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all about
PUBLISHER Nancy Morrison nancy.morrison@averyjournal.com 828-733-2448 EDITOR Sherrie Norris sherrie@aawmag.com 828-264-3612 ext. 251
MARKETING CONSULTANTS Aimee Hicks, Crystal Owens, Amanda Swartz, Mark Mitchell, Laura Henley and Rex Goss
PRODUCTION / LAYOUT ARTIST Robert Moore
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Robert Moore, Jennifer Canosa, Robert Hampton, Meleah Petty
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Corrinne Loucks Assad, Genevieve Austin, June W. Bare, Maggie Bishop, Sharon Carlton, Bonnie Church, Jenny Church, Danica Goodman, Heather W. Jordan, Kelly Penick, Sue Spirit, Teri Wiggans, Heather Young, Meghan Minton, Angie Ryan
COPY EDITING Danica Goodman
FOR ADVERTISING CALL
828-264-3612 EXT. 248 ASK FOR AIMEE HICKS YOUR MARKETING CONSULTANT
Monk’’’ s Cap Lily by Rob Moore www.mtnsnapshots.com 4
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Cover Photo: Jonathan Burton Feature Photo:
Robert Moore Any reproduction of news articles, photographs, or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. ©Copyright 2010 A Mountain Times Publication
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Queen of the KOA
Columns
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Bloom Where Planted............. ....pg 23 Heartfelt.................. .......................pg 42 All About Authors.................. ......pg 43 The Pet Page .................................pg 46 Mom’s World......................... ........pg 49 Young @ Heart.............................pg 51 www.aawmag.com
Angie Ryan In Africa
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Joanne Harmon
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Features
Features
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You Go Girl................... ................pg 16 Youthful & Beautiful at 75 ..........pg 24 Catherine’s Green Thumb... .......pg 26 All About Men: Joe Shannon.......pg 34 Leaving a Legacy............................pg 40
Julia Rowland
Women in Education
Sections
Arts & Crafts..................................pg 38 Travel & Leisure .............................pg 44 Motherhood & Parenting.............pg 48 Beauty & Style ................................pg 51 Health & Fitness ........................... pg 54 Food & Drink ................................ pg 57 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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Publisher’s Note “Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” The iridescent green bottle fly lightly touched on the table edge, then buzzed off in search of culinary delights probably masquerading as garbage cans or discarded rubble. I reached for my drink, a long frosted glass of cola with rapidly-melting ice, and wiped my damp brow with my wet hankie as I sipped. It was too hot to be sitting here in spite of the drooping palm doing its best to shade my tiny corner. But I didn’t move – not while there was even a slim chance the man I had sought for over a year might show up. So I sipped on my cola again, turned the page in the book I wasn’t reading, and tried to talk myself into more patience. It didn’t work. Thirty minutes later, my patience – and everything else – was fried. There’ll be another chance, I told myself. I even tried, “He probably wasn’t coming anyway” and “Nobody has a business luncheon outside when the temperature is 100 degrees in the shade.” But I was moving slowly because a niggling little voice kept whispering in my ear, “What if you are wrong?” That was a good thing, it turned out, because as I gathered my book and my purse and started to stand, there was the sound of voices near the patio’s entrance. I quickly shoved my purse under my chair and opened my book as two men strode in, obviously engaged in a heated discussion. The older man was the one who had hinted to me about a possible meeting today with my quarry. But it was the younger one who held my attention. Trying to appear nonchalant, I studied him – his black eyes, longish raven hair, full lips that were compressed to a straight line at the moment. He looked as dangerous as my informant swore he was. My breath caught as he suddenly stared straight at me and I saw interest leap into those dark eyes. Ah, yes. Those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” from Nat King Cole’s 1963 hit are certainly here. And what better to do than settle down in a wonderfully comfortable lounge chair under a shade tree with a tall drink and a good romance or thriller such as the one above I just tried my hand at writing! I’ve always thought I would enjoy doing my writing, painting, and potting and other things creative as a full-time job instead of part-time hobbies. The only thing that has held me back is that all these avocations are solitary pursuits and I find my main joy in life in the wonderful people who surround me in my professional and my personal life. Summer is the time to enjoy your friends – on an outdoor basis – with a party, a cookout, a hiking trip, a pool party, or a group trip to the beach. Be creative. Put up a patio room like I did if you don’t have a house that lends itself to entertaining. The new wicker outdoor furniture makes your new “room” look like an upscale living room and it is durable. As we move into July and August, remember – these are the months we all longed for back in January and February when the winter storms were giving us cabin fever. So, get out and enjoy life!
Nancy Morrison, Publisher nancy.morrison@averyjournal.com
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Red Flowers in watercolor, pen & ink by Nancy Stroupe Morrison www.aawmag.com
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Editor’s Note
Freedom To Be
Visit aawmag.com to find links and resources for all stories mentioned in this issue.
Freedom. The word immediately brings to mind our independence as Americans that we often take for granted, the battles that have been fought, the pain endured and the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf, and most of all - the victories that have been won. As I awakened to a new day just recently with this column on my mind – and wondering what I could write concerning freedom that hasn’t already been written countless times over – I received inspiration in the most unexpected way. There on the nightstand beside my bed was the answer, literally in black and white. As an avid reader, who often has a stack of magazines and two or three books within arm’s reach, I was startled by what I saw. Three books that I had been reading in the previous weeks were stacked one on top of the other. I clearly read their titles: OCD-The Way Out. Women, Food and God. Eat The Cookies . . . Buy The Shoes. It hit me like a brick. Freedom. Deliverance. OCD-The Way Out. Freedom from a misunderstood disease, whose author, Brian Killian (his mother, Linda lives in the High Country and was featured in an earlier issue of AAW), is using his personal testimony to help others realize they don’t have to struggle anymore. I hope you saw his ad in the last issue of this magazine. He was set free, released from a debilitating condition through which many individuals – young and old alike – are held captive, often for a lifetime. Freedom. Women, Food and God. “An unexpected path to almost everything,” the cover reads. “A hugely important work, a life-changer, one that will free untold women from the tyranny of fear and hopelessness around their bodies,” – wrote Anne Lamont in her review of author Geneen Roth’s latest work. It’s all about freedom in ways that I did not quite expect. While spiritual in essence, its reference to God was more general that what I personally believe. But all in all, it has become a helpful tool in my mid-life journey to let go of the pain of the past and to understand how I’ve often (and without awareness) used food as a comforting coping mechanism, a safety device, so to speak. What has been a lifelong battle for me is suddenly making sense. Freedom at 50. I’ll take it! And then there’s Joyce Meyer’s latest release, Eat The Cookie. . . Buy the Shoes. Sounds a little skewed, but oh, my friends! It’s all about, as she penned, “giving yourselves permission to lighten up,” and teaching us that we’re not built for guilt. “Fun and enjoyment,” she writes, “are needs in our lives and we can’t be healthy without them.” Freedom. Oh, sweet release! Never forget the foundations of our freedom as blessed-beyond-measure Americans. But never forget, also, that we, as women, can be – and deserve to be – released from the physical, mental and emotional chains that keep us hostage. May this be the day that we all celebrate our personal freedoms and victories – together. Free to be me,
Sherrie Norris, Editor Sherrie@aawmag.com
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Readers Thank You Dear All About Women magazine: Some time ago, I visited your city and picked up an issue. I brought it home with me but never seemed to get time to read it. Then, last week I got terribly sick with the horrible crud that is going around, some kind of flu, I guess. I was in bed for around four days, feeling miserable, so I got out this magazine. What a great magazine this is. I read it from cover to cover. You have very interesting writers of all kinds. Great pet articles. I had read every book written by Jan Karon, but was disappointed that Blowing Rock didn’t look at all to me like she depicted in her books! Thanks so much for putting out such a great magazine, and to think that it is free. May God bless your work. Glorene E. Lueth
TO SEND A LETTER CONTACT: Sherrie Norris, Editor Sherrie@aawmag.com
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RED fruits and vegetables
Voice
Dear Ladies, I am writing to you pertaining the article, “Health Benefits of RED fruits and vegetables” that appeared in your “All About Women of the High Country.” I brought this magazine home and shared it with my wife. I really enjoyed reading the article about red fruit and veggies. I am a Ski School Trainer at Sugar Mountain Resort. With limited time on the snow with our instructors, I started writing a monthly newsletter (called Peak Performance) with one issue during the summer – total of 9 a year. Since skiing touches on most everything in life, there is no end to what can be written in our publications, including healthy eating. See www.mathsci.appstate.edu/~wak/ I wanted to ask you if you would be willing to share this article on red fruits and veggies with our readers by publishing it in our July issue of Peak Performance. I know that many of our dedicated readers would greatly benefit from this information. Respectfully, Dr. Witold Kosmala
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&Clips
News Bits
Women at Wilkesboro Woman Driver Makes History at North Wilkesboro Speedway History was made recently when the North Wilkesboro Speedway reopened after a lengthy absence. While the roar of engines once again breathed life back into the once-famous track, it was perhaps most exciting for the women in the stands as they cheered on Susan Kimel,
Blogazine A Delightful Site for Middle of Life Women Three women authors and one illustrator have combined forces to create a fun, smart Internet “blogazine” geared toward middle-aged women who have not yet lost their sense of
who was racing her powerful #67 car with the greatest of ease and skill. Kimel responded to the shouts and waves of the crowd and took the checkered flag in the Carolina Vintage race, becoming the very first female ever to win at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
humor or thrill for life. The new blog site takes a light-hearted approach to life for women in the “middle ages.” The authors take a humorous look at life as women, wives and mothers discuss topics like family, food, movies, books, beauty and fashion. Each founding member (Pat Achilles, Mary Fran Bontempo, Carmen Ferreiro Esteban and Chrysa Smith) is an award-winning author or illustrator in her own right. Together, they have created a delightful site for women in the middle of life to laugh and enjoy. “Frankly, we just want to have fun,” Smith
Susan Kimel being interviewed after winning at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Photo by Sherrie Norris
says. “Oprah’s got the inspiration angle covered and most blogs and other sites are geared toward younger moms and women.We believe our generation of women is a powerful but underserved demographic. We’re finally at a point in our lives where we’ve got more time, new interests, a bit of wisdom, and we’ve learned enough not to take ourselves too seriously.We wanted to share that with other women our age looking for something on the Internet.” Click on (www.notreadyforgrannypanties. com) for a daily dose of fun and laughter.
Women care about their health Although a third of women in the US are obese, the CDC reports other statistics that indicate women do care about their health. The CDC’s Health, United States, 2008, indicated that 67 percent of women age 40 and older reported having a mammogram in the past two years, while 78 percent of women age 18 and older reported having a pap smear in the past two years. Obviously, the ideal statistics would near 100 percent, but at least most of us are taking preventive steps in our health care. 10 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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Mrs. NC 2009 Comes To Boone
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Women of All Ages Welcome
Rachel Carter, winner of the Mrs. North Carolina US pageant in 2009, will be coming to Boone in August. Rachel is a professional model and a professing Christian. She has held very high moral standards in an industry that attempts to glamorize sexuality. Because of her standards and her refusing to wear certain apparel or promote certain products, she has been told that she would not find work. And yet she has and still continues to model for some of the biggest names in the industry! Rachel will share “Fashioned by Faith,” a fun, light-hearted presentation of a serious subject: modesty. Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 22 at 4:30 p.m. at Mount Vernon Baptist Church. Women of all ages are encouraged to come, but because of the subject matter, it is suggested that young girls be in grades 6 and up.There will also be a fashion show featuring women and girls
of all ages showing how you can be “cute, but covered!” Dessert follows the event.Tickets on sale in July. Cost is $5 per person. Moms of school-age daughters pay $5 for
Back Left to Right: Rob Presnell, James Presnell, Donna Gallo, Jeannie Kahle, Phil Presnell, Wayne Presnell. Front: “Granny”
the first daughter, any others at no cost for a maximum of $10 per family. Call (828) 266-9700 for more information.
Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women is an advocacy campaign fighting to end discrimination and improve care for women suffering from chronic pain. The Campaign is made up of volunteer leaders from the CFIDS Association of America, Endometriosis Association, National Vulvodynia Association, and The TMJ Association. For more information, visit www. EndWomensPain.org www.aawmag.com
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Woman’s It’s a
JOB Joanne Harmon
Queen of the KOA By Corrinne Loucks Assad
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nyone you talk to who has met Joanne Harmon during their stay at the KOA Campground will tell you that meeting her makes them want to come back year after year. Joanne has helped manage the campground on Ray Brown Road in Boone for more than 14 years. She’s been associated with the campground for 24 years, when she first met her husband, Bob Harmon, while working as secretary in the opthalmic office of his father, Dr. R.H. Harmon. Bob’s family built the campground in 1974, having owned the land since the ‘40s. The Harmon family’s barn, on what once was their beef cattle farm, burned to the ground in the ‘70s and they were left having to decide what to do next. Lucky for
No job is too large or too small for Joanne Harmon, queen of the KOA! Photos by Corrinne Loucks Assad
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Once you see the silo you will find KOA, and Joanne Harmon.
thousands of visitors to the High Country area, they chose to sell their cattle and enter the campground business! Joanne and her crew offer more than a hook-up, for sure. In fact, the Harmons not only have returning guests year after year from off the mountain, but also play host to locals who need to get away from it all without taking a long drive! In addition to tent camping and RV sites complete with grills, picnic tables and electricity, the campground also has oneroom camp cabins offering an extra special incentive for those choosing not to “rough it.” An in-ground pool, mini-golf course, kids’ playground and an animal area complete with goats and chickens are just a few of the reasons why campers bring their families back, time after time. “One of the best things about camping is that it’s a great way for kids to meet other kids,” Joanne beamed. “They meet in the campground, spend time together on vacation and wind up swapping numbers and staying in touch after vacation!” Joanne and Bob now run the www.aawmag.com
campground with the help of seven fulltime employees. “We really have the best employees in Watauga County,” Joanne bragged. “Many have worked here for years and we would be lost without them. One camper added in a note praising the campground, “Every campground should have a Gary,” referring to Gary Horton, maintenance man, security and all around great guy (easily recognized by his pink shirts – a private KOA joke). The way Joanne described it, every employee chips in and does every job at the campground. Her employees will tell you that they learn from her example. While her accounting degree lends to her working nights as accountant for the campground, Joanne can also be found cleaning bathrooms and cabins, gardening, cleaning camp sites and grills and even getting down in the dirt and dealing with plumbing issues. Joanne truly loves people and is thrilled by the fact that many of their campers come back two or three times per year, every year.
“It’s like we’re one big extended family,” she explained. “It has been a great learning experience.” The recent Memorial Day weekend was one of the biggest at the Boone KOA Campground and was full of fun events for everyone: a scavenger hunt for kids, an ice cream social, arts and crafts projects, group hike and bluegrass music on Sunday night. “People have a certain expectation of KOA campgrounds,” Joanne explained. “They expect certain accommodations and a higher quality.We try to exceed their expectations with what we offer here.” In addition to Memorial Day, some of the busiest times for the KOA are holidays like Labor Day and during specific community events. “We work in unison with many community organizations like Mast General Store, area rafting companies, Appalachian football and others,” explained Joanne. “We all graduated from Appalachian and we offer a 25 percent discount to football Continued On Page 14 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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Tips for Camping In The Great Outdoors! By Corrinne Loucks Assad
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hile camping was once thought of as an option only for the outdoorsy, survivalist type, a much broader audience is camping today. From city slickers to golf enthusiasts to festivalgoers to your next-door neighbors, a lot of people are doing it. As evidenced below, and in the feature on Joanne Harmon and KOA campground, camping has no resemblance to “roughing it” anymore. Unless, of course, you consider swimming pools and ice cream socials a tough gig! If you’re new to camping or just need a refresher, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Search for the best camping facility for you and your family. Since all campgrounds look great in their advertisements and Web sites, word of mouth is actually the most reliable way to find the best campground for your family. Check with friends who camp, read camper reviews and ask about amenities for families. Don’t forget your shower shoes. Always bring a pair of flip-flops or waterproof shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and muddy. They’ll come in handy when you have to venture to the restrooms in the middle of the night. Keep them by the tent flap so you’ll have no trouble finding them whenever you need them. Wear your shoes right into the shower. Though campgrounds work hard to keep the facilities clean, you never know what kind of germs are lingering in the bathrooms and showers. Your flip-flops will also come in handy when going to the swimming hole or pool. You won’t care if they get wet and they’ll give you the traction you need on wet surfaces! Bring multi-purpose tools. Some sort of axe, hatchet or saw will come in handy when looking for firewood or pounding tent stakes into hard ground. Also, bring a Swiss Army Knife or a similar multi-purpose tool. A tool that has tweezers will come in handy for picking out splinters or ticks. You’ll use the scissor attachment more times than you can count, as well as the knife. Bring along beaucoup bags of dryer lint! Probably one you’ve never heard before? Every good camper has some. Every good campfire needs some. Nothing works better at starting a campfire from scratch than clothes dryer lint! It works better than kindling, wood chips, pine cones or newspaper. It’s cheap and light to pack. Start saving all your dryer lint now! Pack comfortable folding chairs. For those lazy nights by the fire, you’ll be glad you shopped for – and packed – the most comfortable chairs. Consider a chair that’s easy to get in and out of and has a tall enough back to support your head. You may sit for longer than you’re used to and a supportive chair will make a huge difference in your comfort. Also consider waterproof fabrics. Should it rain overnight, you want chairs that will dry fast.
that your neighbors have to listen. If you have electricity, all the better. If not, bring extra batteries. Remember to be courteous, though, and honor the campground’s noise policy. Better yet, bring a guitar and your favorite guitar player! Bring a roomy tent. To really enjoy your camping experience, it’s important that you enjoy being inside your tent as much as you do being outside. Make sure you have plenty of leg and headroom when you are stretched out in the tent. If anyone is close to the edges, the tent is too small. If it rains and you touch the sides, water will seep into every spot that is touched. Set up your tent on top of a tarp. They are inexpensive and will save your hide in a rainstorm. Situated between your tent and the ground, your tarp will prevent moisture from the ground from entering your tent. It also keeps any rocks from poking through! No matter what size your tent, make sure it has zip down windows and vents. Without ventilation, you will definitely hate tent camping. Leave the windows unzipped when you’re away on a clear day. The inside will be fresh when you return. Bring a comfy sleeping bag. You don’t have to buy an expensive, state-of-the-art sleeping bag unless you’re going to be camping often. The old, fluffy style is fine for occasional trips. The old style actually has more padding for extra comfort. Make sure it is rated to withstand the coldest temperature that you may experience at night. The old style usually covers you to about 40 degrees, but check the packaging to be sure. If you want to go all out, consider a thermarest sleeping pad to put between your sleeping bag and the tent floor, and then a newfangled, thin sleeping bag won’t leave you feeling bare. Always pack light and tight. Most camping gear now comes in appropriately sized stuff sacks and you can trade bulkier versions for thinner ones. There are packsacks for tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and even towels! Pack things in their sacks, bring extra waterproof sacks for extras and all you need should fit in the trunk (not on the roof!) of your car as you head out. Bring hand sanitizer or moist towelettes. You will need to clean your hands even more often on a camping trip than at home because of cooking, cleaning, dirt, spills, etc. You’ll be glad to have some handy wipes around, especially those that come in a canister. Bring sealable bags, such as Ziplock, in all sizes. Many items you bring camping will need to be waterproof; sealable bags are the perfect solution. From playing cards and paper and pens to tissues, extra batteries, cameras, iPods, bars of soap and more, you’ll be amazed by how much easier your camping experience will be if you keep you things zipped up. They also, of course, come in handy when cooking and packing up leftovers.
Music! Always bring along a radio. You can keep the car door open for only so long and that method tends to make your music so loud
A few more MUST-HAVES: · · · · ·
BUG SPRAY and BENEDRYL COOLER LOTS OF WATER FLASHLIGHTS MATCHES (in a sealable bag!)
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EXTRA BATTERIES HATS SNACKS TOILETRIES
Joanne Harmon is one of the reasons guests return, time after time, to Boone’s KOA campground. Continued From Page 13
fans for future stays. Thomas the Train really helps our business, too!” During one weekend every May, KOA offers a free Saturday with a Friday night stay. The KOA also offers an enclosed eating area with satellite television, and books and games should the weather not cooperate. It’s these amenities and more that keep people coming back. One group has had their reunion at the Boone KOA for 37 years and the BMW Motorcycle Rally has been held at KOA every August for 34 years. Open from May through October every year, the Boone KOA is a great place to stay while in the area. Or, if you live here, a great place to go when you just need to get away. While you’re there, be sure to meet Joanne. Making her acquaintance will bring you back, for sure!
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ON THE TRAIL WITH by Vicki Randolph
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he’s had the kind of experience most high school students only dream about and one that could easily inspire the next teen reality show: a student getting to leave school every day who takes off into the great outdoors for adventure, while other students are hitting the books. That’s been the reality for recent graduate of Ashe County High School, Jillian Jones. Through the school’s Career Technical Education Program, Jillian was able to volunteer with North Carolina State Parks as a student. Each afternoon that school was in session, Jillian made her way up to Mount Jefferson State Natural Area in search of one more experience with nature and to get a taste of her future as
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JILLIAN
Jillian is always involved in the outdoors. She loves to go caving. Photos by Vicki Randolph
a park ranger. She enjoyed a wide variety of opportunities from trail work to photography, small mammal trapping and interacting with park visitors. Jillian was able to lead hikes on Mount Jefferson for the public, sharing her valuable knowledge of the local plants and fungi—an opportunity most park rangers don’t get until they are out of college and on the job. She also assisted park rangers with school field trips at the park and with programs in elementary school classrooms. “She is an absolute go-getter! What a fabulous experience for her to get to do this,” said Jo Allen Lowder, Jillian’s advisor at Ashe County High School. “And as a www.aawmag.com
Jillian Jones leads a nature hike to Luther Rock on Mt. Jefferson. Photo provided
female, she is breaking some traditional views that park rangers should be male. It makes little girls realize that if she can do this, they can, too. Jillian is a great role model for young girls.” One of Jillian’s favorite afternoons on the job was when she went to New River State Park to help rangers survey for Hellbenders. She used an underwater camera attached to a monitor while walking in the river looking for the endangered salamanders. That sure beats sitting in a traditional classroom, she agrees! Another particularly interesting day for her was when she assisted one park ranger in repopulating native plants. She threw milk weed seeds into the air while riding on the back of an ATV, all the while thinking to herself, “This is so much fun!” When asked why she chose Mt. Jefferson for her internship, Jillian replied, “I hope to gain a readiness for a future in the National Park Service—to experience a little bit of everything.” There’s no doubt she has done just that. This fall she will begin her studies in Natural Resources and Conservation Management at Western Carolina University. She will definitely be a few steps ahead of her class. According to Park Ranger Tom Randolph, Jillian’s supervisor, “She is very reliable and responsible, and I think she is going to make a great park ranger—she has a very promising future, and she is a pleasure to work with.” Because of all of her hard work and dedication, Jillian was nominated by Randolph and was recently presented with the Ashe County Youth Volunteer of the Year award. Watch out world; Jillian Jones is on her way! You go, girl! www.aawmag.com
Valle Crucis • Boone • Waynesville • Asheville • Hendersonville, NC Greenville, SC • Knoxville, TN • MastGeneralStore.com • 1- 866 -FOR- MAST JULY • AUGUST 2010
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The
Perfect
Matthew, Walter and I are standing in front of the children’s new hut located on their family land just outside of Patongo, Uganda.
RECIPE A
By Angie Delynn Ryan
chieving a lifelong dream is as easy as cooking your favorite dish. All you need is a recipe, some ingredients and a little time to cook.
In a recent recipe, I threw together one hut, six orphans, one pig farm, not one but two trips alone to a former war torn village in Africa, a lot of hard work, a dash of courage, a pound of patience and a sprinkle of creativity. The result was a dish to die for – I successfully prepared my lifelong dream. The beauty in preparing a dream is you never know exactly how your dish will turn out, so you begin with the basics. The recipe I had written was for a trip to Africa. Ever since I was a child, I have felt drawn to the mysterious continent. Although a month-long holiday in Johannesburg or an extended safari in Kenya sounded nice, the trip I envisioned was more of a humanitarian mission. My intent in traveling to Africa was to help people in need. When I heard about a twenty-year-old war in northern Uganda, I was horrified. Children were being kidnapped and forced to kill off their tribe, the Acholi. Although the war had come to an end, I wanted to help the Acholi rebuild. I had no idea how I would get there or where 18 JULY • AUGUST 2010
I was going. I did not even know what I was going to do once I got there; I just knew I was going, so I began to write my recipe to travel to Uganda. Once I decided, the hard work began. Using a sprinkle of creativity, I went to work. I used the Internet to research article after article about the war. I began to interview people who had traveled to Uganda, and I called many different nonprofits, that were administering relief to victims of the war in northern Uganda. I also watched a documentary called “War Dance.” Filmed in Patongo, Uganda, the documentary told the horrific story of how the children were affected by the war. After viewing the film, I decided I wanted to help the people of Patongo. With a dash of courage, I purchased a plane ticket and flew to Uganda. At first, I volunteered at an orphanage in Lira, but once I became comfortable in my new surroundings, I purchased a bus ticket and traveled alone to Patongo. When I arrived in Patongo, I met a young family in need. Walter, who was seventeen, was raising his five younger siblings, Agness, Sunday, Godfrey, Joseph and Matthew. The children were hungry, homeless and living in a borrowed hut in a former Internally Displaced Persons’ camp. I decided to take action and help them. First, I bought the children food and supplies, and then I returned to the US to rewrite my recipe. My new goal was to build a home for Walter’s family on their land www.aawmag.com
Sustainability was a major part of my mission in Uganda. I wanted to help the children, but I did not want to enable them. Therefore, I helped them build a pig farm, and I bought them some pigs so they could sustain themselves.
in Uganda. I also wanted to create a way for the children to sustain themselves. After a few months in the states, I bought another ticket, and I traveled back to Africa to complete my mission. Building the home/hut was easy. I had the children clear a plot off their land, and I hired some local Ugandan contractors to build the hut. I simply monitored the work until it was completed. Finding a means for the children to sustain themselves was a bit more of a challenge. When I decided to help the children, sustainability became a primary focus of my mission. Just as I had to learn to take care of myself, I felt it was important for me not to enable Walter and his family. Although I had been helping the children with food, I wanted to leave them with more than just a handout. I wanted to give them an opportunity to succeed and provide for themselves. In northern Uganda, agriculture is the key to survival. Knowing this, I began to research different agricultural options for the children. While conducting research, I spent weeks touring Uganda. I met with pig, goat and poultry farmers from three different tribes. I discovered that pigs produce more offspring, and they are easier to maintain, so I opted to break into the pig farming industry. I drew up some plans for a pig farm, gathered the materials and got right to work. With the help of the children and a few local Acholi men, I built one pig palace – equipped with a handmade trough, one pig pool, a barbed wire fence and one composting pit. Today, Walter and his siblings are spending their time tending the pigs and sustaining themselves. As for Africa, I don’t know what I’ll cook up next. For now, I am back in the states, shopping for agents, editing my first book and writing the recipe for another one of my lifelong dreams – publishing my first book. Remember, if you want life to taste good, then write your own recipe, gather your ingredients and cook it up! To learn more about me, or the project I just completed in Africa, visit www. littlebrowneyes.org. www.aawmag.com
“ ” When I decided to help the children, sustainability became a primary focus of my mission.
Before deciding that pigs were the best investment, I toured Uganda looking at different pig farms, chicken coops and goat farms. Eventually, I hired two Acholi men to help the children and me build. The kids actually made the bricks I am laying out of mud.
Angie Delynn Ryan, former resident of the High Country, news reporter and freelance writer, has spent the past three years working in trauma, grief and addiction therapy programs in Georgia and Texas. Her most recent work led her to Uganda, Africa to help victims of war. She now resides in Clayton, Georgia where she is editing her first book. JULY • AUGUST 2010
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WOMEN in EDUCATION
Julia Rowland... Her Dedication Admirable, Her Enthusiasm Contagious By Sherrie Norris
J
ulia Rowland,Assistant Director at ASU’s Center for Entrepreneurship, loves her job, she says. “I work with the best and most motivated students and community members who have a sincere passion and drive to become self-sufficient and pursue their dreams,” she states. “They visit my office, or attend events and workshops, because they want to be there and not because they are required to be there. It’s wonderful!” 20 JULY • AUGUST 2010
It’s easy for Julia to identify motivation since she is a woman driven to be her best. “Her dedication is admirable and her enthusiasm is contagious,” states Dr. Mark Pruett, colleague, at ASU, who has worked closely with Rowland. “Beyond that, I think she’s a superb role model for young women. They look up to her and seek to emulate her, and she sets a standard for them – independent, capable and willing www.aawmag.com
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to take on and succeed at any kind of challenge, whether it’s in the university, being a back-country ranger in Idaho, running a business in Montana, or rappelling down mountainsides.” A native of Salisbury, Julia graduated from West Rowan High School in 1991, with plans to attend NC State University to fulfill her dream of becoming a veterinarian. “I visited ASU, fell in love with the region, and stayed. I switched my major several times and received a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in environmental policy and planning and a biology minor from ASU in 1997.” She took a course in Costa Rican ecology and met Liesa Dean, who worked as a ranger in Stanley, Idaho and helped
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manager. “They were amazing to work for.Their company was sold a year later, which lead me on a new job search.” For the last three years, Julia has served an integral role in the Center of Entrepreneurship – on many levels – and has made a lasting impression on her students, colleges and associates on a local, state, national and international level. Before joining ASU, she was employed by High Country Council of Governments as Workforce Development JobLink System Liaison. She successfully attained two $25,000 Charter Awards from the NC Commission Workforce Development for improving two JobLink Career Centers’ performance standards. She was chosen
Her dedication is admirable and her enthusiasm is contagious,” stated Dr. Mark Pruett, the Center’s director. “Beyond that, I think she’s a superb role model for young women.
her make connections there to intern as a Backcountry Wilderness Ranger in the Sawtooth Wilderness Area. “That shaped my professional journey. Learning self-sufficiency and living across the country was truly a life-changing experience,” she recalls. “Backpacking into the Sawtooth Mountains, not seeing a living soul for three days at a time, with everything you needed to survive in your backpack, is a wonderful way to become self aware and appreciative of the world we live in,” she states. She worked in Colorado and Montana before returning to Boone, loving every minute in the west. “But this area was home and closer to my family,” she says, pointing out that her parents live in Salisbury. “I attribute their upbringing of me and my sister to leading an amazing life so far, having a strong work ethic and equal regard for all people. They are the most amazing and patient people I have ever met. They have to be to have put up with my – let’s say – extremely curious nature! I’ve enjoyed skydiving, hang-gliding, bungee jumping, mountaineering, climbing and more – all of which have probably taken years off their lives!” Her sister is a nurse at Carolinas Medical Center. Returning to Boone in 2002, Julia found few job opportunities but had friends who owned a business and who needed an office www.aawmag.com
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by the NC Commission on Workforce Development to sit on the State JobLink Coordinator’s Leadership Team, the NC Department of Commerce Division of Employment and Training’s SHARE Network Leadership Team. SHARE (Sharing How Access to Resources Empowers) is a pilot program between the Division of Employment and Training, US Department of Labor, and the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Julia has assumed a major role in the development, maintenance and enhancement of these programs (and more) and is considered an expert on these and other related topics. Julia helped establish the Avery County JobLink as the first non-profit JobLink in North Carolina with the management team for the Avery County JobLink. She has co-chaired the Civic Engagement
Institute cross-campus, an interdisciplinary committee exploring how social innovation and entrepreneurship can impact civic engagement initiatives on campus and in the community. She has served on the Department of Housing and Residence Life’s Appalachian Entrepreneurs Community Management Team and on the Mitchell C o u n t y C e r t i f i e d E n t re p re n e u r i a l Community Leadership Team. Julia has served on the board for Watauga’s Habitat for Humanity and Youth Council for the High Country Council of Governments Workforce Development. She has received numerous awards including: Performance Award for Cultivating the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs presented by Advantage West, November, 2008; Amazing Customer Service Award, presented by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, 2009; 2009 Women of Influence Award from the ASU’s Women’s Center; and many others. Neither time nor space will allow us to share all of her accomplishments and accolades. Everyone familiar with Julia can attest that her dedication is admirable and her enthusiasm is contagious, according to colleague, Dr. Pruett. Julia is married to “a wonderful, supportive man,” Michael Boone, owner of Magic Cycles in Boone, and is the proud stepmother of two teenage daughters, ages 13 and 15. She enjoys being outdoors as much as possible, hiking, camping, waterskiing, biking “and in a past life,” climbing and mountaineering. Reading anything and everything, she says is her favorite activity for relaxing and de-stressing. “Animals are my passion – I have two dogs, a black lab mix (Luna) and an Australian Sheppard (Sani), and two cats (Flip and Lovey) and would have many, many more if it were possible!” She loves traveling – to the beach, the lake, up north, out west and internationally. Favorite places? Maine, Montana, Big Bend National Park in Texas, Austria, Sweden and Italy.
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MOTHERS of
INVENTION By June W. Bare
Sybilla Masters: (1712) way to clean corn to process into food and textiles. Mary Dixon Kies: (1809) process to weave straw with silk or thread. Ethel Porter: (1834) feed cutter for horses and cattle. Margaret Knight: (1870) machine part that automatically folded and glued paper bags to create square bottoms for paper bags. Amanda Jones: (1880) way to preserve food by a vacuum method of canning called the Jones Process, oil heating furnace. Dr. Marie Curie: (1901) radium. Alice Parker: (1919) gas heating furnace that provided central heating.
Dr. Marie Curie
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Rachel Fuller Brown
lato said, “Necessity, who is the mother of invention…,” but women often need the inventions to save time, backs, and tempers. Could it not be said, “Women are the mothers of invention?” August is designated as National Inventors Month. Perhaps we are all inventors, but the word “inventor” conjures up names such as Alexander Graham Bell, Samuel Morse, the Wright brothers – all men. If we think of newer inventions such as microwave ovens, televisions, and computers, again men’s names are prominent. Where are the women? Today’s generation may take for granted such items as windshield wipers, mops that don’t have to be wrung out by hand, disposable diapers, green food-saver bags, electric food mixers, trash cans with a foot pedal, refrigerator door shelves. All these products are the results of woman’s ingenuity. Women inventors in America go back to the early 18th century, when a woman named Sybilla Masters designed a way to clean and cure the corn gifts to the colonists from the indigenous tribes. This allowed corn to be processed into many different foods and textiles. There was one problem – the British courts would not allow women and minorities to own patents. Thus, her husband, Thomas Masters, was given the credit. Sybilla also invented a new method to weave
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Dr. Patricia Bath
Amanda Jones
palmetto chips and straw into hats and bonnets. Again, her husband owned the patent. There is little doubt that women have invented products to make life better for the difficult tasks in household management from the dawn of time. One Web site, http://inventors.about.com/ od/womeninventors/a/women_inventors.htm lists 75 women with famous inventions going back into the 19th century. Not listed were North Carolina inventors or more recent inventors, It was not until 1809 when Mary Dixon Kies, from Massachusetts, received the first U. S. patent issued to a woman for her invention of a process to weave straw with silk or thread. Even then, some states did not permit women to patent their inventions. The first North Carolina woman to patent an invention was Ethel Porter, in 1834, for her invention to make a better-feed cutter for horses and cattle. Other early North Carolina women inventors followed in 1859 when Abigail Carter designed better overalls; Anna Lewis in 1864 designed a machine to gin, card and spin cotton; Nannie Hunter in 1867 improved soap manufacturing; Beulah Louise Henry patented her design for a vacuum-sealed ice cream freezer. Other North Carolina women invented table easels, corsets, clamps, and many other items to alleviate toil.
Lillian Moller Gilbreth: (early 20th century) electric food mixer, refrigerator door shelves, trash can with foot-pedal lid-opener (and she had 12 children!). Hedy Lamarr: (1941) secret communication system in an effort to help the allies defeat the Germans in World War II. Helen Free: (1947) home diabetes test. Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller Brown: (1957) anti-fungal antibiotic drug nystatin. Virgie Ammons: (1974) device to dampen fireplaces. Patricia Bath: (1978) Cataract Laserphaco Probe. Betty Rozier and Lisa Vallino: (1993) intravenous catheter shield to make the use of IVs in hospitals safer and easier. Randice-Lisa “Randi” Altschul: (1999) world’s first disposable cell phone. www.aawmag.com
FREEDOM M
emorial Day was so meaningful for me this year – more than ever before – because I had just been to Washington, D.C. in April and had walked through the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. My grandson, Christopher Betz, drove my friend, JoAnn Gaddy, and me to Washington for a four-day visit. We had a wonderful time. I’ve never been more proud to be an American than when we walked past the government buildings we see every day on national news. My fellow travelers teased me because I hoped to see my favorite CNN reporters in front of the Capitol Building, the White House or the State Department, etc.That didn’t happen, but I felt so privileged to have been there! Walking through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was a very emotional experience and I still had tears in my eyes as we walked out of the museum and down the street. EachWar Memorial is magnificent. Located
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just across from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. A 2,000 pound bronze statue by sculptor Glenna Goodacre depicts three servicewomen whom I believe to be nurses with one holding a wounded soldier in her arms. His body is stretched out over sandbags. Another looks as though she is praying or watching for assistance. Someone had left a small bouquet of fresh flowers there. Of course, hundreds of statues are evident in the area, but this one made such an impression on me. It depicts the importance of women’s roles in time of war and is breathtaking. T h e Ko r e a n Wa r Veterans Memorial is different from the others; I knew immediately w hy my s o n h a d encouraged us to visit it. In its center is a column of lifelike
Really Isn’t Free By Sherry Boone
sculptured soldiers dressed for combat. I was overcome with an unexplained feeling as the soldiers’ faces revealed such deep emotion. A 164-foot mural wall is etched with 2,500 photographic images. At first, I did not recognize the faces on the wall, although I thought it was beautiful. But, as I looked closer, the faces sent chills over me. Represented were those involved in the Korean War; soldiers, nurses, and chaplains, just to name a few, are etched on the wall. It is just one of the “must see” wonders in our nation’s Capital. Inscribed on the wall are the words, “Freedom is Not Free.” It was with some sadness that I headed back to North Carolina. I would love to have stayed longer to see more of our country’s precious treasures. My first visit to D.C. was more than 40 years ago. Not everyone has the opportunity to see and experience the kind of pride that I did, especially in such an unsettled time as this. Our country’s government is not perfect. It has never been perfect and never will be. Where on earth would I rather live? Nowhere but the good old US of A! M ay G o d c o n t i nu e t o b l e s s America!
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Youthful
&
In Full Support Of Women and Their Health By Sherrie Norris
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Unadell Ward is proud to offer women of the High Country the support they need, literally, through a unique bra service as well as a tried-and-true nutritional supplement that she says changed her life. Photo by Sherrie Norris
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or more than 40 years, Unadell Ward has been offering women the support they need through a specialty bra service. Since 1982, she has combined her interest and expertise in that area with that of nutrition and has served the area well as an independent dealer of both the Jeunique Bra and Shaklee products. A woman with grace and beauty from the inside out who appears much younger than her age of 75, Unadell is an inspiration to women in the High Country. “The health and well-being of other people is at the heart of my business,” she states. As a woman who understands each stage of life, she takes great pride in knowing she can set a good example by offering helpful products in addition to practicing what she preaches. “I take good care of myself. I eat right, exercise, and I take multiple supplements every day just like what I sell to my customers. I am careful about what I eat – no fried or fatty foods, no meat, but lots of fruit and veggies.” She also wears the Jeunique bras and states that once a woman is fitted with the right bra, she’ll never wear any other.The product line that www.aawmag.com
Beautiful at 75
Unadell promotes and wears is more than just an undergarment, she states. “Every woman knows the feeling of confidence and self-esteem that comes from looking and feeling her best. It shows in the way she talks, in the way she walks and her attitude toward life.” A lot of times, Unadell adds, it all starts with her undergarments. “Few women have ever worn the right bra unless they have been measured and wear those made specifically for them.” Unadell knows that women, over the years, have gained weight, lost weight, perhaps had a baby, and endured the effects of age and gravity. While women’s bodies go through radical changes, she says, too often we don’t change our bras – or alter our nutritional intake – to meet the challenge. Having learned what works and what doesn’t work, Unadell says a woman needs to consider the overall fit of her bra, from cups to straps, etc. Is your bra puckered or gaping at the top? Too snug? Do your straps refuse to stay on your shoulders? There’s a good chance you’re wearing the wrong bra size. Unadell says, “Think about the amount of money women spend at high priced department stores and lingerie shops and still end up with bras that do not fit properly.” Jeunique is the answer, she states. Jeunique International, Inc. has been empowering women with the opportunity for professional and personal success since 1959. With distributors all over the US, Canada, New Zealand/Australia, Europe, and Russia, the company is based in California and offers skincare, cosmetics and nutritional supplements, too. Unadell prefers to concentrate on the company’s premiere line of patented bras, which, she says, offers the perfect bra for all women, regardless of age or size. “It enhances the appearance of the small bust, helps maintain the figure of the medium build and minimizes the appearance of the fuller figure,” she says. “For the mother-to-be, it assures gentle and firm support for the added fullness and is an excellent nursing bra. For teenagers, it supports youthful tissue, and aids in development of a lovelier bust line. For the on-the-go active women, the bra provides the perfect blend of support and comfort for all sports and activities. For those who have undergone a mastectomy, it assures that the www.aawmag.com
prosthesis can be worn with complete comfort and security.” The Jeunique bras are different from any bra you’ve ever worn before, Unadell adds. The patented design combines comfort, support and elegant styling to give women a sense of complete freedom throughout their busy day. Operating a home-based business gives Unadell the flexibility she desires as a wife, homemaker, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. In fact, it also allows her the freedom to care for two small great-grandsons while their parents work. She sees customers by appointment in the comfort of her home, which makes it easy for
everyone. Between the bras and the nutritional supplements she sells and her involvement in church and caring for her family, Unadell Ward is making a difference. Using the Shaklee products literally changed her life, she states, while wearing and selling the Jeunique bras gives her the freedom to be the confident, comfortable-in-her-own skin kind of woman that she is – and that every woman desires to be. For more information, call Unadell Ward at (828) 264-2228. (See her advertisement elsewhere in this magazine.)
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Catherine Tester in her greenhouse tending to her marigolds. Photos by June W. Bare
Catherine’s Green Thumb
by June W. Bare
For
folks around the High Country these late summer days, the word is harvest rather than plant, but where do we find these plants to grow in order for our anticipated abundant harvest? Oceans of colorful flowers and lush green garden plants cover sidewalks and garden centers all around town. But to see what one grower can do – and one who has emerged in her own right as a favorite in the High Country – you must find “Catherine’s Plants and Flowers” on Rush Branch Road, near Bethel. Catherine Tester didn’t start out as a grower. She retired from her position as lead administrative assistant at Watauga County Health Department in 2004, but did not want retirement to be a sit-around-twiddle-yourthumbs existence. She wanted to do something
26 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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with her hands. When her husband, Len “LD” Tester, retired from his job as an electrical engineer, he ordered a 10-by-10 hydroponic greenhouse to start sorghum plants. Catherine wanted her own place to raise plants. LD tore down a barn, designed, and built her greenhouse from the old barn. “One little shelf for a hobby,” she says, “turned into a 20-by-50-foot greenhouse.” Catherine says she missed her co-workers and patients, and plants gave her something to do at home, like a part-time job. “It’s real rewarding, because you put those real tiny seeds into the dirt and see them grow.” The beautiful view from her greenhouse is part of her family’s original farm. The old family home for at least three generations is half a mile up the road, around the big curve and just over the ridge. The family always had a garden with vegetables and flowers. Her mother would start a seedbed in an outdoor box and cover them with a cloth to keep them warm in the cold weather. This heritage in Catherine’s background and, perhaps, her own green thumb, make her plants thrive. “I don’t know about a green thumb, but I look and plant by moon signs, give them a warm, humid atmosphere for germination, and use liquid fertilizer. They have to be good seeds from a reputable seed company. I get them wholesale and have one company I like to use.” What does she grow? Garden vegetables and annual flowers flourish in her hands. She has tried perennials in the past with little success. Among the vegetables to line her plant beds are tomatoes, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, eggplant, cucumber, squash, and peppers. Hanging flower baskets of colorful petunias, a red sea of impatients, geraniums, huge yellow marigolds, tall zinnias, and pansies become a feast to the eye when you walk into her greenhouse. Catherine has loved pansies since childhood, but surprisingly, pansies were a new addition only last year. Every year she tries something new. This year it is roses. Catherine’s so-called part-time job is practically all year long. The work isn’t finished by summer’s end, because the seedbeds need to be cleaned up and made ready for the next season. She starts some seeds as early as December, and every month adds more. September and October are sorghum time. When the sorghum plants are 10 to 12 inches high, they are set out in the field. Along about the first week in October, the cane is cut, fed into a grinder, which is turned by the tractor, and the sorghum juice is boiled down over an open wood fire until thick. Then it’s ready for the biscuits. Although LD’s major interest began as sorghum cultivation, he is just as excited about the greenhouse as Catherine. He jokes, “I’m the water boy,” but he is as involved as she is. The plants thrive under their tender nursery care, and the cost of a healthy flower or vegetable garden is reasonable. Catherine says about her plants, “It’s good to see somebody happy with what they are getting to make their places pretty…to grow their own vegetables…to leave happy.” www.aawmag.com
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A l l A b o u t Wo m e n
EMBRACING LIFE One Day at a Time
Emily Jones, left, and Daviana Winger represent their workplace - a worthwhile organization - at this year’s Boone Business Expo at Boone Mall.
Mary Gail Barlow and Rachel Deal represent Avery County Senior Center at the recent Governor’s Policy Roundtable in Boone.
Employees of Watauga Medical Center (right) enjoy the annual Masquerade Jewelry Show, sponsored by the Volunteer Auxiliary.
Jenny Miller, left, and Beth Carrin believe it’s time for women to embrace their age and live life to it’s fullest, as evidenced by their participation in the 21st High County Senior Games.
Photos by Sherrie Norris
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Nothing beats celebrating 100 years with a special lobster dinner, states, Lillian Laughorn, resident of Appalachian Brian Estates in Boone. Photo submitted
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Ashe County’s Doris Miller, at 90, is still on the ball and recently participated in her 16th High Country Senior Games.
Photos by Sherrie Norris
Bonnie Shaw, resident of Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation, welcomes little Christian Presnell, the most recent addition to her fifth-generation legacy.
Cousins and close friends, Ashley Watson and Sara Critcher enjoy opening day at Wilkesboro Speedway.
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29
Ashley FU By Sherrie Norris
Photo by Jonathan Burton
A
s a pharmacist, Ashley Furman dispenses medication to promote good health and to help ease pain and suffering. But far beyond the professional white coat that she prefers not to wear, Ashley dispenses the best cure for humanity just by her presence and involvement in organizations that make a difference. Ashley describes herself as a “floater” who works at several Boone Drug locations from Crossnore to Boone’s King Street location. “I love the flexibility that allows me to see special people from these wonderful communities. It’s important to me to keep in touch with families I have grown to love over the years.” Ashley is a busy wife, mother and community volunteer who has a big heart for serving others. Born in eastern North Carolina, Ashley was adopted by a loving and compassionate family. “During my childhood, my grandparents lived with us for several years due to health issues. At times, cousins lived with us, too,” Ashley states. “My brother and I always said we needed one of those revolving doors to replace our own front door! I saw my mom and dad give of themselves every single day to help others – from relatives to complete strangers. I believe their influence ultimately inspired me to serve in some type of medical field.” Ashley says her mother is full of wise sayings. Some of the more common she recalls are, “What’s the goal?” and “Do the common things in life in an uncommon way – never with fear,” or “How is that helping someone else?” and “If they’re talking about you, you’ve allowed someone else a rest!” Ashley attended Peace College, Meredith College and received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from Campbell University, where she met and later married Boone native, Corey Furman. “After we married, we lived in Greenville, NC for short time before moving to Boone. I’m not sure that it was expected for him to go to college and bring home a wife!” The couple lived with Corey’s parents for about a year. “They were wonderful and made the transition so easy for me,” she says. She and Corey worked at several of the stores within the Boone Drug chain before settling in at the King Street location last year.
FURMAN
The Right Prescription for Humanity
While still floating as needed, Ashley says, “I am also currently trying to learn to be a good buyer for King Street Pharmacy – as far as the gift items.” She chuckles as she adds,“It has been a real learning curve. Pharmacists are, by nature of the job, pretty methodical – at least I know I am. It’s really been a stretch to learn the decorative, pricing and display side of gift merchandising.” During their first few years in Boone, Ashley recalls, “We worked, went to church and visited family and friends from college – like most young couples do.” Her friend Trixie got her interested in Boone Service League, through which she met many local women. “That’s when I really began to feel like a part of the community. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that organization and would encourage every young woman to do the same.” The couple established their roots, built a home in Valle Crucis, and now enjoy life to the fullest with sons James, who is 11, and John, who is 9½. Ashley has home-schooled her children for the past two years, and says it was with lots of exciting and fun help from the outside. She adds, “The home-school community here is absolutely amazing! I first worried, being the homebody I am, that we would be cut off too much and miss too many social and educational activities, but wow, was I in for a big surprise! You can easily get involved in too many things provided for home-schoolers through ASU, local churches, Grace Academy, etc. I truly feel these past two years will always be my best memories of my boys’ childhoods. I have gotten a glimpse into the men they will become like I never before understood that I could.” Just as with the Boone Service League, Ashley’s world was opened to another group of women through a local Bible study. “I cannot begin to measure the treasured worth of the great friends who have nurtured me in so many sweet ways through small group Bible studies, “ she states. “We all have some ideas of what we want to become as adults, but having great Christian women involved in my life has often made it clear what Christ wants my life to be.” It was during the time she volunteered with
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Festival 2000 – Franklin Graham’s local crusade, she states,“when I really opened my heart to God and His desires for my life and my family’s life. “The Festival is where I truly realized that just one person can make a difference in the lives of far more people than our minds can grasp.” It became very clear how her love for travel and serving God and helping people could be effectively combined and eventually led her to foreign mission fields. “God worked in my life to make me excited about travel,” she states. “I grew up loving to travel and was blessed with parents who encouraged that desire. At 16, I spent a summer in France with a girlfriend and the bug became chronic!” During college, she and her friends threw darts at a NC map to decide where to spend their weekends. “That has led me to some great little dives and enormously beautiful views!” She also spent time in Mexico, Brazil and did a rotation with Indian Health Services in Arizona. “That rotation sealed the deal for me! I realized the Lord had opened a door through which I could combine both my desires! Fortunately,” she adds, “I married a man with the same desires. “Corey grew up with World Medical Missions in his life. His uncles founded that organization that became the medical branch of Samaritan’s Purse. The boys and I have supported him with our love, prayers and encouragement in his travels to Afghanistan, Lebanon, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Congo, Haiti and Sudan.” She adds,“Corey and I realize clearly that the goal is no longer for just the travel and fun of it, but the means by which we, as a family, can serve around the world.” (Corey was in Haiti during this interview.) Ashley has made three trips to Peru since 2006, two of them with medical clinics that traveled along the coast and up the Amazon River. During the latter, she states, “We stayed on
an old rubber tree barge the entire two weeks administering care from the boat and traveling at night by flashlight to the next village. Some villagers had never seen white people and were nervous about coming aboard. Many asked if we had ridden this boat all the way from the USA! “Every single child pulled at their parents to come aboard. We were like a traveling circus to them because we pulled teeth, de-wormed and gave out glasses and balloons!” Those two weeks were some of the best days of her life, she states, in spite of “cold showers, piranha, exhaustion and all!” Ashley returned to Peru last February with her family to assist with vacation Bible school and the design and planning of a Christian medical clinic. “Our sons were able to experience some of the same things that Corey and I have - different cultures, cuisine, and living conditions.” One of those experiences, while humorous now, was not too funny at the time, Ashley says. “For our very last supper there, Corey ordered qui, a local Peruvian dish consisting of nothing more than a guinea pig. Ours still had its head intact and did not agree with our delicate American stomachs!” The trip home was quite a challenge, she admits. The most rewarding part of any endeavor, she says, is to be able to perform it to your best and to give glory to Christ by so doing. “It was wonderful for Corey and me to see our boys doing just that.” Quality time with her family, whether traveling or at home, is a top priority for Ashley. “I love to run, but rarely do. I love to read, everything from history to fiction, and I adore my iPod for audio books. “Now I can cheat and read in the car, in the grocery, anywhere!” She also enjoys gardening and having her hands in the soil. A goal before her next birthday? “I want to slow down enough to master the guitar and paddle-boarding. We’ll see . . .” she says with a smile.
God worked in my life to make me excited about travel,” she states. “I grew up loving to travel and was blessed with parents who encouraged that desire.
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JULY • AUGUST 2010
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All About Men
CELEBRATING Men and What They Do
John Campbell keeps a family business alive and well.
Who let the dogs out? It wasn’t Chris Pennick!
Photos by Sherrie Norris Daniel Minton, Buck Wellborn and Terry Taylor represent the voice of the local home building industry.
Harold Bennett knows what it takes to be a winner.
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Cents
& Sensibility
FINANCIAL TIPS for EMPTY NESTERS BY CORRINNE LOUCKS ASSAD
“Three financial priorities for this age group should be to plan for retirement, to reduce taxes and to pay off debt.”
Okay
, so the kids are grown and moving away from home to start families of their own. You may be financially secure and/or have retirement income and assets to see you through the golden years. Others may not have had it so easy and have learned to live on modest incomes. Regardless, every senior/ empty nester needs to have some idea of what to expect in the future. Scenarios for empty nesters are similar across the board, but a specific commonality is the need to formulate a new financial plan. Typically between the ages of 45 and 75, almost 5 percent of empty nesters live with a partner, married or otherwise, and 50 percent own their homes without a mortgage. Most consider themselves conservative investors and a majority has some sort of retirement account(s). Three financial priorities for this age group should be to plan for retirement, to reduce taxes and to pay off debt. If you are an empty nester planning for retirement, keep these tips in mind: · Paying off your home. For the 50 percent or more who don’t own their home outright, a plan should be put into place to do just that.Talk to your mortgage holder or financial planner about a plan to pay off your home as quickly as possible so you don’t have to worry about how to stay in your home should an unexpected emergency attack your finances. · Start with a vision. Have specific ideas of what you want your retirement years to look like.What do you want to do? Where would you like to go? Would you stay in your home or downsize? Successful retirees start with a clear-cut vision. · Know your spending requirements. How much do you plan to
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something more conducive to meeting your retirement goals. · Check your insurance policies. Health and auto no longer need to cover your dependent children. Removing teenagers or young adults and downsizing to two can save you money on these and other policies. You may choose to use the extra money to beef up life insurance or life annuities.
spend in retirement? You can determine this by taking a detailed look at your income and how you’re spending it now. Compare that with how you’ll be spending when you’re no longer working. Make long-range calculations based on how you’d like to live after work. · Take stock of your portfolio. Look at your current assets and review your investment strategies for possible tweaks to get you where you want to be. The average empty nester has $150,000-$250,000 in investments/assets to utilize during retirement. Most investors will reconsider their past growth investment strategies and temper to a more conservative approach, ensuring that they’ll hang on to what they’ve worked so hard to grow. · Redistribute. With the kids grown and out of the house, you can redistribute those funds that no longer have to be attributed to things such as autos, insurance and college expenses. Now that you’ve determined a new investment strategy, it’s time to redistribute those “kid” funds into
· Planning to care for others. Allocate some financing for emergency care such as caring for elderly parents or for older siblings who may need your help. Many people who planned for their retirement did not plan for the emergency needs of family members. Consider the relationships in your life and set aside money should a loved one need your assistance. And when they do, remember, you don’t have to be the one to take care of them, specifically. · Bask in your new season! You’ve worked hard and sacrificed much in your adult life to get to this point. You’ve been through the trials and reaped the rewards of nurturing a family. It’s time to enjoy more free time and do things for yourself. With baby boomers making up the largest age population today, many people are either already empty nesters or closely approaching. There are many great resources for learning how to handle finances differently in this stage. Check out: www.stageoflife.com or www.focusonthefamily.com/midlife Web sites or books such as The Empty Nesters’ Financial Handbook by Mark E. Battersby. Once you get through the emotions of being a new empty nester, a new season of fun can await you with proper planning. Enjoy! JULY • AUGUST 2010
33
All About Men
Joe Shannon Catalyst for the Community: Preserving and Presenting Appalachian Culture
by Sharon Carlton
Photos by Mary Beth Hege
W
34 JULY • AUGUST 2010
hen Joe Shannon is inducted into the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Traditional Artist Directory this summer, he will be joining a celebrated fraternity of regional musicians, storytellers and dance artists who preserve the traditions of the Blue Ridge culture. This honor is rarely given to non-natives.Though he was not born in the area, Joe’s passionate appreciation for Appalachian music and culture is genuine. His path to this recognition was shaped by his compassion for others, the times, and his love of music. Growing up in south Georgia during the sixties, Joe Shannon was influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War and the assassinations of president John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. As he pondered how he was going to fit into the tumultuous society, music became his solace. Through the music of artists like Joan Baez, Johnny Cash and Peter, Paul and Mary, Joe felt a connection – one that opened the door to authentic expression and to the exploration of his own musical narrative, beginning his instrumental journey. Joe first attempted to play the banjo. Although he was born into a family of accomplished musicians, Joe’s first efforts at music lessons in middle school were less than successful.Thinking that playing and reading music were not for him, he set the banjo aside. In college he began to pick out a few of his favorite songs on a guitar. By watching Johnny Cash’s hands during a television performance and fastidiously copying Cash’s movements for four www.aawmag.com
chords, Joe taught himself to play guitar. When college friends formed a band at Florida State University and needed a banjo player, Joe learned to pick out the music of an Earle Scruggs song by listening to the music and reading a “Learn to Play the Five String Banjo” book. Before long he was a member of the “Free Wheeling Friends.” Although he struggled academically, Joe finally settled into college, graduating in 1975 from FSU with a degree in social work. Employed by the Eckerd Foundation in Florida as a counselor at Wilderness Camp, he established core values in his young charges, being tough and respectful at the same time. In the primitive setting of the campsite, Joe blended his compassion for helping others with his love of music. “Music was a part of our daily life; we always had a guitar,” said Joe.“We experienced the power of music to unite people. We became family.” His work with the Eckerd Foundation led to a move to Hendersonville, NC in 1976. By 1977, Joe had moved to Boone and was using his gentle, yet firm, approach to teach students with learning differences. He continued to incorporate music into his work in the classroom and to expand his repertoire of instruments. While performing at Horn In The West, Joe learned to play the hammered dulcimer to impress a girl. Playing folk and classical music on the hammered dulcimer led to performing for weddings and gatherings where Joe met more local musicians. He learned techniques and traditional songs from area musicians. When Joe’s natural teaching talents led to storytelling, he had yet another rich avenue to share local traditions with his students and audiences. Joe, who had dreaded school as a young student, had become a successful teacher. The teaching plan he developed in special education at Hardin Park was recognized as a model program. He earned his masters in Higher Education from ASU, where he taught for six years. In 1989, Joe released “Warmlight,” his first CD of traditional Irish and Appalachian melodies featuring a diverse group of musicians. During the recording of the CD, Joe met his closest friend and fellow musician, David Johnson. The need for a local venue for local musicians led Joe to develop Mountain Home Music. What began in 1994 as four musicians playing in the window of Our Daily Bread restaurant has evolved, over the last sixteen years, into a non-profit organization that sponsors an annual series of concerts honoring the music and the musicians of the Appalachian region. “The aspect of Mountain Home Music that I find most gratifying is that we have created a community,” shared Joe. “The musicians, our esteemed board of directors and the donors are a family. The performances bring hundreds of people together.” www.aawmag.com
Joe’s friend David Johnson said, “In my opinion, Joe’s chief attribute is kindness. In the years that I have known him, I have watched him as an educator, a musician, a show organizer, and a very selfless individual. The very nature of Mountain Home Music tells you what Joe is about. He is constantly showcasing ever yone around him and giving all his players and guests the best of forums in which to perform while never upstaging them. And even though Joe could perform for hours by himself on several instruments, he just sprinkles in a little of his own repertoire like salt and pepper in order to complement the musical meal rather than to dominate it.” This past year Joe has finished an archival project of past MHM performances. The first CD of “The Best of Mountain Home Music” will be
available this summer.Also, new this year is a series of breakfast concerts at the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock and the first outdoor MHM concert on Saturday, July 3 at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock. Mark Freed of the Watauga Arts Council, who nominated Joe for the BRNHATA Directory, said, “Joe Shannon has been presenting and involved in traditional music and storytelling for many years. He is an expert in school performances and in teaching about local songs and artists. Mountain Home Music is an incredible forum for showcasing traditional artists and for exposing people to the Appalachian songs and techniques.” For more information about the 2010 Mountain Home Music summer concerts, call (828) 964-3392, or visit www. mountainhomemusic.com.
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35
Prevent
Headaches: Maintain Your Home by Corrinne Loucks Assad
W
e hear a lot about prevention for our bodies’ health – prevent disease, prevent weight gain, prevent exhaustion, and the list goes on. But what about the health of our homes? Preventative maintenance is also the best and cheapest way to keep our homes in shape. Home maintenance keeps us from having to make major repairs and ensures that we’ll get the most for our home when the time comes to sell. Most maintenance items you can do quickly and easily by yourself, but if you don’t jump on them, they can require a costly professional down the road.
Once a year take care of the following items: • Replace smoke detector batteries. • Have the heating, air and water heater systems cleaned and serviced. • Inspect and clean chimney, ensuring that rain caps and animal screens are secured. • Check electrical panels, wiring and components for overheating. Make sure they’re secure. Flip the breakers on and off to make sure that they are not sticking. • If you have a well, check and service the pump and holding tank. Test your water quality. Check your septic system and have it pumped regularly. • Check for any evidence of pests that may require extermination.
36 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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:
Every six months take care of the following items: • Check the roof for any damage to the roof coverings, flashings or chimneys. • Look in the attic to make sure that roof vents are not blocked. Check for any leakage, condensation or pest activity. Add insulation if needed. • Trim tree branches and shrubs so that they’re not touching the house or roof. Contact your electric company if trees touch power lines. • Check the exterior walls and foundation for evidence of damage, cracking or movement. Look for birds’ nests or pest or insect activity. • Survey the basement or crawl space for evidence of moisture. • Ensure that the land around the house grades water flow away from the foundation. • Inspect all driveways, walkways,decks,porches and landscaping for deterioration, movement or safety hazards. • Clean and test windows. Improve
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caulking and weather-stripping. Watch rot in wooden window and door frames. Paint and repair windowsills and frames as necessary. • Test all ground fault circuit interrupter (GCFI) outlets to make sure they’re working properly. • Insulate/cover outdoor f a u c e t s w h e n e ve r freezing temperatures are forecast. • Test the garage door opener. Clean and oil hinges, rollers and tracks. • Replace filters. • Clean, inspect and/or service all appliances as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
they’re draining properly. • Thoroughly inspect the condition of shower enclosures. Repair or replace deteriorated grout and caulking. Make sure there are no leaks during showering. • Repair or replace loose faucets or showerheads. • Secure loose toilets, or repair flush mechanisms that aren’t quite right. Completing the tasks above may take only minutes and can save you much headache. You’ll be glad you took the time.
Once a month: • Make sure all fire extinguishers are charged. • Replace or clean any heat or air filters. • Clean gutters and downspouts. • Secure downspouts and make sure
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37
Arts
& Crafts
Artists Alley 2010 Studio Tour and Sale
A Continuing Tradition
F
or more than 35 years, Artists Alley residents have opened their homes over the Labor Day weekend for an alley art show. This year, there will be four homes hosting the event, which will include that of Kate Colclaser, Barbara Ballesty, Marie Hosfield and Julianne Spradlin. Sixteen featured artists will present their works of art in pottery, jewelry, metals, wood, glass, fiber, sculpture and fine arts including acrylics, oils, pastels, watercolors and egg tempera. Kate Colclaser is known for her high-fired stoneware and porcelain clays, creating decorative and functional wares as well as sculptural pieces. She has studied at Penland and Arrowmont Craft schools and has shown her work in the Jones House, Turchin Center and other galleries in the area. One of the Mud on the Mountain Potters, her work can be seen on twistedtreepottery.blogspot.com. Kate lives on the alley year round and opens her studio each year for the show. Barbara Ballesty is a functional potter who has a studio home along Artists Alley and also operates a teaching/production studio at Artworks on Main in Mooresville. Her goal is, through the philosophy of aesthetics, to constantly push the Alley organizers: (front) - Barbara Ballesty, Julianne Spradlin, (back) Marie Hosfield, Kate Colclaser. 38 MARCH • APRIL 2010
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boundaries of her work and to strive to capture the innate beauty of a form created to serve as a functional object. Marie Hosfield is an acrylic artist who lives on the alley and has opened her home for the past five years for the show. She enjoys painting local landscapes, especially along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Bass Lake and occasional places in and around Boone and Blowing Rock. Her art will be featured on the poster and card promoting this year’s upcoming event. Marie has shown her work several times at the Jones House and most recently in the 2009 juried “Of Memory and Appalachia” exhibition and the Traveling Postcard program sponsored by the Watauga Arts Council. Julianne Spradlin lives on the alley and graciously opens her home for the weekend event each year. She coordinates the logistics of the show and manages the time schedules. Although Julianne is not an artist, she has a great appreciation for art. Her input from a different perspective greatly appreciated. The annual Alley Show is known for its unique arts and crafts. Visiting artists are rotated to keep the show fresh and the work new and interesting, a spokesperson shared.The show averages 600 to 800 visitors over the 2.5 days and people travel from Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and South Carolina just to attend. One year, the Alley hosted a bachelorette party as part of the party for the bride. Show hosts have met many people, one woman in particular last year who said, “I came this weekend just for this show. I wouldn’t think of missing it.” The Alley is a desirable place to stroll and enjoy the outdoors for a few hours and, with the addition of the art, one must come for the experience, the hosts agree. The public is cordially invited to join them on Friday, September 3rd from 4 to 7 p.m. for a reception (open to the public); Saturday, September 4th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, September 5th from noon to 4 p.m. for their annual art show and sale. Artists Alley is located off Highway 221 South, 3.5 miles from Blowing Rock. For information, call: 828-2956727.
Volunteers Beautify Community Gardens
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39
Arts
& Crafts LEAVING
y c a g e L a
by Meghan Minton
M
Gifted artist and teacher Florence Thomas believed if artists “lost their originality, they lost everything.” Photo by Johnnie Gambill Miller. 40 JULY • AUGUST 2010
ore than a century ago, a child was born near the Virginia line, in the Horse Creek section of Ashe County, to parents Lee and Matilda Caudill Young. It was an ordinary day, which brought about the beginning of the extraordinary life and legacy of Florence Thomas. As the seventh of eight children, Florence’s childhood, filled with school and daily chores, was not vastly different from others at that time. Her parents paid a great deal of attention to their children’s education, even relocating a few times for their children to attend certain schools. Upon graduation from Lansing High School, Florence completed a year of teacher training at Crossnore School in Crossnore. Then in 1930, desiring formal training in art, she pursued a scholarship to attend the School of Design for Women (later known as Moore Institute of Art, Science, and Industry) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eighteen months later, she became ill and returned to her home in Ashe County. As any artist can testify, many good things can arise from adversity. In 1931, Florence married Paul J. Thomas and settled in Grassy Creek to raise a family. Two years later Paul’s mother died, leaving them with 350 acres to manage. The farm was in need of some attention as Paul’s father had been in ill health for a long time before his death. Florence and Paul began slowly to bring it back to working order until Paul died suddenly that October. It was a struggle, but Florence raised two children alone – Betty Lou and Joseph Lee, (who died at age 24) – while managing www.aawmag.com
m
to return the farm to productivity, along with another small nearby farm and the 500 acres of grazing land she owned in Grayson County, Virginia. All the while, she followed her passion for painting. Despite her need to keep the farm going, she once commented that, “Classes and painting were, in fact, my first priority.” Throughout her life Florence, often accompanied by her close friends Melba Miller and Dr. C. E. Miller, traveled and studied at art schools from Florida to Maine. She studied one winter in Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania, with Carolyn Wyeth, sister of noted American artist Andrew Wyeth. Her zeal for painting, coupled with her year of teacher training, allowed her to begin teaching art classes for Wilkes Community College. Because of limited space on campus, Florence taught classes in her basement. Her style was hands-on and personal; she believed in fundamentals and discouraged copying existing works as a learning effort. She felt that if artists “lost their originality, they lost everything.” After twenty years of teaching, Florence desired to return her focus to her own artistic development. Not wishing to leave her students without instruction, she suggested the organization of an art association, which would pool resources to bring in teachers and allow for critiques of students’ work.Thus, the Blue Ridge Art Clan, which is thriving today, was created. Over her lifetime, Florence has produced hundreds of paintings that “captured the soul and the mystery and ultimately the comfort of common things; conveying a ‘mood’ with color, leaving a person with feelings and not just admiration,” as was so eloquently stated in the book, The Art of Florence Thomas. Her paintings have hung in distinguished museums and galleries throughout the United States, and have received a variety of awards. However, her legacy does not end here. On March 30, 2007, at the age of 98, Florence Thomas’s life came to a peaceful ending. She had the forethought to have provided a trust, which directed three individuals to continue her passion for art education in Ashe County. In 2007, Robert Franklin (president of McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers), Jane Lonon (executive director of the Ashe County Arts Council), and her painting friend Melba Miller found just the right place to create Florence’s dream of an art school for her beloved community on 10 beautiful acres in Glendale Springs. The Paul and Florence Thomas Memorial www.aawmag.com
Art School, Inc., was established in 2007, under the guiding hand of the first three directors and an active advisory board. Now in its third season (May – October), the school is hosting more than 50 workshops in fine arts and traditional crafts. There, the legacy of Florence and her spirit and lessons of her loving presence will live, inspiring students into the foreseeable future. For more information about The Paul
and Florence Thomas Memorial Art School, visit Web site: www.florenceartschool. org or contact school manager: Meghan B Minton, 336-982-2499 or e-mail info@ florenceartschool.org. Thanks to Meghan Minton, current manager at the Paul and Florence Thomas Memorial Art School in Glendale Springs, for providing this profile for our publication.
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Arts
& Crafts
The
Song Life of
by Teri Wiggans
I
Heartfelt
h av e b e e n s hy a b o u t singing much of my life, not believing I was capable of carrying a tune. I played the piano and the cello so the notes were at my disposal, but I just couldn’t seem to transpose them through my own voice with accuracy and ease. About seven years ago, I chose to take voice lessons from a graduate student. She taught me to sing from a deeper place, breathe differently and to my utter amazement, out came a recognizable song. As I look back on it, she did not encourage me to sing from my heart. I first learned about the power of music when I read research demonstrating that classical music promotes plant growth and hard rock promotes wilting. I read another study that demonstrated that when classical music was piped into a park where drug deals were being made, the park soon emptied of drug dealers. So what is this
all about, you ask? As John Diamond, M.D. wrote about in his book, The Life Energy In Music, Volume I, our core vitality either increases or decreases depending on the vibration of the music. If the composer writes a symphony out of a place of love, a conductor conducts from her heart, the orchestra plays from its heart and lastly the audience listens from love, then the music literally lifts one’s core energy or vitality. If any of those mentioned above are playing from a place of ego, such as from fear, anxiety, sadness or greed, then the life energy of everyone becomes depressed. Life energy is the will to be well. Imagine how much music we may be listening to that decreases our vitality. “At the heart of us exists a silent pulse of perfect rhythm,” states Mary Burmeister, teacher of Jin Shin Jyutsu, a healing modality. She also states that “life is vibration and vibration is the nearest thing to the Creator man can conceive.” We are all connected through this pulse.
Just recently I viewed, “As It Is in Heaven,” a Swedish film that is currently my favorite. It’s about finding your own voice, singing from your heart and harmonizing with others. When you hear it from a bigger picture, it is called “universe” or literally “one song.” Since I watched that movie, I have begun sounding a note that seems to be comfortable for me when I hug another person. Imagine I am hugging heart to heart on the left side and also making a sound that is my own sound as I hug. My friends who have also seen the film respond back to me with their sound. Then we inevitably smile or laugh when we complete the hug. It seems to be an honoring of each other’s “unique sound.” I feel “my sound” is heard and honored. To my amazement, we often sing the same note or harmonize with each other. Love seems to be shared through sound, listening, acceptance and joy. May you have the courage to sing your song.
Teri Wiggans, RN/MSN/FNP, is currently singing her song and listening to others at the Heartfelt Healing Center, 828-264-4443 or heartfeltjoy333@yahoo.com. 42 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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All About Authors Interview with
Julia Taylor
EBEL
by Maggie Bishop
Does your writing have a central theme? My books keep stories and encourage others to keep theirs. Nature inspires my poetry, including the story of herb gathering in Dresses, Dreams and Beadwood Leaves (Ingalls Publishing).
Tell us about your latest published book and current writing project. The Picture Man and Jack Tales and Mountain Yarns as Told by Orville Hicks (Parkway Publishers) came off the press in March of 2009. The Picture Man began with a 1940s photograph of a mountain farm girl on a work horse. Around 1900 to 1950, local “picture men” captured images in their communities and preserved history and personal story. The picture book follows the scene from the photographer’s arrival to the surprising photograph at the end, while nudging families t o s h a re t h e i r o w n photographs. For Jack Tales, I transcribed about 25 Jack tales and other folktales plus songs, riddles, and sayings of Orville Hicks. Transcription – capturing mountain idioms and rhythms of the storyteller’s voice – is exacting! Orville and I worked closely; nothing went to press without his proofreading and approval. The book includes a glossary, study guide, original story in Orville handwriting, and scholarly afterword.The American Folklore Society honored Jack Tales with its 2009 Aesop Accolade. Current project: nature poems sent weekly to my toddler grandson in California.
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What inspired you to write about Addie Clawson, the first woman mail carrier in Watauga County, NC? Addie was an ordinary woman doing something extraordinary in 1936. Her determination, courage, and generous spirit shine through her career in rural mail delivery. She is a role model, daring to believe in herself while others doubt her. I love sharing this message. (Addie Clawson: Appalachian Mail Carrier).
Why did you write a biography of Orville Hicks, famed storyteller? I wanted to write about how Orville had learned stories from his mother. The process of passing along stories is universal, but that practice is at risk in hectic times. As I talked with Orville and heard his personal stories, I saw more than folklore. I found an honest and unpretentious man, rooted in rich mountain heritage. His experiences were worthy of sharing, and, indeed, have resonated with many readers. (Orville Hicks: Mountain Stories, Mountain Roots)
Talk about researching and writing biography. As I talked about Orville and Addie with other people, certain qualities repeatedly surfaced. Writing biography involves listening and then determining what to tell – focusing, not telling everything – then telling the story with honesty and respect. JULY • AUGUST 2010
43
Travel
& Leisure Keep Your
Heavenly Banquets By Sue Spirit
A
virtual Babette’s Feast? An Alice’s Res- other world, a small hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese taurant complete with Arlo? Fried green restaurant called Tay Do, where the same sweet tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café? A waitress, Nu, greets each of us with a hug and meal that’s chocolate through and through? A a kiss, and a soft drink ceremoniously provided smorgasbord of them all? I collect the heavenly for whichever of us is having a birthday. There banquets of my life. They are my treasure, the follows a dish called Tofu Mei, little chunks of memories of such sweet feasts, manna for the heaven, which we divide four ways to toast our friendship. Bowls of curried tofu, bean sprouts gods and us mortals alike. I am in San Miguel de Allende, wrapped in and noodles with a sweet-spicy sauce are served loneliness in the chilly January morning. At an as we open presents or discuss the state of the outdoor café on the Zocalo, I taste ambrosial world. We inhale the aromas, douse our bowls bites of chilaquiles and take deep sips of well- with sauce, and pick up our forks. All is right beaten hot chocolate, while listening to an an- with the world. Adnan, our Turkish trip leader, knows just cient in white poncho play his magical flute. My loneliness fades, and I am blanketed in accep- where to take us for lunch in Siringe – to Ali’s Place. Down cobbled alleys we go, wedging in tance. under olive trees at outNew to the North door tables with checkCarolina Mountains, we’ve Odes could be written to all these ered cloths. We are inheard of a tiny restaurant called Sweet Aromas, heavenly spots, these heavenly banquets, vited to go to the great outdoor clay ovens to where on a Sunday we these places in the heart. watch dolmas and gofall into the welcoming zleme being prepared. arms of Paula and Jackie and have Sweet Aromas ball caps slapped on our Back at our tables sniffing the tantalizing odors heads. A huge family-style cowboy meal, seem- wafting in, we sample peppers stuffed with feta ingly lifted off the grill at the “Bar B Ranch,” ar- and rice, white beans simmered in tomato, the rives at our table and is lovingly placed before us. dolmas and gozleme, and finally baklava and cherry juice. We exchange wondering glances, feeling There’s even cake for dessert. On our last night in Morocco, our leader that we’ve truly arrived in paradise. Odes could be written to all these heavenly Latif, with a mysterious half-smile on his usuallyserious face, leads us into the riad of Marrakech spots, these heavenly banquets, these places in and knocks on a huge hand-carved, brass-crusted the heart. Our first time ever in Boone, we happen wooden door. As we enter, we are showered with pink rose petals and led by a solemn man in into what fast becomes my all-time favorite place, a red fez to banquet tables ringed with huge soft Angelica’s vegetarian restaurant. Angelica’s, dwellcouches of the finest red-and-gold silk fabrics. ing of angels. Hunched in Elysian fields, we dig into bowls Grand platters topped with brass domes are set before us. Ceremoniously-removed with a flour- stuffed with black beans, smashed potatoes, ish, they reveal the same old couscous and tagine toasted pecans, crumbled cornbread, peach salsa, we’ve been eating for two weeks, but who cares? and a dusting of cayenne. Vegetable heavens all! Let’s spend eternity in You sure can’t beat the presentation. Belly dancall of these places, trailing clouds of salsa, curry, ers add to the ceremony. Once a month without fail, with our best chocolate, cumin, glory, rose petals, tofu. Died, friends Esther and Madeline, we slip into an- gone to heaven! Alleluia! Te Deum laudamus!
“
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”
Vacation Guilt Free W
ith a little planning, you can keep your vacation free of guilt by not caving into temptations that might otherwise wreak havoc on your body. After working hard to lose those last few troublesome pounds to fit into a swimsuit or vacation clothes, don’t toss it overboard by taking a vacation from healthy eating and exercise. Your efforts to lose or maintain weight can be as successful away from home as they are at home. Plan ahead. If you know you will be eating dinner out, save the bulk of your intake for later and choose a light breakfast and lunch. If you can’t resist a dessert indulgence, make sure first of all that you choose a grilled or baked entree with lots of fruit and vegetables and decide ahead of time to share dessert. Stay active. Walk as much as you can from where you are staying. If in a hotel or resort, take advantage of its fitness equipment. While traveling from home to your destination, make sure you have packed healthy snacks to enjoy along the way. Forget the sugary soft drinks and opt for bottled water. If, after your vacation, you feel that you’ve overdone it just a bit, don’t beat yourself up. Get back on track with what you know really works and stick to it.
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Travel
n
p t t
w r y d
t s
e d
, d e
n r -
y e
t u
Etiquette Tips HIGH COUNTRY COURTESIES
for Traveling with Children by Sharon Carlton, High Country Courtesies
N
o one wants to be the parent of a whining, screaming, tantrum-throwing child – especially in public. To be complimented on children’s lovely manners and respectful attitudes is much more preferable. As summer vacations are providing opportunities for exciting adventures, here are a few pointers to help children feel comfortable in new situations and master life skills that will help them gain the respect and approval of others. PLAN — Think about the different locations your family will be visiting. Consider the places, as well as the people there, and their expectations, then plan accordingly. Will your children need to be considerate of people in the hotel room next door or the campers in the next campsite? Do they need to refrain from touching Aunt Sarah’s pristine china collection? Do they need a quick refresher on table manners for their grandparents’ house or club? How will they react to standing in long lines with endless strangers at the amusement park on a hot, humid day? Consider what you need to teach them so they will be able to enjoy them-
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selves and be respectful of others around them. Schedule travel times and sightseeing adventures to accommodate naptimes and bedtimes as much as possible. Everyone functions better with proper rest. PREPARE — Ready your children for each new situation they will encounter. As much as possible, explain what they will see or experience, who they may meet or be around, what you will be doing and what your expectations are for them. Talk about the people you’ll see (Grandma, the airplane pilot, the restaurant’s Maître d,’ Mickey Mouse, etc.), and role play how your children may interact with these new, or less familiar, faces. Practice meeting new people using the five S’s: Have your children STAND, SMILE, SEE (look others in the eyes), SAY the person’s name and SHAKE hands (“Hello, Captain Buchanan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”). Train children to address adults using “Mr.” and “Mrs.” titles, until otherwise instructed. In our informal culture, the use of these titles is still the proper way for children to address adults.
& Leisure
Using “please” and “thank you” is always an appreciated courtesy. Teach children to say, “Excuse me,” when they inconvenience someone (bumping into someone or accidentally stepping on a toe, etc.), and to say ”I’m sorry,” if they have done something wrong. Before each outing, remind children about your expectations for their behavior (“When we go into this store, remember that we are going to look with our eyes only,” or “When the waitress takes our order, look her in the eyes, and remember to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’”). Explain why it is important for everyone to follow the instructions of security personnel at an airport, amusement park, theatre or museum, etc. Security personnel are in place to provide order and to protect visitors. PACK — Expect children to tire of long waits. A packed bag with a few toys or quiet activity items can provide the perfect entertainment for children. Chose items according to your child’s interests, for example: an action figure, a few Legos or an activity book with crayons. Allow each child to bring a favorite comfort toy or item from home for his or her own personal security while traveling. PATIENCE — In new settings with lots of stimulation, everyone can stress. Be patient with your little ones and keep modeling the courteous, respectful behavior you want them to use. PRAISE — Words of encouragement are terrific reinforcement for your children to continue using their best manners. Reward them with lavish praise, pointing out how others appreciated their kindness. Your forethought and preparation can help your children navigate new experiences successfully. By communicating expectations and providing tools for them to treat others as they would want to be treated in each new situation, you can assist them in gaining the confidence to tackle their own adventures as courteous young adults. ©2010. Sharon Carlton conducts High Country Courtesies customer service workshops and is Director of High Country Cotillion, a social education program for youth. She writes and speaks on modern etiquette and life skill topics. Contact her at sacarlton@skybest.com
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the Pet Page Healing Happens Though Therapeutic
Horsemanship
By Genevieve Austin lazing Saddles, Inc. has been trail riding through love since 1985. “Where Hearts Ride on Horseback” defines the bridge to healing through the connection between rider and horse. In troubled economic times, it seems the more vulnerable among us tend to lose the greatest amount. This is not because they have the most to lose; it is because each loss plays a larger role in their ability to enjoy life without restraints and limitations. Mark Twain wrote,“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” The Dalai Lama tells us, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Fiona Chrystall embodies the spirit of compassion and is fluent in the language of kindness. Dedicated to the mission of Blazing Saddles, Fiona is a highly skilled and experienced NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor. NARHA certifies instructors and sets standards to define and regulate the practice of therapeutic riding. The magical and miraculous benefits stem from the relationship between the horse and the rider. Fiona states, “At the end of the day, the horses are the teachers.” Her love for horses has been lifelong, but horseback riding was not an option to her until adulthood. She reveres these beautiful creatures with their immense power, size and spirit. They choose to interact with humans in gentleness. In return, they simply require respect. Fiona says, “Because horses cannot be anything but honest, riders learn integrity, cause and effect. I am the facilitator in this process.When I do my job right, I get the privilege to observe the magic of healing.” Therapeutic horsemanship is the activity through which this healing happens. Though the relationship between horse and rider is the heart of it, tremendous planning, orchestrating, creativity and manpower make it happen. Riders range in age from five years old to senior citizens. Riders’ limitations range from autism, ADHD, agoraphobia, bipolar/mood disorders, obsessivecompulsive disorder, multiple sclerosis, deafness, blindness and more. Every rider is unique. The organization focuses on the guiding principles of learning, safety and fun. The number one goal is fun! Fiona is also a professor and says, “I am an innate educator.”
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Who needs words? Jessie, a Blazing Saddles rider who is non-verbal, tells Dude how special he is to her with a simple hug. Photos by Genevieve Austin
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Blazing Saddles volunteers Elizabeth Kerley and Shannon Lang look on as rider Christopher (Cobb) takes charge of Dude on the ground. Look at that grin!
Blazing Saddles rider, Suzy (Clark), and her equine partner, Kaly, think they’re the cat’s whiskers in the costume class. Volunteer Elizabeth O’Hagan agrees!
Thus, she cannot NOT teach. With every rider, she learns about the person and his or her strengths and capabilities. Like a magician who entertains one and all, she pulls creative ideas and props out of her bag of tricks. While she consults with every family, individual and resource concerning both riders and volunteers, her own magical abilities come forth as she draws upon her life and educational experiences to set up the optimal environment for fun. Riders have so much fun that the riding lessons become highlights of their lives. Blazing Saddles is looking for long-term success at least for the next 25 years. Fundraising and finding dedicated board members are currently the organization’s greatest needs. Board members should be local residents who can donate 8 to 10 hours a month. For more information, visit www. BlazingSaddlesNC.com and contact Fiona Chrystall at Info@BlazingSaddlesNC.com or call (828) 757-3529 or (828) 729-3708. www.aawmag.com
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&Parenting
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ME
Motherhood
I T M M R E U and the Livin’s Easy!
COMPLIMENTS OF THE CHILDREN’S COUNCIL OF WATAUGA COUNTY
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he children are out of school and they have the long, lazy days of summer ahead. They can spend their summer days in front of the TV or they can focus their attention on fun activities. Summertime provides a great opportunity to play with friends and create projects. Playgroups are a good way to keep young children active and engaged during the summer.There are many ways to organize a playgroup. Here are three suggestions. · M o t h e r ’s D a y O u t : Schedule a mother’s day out and have children over to your house on a rotating basis. This may take place on the same day each week and, therefore, there is a mom’s day out. · Social Hour: Invite children and their parents to a social hour. · Meet at the Park: Meet at the park instead of
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someone’s house. Make sure to plan an alternative activity in case of rain. Organized activities and projects will help to make the playgroup time successful. Here are a few suggestions for preschool children:
Hot Potato in the Oven
In this ballgame, children use their feet instead of their hands. Put a medium-sized ball (or hot potato) in the center of a circle (or oven), along with a child chosen to be “it.” The child who is “it” pushes the ball with his or her feet, trying to get it out of the circle. The other children try to stop the ball with their feet. Once the ball is out, another “it” is chosen.
Sheet Painting
Gather together spray bottles, liquid tempera
paint in a variety of colors, and an old sheet. Hang the sheet on a fence or something similar. Fill a spray bottle with half tempera and half water. Have the children spray the paint on the sheet. After the sheet has dried, it can be displayed for all to admire.
Treasure Hunt
Make a simple map for the children to read. The map can have symbols such as a fence or rock or yard furniture, all leading toward the treasure. Have children decorate a small box. Assemble inexpensive treasures: small plastic coins, play beads, small rings, and play money. Place all the treasures in the box. Hide the treasure box per the location on the map. Have the children follow the map to the treasure box.
Nature Rubbing Books
Gather lightweight paper and old crayons without any wrappers. Encourage children to place paper over outdoor objects and areas (e.g. sidewalks, tree trunks, flowers, exterior of buildings, fences) and rub with crayon. Label the rubbings with the proper source and then combine them into a book. www.aawmag.com
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Waving the Flag By Heather W. Jordan, CNM, MSN
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MOMs
y son, Joseph, is the most patriotic person I know. The American flag is by far his favorite symbol and he jumps at the chance to display it. I have often wondered what inspired his patriotism. I consider myself patriotic, but I can’t say that I have gone out of my way to help him identify with his American roots. When he was younger than his present six and a half years, he was a cowboy. His only shoes were boots, and he slept with his hat, his holster, and sometimes his cap gun. His cowboy identity was also all his own. No one ever cast him into that mold by first giving him the outfit; rather, he began talking continuously about cowboys before he was even three years old, perhaps from characters in books. Santa followed his lead and got him his holster and gun, as we humored him with his first cowboy vest and chaps. He wore them endlessly and went through one pair of cowboy boots after another. I had never seen a John Wayne movie until Joseph, at age three, insisted on renting every single one available at the local movie store multiple times, and we succumbed and bought several John Wayne movie compilations from the Dollar Store. I think he loved the simplicity of it all – the good guys prevailed and were there to defend honor, country, and family to the end. As Joseph got older, his obsession waned a little, but he maintained an amazing passion for all that is American. Gradually, his wardrobe changed to occasionally include Spiderman and Transformer t-shirts, and then eventually his current love of satiny basketball jerseys in a variety of colors. Interestingly enough, as the cowboy persona faded, he shifted his favorite decorative emblem to the American flag. First, there were just a few hand-me-down t-shirts that displayed it, but eventually he sought out anything that had red-white-and-blue colors or the flag on them. He talked proudly about our country and absolutely loved going to the parades on the Fourth of July. Last year, as part of a celebration, we made a flag cake with strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, and pound cake because he saw the recipe in one of our cookbooks and could not think of anything better than an American flag cake! Lately, with some unknowing influence from his older brother, he has professed that he might one day be a fighter pilot just like in World War II. Despite my own misgivings about even toy guns, Joseph (and, I suppose, most boys) loves all guns, particularly cowboy, water, Nerf, and those guns that make cool laser noises. He talks often about army men, wears camouflage, and has www.aawmag.com
WORLD
prolonged acorn or pine cone battles against his older brother in our backyard with the toy plastic army men inherited from a friend’s son.While I have never been disappointed in his patriotism and always encourage his love for America, I sometimes find myself concerned about his idealized view of what war is like.We talk about America and that war, while sometimes necessary, is certainly not all glory. I tell him that people can get hurt or even die in the line of duty or on the sidelines. He sighs and says, “Well, I’ll only do it if I can have a reargunner airplane, Momma,” and moves on to the next battle. I stop short in my response and catch myself. There are worse things than a flag-waving six-year-old, enthralled by the magic of the West, the passion of the American spirit, and the dream of making people free.
If you have comments or questions about this article, please feel free to contact Heather Jordan, Certified Nurse-Midwife, at the office of Charles E. Baker, MD at 828-737-7711 x253 or e-mail her at landh@localnet.com.
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Summer Styling By Jenny Church
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ummer is the perfect time to make those style changes that you’ve been wanting, but for some reason have found yourself hesitant to do. Get yourself out of that wardrobe box and live it up! Maybe you see yourself as a wallflower and are not comfortable wearing loud outfits that call attention. Perhaps you love wearing something that screams out and you love the attention it brings. Or maybe, you’re just too busy and don’t have the time to worry about how you look or about what you wear. It’s time for a change!
Start with color!
Summer is all color. It’s the only season in which you can get away with wearing every color and style. So do it.Wear bold colors, wear light colors, wear every color or choose one as a base. Maybe you think you know your color, but you might be surprised to try something different for the summer. Change the scenery. Green is my color and I wear it every Friday. Choose your color and then wear it more often to play up your best features.
Take chances!
I can’t say it enough. Some of us are conservative with our styles and what we like to wear, but modesty is easy to maintain while reaching outside the box. You can still make a statement while staying in your realm of comfort. Sad but true, other people do judge us based on appearance. Wear things for which you want to be known and how you wish to be perceived.
It’s never too late!
Everyone has something about themselves they wish they could change. Start with your wardrobe and you will soon discover that your attitude about yourself will change. Don’t be afraid to be the person you want to be. Start by looking the part!
Wear your feelings!
Many things in life we can’t control, but how we look and feel about ourselves is not one of them. Your clothing can make or break your day. When I feel pretty, I have a better day, because I am in a better mood. Confidence in what you are wearing will also make you more outgoing and open to others. What you wear can also improve a bad day. Feeling blue? Put on a dress and chances are the doldrums will disappear.This doesn’t mean you need to dress up every day – casual works, too. Wear jeans and a top; throw in some color with a necklace or bracelet.The most important thing to remember is to look how you want to look and own what you’re wearing.
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Don’t forget - sunhats are “in” and are tons of fun to wear! www.aawmag.com
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& Style To Hit the Nail on the Head Beauty
B y H e a t h e r Yo u n g
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ost groomingrelated tasks I prefer to do myself, but even after years of trial and error, I am incapable of painting my nails. My past efforts have resulted not only in uneven, messy paint jobs, but in a bathroom that resembles a Jackson Pollock painting – splatters of polish are everywhere! And, nothing ruins freshly-painted nails like having to immediately scrub polish off floors, walls, counter tops, etc. Having accepted my limitations, I now visit a nail salon when I would like a manicure or pedicure. Manicures I reserve for special occasions, but pedicures are a necessity during the summer months when other people are exposed to my feet. What can I say, I try to be courteous! Courtesy aside, it is relaxing and pleasant to let a trained professional practice his or her art. I get to sit back in the massaging chair and contemplate the meaning of life or some such topic, rather than attempt to balance one foot on the bathroom counter and not fall over, all while applying color to an object that is smaller than a nickel. It’s like giving finger paint and a coloring book to a one-year-old and insisting that she stay in the lines. It is improbable, if not impossible! Therefore, occasionally I indulge with a visit to the nail salon, and I am not the only one. During summer, sandals come out of hibernation and freshly-polished nails abound. My friend Anita, who has lovely nails, maintains them with bi-weekly visits to her manicurist. Others visit the salon weekly. Some ladies, like me, try to wait a month between visits. One thing I have noticed during my nail salon visits is this interesting fact: nary a man crosses the threshold. Is the nail salon the last girls’ club? Will men melt or instantly drop dead if they step inside? Does it make a man less manly to have groomed nails? Surely not! There must be men who appreciate a manicure or who would if they gave it a go. Men have broken down the barriers to the hair salons and massage therapists, so why not nail salons? There was a day when men would only go to a barbershop for a weekly buzz, but today, they have embraced all sorts of cuts, styles and color. As to massages, let’s be honest, who doesn’t fancy a massage? I could understand their hesitation if nail grooming was in any way painful. Is there a misconception among men that trimming and filing their nails and perhaps using a bit of lotion will be like the time they were tricked into an eyebrow wax? Are they concerned that nail grooming equals bright red polish? Are men worried about being mocked by other men for www.aawmag.com
having nails that are smooth and free of dirt? Maybe they never learned to use a nail file. To hit the nail on the head, I would venture a guess that men do not get manicures or go out of their way to tidy their own nails, because they forget they have them (until they need to open something requiring one). However, I do think men would relish a visit to the nail salon
– did I mention the time to space out and the massaging chair? – or a manicure at home. So, ladies, consider treating your man to a manicure. And fellas, resist the urge to mock, because (gasp) I have no doubt that Chuck Norris (or other quintessential manly-man of your choice) has had a manicure and, dare I suggest it, maybe even enjoyed it!
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& Style
Beauty
M.C. Adams Clothier
A Little Girl’s Dream Comes to Life by Corrinne Loucks Assad
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Megan Adams, owner of M.C. Adams Clothier, has the right idea to bring beauty and confidence to women and their wardrobes. Photo by Corrinne Loucks Assad
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egan Adams has been hooked on fashion since childhood. She remembers trying on clothes, shoes and jewelry and parading around the house in her getups. Along with growing up in an entrepreneurial family came an innate business sense that helped pave the road to her personal successful. “My mom runs a construction company. Dad has a tire store and my husband has his own landscaping business,” Megan says, “so I acquired business sense and can learn a lot from them!” After a healthy start working in a family business, her parents encouraged Megan to find
her own niche and they have been very supportive of her dream to own a clothing boutique. “I worked in my mom’s construction business in Mountain City before attending Appalachian State and finding a job in retail here in Boone,” Megan says. “It was always a dream of mine to have a boutique.The retail job just made me want it more!” Megan took courses in merchandising and business. She worked at J.C. Penny in the Boone Mall and then at J.W. Tweeds, where she learned a lot about running a business and catering to customers. In addition, she admits to learning a
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Keeping Memories Alive BY BONNIE CHURCH, CNC, WELLNESS COACH
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ave you ever had a senior moment? There is nothing more awkward then being at a family reunion and the name of someone you’ve known for years eludes you. How about the frustration of going to a room to do something and, when you get there, you forget why you went? Senior moments are a malady of the aging brain. As we age, the electrical impulses and chemical reactions that form memories and retrieve the files where they are stored grow less efficient. The good news: you can do something about them.
MOVE YOUR BODY, HELP YOUR BRAIN
lot from her employee, Jennifer, who has worked in retail for many years. “My goal is to be seen as a specialty store where women are treated like royalty,” Megan says with a gleam in her eye. “I will always greet people when they come in, pay attention to their wants and needs, help them find different styles and sizes that will be perfect for them.” Megan looks forward to building a regular clientele based on the styles she carries and the services she provides. She anticipates getting to know her clients and their style preferences so well that when the perfect items come in, she can just pick up the phone and give them a call. M.C. Adams Clothier is a new boutique in town that carries a wide variety of styles and prices for every generation and budget – for daughters, moms and grandmas, too – from the classics, as exemplified by Michael Khors and BCBGMaxaria, to Southern Proper and Elizabeth McKay, to beachwear and cocktail dresses. High school and college students can find something easily, as will their working moms! Fashion is a passion for many young ladies and Megan is excited about the opportunity to set an example and to mentor young girls. She exclaims, “It’s awesome to be able to inspire students to pursue their dreams. Lots of college-age girls come in to pick my brain on fashion and on running their own business. I think it’s inspiring for them to see that someone so young can do it!” Megan is excited about offering styles different from most found in other local shops and department stores. “I think the fashions in Boone are great for many, but I want to offer residents and visitors more choices for classy, tailored styles.” With a heart for fashion and for encouraging women to feel great, Megan’s words say it best, “We’re not here just to sell you clothes; we are here to make you feel beautiful and confident – two things every woman needs in her wardrobe.” www.aawmag.com
It makes sense that mental exercise can keep the brain alive, but physical exercise is equally important. Exercise can spark the growth of new brain cells. It boosts a chemical called brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) that encourages the growth of nerve cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential for memory. Exercise also enhances the brain’s ability to block out distractions and focus. Studies have found that people who exercise regularly have a distinctive brain-wave pattern, characterized by the steep peaks and valleys, associated with alertness. This means enhanced ability to pay attention, so memories can be more strongly imprinted and retrieved later. You don’t have to make a huge commitment to see an improvement. Studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that even getting 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5-6 times a week will help.
WATER ON THE BRAIN Your brain tissue is 85 percent water. Studies show that prolonged dehydration can actually shrink brain cells. There is some dispute about how much water you need to be drinking every day. There is no dispute about the need to stay hydrated.
EAT BRAIN FOOD The basics apply. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and moderate amounts of protein. A well-balanced diet potentially will provide the nutrients you need for brain health. Supplementation under the guidance of a knowledgeable health professional can be of value in correcting deficiencies. - FAT - Your brain needs fat. Not the kind of fat you get from fries and donuts, but the kind you get from coldwater fish and olive oil. These fats have been associated with a smooth, uninterrupted flow of blood through the arteries - so important for brain function. - B VITAMINS - A healthy memory starts with B vitamins. Deficiencies in these important vitamins can lead to memory problems. Some specific B vitamins associated with brain function include: - Niacin (B3) may be a memory enhancer; in one study, subjects improved their memory between 10 percent and 40 percent simply by taking 140 mg of niacin a day. - B12 is also important for memory and other cognitive functions. As we age, we can lose the ability to absorb enough B12 to maintain optimal levels. - Folic Acid has been closely linked to dementia in the elderly. Among healthy people, low levels of folic acid have been linked to lower scores on memory tests.
- ANTIOXIDANTS - Vitamins C and E and the phytonutrients you get from fruits and vegetables are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that can damage the brain during normal aging. - MAGNESIUM - Magnesium is vital for the production and transfer of nerve impulses and other important chemical reactions in the brain. Several studies have noted that low levels of magnesium are one of the most common dietary deficiencies in the world, especially among older people. Don’t forget to end your healthy day with a good night’s sleep. Live well and your “senior moments” can become an occasional frustration, rather then a daily challenge. JULY • AUGUST 2010 53
&Fitness
Health
Avoid Summer Skin Disasters: Sun spots
As a preventative measure, always wear sunscreen when you are planning on being outside and reapply every couple of hours to prevent additional damage/discoloration to your skin. If those spots do pop up, however, try this little skin cocktail. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, which helps fight cellular damage and improve the skin’s elasticity. Lime juice has a high level of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) that are known to brighten the skin. Create a face masque out of olive oil, milk and lime juice, apply to face and leave on for 15 minutes. You should see instant improvement.
Insect bites
A Little Salt Goes A Long Way By Kelly Pennick
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am on a personal journey this summer, fulfilling an internship for my major at ASU in Hospitality & Tourism Management. I am very fortunate to be working at the Chatham Bars Inn, located in the heart of Cape Cod and surrounded by water on three sides. I am constantly looking at the ocean and observing the many families and activities taking place in and near the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. How hard can this be? I haven’t spent much of my life at the beach or near the water, but I have heard that swimming in the ocean, or simply being in salt water, can help the skin look clearer and healthier. Salt water does have healing properties and can be incorporated into your beauty regime. The process is quite simple. Try this version of a personalized facial – so easy you can create it in the comfort of your own home. Simply combine salt with olive oil. Be careful not to be too liberal with your salt concentration, as too much can be rather abrasive to the skin. Rub the mixture into your skin, taking extra care to be gentle when washing it off your face.
Your skin may tingle a bit from the salt, as an actual form of exfoliation is taking place. Remember salt, too, when winter approaches again and our skin becomes itchy and dry. When taking a shower or bath, try massaging some salt granules into your skin. This gentle rubbing of salt into the skin will help improve circulation of the blood vessels, and the salt particles will remove dead skin cells. Following this with a penetrating moisturizer should reduce any itching your dry skin might experience. When taking a bath, add little handfuls of salt to your water to help reduce inflammation and increase circulation in the skin, thus helping to relieve the discomfort brought on by sore or simply fatigued muscles. So just remember, if you can’t take the time off and enjoy the ocean, you can occasionally incorporate the ocean’s benefits at home by adding a small amount of salt to your own health and beauty regime. Just be careful not to over saturate and irritate your skin – little salt goes a long way.
Always wear insect repellant to avoid bites. But once you are bitten, Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Melissa Piliang, MD, advises not to scratch bites. Take an antihistamine to reduce itching and swelling, or use an overthe-counter hydrocortisone ointment. If you are having symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing, hives or difficulty swallowing, seek emergency treatment ASAP.
Poison ivy
If you’ve been exposed, wash all affected areas with soap and water. Also, be sure to wash your clothes in hot water. If the poison ivy rash covers a small area, use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone ointment, says Piliang. She also cautions that if the rash is more widespread or you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, you should see a doctor.
Sunburn
It’s always a good idea during these hot months to keep yourself well hydrated and, if you get a sunburn, keeping hydrated becomes extra important. Take ibuprofen for inflammation, use a cool compress on affected areas, and constantly apply moisturizer. Source: She Knows Beauty and Style 54 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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&Fitness
Health
Health Tips to Consider Mother Nature’s Most Incredible Health Tonic
W Sleep Loss Can Affect Your Health
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2007 survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that two-thirds of the women polled say they have had sleep problems a couple nights a week in the prior month. That’s not good. Unhealthy sleep patterns affect women’s health and might even lead to a shorter life span than that of men. Recent research shows that women who report sleepless nights have a greater risk for health problems than men. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center, led by Edward Suarez, PhD, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, found that women who reported unhealthy sleep are at an elevated risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. · Hypertension. Women who toss and turn at night have higher levels than men of C-reactive protein and other signs linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.
ater, water, water! What’s all the fuss about drinking water? Is it really that good for you? Is it really that important? Well, in a word,YES! Water is key for a healthy body and healthy skin. Did you know that water makes up 80 percent of your blood and your brain and about 50 percent of the remainder of your body’s tissues? It helps the liver and kidneys function properly, helps to move nutrients and oxygen through your body and helps in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. And these are only some of the reasons you need to drink enough water. Which begs the question: How much water do you need?
Most research recommends at least eight 8-ounce glasses (64 ounces total) a day. Some beverages like no-sodium club soda and herbal tea may also count toward your water intake. But coffee and tea, which unfortunately contain caffeine, are dehydrating, and cannot be counted. Sorry! It is suggested you make drinking water a constant part of your day to reap the benefits of Mother Nature’s most incredible health tonic! Source: Lifescript Healthy Living For Women
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Water is key for a healthy body and healthy skin.
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· Type 2 diabetes. Sleep deprivation can impair glucose tolerance and puts both women and men at risk for type 2 diabetes. Suarez’s study shows that women who are poor sleepers are more likely to have higher levels of insulin and blood sugar than men. · Weight gain. Sleep loss has been linked to increased appetite, which can mean extra pounds and weight gain for both sexes. The Duke study found that women who are poor sleepers tended to be more overweight than men with sleep problems. · Depression. Not only does sleep loss impair thinking and memory, but – according to research – it is associated with greater feelings of anger, hostility, and depression in women who have disrupted sleep. Source:WebMD www.aawmag.com
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of HEALTH BENEFITS
ORANGE FRUITS & VEGETABLES
BY DANICA S. GOODM AN
The cantelope is high in vitamins A, C, B3, B6 and potassium. It is beneficial for healthy eyes and lungs. It helps the kidney, heart and brain to function normally and may help prevent stroke. It boosts energy levels and keeps the nervous and digestive systems running well. The mango is a powerhouse of essential vitamins and minerals. It is packed with vitamins A, C, D, E and K, and B complex. It contains the dietary soluble fiber, pectin, which regulates blood pressure levels. Its calcium content helps keep the bones thick, dense and strong and regulates muscle contraction, heart action and blood clotting. It is also a good source of potassium, a mineral which treats the symptoms of hypokalemia, which include weakness, muscle cramps, stomach disturbances and irregular heartbeat. The orange is known for its amazing health benefits. In addition to being a very good source of fiber, the fruit is also a good source of folate, thiamine, potassium, vitamin A and calcium. Regular consumption of this sweet and juicy fruit is helpful for protection against heart disease, regulation of cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and prevention of kidney stones. Despite popular belief, however, oranges actually do not contain a lot of vitamin C. Peas, strawberries and papaya all have much higher concentrations of the vitamin.
The carrot is renowned as the food for good eyesight due to its whopping 34,317 IU of vitamin A per cup. Carrots are a very good source of a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamins K and C, potassium and fiber and a good source of magnesium, phosphorous and molebdenum. Carrots are beneficial for blood sugar regulation, diabetes and protection from cancer of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, lung and esophagus. The sweet potato supplies a good amount of vitamin C, manganese and good amount of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Copper is good for brittle bones, low resistance to infections, low skin pigmentation and thyroid disorders. Sweet potatoes contain powerful antioxidants that are helpful not only for good eyesight, but also for healthy lungs, immune support, bone metabolism, skin health and heart health. The pumpkin is highly concentrated in disease-fighting nutrients that slow the aging process, reduce the risk of cataracts, and prevent tumor growth. Also, it is rich in vitamins B3, C, D, E and K, and the minerals folate, niacin, calcium and potassium. Pumpkins contain choline, a nutrient helpful to a range of conditions linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, and type-2 diabetes.
Fruits and veggies with orange flesh boast of their high vitamin A (beta-carotene) content, some with double and even triple the needed daily value. The distinctive bright color of orange-fleshed fruits and veggies is telling us that in addition to being beneficial for healthy eyes, lungs and skin, they are also rich in a wide variety of nutrients that help prevent and combat different kinds of diseases and conditions.
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Food
&Drink
Happy Birthday, By Sherrie Norris
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U.S.A.!
ost Americans love to celebrate freedom amid parades, picnics, family fun and fireworks. Spark up your festivities with these patriotic dishes and desserts that will bring the good old red, white and blue to your gathering in a big way!
Patriotic Wraps ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 24 (8-inch) flour or wheat tortillas 6 cups low-fat cottage cheese 12 cups strawberries, stemmed and quartered Blueberries for garnish Mix together sugar and cinnamon. On griddle or in sauté pan, heat 1 tortilla at a time. Place ¼ cup cottage in center of tortilla.Top with ½ cup strawberries. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and cinnamon mixture. Fold up bottom third of tortilla, then fold in both sides, leaving top open. Sprinkle a few blueberries on top. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 24 wraps.
Simple Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad 1 pint of fresh blueberries 1 pound of fresh red seedless grapes, strawberries or raspberries 1 (8 oz.) container of fat-free sour cream Sugar or other sweetener to taste Wash fruit and pat dry. Mix together. Fold in sour cream and add sweetener to taste. Chill and serve. www.aawmag.com
Pretzel Sparklers
Long rod pretzels White chocolate, melted Red, white and blue sprinkles / decorations Melt the chocolate. Dip pretzel rod halfway into melted chocolate, then sprinkle decorations over wet chocolate. Lay on waxed paper to dry.
Freedom Cheesecake Bars 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs ½ stick butter, melted 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup low-fat milk 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice Zest of one lemon 3 large eggs 1 cup fresh raspberries 1 cup fresh blueberries Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix crumbs and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Blend cream cheese, eggs, milk, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture on top of crumb crust. Scatter raspberries and blueberries on top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is slightly firm and set. Cool completely before cutting. Use foil to lift cheesecake out of pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into bars. Refrigerate until ready to serve. JULY • AUGUST 2010
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Parting Shot
Photo by Sherrie Norris
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” - Lady Bird Johnson
58 JULY • AUGUST 2010
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www.aawmag.com
JULY • AUGUST 2010
59