Heritage Chickens by Joshua Heston I was reading a blog about a rural Arkansas road trip and discovered my chickens. They weren’t actually my chickens. They would not, for example, recognize me if we were to meet. But they looked just like my chickens. It was a little surprising. You see, I have some heritage…
Castle Ghosts: Pythian Castle by Joshua Heston with Stephen Meek There was a knock on the heavy oak door, a door sheltered beneath massive Carthage limestone. “So, have you met the ghosts?” The question came from a covey of OACAC non-profit agency employees, former daytime residents of the Pythian Castle — a monolithic structure of…
Bois D’Arc Memories by Joshua Ong In the distance, I could hear the pounding of a drum and the hoots and hollers of people in the night. As I drew closer, I could see people dressed in animal skins dancing around a fire. Behind them stood a teepee. Occasionally the sparks from the fire would…
The Legend of Bread Tray Mountain RETOLD BY JOSHUA HESTON In the midst of the 15th century — 70 years before Englishmen stepped into the swamp that was to become Jamestown — Spanish conquistadors journeyed into the Ozarks. They were looking for treasure. It is said they found a special mountain overlooking the White River.…
All Through The Night BARD Y BRENNIN FIRST VERSE: Sleep my child and peace attend thee, All through the night. Guardian angels God will send thee, All through the night. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, Hill and vale in slumber sleeping, I my loving vigil keeping, All through the night. SECOND VERSE: While the…
Cedar Christmas by Dale Grubaugh Puttin’ up the Christmas tree is my favorite part of celebrating Christmas. I was only three or four when my dad began taking me with him to cut down the family tree. As I got older, getting the tree became my job, accompanied by my sister Rae Jean. We never…
Goin’ Giggin’ by Dale Grubaugh It’s comin’ on to dark and time to load the boat into the back of the pickup. Let’s make sure we have everything else; light shields, 300 watt lamps, gig, and don’t forget the paddle. It’s a clear, cold November evening. There’s been just enough rain to keep the creek…
Winter Memories by Dale Grubaugh This winter? It has been cold! January? The temperatures were below zero at night and barely out of the single digits in the day. Five inches of powdery snow on the ground, more in the forecast. The wind howling. It was a good time to stay indoors watch winter from…
Plate 1. A plate of Berliner Pfannkuchen (jam-filled doughnuts). Berliner Pfannkuchen by Janice Sieg Bernard & Brigitte Sieg Ahh, the Berliner Pfannkuchen! I can remember having these as a New Year’s Eve treat as far back as I can remember (even before we moved to Missouri when I was six). Traditionally, the doughnuts are filled…
Plate 1 (above). Tulip-like ice rose detail. Ice roses are also called Frost Flowers throughout the Ozarks region. Ice Rose Gallery by Joshua Heston Finely spun threads of ice, wrapped layer upon layer until the forms resemble cold, glistening imitations of roses, tulips, random features like blown glass or ribbon candy, ice roses defy our everyday…