The Minute Magazine JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2012

3*Clinical professional is defined as a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

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7 My sister is having a baby. My itty bitty Sissie, who came into this world at four pounds and five ounces. The very same child that always snuck into my room during slumber parties be-cause she wanted to be a big girl like me. Yep. She's having a baby. And I'm elated. Her pregnancy reminds me a lot of my own. But there are a few differences. For one, Tiff and her husband Josh decided to be surprised by the sex of their baby. I've asked her a mil-lion times, "Tiff, are you sure you don't know what you're having?" "No, Jacs. And besides, you remember what happened with Miles." And boy, do I ever remember what hap-pened with my oldest child. Have you heard that urban legend about a woman who thinks she's having a girl, only to deliver a boy instead? Well it's not just an urban legend. It actually happened to me! I will never forget the moment that Zoe Alexis Lewis came into this world. She was born via c-section, and her first cry sounded much more goat than girl. "Baaaaaah," she screamed. Her voice was awfully deep for a girl, and I have to admit that it scared me a bit. My hubby looked around the sheet that shielded my face from the surgery, and his eyes opened wide. I was terrified that something had gone horribly wrong. "Uh-oh," he said. "We have a problem. It's a boy!" Ten years later, it's no wonder that my sis-ter has decided to wait for Mother Nature to make the announcement. But one thing's for sure. No matter what she has-- be it boy or girl-- I'll be the proudest Aunt in the whole wide world.

from theeditor

Jacquelyn Lewis

Tiffany Byram, Jackie Lewis, and

Future Editor "Baby" Byram

9This magazine is FREE! However, you can have it mailed to you for $20 a year to cover postage & handling. Call us at 318.382.1900 and well put you on our mailing list!

Donna ArenderAudrey BuskirkVicki CaskeyElizabeth DrewettAnita Goodson

Our cover photo is a self-por-trait taken by sixteen year-old

Stephanie Fernandez. Read more about Stephanie and her

artwork on page 10 of this issue.

10 But I Can Show You by Jackie Lewis13 A Novel Approach by Winnie Griggs14 Healthy Woman by Audrey Buskirk16 Jesse James by Wes Harris18 Louisiana Girl Revelations by April Timmons20 The Journey by Jason McReynolds21 One the Spectrum by Lela Robichaux24 Mardi Gras: A Cultural Revolution by Jackie Lewis 26 Simply Cooking by Melissa Teoulet28 Blueprint for Preservation by Megan Lord30 You Never Know by Laura Horton 32 Weeder's Digest by Anita Goodson35 Life's Blessings by Vicki Caskey36 PJ's Point of View by Phillip Volentine38 Antique Junkie Wedding by Donna Arender40 Hormonal Woman by Elizabeth Drewett

issueinside this The Minute Magazine is

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JACKIE LEWIS & TIFFANY BYRAMOwners/PublishersRegional Editors Graphics/Layout

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Contact Information:Office Phone: 318.382.1900Ad Sales: 318.548.2693512 Fort AvenueMinden, Louisiana, 71055

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced without permission. The Minute Magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials. The editorial content of The Minute is prepared in accor-dance with the highest standards of journalistic accuracy. Readers are cautioned, however, not to use any information from the magazine as a substitute for expert opinion, technical information or advice. The Minute cannot be responsible for negligent acts, errors and omissions. The opinions expressed in The Minute are those of our writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher has the right to accept or reject any advertising and / or editorial submitted.

contributorsWinnie GriggsWesley HarrisLaura HortonJackie LewisMegan LordJason McReynolds

Lela RobichauxMelissa TeouletApril W. TimmonsMargaret TimmonsPhillip J. Volentine

cover

subscriptio

n?

10

Pictured:Coleen Branch of Central City, Loui-siana. Makeup and Photography by six-teen year-old Steph-anie Fernandez.

11

sometimes words are not enough to tell a story"But I can show you"

Imagine that there is a thin line between the reality of modern society and the free-flowing world of art. Now imagine what it would be like to cross back and forth in between the two. Does it sound impossible? Sixteen year-old Stephanie Fernandez doesn't think so. In fact, she does it often. By her own account, Stephanie's life "didn't get interesting until I was fourteen." But at fourteen, every-thing changed. She began dabbling in photography, mix-ing face paint with pixels to snap photographs that capture even the poorest of imaginations. "I didn't know I had tal-ent until Facebook told me," she said only a few years after she began her amazing journey. But at fourteen, ev-erything changed. Stephanie discovered her superpower. She digitally posted a series of candid photographs that she had taken, and very soon Stephanie began to realize that she had something special to share with the world. "Its kind of a motivation to hear someone say, Oh, I like your art, says Stephanie. "Comments on my photographs have gone from that's really cool, to, "Oh, wow." Now everything about my art ties together and I find it very relaxing. If I have a lot going on in my life and I'm worried, I dont need to write anything down in a diary. I just put it on my face." And as she spoke, I remembered the moment I first saw her. She was standing in the alleyway behind Main Street Photography's studio with a nervous smile on her glittery, polished face. She was polite, and perhaps a touch on the shy side. Everything about her seemed artistic, from the feathers in her hair and the makeup on her face, to the little spark in her eye that seemed to say, "Hello, world. I'm not afraid of you." All at once I was reminded of the words of Thomas Merton: Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. And never have these words seemed more true than in the moment I first saw the work of sixteen year-old Stephanie Fernandez. Stephanie is a Junior at Airline High School in Shreveport, where she is the makeup art-ist for the Drama Department. But when the school bell marks the end of the day, Stephanie retreats to a place far away from Shreveport. "People get bored with themselves, you know?" says Stephanie. "You've been the same person your whole life. Of course you've changed but, you're still the

same person all in all. I think we all try to conform too much. Society really wants us to conform. But you can express yourself with different ways that arent natural, and that difference makes the world go round." Stephanie has definitely learned to express her-self. Her work, featured on the cover of this issue and in two of our feature stories, is breathtaking. Using paint and digital photography, Stephanie has the ability to carry us to a world far away. It's a world far removed from reality, where Stephanie is unafraid to be herself. "Everything I do every single day is art-incorporat-ed," she says. "Whether its an outfit, or a train of thought, I see art in everything. But I also love photography and try to create all around. I love soul art. Art is passion. My mothers an accountant, my brothers an businessman, my sister is a nurse. We dont know where I came from." Stephanie may not know the source of her talent, but she certain knows where she's heading. " I dont know what college to attend yet, but Im really interested in foam art. I would love to go into special effects makeup art-istry or high fashion makeup artistry. I could be a creative director for movies, modeling, and photoshoots. I love thinking of ideas. I want to do it all. I dont want to just do some of it. If I can get into a little of each side, to find what Im most comfortable with, then Ill probably choose. But now I just want to do it all." And we at The Minute Maga-zine believe in Stephanie. "Be free with your creative," she says, hoping to inspire other teenagers to pursue art. "Dont let other peo-ple tell you that youre weird or a freak or anything. I dont really separate me from my art. I am just a fan of that feel-ing of emotion moving through unnatural beauty, not with the type of art that says, this is what youre supposed to be on a cover of a magazine. I feel like everyone should be themselves. Dont let anything hold you back." And from our perspective, nothing is holding Stephanie back. "I like to take people with my art, and take the people out of reality," she says about her artwork. "I feel like fantasy is very beautiful. I like to put realistic things in situations that arent quite normal. Sometimes people want to be something they're not. Something un-thinkable. And I give that to them through my art. I can not verbally explain my thought and emotions. It so hard. But I can show you."

written by Jackie Lewis

13

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Employing Imagery In Your Fiction-----------------------------------

Imagery is the use of descriptive or figurative language. Writing the perfect pitch and crafting a compelling bio is difficult. Thats why whole industries exist to enable us to tell our stories better. Copywriters, creative directors and brand strategists like me wouldnt exist if it was easy to articulate the essence of what we do, and communicate how and why we do it. Theres no way around it, you need to spend some serious time and energy on your about page, because its probably one of the most visited pages on your website. A deeply evocative mental picture to the reader. Its more than simple description, its a tool that helps the writer say things in a way that touches him/her more effectively than a literal description would. Because, by the act of their need to read between the lines and make the translations and connections they become more involved and more engaged. Lets talk about some methods to accomplish this.

Metaphors and Similes. This is probably the most common method. While similar, metaphors and similes are not the same thing. A simile takes two distinctly different items and compares them using words such as like and as. A metaphor also compares two essentially different things but in a more subtle way. It doesnt announce the comparison by using comparative language but rather uses the items being compared interchangeably, implying that they actually are the same.

For instance: The dandelion fluff scattered in the wind like a troupe of graceful dancers (Simile)

The gust of wind awakened the drowsing dandelion fluff, scattering them from their hammocks to gracefully dance across the meadow. (Metaphor)

In these examples, dandelion fluff is being compared to dancers. The difference is, in the first example you are being explicitly told this, and in the second you are implying it by giving the dandelion fluff the characteristics of a dancer. There is a place for both constructs in your writing.

Analogy. An analogy is similar to a metaphor or simile in that it makes comparisons. In fact, analogies normally employ similes and

metaphors. But analogies do more than describe, they are used to illustrate a point. For example, Mark Twain once said The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and a lightening bug. Another example, this one from Sydney Harris, states: "Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with ardor and persistence."

Zeugma.A zeugma is another, though lesser known, comparative technique. Its a single word that is used to modify or govern two individual words or phrases, but each in a different way. It sounds complicated but here is a fairly simple example: Working beside my grandmother in her garden that summer wore holes in the knees of my jeans, and in my heart. In the matter of the jeans we are, of course, referring to actual holes. In the case of the heart, however, we are using the word more figuratively. Symbolism is another great way to add the power of imagery to your work. But that is a

more complex subject and Ill save it for another day.

Some DOs and DONTs on imagery:

Avoid clichs. Find new ways to say cold as ice or fresh as a daisy.Use the mood and setting of your book to create the palette you draw your images from. Is your book a gothic? Much of your imagery will have a dark, heavy, ominous feel - storms, darkness, forests, scavenger animals. On the other hand, if your story is a light-hearted romp set in small town America, your imagery might be drawn from things like sunshine, spring, flowers, songbirds, domesticated animalsKeep your imagery focused. Dont make it a multiple choice issue for your reader. For example: He was forceful as a locomotive barreling down the tracks, or as a tornado swirling across the plains. Not good - pick one! Also, make sure you use a relatable image. The sentence - He was as effective as Daedalus in teaching caution to his son wont evoke an image for your readers if they dont know who Daedalus was.Surprise Your Reader With The Unexpected. When trying to describe a womans lips, you obviously want to reach for something other than red as rubies or cherries. But suppose you take it in an entirely different direction - say red and puffy as an inflamed blister, or that her lips matched her bloodshot eyes? It might make your reader squirm a bit but itll definitely paint a memorable picture, and depending on what youre going for it could work.Use imagery judiciously. As with any technique, overuse can result in reader dissatisfaction.

14

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Healthy Woman Kicks Off the3rd Annual Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge-----------------------------------

Northern Louisiana Medical Centers Healthy Woman program will begin its 3rd year of the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge. Healthy Woman is an initiative through the hospital that was created to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to make informed health care and well-being decisions for themselves and their loved ones by providing monthly events to help educate women on the need for a healthy body, mind and spirit. There are over 100 active Healthy Woman programs nationwide. Healthy Woman Coordinator Audrey Buskirk and Platinum Partner Seasons (2007-2011) wanted to create a program to help women kick-start their new years resolutions of losing weight

and getting in shape. Thus came into existence, the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge. For the 3rd Annual event, Healthy Woman has partnered with 3-time HWWC partner Sharons Jacksons Personal Training Services to provide the Official Boot Camp take-home workouts and 2-time Body Back Instructor and Beginners 5k Trainer, Maryanne Smith, Member of the Aerobic and Fitness Associate of America and Certified Personal Trainer, to provide the Official Couch to 5k training regimen for our participants. Healthy Woman has also partnered once again with Seasons to provide our participants with a daily meal plan constructed by their very own Registered Dietician, Valerie Costanza. Each HWWC session will provide participants with the opportunity to accomplish nutrition and fitness goals for the new year that will include weigh-ins and measurements. This year we have added a new component to the HWWC Sessions: a 30 minute workout. Each participant in the HWWC will also receive a personal portfolio in which to keep their daily journal, weight and measurements, meal plans, workout regimen, and goals for the new year. All sessions will be

held at 5:30pm as follows: January 10 | Taking the First Step, featuring 5k training for beginners with Maryanne Smith, C.P.T., A.F.A.A., January 24th | Know Your Body, featuring Rustons only Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon, Major Blair, M.D., on taking care of your knees, February 7th | A Healthy Heart, featuring Rustons only

Interventional Cardiologist, Michael Langiulli, M.D., F.A.C.C., on heart health and women, and February 21st | Keeping up the Pace, Featuring Sharon Jackson, C.P.T., on accountability and staying focused on your goals. To register for this free-to-the-public event, you must first join Northern Louisiana Medical Centers FREE Healthy Woman program at www. Northern LouisianaMedicalCenter.com/HealthyWoman. After you have joined the Healthy Woman program, you can RSVP for each session online at the same website or by contacting Healthy Woman Coordinator, Audrey Buskirk, at 318-254-2492. Space is limited to the first 85 participants to register. For more information on the 2012 Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge, visit www.northernlouisiana m e d i c a l c e n t e r . c o m / healthywoman or call 318-254-2492.

16

Near noon on January 8, 1874, five masked men swooped down on an eastbound stagecoach about three miles west of Arcadia. While the robbers searched for valuables among the mail bags and the passengers pockets, the westbound coach of the Monroe & Shreveport Stage Line approached. Forcing it to stop as well, the robbers added to their bounty. The evidence points to members of the infamous James-Younger gang as the likely culprits. The road traversing north Louisiana from the Mississippi River to Texas was known as the Travelers Road, Wire Road, or depending on your perspective, the Shreveport Road or the road to Texas. Prior to the Civil War, the railroad had extended its line west from Vicksburg to Monroe, Louisiana, with the intent of linking up with Shreveport but the conflict interrupted the project. The lean years of Reconstruction further delayed extension of the rails. To span the gap between the Ouachita and Red Rivers, the same men who ran the railroad operated a stagecoach line, providing the only commercial conveyance between Monroe and Shreveport, a distance of more than 100 miles. The Monroe & Shreveport Stage Line operated until 1883 when the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad was finally completed. Newspaper accounts described the robbery in detail. One robber stood in the road to stop the Monroe-bound stage while his companions hid in the trees. The most thorough narrative was provided by Special Agent J.R. Jolly of the Post Office Department, a tale that was repeated in newspapers across the country: a person disguised with a handkerchief over a portion of his face sprang in front of the horses in the lead, and, bringing a double-barreled shotgun cocked to bear on the driver, demanded him to stop the stage, which was done, as the driver remarked that he could almost see the bottom of both barrels of the gun, owing to the direction it was pointed. At the same moment two robbers, standing unobserved behind the pine trees, sprang to one side of the stage, while two more, secreted behind fallen trees, jumped to the other side, and the four, having large revolvers in each of their hands, demanded the passengers to surrender their weapons. The five hapless passengers immediately and without hesitation complied: One revolver and two derringers were given up to the robbers after which the passengers were requested to get out of the stage one at a time. On alighting they were compelled to raise both arms and submit to having their persons searched for money and other valuables. This performance gone through, they were politely requested to be seated in a row, and be quiet and obedient. The amount obtained was $760 from the passengers, but the robbers returned $5 each to three of them and $10 each to the other two. One of the $10 notes was given in payment of the appropriated revolver. A request

to strip and search one of the victims was suggested and he immediately commenced pulling off his clothing at the same time telling the robbers that it was rather hard to take all of his money and then force him to disrobe. His extreme willingness seemed to convince them that he possessed no more shekels, and they permitted him to again fall in line without further investigation The devious passenger had outsmarted them. Had the strip continued, a money belt containing $800 in gold would have been discovered. Instead, the money reached the Arcadia postmaster safely. During the holdup, the westbound stage from Monroe approached and the robbers quickly regrouped to intercept it as well. It proved to be without passengers so the booty was limited to slim pickings from the mail bag. The robbers appeared to be in no hurry, taking an hour to commit their crime, even bantering with the victims and collecting up newspapers to take with them. Speculation has tied the James-Younger gang to the robbery but most accounts of the notorious robbers exploits fail to mention it. The litany of 1874 crimes attributed to Jesse and Frank James and Cole Younger and his brothers normally begins with the January 15 robbery of a stagecoach between Malvern and Hot Springs, Arkansas, followed by the audacious heist of the Iron Mountain train at Gads Hill, Missouri on January 31. However, strong evidence indicates the James-Younger gang committed the double robbery of the Louisiana stages. Few historians link the Jameses and Youngers to Louisiana, but legends abound in the Bayou State regarding the outlaws affinity for the region. A 1945 tour guide developed by writers employed by FDRs Works Progress Administration (WPA) listed numerous James-Younger sites in northeast Louisiana, including purported hideouts. By his own admission, Cole Younger lived in northeast Louisiana off and on after the Civil War and in his book declares he was at the Bass Plantation in Carroll Parish (now East Carroll) with numerous witnesses when the Arcadia stage robberies occurred. Local tradition holds that the James and Younger families spent time in the area between the Ouachita and Mississippi Rivers, mostly lying low when pursuit by the law got too hot in their regular stomping grounds. The stories are numerous enough to fill a book. Since newspapers were scarce in the area and publicly advertising the outlaws presence would be foolhardy at best, scant contemporary written record supports the anecdotes. Still, the volume of stories is compelling, although most were not reduced to paper until the early 20th Century. Whether the folklore is true or not, Cole Younger admitted he, family members, and friends spent considerable time in Louisiana after the Civil War. Younger knew the area quite well. During the war, he participated in raids on the

Louisiana side of the Mississippi River opposite Vicksburg and remained in the vicinity after the conflict ended. From Youngers book, it is apparent he traveled the road where the stagecoaches were robbed several times. On several occasions Cole Younger claimed he was in northeast Louisiana when robberies took place elsewhere in the country. In his book, Cole Younger, by Himself, he states: At the time of the Richmond [March 2, 1867] and Savannah, Mo., [May 23, 1867] bank robberies, in which, according to newspapers and sensationalists, I was largely concerned, I was living on the Bass plantation, three miles below Lake Providence, in Louisiana. Capt. J. C. and Frank Lea, of Roswell, N. M., and Tom Lea, of Independence, Mo., were living in the same house with me, any one of whom will vouch for the truth of my statement that I was not anywhere near either of these towns at the time of the robberies in question, but was with them at the plantation referred to above. June 3, 1871, Obocock Bros. bank at Corydon, Iowa, was robbed of $40,000 by seven men in broad daylight. The romancers have connected Jim [Younger] and me with that, when as a matter of fact I was in Louisiana. Two major crimes occurred in the region within three weeks of Louisiana double stage robbery. The January 15 robbery of a stagecoach in Arkansas was reported in newspapers across America including the New York Times: Little Rock, Ark. Jan. 16 The stage which left Malvern yesterday for Hot Springs was stopped by a band of five highwaymen about five miles from Hot Springs, who captured the mail bags and about $2,000 worth of valuables from the fourteen passengers, and taking one of the stage horses decamped. Just fifteen days after the Malvern robbery, a daring holdup of a train occurred as it pulled into the Gads Hill, Missouri station. On January 31, five masked men forced the train to stop, boarded, and robbed the baggage car and passengers alike. The audacious deed captured the attention of the nations newspaper readers and put Pinkerton detectives hot on the gangs trail. Sightings over the ensuing days plotted the bands escape on a path north toward the home territory of the James boys. Most historians agree the James-Younger band committed the Malvern and Gads Hill robberies. Brothers Jesse and Frank James and Cole and Bob Younger are generally named as participants although various gang members have been nominated as the fifth robber. No other significant crimes are found in the newspapers of Arkansas, Louisiana, or east Texas for January and February that might indicate another gang of robbers working the region. The three January 1874 robberies share striking similarities. Five bandits participated in each holdup. In each case, significant conversations and interaction occurred between the robbers and the victims including what the outlaws probably considered humorous banter. The Arcadia robbery lasted over an hour and the robbers took their time robbing the Gads Hill train. The time frame and distances reinforce the notion that the same gang perpetrated all three holdups. The Louisiana stage robbers were last seen 14 miles north of Homer near the village of Haynesville, which would put them about five miles from the Arkansas state line. Extending a line north from the stage robbery to Haynesville on roughly the same course would place them in Hot Springs, a tourist spot well known to Jesse and Frank James, in time to commit the Malvern stage holdup on January 15. Continuing north toward Missouri to reach Gads Hill in sixteen days was not difficult. Newspaper accounts identify the Louisiana robbery as a calculated crime, not a chance encounter with an easy mark. The James-Younger gang planned their crimes;

rarely committing a robbery on the spur of the moment. The papers reported: One of the robbers told the driver [of the westbound stage] what his name was, and that this was the fourth time his mails had been robbed. In each case, the statements were correct. One of them said that they were disappointed, looking for a Jew from this end of the line [Monroe], with $4,000. This admission reveals the robbers presence around Monroe and perhaps points east toward the Mississippi River on the Travelers Road earlier. It is not difficult to envision one of the robbers in a tavern or rail station spying an enticing target, learning of his itinerary, and riding ahead to lie in wait for his stage. Casing the stage line in Monroe to learn about the driver and his behavior during prior robberies would have been simple. Monroe is just a matter of miles from the home that Cole Younger said he was visiting when these early 1874 robberies occurred. In his book and in a letter published in the November 30, 1874, St. Louis Republican, Cole Younger claimed he was in Carroll Parish, Louisiana, from December 1, 1873, to February 8, 1874, and thus could not have participated in three alleged James-Younger crimesconveniently covering the time span of the Arcadia stage heist, the Malvern holdup, and the Gads Hill train robbery. Younger named Captain Joseph C. Lea in his alibi. Younger fought in this same northeast Louisiana area with brother-in-law John Jarrette and Captain Lea during the Civil War. He lived in Floyd for several years after the war. Some sources report Jarrette was living in Delhi on the Travelers Road at this time. The 1945 WPA guide even pinpointed Jarrettes home for tourists. In one of the few contemporary newspaper articles to mention the James or Youngers, the November 24, 1876 issue of the Ouachita Telegraph in Monroe cited Jarrette as a brother-in-law of the Younger brothers who: lived, we believe, some two years ago, near Delhi, where he was visited, since the war, by one or two of the Youngers He was compelled to leave that vicinity because of being suspected as one of the murderers of a German stock-trader near Delhi. He was, we believe, a member of Quantrills partisans during the war. After the disastrous Northfield, Minnesota bank robbery where Cole Younger was arrested and Jesse and Frank James barely escaped, the Kansas City [MO] Journal of Commerce noted It is said that [John] Jarretts family reside somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Providence, Louisiana. It seems realistic that the Youngers and James brothers had reasons for being in northeast Louisiana. It is not unreasonable to imagine Jesse and Frank were hanging out with Cole and his brothers, learned of a wealthy traveler and rode ahead to await the Monroe stage. Once they committed the deed, it was time to ride north toward home in Missouri. There is no conclusive proof that the James and Younger boys robbed two stagecoaches simultaneously near Arcadia. But many locals are positive the gang frequented the region. Oak Grove holds an annual Jesse James festival. Admirers name sons and trailers parks after Jesse and Frank James. Unfortunately, an inordinate number of these namesakes have literally followed in the outlaws footsteps, landing themselves in the state penitentiary at Angola. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wesley Harris is a native of Ruston. Among his books are GREETINGS FROM RUSTON: A Post Card History of Ruston, Louisiana and Neither Fear Nor Favor: Deputy United States Marshal John Tom Sisemore, available from amazon.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Check out his Louisiana history blog at http://diggingthepast.blogspot.com.

the JESSE JAMES GANG and the ARCADIA, LOUISIANA STAGECOACH

ROBBERYBy Wesley Harris

17

Near noon on January 8, 1874, five masked men swooped down on an eastbound stagecoach about three miles west of Arcadia. While the robbers searched for valuables among the mail bags and the passengers pockets, the westbound coach of the Monroe & Shreveport Stage Line approached. Forcing it to stop as well, the robbers added to their bounty. The evidence points to members of the infamous James-Younger gang as the likely culprits. The road traversing north Louisiana from the Mississippi River to Texas was known as the Travelers Road, Wire Road, or depending on your perspective, the Shreveport Road or the road to Texas. Prior to the Civil War, the railroad had extended its line west from Vicksburg to Monroe, Louisiana, with the intent of linking up with Shreveport but the conflict interrupted the project. The lean years of Reconstruction further delayed extension of the rails. To span the gap between the Ouachita and Red Rivers, the same men who ran the railroad operated a stagecoach line, providing the only commercial conveyance between Monroe and Shreveport, a distance of more than 100 miles. The Monroe & Shreveport Stage Line operated until 1883 when the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad was finally completed. Newspaper accounts described the robbery in detail. One robber stood in the road to stop the Monroe-bound stage while his companions hid in the trees. The most thorough narrative was provided by Special Agent J.R. Jolly of the Post Office Department, a tale that was repeated in newspapers across the country: a person disguised with a handkerchief over a portion of his face sprang in front of the horses in the lead, and, bringing a double-barreled shotgun cocked to bear on the driver, demanded him to stop the stage, which was done, as the driver remarked that he could almost see the bottom of both barrels of the gun, owing to the direction it was pointed. At the same moment two robbers, standing unobserved behind the pine trees, sprang to one side of the stage, while two more, secreted behind fallen trees, jumped to the other side, and the four, having large revolvers in each of their hands, demanded the passengers to surrender their weapons. The five hapless passengers immediately and without hesitation complied: One revolver and two derringers were given up to the robbers after which the passengers were requested to get out of the stage one at a time. On alighting they were compelled to raise both arms and submit to having their persons searched for money and other valuables. This performance gone through, they were politely requested to be seated in a row, and be quiet and obedient. The amount obtained was $760 from the passengers, but the robbers returned $5 each to three of them and $10 each to the other two. One of the $10 notes was given in payment of the appropriated revolver. A request

to strip and search one of the victims was suggested and he immediately commenced pulling off his clothing at the same time telling the robbers that it was rather hard to take all of his money and then force him to disrobe. His extreme willingness seemed to convince them that he possessed no more shekels, and they permitted him to again fall in line without further investigation The devious passenger had outsmarted them. Had the strip continued, a money belt containing $800 in gold would have been discovered. Instead, the money reached the Arcadia postmaster safely. During the holdup, the westbound stage from Monroe approached and the robbers quickly regrouped to intercept it as well. It proved to be without passengers so the booty was limited to slim pickings from the mail bag. The robbers appeared to be in no hurry, taking an hour to commit their crime, even bantering with the victims and collecting up newspapers to take with them. Speculation has tied the James-Younger gang to the robbery but most accounts of the notorious robbers exploits fail to mention it. The litany of 1874 crimes attributed to Jesse and Frank James and Cole Younger and his brothers normally begins with the January 15 robbery of a stagecoach between Malvern and Hot Springs, Arkansas, followed by the audacious heist of the Iron Mountain train at Gads Hill, Missouri on January 31. However, strong evidence indicates the James-Younger gang committed the double robbery of the Louisiana stages. Few historians link the Jameses and Youngers to Louisiana, but legends abound in the Bayou State regarding the outlaws affinity for the region. A 1945 tour guide developed by writers employed by FDRs Works Progress Administration (WPA) listed numerous James-Younger sites in northeast Louisiana, including purported hideouts. By his own admission, Cole Younger lived in northeast Louisiana off and on after the Civil War and in his book declares he was at the Bass Plantation in Carroll Parish (now East Carroll) with numerous witnesses when the Arcadia stage robberies occurred. Local tradition holds that the James and Younger families spent time in the area between the Ouachita and Mississippi Rivers, mostly lying low when pursuit by the law got too hot in their regular stomping grounds. The stories are numerous enough to fill a book. Since newspapers were scarce in the area and publicly advertising the outlaws presence would be foolhardy at best, scant contemporary written record supports the anecdotes. Still, the volume of stories is compelling, although most were not reduced to paper until the early 20th Century. Whether the folklore is true or not, Cole Younger admitted he, family members, and friends spent considerable time in Louisiana after the Civil War. Younger knew the area quite well. During the war, he participated in raids on the

Louisiana side of the Mississippi River opposite Vicksburg and remained in the vicinity after the conflict ended. From Youngers book, it is apparent he traveled the road where the stagecoaches were robbed several times. On several occasions Cole Younger claimed he was in northeast Louisiana when robberies took place elsewhere in the country. In his book, Cole Younger, by Himself, he states: At the time of the Richmond [March 2, 1867] and Savannah, Mo., [May 23, 1867] bank robberies, in which, according to newspapers and sensationalists, I was largely concerned, I was living on the Bass plantation, three miles below Lake Providence, in Louisiana. Capt. J. C. and Frank Lea, of Roswell, N. M., and Tom Lea, of Independence, Mo., were living in the same house with me, any one of whom will vouch for the truth of my statement that I was not anywhere near either of these towns at the time of the robberies in question, but was with them at the plantation referred to above. June 3, 1871, Obocock Bros. bank at Corydon, Iowa, was robbed of $40,000 by seven men in broad daylight. The romancers have connected Jim [Younger] and me with that, when as a matter of fact I was in Louisiana. Two major crimes occurred in the region within three weeks of Louisiana double stage robbery. The January 15 robbery of a stagecoach in Arkansas was reported in newspapers across America including the New York Times: Little Rock, Ark. Jan. 16 The stage which left Malvern yesterday for Hot Springs was stopped by a band of five highwaymen about five miles from Hot Springs, who captured the mail bags and about $2,000 worth of valuables from the fourteen passengers, and taking one of the stage horses decamped. Just fifteen days after the Malvern robbery, a daring holdup of a train occurred as it pulled into the Gads Hill, Missouri station. On January 31, five masked men forced the train to stop, boarded, and robbed the baggage car and passengers alike. The audacious deed captured the attention of the nations newspaper readers and put Pinkerton detectives hot on the gangs trail. Sightings over the ensuing days plotted the bands escape on a path north toward the home territory of the James boys. Most historians agree the James-Younger band committed the Malvern and Gads Hill robberies. Brothers Jesse and Frank James and Cole and Bob Younger are generally named as participants although various gang members have been nominated as the fifth robber. No other significant crimes are found in the newspapers of Arkansas, Louisiana, or east Texas for January and February that might indicate another gang of robbers working the region. The three January 1874 robberies share striking similarities. Five bandits participated in each holdup. In each case, significant conversations and interaction occurred between the robbers and the victims including what the outlaws probably considered humorous banter. The Arcadia robbery lasted over an hour and the robbers took their time robbing the Gads Hill train. The time frame and distances reinforce the notion that the same gang perpetrated all three holdups. The Louisiana stage robbers were last seen 14 miles north of Homer near the village of Haynesville, which would put them about five miles from the Arkansas state line. Extending a line north from the stage robbery to Haynesville on roughly the same course would place them in Hot Springs, a tourist spot well known to Jesse and Frank James, in time to commit the Malvern stage holdup on January 15. Continuing north toward Missouri to reach Gads Hill in sixteen days was not difficult. Newspaper accounts identify the Louisiana robbery as a calculated crime, not a chance encounter with an easy mark. The James-Younger gang planned their crimes;

rarely committing a robbery on the spur of the moment. The papers reported: One of the robbers told the driver [of the westbound stage] what his name was, and that this was the fourth time his mails had been robbed. In each case, the statements were correct. One of them said that they were disappointed, looking for a Jew from this end of the line [Monroe], with $4,000. This admission reveals the robbers presence around Monroe and perhaps points east toward the Mississippi River on the Travelers Road earlier. It is not difficult to envision one of the robbers in a tavern or rail station spying an enticing target, learning of his itinerary, and riding ahead to lie in wait for his stage. Casing the stage line in Monroe to learn about the driver and his behavior during prior robberies would have been simple. Monroe is just a matter of miles from the home that Cole Younger said he was visiting when these early 1874 robberies occurred. In his book and in a letter published in the November 30, 1874, St. Louis Republican, Cole Younger claimed he was in Carroll Parish, Louisiana, from December 1, 1873, to February 8, 1874, and thus could not have participated in three alleged James-Younger crimesconveniently covering the time span of the Arcadia stage heist, the Malvern holdup, and the Gads Hill train robbery. Younger named Captain Joseph C. Lea in his alibi. Younger fought in this same northeast Louisiana area with brother-in-law John Jarrette and Captain Lea during the Civil War. He lived in Floyd for several years after the war. Some sources report Jarrette was living in Delhi on the Travelers Road at this time. The 1945 WPA guide even pinpointed Jarrettes home for tourists. In one of the few contemporary newspaper articles to mention the James or Youngers, the November 24, 1876 issue of the Ouachita Telegraph in Monroe cited Jarrette as a brother-in-law of the Younger brothers who: lived, we believe, some two years ago, near Delhi, where he was visited, since the war, by one or two of the Youngers He was compelled to leave that vicinity because of being suspected as one of the murderers of a German stock-trader near Delhi. He was, we believe, a member of Quantrills partisans during the war. After the disastrous Northfield, Minnesota bank robbery where Cole Younger was arrested and Jesse and Frank James barely escaped, the Kansas City [MO] Journal of Commerce noted It is said that [John] Jarretts family reside somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Providence, Louisiana. It seems realistic that the Youngers and James brothers had reasons for being in northeast Louisiana. It is not unreasonable to imagine Jesse and Frank were hanging out with Cole and his brothers, learned of a wealthy traveler and rode ahead to await the Monroe stage. Once they committed the deed, it was time to ride north toward home in Missouri. There is no conclusive proof that the James and Younger boys robbed two stagecoaches simultaneously near Arcadia. But many locals are positive the gang frequented the region. Oak Grove holds an annual Jesse James festival. Admirers name sons and trailers parks after Jesse and Frank James. Unfortunately, an inordinate number of these namesakes have literally followed in the outlaws footsteps, landing themselves in the state penitentiary at Angola. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wesley Harris is a native of Ruston. Among his books are GREETINGS FROM RUSTON: A Post Card History of Ruston, Louisiana and Neither Fear Nor Favor: Deputy United States Marshal John Tom Sisemore, available from amazon.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Check out his Louisiana history blog at http://diggingthepast.blogspot.com.

the JESSE JAMES GANG and the ARCADIA, LOUISIANA STAGECOACH

ROBBERYBy Wesley Harris

18

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I get by with a little help from my friends...-----------------------------------

This is the time of year where we start to think about those we love. (Mostly because Hallmark invented a holiday for us to.) Its not a bad thing, its just tricky how a company can make you think if you dont get your significant other lingerie, jewelry, and chocolate then you dont really love that person. I dont think thats true. I believe in cards. A plain, simple, well versed, bring a lump to your throat card will do just fine. It is simply the perfect gift. My husband always receives a card on Valentines Day expressing exactly how I feel. As a matter of fact he has received the very same card for the last 8 years in a row. The card so well sums up our relationship, I give it to him every year. Its like it was written for me, for him. The symbolism in the card is so powerful; it brought

tears to my eyes. Ok, thats a lie. I forgot one year to get a card and ran across the one from the year before and decided to try and pass it off as a new one. It worked and I have been doing it every year now. He never remembers it from the year before and always has the same reaction to it. I guess now I have to get a new card. Crap. Maybe I didnt think this out too well. The point is- love is in the air. L.O.V.E. Its everywhere we look. I have heard its what makes the world go round. Love is by far the most written about subject to date. Its what all the singers sing about. There are all kinds of love. The love we feel for a spouse is completely different than that of a child. We love our parents differently than we do our friends. Our lives are filled with people we love. I have been blessed by the love of many friends. Friends that would drop whatever they were doing and come running if I needed them to. Friends that would stop at a moments notice to pray when I needed it. Friends that would hold my hand when I needed comfort or sometimes to hold me up while I sobbed. These friends have been there for me through some of the lowest points in my life. Everyone should

have friends like I have. They have taught me about life. They have taught me compassion by example. They have shown me what loyalty means. The trials we all have been through have made us all stronger and closer and I wouldnt change anything. I have admired them and listened to their opinions. I cannot

imagine my life without them. Some I have known my whole life and some were placed in my life later when I needed them. They are without a doubt Heaven sent. They have laughed with me and sometimes at me, but always beside me. They are more precious to me than all the purses in my closets. (And they know how much I love my purses.) I would never want another sun to set without them understanding how very precious they are to me. I dont even have to name their names, because they know exactly who they are. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for accepting me for who I am. And most of all thank you for all the memories.

-----------------------------------"Yes I get by with a little

help from my friends with a little help from

my friends." Paul McCartney

Now showing in Louisianas only

www.sciport.org/IMAX(318) 424-3466

www.sciport.org

Itll blow you away!Presented locally by

KSLA StormTracker 12

19

THANKS SO MUCH

to Louisiana Tech University, Squire Creek,

Northern Louisiana Medi-cal Center, First National

Bank, and the volunteers who worked so very hard to make our first annual WIGGIN' OUT

event a huge success!

20

-----------------------------------

Viewing God Through a Mardi Gras Lens-----------------------------------

Im going to print a few words and I want you to tell me the first thing that comes into your mind... Birdhouse - Ok, good. Clowns - Weird, me too. Family - Nice. New Orleans Mardi Gras - Whoa! Slow down there. This is a family publication! Depending on where you live and whether youve visited N.O. during Mardi Gras probably depends on how you view Mardi Gras in my wonderful city. Someone who was from say, Ruston, and had never been here during the season probably has heard a

lot of things... and they are probably true. But they arent the whole story. But you may think that indecency and debauchery is the whole story. Someone who is from Alexandria and has been here during Mardi Gras may know more of the story but not actually experience it. They may have heard that there are family oriented places and there are places where raunchy things happen. And that is true. But all they saw was the filth. Someone who is from New Orleans, though, views Mardi Gras in a completely different way. We know that there are 4 different areas (excluding the Northshore - sorry guys!) of Mardi Gras. Those areas are Metairie/Kenner, Uptown, French Quarter, and the Westbank. We know that the people who are in the Quarter are not usually from Louisiana but somehow we take on the reputation that they bring into town. We know that the city all but stops during carnival season and if you dont have the money to go to Colorado to ski then you are

planning a staycation... as in stay inside of your house. Unless, of course, you love the parades! Then you are out all day long! New Orleaneans love them because we know that the three areas except for the Quarter are family friendly and very enjoyable. We know that the kids squeal with delight when they get pegged in the head with a stuffed football or Krewe themed beads. Now let me ask you this do you view God through a Mardi Gras lens? Do you see Him in the way that youve heard about? Do you see Him in the way that youve heard but never experienced? Or do you view God through your lens of knowledge and understanding? Do you know God because youve actually seen Him work in your life? Do you view Him in a way that reflects your experience in engaging Him? You see, its easy to say you know of God but it is something else entirely to say you know God. The bible says neither matter actually. The only thing that is important is whether

God knows you. Now the hard part is that you may not have any experience with God. That doesnt disqualify you from a relationship with Him. It just means that you may have a tilted view of Him. You can straighten that tilt easily. Pull out your bible and everything you want to know about Him is in there. It isnt an overnight read mind you. It gets deep. Go deep with Him and see where Hell take you. He desires a relationship with you but He doesnt stop there. He wants you to know more and more and more about Him. He doesnt want you to hang on to what youve heard about Him. He doesnt want you to embrace just what youve thought about Him. He wants you to actually read first hand about Him through Scripture. He wants you to experience Him in a way like never before! Now, I hope youll come and visit us during Mardi Gras but let me encourage you to be cautious about what area you view the parades from. I want you to view our city with a positive view and a positive experience. I want you to know the truth about New Orleans and Mardi Gras. God wants you to view Him in the right way too. But what youve heard and where youve been can color your view of Him. Sit with Him in the right place through Scripture. Read it quick and view Him from up high like a Mardi Gras ladder. Or get right up against the float and study it slow. Either way youre experiencing Him.

21

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To schedule or not to schedule-- that is the question-----------------------------------

Ever wondered how to throw off the space/time continuum and send the world spiraling into a state of utter and irreversible doom? Yeah, me neither, but I found out. The hard way. Heres what you do: go into the bedroom of a child with autism, casually toss a pair of socks into the sock drawer on top of the neatly lined rows of color-coordinated socks and while youre at it, on the way out, push that Hot Wheels car an iota of an inch out of line with the others. Now, put the child in the room. It takes about 30 seconds for them to figure out their perfectly ordered space has been altered. This is the

elaborate way of saying that most people on the autism spectrum dont like change in any way, shape or form. Its not far from the truth, though. Over the years Ive watched this particular aspect of my sons personality morph and change. When he was younger, he was much less accepting of changes around him. We figured out just how inflexible he was going to be one morning when I was so busy and running so late that I had to ask his dad to help him get dressed. I suppose he was around two-years-old. With only minutes left for me to apply make-up, dry and style my hair, get dressed and dash out the door to work, my dear husband says, Hey, dont worry about dressing Trent for school, Ill take care of it. Im immediately skeptical after all, it wasnt a holiday or my birthday or our anniversary and my husband was OFFERING to help. It took all of three seconds to jump at the chance to take advantage of that one! I go about my business. The next thing I hear is the loudest, most high-pitched squeal I had ever heard. Like a banshee and it didnt stop, it was one continuous wail. Ok, certainly this means the

child is lying in a pool of his own blood, head busted open or bones protruding. I take off running toward his room. My husband is there, eyes wide, staring dumbfounded at this red-faced child on the floor, screaming. As soon as I walked in, my son ran to me, clutching at my legs for dear life and sobbing. The words came out brokenly, but he said to me, Socks go on AFTER pants! Man, am I glad he outgrew this one. Mostly. Dad could never again help him put clothes on. Ive noticed theres still a certain order he puts his clothes on, but hes not so uptight about it these days if he has to put his shirt on first because Ive thrown the jeans in the dryer at the last minute because I forgot to the night before. There were rituals to perform before the bus got there in the morning: if he didnt get to write on the sidewalk with the sidewalk chalk before stepping foot on that bus, a band of demons couldnt rival the tantrum. And speaking of the bus, I got a call one day from the schoolthey had gone on a field trip that day. A bus took them down the street to the big school. What should have been a five minute trip ended up as thirty

while they tried to calm my child down. This wasnt the same bus that took him to school, but it was a bus, nonetheless and his seat was the third one back on the left. There was already a little girl sitting there. So, he screamed at her that it was his seat and when she wouldnt move (and good for her, she shouldnt have to), he bit her. Most of these things have died away as hes gotten older and more mature. He may grumble about having to move to another seat, but hell do it. He doesnt have to write with chalk on the driveway anymore, but he does have to pull all the weeds out of the bushes every morning. Perhaps the biggest one is with time. We have to tell people over and over, for the love of all thats holy, dont tell him youll do something at a certain time if you are not prepared to drop everything at that EXACT moment and do it. Food cant touch on his plate (although I hear this may not be specific to autism). Its hard living with such rigidity if youre like me and fly by the seat of your pants most days. I can say Ive learned to stick to a schedule better than most but it can also be very exhausting. I cant put off cooking because dinner is at 6:30, regardless. I constantly have to remind myself about saying what time things will happen. I have to sooth the savage beast when TV shows are cancelled or come on late or if a different bus decides to take their route by our house and hes confused because its not the real bus. But when I watch him pace relentlessly, twirling that piece of hair right in the center of his head while he explains to me how the internet transfers information, I wouldnt trade THAT for the world!

-----------------------------------

24

a cultural revolution in Northern Louisiana

Mardi GrasThey say that anything can happen in Louisiana during this time of year. Men can become kings. Women can be-come queens. And all of us have the opportunity to throw away reality for a few weeks and forget about our worries. Thus is the season of Mardi Gras, the most notable race to the finish line of lent in all of the Americas-- if not the entire world. With beads in our hands and masks upon our faces, Catho-lics and Protestants (and a slew of other faiths, too!) stand side by side and scream, "Throw me somethin', Mister!" But what exactly makes the season of green, purple and gold so appealing to the masses in Northern Louisiana? Are we, the predominately Protestant Carnival-goers, truly preparing to re-pent for our sins? Or has our version of Mardi Gras somehow taken on a life of its own? As members of the society that occupies the region of land hidden behind the shoelaces of our boot-shaped state, many people in Northwest Louisiana tend think of Mardi Gras as a time to relax and have fun. But did you realize that right now-- in this very moment-- we're growing as a culture? We've always occupied the quiet, unassuming end of the state, where people tend to be a bit more tight-lipped than the care-free cul-ture of southern Louisiana. But deep within the piney woods, change is in the air. Our society is merging with our Creole neighbors to the south. Have you noticed the difference in your lifetime? It has been a very lovely transformation thus far, and we're not even finished yet. When I was a child in the 1970's and 1980's, Mardi Gras didn't quite reach into the rural towns of Northern Loui-siana. To be perfectly honest, the word Lent wasn't even in my vocabulary until I made my first trip to New Orleans at age nineteen. Unlike my own children, I didn't know the ins and outs of Mardi Gras when I was a kid. But I did have a vague awareness that somewhere in southern Louisiana, there was

a gigantic party going on and the prospect of being involved sounded rather exciting. Years before I was born, my great-

aunt married a Cajun man and moved to South Louisiana, and every year she sent me a large box filled to the brim with exquisite plastic beads and shiny doubloons. But

that was all that I knew about Carnival; the entirity of my childhood Mardi Gras experience was contained

within a half dozen cardboard boxes. In the days of my youth, there was no such thing as a Mardi Gras

parade in our small town. There were no streets filled with party goers, no zydeco bands playing

in the streets of Springhill, Sarepta, Cotton Val-

ley, Shongaloo or Haynesville. But things are different now. Through the years I've watched our culture change. Mardi Gras is no longer exclusive to Southern Louisiana towns. In the Northern end of the state, we have adopted the beauty and excitement of a Carnival that's part religion and part festi-val, part culinary delight and part rock concert. The culture of northern Louisiana has somehow evolved to, dare I say, loosen the strict laws of southern society. If only for a few weeks in January and February, the northern end of our state shakes off its Protestant roots and imagines what it would be like to be a New Orleans Catholic. And we have one heck of a time. I see it plainly. Do you? Our culture is changing. And it's affecting everyone-- even those of us in small northern Louisiana towns. The blending of our cultures has directly af-fected you. All year long, you tow the line. You work a nine to five job, taxi the children back and forth to school, and say, "Yes, Ma'am," or "No, Sir," a hundred times a day. But then, just when you're coming down off of the Christmas rush, it hap-pens. The Holiday decorations are barely tucked away in the attic when you catch a whiff of a cinnamon-filled King Cake. Someone throws a bead, and suddenly you know that it's okay to allow your inner-child to shine through. You have embraced our state's beautiful history. And in return, Mardi Gras has em-braced you, too. To the innocent observer (pun intended!) the entire state of Louisiana loses its mind for a brief time during mid-win-ter. We dress in feather boas, wear dozens of beads around our necks, and dance in the streets. We feast on King Cakes in hopes of finding a baby inside. We crowd the streets, hop-ing to catch a glimpse of celebrities who have happily lost their minds, too. Oh yes, we're a little bit crazy. Or maybe we're a lot crazy. But you know what? I kinda like it. And I bet you do, too. We've become a united state by speaking Mardi Gras, a language of its own that transcends English and French, Catholic and Protestant. During this Mardi Gras season, I challenge you to lose yourself in the beauty of a tradition both old a new. Throw caution to the wind and pretend, if only briefly, that you've lost your inhibitions. Begin to see the colors of purple, green, and gold as an easy escape hatch, a way to leave behind reality for a few days and embrace the quirky, fun side of Louisiana culture. Become one with our neighbors to the south. After all-- they gave us crawfish, blackened catfish, and gumbo. And they're perfectly happy to share their beloved Carnival season, too.

Cover model Stephanie Fernandez in her signa-ture art form: makeup. Read about Stephanie's artwork in this issue of The Minute Magazine! Photo by Kerry Easley of Main Street Photog-raphy in Minden, LA.

Written by Jackie Lewis

25

a cultural revolution in Northern Louisiana

Mardi GrasThey say that anything can happen in Louisiana during this time of year. Men can become kings. Women can be-come queens. And all of us have the opportunity to throw away reality for a few weeks and forget about our worries. Thus is the season of Mardi Gras, the most notable race to the finish line of lent in all of the Americas-- if not the entire world. With beads in our hands and masks upon our faces, Catho-lics and Protestants (and a slew of other faiths, too!) stand side by side and scream, "Throw me somethin', Mister!" But what exactly makes the season of green, purple and gold so appealing to the masses in Northern Louisiana? Are we, the predominately Protestant Carnival-goers, truly preparing to re-pent for our sins? Or has our version of Mardi Gras somehow taken on a life of its own? As members of the society that occupies the region of land hidden behind the shoelaces of our boot-shaped state, many people in Northwest Louisiana tend think of Mardi Gras as a time to relax and have fun. But did you realize that right now-- in this very moment-- we're growing as a culture? We've always occupied the quiet, unassuming end of the state, where people tend to be a bit more tight-lipped than the care-free cul-ture of southern Louisiana. But deep within the piney woods, change is in the air. Our society is merging with our Creole neighbors to the south. Have you noticed the difference in your lifetime? It has been a very lovely transformation thus far, and we're not even finished yet. When I was a child in the 1970's and 1980's, Mardi Gras didn't quite reach into the rural towns of Northern Loui-siana. To be perfectly honest, the word Lent wasn't even in my vocabulary until I made my first trip to New Orleans at age nineteen. Unlike my own children, I didn't know the ins and outs of Mardi Gras when I was a kid. But I did have a vague awareness that somewhere in southern Louisiana, there was

a gigantic party going on and the prospect of being involved sounded rather exciting. Years before I was born, my great-aunt married a Cajun man and moved to South Louisiana, and every year she sent me a large box filled to the brim with exquisite plastic beads and shiny doubloons. But

that was all that I knew about Carnival; the entirity of my childhood Mardi Gras experience was contained within a half dozen cardboard boxes. In the days of my youth, there was no such thing as a Mardi Gras parade in our small town. There were no streets filled with party goers, no zydeco bands playing in the streets of Springhill, Sarepta, Cotton Val-

ley, Shongaloo or Haynesville. But things are different now. Through the years I've watched our culture change. Mardi Gras is no longer exclusive to Southern Louisiana towns. In the Northern end of the state, we have adopted the beauty and excitement of a Carnival that's part religion and part festi-val, part culinary delight and part rock concert. The culture of northern Louisiana has somehow evolved to, dare I say, loosen the strict laws of southern society. If only for a few weeks in January and February, the northern end of our state shakes off its Protestant roots and imagines what it would be like to be a New Orleans Catholic. And we have one heck of a time. I see it plainly. Do you? Our culture is changing. And it's affecting everyone-- even those of us in small northern Louisiana towns. The blending of our cultures has directly af-fected you. All year long, you tow the line. You work a nine to five job, taxi the children back and forth to school, and say, "Yes, Ma'am," or "No, Sir," a hundred times a day. But then, just when you're coming down off of the Christmas rush, it hap-pens. The Holiday decorations are barely tucked away in the attic when you catch a whiff of a cinnamon-filled King Cake. Someone throws a bead, and suddenly you know that it's okay to allow your inner-child to shine through. You have embraced our state's beautiful history. And in return, Mardi Gras has em-braced you, too. To the innocent observer (pun intended!) the entire state of Louisiana loses its mind for a brief time during mid-win-ter. We dress in feather boas, wear dozens of beads around our necks, and dance in the streets. We feast on King Cakes in hopes of finding a baby inside. We crowd the streets, hop-ing to catch a glimpse of celebrities who have happily lost their minds, too. Oh yes, we're a little bit crazy. Or maybe we're a lot crazy. But you know what? I kinda like it. And I bet you do, too. We've become a united state by speaking Mardi Gras, a language of its own that transcends English and French, Catholic and Protestant. During this Mardi Gras season, I challenge you to lose yourself in the beauty of a tradition both old a new. Throw caution to the wind and pretend, if only briefly, that you've lost your inhibitions. Begin to see the colors of purple, green, and gold as an easy escape hatch, a way to leave behind reality for a few days and embrace the quirky, fun side of Louisiana culture. Become one with our neighbors to the south. After all-- they gave us crawfish, blackened catfish, and gumbo. And they're perfectly happy to share their beloved Carnival season, too.

Cover model Stephanie Fernandez in her signa-ture art form: makeup. Read about Stephanie's artwork in this issue of The Minute Magazine! Photo by Kerry Easley of Main Street Photog-raphy in Minden, LA.

Written by Jackie Lewis

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Garlic Roasted

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Around my house, I always have a small jar of roasted garlic on hand. Usually I keep it in a washed and reused baby food jar or sometimes in a small jelly jar. Every time a recipe calls for garlic, I like to use my roasted garlic instead. Roasted garlic is milder and sweeter than regular garlic and it doesnt have the pungent bite that raw garlic does. Roasting the garlic is super easy and you dont need one of those fancy terracotta roasting dishes. Foil works well enough and can be thrown away, so no dishwashing required which makes it is a recipe after my own heart. If you find that raw garlic is too strong for you, try it roasted. You will be surprised at the difference in flavor and you might find that youve developed a liking for garlic after all. Here is my favorite recipe for roasted garlic along with 3 great party recipes that you can use the garlic in.

Roasted Garlic Ingredients:

4 Heads of Garlic Tbsp. Butter Olive Oil Kosher Salt Black Pepper

Description: Preheat oven to 350F. Place a sheet of foil in a small cake pan. Slice the tops off the garlic and place in the center of the foil. Cut the tbsp. of butter into 4 equal squares and top each head of garlic with a piece. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Be sure to drizzle lightly since using too much oil will result in oily garlic and use regular olive oil, not the extra virgin kind. I find that extra virgin olive oil overpowers the flavor of the garlic. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of kosher salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Seal the foil to create a small pouch and roast in the oven for 1 hours or until the garlic is golden and smells delicious. I find that the butter and the oil combine to give a little more yumminess to the garlic than if you had only used oil.

Roasted Garlic Hummus Ingredients:

1 16oz can Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas

4 Tbsp. Lemon Juice or the juice of 1 lemon.1 Head Roasted Garlic tsp. Cumin tsp. Cayenne Pepper tsp. Salt Black Pepper to taste 1/4 to 1/3 cup Olive Oil

Description: Add all the ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor. Blend together in order to puree the beans and garlic. Once pureed, keep the food processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You may need a little less or a little more oil each time you make this.

Roasted Garlic Wontons Ingredients:

2 Heads of Roasted Garlic8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened20 Wonton Wrappers 1 tsp. Lemon Juice Salt Black Pepper 2 cups Vegetable Oil

Description: In a bowl, combine the garlic, cream cheese, and lemon juice.

Salt and pepper to taste. Add a small dollop, about 1 teaspoonful to the center of each wonton. Wet your finger and run it along all 4 sides of each wonton and fold over into a triangle shape. Press firmly to seal the edges. In a large frying pan, heat the oil to 350. Fry each side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Drain the excess oil off of each wonton. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Roasted Garlic Stuffed Jalapenos Ingredients:

20 Fresh Jalapenos 1 Head Roasted Garlic8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened cup Mozzarella Cheese, finely shredded2 green onions, chopped fineSalt & Pepper to cup extra shredded Mozzarella cheese to top the jalapenos with.

Description: Preheat oven to 275. Be sure to wear gloves when dealing with the jalapenos. Half each jalapeno and use a spoon to remove all the seeds and the white membrane. A grapefruit spoon works well for this since they have the serrated edges. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, roasted garlic, mozzarella cheese, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Stuff each jalapeno half with the mixture and top with the extra mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes, then raise the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is nicely browned.

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Calling all Questions! Have a question about preservation or old house repairs? Send me an email at [email protected]. Each month Megan will feature a brief Q&A with real-world problems and practical solutions appropriate for your old house.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In honor of the new additions expected this month by two Minute Magazine writers, Ive decided to take a closer look at two subjects that are near and dear to my heart: children and older homes. Many people dont think twice about putting the two together, while some believe it to be an unwise combination. With legitimate concerns as well as many benefits to consider, parents can safely and comfortably raise their kids in an old house. When a baby is on the way, even the staunchest fans of historic architecture may consider drastic measures to make sure their child grows up in a healthy environment. While many parents-to-be consider moving from their old house to a new one for want of a more family-friendly open floor plan, others decide to tackle a major renovation before the baby arrives. I

knew a young couple that lived in a historic home when they were expecting their first child. Because their home was old enough to have once contained lead paint, they decided to gut the 100 year old plaster walls of the nursery and install sheetrock. Though they acted in the best interest of their child, their unfounded fear of lead poisoning from the suspicion that a layer of lead paint lay encapsulated under the current color on their walls not only cost them a lot of money, but may have also caused more harm to mother and child than if they had left their plaster walls alone. While lead paint is a serious health hazard that can be found in many older homes, it is important to understand that as long as lead paint is undisturbed and shows no signs of flaking, peeling, or dusting, it poses little risk. Furthermore, the federal government banned the use of lead paint in the late 1970s. Most old homes have been repainted since then, encapsulating the lead paint on the wall and minimizing the risk to humans. Demolishing plaster

walls disturbs encapsulated lead paint, creating lead dust and posing a greater risk to humans. Even if you fear your home contains lead paint, remember that most pediatricians routinely monitor lead levels in children. You can request more frequent tests if you suspect high levels in your home. Once encapsulated or properly abated by a licensed contractor, lead paint poses little risk. As parents of one young son with another arriving soon, my husband and I were quite concerned about bringing a baby home in mid-winter to an old house that often feels cold and drafty. After some research, we found that a room temperature of 61 degrees to 67 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended to reduce the risk of SIDS. We purchased an easyto-read thermometer for the babys room and have been monitoring it for the last few weeks while we prepare for baby. Turns out, we had no reason to worry. The temperature of babys room, and our house, consistently stays at around 67 degrees.

Slightly cooler than where our heating unit is set, but safe for baby and manageable for me. We also have plenty of swaddling blankets and footed sleepers on hand that will keep baby warm on extremely cold nights. Old houses are admittedly draftier than tightly sealed new construction, but it turns out that a lower room temperature is better for babies. Do your research and monitor the temperature of your house with a thermometer other than the one on your thermostat. It may not be as cold and drafty as you think! The cost of having children combined with the current economic climate mean that many young families are on a budget. If youre looking to purchase or rent your own home, dont rule our older houses in historic neighborhoods. In many areas, older homes can be your best bet for affordable home ownership and quality construction. Not only do older homes often offer more square footage at less cost, they sit on established lots surrounded by trees and other vegetation. You may get more house for you money and a yard where your kids can run and play, get dirty, and climb trees as opposed to a sod-less dirt lot that often accompanies new construction. While an older home may often require some work to make it your own, that work is well worth it to many who value architectural character, enough square footage for a growing family, a landscaped yard, and a central location usually within walking distance or a short drive of amenities and cultural events downtown. Living in an older home is a living architectural laboratory. Kids will notice differences between their old home and newer homes. What a great opportunity to pass along the value of protecting our cultural heritage.

-------------------------------------What are your experiences living in an older home with kids? Email me and Ill share your good advice!

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MINDEN MEDICAL CENTER IS PLEASEDTO WELCOME OUR NEWEST PHYSICIAN

#1 MEDICAL PLAZA | MINDEN, LA 71055 | (318) 377-2321

As a parent of two children, Dr. Cristal Kirby understandsthe trust you must build with a physician as they treat yourchild. She truly cares about her patients and looks forwardto seeing them grow up to be healthy and productive adults.

Dr. Kirby has chosen to bring her expertise in PEDIATRICSand love of children to Minden. We were looking for severalspecific qualities when my husband and I were decidingwhere to move and we found them in Minden. We wanteda community that was of this size, where people werefriendly and a positive environment where we can raise ourfamily. The next challenge was to find a hospital and medicalpersonnel that was top notch. Minden Medical Center fitthat and more.

Dr. Kirby has joined Dr. Michael Ulich at Minden Pediatricsand is now accepting new patients (newborn to 21 years)at their new location 1232 Sheppard Street in Minden.Appointments may be made by calling (318) 371-7733.

CRISTAL KIRBY, M.D.

EDUCATIONMEDICAL DOCTORATE DEGREEMedical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

INTERNSHIP& PEDIATRIC RESIDENCYPitt County Memorial Hospital - Greenville, NC

PERSONALHappy is the word sheuses to describe herself. I have found that happydoctors who love whatthey do, give great patientcareand their attitude is contagious.

Dr. Kirby enjoys biking,swimming and spendingtime with her husband,Paul, and their two children, Madison and Alyssa.

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What to do if you're

in a car accident.

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Being in a car acci-dent is such a jolt to your system. And with so much going on in the immediate aftermath, there are some important things to keep in mind.

1. Stay as calm as possible. Breathe deeply, count to ten, think of the ocean whatever helps you slow down your heart rate and focus.

2. Check for inju-ries. Remember that your

adrenaline rush can mask symptoms. If you or anyone involved might be injured, call an ambulance imme-diately. Turn on your haz-ard lights. This lets drivers behind you know there's an incident ahead. If you have them, and it's safe to do so, you might also want to use orange cones, warning triangles, or safety flares. * Get out of traffic. If the accident seems minor and there aren't any inju-ries, move cars out of the way and to the closest safe place.

3. Call the police. They'll sort through the scene, talk to the involved parties, and write up an ac-cident report.

4. Notify your agent. An insurance agent can help you sort through your options, even if the accident was minor.

5. Take notes. Things happen so quickly that it's easy to forget de-tails. Jot down your recol-lections of the accident, including the damage to all cars. If possible, get the contact information of any

witnesses.

6. Take pictures. If your cell phone can do it or if you've got a camera on hand and it's safe to do so take photos of the ac-cident scene and any dam-age you can see.

7. Prevent fur-ther damage. If it doesn't put you or anyone else in harm's way, do what's pos-sible to prevent any further damage to your vehicle. 8. Exchange in-surance information. If the name on the auto regis-tration and/or insurance policy is different from the name of the driver, estab-lish the relationship and note it.

9. Stick with the facts. Be polite. Stay ob-jective and be truthful.

10. Stay. It always seems to take forever, but don't leave the scene of the accident until everything is taken care of.

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Raised Southern

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Digging, done well, is a kind of practical dance. The choreography of the spade is fluid, economical, circular. It bears intention forward into action and round to intention again. The best digging often appears effortless. There is no waste, no rushing, no haphazard fits and starts, only the deliberate downward sweep of the blade, an easy arcing upswing, and steadily accumulating evidence of progress. Digging may never qualify as a spectator sport but good digging is surprisingly fun to watch, and good diggers, as a rule, are not nearly so irritable while under observation as their less-accomplished peers.~ J, Tevere MacFadyen, The Call to Dig Horticulture, March 1985

As Spring approaches the call of the soil is near. Anyone who has ever done much digging knows the effect it has on the mind, much

less a body that has lain dormant since fall. The Robins have de-wormed the yard and the Cedar Waxwings have scoured the cedars. We gathered all the leaves, year before last, with the tractor and piled them in our yard. Without much rain last year nearly no decomposition took place until after the late fall rains. Now I have some good compost readying that I will add to my garden, in preparation for planting potatoes and all the other spring goodies. There may be 20 yards of compost that will be soon ready. At least I can move it with the bucket on our tractor, no way I could shovel all that compost, Im getting too old for that much work!

Speaking of potatoes, it is the perfect time to get them in the ground. I havent planted any taters since I was a kid, at home with my parents. Many memories of the whole family planting them, with a stick in hand, to measure distance. I can guess this was for us little people(all 4 of us) so we did not to plant too many at once and have enough seed to fill all the rows dad had plowed. Mom prepared the seedling potatoes a few days before they were to be planted. She would cut the tubers into pieces that had to contain at least one sprout each. This would provide at least a half

dozen new plants from each tuber. Since cutting the tuber open can invite rot Momma would leave the cut potatoes out, to sit in a warm place, for several days, to seal the tater slice scars with a protective callus before planting.

Mom always told us Make sure you place the eyes up. One year our family

planted two gardens with my dads brother, Uncle Wayne, and his family. We sure had fun when it came time to dig the potatoes, with all us eight children playing in the dirt. Daddy and Uncle Wayne plowed the potato rows up and it was the kids job to gather them in baskets. We even got into a potato war with each other. I think Uncle Wayne started it! We had so many potatoes that year I thought we were going to turn into one. Momma had us little people help her store the bushels of potatoes, under the pine tree shade, in the straw, not touching one another, so if one would rot it wouldnt affect the whole crop. They sure were good.

I can hardly wait to see what happens under my soil this year.

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Remember to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Happy

Gardening!

35

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It can always get worse, right?-----------------------------------

Have you ever had the feeling that if one more thing goes wrong you just would not know what to do? In that same moment of feeling that did you stop and think, I better not say that because it could always be worse. Well, I certainly have. Right before Christmas I became ill. This really put a damper on my holiday season because I was so sick I could just barely get out of bed to crawl to the sofa. I finally had to accept that I was sick and this Christmas I was just not going to get to do my usual shopping, visiting and baking. My family was great and we settled in and began to celebrate the real reason for the season. Well, let me just say, if ever my faith in the real reason has been put to a test it most certainly was in the last month of December 2011. It goes something like this, I became ill, a large part of a tree fell

on my husbands vehicle causing some damage, my daughters car had a problem starting, my oven went out (which is not a good thing for someone who loves to bake like me), my dishwasher went out (which is not so bad since the oven went out and I could not cook), my car engine blew up and we found a leak in the roof above my dining room. And a couple of other things too but I will spare you the little details. Yep, all that within 2 short weeks. Now one might hear all these things and look at me and wonder how in the world I kept from going insane while I was laid up on the sofa sick as a dog. Well, not sure exactly when but after one of these mishaps I looked at my husband and daughter and said to them I think the devil is out to get us. Oh, come on, surely some of you have felt that way at some point in your life? Then I said to them he has no authority over our family, so we are just going to laugh and push forward. Well I must not have proclaimed that last part loud enough because several more things happened. But true to my word, after every incident, my family and I would shake our head and laugh. I mean what else can you do? Christmas came and went and we were

thankful to have been able to participate in our usual holiday gatherings. We even started a new tradition this year. My husband has extended family that we are close to but rarely do anything with but this year they invited us to their home for Christmas Day dinner. What a blessing that was. My cousin who lives in Dallas came home for Christmas this year after many years of not being able to. So even though I was sick and we had a few mishaps it was a wonderful holiday season for my family. Not everything is fixed yet, I still have no oven, dishwasher or car. But I have no doubts those things will be repaired soon. Honestly I have laughed so much over all of this that I have forgotten to be worried about it all. But never doubt the Lord can use all of our trials for good even when you do not even realize he is doing it. Let me explain, I noticed on Facebook that a friend of mine had been very sick so I decided to go visit her. Those who know me know that I rarely pop in on anyone. But, this particular day I was heading out and just decided to pull in her driveway and check on her. I found out that I myself was not the only one going through a tough time, she had a relative who was very ill and probably not going

to live very long and she herself had been sick and in the bed for three days, sad because she was sick and heartbroken over her relative. I proceeded to tell her about everything that had gone on with my family. She looked at me and said she was so glad I dropped by and that she appreciated knowing she was not the only one going through a tough time. The Lords timing is always perfect isnt it? Now dont get me wrong, I had a fe

The Minute Magazine JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2012

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