of rennovating homes where you think to yourself you’ve made a terrible mistake. It’s tough, everything is messy, you keep uncovering unexpected things that need to be fixed,” she said, “but if you just keep pushing onward somehow it comes together in the end, and you’re so glad you didn’t give up on it. Because, in the end, it’s beautiful.”