®
LOVEBUG
February 2020 DoSouthMagazine.com
02
february
Contents 04 06 10 14 16
Letter from Catherine Introducing the Do South ® Team Pet Adoption Shop Local
08 09 12
Fan Mail & Contest The Calendar: February
Planning Support
7 Smart Things to Do
with Your Tax Refund
Guilty of Love
{COMMUNITY } Nonprofit Spotlight
{TASTE}
42 44
Death by Chocolate Cupid’s Arrow
Get Bookish: Local Authors
{FICTION }
Health: Prenatal
18 48
13 22
{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT}
{ FA I T H }
38 Words {PEOPLE}
26 30 34
50
My Love
{SPECIAL FEATURE }
54
Wedding Guide
The Boy on Broadway You Say You Want a Revolution Adventures with My Valentine
OUR COVERS Image: Olexandra/
Simply the Bost
Shutterstock
{ T R AV E L }
46
Cossatot River State Park
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
Image: Polly Sharai/ Shutterstock
04
Letter from Catherine
Love, Sweet Love
I know not everyone loves Valentine’s Day, but this girl does! Truth be told, I
would happily accept a bouquet of beautiful flowers from my hubby every week of the year and I promise you I can eat my way through a box of chocolates faster than Forrest Gump can run. This year, the hubs and I will celebrate our eighteenth anniversary, twenty years together. I remember back when we were first dating, it was all about the flowers,
FEBRUARY 2020 OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Amy Adams CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Amy Adams, Jade Graves, Dwain Hebda
the stuffed animal, the chocolate and an upscale dinner. Fast forward to 2020 and I’d settle for a night on the couch in my PJ’s, where there’s no laundry to be done, the house is clean, and I don’t have to cook! (Honey, if you’re reading this, see above, I still love flowers and candy.) While we can’t ignore that Valentine’s Day is big business, we also can’t deny that the most important item can’t be bought – it’s absolutely free. Love. Everyone desires it and it won’t add a single pound to the scales. So, don’t be afraid to spread love around like confetti, because we could all use a little more of the good stuff. Thank you for picking up another great edition of Do South ! It’s time to get ®
cozy, turn the page, and discover even more to love about the River Valley and our great state of Arkansas! XOXO,
Catherine Frederick
Owner/Publisher/Editor
catherine@dosouthmagazine.com
FOLLOW US
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alicia Agent, Jennifer Battles, Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sarah Phillips-Burger, Sara Putnam, Liesel Schmidt, Jessica Sowards, Stoney Stamper ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com Amy Adams | 479.926.1234 amy@dosouthmagazine.com ©2020 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. 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 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
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.
To reserve this free space for your charitable nonprofit organization, email: catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
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06
people
MEET THE DO SOUTH TEAM ®
CATHERINE FREDERICK Owner | 479.782.1500 | catherine@dosouthmagazine.com My husband, Scott, and I have been married for seventeen years and have three amazing children, Lauren, Leah and Tyler, and a bevy of fur babies! This year, Do South® celebrates ten years in publication and I celebrate twenty-six years in the marketing communications industry. I began working in public relations in college. After graduating from Westark, now UAFS, I was honored to be hired as community events director for Gregory Kistler Treatment Center for Children, and then communications director for AOG. From there, I accepted a position at The McIntosh Group where I gained invaluable experience in all aspects of marketing and communications, from client relations to building multi-media ad campaigns. In 2005, I opened a full-service adver tising agency creating solutions for local and national clients, taking great pride in watching their business grow. In 2011, I recognized a need in our community for a publication that focused not only on stellar storytelling and design, but also on the specific adver tising needs of local businesses. I’m grateful for the relationships cultivated over the years. I’d love to learn more about your business and put my years of exper tise to work for you!
AMY ADAMS Account Executive | 479.926.1234 | amy@dosouthmagazine.com Hello! I am very excited to be a par t of the Do South® team. I have served the Bonneville House, a local non-profit organization, as the Executive Director and Fund Development Coordinator for nearly four years.
Do South® has helped my organization create a presence in our community that has benefited us greatly. I was thrilled about the difference it made for us and knew Do South® was something I wanted to be a par t of. I grew up in Russellville and began working at thir teen for my parents’ BBQ restaurant. I worked two jobs while attending Arkansas Tech University to pursue my degree in Secondary Education. Upon graduation, I moved to For t Smith where I have deep family roots and where I met my wonderful husband, Mike. Together we now have two beautiful daughters! I’ve lived in For t Smith for thir teen years and have enjoyed watching our community grow. It is my desire to be an integral par t of helping propel our city forward. I am currently a member of the Junior League of For t Smith and a Chamber Ambassador for the For t Smith Chamber of Commerce. When not working, you’ll find me volunteering, snapping pictures, coaching my daughter’s t-ball team, or playing guitar. If there is anything I can do for your business or organization please reach out to me. I would be happy to serve you!
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
people
Introducing the amazing women responsible for bringing Do South ® to life every month! These phenomenal women work tirelessly to ensure what you see is always beyond compare.
JESSICA MEADORS Graphic Designer Hi! I was born and raised right here in the River Valley and have a deep love for the area. I love traveling and experiencing other places, but nothing beats home! I am a brand new mom to my precious son, Ellis, and a wife to my amazing husband, Logan. I absolutely love producing Do South ® each month. Crazy thought - this is actually my 65 th issue! It is very common to find me at my computer, but if I'm not working, I'm outdoors (or changing a diaper as of most recent)! I have a slight obsession with bowhunting, and if it isn't deer season, I want to be on the water fishing. I have worked as a graphic designer now for nine years. After graduating from UAFS I star ted Ar tifex 323 Design, a one stop shop for graphic design needs, print materials and web work. "323" stands for Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your hear t, as working for the Lord, not for man." I try to remember this in all I do! I hope the work that myself and this awesome team puts in to Do South ® Magazine each month brings you joy, just like it does for me!
CHARITY CHAMBERS Copy Editor/Proofreader Having lived in For t Smith most of my life, I am a graduate of For t Smith Christian School and the University of Arkansas – For t Smith. Prior to joining Do South ® I spent much of my time outdoors and volunteering at the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center where I could be found in the gift shop or behind the registration desk. Adopted at the age of five, I am the youngest of four, having two older brothers and one older sister. (That being said, I have many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.) Last January, to celebrate my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, twenty-four of us took a Caribbean cruise. There was never a dull moment, to say the least! These days I like spending time with family and my two spoiled rotten cats, Sully and Sophie. In addition, I enjoy camping, outdoor photography and traveling. My favorite place to visit is Alaska. I’ve been there three times so far and love the scenery and wildlife. There is so much to do and see and the oppor tunities for photography are unlimited. I’ve had the privilege of working with Do South ® for the past seven years and look forward to many more!
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FAN MAIL Send comments and suggestions to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
A Cool Change Thanks to the BEST magazine out there for this great article. We appreciate you highlighting our next BIG adventure. Do South® Magazine thank you for investing, sharing, and highlighting the awesome things going on in the River Valley.
~ Susan P., Tales from a Passport Local Flavor Always enjoy this magazine and its local flavor!
~ Catherine G.
UP NEXT Is your business or place of work Locally Owned? If so, it’s time to say it loud and proud in our annual Locally Owned Guide! Our readers love to support local businesses, so be sure you are front and center in our March issue so you can educate our readers on all you have to offer! Contact Catherine, 479.782.1500, or Amy, 479.926.1234, for details, incentives and special promotions!
CONTEST (Deadline is February 12) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on “Contests” at the top of the page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Please see rules and
CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR
calendar
policies on our Contests page!
LOVE IS IN THE AIR
What goes best with love? Chocolate, of course! Enter to win a lovely box of Valentine chocolates from our much-loved friends and confection experts at Kopper Kettle Candies! CODE: KOPPER
CONGRATS Congrats to our contest winner from January! Do South® Magazine Annual Subscription: Cynthia Hubbard DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
THE THE THE THE
08
calendar
FEBRUARY 2020
Fort Smith
The Majestic
Convention Center
Fort Smith, AR
ACCA LIVE!
Fort Smith, AR
February 29: Vore, Vesperian Sorrow,
February 1-2: Battle of the Fort Volleyball
Pantheon, & Northwind Wolves
Fort Smith, AR February 20: Boo Ray Cherokee Casino & Hotel Roland Roland, OK February 2: Super Bowl LIV Live Scoring Drawings February 8: Jo Dee Messina, Free Concert in Lee Creek Tavern February 14: $2,500 Valentine’s Day Kiosk Game February 17: $2,500 Presidents Day Kiosk Game. February 19: Monthly T-Shirt Giveaway February 29: $2,500 Leap Day Kiosk Game February 29: Lee Roy Parnell, Free Concert in Lee Creek Tavern
February 6: Garden Brothers Circus February 14-16: Rainbow Dance
The Blue Lion
Competition
Fort Smith, AR
February 21-23: Nexstar National
February 18: Ann Hampton Callaway
Talent Competition February 22: Father Daughter Dance
Uncork’d
February 28: Synergy Performing
Fort Smith, AR
Arts Competition
February 1: WhiskeyMenders February 7: Jon Dooly
Fort Smith Library
February 8: Hwy 124
February 18: Daddy Daughter Hair Factory
February 14: Tabitha Graves
February 20: Open Mic Night @
February 15: Christine DeMeo
Dewey’s Café
February 21: Truckstop Poets
February 29: Black Heritage Celebration
February 22: Pearson Brothers
featuring Tommy Terrific's Wacky Magic Show
February 28 & 29: Rockey Jones
Fort Smith Museum of History
UAFS Season of
February 22: Pardi Gras
Entertainment Fort Smith, AR
Core Public House Fort Smith, AR February 4,11,18,25: Xtreme Bingo at the Pub Fort Smith Brewing Company Fort Smith, AR February 14: Valentine’s Prom with DJ Lazy E February 22: Brewery Stand-Up Comedy Tour Fort Smith Coffee Co. Fort Smith, AR February 2,9,16,23: Sunday Night Coffee & Trivia with Rham
Robinson Center
February 5: Finding Neverland
Little Rock, AR
February 20-22: Theatre@UAFS Presents
February 6: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
August: Osage County
LIVE! February 11: Glenn Miller Orchestra
Walton Arts Center
February 13: Gary Allen
Fayetteville, AR
February 21 & 22: Waitress A
February 1,8: A Year with Frog and Toad
Broadway Musical
February 1: SONA Masterworks II, Carmina Burana
Simmons Bank Arena
February 3: Arts and Appetizers
North Little Rock, AR
February 6: Ballet Memphis
February 12: Korn and Breaking Benjamin
February 8: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE!
February 15: 68th Annual Home Show
February 9: Inspire Wedding Show
February 21: Brantley Gilbert
February 11-16: Once on This Island
February 29: Monster Jam 2020
February 15: Cocktail Class February 17: Broadway Book Club
Temple Live
February 25: The Peking Acrobats
Fort Smith, AR
February 27: Les Ballets Trockadero de
February 20: Candlebox
Monte Carlo
February 28: Skillet
February 29: Apollo’s Fire
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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pets
Furry Happiness
M
M
F
Hollis F
F
M
Evie
Scooby
Madea
Binx
Tootsie
Almost Home Shelter and Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | Tom Hill 479.414.3781 | 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
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entertainment
Get
BOOKISH with Local Authors Recommendations and image courtesy Bookish
Five must-read book recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned book store.
Bridging the Gap
by Kevin Johnson Johnson is interested in interesting stories that reflect par ts of ourselves. You’re not going to “fall in love” with Eric. He’s your typical 20-something IT guy living in For t Smith in the early 2000’s (but we all know him!). You will, however, root for him. Through clever dialogue and grounded in a regional catastrophe that helped shape our community, this little story will allow you a brief escape just before forcing you to reflect on where you were when it all happened. (Tipsy Mockingbird Press)
The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee
by Talya Tate Boerner Fans of child protagonists will love ten-year-old Gracie Lee. She knows all about tree climbing and sneaking across the hardwood floors in her home. But there are also things that keep Gracie up at night. Gracie finds solace the way we all do, by unlocking her imagination to adventure. You’ll adore getting to know Gracie and struggle to make decisions right alongside her.
Garrison Avenue
Rabbit-Trapped
The Huntsman
by Joyce Faulkner & Dr. Micki Voelkel
by Jacquelyn Holmes
by Hayleigh Worgan
YA readers will love this tale steeped in mystery and mythology. The first book of the Native Legends series introduces us to Ash, Neveah, and Elliot. As they search for something different and journey into something more, they learn that secrets can make life a lot harder than it needs to be. Holmes is a gifted up and coming writer who crafts characters who show us their feelings and help us understand their motivations. Her understanding of Native American mythology is nestled within each line.
The classic fairy tale gets a modern reboot in the first book in a series by Worgan. The good vs. evil trope we are so used to seeing in age old fairy tales takes on a nuanced tone as the wolf possesses the huntsman nearly a decade before he even meets Red Riding Hood. Told as a frame story after a bad breakup, Worgan will have you pining to find out what happens next!
This piece of historical fiction centers on an event that happened right here on Garrison Avenue in the early 1900s. The incident surrounding Sanford Lewis and Andy Carr brings to life characters from For t Smith’s past that are impor tant and should be remembered as we move into a new decade. (Red Engine Press)
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
Nonprofit Spotlight
DS: Tell us about the focus of Junior League Fort Smith and how it impacts our community.
words Catherine Frederick with the Junior League of Fort Smith Board of Directors
for adulthood, skills such as applying for a job, budgeting, housing, nutrition, and
In 2013, JLFS turned its focus to the foster care crisis. We launched the Skills for Life class, which provides monthly life skills lessons for foster youth preparing them vehicle maintenance. Last year, we also announced the new Junior League of Fort Smith Scholarship, which will be awarded to college-bound teens in foster care. This year we created a new HEAL (Health, Education, Awareness & Leadership) Program in which we partner with other community organizations that are also working to improve the foster care crisis in our community. JLFS also develops the potential of women, training our volunteers and equipping them with the skills needed to be better leaders and social advocates. Each year, JLFS provides hundreds of volunteer hours and impacts thousands of local residents. Past community impact projects include Children’s Emergency Shelter, CASA, Project Literacy, Table to Table, Immunization of Children, Pregnancy Clinic, Comprehensive Juvenile Services and more.
The Junior League of Fort Smith is an organization of women that has been empowering women to act as agents of social change since 1960. They committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Their purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Do South® reached out to Trish Puckett, Vice President of Communications, to learn more.
DS: How can our community get involved and support Junior League Fort Smith? Currently, our most pressing need is for more members. Women desiring to join JLFS should show interest in voluntarism with a commitment to community service, be 22 years of age or older and live in the nearby area, complete new member application, and demonstrate ability to meet the requirements: which includes attending meetings, financial commitments, and other placement responsibilities. New member applications will be available on our website in early spring. If you are interested in joining JLFS, please contact us at any time to receive more information. Want to support us but not sure about joining? Please attend our upcoming Spring Market event to learn more about us!
DS: Are there any upcoming events our readers should know about? Spring Market takes place March 13-14 at the Fort Smith Convention Center with general shopping from 10AM-4PM on both Friday and Saturday. Our Sixth Annual
311 Garrison Avenue
Fostering Fashion Show will be Friday evening from 6PM-9PM. This exclusive fashion
Fort Smith, AR 72901
show showcases upcoming collections from over 65 local and regional vendors.
(479) 783-3930 | www.jlfs.org
Grab your best friends and plan a fun night out filled with VIP treatment, shopping, fashion, drinks, and dinner provided by Zapata's Mexican Grill. This event is open to only guests who are 21 years of age and older.
Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area free of charge. If you have a nonprofit you’d like to see recognized, email us at catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
Family Night takes place on Saturday from 6PM-9PM. This event features kid-friendly activities such as a character meet-and-greet, face painting, bounce houses, and more! There will be fashion and goods for all members of your family! Proceeds from all Spring Market ticket sales benefit the Junior League of Fort Smith and our community impact projects with local foster care teens. Visit jlfs.org to learn more. Spring Market tickets are now for sale with zero online fees at jlfsevents.org. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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shop
LOVE IS EVERYWHERE words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors
Walker's Game Ear Razor Electronic Ear Muffs with Low Profile Design, Bluetooth Technology, and Rubberized Coating for Added Durability
CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277
Kahlúa Chocolates, Rémy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne Chocolates, Rodney Strong Rosé/ Pinot Noir, Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne, Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne, Cointreau Chocolates, Baileys Chocolates
IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604
Bridgewater Candle Company Candles and Reed Diffusers
JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP BAPTIST HEALTH-FORT SMITH 479.441.4221
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
shop
Look around and you’ll find a little bit of love in everything you see. We found plenty to love from some of our favorite local shops! Whether you’re treating your sweetie pie or yourself, you’re sure to find the perfect pick-me-up, just around the corner.
Unshackled Red Blend Wine, Sodie’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Baileys Limited Edition Red Velvet, Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Benjamin Prichard’s Sweet Bourbon Cream Liqueur, Unshackled Rosé Wine
SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013
Hayley Paige by Hearts On Fire Behati “Say It Your Way” Oval Engagement Ring, Available in 18kt White, Yellow, Rose and Platinum, Available from .30ct Center Diamond and Larger
JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140
Robert Marc NYC Sunglasses
DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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health
NEW SERVICE PROVIDES PRENATAL PLANNING SUPPORT AT BAPTIST HEALTH-FORT SMITH
WORds and images courtesy Alicia Agent, Manager Marketing Communications Baptist Health – Fort Smith
From picking a name to picking a paint color for the nursery, there’s a lot to do to get ready for a new baby. Those are just the fun things. There’s also paperwork to fill out, appointments to make and a hospital bag to pack. Megan Williams
But with the help of a new service at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, birth navigator Megan Williams aims to lighten the load for stressed out moms-to-be. The birth concierge service is available to women who plan to deliver their child at Baptist Health-Fort Smith. Its goal is to improve patient experience by helping expectant women get organized ahead of their due date. Megan
is
a
Lamaze
international-certified
childbirth
educator who took over the role as birth navigator last fall. In this role, she will meet with prospective parents who plan to deliver their babies at Baptist Health-Fort Smith to help them: • Pre-register for delivery and sign-up for
Baptist Health MyChart online
• Register for free childbirth and breastfeeding
classes at Baptist Health-Fort Smith
• Connect with a financial counselor, if needed • Discuss the mother’s birth plan • Review hospital and unit policies for a significant
other, siblings and visitation
• Receive a tour of Labor and Delivery and
Postpartum Units
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
health
Megan says her goal is to increase access to services
The classes feature curriculum focused on Lamaze, an
that the mom and baby may need and provide thorough
international childbirth education program that helps
education on what to expect on delivery day.
women learn to respond to pain during childbirth in a way that both increases comfort and facilitates labor.
“One of my focuses is helping women make informed decisions about their care and knowing what their options
During the class, participants will learn about emotional
are so they can have open discussions with their physicians
and physical changes during pregnancy, delivery and
about one of the most important days in their lives,”
postpartum. The instructors will discuss the natural
Williams said.
birth process, birthing techniques and potential medical interventions like cesarean section. Other topics to
In addition to her duties as birth navigator, she teaches
be covered are skin-to-skin contact, mother-newborn
monthly childbirth classes. Megan was a preschool teacher
bonding and family bonding.
prior to joining Baptist Health-Fort Smith’s Women and Children’s Unit as a surgical technician. When the opportunity
“The class is very hands-on,” Megan said. “The moms
arose to teach childbirth classes and help expectant women
are able to get on the birthing balls to practice different
navigate the birth process, she knew it was a perfect way to
positions and breathing techniques that can help alleviate
combine her experience and her passion.
pain during childbirth.”
“WHILE WORKING IN LABOR
All classes are held in the Nancy Orr Conference Center
AND DELIVERY, I DEVELOPED A
on the third floor of Baptist Health-Fort Smith. Evening and day sessions are available.
PASSION FOR HELPING MOMS UNDERSTAND THE CHILDBIRTH PROCESS, THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO HELP THEM AND THE
Baptist Health-Fort Smith also offers free breastfeeding education classes to local moms. This year, the hospital has added nights and weekend classes to make it more convenient for mothers who have busy schedules at work
OUTCOMES THAT ARE POSSIBLE,”
or at home.
WILLIAMS SAID. “I LOVE TEACHING MOMS ABOUT LAMAZE AND THE VARIOUS BIRTHING TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE TO ALLEVIATE PAIN AND REDUCE STRESS.” While the birth concierge service is only available to moms who plan to deliver at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, Megan’s free childbirth classes are open to all area mothers to give them the confidence and support they need to enjoy their baby’s arrival.
To register for one of the dates listed, visit baptisthealth.com or call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST for more information.
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lifestyle
15 Valentine fast facts Janier Brosch/Shutterstock
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
lifestyle
Diana Taliun/Shutterstock
The chocolate box has been in existence for over 140 years. Cadbury introduced the first box of chocolates, the "Fancy Box," in 1861. Hershey's delighted us with their tiny, yet delicious chocolate, “Hershey's Kisses” in 1907, followed by the legendary yellow boxed “Whitman's Sampler,” in 1912.
Almost a whopping $1.8 billion is said to be spent on candy and chocolate for Valentine’s Day this year.
Thirty-six million heart shaped boxes of chocolates will be sold across the country.
The most popular flavors in a box of chocolates are caramels, followed closely by chocolate-covered nuts, coconut, and chocolate and cream-filled.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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lifestyle
Around 224 million roses are grown annually for Valentine’s Day.
Vitaly Raduntsev/Shutterstock
Young folks are leading the trend in floral sales. In 2016, 63% of those purchasing flowers were under the age of 35.
It’s predicted that 43 million households will buy flowers to the tune of $3.3 billion.
The Roman goddess of love, Venus, adored red roses because they symbolized intense romantic feelings. Red roses are by far, the most requested roses each year.
The men are in the majority when it comes to buying flowers – 64% of men buy flowers, while only 36% of women buy them for Valentine’s Day.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
lifestyle
21
Josh Brown/Shutterstock
Conversation hearts got their start in 1866 as medical lozenges and were originally shaped like scallop shells.
Each box has approximately forty-five phrases, which change out every year. Want to customize your message? No problem – just be prepared to order a full production run – which is 1.7 million candy hearts!
The entire amount produced annually sells out in six weeks. Candy hearts are the bestselling Valentine's Day candy. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
Necco, the maker of those famed candy hearts, produces more than 8 billion each year. That's almost 100,000 pounds per day!
Still have some candy hearts from last year? No worries – they have a shelf life of five years.
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community
Simply the
bost WORDs Dwain Hebda images courtesy Bost, Inc.
E
Everywhere around you right now, and all across the state,
“Sixty years ago, there weren’t services within the schools,”
miracles are happening.
Executive Director Katie Raines says. “There were not places that could appropriately take care of or give education to
Right here in Fort Smith, a young child lights up for having
children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
read his first words. Even though the accomplishment comes years after other children his age, it fills him with pride.
Originally Bost School for Limited Children, the name isn’t all that’s changed over the years; the breadth and scope
In the grocery store, a senior woman carefully chooses her
of services has as well. Today, Bost offers a wide range of
items with the help of a mentor, while across town, a middle-
assistance to individuals in all phases of life and spectrum
aged man reports to his bench in a workshop. Both revel in a
of abilities, serving thousands of Arkansans every year,
job well done and the independence that it brings.
Katie says.
A family attends an exhibit and sees their youngest child’s
“We are a statewide provider. We’re focused in about
artwork on the wall. Speech is hard for the young artist, so she
twenty-eight counties, but we are able to provide services
lets her painting do the talking. Her parents weep at the sight.
across the state,” she says. “We have children’s services with therapy. We have adult day treatment services that also
These and thousands of other moments are brought to
teach life skills, that also prepare people for work through
fruition every day thanks to the efforts of Bost, a community-
some supportive employment. We also have intermediate
based, not-for-profit agency in Fort Smith, which provides
care facilities which are group-type settings that offer a little
services for individuals who have mental and developmental
bit more medical assistance.”
disabilities and related conditions. Bost is one of the state’s largest providers of Medicaid waiver The organization was founded by Dr. Roger Bost, a Fort Smith
programs, which are set up to allow individuals to live in the
pediatrician, in 1959. The original group was launched out of
least restrictive setting their condition allows, thereby avoiding
a church basement with the simple goal of assisting children
institutionalization.
with special needs and their families. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
Individuals who utilize waiver services can take advantage of supported living service, non-medical transportation, supplemental supports and other resources designed to help them live in community while enjoying the fullest life possible. “That’s our largest program and the one most people know about,” Katie says. “It’s a home and community-based program that serves individuals from the child living at home to somebody that lives independently on their own and needs anywhere from an hour a day of support to twentyfour hours a day support.” At the same time, Bost has remained responsive to the changing needs of people with developmental and mental disabilities. One of the newest programs, Bost Cares, addresses the emerging issue of mental health particularly as a co-diagnosis with other conditions. “Primarily, (Bost Cares) starts to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities but who also have concurring mental health issues,” Katie says. “That program has done some outreach to people with mental health issues, while still taking care of the dual diagnosis individuals with disabilities and mental health conditions.” Another critical area where Bost makes a positive impact for the populations it serves is in housing. “When we sit around and talk about where are we at, where “Here in Fort Smith, we own two apartment complexes,
are we going and what do we need to do, one thing we talk
three group homes and two of the intermediate care facilities
about is the fact that we have a population that’s aging,”
where the facilities offer a little bit more nursing and medical
Katie says. “In our day programs, most of our (clients) go
oversight,” Katie says. “We have an apartment complex in
to a program or go to work during a day. But when you get
Northwest Arkansas that we are about to expand because
ready to retire do you want to go to a day program or go to
there’s a housing shortage up there. And then we have an
work every day? No.
intermediate care facility in Boonville. “It’s not only that; when we age without a disability, we need “Those facilities range from twenty-four-hour care to just
more help, right? Well the same thing applies for people with
a few hours of care that a client may need. All of that
disabilities. So now you’re trying to meet two needs.”
is individualized, based on the person, in areas that they need assistance.”
One thing that has remained a constant from the earliest days of the organization has been to act as a resource for families to
The evolution of Bost’s services has come in part as a response
navigate the complicated web of agencies and services. Many
to people with disabilities living longer than in previous
families don’t know where to start looking for services once a
generations. This fact alters the care model as different
child is born or diagnosed with a disability and reaching them
services are needed over a longer period of time.
is a marketing challenge. Even though Bost has been around
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community
for six decades, it’s difficult to reach families in need in all outlying communities or even right here at home. “It’s very hard for people to understand it all,” Katie says. “Schools don’t understand it all. By the time a family ends up on our doorstep, a lot of times they’ve been through the wringer.” “We don’t put a big old sign that says, ‘This is Bost and we serve people with disabilities,’” says Jeanne Hill, director of marketing and fundraising and the executive director of Bost Foundation. “But yet the flip side is people say we had no idea you were there. We didn’t know what you do. So, it’s a challenge. “For waiver services especially, it’s all about your relationship with the state, which I think we do very well. We provide a quality service, so a lot of referrals come through state agencies.” Delivering excellent services to families comes down to having the right people. Katie says finding and maintaining the one thousand employees Bost needs to deliver services – people who also have the right skillset and a heart for the clientele – is a constant challenge. Generating the funds to keep the nonprofit moving forward is also of paramount importance,
such
as
through
Bost’s
primary
annual
fundraising event, Grape Escapes. “Grape Escapes is in its eighteenth year; it’s like the biggest cocktail party you’ve ever been to,” Jeanne says. “We typically have twelve or so wine vendors and distributors that come in and we’ve had up to three hundred fifty or so different kinds of wines from around the country. Last year we raised around $95,000 and we’d like to raise $150,000 this year.” Serving as many people in as many settings as they do, it’s sometimes difficult to imagine Bost as the same organization that was born in that church basement so many years ago. But, Katie says, that spirit is still alive and well in everything the organization does in Arkansas, thanks to one foundational philosophy. “We’re part of the community,” she says, simply. “We preach it every day.”
Grape Escapes 2020
Bost, Inc.
Friday, March 6 - 6 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton ® 700 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith grapeescapes.org
5812 Remington Circle 479.478.5579 Fort Smith bost.org
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The Boy on
Broadway I wrote to people and pursued things to get me where I wanted to go.” And like most actors who walk the boards as the footlights shine up at them, he dreamed of making it to Broadway. Fortunately for the
Schmidt WORDs Liesel d Burris ha C sy images courte
young thespian, his tireless pursuit of his dream led him to parts that eventually took him to his ultimate goal, though not without a great deal of rejection and challenges along the way. “I’ve had many callbacks for big opportunities that
SO OFTEN
would have been life changing and exciting, we hear stories of successful actors who
had I landed the role, only to get a No,” Chad
unknowingly started their career not on the stage or screen, but in early
admits. “It’s challenging to remember that
childhood, their starring roles as the class clown the foreshadowing
all the No’s are ultimately leading you to the
of the path they would eventually find themselves following. And the
perfect thing and to keep going and persevere.
same is true for twenty-seven-year-old Fort Smith native Chad Burris, the
For every one Yes I’ve gotten, I probably get
disruption he posed in the classroom an indicator that his big personality
ten No’s; and trying to balance that and keep
was made for more. For Chad, “more” meant acting, and so his parents
at it when it feels like you keep hitting a
encouraged him to join the Young Actors Guild of Fort Smith when he
wall is difficult,” he goes on. “Still, I’ve been
was in the fourth grade. And while he might not have struck immediate
lucky to be part of a lot of really cool stuff.
success, his dedication and love of the craft led him to stay the course all
The hardest part is the industry in general. It’s
throughout school and then into college, where he forged relationships
over-saturated with people and trying to stand
with a professional theater in Little Rock.
out and do what you need to do is difficult.”
“I’ve always been industrious,” says Chad, who is the only one of his
Difficult though it may be, Chad is obviously
siblings to have any interest in the performing arts. “Looking back, I can
doing something right, as over the course of
see that even the things that I was doing in Fort Smith have led me to
his professional career, he has been in the cast
where I am now, and it’s all part of my story of getting to where I am in
of one national tour and six regional theater
my career. I didn’t let the fact that I was from a small town get in my way.
productions. His first big role was as Elder
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Cunningham in the national tour of The Book of Mormon, though he would consider being an original cast member of the theatrical adaptation
of
Cameron
Crowe’s
Almost
Famous one of his proudest achievements. “I got to know Cameron Crowe really well because he also wrote the script to the musical and introducing him to my family and letting them into this world that’s kind of like so different from where we’re from is fun,” he says. “Hopefully that will help translate to other, bigger roles.” Not that he’s been twiddling his thumbs and uttering prayers to the theater gods under his breath while
It’s challenging to remember that all the No’s are ultimately leading you to the perfect thing and to keep going and persevere. For every one Yes I’ve gotten, I probably get ten No’s.
he waits for his ultimate, career-making role to come along. In fact, he’s landed himself smack where most actors dream of being: in the bright lights of Broadway. And he’s got a buddy along for the ride. “I’m playing the role of Olaf in Disney’s Frozen, and I love playing him because of the combination of skills I have to use,” says Chad, who took the role in December 2019 and is currently contracted to be part of the open-ended production at St. James Theatre through mid-February. “Olaf is actually a puppet that’s connected to me, so that has definitely been a fun and challenging role to take on. Everyone loves it when he comes out, and he’s such a cultural icon at this point, so it’s been great to have that role,” he continues. “The puppet is attached to the front of me, and you can still see me, so it’s kind of like we’re doing the show together. It feels almost like you’re ‘assisting’ someone, like I’m helping him do the show, and we’re up there as a team. It’s something I’ve had to figure out as I go along.” Something else he’s had to figure out as he goes along is where he fits best into the industry. “I love acting and being in plays, but love writing, as well. Long-term, I see myself writing and producing. I really want to create DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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people
Photo: Andy Henderson
my own television series and do something that’s not been
the first person that I saw who looked like me. He’s funny
done, something that’s original and individual,” he says. And
and talented, but he’s a bigger guy, and seeing someone who
as far as his dream role for Broadway? Playing the character of
looks like me and being able to relate to them is important.”
Damian in Mean Girls the musical. Most important, however, is keeping sight of his dream and For now, though, he loves the uniqueness of playing Olaf,
not letting the No’s he hears drown out the times he does
a role that, interestingly enough, links him to someone in
hear a Yes. After all, every Yes is a step forward on a journey
the industry he greatly looks up to. “Josh Gad, who voiced
that has no straight, clear-cut path. Each role that he takes is a
the character of Olaf in the Disney film, is a big inspiration
win for the little boy whose personality was too big to contain.
to me. He also played the original Elder Cunningham in The
And while he may face challenges throughout his career, the
Book of Mormon, which I also played, so I have a very strong
role of a determined dreamer will be the most important one
connection to him. Also, like him, I’m a big guy; and he was
he’ll ever play…And he’s clearly got that one down.
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Quentin Willard
YOU SAY YOU WANT A
development there’s life to break the quiet at Fort Smith Brewing,
REVOLUTION?
a frothy stake driven into the parched Sebastian County earth.
WORDs Dwain Hebda images Dwain Hebda, Amy Adams and courtesy Fort Smith Brewing Company
we’ve opened up, everywhere around town has been changing
“There’s still a lot of room for growth, but we have seen huge improvements,” says Quentin Willard who, together with business parter Micah Spahn founded the company. “Just since their taps. These are all things we envisioned. We wanted to put pressure on Fort Smith to start inviting craft beer, to be a city
The rows of former Army barracks at Chaffee Crossing
that looks promising for other breweries and other craft spirits.
jut straight and rigid as a platoon leader’s chin. Little
We have started to see that.”
distinguishes one from the other in shape, form or décor and you can almost hear the boots of soldiers
Pulling chairs down from tabletops in advance of the night’s
long gone tromping on the pavement in taut formation.
clientele, Quentin looks at home out here and not just because
The sky is big and the view is largely unbroken out
he’s standing in the middle of the brewery that has been a
here. It’s a peaceful, beautifully solitary place.
longtime, and hard fought for, dream. A native of Van Buren, he’s an Army vet whose service to his country took him all over
Except, that is, for the one building stirring at this happy
the world and introduced him to the brews that would define
hour. Down one lane of the base-turned-commercial-
his once and future trade.
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“I was living in New England at the time and wanted to
“I was like, I can’t believe I’ve actually enjoyed a beer. It
open up a brewery. I fell in love with craft beer up there,”
complemented the food. So, I ordered another one. This
he says. “I traveled all over the world and tried flavors
is not the beer I grew up knowing about. Because of that
from everywhere. I’m a very social guy, so I talked to
experience, I tried some other ones and had some more I
some people and got an idea of some flavor profiles that
liked and I just kept trying them.”
they liked. Based on that information and trying beers all over I kind of figured out what people enjoy, generally
Quentin had seen the future but had no idea how to make it
speaking. I’ve come up with a palette that’s very pleasing
come to fruition until he was introduced to Micah through
to a large population.”
mutual friends. Micah was looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity and had beer-making chops to boot. Still, it
Quentin is particularly attuned to what it takes to move
was a long slog before the doors would open.
the non-beer drinker into the fold, something he can relate to personally.
“It took us a long time to get open; it took us four years,” Quentin says. I had to learn how to brew and I’ve actually
“I actually hated beer until I had a craft beer that I
come to enjoy it a lot. It’s a very creative process.”
enjoyed,” he says. “I even tried multiple craft beers and I didn’t care for them. Then I went to this one brew pub in
In addition to its Chaffee Crossing location, Fort Smith
New Hampshire. You can’t get Miller and Bud up there even
Brewing opened a downtown location in 2019. Total
if you wanted it, so you had to drink their local beer. I had
brewery production last year was one hundred seventy-five
one with my meal and it was actually really nice.
barrels with ninety-seven percent of sales over the counter
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at the two locations and the rest coming from a smattering
an unusually large number of taps – sixty-two, to be precise
of local taps. It’s a volume Quentin is comfortable with for
– only a few of which are pouring the house product. The
the time being.
rest comes from breweries across the state, the better to round out customers’ hops education.
“We care about Fort Smith more than anything,” he says. “Just like in our name, that’s really all we care about. One
“We never originally planned on having a lot of other
thing I noticed from traveling the world trying craft beers,
Arkansas beers on tap, but throughout the development
had some amazing beers at a brewery and then I go try it
process, and realizing Fort Smith wasn't getting another
somewhere else and it didn’t taste the same. So, I learned real
brewery anytime soon, I realized we had a big responsibility
quick that you want fresh beer. You want it at the source.
to educate this part of the state on craft beer,” Quentin says.
“We have aspirations of blowing up and being huge and
“It’s hard for one small brewery to create that many varieties
going all over the world. We really just want to make sure
of one style of beer. The benefit of having everybody else on
we make a name for Fort Smith. Remind people that some
tap is we can have six pale ales and let people try them. We
of the best beers in the world are created here.”
can also show the differences in interpretations. Pale ales range from this much hops to this much hops. So it’s a great
Quentin has other reasons for focusing on the Fort Smith
educational opportunity we can provide our customers.”
market. According to the Brewers Association, there are thirty-eight craft breweries in Arkansas. Central and
Naturally, Quentin ranks Fort Smith Brewing’s selections
Northwest Arkansas have blown up with the majority of
right at the top of the list of best beers in the state. He
these, while locally produced suds in western Arkansas have
flagged two brews as best-suited for first-time visitors:
been few and far between. In the state’s second-largest city,
Pearl Star Saison, an orange and coriander influenced brew
being essentially the only game in town – the other craft beer
for the newbie and Dat Nguyen stout for the aficionado,
establishment in Fort Smith doesn’t brew their beer onsite –
named after the College Football Hall of Famer who was
means there’s a lot of ground to make up in this market.
born at Fort Chaffee.
“Fort Smith is a culture that’s very slow to change,” Quentin
As for his own palate, Quentin swears he’s beer agnostic
says. “There’s a lot of opportunity here and potential that
and has learned to appreciate each style and category on its
hasn’t been capitalized on in my many years for a number
own merits. Doing so, he believes, helps him envision beers
of reasons, part of it is cultural.
to round out the Fort Smith Brewing lineup in a way that provides something for everyone.
“By showing a business model that people do drink craft beer and they’ll drive to the edge of the city to get a craft
“I like all beers,” he says. “The more you learn about it the
beer, it entices other people around town to start putting
more you appreciate it. I’m a firm believer that everybody
craft beer on. That naturally entices them to start learning
likes beer. You’ve just got to find the right one.”
about [craft beer] and figuring them out and being able to explain it to the customer. So more and more people are getting involved with this now. That’s awesome to see and exactly what we want to see for our community.”
Chaffee Crossing
Downtown Fort Smith
Quentin and Micah embrace the role of the city’s Pied Pipers
Fort Smith Brewing Company 7500 Fort Chaffee Boulevard 479.242.3722
115 North 10th Street 479.242.8277 fsbrewco.com
of pilsner and porter, so much so that the taproom carries
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S E R U T N E ADV
WITH MY
VA L E N T I N E April and Stoney Sta mper
words Stoney Stamp er IMAGEs April Stamp er
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A
As I write this story, I am sitting in my boxer shorts and a
undressed to go to bed. I didn’t even get under the blankets. I
t-shirt on a couch, in the home of someone I do not know,
wrapped up in multiple coats, a stocking cap and gloves, and
deep in the thick pines of east Texas. Let me repeat. I am in my
slept for a couple of hours. But it was a horrible night. I got
draws, on the couch in a stranger’s house. Now, it’s not quite
up at 5:00 am, went down the street to the Waffle House and
as weird as it initially sounds. I didn’t just pull up at a strange
drank coffee until the sun came up with the hope it would
house, go in and make myself at home. It’s an Airbnb. But
melt some of the snow off the highway. After that night, I
to me, it still feels a bit awkward. It’s not my house. It’s way
swore I’d never stay in a place like that again. After that night,
out in the woods, there’s no cell phone service and the wifi is
I was a Platinum Club member with Holiday Inn, Hampton
pretty darn pathetic. Now I will admit, it’s pretty awesome. It’s
Inn, Marriott and any other nice hotel chain I could find, and
a little cabin that someone has refurbished. It’s secluded and
I never stayed at another place that was even questionable.
has a big porch about three quarters of the way around the house. It has a tiny kitchen, two bedrooms, and is probably
Enter my wife. She’s a free spirit. A bit of a hippie at heart and
no more than six hundred square foot – and that’s being
she marches to the beat of her own drum. She loves to travel,
generous. My wife, April, adores it. I am still on the fence
and so we do. I do it because I like to make her happy, even
about it, although I would definitely say it is the best one we
though I would usually rather stay at home. But here’s the
have ever stayed at.
deal. She loves bed and breakfasts. She loves to use Airbnb to find little cozy, out of the way spots for us to stay. And more
Let me back up a tad. I traveled up to three hundred days per
often than not, I haven’t liked them.
year for a dozen years. I have stayed in just about every kind of hotel that you can imagine. Nice hotels, fancy hotels, some
The first one that I can remember was when we took a trip
crummy hotels, and even a few downright disgusting hotels.
down to the Comal River in Texas. It’s a great place to take our
One night, for instance, I was driving across Michigan, from
daughters to float the river. There are nice hotels everywhere.
Grand Rapids, headed to Detroit. It was very late at night,
But that’s not what April wants. She rents a teepee. Let me
and a really hard snow hit while I was driving. My intention
say that again. She rented a TEEPEE. It was right on the river
was to drive all the way to Detroit, where I already had a
and was pretty good size. It actually had two beds in it, but no
hotel reservation. But with the snow and road conditions, I
bathroom. There were bathrooms about two hundred yards
decided to stop in Flint, get a hotel there, and then drive the
down the river.
rest of the way the next morning. I stopped at several popular chain hotels, but due to the weather, they were all full. After
First off, the teepee stunk to high heaven. It smelled like
stopping at four or five hotels and unable to find a room, I
mildew so strongly, we were spraying perfume and cologne,
found a little hotel that had ten rooms – total.
just anything to try to cover the smell. Everything in it felt damp. I was not happy. The girls were laughing so hard, first,
It was called Jackie’s Motel. I’m not even kidding. I walked up
because the smell was so bad, and because we were staying in
to a window akin to a bank teller’s window, and there sat a
a freaking teepee. And secondly, because I was so aggravated.
woman with a name badge on her shirt. She was Jackie. The
This teepee cost one hundred forty dollars per night. We
glass was bulletproof, and she sent a paper and pen to me
could be staying down the road in a Holiday Inn Express for a
through a drawer, just like an exterior bank window.
hundred bucks!
It was thirty dollars for the night. She gave me a key that
As I’ve been known to do, I was griping, and as they have
had what appeared to be a hub cap for a keychain. I made
been known to do, all the girls were egging it on. The longer
my way to my room, room number seven. When I got to it,
I thought about it, the more aggravated I became. For three
the door was wide open, and with the blizzard blowing in,
nights, we were staying in this place and spending an extra
the room had snow all over the floor, and even on the bed.
two hundred dollars to do it. Later that night, I walked down
The temperature was in the single digits and the heater never
to the bathroom. The lights in the bathroom operated by
was able to take the bitter sting out of the air. I didn’t get
motion sensor. As I sat on the toilet, the lights went off.
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people
Sitting there, I began waving my hands above my head and
stained pillows and certainly was not thrilled to lay on the
after a minute the lights came back on, thankfully. I came
stained couch-bed. April, of course, laughed until she cried.
back and told the girls about that, and of course they thought
Mainly at me, because nothing makes her laugh as much as
it was the funniest thing they had ever heard.
making me uncomfortable and aggravated.
On another adventure we took a trip down to Gruene, Texas,
You’d think by now I’d be used to it. But every time April picks
which is just down the road from New Braunfels. Just April
out a new place, I find myself aggravated and griping. And I
and I this time. No kids. Gruene has a great nightlife, live
find April laughing.
music, and great food. Again, April took to Airbnb to find us a place. I begged her to just get a hotel, but no dice. She found
So why do I keep doing it? Well, you see, because many years
a little German B&B back in the woods, similar to the place
ago, April became my Valentine, and she always will be. So,
we are staying tonight. Except way worse. WAY worse. First
I’ll keep following her on these Airbnb adventures and keep
of all, I don’t know how they could call it a Bed and Breakfast,
telling myself, I have my Valentine with me, just how bad
because our cabin didn’t have a bed. IT DIDN’T HAVE A BED.
can it be?
It had a couch that folded out into a bed. And the couch was stained. And the pillows were stained. Even the toilet bowl was stained. The proprietor
The Stamper Family
told us that he thought a previous tenant had made drugs in it. First of all, apparently I have no idea how drugs are made. What’s a toilet got to do with it? Thankfully, I don’t do drugs, but I am even more happy now that I know that they are made in a toilet. Secondly, how can you rent a room at a BED and Breakfast for one hundred fortyfive dollars per night if the room doesn’t even have a bed? And there were strange German war memorabilia hung all around the room that confused me. I refused to lay my head on the
Stoney Stamper Stoney Stamper is the best-selling author of My First Rodeo: How Three
Daughters, One Wife, and a Herd of Others Are Making Me a Better Dad (WaterBrook) and author of the popular parenting blog The Daddy Diaries. He and his wife, April, have three daughters and live in Oklahoma, where they are heavily involved in agriculture and raise and show a variety of animals.
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faith
Words Jessica Sowards image BrAt82/Shutterstock
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faith
Sometimes I cannot find the romance of life. It used to come easy, when the farm was new and the yearning to have it was still fresh enough that I could remember the way it had hurt. Even the strongest of pains fade, though. Even childbirth loses its ripping grip in memory, and just the same, so do once-burning desires. They get fulfilled and then the aching, throbbing space settles into full contentment. If we are not aware, if we are not careful, this is where we grow dull. This morning, I slept too late. The alarm went off before the sun was up, but I hushed it with the same abruptness that a mother might use to hush a child that has said “Mom. Mom. Mom…” fifteen times too many. Most days require a great measure of balance for me to accomplish what I mean to accomplish. Wake up early, meet with Jesus, feed my family, set to work. But sometimes I feel the brakes of my soul beginning to squeak a bit and on those days, I stay in bed a little longer and then upon waking, I park myself beside the fireplace and rest. Today is one of those days. Here’s the deal. I love my life. All the things I spend my time doing, I do because I am passionate about them. This little farm is my dream come true. These babies I get to teach and spend my days with are my greatest joy. Teaching, and writing, and vlogging about gardening and family and the Word of God, these are privileges that I do not take for granted. These are the things I want to do, but even the most beautiful and dreamed-of life can become overwhelming and unfulfilling if we fail in intentionality. Self-care is a popular topic these days and I’m actually a huge advocate for it, but maybe not in the popular sense. I think it is important to be honest enough with ourselves to know when our souls are not running smoothly, when we’ve slipped so far into survival mode that our capacity for romance and wonder fade. I think, in these times, it is important to take an honest look at how we are caring for these beautiful, miraculous bodies we get to live in and honestly assess how we are tending the gardens of our hearts. I don’t think that a half a bottle of wine and an extra piece of chocolate cake are a healthy route of self-care. For me, self-care is saying “I am important enough to prioritize. I am important enough to be cared for. I deserve my own intentionality and choice.” For me, I have a couple of principle approaches to self-care. First, the “Snack and a Nap Theory.” In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah hits a personal low. He’s just experienced one of the greatest victories of his life, and has fled in fear, falling into despair under a juniper tree. He begs God to take his life. He is overwhelmed, exhausted and overcome with hopelessness.
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faith
God puts Elijah into a slumber. He sends an angel with a warm cake and Elijah eats and goes back to sleep. Then he wakes again and eats again and he is fortified enough to move forward on his journey. I believe we fall into error when we over-spiritualize our needs on one hand, or we overindulge on the other. I don’t always need a three-day prayer retreat to recover from exhaustion, although I do love dedicated time away with the Lord. I also don’t feel like chocolate cake can possibly make up for exhaustion and malnutrition, although I do love chocolate cake.
When I am rested and well-fed, I can sit down and allow my heart to connect to Jesus, and I can literally count my blessings. I can recount His faithfulness.
The bottom-line-lesson of this story is a simple one for me.
There may be aspects of life that are out of my control or
Take care of your body. Rest, hydrate and fuel well, not
demands that I cannot meet. I may have made a mistake
because these things will be a magic solution to always feeling
that was costly or failed to follow through on something I
happy, but they allow me to be emotionally sound. They allow
should have finished. But there is something wildly healing
me to be as strong as possible so I can move forward in what
about sitting down with a pen and paper and listing out the
needs to be done.
things God said He would do and then did. This encourages me to dream for more and builds my trust that He will always
For me, deciding to go to bed earlier and prioritizing allowing
overcome on my behalf. This exercise makes me brave.
my body and mind to rest speaks a loud message to myself. I am worth intentionality.
Today is one of these days for me. They happen sometimes and there is no shame in needing to realign. And today, I
Next, devotion and gratitude. Thanksgiving is literally the
share with you because I am certain I am not the only one. I
key that unlocks romance and wonder in my life. When I am
don’t pretend to know what each of you could be facing or
living out of a state of overwhelm, I cannot possibly be wooed
the overwhelm life may be handing you. However, I do know
by the funny way a chicken scratches through the leaves. I
that even the biggest of foes can be faced after a snack and a
cannot feel the awe of seeds breaking through the soil and
nap with a list in hand of all the times God was faithful.
great anticipation for the beauty of the garden in the summer. I cannot be present and loving with my family because inside
Take care of yourself. You deserve to be loved well and
I feel like I’m starving to death. I feel blind to my blessings.
romanced by this life.
To watch Jessica’s garden tours, visit her YouTube channel, Roots and Refuge.
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taste
y b h t a De
C
e t a l o c o h
Recipe Adapted livewellbakeoften.com image vm2002/Shutterstock
INGREDIENTS (serves 2) ° ¼ cup unsalted butter ° 2 oz. dark or semi-sweet
chocolate, chopped
° ½ cup confectioner’s sugar ° ¼ tsp. salt ° 1 large egg ° 1 egg yolk ° ½ tsp. vanilla extract ° 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour ° cocoa powder (for dusting ramekins) ° ¾ tsp. instant espresso powder (optional) ° raspberries or strawberries for garnish
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taste
M ET H O D Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Set aside. Coarsely chop chocolate. Melt butter and chocolate in microwave in a medium sized bowl in 10-second increments, stirring after each until smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, espresso powder, salt and sugar. Whisk in vanilla, egg and yolk until just combined, do not overmix. Spoon batter equally into ramekins. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges are set, but center is soft, do not overbake. (Baking times will vary based on your oven, ramekins used and climate – bake until as done as you desire.) Let cool in ramekins for 1-2 minutes. Wearing an oven mitt, invert ramekin onto serving dish to remove cakes. Add toppings of choice – powdered sugar, ice cream, fudge, caramel or fruit. Serve immediately!
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taste
Cupid’s Arrow Recipe adapted Cookie Rookie image EgolenaHK/Shutterstock
INGREDIENTS (serves 2) ° 1 cup pomegranate juice ° 3 ounces strawberry vodka ° ½ tsp. lime juice ° 3 ounces Chambord Raspberry Liqueur ° 2 strawberries cut into hearts for garnish (optional)
METHOD Combine pomegranate juice, vodka, lime juice, and Chambord in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to combine. Pour mixture into chilled martini glass. Garnish with strawberry hearts.
Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
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travel
Why We Love... COSSATOT RIVER STATE PARKNATURAL AREA 1980 HWY. 278 WEST WICKES, ARKANSAS words and images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
This park-natural area extends for twelve miles along the national wild and scenic Cossatot River. The river forms Cossatot Falls, a rocky canyon with Class IV rapids for experienced kayakers and canoeists when local rainfall increases the watershed. Brushy Creek Recreation Area offers picnic sites, restrooms, and river access. Tent sites (no hookups) are located at the Cossatot Falls Area (six sites), Sandbar Area (fifteen sites), and Ed Banks Area (two sites). A primitive (no water or electricity) group camping area with tent sites, pavilion, restroom, fire pit, grill, and river access is available by reservation at River Ridge Group Camp. Hikers can enjoy four scenic trails spanning nearly twenty miles. The visitor center features exhibits, a wildlife observation room, meeting room, and gift shop. Interpretive programs are offered year-round. For more information about Cossatot River State Park – Natural Area and the other fifty-one state parks, visit arkansasstateparks.com.
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lifestyle
7
Smart Things to Do with Your Tax Refund
words courtesy Arvest Bank IMAGEs marekuliasz/Shutterstock
For some Americans, tax time is a time of excitement as they wait for a check in the mail or an electronic bank account deposit from Uncle Sam due to overpayment of their taxes. What's not to love about receiving money? Each year, millions of people who file their taxes wind up with some sort of refund from the government. In 2019, for example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued more than 100 million refunds. Instead of immediately choosing to spend this money, many people can choose to use their refunds wisely and take advantage
BUILD AN EMERGENCY FUND In these challenging economic times, many people live paycheck to paycheck. Last year, the Federal Reserve Board found that forty percent of Americans don't have the cash on hand to cover a $400 emergency. This makes unexpected expenses, such as car or home repairs difficult to manage.
of long-lasting benefits. Here are some great
One way to help with unexpected expenses or losses in income is to have an
suggestions for putting
emergency fund. Putting this year’s tax refund directly into the bank could be the
this year’s tax refunds to work all year long.
most important thing to do, especially when dealing with little or no savings. Talk with a local banker about opening or adding to a current savings account that can serve as an emergency fund. It’s recommended to save enough money to cover at least seven months of expenses.
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$
REDUCE DEBT
lifestyle
$
Whether it’s credit card debt from the
MAKE HOME IMPROVEMENTS
MAKE AN ENERGYEFFICIENT PURCHASE
holidays or debt from student loans,
Consider using the tax refund
Use the refund to purchase energy-
consider using the tax refund to pay
money to finance important home
efficient appliances, such as a
down existing balances. It’s always
improvements. These improvements
dishwasher, dryer, or refrigerator,
wise to pay off the highest-interest
could potentially help in the long
which can help save money
debt first.
run by increasing the value of the
year-round.
START A COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN It’s never too early or too late to start saving for the future when it comes to college-age children going to school. Look into opening a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan to ensure school expenses will be covered when the time is right. Once the plan is open, arrange to invest in the fund on an ongoing basis. Even a small amount of money each month will add up over time.
home. This can include small, costeffective upgrades like installing new
$
windows or a new roof that will pay off in both the short and long-term.
SAVE FOR RETIREMENT Most employers offer a 401(k) plan
PRE-PAY THE MORTGAGE
for employees to invest with the
Consider putting the funds from the
company, but if not, consider opening
tax refund toward the principal of
an Individual Retirement Account
the mortgage loan. Pre-paying the
(IRA) with the refund check. Be sure
mortgage to help reduce the term of
to check with a financial advisor
the home loan, and the amount of
first before opening or increasing
interest to be paid off over the life of
contributions to a tax-deferred
the loan, can be a wise move in the
savings plan like an IRA.
long-term. Making an extra payment on the mortgage each year could potentially save thousands of dollars in interest for the total amount of the loan. Be sure to inform the lender that the extra payments should be applied to principal, not interest.
The decision on how to best use this year’s tax refund depends on each individual’s unique
financial situation. However, choosing any of the options above can help put people on the right
Consumers who are looking for more resources can visit with a local Arvest branch manager or visit Arvest.com for more information.
path towards reaching their financial goals.
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fiction
My Love words Sarah Phillips-Burger image Gajus/Shutterstock
My Love,
offering your hand and said, “Let’s dance.” When I reached out to you, I knew that I was already in love. I’ve never seen
As I write this, you are sleeping. Your eyes are fluttering,
someone who could laugh so much. You have always been
and your lips separate just a sliver with each breath that
so full of life. You and I danced all night, your brown hair
leaves your body. Your hands grasp the lavender blanket
bouncing in time with the music, your white dress covered
that you picked out, pulling it closer to you, bringing you
in tiny red roses swaying against your legs when we held
warmth. I wonder if you are dreaming, and if so, when
each other tight.
you wake, will you tell me about your dream like you have done so many times before? Will you let me glimpse your
I knew that night, that every moment of my life had led
subconscious as you roll it all around, like a child with a
me to you. I could never get enough of what it felt like
newfound treasure, searching for hidden meaning?
being in your presence. We spent every moment we could together the next six months until I proudly walked out
All of my dreams now are of you and our life together.
of the courthouse with you, as rice rained on our heads,
Much like our old home movies, one scene switches to the
my hand holding yours, you laughing all the way to the
next, all in sequential order. I wonder, which reel will my
car. Oh, how happy we both were. And oh, what a life we
mind pick for me tonight? Will it be the night I met you?
planned on living.
I saw you there, in the low lights, the band playing, you
Those first few years we relished each other, taking turns
smiling while people whirled around you. Your hazel eyes
picking weekend excursions, exploring each other and the
caught mine and didn’t let go. You marched right over,
world. I’ll never forget driving down to the Alabama shore
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fiction
just so that you could touch the ocean for the first time.
and toys. Sleeping and eating schedules were created, cries
We spent several hours walking the shoreline, picking up
were decoded. All seemed well with our new baby.
seashells while the wind whipped our hair and the cool frothy waves tickled our toes. You stood for the longest time facing
But it seemed you were not thriving. Tears and exhaustion
the horizon and watching the earth breathe until I wrapped
replaced your joyful nature. The doctors called it ‘baby
my arms around you. It was then that you turned to me and
blues’ back then. I felt so helpless. When winter turned to
told me you were pregnant with our first child.
spring you started walking. Every day you walked for miles at a time. “I can’t just sit here feeling sorry for myself,”
When I saw Abigail in your arms for the first time, I thought
you said, “I have to move forward.” You kept walking
my heart would explode. There you were, exhausted, your
long after your exuberance returned.
hair wet with sweat, tears streaming down your face as you gazed upon her. Your finger stroked her cheek and then
A few more years went by and I received raises at my
you kissed her tiny nose. Never before had I seen anything
job, so we found a new, bigger house to fit our growing
more beautiful. I crept closer, not wanting to interrupt
family, complete with a white picket fence. You planted a
your introduction when she yawned and you smiled up at
garden and I hung a tire swing on the big oak out front.
me. “Here’s Daddy,” you said when you placed her in my
We taught Abigail to ride a bike, and not too long after,
arms. I was captivated by her and completely in awe of
had our second daughter, Charlotte. The doctors allowed
you. You brought into this world, into our lives, the most
me to stay in the room to witness it all this time and as you
perfect baby I had ever seen.
will recall, I nearly passed out. I was simply overcome with the ardent magic of it all. You named her after my mother.
Our lives were forever changed in ways we could not yet
We became comfortable as we watched our daughters
fathom. Our home, which was already full of our belongings,
grow, and I thought that everything about our life was
now overflowed with baby things: bottles and diapers, clothes
complete. Our home overflowed with love. Anything we
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fiction
needed, I was able to provide. But then the plant closed.
was, the man who you married, and I would never again
And, just like that, my sense of security vanished. I worried
forget that. Six months later, I opened the hardware store.
all the time. How could I take care of the three of you
Within a year, we were back on our feet again. We moved
without a job?
forward, together.
I searched for work every day, but so did everyone else
When our daughters left the nest, we settled into a new
who was newly unemployed. I came up empty. I could feel
pattern. Quiet rituals shared by us with a plethora of
everything slipping away and my worry turned to anger.
memories to relive, and inside jokes to tell. We enjoyed
So, I drank. I drank too much. Month after month went
the smallest things. I can still picture you bundled up on
by. “You’ll find something,” and “you’ll get back on your
the front porch, your head tilted up, watching the meteor
feet,” you told me. But I couldn’t. I felt frozen.
shower. The moon sat low behind you, shaped like the smile of the Cheshire Cat, shining its light on you while
You started watching children in our home to help pay
your eyes searched the clear skies, patiently waiting. You
the bills. “It’s just until you get something,” you said.
have always loved making wishes on falling stars. But what
Still, nothing came. Tiny feet ran through our home again,
did you wish for? You’d never tell. If you told me, I would
sometimes five sets at a time. You were brilliant with
have tried my best to grant them all.
them, as you were with our own. You carried the weight for both of us at that time.
One night you came to me, your face ashen, your hands trembling. You found a lump. “We will get through this
I found you crying once in the kitchen when I came home
together,” I told you. It was during your treatment that I
late from the bar. “This isn’t who you are,” you said.
once again witnessed your strength. The medicine used to kill the thing inside you also killed everything else. But you
“I don’t know who I am anymore,” I rebutted.
still made cookies with our grandbabies. We still went on long walks together, your hand in mine. You still smiled
“Then, go find out.”
and laughed and fought as hard as you could, for as long as you could.
You went to bed, and I sat in the living room to sulk. On a table next to the sofa was your favorite book, a collection
Your nurse just came in and checked on you. She said it
of poems. Looking at it, I could not once remember you
won’t be long now. Here in this bed, possibly while you
turning the pages. I sat down my glass and picked up
are dreaming, you will slip away. And I am certain that
the book, letting the pages fall away from the tasseled
without you, as the poem says, I will be no more than
bookmark and began to read a poem about marriage.
upright and unset.
Most like an arch—an entrance which upholds and shores
Thank you, my love, for our life lived together. For taking
the stone-crush up in the air like lace… Most like an arch—
my hand that first night, and every night since. One day, I
two weaknesses that lean into a strength. Two fallings
will meet you there in our dreams, and you can tell me all
become firm…World as it is, what’s strong and separate
that you wished for.
falters. All I do at piling stone on stone apart from you is roofless and around nothing. Till we kiss.
Love,
Tears streaming down my face, I decided right then that
Me
I would no longer try to face this alone. I knew who I
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WEDDING GUIDE
You’ve said,
“Yes!” to the man of your dreams, and now
the adventure begins. Figuring out where to begin can be
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overwhelming, but have no fear, the Do South® Wedding Guide is here! We’ve partnered with some of the best local vendors, dedicated to making all your wedding dreams come true. So, sit back and relax, and congratulations – you’re getting married!
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2801 Old Greenwood Road, Suite 15 Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.420.9651 27ruedefleur.com In vogue and trendsetting floral designs for every occasion, specializing in weddings, parties, and events in a plethora of styles including vintage, boho, and classic. We look forward to working with you! We are open Tuesday through Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. & Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We are located in the heart of Fort Smith, AR in Maybranch Square – Sophisticated floral design, created just for you.
318 North 7th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.782.7854 bonnevillehouse.com Whether you’ve dreamed of this day your entire life and planned every detail, or you decided to keep it simple, skip all the fuss and say “I do” with a few loved ones around, we’ve got you covered! The Bonneville House is a full-service wedding and event venue. Our events manager and preferred vendors work together to help you plan your dream ceremony and reception. Our beautifully decorated historic venue offers an elegant setting. We have six rooms, two restrooms, a commercial kitchen, a spacious courtyard with gazebo and a beautifully landscaped front lawn with endless possibilities. Call today and mention Do South ® for your free tour and consultation.
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479.996.5199 jadegravesphotography.com
5622 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.452.2140 johnmaysjewelers.com
I’m a River Valley based photographer specializing in
Roses are red. Violets are blue. We love diamonds and so
wedding photography and lifestyle portraits. I love clean,
should you! It’s that time once again to show appreciation
timeless styles, and while I appreciate a flattering pose,
to that special someone in your life who means the most
I cherish moments captured when everyone forgets the
to you. Whether you are celebrating your first Valentine’s
camera is near. My favorite wedding moment is just after
Day together, or like our founders, John and Kathryn, your
the first kiss, when the bride and groom turn to face their
53rd Valentine’s Day together, we invite you to come see
guests. Seeing their joy and love gets me every time! A bride
some of our gorgeous new pieces in the store. If you’re
and groom promise much to one another, and I promise
looking for a beautiful Jay Strongwater frame to accent a
to value your family, your memories and your time. I’ve
special picture or if this is the year you get down on one
captured hundreds of weddings and thousands of lifestyle
knee and profess your love with a gorgeous new Hearts
portraits, and I can’t wait to talk about capturing yours!
On Fire diamond engagement ring, we have you covered!
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Diamonds are Forever O
words Liesel Schmidt image Happy Together / Oleksii Biriukov Shutterstock
One of the most important things when it’s time to get engaged is, of course, the ring. They say that a diamond is forever, and that marketing campaign has made millions for a reason: It’s true. Women tend to keep those diamond engagement rings forever, so what is chosen now will essentially be one of the investments of a lifetime. For that reason, the diamond selection process is key; but most people don’t have the expertise to navigate the ring displays without the proper guidance. Enter the experts. The age-old advice is to focus on the three C’s: color, cut, and clarity. Crucial to determining that is the grading system established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which rates color and clarity as well as cut guidelines for round brilliant diamonds. Generally, the more colorless the diamond and the higher the clarity, the more expensive it will be. Fewer flaws and inclusions make the gem rarer, so the price tag often reflects the rating.
And while diamonds indeed may be forever, even they experience trends. So
what cuts are trending now? According to Mays, pear and oval-shaped diamonds are making a strong comeback, though round cut diamonds are still at the top of most wish lists. For those who like a softer take on a square or rectangular shape, cushion cut diamonds are their perfect match.
WEDDING GUIDE
Carat size is also undeniably high on the list when it comes to discussion points. That said, the shape of the diamond is a huge factor that affects how big it appears. “A lot of clients, especially young women, come into our store with a predetermined notion about the carat size they want,” says Kevin Mays of John Mays Jewelers, a self-proclaimed “gem geek” with fifteen-plus years in the industry. “People often forget that carat is a measurement of weight and not size like pounds or ounces. Therefore, you may have five one-carat, round brilliant-cut diamonds and they will all vary in size and diameter based on the quality of the cut. This is why the cut of your diamond is so important and is the biggest influence on the brilliance and fire—the sparkle—of your diamond. For that reason, I tell my clients that you should always sacrifice carat over cut.”
Whatever you choose, the most important thing is, of course, the sentiment behind it. “I believe the most important thing in selecting a ring is to remember the beauty and the emotion of the occasion. As jewelers, we’re in the business of romance, and that’s what I love about it! When you sell on beauty and not on price, the four C’s fall into place accordingly,” says Mays. And while those four C’s are certainly essential to determining the value of a diamond, nothing is more crucial than the three words that come after: “She said yes!”
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WEDDING GUIDE
994 Mountain Harbor Road, Mt. Ida, Arkansas 870.867.2191 / 800.832.2276 mountainharborresort.com But first, the venue! Here comes the bride, but first important
2717 S. 74th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.573.3799 passmoreplasticsurgery.com
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decisions must be made. From the flowers, food, and color palette, there are many ways couples can express themselves
Weddings involve a lot of planning and preparation. If you
on the most important day of their life. Just as important, is
are a mother of the bride, you may also want to plan for
the location and we propose Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa.
products and procedures to improve your appearance and
maximize your confidence for your walk down the aisle.
Mountain Harbor provides an ideal blend of recreation,
Whether it’s injectables for treatment of frown lines and
relaxation, and sophistication. Offering two expansive lakeview
crow’s feet, Ultherapy to tighten the loose skin, PiQo4
conference venues, as well as a large open-air pavilion amongst
fractional laser treatments, or surgical procedures, Passmore
the trees, you’ll enjoy innovative amenities mixed with the
Plastic Surgery offers something for every budget and every
luxury of Arkansas’ Premier Resort. Our award-winning staff
mother of the bride.
and on-site coordinator are here to assist with all details so you can enjoy your big day!
WEDDING GUIDE
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479.926.2YOU wedeliver@Sodies2you.com
3411 Old Chismville Road, Greenwood, Arkansas 479.651.8300 theloftatstoneoak.com
Sodie’s 2 You is the first mobile bartending and beverage
The Loft offers a two-story, spectacular urban atmosphere
catering service in the River Valley, making it easier for you
that is no doubt, stunning. It is tucked away in a quiet and
to host amazing parties anywhere! Let us know about your
natural setting in the River Valley. We offer gorgeous chairs
event and we will help you arrange what you need. We pick
and tables, a dreamy bridal loft, groom's lounge, expansive
up your prepaid liquor from the store of your choice and
catering kitchen, multiple patios with string lighting, outdoor
bring it to your event. We can even arrange for licensed
fireplace, fire pit and custom designed wine barrel cocktail
bartenders to serve your guests. Our Custom Bartending
tables. Recently, The Loft has added a gorgeous honeymoon
Trailer is also available, featuring a dual–top margarita
cottage decked out in white shiplap and the most wonderful
machine, two cocktail stations, wine refrigerator, taps for
finishing
kegs, and iced beer bins. Contact us at 479.926.2YOU or
bedding. Enjoy your stay just steps away from the venue and
wedeliver@Sodies2you.com.
make this day a day you will truly remember.
touches
including
luxury
linens,
robes
and
Read Chair Publishing, LLC 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110 Fort Smith, AR 72903