®
DELISH
June 2018 DoSouthMagazine.com
CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Catherine Frederick Jade Graves Dwain Hebda Megan Lankford Susan O’Dell Jeromy Price James Stefiuk Jessica Sowards Tom Wing GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers
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PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
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INSIDE 22 24
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WELCOME, Y’ALL! Want a DIY that says come on in? You can make this super easy, super cute wreath for your front door, personalized just for you!
HOW TO MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE Chicken and waffles. Cocktails. Live music. Dancing. What a winning combination! Find out more about the newest music/food destination in Van Buren.
PERFECT WATERMELON PICO Dip into summer! Watermelon Pico pairs perfectly with blue tortilla chips or grilled chicken tacos.
HEAD FOR THE HILLS Mountain View, Arkansas, is home to the Ozark Mountain Folk Center, the only place of its kind in the United States. We’ve got everything you need to know to plan your next trip.
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Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2018 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893 Cover Image: Zarzamora
FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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letter from the editor
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This month, our special feature, House and
us yet, you should). I wish we could have shared
Home, is near and dear to my heart. Home
them all; you guys have some very smart, and
is my favorite place to be, and it’s the one
very funny fathers!
place that proves to be so elusive during this time of year as we travel the United
Continuing with our theme of home,
States following my son and his AAU
we’re taking you to Fredericksburg,
basketball team.
Texas, the stomping ground of President Lyndon Baines Johnson,
After my husband and I bought our
complete with a charming bed and
current house, we got to work turning
breakfast, trolley, a bustling three-and-
it into our home. Throughout the process,
a-half-mile-long main street, and historic
we were blessed with professionals who
sites that are not to be missed. Right about
helped us navigate every step, from remod-
now you are probably thinking of Lady Bird,
eling to the final touches of decorating the
whose love of nature was instrumental in
interior and landscaping our yard. Their help
getting wildflowers planted in the medians of the
proved invaluable as we chose new paint colors, renovated
highways and byways.
the kitchen and bathrooms, changed out all the flooring, and created a new staircase. Then came the fun stuff—new lighting,
If you’re looking for fun closer to home, we suggest the Ozark
a few new pieces of furniture, new art for the walls. We learned
Natural Folk Center State Park where you’ll find music, crafts,
a lot during that time, new likes and dislikes, the art of compro-
attractions and lots of local hospitality. We also highly recom-
mise. And, you know the best part? Our marriage survived it!
mend paying a visit to local legend Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles, which recently
This month we celebrate all things home! Starting with a
opened in downtown Van Buren.
gorgeous DIY wreath to adorn your door that’s easily customizable for any season. I’m also sharing my favorite kitchenware
I am so very blessed to write you this note from the comfort
that I simply cannot live without. You need to run out and
of my living room. I’m honored you invite me and my talented
grab an Instant Pot, stat! Since I am in the sharing mood, I’ve
team into your heart and home each month. Even though I
featured my recipe for cheese tortellini with roasted veggies
sometimes take my home for granted, I never underestimate
and pesto. It’s fresh, easy to toss together, and totally delicious!
the power and the pull of what home is to me: love, comfort, family. It’s like they say, home is where the heart is. Enjoy this
Why not try and grow your own veggies? This month, our friend Megan Lankford, with Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, shows us what we should be planting in our gardens. We’re also celebrating dads by featuring the best bits of fatherly advice which you shared with us via our Facebook page (if you don’t follow
issue, I’ll see you in July!
~Catherine
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Follow Do South® Magazine
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calendar
JUNE 8-9
Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com
images courtesy certain vendors and the AR Dept. of Parks & Tourism
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15 -16
The Junk Ranch Prairie Grove thejunkranch.net
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Find vintage, repurposed, handmade, salvage and more, all for sale at The Junk Ranch in Prairie Grove. There will also be live music, food trucks, and tons of fun.
Bat-O-Rama West Fork arkansasstateparks.com
12-16
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This family-friendly event celebrates bats, one of the most misunderstood creatures in the world. Special events, nighttime mist netting, and close-up views at Devil’s Den State Park.
Trout Days Bull Shoals 870.445.3629 Bull Shoals-White River State Park is jumping with trout cooking demos, Fly Fishing 101, river and lake cruises, and children’s programs.
15-17
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Petit Jean Car Show Morrilton motaa.com
Eureka Springs Blues Weekend Eureka Springs eurekaspringsblues.com
The Museum of Automobiles is the site of this swap meet, car show, and arts and crafts booths. There are even 200 RV parking spaces (no hookups) on a first come basis.
This weekend of blues music features headliner John Mayall, a free concert with Selwyn Birchwood, and a concert at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.
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calendar
THETOPTENTHETOPTEN
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Cruisin’ on Main Van Buren vanburen.org
Come on out for "Cruisin on Main,” with cool cars, music, food, entertainment, and fun for the entire family.
22-23 R D
Father’s Day Trolley Fort Smith fstm.org Fathers and grandfathers ride the vintage trolley free when accompanied by paid fares. Make sure you let them know when you board!
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Bite Northwest Arkansas Bentonville bitenwa.com
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This two-night food festival in downtown Bentonville is a world-class event with scrumptious food and drinks to sample.
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Buffalo River Elk Fest Jasper buffaloriverelkfestival.com Elk calling contests, great food, arts and crafts, plus an education on the elk of Arkansas, all in downtown Jasper.
Riverfront Blues Festival Fort Smith riverfrontbluesfest.org Harry E. Kelley Park comes alive with the sound of blues. Hear greats including Wanda Watson, Austin Calvillo, Hadden Sayers, local legend Gary Hutchison, and the Eric Mathews Band.
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poetry
Judith's Cabin LINEs Susan O’Dell
An evening with friends in the hollow. Surrounded by pasture and lilac fragrant and whispering in the Boulder breeze. Their log house stout as steel. A recollection of the vanished past. Stacked and sturdy. Conversation flows in cadence as if each word is as separate as its individual letters. Each story unique to its teller.
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entertainment
Promise By Minrose Gwin, Harper Collins | 367 pages | $26 review Marla Cantrell
On April 5, 1936, a tornado with winds estimated as high
Dovey soon crosses paths with Jo McNabb, a teenaged girl whose
as 318 mph, fractured Tupelo, Mississippi. The storm leveled
laundry Dovey has done for years. Jo sends Dovey into town to
half the town, tearing apart forty-eight city blocks, sending
seek help for her mother whose leg was splintered by the storm,
several children flying through the air. When the death toll
and to tell searchers that her baby brother is missing.
was tallied, the number reached as high as 233, with another 1,000 injured.
It is Jo’s older brother, Son McNabb, however, who is the constant, unholy link between her and Dovey’s family. He is the
Those are the facts of Promise, a novel based on that devas-
father of Dreama’s baby and a burden to everyone who popu-
tating twister. As author Minrose Gwin, who grew up in her
lates his life.
grandparents’ house in Tupelo, studied the tragedy, another story surfaced. She discovered that members of the African-
With these elements in place, the story sails forward, part
American community, who made up a third of the town’s
mystery, part testimony to the injustices of the time. The storm
population, were not counted among the dead or injured. That
hits at the height of the Great Depression when the struggle to
omission fueled her research, as she gathered old newspaper
make ends meet was keen on the best days. After the twister,
articles, conducted interviews, and finally penned this fictional
food, shelter and water become precious things. People wander
account of one family, the Grand’hommes. Dovey, the matri-
the streets looking for the missing. Others build bonfires to burn
arch, made a living as a laundress. Her husband Virgil worked
the carcasses of the hundreds of animals that didn’t survive. The
in the cotton mill, and their granddaughter Dreama cared for
souls who are lost cannot be properly mourned, with burials
her baby, a boy named Promise.
taking place every ten minutes, with little fanfare.
With the family in place, it was time to chronicle the storm.
Just as harrowing is Dovey’s struggle to reunite her family. She
Gwin does this with such detail, with an eye that’s unwavering
searches as best she can, compromising her health to do it.
even as townspeople are run through with clothes hangers or
Throughout the novel, the lives of Dovey and Jo collide. The two
fall into craters created with century-old trees that are yanked
tell the story of the storm’s aftermath in wider and wider circles,
from the ground.
until the mysteries they hold overlap and explode.
When the tornado hits, Dovey is blown from her home to Gum
Promise is an important novel, well researched and so well
Pond. She scrambles out of the water with injuries that will
written you can hear the thunder roll, can see the sky grow angry
threaten her life in the days to come. Virgil, Dreama, and her
and omnipotent. Add this book to your must-read list, just don’t
baby are nowhere to be found.
crack it open during a storm. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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pets
Give Some Summer Lovin' M
F
F
M
Blitz
Heidi
F
Herc
Sunshine
F
Annelle
Penny
Almost Home Shelter and Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | 479.462.3122 or 479.629.0056 | Almost Home Shelter and Rescue is a 501C-3 Non-Profit all volunteer staffed facility. They work in partnership with Van Buren Animal Control to find loving, forever homes for the dogs in their care. All dogs will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccines when adopted. Please consider adopting or fostering one of their sweet pets. Each month, Do SouthÂŽ donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
lifestyle
MUST-HAVE
Countertop Kitchen Appliances words Catherine Frederick images courtesy vendors
Walk into my kitchen, and you’ll find these appliances and cookware—most of them out on the countertop for all to see. They save me time and money as well as help me to prepare delicious meals for my family. I simply can’t live without them! FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System Prolong the life of your food! Keeps food fresh in the freezer, refrigerator or pantry 2-5x longer. Reseal, marinate, and divide food into portions for later use in a cinch!
KitchenAid® Stand Mixer It does more than dress up your countertop! Mix up sweet treats, spiralize, slice and dice veggies, make fresh pasta, and so much more with the stand mixer and over ten optional attachments.
Cast Iron Cookware Why? Because your grandmother used it! And because it’s naturally non-stick and can easily go from stovetop to the oven. Season it well, care for it properly, and it will serve you and your family for generations to come.
Red Copper® Non-Stick Ceramic Cookware It’s true. You can cook without butter, oil, or grease using these pans. Food will slide right out. Lightweight but super strong. Oven safe to 500 degrees and dishwasher safe.
Instant Pot® Programmable Pressure Cooker Saves you time by cooking your food up to 70% faster! I own the Duo Series which combines the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice maker, steamer, and has a sautéing option, and warmer. Plus, it even makes yogurt and cakes!
Ninja Coffee Bar System with Thermal Carafe Make a standard cup of joe or a caramel macchiato in minutes. It has a built-in frother, it’s pod free, brews multi or single serve, has a permanent reusable filter, and a removable water reservoir.
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community
This year, as Fort Smith celebrates its bicentennial, author and historian Tom Wing will be sharing stories of our city’s past in each edition of Do South®.
being a vital commodity on the Appian Way (road to Rome). A small village named Tres Tabernae (Three Taverns), near the city, is named in Acts 28:15, by the Apostle Paul as he journeys to prison in Rome.
THE TALE OF TWO CITIES
Modern-day Cisterna benefitted for a time under the programs of Benito Mussolini, who ordered much of the surrounding marshland drained, which resulted in productive farm acreage. The German military would undo most of this during World War II in an effort to frustrate American and British troops in the area. Today, Europe and other parts of the world enjoy the region of Cisterna’s bounty of kiwi fruit.
William O. Darby at West Point
Now that we understand the city’s history, let’s see where Fort Smith’s connection begins. World War II brought action to the old crossroads and farming community with the Allied invasion at Anzio in January 1944. British and American forces successfully landed, but soon found themselves encircled by German troops who, according to intelligence reports, would be undermanned, unmotivated, and inaccessible to the area of operation. Intelligence reports were wrong in every case. On January 29, elements of Fort Smith’s own Colonel William O. Darby’s Ranger Battalions were tasked with infiltrating the “assumed” lightly-defended German lines and seizing the crossroads at Cisterna. According to the plan, the Rangers would be supported by the US 7th Infantry, one of the oldest
words Tom Wing, Historian and Author IMAGEs courtesy Fort Smith Museum of History
active regiments in the Army that once garrisoned the first Fort Smith. The US 7th Infantry was nicknamed “Cotton Balers” for their part in the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson.
Cisterna, Italy, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, are sister cities, a desig-
Also aiding the Rangers was the US 15th Regiment, who were
nation of love and respect that started during World War II. As a
called “Old China Hands,” owing to their service during the
part of that long-fought war, Army Rangers led by Fort Smith’s
Boxer Rebellion in China.
own William O. Darby liberated the Italian City in a battle that made history.
At dawn on January 30, the full details of the disaster were clear. Seven hundred sixty-seven Rangers had gone to battle the
Let’s take a look at the Italian city’s history. A Roman historian
day before; 761 died or were captured. The fight for Cisterna
first mentioned the numerous patrician villas located near the site
did not end until May 1944. Darby was sent home for a stint
of present-day Cisterna, Italy. Cisterna means reservoir, water
at the Pentagon, then reassigned to the field in Italy. He died
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
in October 1944, the victim of a German artillery attack, near
“They roared even louder,” he said.
Verona in Northern Italy. The former mayor spoke of the gifts, the parties, dinners and The people of Fort Smith have always remembered their soldier/
receptions, including the Symphony of Rome and the elite Alpini
son. His house is a museum, a school is named for him, and
(Alpine Mountain) soldiers of the Italian Army who performed in
more recently a statue was erected on Garrison Avenue, larger
honor of the linking of Fort Smith to Cisterna. However, what
than life, completely fitting and proper for the accomplish-
remains clearest in his mind, are the voices of the Italian chil-
ments and legacy of William Orlando Darby.
dren, crowds of them at every turn chanting his name, Billy. When they said it, it sounded more like “Beelee, Beelee!”
In 1984, Cisterna’s city leadership, along with one of Darby’s own men, suggested the cities be twinned officially, to further
While Fort Smith has some long-standing Italian families, and a
recognize and honor the soldiers who fought and died there.
rich Italian heritage, it was the sacrifices of Darby and his men
Festivals, visits to both cities by representatives and dignitaries,
that caused the cities to be permanently joined. In helping to
commemorations and other activities remembered a time of
end the war and stop the attempted domination by cruel dicta-
war but focused on the promise of peace. In a box, stored in
tors, Darby and his men helped bring a degree of peace still
the Fort Smith Museum of History are hundreds of postcards
enjoyed today. The people of Cisterna have never forgotten.
and personal letters, many with original artwork, written and drawn by schoolchildren from Cisterna. All the correspondence is addressed to the mayor of Fort Smith at that time, Bill Vines. During a recent interview, Vines remembered with fondness his trip to Italy to represent the City of Fort Smith. “They were so kind, the young and old, but especially those who had survived the war. They were extremely grateful, and they ALL loved Darby.” Vines told of addressing the people of
This story would not have been possible without the support of Executive Director Leisa Gramlich and Curator Caroline Speir of the Fort Smith Museum of History. Special thanks to former Fort Smith Mayor Bill Vines for his stories and remembrances. For more on the Fort Smith Museum of History, visit fortsmithmuseum.org.
Cisterna on the town square, and his failed attempt to speak to them in Italian, which solicited laughter and broke the ice of a somewhat solemn moment. Later, when doves were released to symbolize peace, one of the doves landed on Vines’ head. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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community
Our Community Cares words Do South staff ®
Each day, the Girls Shelter of Fort Smith, which opened June 1, 1970, is home to up to eight girls, ages twelve through seventeen. The non-profit provides housing, three meals a day plus snacks, transportation, and counseling. The girls attend public school, receive tutoring four days a week, learn positive social interactions, receive job experience, volunteer in the community and learn life skills. Do South® spoke with Executive Director Mary Dale Colvett about their mission.
DS: How do your residents come to you? Mary: They’re referred through the court system.
DS: It must be a traumatic time. How do you help them feel at home with you? Mary: We are very structured, and our staff guides them until they feel comfortable. The other residents are very helpful as well.
DS: What’s a typical day like for the girls? Mary: Up at 6:15 in the morning. Rooms cleaned, dressed, and ready for school; breakfast together as a family; off to school. After school they have snacks, tutoring, free time, fix dinner, dinner together, meal cleanup, free time, chores, showers, then bed by 10pm.
DS: How many girls have stayed at the shelter since it opened? Girls Shelter of Fort Smith 2600 Raleigh Street 479.646.0444
Mary: More than 800. Some have stayed more than three years.
DS: Can you share one of your success stories? Mary: Sally (name changed) came to us from a drug-addicted mother. Her dad and little brother had been killed in a motorcycle accident with her watching. Her brother died in her arms. She was grieving and angry when she came to us. She had never been taught positive social graces, gone to school regularly or lived in a structurally decent house. While here she learned to have positive types of fun. She received counseling to cope with her
Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area. If you have a non-profit you’d like to see recognized, email us at editors@dosouthmagazine.com.
losses. She attended school daily and did very well. She attended the Military Ball. The Board of Directors made sure she had a formal, nails, hair and makeup done. She had never done those things. Afterward, she was so excited because she had known exactly which fork to use and how to cut her entree. She knew how to mingle and enjoy it. She is now happily married to a military man and living in California. She is an excellent mother who is teaching her children how good life can be!
DS: Are you looking for volunteers? Mary: We always need volunteers for fundraising events. In October, we will have our annual Mum Sale, and October 26th is our Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction.
DS: Are there other ways Do South® readers can help? Mary: We always need everyday household items, laundry detergent, paper towels, etc.
DS: Is there anything else you’d like to share? Mary: We have two Board members that are former residents.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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shop
Summer is for Shopping! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors
Hearts On Fire Liliana Milgrain Diamond Bar Necklace, .17cts, 18kt. Rose, Yellow or White Gold
JOHN MAYS JEWELERS
Nature’s Plus Keto Shake/Sugar Control, Verditas Scientific Organic Aromatherapy Oils, Host Defense Chaga Extract, Host Defense Turkey Tail Immune Support
479.452.2140
OLDE FASHIONED FOODS 479.782.6183 / 479.649.8200
Budweiser Freedom Reserve Red Lager, Title No 21 American Bourbon Whisky, Crown Royal Bourbon Mash, Title No 21 American Rye Whiskey
Westone® AquaNots, custom swim plugs that float, come in fun colors, and feature added finger grips for easy removal.
IN GOOD SPIRITS
479.785.3277
479.434.6604
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
CENTER FOR HEARING
shop
Shopping for items to complete your July 4th celebration? Looking for natural products to keep you in tip-top health? Are you finally going to indulge in something just for you? Look no further, we’ve got you covered! Stop in these local shops and tell them Do South® sent you.
Customize your celebration with glass fusion “Pop Ins”. Add a fun burst of color to customize your favorite holiday, seasons and celebrations with interchangeable decorative glassware.
Sweet Water Tropical Lover Berliner Weisse, Charles & Charles Rose 2017, American Anthem Vodka, Smithworks American Made Vodka, Sweet Water Blue
SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013
JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH 479.441.4221
SkinCeuticals Skincare Products
ARKANSAS VEIN CLINICS & SKINCARE
Robert Marc Sunglasses
DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020
479.484.7100
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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garden
words Megan Lankford, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks image courtesy Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
June in the Garden THE DIRT: I often think of mulch as the gardening hat of the earth. In the summer, it keeps the sun off of the plants’ roots, helping them regulate their temperature, and in the winter, mulch protects tender roots from freezing temperatures. Furthermore, it helps keep plants hydrated by keeping the moisture in the soil and not allowing it to evaporate as quickly. Just as we as gardeners shouldn’t be caught without sun protection, your soil shouldn’t be caught without mulch.
YOU CAN PLANT: Arugula Beets Beans Carrots
T IPS:
Although there are various types of mulch you can use, we’re going to focus on the two most commonly used, wood and straw mulch. Wood mulches are best used for perennials, most annual bedding plants, trees, and shrubs. Straw is best suited for vegetable gardens. Wood mulch can be purchased in bags or by the truckload. What kind you get depends on the look you want to obtain. Chipped mulch is often the least expensive and what you will find bagged up at garden centers. Although it does the job, it can float in a heavy rainstorm, especially on hillsides. With shredded mulch, you can get a variety of different woods and colors including cedar, pine, and hardwood. Cedar mulch takes a long time to break down, while shredded hardwood breaks down more quickly and has the potential to cause nitrogen deficiencies for your plants. Shredded pinewood can be used for just about any tree, shrub, or perennials, but pine bark is great for acid-loving plants like azaleas. Straw mulch, not hay, is ideal for vegetable gardening. You can buy it at your local co-op, from a local farmer, or garden center. Additionally, it breaks down quickly and adds organic matter to the soil, helping to increase your soil’s fertility. Although straw mulch can sometimes come with seed heads, as long as you don’t walk in your beds, the sprouted seeds should pull out of the soil easily. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
Corn Lettuce Melons Peppers Squash Sweet Potatoes
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diy
Welcome, Y’all! words and IMAGE Catherine Frederick
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
diy
W
Welcome guests with this gorgeous DIY burlap wreath! My mother-in-law bought my burlap wreath for me a couple of years ago – I love the look of it, so full and layered. It’s my favorite because I can easily embellish it for each season, holiday, or special event and it looks amazing, even in its natural state. I’ve included instructions to make your own or they are easy to locate for purchase at craft fairs or hobby shops.
materials
method
• Metal wreath form
Secure one end of ribbon to form with a knot, wire
(12, 16, or 18-inch)
or a pipe cleaner. Push/pull burlap up through the
• 6-inch burlap ribbon rolls
innermost section of the form (about 3 inches in length, or to your liking for fullness). Pull ribbon
(10-15 yards)
up through the remaining two form openings.
• Scissors
You do not need to cut the ribbon in strips. For
• Embellishments
a full wreath, push the section of ribbon down before repeating the process on next section.
- hydrangea stems
- assorted greenery
off excess ribbon and secure to form with a knot,
- wooden letter
wire or pipe cleaner.
- acrylic paint
- jute
- floral wire
Repeat until wreath is full all the way around. Cut
I attached my embellishments to my burlap wreath with jute, twine, or wire – whatever is going to blend in with my chosen décor best. I tied my florals to my form with floral wire and painted my wooden letter a creamy white. I clipped the letter on to the wreath with a clothespin that I hot glued to the back of the letter. Voila! Find check
how-to out
videos
on
YouTube®
Pinterest®
for
more
decorating ideas.
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and
adorable
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people
How to Make a Dream Come True
T
words Marla Cantrell images Marla Cantrell and courtesy Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles
The early part of April 2017 found longtime musician Larry
After the party, Larry, Hazel, and JT couldn’t quit thinking
Bedell conspiring with James “JT” Thomas, who at that time
about how much fun they’d had. Hazel is a natural people
was the executive chef at a local country club. The two were
person with years of management experience. Larry a dyed-in-
trying to pull off a surprise party for Larry’s wife, Hazel. To
the-wool entertainer. JT a food wizard. What would happen
complicate matters, Larry wanted it to be a sit-down dinner for
if the three of them found a way to cash in on their talents?
sixteen, and he wanted it to be held at the couple’s Fort Smith, Arkansas, home.
They’d toyed with the idea of working together before, but the dinner party showed them what was possible. They started
JT made it happen. Hazel walked into her home the evening
talking, crunching numbers, scouting the area for a vacant
of her birthday to find a trove of family and friends waiting,
restaurant with enough space for a stage and dance floor.
and a menu she’s still talking about. JT had prepared a feast
Larry wasn’t about to give up music.
that included Tenderloin Caesar Salad, scallops, lobster tails, Cajun Salmon. For dessert, there was a strawberry cake with
When Larry found this building in late 2017, the former Oliver’s
chocolate ganache.
Kitchen at 719 Main Street in Van Buren, he felt his heart jump. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
people
This was a big restaurant with seating for 130. He called JT and told him he’d found a place; he just wouldn’t tell him where it was. “I drove around with my son all weekend looking at buildings, trying to figure out where it was,” JT says. Larry laughs. “Had to keep a little suspense going.” When Larry finally revealed the location, JT could see himself there. And so could Hazel. She started gathering decorating ideas for the space. She dug out her waffle recipe (for the restaurant’s chicken and waffles) that have become the mainstay of this new eatery. She talked to her ninety-three-year-old mother who’s also named Hazel to see if she’d be willing to make pies for the restaurant. Her mama said yes. What followed was a quest to find the right name. They settled on Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles, a mouthful for sure, but it said everything they wanted to say about this new venue. They would be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. There would be live music, often with Larry headlining. And there would be southern soul food done with flavor and style.
Larry and Hazel Bedell with Chef JT Thomas
Days and nights of work commenced. The new year came and with it a goal to be opened before April of this year. They made it, holding their grand opening on March 30. The first two days they say they served more than 300 people. The three are sitting in the dining room of Larry B’s as they share their story. It is a Thursday afternoon, one of those misleading days in late spring when the weather is so mild you believe it might stay this way. A trolley rolls by, filled with tourists scoping out this charming downtown with its mom and pop shops, with the historic Drennen-Scott House just blocks away. A few yards from here, a restored A&M train collects passengers at the old depot, taking them through some of the area’s prettiest country. Hazel loves the feeling of this place. For years she lived in the Dallas area, working in management. Five years ago, she moved to Fort Smith to marry Larry, and then to Van Buren. Larry is originally from Springfield, Missouri. At three he played his first set of drums. He remembers learning to play “My Girl” on a guitar he bought from a Spiegel mail-order catalog. By nine he was performing with his brothers and DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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neighborhood kids, a group he says became the R&B band
“I remember saying, ‘Here is our dream. We did it,’” Hazel says.
The Fabulous Elites, traveling the country to perform. JT adds, “We had a minister come in with my uncle. He kept Later he played with KC Express, signing with a record
saying, ‘Y’all gonna have to move. This place isn’t going be
company. When he came to Fort Smith in the 1980s, he played
big enough for long.’”
with Gray Ghost, a group that gained national recognition. Larry chimes in. “A minister from Lavaca told me, ‘B, you just As for JT, he came here by way of Little Rock, bringing his love
hold on. The going might be rough in the beginning, but you
of cooking with him. He remembers being eight years old and
just hold on. You’re in for a blessing you can’t comprehend.’ I
making a tuna melt for his mom. “This was long before a tuna
said, ‘I’m gonna take that and run!’”
melt was a thing,” he says. “I thought I’d made it up.” Hazel adds. “We had a couple from Little Rock here for their Today, he’s an award-winning chef creating a menu that will
first visit. They asked me when we were going to open in Little
knock you off your feet. One of his top sellers is Shrimp and Grits
Rock. They kept calling this our ‘first restaurant.’ They said, ‘I
featuring jalapeño and cream cheese grits, shrimp in a Cajun cream
can just see it.’”
sauce, and asparagus. Hazel’s Gourmet Chicken and Waffles is a great choice, as is the Chicken Fried Steak, Van Buren Catfish,
While branching out is exciting to think about, they’re content
and the Rib Eye. Try any one of those as an entrée, but not before
making this spot everything it can be. Larry yawns, stretches
you get the Southwestern Shrimp Cocktail with avocado cocktail
his arms out in front of him. This life they love is filled with
sauce. JT won first place in a cooking competition with that recipe.
hard work. And even though it’s mid-afternoon, the day is just
For dessert, try Pecan Sweet Potato Pie, made by Hazel’s mama.
starting for this trio. It will be late evening before they retire, and when they do, they will fall asleep quickly, the effects of the
On Tuesday nights there’s live jazz music. Wednesday is dance
day evident as they sink into bed. Tomorrow, though, they’ll be
night. Thursday the live music is a blast from the past. They
up early, waiting to see what happens next at Larry B's Rhythm
even offer valet parking, so customers don’t have to look for
Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles. At this
a parking spot.
restaurant that embodies their biggest dreams yet.
During the two-day grand opening, Larry B and the Cradle Rockers played. People were laughing and dancing and trying the brand-new menu. The full bar was open (the eatery is a private club since Van Buren is part of a dry county), and family had flown in from as far away as California.
Larry B's Rhythm Room featuring Hazel's Gourmet Chicken and Waffles 719 Main Street | Van Buren, Arkansas 479.689.5252 Reservations for evening dining are recommended.
Larry, Hazel and JT were exhausted and happy after it was over.
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Things our Daddies Said words Do South® staff
We asked our readers to share the best advice they ’d gotten from their daddies. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were certain the responses would be entertaining! Here are a few, from practical to profound, that will get you ready to celebrate Father ’s Day.
If you don’t have the money now, you won’t have it later either.
—Ashley DeLaet
Bob Altes said, "If you make a friend, you have a friend for a little while. But if you make an enemy, you have an enemy for life."
—Rick Altes
Never raise your hand at an auction unless you want to buy it. My dad always said, “Never argue with an idiot; an innocent passerby won’t know the difference.”
—Kenya McCain Harbin I grew up with three older brothers. My dad was an army guy. He always told me, “You can do whatever a guy or your brothers can do and probably better.”
—Beth Worley Presley Mine came from my father-in-law many years ago. He knew I had a troubled relationship with my parents and encouraged me through a long Christmas Eve heart-to-heart to make my peace with them. He was absolutely right.
—Sandy Pierce My dad brought me up in the oil patch, and he taught me to be self-sufficient, brave, and competent. His advice was two-fold: "Never count on something you think MIGHT happen," and “It doesn't cost any more to keep the top half of your gas tank full instead of the bottom half." Miss him dreadfully, every day.
—Lavetta Beshears
—Jacky Fleming DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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If you have to ask if it's ‘okay’ then you better stay away from it.
—Donna Stamper If you cannot pay cash for something, do not buy it. He lived by this until the day he died.
—Sandra Robbins You can lie to everyone except yourself. He is ninety now, and he still tells me that.
—Sweetie Darlin' If you need a job, two things you don’t ask. How much money am I going to make and what am I going to be doing?
—Pat Widders
Don't let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird *butt*.
—TamnRob Fetter Nothing good happens after midnight.
Go to work every day and work as if you owned the company.
—Raelene Brown Plummer
—Jim Kolettis Don't discuss politics; it’s nobody's business how you vote. Not even in marriage. If everyone else is doing it, it’s probably a bad idea!
—Linda Geraghty
—Denise Ladydee Messamor Tend to your own knitting.
Always find the bright side. That’s what got me through the war (WWII).
—Libby Warden Ware
—Coleen Kenner Kremers
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REDEFINED
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Words and images Jessica Sowards
people
W
When I look back over my thirty-two years and attempt to
the garden is cared for and the goats are milked. Usually, it’s
sequence them, there are a couple of great divides. Befores
sautéed greens and eggs I brought in as souvenirs from the
and afters. The kind of life-altering happenings that redefine
morning, and though it is a delicious routine, it is altogether
the way you think about everything. Kids and marriage and
ordinary to eat a plate of food I grew in my yard. Here I see my
Jesus are the obvious ones. I’ve walked through these. But one
new definition becoming concrete.
of my greatest divides came in getting our farm. Sometimes it’s more romantic. I can occasionally be found ®
I wrote an article for Do South magazine during the summer
frozen in wonder over the beautiful details of my dream come
of 2014 about our transition into country living. In fact, I
true. I cannot count the times I’ve sat in awe on the chicken
began the journey of contributing to this beautiful publication
coop floor, running my fingers across the smooth blue and
the very month we unpacked the boxes on our four little acres
green shells of eggs. I’ve witnessed birth, then leaned against
of Arkansas woods. The article, four years ago, was called
the barn walls, tears of joy streaming my face and arms full
“Becoming Country.” When I read it now, I can’t help but
of a wet and wriggling newborn goat kid with long velveteen
reflect on what an important season that was, and how much
ears. Then there are the times in the garden. I think the garden
has changed in the meantime.
has carved me more than all the rest of the farm combined.
Of course, I’ve learned skills. The girl that typed out that article did not have calloused hands. She didn’t know how to milk a goat or grow a garden. She didn’t make butter or bake bread or have a pantry full of canned and fermented jars of food. She had never even owned a chicken. But skills are rarely redefining by themselves. No, what redefines us is when the skills become habits, routines, regularities. We become redefined when life shifts, and with it, our hearts shift, and before we know it, the plumb line of who we are is somewhere different than it used to be.
I often feel the presence of God there, but one particular encounter stands out in my memory. It wasn’t the booming-voice-fromthe-sky kind of encounter often depicted in movies. It was a July evening, and I’d melted into a puddle in a canvas camp chair right in
The girl who wrote that article was just learning how to move at the pace of the created world, immersed as she had always
the middle of the raised beds.
been in the man-made one. She didn’t know how to navigate loss. She didn’t know how to work so hard it hurt. She did not
I was surrounded by hundreds of plants that just months
understand the patience that comes with being yielded to the
before had been a bunch of seeds in my hand. They were heavy
seasons. But now she does. That is to say, now I do. My heart
with fruit, and they were demanding hours a day in atten-
has settled firmly into the plumb line God laid on this little farm.
tion to prune and protect them from pests. I don’t remember exactly what was weighing on me that day—maybe it was just
Redefining is a process. The old definition must first be erased.
the hard work and the heat—but I remember feeling slightly
Then the new one comes in, sometimes all at once and some-
deflated as I leaned back in that chair and engaged in the kind
times bit by bit. With reverence and wonder and awe, I’ve been
of comfortable prayer I’ve found fits the garden perfectly.
rewritten. Sometimes in the unassuming times of routine, and sometimes in one fell swoop of revelation.
I asked Him, “Why, if you are seated in the Heaven described in the book of Revelation, and you love me like you say, why
These days, the alarm screams early and by the time the sun
did you seat me in the world that is so completely foreign to
rises above the tree line, I’m already walking the rows of my
where you are? I want to live a life of worship and wonder,
garden, getting chores done before the heat settles in. Most
but I can’t even fathom You. I can’t even fathom Your throne
days, I don’t sit down at the table for breakfast until after
room. Why did You design it this way?”
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In the still small voice that sometimes pricks my heart, a question rose in my thoughts. “What is His favorite color?” It was a bit of a startling question in its simplicity, one I’d never really pondered. My eyes opened, and before I knew it, I’d surveyed my scene and answered aloud, “By the looks of it, I’d venture to guess You are rather fond of green.” Then, as if by response, a scripture came to mind from Revelation 4, the very description of the throne room I’d just been thinking of. The verse describes the throne as being surrounded by a rainbow with the appearance of an emerald. I’ve always found that to be a terribly confusing verse. How can a rainbow be green? But on that hot, sticky evening, in a half-broken folding chair, I looked around. My garden was an explosion of green. The grass needed to be cut, and the light shining through the trees seemed to have a greenish tint. Moss grew up the side of the chicken coop, and weeds broke through every nook and cranny of the whole place. It all moved and swayed in the breeze, all so very green and so very alive that even the air seemed pregnant with it. And my mind was redefined, and I understood in that moment how a rainbow could be called emerald and how my world wasn’t so far away from His after all. I don’t know what the next four years will hold. I imagine my redefinition is hardly even underway. How often we assume the lines of our great divides are clear when really they are not. Either way, I’ll be here, crying over eggs and walking with my Maker in a garden, sharing the whole process with anyone who decides to read along.
Follow Jessica
@thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com.
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Dip into Summer WORDS Catherine Frederick IMAGES Jeromy Price
Fresh salsas and summertime. They go together quite nicely, don’t you think? Tomatoes, peppers, onions and jalapeños, fresh from the garden. When combined, they’re hard to beat. There are few dishes my family loves more than my guacamole, and a couple years ago I discovered a shortcut to making it. The shortcut is starting with a simple Pico de Gallo. By making a batch of Pico first, your guacamole will come together much quicker. Also, by not crushing the peppers and onions in a molcajete (mortar and pestle), the flavor of each ingredient is allowed to stand alone - exploding with each bite, instead of simply permeating the entire avocado mixture. While we love my traditional recipe (featured below), we eat it so often I started searching out other recipes, looking for a twist on tradition. What I discovered was nothing short of delicious. Watermelon Pico. I put my spin on that recipe to meet our liking, and you can do the same. Watermelon Pico – who thought of that? Who cares! I’m hooked, and I think you will be too.
Catherine’s Guacamole METHOD Make Pico. Combine 5 large, ripe, but firm avocados, halved & pitted; 1/2 large white onion, chopped; 2 green onions, chopped; 4 Roma tomatoes diced into 1/4-inch pieces; 1 jalapeño minced (2 for more heat); juice of 2 limes; and 1 cup chopped cilantro in large bowl. Scoop out avocado onto plate. Using a fork, chop & lightly mash avocados. Add avocados to Pico mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add generous pinch of salt. Stir and taste. Add more salt & additional lime juice if needed. Serve with orange Mission chips.
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Watermelon Pico { INGREDIENTS } 1/2 whole small seedless watermelon, diced 1/2 whole red onion, diced 1 whole red bell pepper, seeded & diced 1 whole green bell pepper, seeded & diced 1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded & diced 2 whole jalapeĂąos, seeded & finely diced
{ METHOD } Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Stir gently to combine. Taste and add more salt and lime if needed. Serve with chips. Also tasty as a topping for fish and chicken.
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped Juice of 2 limes 1/2 teaspoon salt Chips for serving
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Cheese Tortellini
with Roasted Veggies and Pesto words and IMAGES Catherine Frederick Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy
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INGREDIENTS >> 2 zucchinis, sliced and halved
>> 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
>> 2 yellow squash, sliced and halved
>> 2/3 cup pesto sauce
>> 1 red bell pepper,
>> Fresh basil (5-10 leaves)
diced into small cubes
(I used McCormick’s in a package)
>> 1/2 red onion, diced
>> 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
>> 6 oz. baby portabella
>> Parmesan cheese, shredded
>> 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
mushrooms, sliced
>> 1 pkg. tortellini
>> Pink Himalayan salt
(I used Buitoni’s mixed cheese,
>> Black pepper
in refrigerator section)
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METHOD Slice and dice vegetables while oven is preheating to 425°. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables, add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Pour vegetables onto a large baking sheet.
Cook for ten minutes, remove and add garlic, stir and redistribute on pan. Cook ten more minutes (until veggies are just tender—do not overcook) and add spinach and basil (I used 7 leaves) and cook one more minute, just long enough for spinach to begin to wilt.
Prepare pesto if not purchased ready-made. Cook tortellini per package directions while vegetables are in the oven. Drain tortellini and place in large bowl. Add veggies and prepared pesto. Toss and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve while warm, top with fresh parmesan cheese.
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The
June Bug image James Stefiuk
INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •
1 oz. Midori liqueur ¾ oz. Malibu rum ¾ oz. banana liqueur 2 oz. pineapple juice 2 oz. sweet & sour mix Maraschino cherries (garnish) Orange wedge (garnish)
METHOD Fill glass with ice. Shake all liquid ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice. Garnish with maraschino cherry, orange wedge and a straw. Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
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Head for the Hills words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
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At 47,000 square miles, the Ozark Mountains are the most extensive highlands region between the Appalachians and the Rockies and, with the Ouachitas, make up an area known as the U.S. Interior Highlands. Touching Oklahoma and Kansas, the Ozarks predominate Missouri and Arkansas where it's split into two ranges: The St. Francois Mountains in Missouri and the Boston Mountains in Arkansas. Here lies the hamlet of Mountain View, Arkansas, home of the Ozark Folk Center State Park. The park is the only facility in the nation that perpetuates the Ozark heritage of music and craftsmanship, which it does through live craft artisans, musicians and special events that crowd the calendar from April to November.
The park features a robust concert series, giving audiences a taste of the best folk musicians working today from local players to
The very name Ozark evokes images of hardwood forests and
national touring acts. You can even sample the art form without
rushing streams as well as the unique breed of people who
leaving the comfort of your home thanks to Ozark Highlands
have inhabited the hills since American pioneers arrived at the
Radio, a weekly program that features live music, jam sessions
beginning of the nineteenth century. Not unlike the Cajuns of
and interviews recorded at the park's 1,000-seat auditorium.
Louisiana, the people of the Ozarks gained a reputation for a distinct dialect, architecture and culture, which includes handi-
Amateur musicians and folk music aficionados will also appreciate
work and music. The Ozark Folk Center not only preserves
the workshops and special events celebrating the sounds of the
these traditions but displays them for all to see and experience.
hills. May's Thumbpicking Weekend, June's autoharp workshop and Shapenote Singing Gathering and August's Old Time Fiddle Weekend are just a sample of events on the music calendar.
music Folk music native to the region is everywhere to be found at
Once you've been inspired by the slate of professionals,
Ozark Folk Center State Park, giving visitors a sense of the
don't miss the chance to pick up your own mountain musical
important place music held in the lives of early settlers. Fiddle
instrument with a visit to McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers
and banjo take center stage in much of this brand of folk music,
in Mountain View. They've been hand-crafting fine, native
rounded out by other acoustic instruments including guitars,
stringed instruments since 1962. The shop is also a sponsor of
mandolins, dulcimers, and autoharps.
the Ozark Roots Dulcimer Festival this July.
crafts Ozark Folk Center State Park is equally known for its heritage crafts, which include basket weaving, broom making, blacksmithing, pottery making, knife making, weaving, quilting, wood carving, yarn spinning, soap making, herb gardening, doll making, candle making and letter press printing. Such crafts aren't just on display, they're handmade by more than twenty independent business artisans who operate out of their workshop in the park. They create, demonstrate, teach and sell what they’ve made. The skill and beauty of the items produced here defy the imagination. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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You might not think of something as pedestrian as a broom as art until you've seen the remarkable creations of Shawn Hoefer and Lena Larson, whose work has earned them champion honors at the National Broom Corn Festival in Arcola, Illinois, three out of the last four years. Another notable couple, Charles and Linda Widmer, are world renowned for their wood carving with pieces collected by presidents and museums; they now operate the jewelry shop here. The Craft Village also demonstrates the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of the Ozark people. For instance, apothecary artisan Linda Odom recycles cooking oil from the park snack bar to make soap, also using fragrant herbs from the onsite Heritage Herb Garden. That garden, by the way, is part of the Herb Study Center, a nationally recognized repository of native Ozark plants that generations of hill folk identified and used for food and medicine. Made up of eleven distinct gardens throughout the park, it illustrates the importance plants held in the daily health and wellness of the Ozark lifestyle. As with the musical attractions, a wide range of classes and workshops focusing on individual handicrafts are featured throughout the season. Many of the crafts on display have their own park-sponsored workshop and most of the artisans also participate in the center's Design Your Own Workshop program whereby individuals and groups can arrange for customized instruction. You can also take a painting class, led by master artists of the Mountain View Art Guild, whose work is among the Craft Village offerings. From whittled wooden handles to blacksmithed iron gates, clay pottery to knives made of Damascus steel, the range of artistry at the park's Craft Village is nearly limitless.
other attractions The park offers other accommodations to make for a unique visitor experience. The Ozark Folk Center State Park's Cabins at Dry Creek give guests a sample of local hospitality with cabins that impart the flavor of the Ozark countryside. Located just outside of Mountain View, all sixty of the units provide a unique and affordable way to enjoy the beautiful vistas after a day of music, shopping or craft instruction at the state park. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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All of the cabins, two of which are handicap accessible, are at ground level and provide a delightful mix of rustic charm and modern amenities including wireless Internet. Or, you can skip all that stuff and just take in the relaxing view from your porch while the kids splash in the pool or frequent the communal game room. Cabin guests can also purchase discount admission tickets to the Craft Village as well as certain music events. During your visit to the park, don't miss the Skillet Restaurant, perched atop a wooded Ozark hill with expansive views of the surrounding butterfly garden. Nearby wildlife feeding stations draw woodland creatures into view including birds, raccoons, foxes and even a stray bear or two. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the season offering Southern and native cuisine as well as more contemporary selections to fit modern tastes, including several gluten-free options. If you want to add a little excitement to your stay, check out the Loco Ropes treetop ropes and zipline course, adjacent to the park.
Ozark Folk Center State Park 1032 Park Avenue, Mountain View
Finally, save time during your visit to take in some of the natural
ozarkfolkcenter@arkansas.com
splendor in and around Mountain View itself. The community
Phone: 870.269.3851 | Lodging: 877.879.2741
sits just off the White River, and outdoor activities abound from hiking and biking to the best trout fishing in mid-America. It's
Loco Ropes
also not far from the Buffalo River, the first national river in
1025A Park Avenue, Mountain View
the nation. And, you're only about fifteen minutes from one of
870.269.6566 | locoropes.com
the most stunning waterfalls in the state, Mirror Lake Waterfall. Continuously fed from water by nearby Blanchard Springs
McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers
Caverns, it's an angler's and photographer's dream come true.
1104 Sylamore Ave., Mountain View 870.269.4313 | mcspaddendulcimers.com
Any time of year is a fine time to head for the Ozarks to explore the simpler pleasures that truly typify Arkansas as the Natural State. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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Falling For Fredericksburg WORDS Marla Cantrell Images courtesy Marla Cantrell, Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park
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Fredericksburg sits in the land of grapes and peaches, bluebon-
thirty historic sites you won’t want to miss, including three of
nets and rivers. In the land of Longhorns and German food,
the Fredericksburg Sunday Houses, which were used as second
that sits just five miles northwest of San Antonio, and seventy
houses by ranchers and farmers who came to town on week-
miles west of Austin.
ends to trade and stayed for church on Sundays. You can also take a trolley ride from the Visitor Center.
Today, the population hovers around 28,000. But in 1846, when the town was founded, the head count was 120 resi-
One tip: It’s best to book your stay mid-week to avoid crowds.
dents, all of them German immigrants. They’d come to the Lonestar State looking for a better life free from oppression.
Now that you have your bearings, let’s get started:
They named the town after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Those roots remain today, in the ancestors of those first settlers, the historic buildings, the German restaurants like Otto’s German Bistro, and in the stories you’ll hear about schoolchildren who showed up at the public schools until the 1950s speaking only German. Beyond that, it is the stomping ground of President Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1969), who conducted business at the Texas White House, just sixteen miles from downtown Fredericksburg. When you mention President Johnson, the story will always turn to Lady Bird, whose love for the natural world made an indelible mark. As First Lady, she advocated for children, becoming the first honorary chair of Project Head Start. Her love of nature showed up in her other great passion, the “beautification” initiative that is the reason you’ll see wild-
Must See:
flowers planted in the medians of roadways.
Pioneer Museum, 325 West Main Street, Fredericksburg
.
pioneermuseum.com
As I talked to several people about Lady Bird, they each seemed in awe of her. One of the townspeople said, “You know how
Watch the video introduction that chronicles the founding
Tennessee feels about Dolly Parton? That’s how we feel about
of Fredericksburg. Visit the nine historic buildings including
Lady Bird.”
a bathhouse, smokehouse, homestead, Sunday House, and school. See artifacts, hands-on demonstrations, and chat with
I traveled as a guest of the Fredericksburg Convention and
guides who will answer any questions. Note the limestone
Visitor Bureau. When the week was up, I was nowhere near
buildings that became a symbol of this town, and see how
ready to come home. I stayed at a charming bed and break-
these pioneers lived, worked, and learned. While you’re in
fast called Alte Welt Gasthof, on Main Street. Main Street is
town, visit Fort Martin Scott, the soldier with ties to Fort Smith.
three-and-a-half miles long, filled with mom and pop shops, art, eateries, wineries, and Dooley’s 5-10-25 Cent Store, that’s been around since 1923. One of the employees has been
National Museum of the Pacific War, 340 East Austin Street,
working there for more than fifty years!
Fredericksburg | pacificwarmuseum.org
Before you take off on your own, stop by the Visitor Center at
The only other museum of its kind in the U.S. is at Pearl
302 East Austin Street for a map of the walking tour that lists
Harbor. Fredericksburg has this treasure because of native son,
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Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. He led the U.S. Pacific Fleet for most of World War II. This 33,000-square-foot museum weaves the stories of the U.S., China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries during World War II. It honors the more than 100,000 Americans who gave their lives in the war against Japan and honors the eight million Americans who served during the Second World War.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site, 501 State Park Road 52, Stonewall | tpwd.state.tx.us The park is home to the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, which depicts the life of a German/Texas family from 1915Pioneer Museum
1918. You can watch the staff, dressed in period costumes, tend crops, milk cows, bake bread, and make soap and candles. The park includes nature and biking trails, fishing, a
LBJ and Lady Bird
pool, tennis courts, and even a baseball diamond.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall | nps.gov Visit LBJ’s ranch that still operates the way it did at the time of his death in 1973. The Longhorns have LBJ carved in their horns instead of the usual brands you see on cattle. Stop at the family cemetery, and then make your way to the President’s home dubbed the Texas White House. You’ll see the living quarters of the Johnson family, including their closets filled with monogrammed clothing, their extensive library, and the kitchen equipped for visits from world leaders. Note how many phones there are in this home; there’s even one attached to LBJ’s dining room chair. LBJ Horn Brand
Enchanted Rock Nature Area, 16710 Ranch Road 965, Fredericksburg | tpwd.state.tx.us This is also a land of stone, as seen at Enchanted Rock, which is a native pink granite dome ascending 1,825-feet. The 1,643acre park has camping, hiking, geocaching, star gazing, and rock climbing. In another time, the Tonkawa Indians thought that ghost fires flickered on top of the dome. Today, geologists believe the light arose on clear nights after rains when the granite seems to glitter. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Drive, Fredericksburg | wildseedfarms.com This family-owned wildflower farm, founded by John R. Thomas, is the largest in the U.S. They grow more than 1,000 acres of flowers, and grapes for the wine industry. There’s an online store, a massive gift shop and nursery, great deli, walking trails, and photo opportunities. Flowers bloom through August, so plan your trip accordingly. When I was there, the red poppies were in bloom, and the views were incredible. Fun fact: Wildseed sells to many state highway depart-
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area photo courtesy Steve Rawls
ments that plant the seeds in the medians.
Wildseed Farm
Luckenbach, 412 Luckenbach Town Loop, Luckenbach | luckenbachtexas.com No trip to this area is complete without a visit to Luckenbach, the tiny town made famous by Waylon Jennings’ song in the 1970s. You won’t find Waylon, Willie and the boys here, but you will have a grand time. Take a spin on the pecan wood dance floor, grab something to eat, and throw back a beer at the bar. Don’t leave without buying a souvenir.
Hungry Yet? Tubby’s Icehouse, 318 East Austin Street, Luckenbach
Fredericksburg | tubbysfbg.com West End Pizza Company, 232 West Main Street, Fredericksburg westendpizzacompany.com Fredericksburg Herb Farm, 405 Whitney Street, Fredericksburg | fredericksburgherbfarm.com Clear River Pecan Company, 138 East Main Street, Fredericksburg | icecreamandfun.com
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travel
Indian Blanket Wildflowers (Steve Rawls)
Texas White House
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taste travel
Tubby's Ice House
Das
Peach
Haus/Fischer
Fischer & Weiser Culinary Cooking School photo courtesy Fischer & Weiser
and
Wieser
Specialty
Foods,
ture. They have a wine room, weekly cooking classes, and a
1406 South U.S. Highway 87, Fredericksburg | jelly.com
shop that sells every cooking condiment you could hope for.
The happiest culinary surprise on this trip was Tubby’s Icehouse
One of the people I met on this trip said that Fredericksburg
with its street tacos and world-class taste. I had the Carne
has more fun than you have vacation days. That sums up this
Asada tacos with grilled sirloin, roasted tomato salsa, cilantro,
town perfectly. If you plan a trip around the 4th of July, you
and sliced onion. Well, I had two! Plus, frosé, which is frozen
can attend the two parades, see the Aircraft Flyover, experi-
rosé. Some of the best pizza of my life was at West End Pizza
ence the 4th at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, and
Company. Breakfast at Fredericksburg Herb Farm was divine,
see fireworks at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.
with waffles made with almond flour, with strawberries and blueberries on top. Ice cream from Clear River Pecan Company was the perfect end to a busy day. Finally, my trip to Das Peach Haus/Fischer and Wieser Specialty Foods was a culinary adven-
To learn even more, check out visitfredericksburgtx.com.
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southern fiction
I’m making dinner. Pork chops, cornbread, slabs of onion from our garden. I hate talking politics. If I had anything to say, which I don’t, it would be that power corrupts nearly everything it touches. “You don’t never answer me,” Levi says, and I feel my shoulders crawl up to my ears. I’ve been dreaming about dropping off the face of the earth for a little while. Turning up someplace else after a bit. Tennessee, maybe, with all those green hills. I blow a puff of air that lifts my bangs off my forehead. “What can I say, that you don’t already know?” Levi hops off the barstool and reaches for my hand. “Tell me you love me, Lovey.” Levi smiles like a kid. With the teeth he’s got, he should cover his mouth. He should be aware. But he’s not and never will be. Me, I’m concerned about every line that cuts across my face since I turned forty this spring. Every gray hair.
A Morning in
June
“You know I love you,” I say, kind of flat-like, and Levi kisses my hand and then my cheek, and after that he pinches my behind. All class, that one. At midnight, with Levi asleep beside me, I grab my phone and look at places to live in Tennessee. There’s a town called Tracy City. On the main drag, there’s a gem called Dutch Maid Bakery that sells Moonshine Cakes, brownies the size of bricks, cookies big
FICTION and image Marla Cantrell
as saucers. I can almost taste the Moonshine Cake, vanilla and whiskey, sugar and butter. Whiskey. I stopped drinking wine a few months back when it
L
started tasting like water. The thought makes me rise
Levi says, “You can’t make this stuff up!” He’s talking about the arrest of
from bed, pour myself a Crown and Coke, a drink
several of our elected officials who’ve been accused of bribing folks for
that makes your taste buds jump, that lets you know
votes. Paying folks through favors or what-not to make sure they hit the
you’re still in the game.
right button at the poll booth. Sitting on the couch, I take a sip and light up my Levi slaps his knee. “Government for the people. By the people.” He laughs.
phone again. In 2010, Tracy City elected a dead man
“Buy the people! Get it?”
to be their mayor. He wasn’t dead till the very end of
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southern fiction
the race, but still. I click on a picture of a middle-aged woman
Caleb went to Tennessee once. With a school group. To Dolly-
sitting beside one of the dead mayor’s campaign signs, clutching
wood. To a cave where he had pictures taken beside a group of
wildflowers to her chest.
stalactites that looked like angel’s wings. Caleb has my dark hair and Levi’s sapphire eyes. He has a dimple, only one, and a birth-
Me and Levi have a boy who’s twenty-one. He’s not dead, but
mark that looks like a sailboat on his stomach.
he’s not here either. He got into some pretty serious trouble when he was nineteen, and we laid the law down. Laid it down
When he left, he still had the face of a child. The hard edges
good. I remember being proud of Levi, who’d been mostly quiet
hadn’t found their way to him yet.
on the subject of parenting until then. He seemed to grow a foot as he spoke, his index finger jabbing the air, telling Caleb how it
I look up another town in Tennessee. This one’s called Cleve-
was going to be. I thought he was saving our boy.
land. The have an international cowpea festival there. I look up cowpea and find out they’re purple hull peas and the like. The
All he was doing was pushing him away.
city was once known for them. A train used to carry them away. They called it the Pea Train. A joke on rails.
Now, when I run into Caleb’s friends, hanging around the park where I walk, for example, they narrow their eyes, and their lips
The festival looks like a place you could forget your troubles. Lots
go tight. A rough crowd. It keeps me from asking where he is,
of music and fried food. Lots of dancing, hips moving this way
although I know he’s not nearby. I would have seen him by now.
and that. I could be anybody in a town like that. I could sell tiedyed t-shirts and let my hair go gray.
As far as I can tell, Caleb didn’t take much with him. His football trophy is missing. A week’s worth of clothes. His class ring. Our
It is the beginning of summer, the neighborhood kids out of
wedding album is gone too, but why would he take that?
school. I can hear them driving by, the thrum, thrum, thrum of their music splitting the air. I can hear them laughing and
He left his cell phone on his bed. It had been wiped clean. His
hooting, trying to turn an ordinary night into something spec-
room smelled like him: dirty socks and newly sawn lumber.
tacular. Well, maybe they can.
For a year, I stayed home nearly all the time, thinking he’d call.
Levi has woken up. Is in the bathroom, the faucet running. A
Imagining him showing up at the door, the Prodigal Son finding
year ago, six months ago, he would have come to find me. Now,
his way back to me. I’d listen for any sign of him; when a car
he crawls back in our bed and lets me be.
backfired in the middle of the night, I’d be sure it was Caleb pounding on the door. But Easter passed, and then his birthday
I don’t mention Caleb to anybody who didn’t know him. Far as
in August, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the spot
they know, I’ve never had a child. Old friends will ask after him,
where my heart had been laid down and gave up the ghost.
and I give them vague answers. He’s traveling, I say. Or he’s finding himself. For a while, I’d see him everywhere. At the park.
On that New Year’s Day, me and Levi watched a travel show
Driving the city bus. Stepping from a curb to cross Main Street.
about Fredericksburg, Texas. “More fun than you have vacation
But it was never really him. I was making him up. I was creating
days!” the announcer said, and I imagined myself there among
a son who wasn’t there anymore.
the wildflowers, on the trails at Enchanted Rock, huffing and puffing my way up the granite hill.
We filed a police report, but Caleb was grown. He could go where he wanted. He could do what he pleased.
“We should go,” Levi said when the show ended, but I didn’t want him along. “Maybe,” I said, and he saw something in me
I take the last drink of my Crown and Coke. I look at my phone;
that made him shake his head and leave the room.
the battery is dying. I set it down and cover up with the afghan I crocheted years ago. It is turquoise and gray, all the rage now.
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southern fiction
I huddle beneath it. I stuff a throw pillow under my head. I
swooshing. My uncle said, ‘God sure must have been in a good
dream I’m on a train, the rhythm of it a tranquilizer, a knock-
mood the day He made Tennessee.’”
out pill, salvation. “I wonder what God was thinking when He made me,” I say, I wake with Levi perched on the edge of the couch. He hasn’t
and Levi looks at me for a long time. He says, “I imagine He
shaved yet. Somehow the stubble makes him look younger.
thought you were a doozy, Lovey. Because you are.”
I’m lying on my side, and his hand is on my thigh. “Do you ever get lonely?” he asks, and I notice the trembling at the
It isn’t yet seven, and already our next-door neighbor is mowing,
corner of his mouth.
the zoom of the machine sounding like a plane landing when he gets close.
“Every minute of every day.” “Leave if you’ve got to,” Levi says. “I don’t think you can run far “What do you do about it?”
enough away from your troubles, but I’ve been wrong before.”
I sit up, pulling my knees up, circling my arms around them. “I
“I thought Caleb might have gone there. To Tennessee. He
think about leaving.”
hadn’t been many other places. It seemed possible.”
Levi runs his fingers through his hair. He is a man who will
“Anything’s possible,” Levi says.
never go bald, will never lose enough hair for anyone to notice. His fingers are long and thin, a strange site on a man
Our grandfather clock strikes seven, and Levi stands up. He goes
who’s nearly square. “Leaving me?” he asks.
to the kitchen where he starts breakfast. He is making biscuits from scratch, and gravy. When I go to get coffee, he wraps his
I look at the TV. If we turned it on, we’d hear the morning
arms around me.
news, story upon story of tragedy and sorrow. “I guess,” I say. “Stay for breakfast,” he says as if I’m leaving at this very minute. “We’re all we’ve got,” Levi says, hollow-eyed. What I’m thinking as he holds me is how each of us tears up “We didn’t handle Caleb right. I thought we did at the time
our own lives at some point or tears up somebody else’s. I don’t
but getting tough with him ruined everything.”
know why but we do. But I’ve had enough destruction.
Levi rests his head in his palms. “I know.” He breathes deep.
“I’ll stay,” I say, my voice a fountain, a brook, a downpour.
“I hate it,” he says and his voice goes weak. “When you think about leaving, where do you go?”
The sunlight of this June morning trembles against the kitchen window, pushing its way into the room that needs illumina-
“Somewhere in Tennessee.”
tion. It lights up every curve and hollow, every dark and empty place. Me and Levi are surrounded by it, standing in this
Levi lifts his head. “I had a great uncle that lived there. Some-
shimmer that chose us, even though I can’t say we did one
times he’d find bullets from the Civil War on his land. We
thing to deserve it.
visited him one summer when I was eleven. I walked with him to the crest of a hill. The valley below had a river running through it. All you could hear was the wind in the leaves and the birds calling back and forth across the way and that water
Marla Cantrell is an Arkansas Arts Council Fellow in short fiction.
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