PLATE 1. Quercus palustris. Oak by Joshua Heston There are so many species of oak in the Ozark Mountain region that identifying them all is a bit daunting. This is only a partial list. White Oak (Q. alba) Black Oak (Q. valutina) Pin Oak (Q. palustris) Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa) Shingle Oak (Q. imbrecaria) Post…
PLATE 1. Dogwood blossoms, Taney County, Missouri (March 31, 2009). I Was Given — to See — the Trees by Jim Barrett (FROM MY BOOK OF WORD PICTURES) I found myself in a primordial forest of gigantic white oak trees on an Ozark mountaintop ridge line – and I knew that I was looking at…
City of Hollister Hollister, Missouri, is a city in Taney County just across the bridge from Branson. Hollister began when settler Melinda Fortner claimed 120 acres on Turkey Creek in 1867. A general store followed, then a post office in 1904. Our Downing Street Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Part…
PLATE 1. The magical Blue Spring empties into the Current River, Shannon County, Missouri. February 20, 2009. Deep & Blue: Springs of the Ozarks by Joshua Heston Pure water spilling from the rock itself. There is an elemental quality to the idea. Particularly to flat-landers, there is something enchanting about Ozarks springs. The scene of…
Sassafras by Joshua Heston The sassafras tree is fragrant — reminiscent of lemon — when its branches or leaves are crushed. There are no sassafras species outside of North America and its common (and Latin) names are derived from a Native American word for the tree. A generation ago, sassafras was regularly used as a…
“Made a batch of yummy spiced apples! Thank you for the recipe!” — Ron Regehr, StateoftheOzarks Subscriber Spiced Crabapples (Makes about 6 pint jars)1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces1 tablespoon whole allspice1 tablespoon whole cloves4 1/2 cups granulated sugar3 cups water2 1/2 cups white vinegar8 cups stemmed crabapples, pricked with a fork1. Tie cinnamon stick pieces,…
PLATE 1. Miller’s Bluff, Bourbeuse River Aunt Pena by Dale Grubaugh My great Aunt Pena [Peenee] Ringhiesen Stovall wasn’t my great aunt when I first met her. She lived on the Bourbeuse River near the old Hog Trough Bridge in Gasconade County, Missouri, and was a neighbor to my Uncle Sidney and Aunt Mildred. As…
(PLATE 1, above)”That’s me and old Mickey. He was about 15 when I moved to Neosho and I took him with me and kept him in the garage there. Came in one night and old Mickey wasn’t in there. I spent several days hunting for him but I never found him. Went off and died…
Josh Huxtable Missouri native Josh Huxtable grew up in Liberty, Winston, Gallatin and Humansville, Missouri. A certified nurses aid and certified medication technician, Josh loves “helping people” and is an avid writer, both of prose poetry and songs. “StateoftheOzarks feels like family. I’m interested in the festivals, the events, but everyone is so nice. It…
Hodges Insurance Agency Located in Sparta, Missouri, and serving the Ozarks, we opened our doors in 1970. Our goal is to find you the best coverage for the lowest possible premium. We are a local and independent agency. We take care of all insurance needs — home, life, business, vehicle and boat. Contact Jess Hodges…