All posts by Red Dirt Kelly

Oklahoma culture

The Violin

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Photo by D K Bear of Denmark

I am the internship coordinator for the undergraduate “Child and Family Services” majors in our department.  Every semester, the student interns enrolled in my course submit journals, time logs and assignments.  They also respond to a discussion question I post every week in our online classroom.  One week, I posted this prompt:

“You are currently utilizing knowledge from your studies, information you learned while being trained for that position and your own set of skills and personality.  You collected these “unique” skills along life as you grew to this particular point.  Write about one special skill you have unique to you, that helps you find creative ways to do your job.”

A student who was serving her internship at Judith Karmen Hospice wrote this:

“I make weekly visits to an older gentleman who is dying. He has no family in the area, and most of his friends are already dead.  He’s in lot of pain.  One day, I walked into his house and heard him listening to classical music on a small radio.  It happened to be a violin solo that I knew.  I’ve been playing the violin since I was five.  So the next week, I brought my violin with me and asked him if he would like me to play.  He nodded, and I played for him.  I played every week for the next five.  I played him right up to death’s door.  My music helped him deal with his pain, and it accompanied him as he died. So, is that what you mean by your question?”

Well, yes.  That’s what I meant.

This is why I teach, and why I think I usually learn more than my students.

Oklahoma culture, Travel

Thursday Morning Shout Out: The Talimena Drive and Those Who Takes Us Along With Their Eyes

(Note – this is a reprint from last year, retitled.  We hear that NOW is the time to be in the mountains if you want to see the foliage this year.  What do YOU hear?)

Good morning, Red Dirt Country.  We haven’t had a “Friday Morning Shout Out” in a few weeks, so I thought I would provide you with a little treat.  I’m going to take you back, back, back…all the way to November 13th of this year. Was that just one month ago?

It was a beautiful day, and a few members of the Tulsa Digital Photography Group were winding around the hills of Oklahoma’s famous Talimena Drive.  Sometimes they’d wind all the way over to Mena, Arkansas. But, then they would hop right back into our great state once again…shooting the autumn beauty in “God’s Country” all the while.

The borders of Oklahoma and Arkansas get a little fuzzy when there is so much beauty in one place.  And, photographers like Brian Favell did their best to capture all of what the perfect drive for Fall had to offer.  It seems that every year is different; who knows what 2011 has in store for the beholder?  But for this year, and for that day, and for this Shout Out, we’re going to share with you what Brian found – through his eyes, on his journey down the beautiful, twisty, turvy, upsy and downsy Talimena Drive of Eastern Oklahoma.

Thanks Brian, for the tour…and thanks, Oklahoma mountains, for once again showing us what you’ve got!

Continue reading Thursday Morning Shout Out: The Talimena Drive and Those Who Takes Us Along With Their Eyes →

Homestead and Garden

Rustic or Refined, Oklahoma Soap Makers Are Something Special

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Soaps by Colleen Thornton, Farmer and Owner of Heaven Sent Food and Fiber

I’ve always loved a really good bar of soap.  I have been rummaging around the soap shelves and “close out” sections of Tuesday Morning, TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, and any other nook or cranny where there is a happenstance possibility of finding an imported, French-milled box of soaps for years.  And, when I find a box of Shea Butter, Lavender, or Evelyn and Crabtree triple milled Goat Milk soap – well, I just stand there and sniff it for a while.  Then, I take it home and wait until my previous bar is all gone.  Days when I get to open a new bar of soap are days where my happiness factor is multiplied many times.

Colleen Thornton with one of her little "babies."

I had one of those days…times about ten a few weeks ago when a box from Heaven Sent Food and Fiber arrived, full of soaps.  Colleen Thornton, the soap maker and owner of the company, had sent them my way.  We gave away four bars on our Facebook page last week, and I played with the remaining treasures.  Here’s a quick idea if you want to give Oklahoma-made soaps away as special hostess or holiday gifts… Continue reading Rustic or Refined, Oklahoma Soap Makers Are Something Special →

Cents and Sensibility, Oklahoma culture

Joe’s Mojo

Joe Hartin’s eighty year-old knees popped five times as he kneeled down to meet my five year-old stature. His bloodshot eyes looked massive through his prescription eyeglasses as they sized me up with a long gaze into my face.  I squirmed, terribly aware of the drooping eyelids covering half his pupils while the other half bored a hole through my early childhood psyche. The eyelids fluttered while his brain worked on the next sentence to come out of his mouth.

“Well, well…you knew quite a few Bible verses. I’ll let you choose a coin for a reward.  Which one would you like?”

It was 1967 and any one of the “monies” in Joe’s open, weathered hand was fascinating.  “I think that’s a dime,” I thought to myself as I stared into his palm full of coins.  “I think a Hershey bar is a dime.  Maybe I could eat one square for twelve days if I took that coin.”

I was hesitating for too long as I thought through my options.  I looked up at Joe’s face and saw him grimace, then slightly shift.  He was hurting and I needed to choose.

I took a breath and said, “I’d like THAT one.”  I timidly reached out and touched the biggest silver coin in his hand.  I didn’t know its value; I only understood its size in relation to the others

A few too many seconds went by before a smile broke across Joe’s face.  He looked up to my father who was observing the scene, then shakily stood back up.  With his other hand, he carefully picked up “THAT one” and handed it to me, patted me on the head and walked away chuckling.

I still have that half-dollar in my jewelry box and I’m never going to spend it.

RDC News & Updates, Red Dirt Dives

“Red Dirt Dining” and “Red Dirt Dives” ~ What’s the Difference?

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“Great minds think alike,” right?  Well, that seems to be the situation for at least a couple of issues here at the Red Dirt Chronicles.  Let’s take food reviews, for example.

We’ve been doing eating establishment reviews since our inception.  We have ten restaurant reviews in various parts of the state archived now, as well as posted on the Oklahoma Urban Spoon website.  These restaurant reviews get readership every day because people are out there, driving around in our state, looking for a great place to eat.  Makes sense, right?  We also created, however, a series called Red Dirt Dives.

In February of this year, we rolled out our first Red Dirt Dives post with a commentary on Railhead BBQ in Guthrie.  Next was The Rock restaurant in Stroud.  Our Red Dirt Dives series creator is now working on a piece  about a “dive” in Perkins she enjoyed.  And, we have another contributor who wishes to be a part of this series as well.

However, about 6-8 weeks ago, Channel 9 News rolled out a series called “Red Dirt Dining.” Amanda Taylor is the host and the premise of their series is to put on video what we’ve been putting in writing.  Are you starting to see why some people are confused?  Let me add to the confusion just a bit more…

In Oklahoma there is a Red Dirt Cafe (in the books, but now out of business).  And, you’ll never believe just how many things can get mixed together on a Google search when it comes to Red Dirt and food in Oklahoma.  Or maybe you will…

Regardless, I thought perhaps we should publish this post because now we’re beginning to get mail (for Amanda) suggesting places Channel 9 News should cover for their fourth Red Dirt Dive feature…I mean Dining… wait – what??

What I mean is…right now, we’re just going to continue what we do and how we’ve been doing it until “something has to give.”  Hopefully that won’t happen.  But if it does, we’ll let you know.

Situations like this aren’t uncommon.  We found out a couple of months ago that although we’ve been running a series called “The Imaginary Family Project,” which is really cool by the way, since January there is now a potentially confusing situation with This Land Press. Continue reading “Red Dirt Dining” and “Red Dirt Dives” ~ What’s the Difference? →

Homestead and Garden, Oklahoma Cooking

Oklahoma Cooking: Persimmon Cheesecake…Perfection

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While I love to create my own dishes, I think just acknowledging that things are “just fine the way they are” is also important.  Such is the case with this “Persimmon Cheesecake” recipe I found on AllRecipes.Com.

Our Oklahoma native persimmons are in perfect form right now, and if you are in the mood to go picking, then I’m in the mood to offer you an absolutely delectible way to prepare them: in cheesecake. In “close-your-eyes-and-dream-of-lovely-things when taking your first bite” cheesecake.

I won’t be redundant…the recipe tells you exactly how to prepare the dessert.  However, I’m going to offer you a few tips.

1) It takes quite a while to de-seed and pulp 2 cups of persimmons.  Make sure you pick enough so you won’t have to go out to the trees a second time. (I mentioned here the quantity you’re most likely to glean from one individual persimmon.) Continue reading Oklahoma Cooking: Persimmon Cheesecake…Perfection →

Relationships

Baby, Baby…Baby: You Can Always Come Home

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What does Isabella hear every night at bath time? "You can always come home."

Kelly’s Thoughts: Michael sent me a message a few days ago after he noticed I had written my “Emptynesterology” post. He wondered if perhaps we could tag-team a bit since several of the RDC authors are in various stages of child-rearing (or child-launching). “Sure,” I thought.  No problem.

Then a reader named Jeanne wrote to us sharing that she experienced the “oh, they grow up so fast” emotions with children AND grandchildren.  So there it was…a brand new thought in my head.  The child-rearing, child-launching, grandchild-rearing, and grandchild-launching…they ALL have similar emotions attached.  Sentimental. Precious. Wonderful. Sad. Hopeful.

I love that Michael is writing to his “barely one year-old” daughter now.  He’s giving her a message that is of the utmost importance:  the message to your child that you love them, accept them, and that you are committed as a parent to them regardless of what peaks or valleys lie ahead.

I can share with Michael that there most likely WILL be peaks and valleys.  And, if I had to make a prediction…with a girl? Possibly around 5th – 8th grade.  It’s definitely a volatile time for sure.  Life also throws unexpected curve balls.  And sometimes big, fast, intense dodge balls.  However, at least to me, it seems that if a mantra is established at bath time that “she can always come home,” then not only will she be equipped to play…but equipped to lose.  AND win.

Michael’s Thoughts:  Every night, while I dry Isabella off after her bath, I look her right in the eyes and tell her that she can always come home no matter what. Continue reading Baby, Baby…Baby: You Can Always Come Home →

Foodie Page, Oklahoma culture

Native Oklahoma Persimmons 101

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Persimmons are beautiful simply served on a dish by themselves. Photo by Rylee Roberts

(Originally published Fall, 2010) While sitting at the breakfast table as a young girl, I could look out the window this time of year and watch the squirrels scamper like mad up and down the trees just across the fence line along our garden.  They were scrambling to see who could harvest and store the highest number of Oklahoma native persimmons, the bright orange to dark amber fruits tempting them to work extra hard. Even by squirrel standards.  Occasionally, I would wander outside, cross the fence and collect a few of the fruits I knew for sure were ripe, but at that age it was a guessing game for me.

Persimmon tree during autumn.

Sometimes I would choose them at a stage too firm and orange (green) and suffer the consequences of a horrible experience – something like all the moisture being sucked out of my mouth, with no way to quench the thirst!  But the ripe persimmons…ah, those were nice.  And still are.

My father brought some to our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and luckily not all of them got eaten.  I have them now and I thought I would share a few basic pieces of information in case you are outside and see them in a tree somewhere.  They are worth your harvesting time.

Continue reading Native Oklahoma Persimmons 101 →

Woman2Woman

Emptynesterology

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From the moment you got the keys to your first rental home you’ll be sharing with your friends, you drove by the location every day after work.  When you walked through each room showing us or your guests the patio or the pocket doors, your face beamed with excitement.  It reminded me of the same look you had when we went on vacation and you were exploring the hotel room, or spending the night with a grandparent.  You would run around the space, look at us, and show us “this!” or “THAT!” Continue reading Emptynesterology →

Homestead and Garden, Oklahoma Cooking

Oklahoma Cooking: Roasted Red and Green Tomatoes With Fresh Herb Dip

This morning, the farmer’s market offered a surprise.  There were a few late peaches out of Porter, and still a good many Jonathan apples fresh off the tree.  However, I was especially happy to see a bowl of freshly ripened small tomatoes from the gentleman who opened Granny Had One in Guthrie years ago.  He said, “I just picked them last night.”  So, I bought three pounds, and went on my way…straight to my kitchen.  Later, I gathered a few peppers and some okra from my own garden and had to cut back several large tomato vines as they were growing out across my lawn.

About 100 small green tomatoes got sacrificed in the process.  Green tomatoes are actually quite versatile.  I knew I could make a small batch of relish, quarter them and put them into a casserole, create another ratatouille with them, or…of course, fry them.  But I wanted to create something simple to go with Sunday lunch or to eat while watching the football game.  So, I decided to try roasting the two ripeness levels of tomatoes together, and creating an herb dip to go with them.  I’m really glad I did, because the recipe worked very nicely.

The dish would stand alone for a vegetarian, serve as a great side to any center of the plate, or be a nice complement to a “dressed up” OR “dressed down” buffet.  Prep time is 10 minutes.  Cooking time is 25 minutes. And, the dip prep time is also ten minutes but can be made while the dish is cooking.  Here we go! First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Next… Continue reading Oklahoma Cooking: Roasted Red and Green Tomatoes With Fresh Herb Dip →

Homestead and Garden, My Little Victory Garden

My Little Victory Garden: “Thank you, Starbucks!”

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Okay, it’s true.  I’ve raged against the machine.  I’ve ranted about diesel fuel being sucked into trucks then its aftermath being spewed into the air I breathe.  And I’ve specifically wailed about Starbucks in general.  I’m all about “keep it local, keep it green, keep it real, know the person behind the businesses you use…”

But I’m also well aware that more than half of the products and services I use are somehow connected to things or people who are NOT local.  And in the winter, when I have to buy produce from the grocery stores on a regular basis, that number might be higher.  And, I also like imported chocolate.  I carefully guard my tiny vial of saffron threads.  And, I fly or drive to explore places in the world I’ve never seen.  So, I try my best to balance my “machine raging” with some sort of tempered logic.  And events like what happened yesterday help with that trying behavior…

You see, Starbucks had a $2.00 special running on their breakfast sandwiches, and if you’ve ever eaten one of their bacon Gouda offerings you’ll know why I was visiting the Hall of Fame Street location at 6:45 in the morning.  Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: “Thank you, Starbucks!” →

Relationships

Twenty Kisses

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My husband has never really been a “holding hands in public” person.  I was surprised by this discovery very early in our marriage, mainly because his family is a hugging, demonstrative group and he has always been okay with:

1) The arm around my shoulder (or mine around his) in church or other location, such as a restaurant;

2) Asking me to scratch his back or rub his shoulders briefly in public if he gets an itch or has a sore muscle; or,

3) Giving hugs to me, or the girls, his mother or other family members.

All these constitutionals are okay.  But, he thinks the act of holding hands is just weird.  What if you want to pause and pick up something? What if you’re not synchronized in your pace or stride? Holding hands gives you less freedom, in his opinion, and it’s just really not for him.

This lack of holding hands, however, is made up for one-hundred fold by a tradition that began while attending Oklahoma State University (OSU) football games together:  the ritual of giving each other a kiss every time the Cowboys score.

Extra points count too.

If you happen to be listening to the game on the radio, then the touchdown sequence would sound something like this as Dave Hunziker our announcer calls the play: Continue reading Twenty Kisses →

RDC News & Updates

Wanted: A New Crop of Farmers and Ranchers

Editors Note:  We’re not normally a venue for news or announcements.  However, there are occasional pieces of information that seem to fit so well with who we are that we’ll use our energy to spread the love.  This announcement happens to be one of those.  I’ve spoken to many individuals or couples over the last two years who are “thinking about farming,” “considering buying a piece of land and moving to the country…and maybe farming,” etc. and I’m wondering how many of them actually have.  So, my friends, if YOU are a new farmer or have recently purchased your new ranch or farm and are ready to roll…perhaps this program could be helpful for you.  Good luck!
[kelly]

###

If you’ve been farming or ranching for less than ten years, the KerrCenter has got a deal for you: a year-long course in sustainable farming and ranching, with tuition and materials covered by scholarship.

Applications for the Oklahoma Beginning Farmer and Rancher program aredue October 21. Space is limited, and early application is strongly encouraged.

The program’s purpose is to assist “beginning” farmers and ranchers with training, resources, and mentoring. It provides an in-depth, year-long training course at the Kerr Center, with instruction in business and whole-farm planning. Participants choose either a livestock or horticulture track. Continue reading Wanted: A New Crop of Farmers and Ranchers →

Homestead and Garden, Oklahoma culture

Silent Sunday: Gardens and Farmer’s Markets in Oklahoma

Jonathan Apples from Livesay Orchard in Porter, OK ~ at the Urban Agrarian stand, Farmer's Market, Edmond, OK. 10/1/11

I realized yesterday, as I strolled down each aisle of my local farmer’s market, that harvest has not nearly come to a close.  Nor has it in my own garden.  Aside from the fact that we have seen very little moisture, the weather is grand for fruits and vegetables.  And, our water supply is still giving, so we’re still getting.  I’ve decided to share just a few photos of the beautiful harvest I’ve seen over the last month or so…some is mine, some is other producers’.

Enjoy – and have a wonderful Silent Sunday, [kelly]

Sand Hill Vineyards ~ Wines sold at the Edmond Farmer's Market 10/1/11. This vineyard works in conjunction with Redlands Community College to provide a 2-year certificate or degree program in viticulture.

Continue reading Silent Sunday: Gardens and Farmer’s Markets in Oklahoma →

Faith, My Little Victory Garden

Simple Sabbath & My Little Victory Garden: Thank You, God, For Our Food

I learned quite a bit while in China.  For example, the Chinese don’t have a custom of wearing wedding rings to signal they are married.  Therefore, if someone wants to know your marital status, they ask, “Have you solved your problem?”

Our guide also told us that while some time ago their citizens used to greet each other with basically, “How are you?” like we do in the U.S., that custom changed as difficult times were encountered.  They now ask, “Have you eaten?”  And, the answer, in order to protect the friend who is asking so they won’t worry, is always “yes.”

Even if you haven’t eaten for days. Continue reading Simple Sabbath & My Little Victory Garden: Thank You, God, For Our Food →

Homestead and Garden, Oklahoma culture

Oklahoma Food Cooperative Appoints New President

by Bob Waldrop
The board of directors of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative has appointed Lisa Weissenbuehler president, replacing Chelsey Simpson who resigned due to a move out-of-state.

A descendent of Oklahoma pioneers and a native of Tulsa, Weissenbuehler and her husband David were among the first 200 coop members.

She has served as general manager for the co-op and as site manager for the co-op’s northwest Oklahoma City  pick-up location. She has also served as producer assistance technician and been a member of the Standards Committee, the Treasury Team, the Producer Care Team and the board of directors.

The Oklahoma Food Cooperative enables customers to buy directly from Oklahoma farmers and artisans using the co-op’s website, www.oklahomafood.coop

The co-op offers roughly 40 pick-up sites across the state, including several locations in the Oklahoma City area. Eighty cents of every dollar spent at the Oklahoma Food Co-op goes to an Oklahoma producer.

Weissenbuehler says co-op membership is the most convenient way for her to shop for local food and non-food items. “The Oklahoma Food Cooperative has made it possible for us to shop online and pick our order up at a site close to our house,” she says. “We buy all our meat and dairy products from the co-op as well as all of our laundry soap, bath soap, shampoo, lip balm, moisturizer, cosmetics and even greeting cards.

Not only are we making a decision to support Oklahoma producers and keep precious dollars in the local economy, I also have the comfort of knowing EVERY ingredient that goes into each product.”

The co-op has experienced rapid growth since it was founded in 2003, and is poised to expand into new markets in the next two quarters.

“The Oklahoma Food Co-op is on track to facilitate over $800,000 in sales this year and has over 4,000 members—that’s huge considering we were only founded eight years ago,” says Quentin Bomgardner, the coop’s vice president for customers.  “I am confident that Lisa is the right person to lead us forward.”

The co-op is online at www.oklahomafood.coop

Relationships

Our Relationship With the Dead

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Me and my Grandpa Yates. I mention he and my other grandparents who have died later in this post. ~ RDK

I once worked with a woman who was the youngest of several siblings, all of whom had been sexually abused by their father.  She was in her 40s, and struggled with guilt because she hadn’t “done something” earlier to begin helping her family heal from the trauma.  She, however, was the only person who had been brave enough to disclose the behavior, and to do what it took on her part to make the abuse stop.

One of our last sessions together involved a fairly elaborate ritual; it was an emotional intervention wherein I took the role of her father and tied up each family member (represented by chairs in a circle) with secrets and suffering (represented by a rope, looped through and around each chair).

As she made the decision to forgive herself for not disclosing the abuse sooner in her life, she took a pair of scissors and cut “herself (the chair with her name on it)” free.  It was difficult for her.  She was holding on to self-blame because it was one of the few things she felt like she could control from a very ‘uncontrollable’ upbringing.

She then, however, went on to cut the ropes around her brothers and sisters, in order of who she would approach first, as she made the decision to approach them and ask them to think about starting their own healing process.  The second to last person she cut free was “her mother” as she decided to forgive the one person who might have been able to protect them from the abuse.

The chair remaining at the end of the hour was the one representing her father.  She wasn’t ready to forgive him, and couldn’t sort out how it might even be possible, as he had died about five years before that day.  The woman seemed like a different person after that session, and had worked six months to get to that point.  She told me she needed some time to think through all she’d accomplished, and to visit each one of her siblings.  She wasn’t sure if she’d be back, but she might write someday.

**(BlogHer Community – Start Reading Here…) About 18 months later, she did write.  I was surprised when I received her letter.  Continue reading Our Relationship With the Dead →

Oklahoma culture, Woman2Woman

An Event We Think You’ll Appreciate: The Red Barn Boutique!

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Kellie Ebert chats with me about the upcoming Red Barn Boutique sale. We were eating lunch at Cafe’ Bella in downtown Stillwater and I highly recommend their hummus! But even more…I recommend grabbing all your friends and showing up at the Red Barn Boutique for a day of fun and rummaging. Seriously.

Here is a “cool things about Oklahoma” list that I keep in my head…

1) Creativity

2) Ingenuity

3) Ability to make much from very little

4) Warm and endearing people

5) Activities of which you want to be a part Continue reading An Event We Think You’ll Appreciate: The Red Barn Boutique! →

Oklahoma culture, RDC News & Updates

RDC Tall Tales Contest ~ “A Fish Tale Whopper” and “When Big Crow Came to Town”

 

Dear RDC friends ~ In August, we sponsored a “Tall Tales Contest” wherein the winner earned a his & hers Annie  Oakley fragrance set purchased from the Cherokee Trading Post.  The competition was enjoyable, and we decided to award the runner-up a gift from the trading post as well.  Then Red Dirt Kelly went to China…and to a conference…and we’re FINALLY publishing these Tall Tales! We’d like to thank every one who participated in writing these fun little stories. We have a penchant for Tall Tales around here, and are so glad our reader friends do too. Special congratulations goes to Robert Stemmons, the author of our winning essay, and Mary Bone, author of the runner-up essay.  Enjoy! ~

A Fish Tale Whopper

by Robert Stemmons, aka “The Whistler”

Just earlier today I was fishing with a buddy. We hadn’t caught much except for one small one (by him) and three or four state records and one national, by me.  Even after all that fishing success, however, I was feeling a bit down because of my weight. Continue reading RDC Tall Tales Contest ~ “A Fish Tale Whopper” and “When Big Crow Came to Town” →

Oklahoma culture, Relationships

Throwback Post: A Butterfly Effect Redux: Birds, Humans and Relationships

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Saturday morning Mick and I were up early preparing food for the Bedlam tailgating festivities.  We decided a grocery store run was inevitable and made plans to go together, thus dividing and conquering the massive WalMart Super Store.  I was finishing up something in the kitchen when Mick walked in and looked at me.  He said, “Kelly.  Something bad happened.  Do want to see this?”  He hesitated.  “I’m not sure you want to see this.”

His face conveyed the kind of message sent when a pet dies, or one of our children has broken a bone.  So then I hesitated.  “What happened?” I asked.

“A litle bird somehow flew into our garage and got stuck in one of the glue traps.  It’s really, really stuck,” he responded.

“Well, let’s see if we can somehow free it before we think about other options.”  I was thinking out loud.  I knew it would be frightened, so I grabbed a tea towel, a pair of kitchen shears and headed to the garage.  I was just thinking that when you want to lead a horse somewhere, sometimes you cover it’s eyes.  Maybe cutting out any outside distractions would help it stay more calm.  I wasn’t thinking that the tea towel would ALSO get stuck in the trap.

Continue reading Throwback Post: A Butterfly Effect Redux: Birds, Humans and Relationships →