Volunteer at the Humane Society of Pulaski County

Warm Hearts, Cold Noses

 

     Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness make the biggest differences. Local hero Robert Ward has been volunteering at the Humane Society of Pulaski County for a little over six months. He is passionate about serving these wonderful animals who are so desperately in need, and he is quick to point out how they have changed his life for the better.

     The HSPC is a "no kill" shelter. Because the dogs and cats stay there for the rest of their lives if they are not adopted, it is essential they get exercise and loving attention outside of the cages just like any other pet. The shelter is staffed by generous and loving folks, but in this case, more is definitely better. For this reason, they depend on volunteers who give of their time to support these dogs and cats. Human interaction makes them more adoptable and gives them socialization skills.

     "These animals are, for the most part, just abandoned. Some come from other shelters. Some are involved in court cases. I chose this place because it is a no-kill shelter, and I don't see any reason why the animals should be put down if there is nothing wrong with them," Mr. Ward said.

     The day of our interview, we are outside in the facility's play park with a beautiful carmel-colored Chow and shepherd mix named Desaro. 

     "See how he's prancing around? He's having fun," Robert said.  "When he's happy, I'm happy! I'd take this one home if I had a yard.  My favorite part is the interaction with these dogs because they appreciate it, they show it, and they give it back to you right away. You get the rewards immediately. It's good therapy for both me and the dogs."

     In 2004 Robert moved back to Little Rock from Oklahoma, where he worked as a bail bondsman, for radiation treatment at UAMS Radiation Treatment Center. Much like the dogs, he is a courageous survivor. He's seen it all, and he has been free of laryngeal cancer for eight years. 

     When asked what his experience taught him he said, "Don't take anything for granted. That's why I help. I've always liked dogs. Unlike humans, they love unconditionally. They remind me to do that, too." He volunteers from four to seven times a week.

     "He's here so much, I thought he worked here!" Nathaniel Patrick, a new employee at the shelter, said. "Even folks who come one hour a week make a huge difference. Robert is special."

     "He's out here every day. Dedicated. Every day," said Sheldon Walker, a 12-year employee of the HSPC. "We need more like him. This is what we do: save animals. It's all we do." 

      Robert said some volunteers come one day a week for an hour and "that's great. Just give what you can. The rewards are many."

     The shelter is caring for some animals involved in abuse or neglect cases, and they are not available for adoption until the courts have ruled. 

     Robert said, "I think those people should be put in the same category as those people who would abuse or neglect a kid. That's basically what they are, four-legged kids."

     The shelter has many types of dogs. Tina, for example, is a Labrador and Staffordshire terrier mix, who is loving, kind and playful.  "There are also nine blue healer mixed pups that were found in a box in the cemetery. Eight survived. They are about four months old and are currently being treated for skin allergies.," Robert said. 

      A not-for-profit organization, the shelter benefits from donations of dog/cat food, treats, bath towels, collars and harnesses, isolation gowns, alcohol, peroxide, portable electric heaters, etc. A full list of needs can be found at warmhearts.org.

     If you feel inspired to give of your free time to these worthy little souls, Robert has some advice: "Mainly anyone who has experience with animals, or especially lovers of animals, would be great at this. You need to be patient too, because some of these dogs are still in training for leashes and such. If you have time, come spread the love! They need people who love cats as well."

     Mr. Patrick said working with the animals gives him the freedom to just be himself.  "No judgement, no expectation, just love. I can't really describe how profound it is working with these animals."

     The most important piece of advice Robert has for every pet owner:  "I know I'm stealing Bob Barker's line here, but, 'Spay and neuter your pets!'" 

     Mr. Walker agrees. "Spay and neuter! We have a lot, too many, strays that suffer. It's not necessary. People should really be responsible."

     Doug Ragsdale of the shelter said many of the dogs are helping returned soldiers heal PTSD and providing loving peace for assisted living patients. When asked about Robert's contribution, Mr. Ragsdale said, "He gives them love so they can give it to others." 

     To become a volunteer one must attend a  volunteer orientation. They are generally held every other Monday at 6 p.m. at the shelter. It's a good idea to call and check before coming.

     One last bit of advice from Robert, "If you show up, you're the right kind of person [to work with animals]. You never know how far your small act of kindness will expand into the community."

Saturday Morning Farmers' Market in Hillcrest

Hillcrest Farmers Market

You need a good Arkansas tomato in your life 

     Pulaski Heights Baptist Church has helped bring "the neighborhood back into the neighborhood" with its popular, fun Hillcrest Farmers Market, a teeming Saturday morning spot where you can find fresh local produce, home-baked bread and confections, flowers, local cheeses and meats - and your neighbors. 

    Carolyn Staley, associate pastor for the church, 2200 Kavanaugh Blvd., said the market is open every Saturday 7 a.m. to noon, and will be open 8 a.m. to noon beginning in October.

    "They (the vendors) are all local farmers or producers,"  Mrs. Staley said. "The rule is you have to grow what you sell.  They are all from the central Arkansas area.  We have farmers who grow vegetables and fruits.  We have dairy.  We have meat.  And we have lots of bakers. We have flowers and bath soaps made in the kitchen."

Madison Barnhill

Barnhill Orchards

Bob Barnhill (in background) 

Family owned and run produce farm in Lonoke 

Email  BarnhillOrchards@aol.com and find them on Facebook.

      Foods sold are for Arkansas' growing season, she said, adding that some farmers grow in houses so that they can offer strawberries and tomatoes earlier.

     "Everything is right off the vine, from right here in the state," Carolyn said. 

      Some members of Pulaski Heights Baptist had seen the busy stream of bikers, 

dog walkers, joggers and strollers going past in the front of the church for years and decided the church should make its presence known.

     "We said, 'We want to know our neighbors.  What is a service we can provide that will add to quality of life?'  We wanted the community to know that we are a serving church.  We care about food … about food security."   

      So the notion of a market that would sell wholesome, locally grown food was realized right on the front steps of the church and the sidewalks along its front.

      "We have been so pleased. It's like a little block party.  Someone told us, 'You've brought the neighborhood back into the neighborhood.' We love the idea of being able to help farmers make a living.  Many of our growers have told us that the market has enabled them to add a couple of employees.

Kelley Carney

North Pulaski Farms

Certified organic fruits and veggies; grows year round in high tunnel hoop houses using sustainable practices to conserve water and retain carbon. 

northpulaskifarms.com

and northpulaskifarm.blogspot.com 

Ethan Frazier, and his sister, Ellyse Frazier,

Ethan's Heirloom Garden

Ethan is an organic farmer with a passion for food from seed to plate.  You may email him at ethansheirloomplants@gmail.com. He has plants for starts. Find him on Facebook. 

Rebecca Berry

Andrew Kenley (middle)

Kyle Melton

Little Rock Urban Farming 

Find them on Facebook 

      "And we are able to share information about our church," Carolyn said.  "We don't pressure anybody.  Nobody has to stop at the church tent.  But people stop to chitchat.  We have an email list they can sign if they want to know about church events, such as concerts, rummage sales or Easter egg hunts. We have children's crafts from nine to noon."

      And the beautiful gesture that the church put out into the universe has come back to it.

      Carolyn said the church folk have had a great time manning the hospitality tent. It's become a morning when they can sit, relax and visit with other members, many of whom they haven't had the chance to spend time with because of normal, busy church schedules. 

     Next Saturday, ride, walk or jog on down to the market.

     You need a good Arkansas tomato in your life.  And some blackberries big as your thumb.  And a giant red sunflower.  Some fresh-baked bread.  And a smile from your neighbor. 

This story was written by Bobbi Nesbitt and appeared in the July 2013 issue of Shoppe Talk

                                                                                        

Angela Davis Johnson Exhibit at Gallery 360

Angela Davis Johnson

Exhibit at Gallery 360

Kinfolk and the apothecary dream 

       "Kinfolk and the apothecary dream," an exhibit of work by Little Rock artist Angela Davis Johnson, will be on display at Gallery 360 in May and June.

        An opening reception will be held 6:30 p.m. May 17 at the gallery, 900 S. Rodney Parham.  It is free and open to the public. 

     "'Kinfolk and the apothecary dream' is part family history, part allegorical interpretation of a dream I had about being led out of the city by a strange man through an apothecary, to the woods, onto a levee where I could see my ancestors toiling in the field below me," Mrs. Johnson said.

     "By juxtaposing sketches from my family snapshots with images and text of the Elaine Riots/Massacre, I created a series of drawings, collages, and mixed media pieces that not only reflect my Eastern Arkansas heritage but also attempt to start an honest dialogue about how the past actions of our predecessors affect today's society and cultural identity.  This show is visual medicine for the mind, an apothecary for the soul."

    Come out and enjoy Angela's vibrant art.  For more information, call Gallery 360 owner, Jay King at 663-2222 or 993-0012.

The Stitchin' Post Creates a Fantastic New Space

                                                 Dr. Jane Bell and Linda Bowlby  

      Everything is well made and beautifully displayed in The Stitchin" Post's new 7,000-square-foot space at 1501 Macon in West Little Rock.

      From the lovely entryway with displays of  exquisite heirloom children's clothing all the way to the adorable Cafe Room in the back, talent and creativity are exhibited in every corner.

      Dr. Jane Bell and Linda Bowlby, owners of the shop, have created perfect spaces for sewing, quilting and embroidery work .

     "We needed to be able to spread out.  Our inventory had grown and people's interest in the classes had grown. We needed more space in a classic, attractive setting," Dr. Bell said. 

     The Stitchin' Post offers heirloom quality fabrics  that are made of natural, finely woven, often imported fabrics; clothing made from them can be worn and handed down to the next generation. 

       The shop has always been a bustling spot filled with women having fun learning to sew, smock and embroider.

     "Jane teaches heirloom and embroidery," Mrs. Bowlby said. "Carolyn Hartstein, who helped us put this (the new shop) together, teaches our smocking class.

     "We have teachers for quilting and for kids.  That's my favorite part, that we teach children. I think it's really important.  In our Mom and Me classes, kids can start at (age) 8.  We have classes for high schoolers.  Jane has taught embroidery for children, 

and we plan to do that again. Jane does beautiful embroidery."

      Now they have the space to offer all sorts of activities.  

      "We used to have a small classroom space," Jane said. "It was not segregated from the retail space, so it was not quiet.  Now, we have two rooms for classes.  And we have design walls in place."

        Design walls, Jane explained, allow women to take pieces of fabric and lay out quilt blocks.  They can see how they want to position colors and move them around. 

       "We have expanded our selection of threads.  We have brought in some wool fabrics for a lot of quilters and craftspeople use wool felt and applique.

       "We have a larger area to display sewing machines and sewing machine cabinets.  The most basic sewing machine sells for $199. We have  other machines, for sophisticated sewing and embroidery, deluxe machines that sell for $9,999.  We have an entire notions wall."  

         Reaction to the new space has been "overwhelmingly positive," Janes said. "People go 'Wow!'"

         Judi Tolliver of Sherwood, a customer of The Stitchin' Post since 1996, said she loves the new space.  "It's gorgeous."

          The store "is my most favorite place in the world to shop.  They have the best employees,  They're friendly and helpful, and they are wonderful teachers.  They are very patient," Mrs. Tolliver said. "Jane and Linda are both great. If you see something you like and they don't have it, they will try their best to find it for you."

       There's one space everyone really likes, and it has been great for daily use and for special events.

       "One of the problem points in the old location was that we didn't have a place for eating," Jane said.  "With classes and employees and the retail area,  there were always problems such as drinks spilled on people's work.  Now, we have a very nice room that we call our 'Cafe Room.'  

       "And, we have a sitting area in our entry where people are welcome to come in and bring a handwork project and sit and relax.  It helps add to the sense of community," she added.

       Linda said the camaraderie of women learning and working together helps make for the pleasant atmosphere of the shop.

       "Everybody is real happy here.  It's a fun place to be, a fun place to work," she said.

        Jane agreed.  "We are very blessed. We have wonderful customers, and it is just a fun place to be."

        Judi said the shop is a great place to socialize with friends - and to meet new ones.  "I'm over there at least three or four times a week.  You meet a lot of friends there.  It's really a good outlet for young women, as well as old ones like me."

         The shop offers batiste, voile, linen, cotton, Swiss flannel and some silks.

        "We have 100 percent cotton fabrics," Linda said.  "You can tell the difference in good quality cotton.  It's the tightness of the weave.  Heirloom cotton are going to last.  It's the same thing with quilting fabrics.  They expect then to last for generations. People here appreciate nice fabrics.  Some come in just because they want to walk through and feel the fabrics."

        Fabric suppliers include Michael Miller, Moda, Fabric Finders, Spechler-Vogel, Henry Glass, Westminster, Free Spirit  and Anna Griffin.

       "Just outstanding" is how Judi described the quality of fabrics at the store.  "If I am going to sew, I want it to last. I've got stuff I made for my granddaughter, who is 28 now, and it still looks as good as when I made it."

        The shop has a ton of kids clothes on display so customers can see the patterns and fabrics.  These are not for sale, but just there for teaching and so that customers can hold a model garment in their hands.

       A number of women in the community help out in the shop, including Sharon Chandler, Sharron Taylor, Billie Beauchamp, Karen Davis, Carol Flowers, Stacie Ferguson, Peggy McQueen and Barbara Steely.   Mrs. Steely teaches children to sew.  Ms. Davis is a certified technician for Husqvarna Viking sewing machines, the brand the shop carries.

       The Stitchin' Post has operated in Little Rock for 39 years.  Customers come from all over Arkansas and beyond its borders.  Come and join them and share the joy of seeing your children - and then your grandchildren - wear the fine clothing you have created for them.

      To  check out the latest classes, visit the shop's website: stitchinpostinc.com.

      If you see one you like, you'd better sign up right away.  "They fill up pretty fast," Linda said.

    

Fantastic Jewelry Show by Belgian Artist Steph Brouwers at Gallery 360 April 5

Stone, thread, fine silver wire, old piece of silver from Syria on leather cord

         Gallery 360 is proud to announce "Inner Voices: Wearable Art," a jewelry show April 5 featuring the work of the enormously talented Belgian artist Steph Brouwers.  A reception will be held 6 - 10 p.m.  It is free and open to the public. 

      Ms. Brouwers carefully selects leather, bone, glass, found objects, ancient coins, her own hand-made beads and talismans, African glass beads, animal teeth, fabrics, ostrich egg shells, horsehair, thread, turquoise, amber, and other materials for her jewelry.  Her pieces reflect her humor, intelligence and love of craft.

     Steph is also a sculptor, and she teaches art in Belgium.  She will have artist trading cards from some of her students available for trade at the show.

    Steph will teaching a class on Polymer Clay Talisman 2 - 5 p.m. April 6 at the gallery.  The goal of the workshop will be to create a small amulet or talisman.  She will discuss amulets and talismans.  "We will discover the amazing world of folk beliefs," Steph said.  "Then we will get familiar with the polymer clay and see what an incredible medium it is.  And then we create." Clay and tools will be provided.  She suggested that students bring things  such as ear wires, jump rings, clasps, cotton cord or broken jewelry.  The cost of the class is $35.

    The gallery will be showing the work of Angela Davis Johnson, Byron Werner, Kelley Naylor Wise, and Lynn Frost, as well.  The show will continue until May 4.

    Gallery 360 is located at 900 South Rodney Parham. For more information, call 663-2222 or 993-0012.  Steph's wearable art may be found on Pinterest, on Vladthebatsattic.blogspot.com, and Etsy.

 Steph and Mrs. Wise will appear on Fox television's Good Day program
with host Nichelle Sullivan 7:45 a.m. April 5. 

     

Steph Brouwers Profile 

      When did you first know you were an artist?  I don't see myself as an artist.  I see myself as someone who makes stuff.  I've always been playing, creating.  As a child, I was attracted to my mom's jewelry box and my dad's tool box. Then I got the chance to study at the Fine Arts School.  A lot of people call me an artist.  That's strange to me.  I could not go without doing what I do.  It is a need. 

       What do you like about teaching?  The ability to share my knowledge.  I give them a lot, but they give me a lot too.  I like interacting with teenagers.  I think they are fun.  They are not kids any more and not quite adult, and I quite like that.  I am teaching them sculpture.  It's part of the process.  But my main goal is to make them creative adults, even if they don't pursue a career in art. 

      How many times have you been to the States?  This is the fifth time.  I like the States.  I like the people.  They are friendly and interesting and generous.  I never felt bad.  I never felt judged.  A lot of people in Europe think most Americans are narrow-minded, and I think it is quite the opposite.

      What is a typical day?  I get up and have breakfast, and I go running. And then I go to my studio and play with my supplies.  Sometimes I have an idea about what I want to make.  Sometimes just looking at the beads I have, the idea just pops in. 

      What inspires you?  Ethnic jewelry.  What people call Tribal Art, like African art and art from Papua New Guinea.  And life and death.  That's something you can find a lot in my jewelry.  I think if you ignore one, you are ignoring the other.  They are both part of the path.  And I am interested in talismans and amulets and folk beliefs.

      Who is your favorite writer?  That's a tough one.  I like a lot of American writers from the 20th Century … Pat Conroy, Raymond Carver, Dos Passos.  I like French writers from the early 20th Century.  I like history about the United States and the Civil War and slavery.  I like Giono. And Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I liked his "Love in the Time of Cholera" and "Chronicle of a Death Foretold."  I like Borges. It's always an adventure to open a book. 

      I just finished John Irving's "The Hotel New Hampshire," and it's on my mind.  Do you like Irving?  Yes, I liked "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and "The Cider House Rules" and "The World According to Garp."  I also like Stephen King. I love books.  I've got lots of books, and I give them away too.  I have a great pile of books here I need to read, and I keep buying books.  When I went to study abroad in England during the last year of university, I spent my time in the library rather than going to class.  I read all of Orwell, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Dos Passos. I read a great Charlie Chaplin autobiography.  

       Tell us about the work you are bringing for your show.  It's quite eclectic, I think.  Some pieces are tribal, some have found objects in them, some are quite romantic.  They are for every means.  Some pieces are quite affordable.  The prices range from $20 to $250. Last summer, before I started running, I took walks.  And I would pick up things like rock and pieces of metal.  I make swaps with people all over the world.  That's something I really like about the Internet.  And recently, I've sold quite a lot of pieces all over the world and a lot of different states in the United States.  It's amazing.  I am in Belgium, and people so far away can be interested in my stuff.  I know I could do more to try to sell more.  But it would be less time for creativity.  I'd rather take time to make a necklace than to take time to promote my work.

Interview by Bobbi Nesbitt 

Arkansas Literary Festival

Arkansas Literary Festival 

      Arkansas Literary Festival 2013 will be held April 18 - 21 in Little Rock and North Little Rock.

      This is the tenth year for the Festival, which features workshops, performances, readings, opportunities to meet authors, book signings and special events. More than 80 presenters will participate. Most of the events are free and will be held in the Central Arkansas Library System's Main Library campus and other venues in the River Market and Argenta. 

      This year's Festival authors have won an impressive number and variety of distinguished awards, such as the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Newbery Honor, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Coretta Scott King Honor, the PEN/O. Henry Prize; the Pushcart Prize, the Barnes &amp, Noble Discover Prize for Fiction, the Pura Belpré Award and the Griffin Poetry Prize. Many of the presenters' works have been translated into multiple languages and made into films.

      Special events include a cocktail reception with the authors, wine workshops, films, a play, and Spoken Word LIVE!, which is a city-wide poetry competition. 

       Children's events include a story time on the lawn of the Governor's Mansion, a book fiesta, The Artmobile, plays, outdoor activities, and Super Hero Activity Afternoon. Some Festival sessions for children will take place at the new Children’s Library, 4800 W. 10th Street, and the Youth Services Department at the Main Library, 100 Rock Street.

       At the Main Library’s teen center, there will be "zombie survival" activities, a video game tournament, and a writing workshop.  Teens will have the opportunity to meet authors and illustrators. 

       Through the Writers In The Schools initiative, the Festival will provide presentations by  authors in Pulaski county elementary, middle, and senior high schools and area colleges.

       The Festival is a project of the Central Arkansas Library System.  Brad Mooy is Festival Coordinator. Jay Jennings is the 2013 Festival Chair.   For more information, email Mr. Mooy at litfest@cals.org, call 918-3098 or visit arkansasliteraryfestival.org.  

      

 Kevin Brockmeier is the author of the novels The Illumination, The Brief History of the Dead, and The Truth About Celia, as well as the story collections Things That Fall from the Sky and The View from the Seventh Layer.  Mr. Brockmeier was born and raised in Little Rock, and he taught at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he received his MFA. He has won three O. Henry Prizes, along with the Chicago Tribune's Nelson Algren Award for Short Fiction, the Italo Calvino Short Fiction Award, the Booker Worthen Literary Prize, and the Porter Fund Literary Prize.  He lives in Little Rock.

Jay Jennings is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review and the San Francisco Chronicle. He has worked at Sports Illustrated and Tennis Magazine, and his work has been recognized in The Best American Sports Writing.   Mr. Jennings has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Oxford American, and Travel + Leisure.  He wrote Carry the Rock: Race, Football, and the Soul of an American City and edited the recent collection Escape Velocity: A Charles Portis Miscellany.

Tim Gallagher is an award-winning author, wildlife photographer, magazine editor, and currently editor-in-chief of Living Bird. Gallagher spent several years traveling across the South, and then had a sighting of the legendary ivory-billed woodpecker. This sighting quickly led to the largest search ever launched to find a rare bird and ultimately to the announcement of the rediscovery of the species. His new book is Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker through the Wild Sierra Madre.

Paula J. Giddings is the Elizabeth A. Woodson Professor of Afro-American Studies at Smith College. Her fourth book, Ida: A Sword Among Lions, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Award and was deemed a best book of the year by The  Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune.

Ben Fountain has won many awards for his fiction, including a PEN/Hemingway Award for Brief Encounters with Che Guevara.  He has been honored with a Whiting Writer's Award, two Pushcart Prizes, and an O. Henry Award.  His Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk: A Novel won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for fiction, and a Good Reads Choice Award.  He lives in Dallas.

Ben Katchor is a cartoonist best known for the strip Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer. He is the author of the graphic novels Hand-Drying in America: And Other Stories, The Jew of New York, and The Cardboard Valise.   Mr. Katchor teaches at Parsons The New School for Design and has contributed to The New Yorker, The Forward, and Metropolis Magazine. He was the first cartoonist to receive a MacArthur Fellowship and is the subject of the offbeat film Pleasures of Urban Decay. He lives in New York.

Domingo Martinez has worked as a journalist and a designer in Texas and Seattle.  His work has appeared in Epiphany, and he has contributed to The  New Republic.  His book The Boy Kings of Texas was a finalist for the 2012 National Book Award in the nonfiction category, and an excerpt from that book has been nominated for a 2013 Pushcart Prize.  Mr. Martinez lives in Seattle. 

Richard Ford was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and grew up in Little Rock. He is the author of more than ten works of fiction, including Rock Springs, Independence Day, and A Multitude of Sins. Independence Day was the first novel to win both the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He has won the Rea Award for Short Story and the PEN/Malamud Award for short fiction. Mr. Ford's  2012 novel, Canada, was a New York Times bestseller. He lives in Boothbay, Maine, and is Mellon Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University.

C. D. Wright has published a dozen poetry collections, most recently One With Others, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry, winner of the Lenore Marshall Award, and finalist for the National Book Award. Rising, Falling, Hovering won the International Griffin Prize for Poetry. One Big Self: Prisoners of Louisiana, her collaboration with photographer Deborah Luster, was awarded the Dorothea Lange-Paul Taylor Prize.  Steal Away was on the international shortlist of the Griffin Trust Award, and String Light won the Poetry Center Book Award.  Ms. Wright was born in Mountain Home.  She lives in Rhode Island and teaches at Brown University.  Earlier this year, she was elected a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.







Rita Williams-Garcia is a bestselling author of books for teens and younger readers. Her most recent novel, One Crazy Summer, was named a Newbery Honor Book, a National Book Award Finalist, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and a Scott O'Dell Award winner for Historical Fiction. The sequel, P.S. Be Eleven, will be released in June.  Ms. Williams-Garcia lives in Jamaica, New York and teaches at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.










Dennis Vannatta has published four collections of stories and a novel.  He is winner of a Pushcart Prize and the Porter Fund Literary Prize.  His story collections are This Time, This Place, Prayers for the Dead, Lives of the Artists, and Rockaway Children – and a novel, Around Centralia Square. He is a professor of English at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Lydia Millet has written nine books and was awarded the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction for her 2002 novel, My Happy Life.  Known for her dark humor and wit, Ms. Millet's first novel, Omnivores, was published in 1996.  She was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Love in Infant Monkeys and a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist for Magnificence.   She was a 2012 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellow.  She lives in Tucson. 

Kevin Moffett is the author of two books, Permanent Visitors, which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award, and Further Interpretations of Real-Life Events. He is a frequent contributor to McSweeney's, and his stories have received the National Magazine Award, the Nelson Algren Award and the Pushcart Prize.  He was awarded a literature fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. The Silent History, a serialized digital novel he wrote with Matthew Derby, Russell Quinn and Eli Horowitz, was released as an app for mobile devices in the fall of 2012.

Darcy Pattison is an Arkansas children's book an author writing teacher.  Her work has been published in eight languages. Her nature book for children Wisdom; The Midway Albatross, was first-place winner in the 2013 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards, Children's Picture Books. Desert Baths, which was a National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Book in 2013.  She created the Novel Revision Retreat in 1999 and has written two books on revision.

Leonard Pitts Jr. is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Miami Herald and the author of the novels Freeman and Before I Forget.  Nonfiction work includes Becoming Dad: Blackmen and the Journey to Fatherhood  and Forward from This Moment: Selected Columns, 1994-2009.  Mr. Pitts is a five- time recipient of the Atlantic City Press Club's National Headliners Award. He has received the American Society of Newspaper Editors award for Commentary Writing and has been named Feature of the Year Columnist by Editor & Publisher.   His nationally syndicated column is published twice weekly.  He lives in Washington, D.C.

Lori Perkins is president of L. Perkins Agency, a New York literary agency, an author, and the publisher of Riverdale Avenue Books, a digital and audio book publisher. She is the editor of Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey, as well as twenty erotica anthologies, including Hungry for Your Love, a zombie romance anthology.  She lives in New York City. 

Karen Russell was named a National Book Foundation "5 under 35" young writer honoree and won the Bard Fiction Prize for her story collection St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves.  Her novel,  Swamplandia!, was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, was named one of The New York Times' Ten Best Fiction Books of 2011, and won the New York Public Library's  2012 Young Lions Fiction Award. Her newest work is Vampires in the Lemon Grove, a group of stories.  She is writer in residence at Bard College in Red Hook, New York.




For additional profiles, please visit arkansasliteraryfestival.org.

Little Rock Wind Symphony

     The Little Rock Wind Symphony will pull out all the stops when Adam Savacool joins the orchestra on the organ 7:30 - 9 p.m. February 21 at Second Presbyterian Church.

     This is joyous music for winds and organ, including the finale from Saint-Saens' organ symphony.  Karen Fannin will conduct.

    The cost is $10, $8 for seniors and free for students.  www.lrwindsymphony.org.

Dog and Cat Sitting in Little Rock

Penny with Tippi, a 14-year-old Jack Russell mix at the home of Javier Revollo in Chenal


Five Cats and a Dog Pet Sitting
Trust Your Fuzzy Babies to Penny

      Penny Boyer loves animals, and they love her.  So, when she decided to start her own business last March, Five Cats and a Dog Pet Sitting, she found her dream job.

      "I love animals, and I always wanted a job working with animals," Ms. Boyer said.  "I connect very well with them.  Owners will tell me, 'Oh, be careful, he might bite.'  And the next moment the dog is rolling over for me to scratch his tummy.

       "I take care of cats and dogs mostly.  Most of my teen and adult life, I have rescued animals. I think they sense that I have a heart for them."

         Clare Carothers of Little Rock declares that Penny is "wonderful."

        "We use her for our little dog, Boogie.  She takes care of Boogie when I am at work and when I am out of town.  She's always real flexible, and she meets my scheduling needs.  She goes the extra mile.  She spends time with him and develops a bond.  Boogie just loves her.  It's much more than just walking.  She knows his favorite toys, his favorite food.  She cuts out coupons and keeps me up to date," Ms. Carothers said.

          If Boogie needs to go to the vet, Penny will drop what she is doing and make time to take him, Clare said. 

         "She makes the pets a priority.  We could not have a better sitter.  We leave her our key.  She's very trustworthy. 

Boogie is like my baby.  I don't have any children.  Penny takes pictures and gives me updates by text. She's just an extraordinary person.  We are very lucky to have someone that special to help take care of our baby."

         In addition, Penny is willing to help with little chores, Clare said. 

         Included in her pet sitting service for no extra charge, Penny will bring in mail, open curtains, alternate lights in the house, water plants, scoop litter boxes and carry out trash.

         In March, when Penny started the pet service, she also started Just in Time Errand Service.  She will grocery shop, pick up or deliver cleaning, gift shop, pay bills, pick up prescriptions and even take your car in for repair. 

         But she's happiest when she is with what she calls her "fuzzy babies."

         She was pet sitting during our telephone interview in December and described the dog she was with that day.

         "He's a little dog, but he has a big dog syndrome.  When I first met him, he was just loving all over me.  (His owner) said that that had never happened with anyone else.  I have a natural affinity for them.  I just get attached to them."

         Penny sits for two terriers owned by Mary Price of Little Rock, administrator for a Little Rock hospital. 

         "I have two West Highland white terriers, Woody, who is 12, and Nikki, a rescue who is 9 1/2 or 10. Oh, my gosh, they just adore Penny. When we were out of town, she came by three times a day and fed, watered and walked them.  When we came back from Thanksgiving, we decided the dogs were so happy, they were so much calmer,  to use her more," Ms. Price said.

       "I was so excited to get the job," Penny said.  "They do what I call 'the little happy dance' when I come in. That's my goal.  I want the animals to not feel lonely and continue to feel love, and I think so far that has happened."

        Mary said she appreciates the notes that Penny leaves about how the dogs are doing and the photographs Penny sends on the iPhone  "She obviously cares about them and they have become attached to her."

        Mary said she also values Penny's willingness to help her around the house.  "I had her swap out the regular dishes for holiday dishes.  She is so helpful.  And she communicates with me about what is going on."

        For the errand service and the pet sitting service, Penny has insurance, so folks can rest easy whether she is moving their fine china or taking their fuzzy baby to the vet.

       "I am licensed and insured, and my bond is covered in my insurance. I have three insurance policies: commercial auto, for transportation of animals and items; business insurance, for, say, if I dropped and broke something; and pet insurance, so that if a dog I am walking bites, it covers it. I try to make sure that I am fully covered."

       If you want to hire Penny to pet sit, the first thing she will do is come out and meet with you and your pets.

       "For the pet's comfort, it is best not to have a stranger walk through the door."

        And when she sits, she's not just sitting.

       "I'll play with them, hold them, love them. My goal is for when the parents are gone, that they still feel love and comfort and are not stressed."

       Often, the pet sitting and the errand service mesh quite well for this Jane-of-all-trades.

       "I have one client who is not able to drive, and I go grocery shopping for her. She also has a dog.  I take him to the vet.  I am a 'pet taxi service,' and I'll take them to be groomed." 

       Penny has had a lifetime of experience loving and caring for all sorts of animals.  The love of her life was her cat, Sam, who passed away at 21.

      "Sam was like my child. I have five cats.  I was going to get a dog, but the deal fell through. It has to be a dog that needs me.  All of my cats were abused or abandoned.  Seeley was found in a locked house.  The owners had moved out and left him.  A real estate lady found him skinny and hungry. Now he almost 15 and a half pounds.  He'll be five in March.

      "I went to the vet to get some food, and they said you need to look at these kittens."  Penny ended up taking the kittens home, bottle feeding them and then re-homing them.   

       "A friend called and said, 'I have something to show you.'"

       That something turned out to be an abandoned kitten.  Penny named him Wally.  He'll be five in April, a happy member of her household.

       "Somebody dumped a cat at my mom's house.  When I caught her, she was about 8 weeks old."

        Now Freckles is three years old and playing the part of mom to the latest members of the clan, two kittens who had been abused.

         "My guess is that they had been kicked.  They were terrified of shoes.  Freckles - took them in like they were babies.  They are Scooter and Ziva, who was named after the pretty lady on (the television show) NCIS.  Ziva has 

silky black hair and is really an exceptionally beautiful cat.  But she is not normal.  She still thinks she is a kitten needing her mommy.  Freckles bathes her.  I couldn't re-home them when one is not normal.  Now, I love her dearly and wouldn't give her away for the world. Nobody gets to pet her but me."

        In the last four years, Penny has rescued and re-homed 13 animals.  She had to stop, because she didn't have the money for vet care and to have them fixed.  She was even putting out food for all the wild critters in her back yard for years.  But that ended when a family of skunks showed up, and her neighbors were not pleased.

        Penny said her life has been enriched by the animals that she has loved and is amazed about the things they teach her everyday. 

       "Several years ago, I had fallen and I had hurt my right wrist.  I went to the doctor who did an MRI, and it showed it was okay.  Sam would come and smell of my arm.  It turned out I had a severe ganglion cyst.  He knew it was there, and he could smell my arm and he knew something was not right.  When my arm healed and the cyst went away, he stopped smelling my arm."  

Help the Birds 

     Jim Allen, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, said you can really help birds in the winter by ensuring they have water.

     "We need to conscious of the fact that all through the winter birds need water not only for hydration, but it's important for birds to keep their feathers clean to keep them warm and healthy," Mr. Allen said.

     It's good to keep birdbaths as clean as possible and to have a heater to thaw ice when it freezes, Jim said. 

     Wild Birds sells a variety of heaters and defrosters for birdbaths.  

    "The better ones have higher wattage and are thermostatically controlled to kick on when the water temperature tests down to forty degrees."

    The less expensive ones, you plug in and unplug. 

    Of course, Wild Birds also offers lots of other goodies for your backyard birds, including a fully array of feeders and houses. There are some nice basic feeders, decorative feeders, and ones that keep out squirrels.

    "We have field guides and books and binoculars and lots of bird-related gifts, such as coffee mugs, blue birds of happiness, cards and pre-packed gifts, such as a gift pack of a suet cage and a book.  That runs about $20."

   The shop also carries a variety of seeds and suet cakes.  It can make up gift boxes or bags.

   Wild Birds is located at 1818 North Taylor across from Kroger in the Heights. It is open Monday through Saturday.  For more information, call Jim at 666-4210.

Relocation Resources for Seniors

Hassle-free Custom Moving Service for Seniors

          You're a senior who's lived in one spot for years, perhaps decades, and now you are moving to a new space.  What would you wish for?  A "surrogate daughter/genie" who would help you decide on which furniture to move, measure your new space to provide a plan to best utilize the new digs, pack everything expertly, be on the other end when you move with a detailed list of all of your belongings in numbered boxes, unpack them, place the furniture, and hang the pictures? 

        All your wishes would be granted by Ellen C. Stern of Little Rock.  Her Relocation Resources for Seniors helps seniors who are moving to smaller homes or apartments, retirement communities, or assisted living facilities.

        Ms. Stern is in the business of eliminating stress for "seniors on the move."  

        Ellen will help as much or as little as you need it; each move is different. 

        If you haven't decided where to move, she will explore local housing options.  When you've decided what to keep and what to leave behind, Ellen will even help hold an estate sale, or if you prefer, bundle items for donation to charity.

       In addition, she will handle pesky items such as the cut off or transfer of utilities, change of address notices, and notifying banks and other institutions of your move. 

       "I recycle almost everything I can.  It saves my clients' money.  I reuse cardboard boxes.  I tell clients to start saving their newspapers for packing to keep the cost as low as possible. 

       Sometimes daughters want to help her pack.  "I really welcome that when a family member wants to work with me.  It saves them money.  I am all for saving money and keeping families happy with one another.  This is a stressful time."

       Ellen creates a packing list, so she has a list of everything in every box when she arrives at the new living space. 

        Jane M. Cazort said that was especially helpful during the two moves that Ellen helped her with, the first two years ago, and, then recently, a move into her sister's home.  -    "I am physically unable to do very much.  She just did everything.  She packed everything and marked what they held and kept a record of it.  So, I knew, for example, what box #6 held.  That was just invaluable.  I think we had 26 boxes," Ms. Cazort said. 

     Jane said Ellen removed her pictures from the walls and packed them professionally.

     "I am a picture person.  I have about 25 pictures, some of them quite large. She rehung the pictures.  She is just a great packer.  Nothing was broken.

     "It was a hassle-free move. She took all the responsibility.  She hired the movers. She was there when I moved out and there when I moved in.  She placed the furniture.  

     "She is just a great person for detail.  I'm rather slap-dash, so it made it easy for me. And she is reasonable.  She gave me her bill, and I added more to it.  I thought it wasn't enough.  She's very pleasant and articulate, and, of course, honest.  I would think people are very fortunate if they get her to do their move."

     Ellen charges $20 an hour.  Most of the moves she's completed are done in two days or less.  She makes a custom plan and provides an estimate before the job. 

     Sue Buffalo of Little Rock said Ellen helped ease her mother's move from an apartment into a retirement community.

     "Ellen is extremely organized.  She had all the boxes and the papers and packed it all up, so when the movers came, it was ready.  What looked like a monumental task, she whittled down to a few hours," Mrs. Buffalo said.

     "She seemed to know when things would fit.  When we were sorting through things, she would say, 'She'll want to take this.  This will look good.'  She helped make the process so much easier.  She is very pleasant and easy to get along with.  I would highly recommend her." 

     Ellen decided to open her business after she couldn't find a job.  

     "It's kind of funny.  I am by profession an adult educator.  I was a museum curator and educator.  I have specialized in adult programs.  I found myself with no job."

     Ellen had come to Arkansas to care for aging, ailing relatives.  But, when she was ready to get back into the job market, she couldn't find work.

     "I spent 10 years helping all the old folks around me die.  When that was over, I was 63 or 64.  When I applied for jobs ... I was overeducated, overqualified, and overaged."

     She decided to take some classes at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

     "I ended up in a class about aging issues, and I was really interested in it.  I found that the university offered a gerontology program, and now I am a graduate student in it."

     When her new studies spurred her thinking about services for the aging population, Ellen decided that she could create her own employment opportunity.

      "It seemed to me that the senior market is where it's at.  And it is going to get bigger.  Us Baby Boomers, we like our services."

      "In addition to helping people move, Ellen will help them "age in place" by such means a adding ramps or enlarging bathroom doors and adding hold bars.

      "I work as a go-between.  I find contractors to do the work to bring homes up to a safe place."

       She also moves people from one room to another in retirement communities.

       Relocation Resources operates in Pulaski County and occasionally in nearby towns such as Conway.

       Ellen enjoys her new career.

       "I miss having older people in my life.  They are so interesting.  They have such good perspectives on things.  And moving is such an overwhelming process, even when you are younger."

This story was written by Bobbi Nesbitt and appeared in the August 2012 issue of Shoppe Talk. 

You may call Ellen at 663-2515.