Voice magazine 0217

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FEBRUARY 2017

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vibrant • vocal • vivacious

7 Tips to Make

Valentine’s Day Special Do You Know Your Chocolate?

• A Bittersweet Tale • Heart Health • Recipes

Celebrating our 13th Anniversary!

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Celebrates 13 Years!

From the EDITOR

V

oice Magazine for Women celebrates a thirteen-year anniversary in February!

We are proud to be the only monthly local women’s magazine! Still free to our readers, we have improved our online magazine presence and have grown in our readership. This translates into dollars being spent with our advertisers boosting our economy. Our advertisers have grown with us. Our business takes your business to your customers. Our fan base has grown with each issue. We want to say ‘thank you’ for all your support and your continued support. The local economy depends on local businesses and those businesses depend on all of you for support and spending.

Voice Magazine and Jan-Carol Publishing face challenges as any small business and must make changes. These changes are improvements for our readers and our supporting advertisers. As a reader and consumer, let our advertisers know that you see their ads and support them. Sign up for our newsletter. Each newsletter highlights one our advertisers and brings the link for the online Voice Magazine automatically to you each month.

In the next few months, our social media models will expand with many more print and online benefits for the local businesses. As an advertiser, you will have the best of both worlds—a strong print connection and a global online presence by linking through Voice Magazine. Our readers will have more refreshing articles and lots of local useful information. Get involved!

See the details below.

We are thrilled at the positive responses about our sister magazine, Modern Day Appalachian Woman. We want our readers to get involved with the growth of both magazines. Do you know of a woman who contributes to the region and has a heart of an Appalachian Woman? Submit her story and she may be chosen to our next ‘cover’ Appalachian Woman.

As we move into the journey of our fourteenth year of having a ‘voice’ in the region, we ask all of you for your continued loyalty. We are counting on all of you—our readers, supporters, advertisers, business owners and fans. Thank you for being there! We are excited to be the only women’s magazine in the local region and we could not be here without all of you!

Would you like to share information with others? Voice Magazine is looking for experts in coupon shopping, decorating, crafts, cooking, health, fashion or topics of interest to women. Submit your article for consideration.

Visit our website, voicemagazineforwomen.com for article submission guidelines, or call 423-926-9983 or email editor@voicemagazineforwomen.com.

Interested in hosting a book signing? For details, call 423-926-9983.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and join in the fun of the ‘giveaways’ and other happenings. For all you book lovers, join our book club. To request our e-newsletter offering recipes, latest happenings and updates, email office@jancarolpublishing.com. Be sure to ‘like’ Voice Magazine and Jan-Carol Publishing on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Thought of the month: “The history of all times, and of today especially, teaches that … women will be forgotten if they forget to think about themselves.” Louise Otto Verse of the month: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22 King James Version (KJV)

Janie C. Jessee, Editor

4 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

We are celebrating 13 years and moving into our 14th year.

Thank you! Voice Magazine for Women is here because of all of you!

We thank you for your continued support; we hope that you will provide us that same support as we journey into our next 13 years!

From all of us to all of you—Thank you!

PUBLISHER Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc PO Box 701 Johnson City, TN 37605 EDITOR Janie C Jessee, 423.502.6246 editor@voicemagazineforwomen.com publisher@jancarolpublishing.com FEBRUARY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS April Hensley Ken Heath

Nancy Binder Pam Blair

Lisa Smith Tammy Robinson Smith

OFFICE Brandon Goins - Office Assistant office@voicemagazineforwomen.com office@jancarolpublishing.com Office Phone/Fax: 423.926.9983 GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION Tara Sizemore - Senior Graphics Designer tara@voicemagazineforwomen.com graphics@jancarolpublishing.com MARKETING Tammy Robinson Smith - JCP Director of Communications communications@jancarolpublishing.com DISTRIBUTION Karen Corder Staff JCP Internships Available

PUBLISHED BY JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC. (Volume 14, Issue 2) While every precaution has been taken to ensure accuracy of the published material, Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. / Voice Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions or facts provided by its authors, advertisers or agencies. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission. Agencies, Advertisers and other contributors will indemnify and hold the publisher harmless for any loss or expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism and/or copyright infringement. The views expressed in Voice Magazine for Women are not necessarily those of the publisher. © 2017 EDITORIAL MISSION: Voice Magazine for Women wants to provide a useful and complete reliable source of information for women and their families. We seek to celebrate women’s successes, and support their growth by defining and recognizing their needs and providing a concentration of resources for them. We want to be that “link” to all women.

find us:

www.voicemagazineforwomen.com /voicemagazineforwomen @VoiceMagazineTN

7

12

contents

February 2017 | Volume 14 | Issue 2

Pantone Color of the Year

San Simeon, California

7

Nancy Binder 16

VoiceMALE

Jan-Carol Publishing

Ken Heath 8

New Releases 18

Time for Wine?

Spiritually Speaking

9

18 and Garden

ing Expert

Connie Cla rk-Thom

pson

ROBERT M. SALYER

• CAN $31.00

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Civil War

U.S. $22.95

Connie Cl

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Virginia Virginia noted Bristol, Bristol, Tennessee/ States: — Bud Phillips, Between the

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Congratulations to: Helen Palmer Gray, TN

as the winner in the January Hot Hunk Hunt!

Thanks to ALL for sending in your entry!

See Next Month: Easter Recipes Out with Winter and in with Spring!

Time for a new car?

Springtime Decorating

11

MASSAGE: It’s Been Around a Long Time 12

Histo

ROBERT

M. SALYER

JANCAROLP

February Hot Hunk Hunt!

Each month Voice will “hide” a picture of a “Hot Hunk.” If you find him, fill out this form, mail it in, and you could win 2 tickets to Barter Theatre.

10

Modern Day

il War

of the Civ ries’ Lies

The January “Hot Hunk” was Ricky Matthews on page 13.

Dave Dierks (Chief Meteorologist for WCYB-TV)

Chocolate, A Bittersweet Tale Keep Your Heart Healthy

RTUE

THE MYTH OF VI

THE MYT

16

of and effects ch to the causes enjoyable n sense approa ative and and commo a very inform researched history buff.” has created “A very well Mr. Salyer student and elf of every can Civil War. the Ameri on the booksh Strong and of a Good Courage should be Be Author of read that — Will Osborne, presents an analysis and and h slavery. t of researc than only ious amoun War, rather the war reflects a prodig of causes for the Civil etation of its de “Salyer’s book their interpr iation for for a multitu to broaden deeper apprec excellent case ce the reader and gain a ion will convin history books His discuss in history.” taught in school n County Revisited x symbolism and Washingto beyond what’s lingering comple

One Sens e at a Ti me

g with God

Connie Clark-T hompson’s note keepin passion and g over the love of garden years is the learned from ing and basis others, and along not through trial of this study. She has only those and error. wonderful We must pass for future plants but gardeners also and farmer know that s. If you are our knowledge an a gardener about a rose afternoon could easily you or slip by in time to share a new veggie that conversation has been discove and pass along! daintydirtdgm red. Take You may contac @aol.com. t the author at

From The Fence:

Ga rdenin

The pover ty of our sense s both physic our surrou ndings. No matter where al and spiritual is in or day are ourselves not you call home as beautiful over your become imme home as anoth , the heavens by night rsed in decay er. The lifesty beyond price. our senses le that we and cheat The love of us of many are always nature and new discov treasures God’s Word eries on the or the verse has taught path I me I have read a dozen times may have walked severa there delighted or . I never know sharpened. l times, what sense will be

Garden ing w ith Go d

From the Fence:

“What a won derful boo k!

Beautiful way to gro w closer to God by gett ing closer to nature.”

— April Hensley , Author

20

Flip this issue!

How to Make Valentine’s Day Special

APPALACHIAN WO MAN APPALACHIAN LIVIN G

For the

Love

of Appalachia Featuring Tammy Robinson Smith

13

Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone Number: Email:

HOT HUNK LOCATION:

free!

FEBRUARY 2017

voicemagazineforwomen.com

$1.95

Where did I pick up my copy of Voice Magazine? vibrant • vocal • vivacious

Mail this submission form to: Voice Magazine P.O. Box 701 Johnson City, TN 37605 or e-mail: hothunk@voicemagazineforwomen.com Deadline for submission is February 20, 2017.

PLEASE, ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD As the selected winner, you must contact Voice Magazine for Women at 423-926-9983 within 90 days to claim and receive your prize. After 90 days, winning becomes null and void and the prize cannot be claimed.

13 10

7 Tips to Make

Valentine’s Day Special Do You Know Your Chocolate?

• A Bittersweet Tale • Heart Health • Recipes

Celebrating our 13th Anniversary!

voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 5

9 Annual YWCA Prom Dress Sale T th

he YWCA Junior Board of Directors is gearing up for its 9th Annual Prom Dress Sale February 23–26, which will feature hundreds of gently used prom dresses, shoes and accessories. A community service project of the YWCA, the Prom Dress Sale features all dresses for just $25 each; high school girls can also inquire about scholarship vouchers from their schools or the YWCA. In 2016, the Prom Dress Project served over 250 girls from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

Dozens of volunteers helped each girl try on dresses and find her perfect dress for prom. The Prom Dress Project offers a wide range of styles, sizes and accessories so every girl can find a dress.

6 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

The sale will take place in the gymnasium at YWCA Bristol, 106 State Street in Bristol, TN, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. February 23 and 24 for students only. On February 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon the event will be open to the general public. “We will have several volunteers at the sale to assist with selecting dresses of all styles, lengths and sizes and to help each girl feel special in the gown she selects,” said Sarah Faulk, President of the Junior Board of Directors. Dressing areas will also be available.

The YWCA Junior Board of Directors is a diverse group of young women ages 20–40 who have a desire to acquire more leadership and service skills within the community. Their goals are to build awareness and support of the YWCA in the younger adult segment and to enhance and support the mission of the YWCA. The YWCA accepts prom gown donations year around. For more information, please call YWCA Bristol at 423.968.9444 or email t_henkel@ywcabristol.org.

PANTONE

What is the

Color of the Year?

GREENERY (PANTONE 15-0343)

A

refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings. A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.

Every year since 2000, the company has chosen a color that reflects the current cultural climate. In the following year, the color has historically influenced trends in all facets of design—architecture, interior décor, fashion, food, travel—the list goes on.

Greenery signifies beginnings: a fresh New Year; healthier food resolutions and growing vegetarian trends; grass and the outdoors during spring and summer.

The yellow-green hue

Voice Magazine recognizes the

Reader of the Month

(specifically, Pantone 15-0343) comments on the concept of “environment.”

Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew.

Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.

Greenery is nature’s neutral. The more submerged people are in modern life, the greater their innate craving to immerse themselves in the physical beauty and inherent unity of the natural world. This shift is reflected by the proliferation of all things expressive of Greenery in daily lives through urban planning, architecture, lifestyle and design choices globally. A constant on the periphery, Greenery is now being pulled to the forefront - it is an omnipresent hue around the world.

A life-affirming shade, Greenery is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality. Greenery calls to mind the ‘re-’ words: refresh, revive, restore, renew, replenish, regenerate, rejuvenate, reinvigorate, re-oxygenate. Design is an outlet for all of these fresh beginnings. And the yellow pigment in Greenery references the sun, the symbolic light that people need in these times.

Nature’s neutral, PANTONE Greenery is a versatile “trans-seasonal” shade that lends itself to many color combinations. Greenery is paired with neutrals, brights, deeper shades, pastels, metallics and even the enduring presence of PANTONE Color of the Year 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity. These palettes easily cross over fashion, beauty, product and graphic design applications.

Designers are showcasing styles in the 2017 fashion with Greenery as the color of fashion. With color combinations, any skin tone will be able to set a fashion statement with Greenery as the stable color. Go green!

Sources: pantone.com, Mod Cloth–With Only a Wink A-Line Dress, Kate Spade–Out of the Office Lime Pendant, Hermes–Granny Green Clemence Birkin Bag

Lindsey Lea Hayes

From: Bristol, VA Occupation: Senior BFA Acting Major at Emory & Henry College I feel empowered when: I look at the incredible women that have helped make me who I am. My mom Paula, sister Tara, grandmother Dorothy and aunt Mary, are such inspiring women that is it hard not be empowered when I have been surrounded by such strong women.

3 words that best describe my style: Eclectic, fun, & casual

The Last book I read was: “The Great Gatsby” If I could travel anywhere in the world, it would be: All over Europe The top item on my bucket list is: Work in the theatre in London, England If you are interested in being our Reader of the Month, email editor@voicemagazineforwomen.com for details.

I’m obsessed with: Sloths ☺ voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 7

Voicemail

Male

By Ken Heath

“Love, it’s exciting and new.

Come aboard, we’re expecting yoooooou!”

T

hose of us of a certain age remember this TV theme, along with dreams of sailing the ocean under the steady helm of Captain Stubing and his crew on the Love Boat. But for some, the Love Boat ended up being more like the SS Minnow, wrecked, and alone on a deserted island. With Valentine’s Day this month, those stuck with Gilligan instead of Gopher can feel a bit, um, seasick. The red roses and sappy TV commercials can leave even the most independent souls feeling lonely. So for those times, how does one cope with Cupid and his quiver?

The days when I walked in those lonely shoes are still memorable. That familiar feeling can still be sparked by a sentimental Hallmark card or a Whitman’s sampler. But, way back when I was the lonely guy, I decided to turn it around instead of letting it defeat me. I decided to look for what I LOVED in life right then!

I had a pup my parents had gotten for me; a bulldog mix rescue named “Spykhe,” same as Spike, but she spelled it differently. (Just go with me on this.) On Valentine’s Day, I’d buy Spykhe an extra treat or two and love on her a little extra. Then, I’d drive my pickup to Hungry Mother State Park where I’d picnic by myself with a couple of Dip Dogs and some crunchy handmade onion rings. Afterwards, I’d go do my radio show,

spending the evening with my listeners (on a good night, we used to kid and say all six of them) and playing the songs they loved. I’d wrap it up when the overnight DJ, who was also single, arrived for his shift. We’d spend the remainder of Valentine’s Day cutting up and just being silly on his portion of the radio show.

In short, instead of dwelling on what I didn’t have, I spent my time and energy on the things I did have and the people, places, and things I loved. I soon realized that love comes in many forms.

I’ve long since found my forever Valentine, my beautiful angel, but I’ve also found that my life is enriched by many blessings, from pups to greasy brown bags of deep fried goodness, from favorite songs on the radio to the people who I get to be around and who are my family by choice. To me, love really is like an adventure whether it’s a three hour tour or a luxury cruise.

This time of year, with the cold weather and overcast skies, any harbor can be paradise, if we just rethink it. We never know how things may work out, but unless we step aboard, we’ll miss it. Surround yourself with what you love. And let ol’ Cupid take his target practice at one of the Professor’s coconut radios this year.

{

Ken Heath is a Marion, VA hometown boy who expresses his passions in his writings and through music. After his ‘real job’, Ken is the owner of the legendary Cliffside Roadhouse, doggie dad to two yellow labs with his wonderful wife, and a professional mobile DJ with Bow Tie Pro Music and Sound. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter at #kenheath.

“Virginia's Most Awarded DJ Service”

(276) 759-1102 | www.kenheath.com

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” —Aristotle “A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” —Thomas Carlyle “Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

—Joan Crawford “Love is why I came here in the first place.” —John Denver

8 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Time for Wine?

How Many Grapes in a Bottle?

Admit it, you’ve wondered. A standard 750-milliliter bottle of wine has 736 grapes, or about 2.6 pounds of fruit.

That number may vary depending on the size, type, and water content of the grapes—and on how much wine you had before you started counting.

How It’s Made It’s a process called fermentation. Tiny organisms called yeast eat the sugar in pressed grape juice and make two waste products: alcohol and carbon dioxide. The liquid that results is filtered to get rid of the solid pieces and bottled immediately or aged in barrels. The end result: That waste becomes wine.

Difference Between Red and White White wine is fermented without the skins, and red wine is fermented with them. That gives red wine more antioxidants called polyphenols. They bring bitterness, color, and astringency (the puckered mouth you get from vinegar or lemons), along with some health benefits. Red wine has about 7 times more polyphenols than white wine.

Aged in Oak Barrels Some of the more expensive wines go through this process. It slowly adds oxygen to the wine and pleasant flavors from the wood. Why oak? It goes back to the Romans, who discovered that oak was easy to bend into vessels to transport wine, and that it improved flavor.

A Healthy Pour The right amount of wine—particularly red wine—may be good for you. This may be because of the ethanol your body makes from alcohol, as well as those polyphenols, which are linked to better heart and brain health. But more than a glass or two a day can increase your risk of stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, certain cancers, and other conditions.

Wine and Sex Red wine may give your sex life a boost—particularly if you’re a woman—but only if you don’t drink too much. In one study, women who had one or two glasses of red wine a

day said they had more desire, were aroused more easily, and had more sexual satisfaction than those who didn’t drink. But those who drank more than that reported no improvement.

Countries That Love Wine It’s probably no surprise that France and Italy are in the top 10 when it comes to how much wine their citizens drink per year (the average citizen of Vatican City in Rome drinks more wine per year than people of any other country in the world.) Other top contenders are Switzerland, Portugal, and Luxembourg. The U.S. tops the list in total wine consumed, followed by France, Italy, Germany, and China.

A Little Goes a Long Way A 5-ounce glass of wine has little more than half an ounce of pure alcohol—about the same as 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of liquor. That’s the recommended daily amount for a woman and half the recommended amount for a man.

And you can’t save your weekly drink allowance for Saturday night: Binge drinking can be dangerous, and it’s not the best way to enjoy good wine. voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 9

Chocolate, A Bittersweet Tale

By Tresa Erickson

M

ilk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate...you love ’em all, and you just can’t wait for Valentine’s Day and all of the chocolate goodies that come with it. Just the thought of a big box of scrumptious chocolates makes your mouth water. Imagine what Hernando Cortez thought thousands of years ago when he first encountered the source of chocolate, the cacao bean, in the New World.

Although Christopher Columbus first stumbled upon the cacao bean in the New World and brought back some with him to Spain, it was explorer Hernando Cortez who uncovered its commercial possibilities. For years, the Mayans had been growing cacao beans and grounding them to make an unsweetened chocolate drink for members of the royal court and the upper class. In the 14th century, the Aztecs discovered the drink and named it “xocalatl,” warm or bitter liquid. King Montezuma was very fond of the drink and reportedly drank 50 or more a day.

Montezuma served the drink to Cortez and his companions in 1519, but they found it to be bitter. To improve the taste, the Spaniards added cane sugar to the concoction.

Cortez brought the drink back to Spain in 1528 where it underwent further changes. Newly discovered spices, like vanilla and cinnamon, were added to it and it was heated. Expensive, the drink was popular only among the upper class. The Spaniards savored the lucrative beverage and kept cacao beans a secret, growing them in their overseas colonies and processing the beans in their monasteries for the next 100 years.

During the 1600s, Spain declined in power, which led to the secret of the cacao bean being revealed. The Spanish crown’s monopoly on the chocolate trade ended and the drink became the rage throughout Europe. In 1657, the first of many English Chocolate Houses opened in London and began selling the drink for

V

alentine’s Day is just around the corner and Tennessee’s Oldest Town is transforming into Tennessee’s Sweetest Town on February 13 with a new event dedicated to confectionery bliss.

The inaugural Chocolate Fest event is sponsored by the Jonesborough Area Merchants & Services Association as a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with sweets while encouraging folks to visit downtown.

The event is centered towards the theme of “Forget Love…I’d Rather Fall in Chocolate.”

10 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

10 to 15 shillings, a price that only the upper class could afford. In time, though, manufacturing cacao beans by hand gave way to mass production and the price of cacao beans dropped. By 1730, cacao beans cost less than $3 a pound, making them more affordable for the masses.

In 1765, Irish chocolate-maker John Hanan took advantage of the lower price and imported cacao beans from the West Indies to Dorchester, MA. With the help of Dr. James Baker, Hanan refined the cacao beans and built America’s first chocolate mill. By 1780, the mill had begun producing the now-famous Baker’s chocolate.

Chocolate production was revolutionized in 1795 with the introduction of steam. British apothecary Joseph Fry used a steam engine to grind cacao beans, making manufacturing chocolate on a large factory scale possible. Three decades later, Dutch chemist Conrad Van Houten revolutionized production again with the invention of the cocoa press. The cocoa press squeezed out some of the cocoa butter from chocolate, giving it a smoother consistency and improving its overall quality. The process was called “Dutching.”

During the 1800s and early 1900s, several new developments within chocolate production took place. In 1847, Joseph Fry & Son mixed some of the cocoa butter back into the Dutched chocolate and added sugar, creating a paste that could be molded.

The result was the first chocolate bar. In 1876, Swiss candy maker Daniel Peter created milk chocolate by adding condensed milk to chocolate liquor, the by-product of the cacao bean’s inner meat. In 1879, Swiss candy maker Rodolphe Lindt produced a smoother, creamier chocolate through a process known as conching, a means of heating and rolling chocolate for three days and adding cocoa butter to it to create a fondant. In 1913, Swiss candy maker Jules Sechaud took the production of chocolate one step further by creating a machine process for making filled chocolates.

Today chocolate production is big business. Americans alone consume more than two billion pounds and spend more than seven-billion dollars on chocolate each year. Cortez would be amazed at how lucrative chocolate production has become.

Chocolate Fest will take place on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with more than 20 businesses located throughout downtown Jonesborough offering special chocolate themed treats for guests ranging from chocolate covered strawberries and other fruit, to chocolate covered peanuts, rich chocolate clusters and other sweet delicacies.

The event will also include a Mr. and Mrs. Chocolate Fest Contest and Candy Bingo at The Lollipop Shop. Golden tickets will also be placed in selected bags, as guests will have a chance at winning cash prizes or gift certificates to local businesses.

Folks will receive a chocolate map upon check-in at the International Storytelling Center, where they can redeem their tickets at designated locations for chocolate treats. The tastings will consist of one or two tickets, pending on the size of the chocolate. Tickets are available in denominations of $5 and will only be available online at jonesboroughtn.org through Feb. 9. After Feb. 9, tickets will be available on Feb. 13 at the International Storytelling Center beginning at 10 a.m.

For additional information about Chocolate Fest, call 423-753-3819.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

For the love of Chocolate!

Tcular benefits: In a nine-year Swedish study of more than 31,000

he latest research backs up claims that chocolate has cardiovas-

women, those who ate one or two servings of dark chocolate each week cut their risk for heart failure by as much as a third.

Another long-term study in Germany this year found that about a square of dark chocolate a day lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart attack and stroke by 39 percent. Most of the credit goes to flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that increase the flexibility of veins and arteries.

Dark chocolate has been scientifically proven to keep your brain sharp, your ticker ticking and your skin shielded from the sun’s harmful rays (yes, really.) A new study from Northern Arizona University also found dark chocolate can be the key to beating that midday slump. Find out how else dark chocolate can boost your health.

Aside from sunscreen, you may want to chow down on dark chocolate every day to protect your skin against harmful UV rays, according to research from the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. But not just any old dark chocolate—it needs to be specially produced with preserved high flavanol levels (manufacturing processes destroy the integrity of flavanols.)

If you have slightly elevated blood pressure, a bite of dark chocolate a day can improve blood flow and bring blood pressure levels down according to research from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Cocoa polyphenols helped drop the prevalence of hypertension from 86 percent to 68 percent in participants (44 total) aged 56 through 73 who consumed about 6 grams of dark chocolate (containing 30 mg of polyphenols) per day for 18 weeks.

Health benefits studies have shown: • Chocolate decreases stroke risk • Chocolate reduces the likelihood of a heart attack • Chocolate protects against blood inflammation • Chocolate may prevent cancer • Chocolate reduces the risk of diabetes • Chocolate is good for your skin • Chocolate improves blood flow • Chocolate strengthens your brain • Chocolate can control coughs—The most delicious way to kick your cough, apparently, is chocolate. One of the sweet’s chemical components, theobromine, seems to reduce the activity of the vagus nerve, the part of the brain that triggers coughing fits.

• Chocolate makes you live longer—Jeanne Louise Calment lived to the age of 122—the oldest anyone has ever lived. She ate two and a half pounds of dark chocolate per week. But don’t just start binging on chocolate! Most of the chocolate you buy in the grocery store is heavily processed, which means that it has lost many of its healthy chemicals. Source: medicalnews.com

Makes: 6 servings Ingredients • 2 tablespoons butter • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped • 3/4 cup butter • 3 eggs • 3 egg yolks • 1/3 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour • Powdered sugar Instructions 1. Using the 2 tablespoons butter, grease six 8- to 10-ounce ramekins, soufflé dishes or custard cups. Place ramekins in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a heavy small saucepan, combine chocolate and the 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove pan from heat; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Fold one-third of the chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Fold remaining chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture. Spoon about 2/3 cup batter into each prepared ramekin, dividing evenly.

4. Bake in a 425 degree F oven about 12 minutes or until cake edges feel firm. Cool in ramekins on a wire rack for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cake from sides of ramekins. Invert onto dessert plates.

Sift with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately. Source: midwestliving.com

Dark Chocolate Pot de Creme (made in the blender!)

Makes: 8 small portions Ingredients • 1 heaping cup dark chocolate (or bittersweet) chocolate chips • 2 large eggs, at room temperature • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 Tbsp espresso powder or instant espresso Garnish • 1/4 cup heavy cream • Small blossoms Instructions 1. Put the chocolate, the eggs, and the vanilla in a blender. Blend briefly to break down the chocolate.

2. Heat the heavy cream and espresso powder in a small saucepan on the stove until it just comes to a boil While the blender is running, pour the hot cream in a steady stream into the hole in the top of the blender. The mixture will become thick and creamy. Let the blender run until everything is smooth.

3. Pour the chocolate into small vessels and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or longer if you like.

4. When ready to serve, whip the 1/4 cup cream and top each serving with a dollop and a few small colorful blossoms. Source: theviewfromgreatisland.com voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 11

MASSAGE

It’s Been Around a Long Time

By Ronda Addy

M

assage therapy has been around for centuries. As far back as 2700 B.C., ancient Chinese cultures used it to relieve all types of ailments. Hippocrates wrote about the benefits of rubbing and friction regarding joint and circulation problems, and Julius Caesar is believed to have had daily massages to treat nerve pain. During WWI, massages were used to treat nerve damage in soldiers, and during the 1930s, to help shell-shocked soldiers. Today, massage therapy is used in all types of settings to treat a variety of conditions ranging from stroke and heart attack to nerve damage, cancer and paralysis in babies and seniors. In addition to treating chronic conditions, massage therapy can help reduce stress and tension.

Here’s a brief description of some of the different therapies available: • Amma therapy is based on 5,000-year-old Chinese massage. Using their thumbs, fingers, elbows, arms, knees and feet, therapists press, stroke, stretch and manipulate pressure points along the 14 major meridians of the body. The therapy can be done while patients are fully clothed lying down or sitting up.

• Aquatic massage therapy takes place in a therapeutic pool, allowing for a wider range of motion. Patients float on their back on a pool-noodle or flutter board while therapists support their head and neck and use some of the same techniques of land-based massage as well as Watsu and Jahara massage techniques.

• Inhalation therapy is also known as breath or respiratory therapy and involves the lungs. Oxygen therapy is the most common, with oxygen fed to patients through a mask, tent or oxygen chamber. This type of therapy can also be done in patients’ homes with the use of a humidifier or vaporizer or inhaling steam from hot water. To get the full benefit of this treatment, patients should stay in a warm place for an hour afterwards.

• Integrated energy therapy is a holistic therapy designed to increase life flow energy. Focusing on the nine primary energy points of the body, therapists use a cellular energy map to find out where emotions and energy are suppressed. To unblock and release the two, therapists spend an hour to an hour-and-a-half 12 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

rebalancing patients’ energy fields as they lie on their back fully clothed on the massage table surrounded by pillows. After the session, patients must take some time to allow their body to readjust and absorb the massage.

• LaStone therapy uses hot and cold stones to relieve sore, stiff muscles and joints. Alternating between warm and cold stones of all shapes and sizes, therapists apply the stones to the body to balance patients’ chakra or energy. Warm stones improve circulation and ease stiffness, while cold stones move blood away from the swollen area.

• Moxibustion involves the use of mugwort and fire.

There are two ways to practice this therapy: directly or indirectly. With the direct method, therapists roll mugwort into a cone and burn it on traditional acupuncture points of the skin, which are covered with a substance to prevent scarring. The direct heat releases endorphins in the affected area. With the indirect method, therapists roll moxa like a cigarette, light up one end and use it to heat acupuncture needles that have been placed on certain points on the body.

The heat is transferred from the needles to the body, relieving sore joints and aching muscles.

This is just a sample of the various types of massage therapies available. There are therapies designed for the mind, the body and both the mind and the body.

There are therapies designed to relieve aching joints and muscles. There are therapies designed to aid relaxation and rehabilitation. As with any type of medical treatment, make sure you talk with your doctor first before starting massage therapy.

How to Make Valentine’s Day Special

1. Cook his/her favorite meal, complemented with favorite wine and candles. The thought and effort will mean more than you know!

After a traditional dinner-and-movie date, dim the lights and give each other a 15-minute massage.

Take a weekend to get away together at a bed and breakfast.

Visit cultural and historical sites of common interest.

Get back to nature with horseback riding or hiking to a beautiful location and set up a picnic.

If you’re feeling playful, make a scavenger hunt . . . choose a meaningful gift for the treasure, and make sure the clues include what you love about your significant other.

Take a common interest class together . . . arts/crafts, a cooking class, etc. Enjoy the time learning together and walk away with a warm memory.

Grow together and get out of your comfort zone! Find an activity that scares both of you a little (bungee jumping, karaoke, get a couple’s tattoo) and make a day/night of it!

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WEDDING PLANNING

Cost Cutters

By Tresa Erickson

It’s no secret. Weddings can cost big bucks...$25,000 or more

for the average wedding taking place in the United States today.

Unfortunately, not all brides and grooms have that kind of cash to spare, nor do their parents. Fortunately, there are ways to save on wedding costs.

Make, make, make! Make as much as you can. Design and print the invitations and programs. Create the decorations and favors. Arrange the bouquets, boutonnières and centerpieces.

Prepare the food for the reception.

Do, do, do! Do whatever you can yourself. The more professionals you hire, the bigger budget you will need. Save yourself some cash by tackling as much yourself as you can. Take on the duties of wedding planner, decorator and caterer. Do your own hair and makeup. Make all of the arrangements for the honeymoon and drive yourself to the airport.

Ask, ask, ask! Enlist the talent of others wherever you can.

Forget hiring a live band or artist. Ask your musician friends to do the entertaining in lieu of a wedding gift. Forget hiring a baker and caterer. Simplify the menu for your reception, make as much of the food as you can and enlist the talented cake bakers and cooks in

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your family to do the rest. Forget hiring an officiant and stylist. Ask a friend to become ordained online so they can perform your nuptials. Ask your bridesmaids to assist you with your makeup and hair.

Think thrifty. Select a less popular date and time to save on vendor costs. Borrow linens and silver from friends to save on rental costs. Choose flowers that are in season and supplement them with artificial blooms. Or, better yet, skip the fresh flowers in favor of inexpensive artificial flowers and feathers. Go for the designer wedding cake, but request a small one for the cake table and less expensive sheet cakes for guests.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on your wedding. You can cut costs considerably just by being

willing to make some compromises, like doing some things yourself and seek the help of others. And, don’t forget. Vendors want your business, so don’t be afraid to bargain with them. If you can’t afford something, say so and see if a solution can be worked out. You might still be able to serve your guests veal parmigiana. It just might not feature all of the organic ingredients you would like.

Alternatives in Bloom

By Tresa Erickson

You just got engaged. Let the wedding planning begin! There is so much to see and select, including flowers. While flowers are beautiful, what if they really are not your thing? There are alternatives.

Some brides looking to cut costs opt for artificial flowers over real. Others take a different route and skip the flowers altogether.

They may have feather bouquets and boutonnières for attendants and goldfish bowls on every table at the reception. Flowers are not a necessity at a wedding.

Planning to have your wedding outside and hoping it isn’t too sunny, or worse, rains? Instead of bouquets, have your bridesmaids carry parasols. They can shade themselves should it be sunny and stay dry should it rain.

Fans are another idea. You can carry a large ornate fan instead of a wedding bouquet and have your bridesmaids and flower girl carry smaller fans.

Having your wedding outside at night? Try lanterns. That’s right. Help light up the celebration by having your bridesmaids and flower girl carry lanterns down the aisle.

While you’re thinking about the girls, consider the guys, too.

You can turn almost anything into a unique boutonnière from buttons to action figures. You can purchase miniature parasols or fans to use as boutonnières or skip the boutonnières altogether in favor of bright handkerchiefs.

As for floral swags and centerpieces, almost anything will work.

Ribbons and bows can easily be turned into swags, as can fish netting should you be going for a beach theme. Baskets of seashells would make great centerpieces, as would floating candles and candy bowls.

If you can envision it, chances are it will work as a centerpiece.

Head to your local craft store or look online for other ideas.

You’re sure to uncover dozens of things you can make or buy to use in place of flowers at your wedding. Fresh flowers out of season can cost a bundle, whereas your grandmother’s bucket of buttons fashioned into bouquets and boutonnières may cost little.

Don’t be afraid to break tradition.

What Was I Saying?

By Craig W. Armstrong

A

s we age, things change. This is not news to anyone, but many of these changes can be frustrating. Take your memory for instance. Have you ever heard someone say that children are like sponges, because they absorb everything? That’s because their little brains haven’t been filled with things yet. By the time we hit our mid 50’s, our brains are crammed with things. In scientific terms our brains have developed millions of neural pathways. These well-worn paths allow us to do many things without even thinking, so to speak. But they make our brains complacent.

Something else people are fond of saying is that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” In essence they are saying you can’t create new neural pathways. Science has proven that this is not true.

With the right stimulus, the brain can create new neural pathways. This ability is called neuroplasticity.

So how do you create new neuro pathways and thus improve your memory and brain function? There are many ways, both physical and mental. Let’s start with the obvious.

Your brain needs to be stimulated. There are millions of brain games available and with the advent of smart phones; they can be right at your fingertips. There are just a few things that these games need to include.

First, make sure that it is a challenge. It needs to be something that requires your full attention, not something that you can do halfheartedly. It should also be something that teaches you something new. Learning is stimulating to your brain. Make sure it is something with levels. You need to keep the challenge alive. Make it something where you can work your way up and advance. Finally make sure you are enjoying it. If you’re not having fun, you probably won’t stick with it.

Along with exercising your brain, you need to exercise your body. They are connected and physical health has

a direct effect on mental health. Exercise wards off disease, keeps your heart healthy, reduces stress, aids in digestion and helps with sleep. There is no downside to exercise.

Of course along with exercise goes a healthy diet. Make sure you are getting your omega-3s. Research has shown that they are very beneficial to brain health.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep. As we grow older, we don’t sleep as well. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Get on a regular sleep schedule and stick with it.

Being social can also improve brain function. This means getting off the couch and spending time with friends and attending social events. The more interaction with people, the more your brain is forced to function and adapt.

What was I saying? Oh yeah, not being as mentally sharp as you once were, is a normal part of aging. But with the right stimulus and maintaining your body, you can improve your brain function and create new neuro pathways. We have to age, but we can put up a fight.

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(540) 808-1180 voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 15

Article and Photographs

by Nancy Binder

C

alifornia Highway 1 is arguably one of the most beautiful highways in the United States. With the Pacific Ocean on the west and in many places cliffs rising up on the east, it is a white-knuckle drive in many spots, but the beauty is overwhelming. About halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco is the ocean-side community of San Simeon.

The National Historic Landmark, Hearst Castle, www.hearstcastle.org, is located here. This beautiful castle was commissioned in 1919 by William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper czar, who inherited the 250,000 acre ranch from his mother. Construction on the property began in 1919 and continued for the next two and a half decades.

The main building, Casa Grande, is over 60,000 square feet. The castle was meant to show off W.R. Hearst’s vast art collection. There are Rubens tapestries, great sculptures, oil paintings and furniture. The dining room has high windows and unlike great dining halls in European castles, the windows are clear glass, because W.R. thought it would be too dark with traditional stained glass windows.

Hearst Castle entrance 16 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Hearst Castle outdoor pool called Neptune Pool

He had flags from the provinces around Siena, Italy flown at the top of the room to add color. The Roman Pool, an indoor swimming pool, has 24 karat gold everywhere. We even walked on it. continued on next page

Hearst Castle indoor pool called Roman Pool with 24 carat gold inlaid tiles

Hearst Castle dining room

Blooming gold-toothed aloe vera along the Pacific Ocean

Invitations to visit were highly sought after by the rich and famous in the 1920s and 1930s. They arrived either by plane at the private landing strip on the property or in Hearst’s beautiful, private railcar from Los Angeles. There are three guest houses on the property. Each guest had their own bedroom and bathroom. Couples were not expected to sleep in the same room or to share a bathroom. When the Hearst family donated the estate to the State of California, they reserved the right to continue to use the estate whenever they wished. W.R. Hearst’s first home, a Victoria mansion on the property, is used by the family and we were told they visit regularly.

There are seven different tours offered. A visitor’s center near the highway has an exhibition area with information and photographs of W. R. Hearst and his guests and details of the building process. Once you purchase your tickets (reservations are recommended), a five-mile narrated bus ride takes you back into the hills where the castle is located. It is an amazing property and gives a glimpse into the lifestyle of the elite.

Just five miles north of San Simeon at Piedras Blancas (White Lighthouse) is a rookery of elephant seals. These huge mammals come ashore from December to March to give birth and to mate. The males are 14 to 16 feet in length and can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. The females are much smaller, 9 to 12 feet, and weigh between 1,000 and 1,800 pounds. At birth, the pups are 3 to 4 feet long and weigh about 70 pounds. While they are on the beach, they do not eat or drink, consequently they rarely urinate or defecate. The females and younger males stay on the beach about a month while the older, dominate males stay about three months.

During the mating season, males will fight for their territory and harem. All of the elephant seals, except the new pups, will return to molt, a process which takes about a month.

They return in great numbers in April and May and in lesser

numbers the rest of the summer and early fall. On the long boardwalk there are informational signs about the elephant seals. Usually a docent or two are available to answer questions. They are fascinating to watch and photograph. On the boardwalk above them, you have great views and are safely separated from them.

Dueling bull elephant seals establishing their territory

Elephant seal bull, females and pup

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Nancy Binder is a retired application software developer turned freelance writer combining her love of travel with her desire to share her experiences. She is passionate about exploring the outdoors and has been “bitten by the African safari bug”, now her favorite travel destination. Contact her with comments or travel questions at nancybinder@msn.com voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 17

“every story needs a book”

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She nds herself once again working grisly crime scenes with her cousin, and wondering how these incidents could happen in a small town where everybody knows everybody. She accepts the assignment at risk to herself.

Silence of the Bones Written by Bev Freeman Madison and her dog discover a skull along the Appalachian Trail. Emotions overflow as she sees the empty eye sockets looking up at her. Madison feels pity for the lost one’s life. She knows the feelings of abandonment; what it’s like to be thrown out like trash.

She wants to be the voice of the skull. She silently asks, “Who put you in this lonely place? How did you die? And who are you?”

Imprisoned Heart Written by Jeisi Panto Rijo

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A World Without Man Written by James Barton Walker

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“Fast-paced, exciting, and full of twists and turns as Andy, a woman, tries to survive in a man’s prison.

This is a good story that keeps the reader’s interest from the first sentence.”

A young girl, Andy Cedano, slips through the prison system as a young man. From the beginning, Andy was not supposed to be there, and certainly not have a man, Lenny, for a cellmate. She found herself attracted to her cellmate. How long could she keep her identity hidden?

What would happen if Lenny found out that she was a woman? How could she explain? Would their friendship deepen or would Lenny reject her? Will honesty be enough to become the love story of their lives?

A WORLD WITHOUT

— Linda Hudson Hoagland, Author, The Best Darn Secret

A young girl, Andy Cedano, slips through the prison system as a young man. From the beginning, Andy was not supposed to be there, and certainly not have a man, Lenny, for a cellmate. She found herself attracted to her cellmate. How long could she keep her identity hidden? What would happen if Lenny found out that she was a woman? How could she explain? Would their friendship deepen or would Lenny reject her? Will honesty be enough to become the love story of their lives?

MAN

Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Jeisi Panta Rijo, came to live in the United States at the age early age for fourteen. Her passion for writing started at the age of twelve when her teacher, Iris Nancy, motivated her to follow this art.

James Barton Walker

Consider a world without man. What would it look like? Would other animals rise up and become the dominant influence on the Earth? Why was man created and what is man’s purpose on Earth?

A WORLD WITHOUT MAN

Consider a world without man. What would it look like? Would other animals rise up and become the dominant influence on the Earth? Why was man created and what is man’s purpose on Earth?

Imprisoned

“Raw, edgy and an unexpected love story in an unlikely setting. Ms. Rijo engages the reader with Andy’s deep backstory and provides a glimmer of hope for love in the darkest of places.”

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U.S. $10.00 • CAN $13.10 COPYRIGHT 2016 FRONT COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

James Barton Walker

“What a wonderful book!

Beautiful way to grow closer to God by getting closer to nature.”

Written by Michael Dillon, Illustrated by Teresa Wilkerson

— April Hensley, Author and Gardening Expert

The poverty of our senses both physical and spiritual is in ourselves not our surroundings. No matter where you call home, the heavens by night or day are as beautiful over your home as another. The lifestyle that we become immersed in decay our senses and cheat us of many treasures beyond price. The love of nature and God’s Word has taught me there are always new discoveries on the path I may have walked several times, or the verse I have read a dozen times. I never know what sense will be delighted or sharpened.

Connie Clark-Thompson’s passion and love of gardening and note keeping over the years is the basis of this study. She has learned from others, and through trial and error. We must pass along not only those wonderful plants but also our knowledge for future gardeners and farmers. If you are a gardener you know that an afternoon could easily slip by in conversation about a rose or a new veggie that has been discovered. Take time to share and pass along! You may contact the author at daintydirtdgm@aol.com.

U.S. $10.95 • CAN $14.40 COPYRIGHT 2017 FRONT COVER PAINTING: CONNIE CLARK-THOMPSON JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

Connie Clark-Thompson

Alexander’s first real adventure inside a magical oak tree is a ride you will want to go on more than once!

Come meet all the creatures and enjoy the humor and action as you follow along with Alexander on this grand journey to the top, and you can decide what is real, and what may not be.

From the Fence: Gardening with God

The Grand Stories of the All Too Adventurous Alex Book One: Trouble Inside the Magical Oak Tree

COMING SOON From the Fence: Gardening with God One Sense at a Time

From The Fence:

Gardening with God One Sense at a Time

Written by Connie Thomspson-Clark The poverty of our senses both physical and spiritual is in ourselves not our surroundings. No matter where you call home, the heavens by night or day are as beautiful over your home as another. The lifestyle that we become immersed in decay our senses and cheat us of many treasures beyond price. The love of nature and God’s Word has taught me there are always new discoveries on the path I may have walked several times, or the verse I have read a dozen times. I never know what sense will be delighted or sharpened.

A five-week Bible study that exercises our physical senses to grow our garden and that exercises our spiritual senses to grow our faith

Connie Clark-Thompson

They Gave All Save Honor Written by E.M. Steffaniak

“A very well researched and common sense approach to the causes and effects of the American Civil War. Mr. Salyer has created a very informative and enjoyable read that should be on the bookshelf of every student and history buff.”

— Will Osborne, Author of Be Strong and of a Good Courage

“Salyer’s book reflects a prodigious amount of research and analysis and presents an excellent case for a multitude of causes for the Civil War, rather than only slavery.

His discussion will convince the reader to broaden their interpretation of the war beyond what’s taught in school history books and gain a deeper appreciation for its lingering complex symbolism in history.”

Written by Robert M. Salyer

— Donna Gayle Akers, Author of nine books including: Washington County and Washington County Revisited

“Robert Salyer is a man with a vision and a desire to keep history alive. I have never met anyone more enthusiastic about preserving history, and specifically Civil War history, than Robert. I have no doubt that his book will be a success, as his passion for history and historical accuracy knows few bounds.”

Theories, causes and reasons abound for the definitive cause of the Civil War. However, author and Civil War enthusiast and reenactor Robert Salyer provides a provocative and often unexplored insight behind the war that tore apart a burgeoning, new country. Readers will appreciate Salyer’s research and knowledge of the events that led to the near destruction of a nation.

— Bud Phillips, noted Bristol, Virginia historian and author of more than ten books including: Between the States: Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia During the Civil War

Theories, causes and reasons abound for the definitive cause of the Civil War. However, author and Civil War enthusiast and reenactor Robert Salyer provides a provocative and often unexplored insight behind the war that tore apart a burgeoning, new country. Readers will appreciate Salyer's research and knowledge of the events that led to the near destruction of a nation.

An avid Civil War enthusiast since early childhood, author Robert Salyer currently resides in Washington County, Virginia in a Civil War era plantation that was lovingly restored by his family and that is listed on the National Historical Registry.

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COPYRIGHT 2017 COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE FRONT COVER IMAGE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND AMERICANCOLORIZING.COM AUTHOR PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN THE SUNKEN ROAD AT ANTIETAM BATTLEFIELD. AUTHOR PHOTO: AMY STILTNER SALYER JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

ROBERT M. SALYER

18 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

The Myth of Virtue Histories’ Lies of the Civil War

THE MYTH OF VIRTUE Histories’ Lies of the Civil War

Eden Stuart kept a journal during the tumultuous years of 1858–1870 detailing life in Federal City as southern senators le the Union to build a new country. An army and war brewed in Congress. Stuart’s writings cover the troops encamped at Richmond; the battles fought at Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Seven Pines, Richmond and ppomattox, the deaths of Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, and General Lafayette, the surrender of the Confederacy. Also covered is the aermath and the assassination of President Lincoln, Booth’s co-conspirators, Johnson’s impeachment and the restoration of the Union.

THE MYTH OF VIRTUE

Histories’ Lies of the Civil War

ROBERT M. SALYER

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Watch JCP Author Connie Clark-Thompson on Daytime Tri-Cities and hear more about her newly released book, Gardening with God, on Tuesday, February 14 at 10 a.m. on WJHL-TV. voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 19

Turning Conflict into Adventure

By Doug Fields “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” (KJV) Interpretation: “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” 1 Peter 3:10–11 (NLV, New Living Translation)

P

ersonally, I hate conflict. Even the word conflict sounds painful! It has a harsh ring to it. The etymology of the word involves the prefix con- and the suffix, -flict. Con–is from the same source from which we developed the word constipation. And—flict is the origin of afflicted, as in, What a drag! I’m afflicted with constipation. (Okay, I haven’t really factchecked all that, but that’s the image I get when I think of conflict—constipated affliction.)

I can’t stand the feeling I get when I experience tension with others.

Conflict causes me more bodily stress than anything else. People think it’s stressful to speak to crowds and it can be. But, I’d rather speak to a million people than experience tension with just one—especially someone I care about.

Believe it or not, conflict can be part of God’s strategy to transform us into the people He wants us to be. God can use the conflict in our lives for His glory. In brief, conflict can be part of God’s adventure for us.

So how can relational conflict possibly be an adventure? Think of it this way: the one factor present in all adventures is conflict. In order to have an adventure, you need some sort of obstacle to overcome.

Whenever we’re involved in conflict, we’re forced to overcome an obstacle, and in dealing with that obstacle, we’re invited to seek Christ more intensely. That’s when the adventure begins—when the conflict drives us to our knees. In the midst of the conflict, we encounter a situation that is so unclear, difficult and tension filled, that we need a good Guide to navigate the path. This is where Jesus comes in. Smack-dab in the middle of our battle, He joins us and offers us a clear light to the other side. Think of Jesus walking out on the water to Peter in the midst of a storm (Matthew 14:22–33). With water raging all around him, Peter is offered a new glimpse into a life of faith. He would never have received that opportunity if he had not been out in a storm.

That’s our invitation in the middle of relational conflict: to see any such struggle as an invitation to Christ’s adventure in transformation.

Christ extends His hand to us and invites us to walk with Him through the storm. As we seek Him, He transforms us into deeper, richer and more meaningful people. Conflict is the catalyst that God uses to show Himself to us and to cause new growth to happen in our lives. Source: homeword.com

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20 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

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GOT… BUGS?

ACROSS

1. Jail, slangily 4. Concrete section 8. Chap 12. 1/500 of the Indianapolis 500 13. Au ___ 14. Met expectations?

16. Doing nothing 17. Halo, e.g.

18. Romance, e.g.

19. Demands 21. Medical advice, often 23. Copper 24. Arid 25. Kind of column (2 wds) 27. “Dig in!”

29. Drudgery 30. Carry on 31. Favorite 34. A structure devoted to something holy 37. Exclusive 38. Egg cells 39. Grimace 40. Slang term for AI 41. Cut short 42. Aged 43. Bed board 45. Wastes time 47. “Fancy that!”

48. Best seller 49. Can of worms?

50. Barbie’s beau 51. When repeated, like some shows 52. Handful 55. Asian tongue 58. Boris Godunov, for one 60. Safari sight 62. When Harry met _____ 64. “Mi chiamano Mimi,” e.g.

66. A chorus line 67. Inclined 68. Gulf war missile 69. Bondman 70. Makeup, e.g.

71. Jerk 72. Be nosy

DOWN

1. Autumn drink 2. Back street 3. Call for 4. Marienbad, for one 5. Any tree of the genus Laurus 6. Broadcast 7. Bikini parts 8. Joke 9. At attention 10. Opening time, maybe 11. Mountain pool 12. Attention 15. Undertake, with “out” 20. Sometime today, say 22. Be a snitch 26. Pandowdy, e.g.

28. Affirmative vote 29. 20-20, e.g.

30. Ale holder 31. A vote 32. Axis of ___ 33. A little night music 34. E.P.A. concern 35. Burrow 36. “How ___!”

37. Boozehound 40. Dracula, at times 41. Mouse catcher 43. “Ain’t ___ Sweet” 44. Fluff 45. Convened 46. Ticket info, maybe 49. Whitish, metallic element 50. Ovens to bake pottery 51. Tough, durable wood 52. Secretary, at times 53. Admittance 54. Kennel sound 55. Cooking meas.

56. “B.C.” cartoonist 57. ___ vera 59. Back talk 61. Door fastener 63. “Are we there ___?”

65. “Much ___ About Nothing”

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The Month of Love and Chocolate

By Lisa Smith

W

e think of February as being the month for love and chocolate! Did you know that chocolate comes from the cacao tree? It comes from the beans (seeds) of the fruit of the cacao tree. Christopher Columbus thought it resembled an almond. He knew that the beans were highly prized by the natives when he saw them drinking a thick beverage made from the ground beans mixed with cornmeal and flavored with chilies and Lisa Smith other spices. When the beans were taken back to Spain a drink made of ground cacao, water, sugar and vanilla became a favorite of the nobles! Early hot chocolate!

Chocolate in its current forms quickly became the favorite flavor of many people. It is used in many different types of food. It is fabulous in chili! It brings out the flavors without being sweet. Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, or about an ounce of chopped dark chocolate to the next pot of chili you make and see how much richer it tastes.

Some research has shown that dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids and is actually good for the heart. The key is not to overeat it. One small piece of good dark chocolate satisfies the sweet tooth that many of us get.

Let it slowly melt in your mouth and savor the flavors. You will find that if you slow down and actually enjoy the taste you can eat less.

Here are some simple recipes that you can make at home to enjoy the delicious flavors of chocolate.

eight triangles. Place the triangles on the lined baking sheet pans about an inch apart. Brush each triangle with melted butter and sprinkle each triangle with a little raw sugar. Bake the scones for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

White Hot Chocolate

(Makes 4 one cup servings) 2 c. milk 2 c. heavy cream 1 tsp. coconut extract 6 oz. white chocolate, chopped Coconut flakes Chocolate shavings Bring the milk, cream and coconut extract to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chocolate. Whisk until smooth and chocolate is melted.

Pour into mugs and garnish with coconut flakes and chocolate shavings.

{

Lisa Smith is the Executive Vice-President of Living Faith Television.Watch Everyday Manna with Lisa on Living Faith Television on WLFG/WAGV/WLFB stations. Show times are: Monday through Friday at 2:00pm and 4:30pm and 11:00 pm. Also join her as host of Living Faith Now on Monday and Tuesday at 10:00am, 8:00pm and 1:00am.

Find her on Facebook: Everyday Manna, YouTube: Life Everyday with Lisa, and on the web: www.everydaymanna.net.

Dark Chocolate Scones

3 ¼ c. all-purpose flour ¼ tsp salt ¼ c sugar ¼ c light brown sugar 1 TBSP. plus 1 tsp baking powder 2 c. dark chocolate chips (can use semi-sweet if you prefer) 2 c. whipping cream 1 tsp vanilla Topping: 2 TBSP. melted butter ¼ c raw sugar Preheat oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Gently stir in whipping cream into flour mixture just until flour mixture is moistened. Pour mixture onto a lightly floured working surface. Gently knead dough until a soft dough forms. Divide in thirds. Pat each third into a seven-inch circle. Cut each circle into OptiNet and Cable Plus, Inc. Channel 3

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 23

MURDER ON WILSON STREET “Working for a Nobel Prize winning author leads Emma Robinson into areas of deceit and murder she had not bargained for. Faye Duncan mystifies the reader with twists and turns to the very last moment.”

n a i h c a l a App Remedies

AVAILABLE:

amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

Madison and her dog discover a skull along the Appalachian Trail.

Madison feels pity for the lost one’s life.

She knows the feelings of abandonment; what it’s like to be thrown out like trash.

She silently asks, “Who put you in this lonely place? How did you die?

And who are you?”

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BOOKS BY PAULINE E. PETSEL

Sparks, Things that Go Bump in the Night, Foiled & Spiritually Yours

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THE SACRED SEQUENCE Remembering the One Truth

by John Burton, EdD LPC LPCS

“Dr. John Burton has found a way to connect human psychology and spirituality in such a way that allows us to become whole individuals who not only prosper and thrive within our own lives, but who are then able to build upon that foundation to express kindness and charity toward mankind.”

Baking soda and salt are good to loosen/clean burned and hardened food in your pots and pans...and make them shine.

— Martha Ann Stuckey, Moncks Corner, SC

Just discovered vinegar poured or sprayed on hard lime deposits around faucets and sinks softens it and then it can be scrubbed right off. This may be widely known but new to me!

— April Ford Hensley, Bristol, TN

Hairspray takes out ink pen stains.

If you have pneumonia boil onions and breath in the vapors as it boils.

— Jessica Helton, Abingdon, VA Send your Appalachian remedies to: office@jancarolpublishing.com

The Mission of the Appalachian Women’s Museum is to gather, preserve, and share the stories of the women of Southern Appalachia. Their goal is to open the doors of the Monteith Farmstead in Dillsboro, North Carolina to house these stories and retell them through a living museum.

The one hundred and eight year old house is currently undergoing restoration and repair to become a recognized and respected home for the history of the women of Southern Appalachia that is a resource and repository for the artifacts, archives, and other research materials that tells the stories of these women and of the people whose lives they touched.

Some of the women, who will be highlighted in the museum, achieved prominence in the arts, government, education and social causes; while others achieved success through raising productive children.

Regardless of their status, it is stories of these ordinary women leading extraordinary lives that the museum hopes to preserve and share to inspire future generations. Source: appwm.org

– Holly Kraus, M.Ed. Nationally Certified Counselor and Life Coach

COMING SOON!

amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com 24 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Appalachian Women’s Museum friends@appwomen.org P.O. Box 245, Dillsboro, NC 28725, 828.506.9559 Find them on Facebook at Appalachian Women’s Museum

Growing a Rose Bush from a Bloom

By April Hensley

F

or many months, rose growers have been working behind the scenes to produce beautiful blooms for Valentine’s Day. When that holiday is over, work begins on roses for the busy upcoming wedding season. Additionally, unique varieties of roses will also be available to give as much deserved Mother’s Day gifts. Shortly thereafter, rose bushes will fill summer breezes with their sweet lovely scent.

One time, I fell in love with a dozen pink roses I received for a special day. I knew it was possible to root roses from the flower stems. When propagating a rose from a cutting, the new plant will be identical to the parent plant. So, I decided to give it a try when the blooms began to dry up. I followed the steps carefully and ended up with one rooted cutting, not the twelve I had hoped I would. Roses are tricky to root, so it’s best not to get too attached to the results. Here are the simplified steps I used to do mine.

• Use a pot with drain holes.

• Mix half potting soil and half sand together.

• Place dirt mix in the pot, two inches from the top.

• Water thoroughly.

• Using a pencil, make four, inch-deep holes in the dirt for the stems you have.

• Stems from rosebushes will root easier than florist roses.

Make sure the rose is not trademarked or patented.

• Use stems at least 6–8 inches long. Remove the bloom from the top and all the leaves from the bottom half.

• Cut the bottom at a 45 degree angle.

• Scrape off the outer coating of green on the bottom two inches of the stem and cover with rooting powder.

• Insert bottom of stem into one of the holes you made with your pencil.

• Repeat these steps for all stems.

• After you complete them all, gently pat the soil around the cuttings.

• Cover the pot loosely with a plastic bag. Take care when leaving plastic bags alone with pets and small children.

• Place the covered pot in indirect sunlight. Protect from freezing and scorching heat.

• Check regularly and mist lightly when dry.

• After a month, pull gently on the stems to check for roots.

If no roots and the stems still look green, cover and check again in another month.

• When the cuttings have roots, repot in individual pots. Let mature for a few months before planting in the ground, or in a very large pot.

{

April Hensley works as an office manager and is an avid gardener, writer and greenhouse hobbyist. April loves the outdoors and is passionate about animal welfare and the environment. She can be reached at aprils1105@embarqmail.com.

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voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 25

If you love Appalachian literature— suggested reads from Jan-Carol Publishing —Saundra G. Kelley

Storyteller, Listen to the Wind, Find the Story Within

“In Bev Freeman’s debut mystery novel, Silence of the Bones, a young woman’s discovery of a skeleton while on a trail run, eventually leads her to the discovery of not only her own true identity, but also the true evil identity of people she’s close to in her quiet northeast Tennessee community. Her quest to know the truth about what happened to her mother takes us from caves in the Unaka Mountains to the snowy peaks of Palmer, Alaska, as Freeman presents a puzzling mystery and a coming-of-age story all rolled into one.”

—Rita Quillen Author, Hiding Ezra

M

adison and her dog discover a skull along the Appalachian Trail.

Emotions overflow as she sees the empty eye sockets looking up at her. Madison feels pity for the lost one’s life. She knows the feelings of abandonment; what it’s like to be thrown out like trash. She wants to be the voice of the skull. She silently asks, “Who put you in this lonely place? How did you die? And who are you?”

BEV FREEMAN

Bev Freeman was born in Virginia and lived in the Appalachians until her teens. Her family relocated to Florida where she graduated high school, married a Floridian, and raised a son. In 1993, with shattered dreams, she returned to Appalachia. She married a local, God-fearing man in 1996, and life is beautiful in Tennessee, with two spirited grandsons living close by. A member of The Lost State Writers Guild, she enjoys a large audience on Facebook.

SILENCE OF THE BONES

“There are some characters you don't forget, and Madison McKenzie is a member of that elite group. On her 21st birthday, Madison learns her life has largely been a lie after a solo trek on the Appalachian Trail and discovery of a woman’s skull, and much later, a precious amulet that matches the one she’s worn all of her life.

Madison’s task is to solve the mystery of the broken heart but in the process, she uncovers secrets long hidden.”

U.S. $14.95 • CAN $19.75

Silence of the T Bones

Musings from a Jonesborough Porch

his offering is of essays created, over time, while sitting on a delightful porch in Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town. The essays are of sightings from the porch itself and of musings on scenes and events remembered while enjoying the peaceful ambience that only a screened porch can afford.

THE MADISON MCKENZIE FILES (BOOK 1)

Bev Freeman

COVER ILLUSTRATION: ROBERT L. CONWAY COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE AUTHOR PHOTO: BILL FREEEMAN JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

a novel

“The past unremembered is a void, unexamined, a loss. Craig’s recollection of a life in the light of logic and reason gives us the answer to an age-old question; the glass is not half-full or half-empty, we’re all still pouring. Have a taste. Looking back, we are all amazed that not only did we make it this far, we made it at all. Craig’s eyeballing of childhood, choices and chances—no rose colored glasses here—confirms what we all know to be true. Family, friends, love.”

—Tony Scales

Author of Natural Tunnel: Nature's Marvel in Stone and The Breaks: The Grand Canyon of the South

“Wait For Me, Boys! Wait For Me! is a profoundly entertaining read that is not just limited to Dr. Ashbrook, but reflects much about the many individuals who grew up with him in a small Appalachian town on the banks of Clinch River. His story allows the reader to realize that we truly are the ones who lived life to the fullest. His book is exceptionally rewarding.”

—J. Michael O’Connor

Author of Ghosts of my Mind and His Wars His Honor: A Simple Teacher

H

Craig Ashbrook was raised in Cleveland, Virginia.

He earned multiple degrees in the field of physical geography and completed his doctoral degree at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He has a son, Noah, of Bristol, Virginia and a daughter, Farah Monday Ashbrook Scruggs, of Clemmons, North Carolina. He makes his home in Bristol, Virginia with his wife, Myra. Find Craig on Facebook at www.facebook.com/craig.ashbrook.

Amber D. Tran

U.S. $14.95 • CAN $19.45

COPYRIGHT 2016 AUTHOR PHOTO © ROSHEENA BOVE COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE AN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC ANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

U.S. $14.95 • CAN $19.50 COPYRIGHT 2016 COVER DESIGN: TARA SIZEMORE JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

GINNY WALL

HELEN THATCHER

W

F M ,B !

AIT FOR ME! W “Jacobs is a talented, descriptive

“A richly AIT detailed ORdebut E novel OYS of a Southern girl's 1960s childhood.”

Growing up on Clinch River and the Years Beyond: writer whoAnprovides particularly Autobiographical Sketch lush descriptions...”

“A brief but enjoyable historical novel.”

DR. CRAIG M. ASHBROOK

ow could a small child’s pleading to his friends, “Wait for me boys,” become one of the most important requests of a lifetime? How could a promise to a parent become a life-shaping focal point, which seemed to be an unachievable ambition? How could religion be both a blessing and an insensitive malediction? Wait For Me, Boys! Wait For Me! settles these and many other uncertainties we all may have faced throughout our lives, while revealing a noticeable connection of life’s events and purpose.

Amber D. Tran

and raised in fter graduating ity, she moved software develes in Alabama and miniature on River is her

Illustrated by

U.S. $10.95 • CAN $14.45 COPYRIGHT 2016 JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

WAIT FOR ME, BOYS! WAIT FOR ME!

a small town in northern West Virginia, ploits the brutal honesty in growing up fast, g too soon.

moon river

umble when Abigail befriends the attractive , a girl who is also interested in uncovering ounding Ryan. However, everything comes 04, and Abigail must decide if her new jour.

moon river

Musings from Jonesborough Porch

Helen Thatcher is a Scot who came from a small town in Scotland to Tennessee with her Chattanooga-born husband. They settled in Jonesborough where they have enjoyed living, gardening, caring for two Airedales and numerous cats.

COPYRIGHT 2016

author Amber D. Tran, a tale of adolescence Nine-year-old Abigail Kavanagh first meets mer of 1999. A shy and awkward boy, Ryan med glasses while Abigail is determined to know about him. The next few summers are adventures in and around the West Virginian ght conversations where they share their thoughts.

a

— Kirkus Reviews

AVAILABLE

NOW

jancarolpublishing.com amazon.com barnesandnoble.com DR. CRAIG M. ASHBROOK

“every story needs a book”

Romance, Heartbreak, Historical Fiction Purchase on amazon.com Use code HE for discount.

423.926.9983 www.jancarolpublishing.com

—Billy W. Harp, Author, Failed Dawn

d her dog are left deserted and alone with winter in the Adirondacks, with only a prayer and a hope eal and imaginary fears cloud Artemis’s judgment, sire to reach the county road and safety. D.L. Luke n exciting story that you cannot put down.”

da Hudson Hoagland, Author, Missing Sammy

boyfriend on their last camping trip for the season cks, Artemis and her dog are stranded in state Her search to find the county road, back home, mage to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote, “in the to reason and faith.”

D.L. Luke

D. L. Luke, author of the children’s book B: The Tale of the Halloween Cat, also known as Diana Denner, was born in New York City in 1965. A published short-story writer and painter, Denner earned a free education and graduated in 1993 from The New School in New York City with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Fiction Writing and American Literature. Editor for New York State Watch, Denner also works as a community inclusion counselor for ARC Rensselaer. She owns an old Dutch Colonial home in upstate New York and is working on the completion of her second children’s book How the Dog Saved the Squirrel from the Hawk.

ADIRONDACKS ARTEMIS

uke vividly portrays the intriguing tale of one of life’s being lost in the wilderness. In Adirondacks Artemis, cks unravel Artemis’s past, as she faces not only her but fears for the future with only her dog and past o guide her. Through her lonely introspection, her rengths and weaknesses are revealed.”

U.S. $9.95 • CAN $13.25 COPYRIGHT 2016 AUTHOR PHOTO: HEATHER BOHM-TALLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATOR/COVER DESIGN: RAE MARIE SCHAUER JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC JANCAROLPUBLISHING.COM

Visit our website jancarolpublishing.com to view all of our titles and sign up for our book of the month newsletter. All books are available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. “every story needs a book”

26 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Are you a victim of FOBO?

By Pam Blair

H

aving too many choices is guiding us to choose nothing. That’s one of the definitions of FOBO or Fear of Better Options. I’m fascinated with acronyms, but when I first heard the term, I wondered how I had missed it and soon realized (gasp!) I am a victim of FOBO. Here’s why I know this is true. Before buying something new and fairly essential, Pam Blair like a battery for our laptop computer, I research it until I am fully paralyzed by indecision. Should I get this one or is that one better? Which vendor should I use? The price on this one is cheaper, but maybe you get what you pay for? What to do? To date, I’ve done nothing and am praying that my computer will keep working.

Another case in point: I needed a new cell phone but had resisted those fancy iPhones. I kind of pride myself on being a technology dinosaur, happy enough with my

ARTS CALENDAR

Somewhere Along the Line Exhibition Thru February 28, 2017, Reece Museum Over the past several years Joshua Dudley Greer has traveled and photographed throughout the United States in an effort to explore the impact and influence of the road on the contemporary American landscape. His photographs draw on references from history, film and literature and depict the roadscape as a kind of stage where narratives play out and opposing forces intersect. A reception will be held in the Reece Museum on Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The Reece Museum is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Randy Sanders at 423-439-4392.

Under the Influence Exhibition Thru March 3, 2017, Reece Museum Mike Smith, Professor of Art in ETSU’s Department of Art and Design, will retire in May of 2017, after serving the University as its major professor in photography for 36 years. Under the Influence is

“old” stuff, thank you very much. I just don’t accept that technology is continuously changing, like the fact that my television is out of date because it’s seven years old. But back to the cell phone: I really didn’t care if I had a smart phone or a dumb phone, I just wanted it to work. So when our local cell phone dealer whipped out an iPhone 7 with a no-argument price tag, I was unexpectedly hooked. He reeled me in like a fish, and before I knew it, I was signing the sales agreement. I got home and then it happened: I was in full FOBO mode, circling the phone cautiously for a day or two, using it as little as possible and wondering how I could get my old phone back.

Cautiously, fearfully, I began to do simple things like changing the ring tone and taking photos. Whoa! What was happening here? Grudgingly, I had to admit that this phone was better than the old one. I began to think that maybe I was on the road to recovery after years of suffering from FOBO, that is until we needed a new mattress.

Consumer Reports, here I come! Their latest issue compares 74 varieties of mattresses. Now, that’s right up my alley! I can read all the research for weeks while putting off buying a new mattress. Never mind that my back is killing me. Is FOBO wreaking havoc with your life?

{

Pam Blair is a freelance writer who has authored and edited numerous publications, including a book titled LIFE IS PRECIOUS: LESSONS IN HEALTHY LIVING, SURVIVING CANCER, AND RECOVERING FROM GRIEF, (Chapel Hill Press). She is a southerner at heart, having lived throughout the South during her career with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She enjoys traveling, reading, yoga, and loves to cook for friends and family. Pam can be reached at pblair919@aol.com.

a group show comprised of multiple photographers with one thing in common, all were students of Mike. A reception will be held in the Reece Museum on Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The Reece Museum is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Randy Sanders at 423-439-4392.

Parting Shots Exhibition Thru March 3, 2017, Reece Museum Mike Smith, Professor of Art in ETSU’s Department of Art and Design, will retire in May of 2017. Parting Shots is a timely look at some of today’s most divisive political, social and cultural topics photographed in his own backyard, or rather within 25 miles of it. The work is culled from over twelve thousand images made during the past four years and represents a significant shift visually, conceptually, and technically for Smith. A reception will be held in the Reece Museum on Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The Reece Museum is open Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Randy Sanders at 423-439-4392 www.etsu.edu/martin www.Facebook.com/ETSU.MBMSOTA artsinfo@etsu.edu 423-439-TKTS (8587) voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 27

The Appalachian Woman HERITAGE, CULTURE AND FUTURE

For the Love of Appalachia

By Tammy Robinson Smith

S

ince February is the month of romantic love, I think it is a fitting time to write about the love affair Appalachians have with storytelling. In my life, it has been more of the love affair of the women in my family handing down the stories Tammy Robinson Smith from one generation to the next.

I never knew either of my grandmothers. Each one died before I was born. My maternal grandmother died when my mother was just eleven-years-old and my paternal grandmother passed away when my father was a young man. However, I feel like I know both of them.

My mother and father grew up in the small Southwest Virginia town of Lebanon. So, she knew my father’s family from the time they were both children.

For me, it means I grew up hearing stories about both grandmothers, even though by the time I was born in the early sixties they had both been gone for years.

Everything from what they cooked, baked, or canned, to how they approached childrearing, was told to me in stories by my mother for as long as I can remember. As a child, I didn’t think much about the gift my mother was giving to me with the stories, but, as I grew older, and certainly now, I know it was indeed a gift.

When I was in graduate school, I took some classes that explored women’s writing and literature. At that time, I became more and more interested in stories that explored the relationships between grandmothers, mothers and daughters, sisters and their female friends.

I was curious as to what held these communities of women together and how that was translated into the written word, as well as how it was handed down from generation to generation by the spoken word.

As this interest and fascination evolved in my life, I realized there was little interest, at that time, in publishing stories about the lives and stories of Appalachian women. I actually wrote a book that I sent out to publishing houses with little interest expressed on their part. So, I decided to start a small publishing company, Mountain Girl Press, to publish my book. I soon found there was a lot of interest out there from women, just like me, who had stories to tell, but, had found little luck in publishing through mainstream publishers. Out of those stories grew short story collections and other novels and soon I found a community of women of my own who had the desire to share their stories with the rest of the world.

One thing I learned for sure on this journey, is that I was not alone in my love for Appalachia.

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Tammy Robinson Smith, Author of the novel EMMYBETH SPEAKS, a novel that explores 1970s life in small town Appalachia. Available on Amazon and B&N.

The Zinnia Tales • Self-Rising Flowers • Christmas Blooms • Broken Petals Order copies of the Mountain Girl Press short story collections from Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. by emailing publisher@jancarolpublishing.com or calling our office at 423-926-9983.

$12.95

$12.95

$12.95

28 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

$10.95

Order any three copies and get one free when you order through JCP. Taxes and shipping are included.

The Southern Appalachians are an outdoor paradise.

From mountain biking to kayaking to fishing to hiking through wilderness, there is something for everyone.

In addition to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, there are several National Forests in the area, creating no limit to the outdoor activities available.

Hiking

The Southern Appalachians are a great place to go for a hike. Whether it’s an afternoon ramble or several nights in the backcountry, there is sure to be a trail for you.

• Great Smoky National Park Trails: www.nps.gov/ grsm/planyourvisit/hiking.htm • Pisgah National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/activity/ nfsnc/recreation/hiking • Cherokee National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/activity/ cherokee/recreation/hiking If you are wanting a real adventure, make sure to check out the Appalachian Trail as it winds through the area!

Mountain Biking

The Southern Appalachians are one of the most popular mountain biking destinations in the east. The slick rock peaks of Pisgah National Forest are world renowned.

Hundreds— maybe thousands—of miles of trails go through the forests and up the peaks of the Southern Appalachians.

If you have a mountain bike, be sure this area is on your vacation list.

• Mountain Biking in the Southern Appalachians national forests: www.fs.usda.gov/activity/nfsnc/ recreation/bicycling/?recid=48112&actid=24

Paddling

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that 15-year-old Neva Warren is the youngest solo thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail? And, she is just one of several accomplished female hikers who have tackled the Appalachian Trail alone, successfully. You can learn more about their accomplishments at www.thetrek.co.

The Nantahala River Gorge is a popular spot for rafting and kayaking. There are many outfitters that can set you up for a day on the river. A list of outfitters can be found on the US Forest Service’s website: www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ nfsnc/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5188434

Fishing

The mountain streams of the Southern Appalachians are home to the southern Appalachian brook trout. These clever fish love the cold, clean water of the forests. Great Smoky National Park as well as the Pisgah, Cherokee and Nantahala forests all have plenty of good fishing spots!

Source: wilderness.org voicemagazineforwomen.com | February 2017 | 29

Welcome to the new magazine, Modern Day Appalachian Woman…

Appalachian Living! ay Modern D

MAN WOIAN HIAN LIVING APPALACH APPALAC For the

Love

chia of Appala Featuring nson Smith Tammy Robi

On the cover…

Tammy Robinson Smith Director of Communications Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. See article on page 5 (Photo by Tara Sizemore)

We women from the Appalachian region know how our strength and our determination supports our accomplishments. Appalachia is comprised of women who are trailblazers.

Those trailblazers are inspirations for other women as they create growth opportunities for their ‘sisters’ in this region. Our focus, with this brand new print and digital addition to Voice Magazine for Women is to broaden the ‘voice’ of women in this region.

Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc. is expanding our footprint to focus on even more women.

We invite you to be a part of our growth. Do you know a woman who has made a difference in the Appalachian region? Do you know a woman who has made a difference in the past, or is currently making a difference in the ‘voice’ of women in this region? Do you know a woman who deserves recognition for her contributions to enable the women in Appalachia through her work, her career, her business, her creativity, or her craft. Let us know! We want to feature her.

Contact us for details at submissions@jancarolpublishing.com.

Also, please share with us your favorite regional recipes, grandma’s medical remedies, or regional tips that have been passed down from generation to generation. Join us in introducing our Appalachian region globally and around the world. Our online magazine will be seen EVERYWHERE, so grow with us!

Janie C. Jessee, Editor

30 | February 2017 | voicemagazineforwomen.com

Modern Day

APPALACHIAN WOMAN APPALACHIAN LIVING

For the

Love

of Appalachia Featuring Tammy Robinson Smith