Murray Life Magazine

[ 2 ] murray life magazine s Homecoming Edition

Autumn Comes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Robert A. Valentine

Notes & Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Murray Life Staff

Sigmas at Seventy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Murray Life Staff, Donna Herndon & Kathy Kopperud

Pet Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Caina Lynch

A Laughing Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Murray Life Readers and Staff

Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Brooke Gilley

Count On It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Caina Lynch

An Apple a Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Suzanne Cathey

Trivia Quiz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Caina Lynch

Money Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Ron Arant

Five Reasons the Man is Wearing a Skirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Robert A. Valentine

Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Caina Lynch

Dining Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Murray Life Staff

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

What’s Happening & Where

The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Robert Valentine

Return toMammoth Cave

Wayne Bates:Clay, Light, Color, Life

A Whole NewReason to Smile

Robert A. Valentine

Robert A. Valentine

Erin Carrico

24

30

56

www.murraylifemagazine.com s murray life magazine [ 3 ]

VOLUME 19 - NUMBER 4 - HOMECOMING 2012Printed in the USA

www.mymurraylife.com

.........................................................................

PublisherRobert Valentine

Operations Manager/Sales & MarketingVicki Jo Stevens-Valentine

Associate Managing EditorCaina Lynch

Art DirectorJustin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC

Assistant Art DirectorAmanda G. Newman

ProductionDevin Perkins

Editorial StaffLogan Abbitt | Caina Lynch

Internet ConsultantJustin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC

Staff PhotographyJustin B. Kimbro | Wayne Bates

Wm. Gross Magee

Contributing WritersRon Arant | Erin Carrico | Suzanne Cathey

Brooke Gilley | Caina LynchCasey Northcutt | Robert Valentine | John Pollpeter

PrintingCopy Plus, Murray, Kentucky

Murray Life is published five times annually for the Murray area. All contents copyright 2012 by Murray LifeProductions. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in

this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or managementof Murray Life.

Subscription rate is $15.00 per year, two years $25.00. Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be madeto Murray Life: PO Box 894, Murray, KY 42071.

Subscriptions may also be made through the Web site, www.mymurraylife.com. All advertising inquiries should bedirected to the Managing Editor at: PO Box 894, or by calling 270-753-5225.

E-mail us at: [email protected]

This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions maybe edited for length, clarity and style.


[ $ ] intro editorial

Autumn Comesby: Robert A. Valentine

This is the time of yearwhen we recognize achange of seasons. Wecall it “homecoming,”

but it has little to do with queens,dances, alumni and footballgames. Those things happen inthe fall, but only because,traditionally, that’s when theharvest was in and people stillhad time and opportunity totravel for a visit before the snowand cold of winter set in.

For us, this season ofhomecoming means an end togardening and a drastic reductionin the weekend

cookouts, trips to the lake orcamping expeditions. One of thegreat blessings in living where wedo is the availability of outdoorrecreation. The folks at the LandBetween the Lakes will keep thecampfires burning well intoNovember with programs andweekend activities, but the hardtruth is that, as a culture, we’removing inside.

That’s not a bad as it sounds;just as the earth needs a periodof rest and recuperation as

leaves rot into rich soil andseeds find a good place to

shoot toward the sun inSpring, so we need some

time to plan and repair,to rest and rejoice inthe company of family

and friends.

We bring you somenew friends in thisissue of Murray Life.Wayne Bates, who is

pretty well knownin these parts, may

not be so familiar to you, personally.We visited the

gi f tedartist in

his studioand we share

some insightsthat even hisbiggest fans mighthave missed.

Our old friend Gross Mageewill take you on a visual walk intoone of the Seven Wonders of theModern World. The graphic artsteacher from Murray State took hiscamera into the depths ofMammoth Cave last summer on apersonal journey of discovery that,in a way, dates back nearly 150years. We think you’ll enjoy thetrip.

As you sit down for one of the lastfew sunny mornings on the porch,or as you pull the comforter a littlehigher on your lap, we’ll introducea few more folks, like the man whois trimming 50 heads of hair in 50states in 50 days – to raise moneyfor homeless animals. Then, there’sthe women’s society that iscelebrating 70 years of callingMurray “home.” Erin Carrico willshow you the people who live in,officially, the “Friendliest SmallTown in the United States.”

But that would be you, of course,unless you’re one of our long-distance subscribers or someonewho joins us online atwww.mymuraylife.com. Murrayalso has one of America’s topChambers of Commerce, a healthylist of autumn activities, and plentyof places to eat and things to do.

We’ll tell you all about it, page bypage, so pull up closer to the fire,scratch the dog behind the ear, andturn the page. Welcome home. s

The hard truth is . . . we’re moving inside.




[ ] notes & neighbors

In case you are the last person onearth to hear about it, Murray hasbeen named “The Friendliest SmallTown in America” by Rand-McNally and USA Today. We won’tbelabor the point, except to callyour attention to Erin Carrico’sarticle (“What is Friendly?”) in thisissue. Erin, the executive director ofthe Murray Convention andVisitors Bureau, usually brings the

regular departmententitled “Daytrips” toour pages. She is aseasoned tourist, herself,and enjoys sharing thenearby delights of placeslike Princeton, Ky., orGiant City, Ill. One of thegreat things about livingin Murray is that you’resurprisingly close to aremarkable number ofother great things.

This time, however, shegets to write about what may be thegreatest thing in Murray: thepeople. Erin’s office, ably assistedby Stephanie Butler, wasprincipally in charge of thenominating and voting effort thatled to Murray’s selection. With asupporting cast of nearly everyonein Murray, they brought todesignation, “Friendliest” home toMurray.

Murray Life will do its partto spread the word. A few morevisitors, sports events, smallconventions or itinerantshoppers would be mostwelcome, and the knowledge thatthey are going to the FriendliestTown should make Murray evenmore welcoming that it alreadyis. We’d like to see an aggressivecooperation between the CVB,The Chamber of Commerce,Murray State, the City of Murray,Calloway County and the majoremployers to raise the necessarymoney, frame the best messages,and get the word out to theworld.

Join the party! Tell all yourFacebook friends, include thenews in your Christmas letter, andput a bumper sticker on your car.If we’re going to be friendly, weneed more strangers to practiceon, don’t’ we? s

Friendly Folks

On a pleasant Sunday in August,a few people took Mary LouRayburn’s kind invitation toheart and joined the Rayburnfamily for a quiet littleobservation of the 100thbirthday of J. D. “Stumpy”Rayburn.

Well, it was not really all that“quiet,” when you get rightdown to it, and the “few people”bore a strong resemblance tohalf the county, but other thanthat it was, indeed, thecelebration of the Century for

the man who has NEVERmissed a Murray Stateversus Western Kentuckyfootball game.

Over his 100 years,Stumpy has distinguishedhimself as an MSUfootball player (he and histeammates are nowlegends), an educator and, atlast, an icon of good humor, goodnature and fidelity to his almamater. At last Spring’s MurrayState Senior Breakfast, J. D. wasrecognized for his continuing

service as the honorary maître d’for the event. In response, thecentenarian stood and gave ashort speech of thanks to astanding ovation. Wait ‘til yousee the next 100. s

The Man of the Century



The announcement came out in aflurry of excitement in late summer,so you might have missed it:Murray is home to the bestChamber of Commerce in its class.The American Chamber ofCommerce Executives namedMurray’s Chamber organization the2012 Chamber of the Year at its annual conference inLouisville, Ky. Board ChairwomanGale Cornelison and PresidentLance Allison were on hand toaccept the award.

We asked Gale to reflect on whatwill probably be the biggest eventof her term as Chairwoman. TheChamber is not without otherrecognitions from its peers, andhad already received both stateand national awards for its AnnualViewbook and Directory. This one,however was special.

“This award, more than anyother accomplishment, denotes aremarkable amount of teamworkfrom the Chamber Board,” saidGale. “It has taken all of us,collectively, pulling togetherfrom all our past events andprogramming. It was such anhonor to be a part of the wholeprocess—from the day a decisionwas made to make applicationuntil the final interview andaward ceremony. I have beentruly amazed by what we haveaccomplished.”

Awards, however, don’t tell thewhole story. As Gale concludedher term as Chair. She reflected onthe value of the Chamber to thecommunity. “It serves as a majorresource for information and for

marketing assistance. More thananything, it provides a supportsystem for all types of businessesand business owners,” she told us.“We have developed such a strongpresence throughout the city andcounty governments and havebeen recognized over time as‘watch dogs’ for ourmembership.”

Awards are great motivators, but itwill be three years before theMurray Chamber can apply, again,for Chamber of the Year. We askedGale what challenges remain tooccupy the Chamber’s concerns.

“Unstable economic conditionswill continue to be a threat, aswill the negative effects ofthinking only about what worksbest for ‘my business.’ TheChamber must continue to workto strengthen the relationshipsamong our members in anattempt to broaden our retailservices,” she said. Recognizingthat the Chamber works best inpartnership with others, shenoted, “We must maintain ourco-dependence with Murray

State University and the variousservices provided by the SmallBusiness Development Center.We have forged ties throughoutthe region with other chambersand with agencies that provide awealth of knowledge andexperience to our members, andthat will continue to be anecessary part of our focus.”

As MSU’s Dean Tim Toddassumes the Chair, he willprobably take comfort in Gale’sassessment of the advantageMurray has in Lance Allison andhis staff, and in the Chambermembers themselves. “All in all,our greatest strength, and theability to overcome anychallenge, will come from theoverwhelming commitmentfrom our Board of Directors—local folks who truly love thiscommunity and are willing toput their personal agendas asideto focus on the greater good.”

Murray Life joins in ourcongratulations to the entireChamber membership for therecognition they deserve. s

Murray Chamber Voted Nation’s Best

Murray Calloway-County Chamber of Commerce accepts award.



We note with great regrettheunexpected passing of GaryStockhaus, known to most westKentuckians as the publisher ofthe Senior Citizen News. Garywas a kind and generousgentleman who, with great careand diligence, served his readersfor many years. So trusted washe by his advertisers that he wascalled upon by some of them toserve as an advisor in matters ofmarketing and publishing, andthey could not have had bettercounsel.

It was our great good fortune

and pleasure tobe associatedwith him inbusiness, towatch his 2daughters growinto fine youngwomen, and toshare with himhis happye x p e c t a t i o n sfor the future.Only 57 yearsold, there are

many who will be stunned at hisuntimely passing. There aremany others who will miss the

results of his labor who nevereven knew his name, for such isthe nature of the newspaperbusiness.

Those who received the newsabout some event that broughtthem happiness, or who read astory that gave them confidenceor good advice will recognize thevalue of the Senior Citizen News.We join them in celebrating themany contributions of GaryStockhaus, and we feel fortunatethat he chose west Kentucky toply his craft with joy, hope,integrity and honor. s

A Sad Loss for West Kentucky Media

Actually, Racer Basketball coachSteve Prohm got a framed copy ofan original poster based on theMurray Life Magazine cover.Being featured on the cover of aglossy general features magazinewas a first for the cager coach,but we’re certain it won’t be thelast.

Joining the presentation were(from left) artist Jenny Corley,the magazine’s art director,Justin Kimbro, and publisherRobert Valentine. Corley wasanother “first-timer;” she hadnever had work featured inpublication until her cover artwas used to front the summeredition of Murray Life. “VickiValentine suggested the idea tome,” said Corley, “and I thought itwas a wonderful idea.” Dave

Winder, MSU Sportsinformation Director,supplied photos toCorley so her work couldbe done without alertingProhm.

“In terms of demand forcopies, this was perhapsour biggest issue yet,”said Valentine. It’s nosurprise that the popularsports figure, who willreturn for another yearat the helm for MSU,helped draw attention to themagazine on the rack and in themailbox.

Kimbro, who has done a greatdeal of design work with MSUathletics, found this projectexciting. “It was great to work

with Jennifer and Dave (Winder)to create this cover,” he said. “Itrepresents an historic season,and it’s a great piece of art.”

Other examples of Corley’s artcan be seen on her company’swebsite, loveyomug.com. s

MSU Coach Prohm Gets Framed!

Birthdays are special,especially those with zeroesin the number. As Murrayand Murray State

University celebrate 90 years sincethe founding of “Murray NormalSchool,” the women of Sigma SigmaSigma, Murray State University’soldest Greek letter socialorganization, will be celebrating its70th birthday. It’s been an eventfulseven decades.

As Homecoming approacheswith its promise of reunions andparades filled with floats, it’sprobably hard for anyone inMurray to imagine a campuswithout sororities andfraternities. Yet, for the first 20years, that’s just that way it wasat the small, hard workingteacher preparation school thatwas steadily filling the fields andfarmlands to the west of Murray,Kentucky.

The Founding ofSigma Sigma Sigma

In fact, it was the older, moreprestigious University of Kentucky

that provided theinspiration for

Greek life atM u r r a yState. Anne

Richmond,daughter of

Dr. JamesRichmond

(Murray StatePresident from

1936-45)

presented an idea to her dad: makesorority life available to Murray Statewomen as it was on the UK campus.After researching options, Dr.Richmond determined that TriSigma, at the time a nationaleducation sorority, was the best fitfor the women on his teachers’college campus. “Tri Sigma” wasinstalled at Murray State NormalSchool and Teachers’ College on

January 31, 1942, the first Greeksocial organization on the campus.Anne Richmond was elected the firstpresident of the new chapter.

The association with Dr. Richmondpaid an interesting dividend in thebeginning. Department chairs wereasked to submit the names of the“two most outstanding women” intheir respective departments forconsideration as members of the newgroup. From among these womencame the 26 charter members of theAlpha Chi Chapter of Sigma SigmaSigma. Four of these ladies are still

living including: Grace AshbrookSolomon, of Clarksville, Tenn.(formerly of Murray). A number of70-year members of Tri Sigma willbe honored during the birthdayfestivities, including local residentsMargaret Key Crawford, RebeccaRobertson West, Barbara HarrisErwin, and 69-year member PeggyHolland Brown.

“Times were verydifferent.”

In celebration of this historical70th year, the ladies met with thecurrent collegiate chapter toshare memories of the foundingand of those historical times. TheSecond World War, smolderingsince Germany had invadedFrance, ignited with the U.S.Declaration of war against Japanon Dec. 7, 1941, and againstGermany and Italy on Dec. 11. AsTri Sigma began to take its placeon campus, U.S. military action

was barely two months old.

The war years had a major impacton colleges as well as the nation.Peggy Brown recalled, “The warruined many things about campuslife. The only men on campus weretoo old, too young, or too unhealthyto serve in the armed forces.” Peggynoted, “We did have basketball, butit was surely not like it is today!”

Peggy displayed a scrapbook of hercollege days, pulling a paper fromthe scrapbook inscribed with thecomment, “1945-No film available.”Margaret Crawford noted that there

Sigmas at Seventyby: Murray Life Staff with Donna Herndon and Cathie Kopperud

[ ] profile



were no cars on campus andstudents hitchhiked from thecampus to town, getting into the carsof perfect strangers with no fear.“Times were very different,” shesaid.

The ladies discussed such realities asthe rationing of staples, includingsugar. Margaret Crawford notedthat, in those days, there was no TV,radios were battery powered (andthe major source of news andentertainment); there was none ofthe modern technology that is a partof a student’s daily existence today.

“We just had such a goodtime!”

Nevertheless, the privations ofwartime didn’t dampen their spirits.The founding sisters discussed thedifferences in costs of basics likefood and tuition. Margaret notedthat tuition was $30 per semester.The Hut (a popular campus hang-out at 15th and Olive Streetsoccupying the space now called “TheOlive”) served student favorites likecokes for 5 cents and hamburgers for10 cents. Rebecca West still has a TriSigma Beanie which she wore whilea pledge. She also shared a 70-year-old copy of the Tri Sigma National

magazine, TheTriangle.

As the war effortintensified, a NavalPilot TrainingProgram wasestablished atMurray State. Thefirst big change sawthe girls movingfrom Wells Hall,then a women’sdormitory, toOrdway Hall. Thevery limited closetspace was not theproblem it wouldbe today; the

women simply hadvery little clothing. The arrival of somany sturdy young men on campusdid not go unnoticed, either. PeggyBrown entertained her younger TriSigma sisters with stories of pantiesbeing thrown out the Ordway Hallwindows at the Naval Cadets. Whenasked if she was one of the“throwers,” Peggy observed that shecouldn’t have been: she didn’t haveany extra lingerie to spare!

In a letter to the Chapter fromfounder Grace Solomon, she wrote,“The friendships we made were thebest part…I hope after many yearsyour memories of Tri Sigma will be as sweet as mine.” Barbara Erwin, reflecting on whatmodern students might consider to be harsh conditions for life andstudy, commented that she didn’treally remember those long past daysas hard times. “We just had such agood time,” she said.

“It still is!”

Today, the preferred“nickname” for the sorority is“Sigmas,” and a commonrallying cry is “Sigmas forLife.” The reunion of thefounding sisters gave an interestingproof of that long relationship.

“Peggy and I still play bridgetogether every month,” BarbaraErwin told the young Sigmas. GraceSolomon shared a photo of herselfwith Margaret Crawford and notedthat she drives to Murray regularly tocheck on her “dear sister.”

When Margaret said, “It was reallysomething to be asked to join TriSigma,” one of the collegiatesresponded, “It still is!” BarbaraErwin praised the current chapter bysaying, “I am proud to be a Sigmabecause of all of you.”

The Murray Chapter has much tocelebrate, having been selected as theNational Outstanding Chapter of theYear in 2009-10, 2011-12, and 2012-13. This National Award wasestablished in 1961; Alpha Chi wonthe first award for the 1961-62academic year, and received theaward again in 1963-64 and in 1984-85. In addition to campusinvolvement, scholarship, andorganizational progress, the awardalso recognizes consistent andsuccessful acts of community serviceand philanthropy.

Continued on page 43


Volunteers of the localHumane Society hadanticipated August 23since Patrick Lomantini

had chosen Murray as theKentucky stop for the 50 StatesTour. The day arrived and by 8p.m. at Hair Studio, the girls of thesalon, the volunteers and evenPatrick were in awe of thegenerosity of our community.

Patrick left town with a few newitems including Murraymemorabilia, tips for his travelfund and a young lady to drive himfrom state to state for a few days.Before I knew it, I was riding downthe West Kentucky PurchaseParkway heading to Charleston,West Virginia with Patrick.

This was Patrick’s second tour ofthe U.S. with BarkAID a programto raise funds and awareness forhomeless animals. He set a worldrecord on the first 50 States Tourlast year when he raised $47,000for helpless and abused animals.

The goal of the tour is togive 50 haircuts in 50states in 50 days with allproceeds benefitting thelocal animal shelter ororganization. Patricknever intended anannual event but afterseeing the receptiveresponses across thecountry he beganplanning for the 2012tour. On the 2012 tourPatrick raised $49,316for shelters and humanesocieties across thecountry!

Patrick created BarkAID in 2010when he wanted to find a way tocombine his love for hair andfashion with his passion forsaving homeless animals. Itbegan as a fashion show inWichita, Kansas to help the localrescue and as his events grew, sodid his campaign.

Local animal lover Karen Hunter had beenfollowing Patrick'stour since hecreated the tourin 2011. Sheinvited Patrick toMurray in hopeshe would chooseto come to a smaller town to representKentucky. Sureenough, last springhe contacted herand added Murrayto his list for the

Kentucky stop for the secondannual 50 States Tour. Karenbegan preparation in early Julyalong with planning andcoordination help from TakinaBomar of Hair Studio, KathyHodge the Executive Director ofthe Humane Society and myselfsetting appointments via emailand Facebook. The eventgracefully fell together in the twomonths of planning precedingDay 23 of the tour.

It was on that day that the“Friendliest Small Town inAmerica” showed Patrick how weearned that name. In twelvehours of haircutting, $1,700 hadbeen raised for the HumaneSociety of Calloway County.Patrick cut hair (with few shortbreaks to eat and pose forpictures) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.Animal Advocates, Murrayans,college students and even CoachSteve Prohm sat in the chair for

Ultimate Roadtrips by: Caina Lynch

[ ] pet pause

Coach Steve Prohm, head basketball coach at Murray State University, stops by to help the cause.


Patrick to cut their hair.Volunteers of the HumaneSociety, along with foster petsavailable for adoption were inand out of the studio all day tothank Patrick for donating histime to helping the animals.

The local Humane Societydepends on donations andevents of this sort since they arenot funded by the county orstate. With generous donationsthey not only help animals findtheir “forever home” but provideour county with programs likethe Pet Assisted Therapy, DogObedience Classes and Fixed ForLife Assistance that provides a50% discount on the cost to spayor neuter pets of low-incomefamilies.

My Ultimate Road Trip

Many people couldn’t believe thatone man was traveling alone to all50 states in 50 days.

“I’m just a guy from Wichita,Kansas with a dream,” Patricksaid.

That's exactly what he was doingon the tour- using his talent tohelp animals and spreadawareness across the country.

At the halfway mark the going wasabout to get tough for Patrick.Eight hour overnight drives to thenext state would prove difficult,but not impossible. Neither of uscould remember who asked whofor me to drive him around for thenext few days. By a happycoincidence I had the next fivedays off to join Patrick on his driveto West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan,Indiana and Illinois.

Since I had played a role incoordinating Day 23, I felthonored to be able to experiencehis stops in five other states andsee how their salons had workedtogether with the rescue orHumane Society of that area. Notonly did I see Patrick working longhours and connecting with eachone of the clients; I got to knowthe heart, the man, the creator, ofBarkAID. It's amazing what oneperson can do to play a role insaving so many animals' lives.

Patrick spends the majority ofthe year working at his salon,Lomantini the Salon in Wichitaand planning how to make thenext year even better for theanimals. He is dedicated tohelping helpless animals acrossthe United States and will bereturning to Murray on August 23,2013 to help the Humane Societyof Calloway County once again. Allthose involved in Day 23 this yearare excited for another successfuland even larger event for 2013. s

For more information about any of theHumane Society’s programs, contactthe Humane Society of CallowayCounty at 270-759-1884,[email protected], visitour website at www.forthepets.org,find us on Facebook or stop by ouroffice at 607 Poplar Street Suite A-1,Murray.

In 12 hours of haircutting $1200 had been raised for the Humane Society of Calloway County. Above is Patrick Lomantini and the ladies of Hair Studio.

President Carter was speaking at abusiness lunch in Tokyo, where hedecided to open his speech with abrief joke. He told the joke, andthen waited for the translator toannounce the Japanese version.Carter was surprised by howquickly the interpreter was able tore-tell it. Even more impressivewas the reaction from the crowd.Carter thought the story was cute,but not outright hilarious, yet thecrowd broke right up. Carter wasvery flattered. After the speech,Carter met the translator andasked him how he told the joke. The translator responded, "I toldthem, 'President Carter has told avery funny joke. Please laughnow.'"

There's one thing the Democratsand Republicans share in common: Our money.......................................................

A little girl asked her father,"Daddy? Do all FairyTales begin with 'OnceUpon A Time'?"

He replied, "No, there isa whole series of Fairy

Tales that begin with 'Ifelected I promise'."

.......................................................

"I don't make jokes. I just watchthe government and report thefacts." -- Will Rogers[Comedian, social com-mentator, vaudevilleactor]

..................................

"Now and then aninnocent man is sent tothe legislature." -- Kin Hubbard

.......................................................

The trouble with political jokes is they get elected.

Statesmen tell you what is trueeven though it may be unpopular.Politicians will tell you what ispopular, even though it may beuntrue.

.......................................................

Even crime wouldn't pay if thegovernment ran it.

.......................................................

The word 'politics' is derived fromthe word 'poly', meaning 'many',and the word 'ticks', meaning'blood sucking parasites'.-- Larry Hardiman

Politics - The joke is on us.by: Murray Life Staff

[ ] a laughing matter

‘Tis the season for long campaigns, long speeches, short sound bites and shorter memories. Since there isnothing else to be done except to vote (don’t forget!), at least we can laugh at this year's political circus; afterall, it beats crying.



By popular demand, we are providing a two different puzzles

with two different degrees of difficulty.

If you have a favorite kind of print puzzle you’d like to see, contact us

with your ideas at:

Puzzle Editor, Murray Life PO Box 894

Murray, KY 42071

This is hard level puzzle #22...Good Luck!

Instructions:Place the numbers 1 through 9 in each blank field.

Each column (down), row (across) and 3x3 region mustcontain each of the numerals only one time.

Again, good luck!

Where is the Solution?Not sure of your answers?

Turn to page 19!

Go to www.murraylifemagazine.com

We’ll see you next issue with another great puzzle!

This is medium level puzzle #21...Good Luck!

Picture yourself in themost beautiful gardenthat you can possiblyimagine. The sky is blue

without a hint of a cloud, agentle breeze brings the aromaof blossoms to your nose, andthere are so many amazingcolors of flowers to engage thesenses for hours on end. You sitin a comfy chair and enjoy allthe sights and sounds in yourglorious garden. Not only doyou do all those things, but youalso sample the various freshand luscious fruits your gardenhas to offer.

Out of the corner of your eyeyou catch a hint of movementand turn to follow the path of asmall black and yellow stripedinsect. You watch the form of ahoney bee make its way fromflower to flower. You wonderabout the honey bee and its life.Maybe you are afraid of its stingor remember the taste of thehoney upon your lips that youhad so long ago.

But my friends thehoney bees are somuch more than theirstings or their honeyand so much moreimportant than peoplegive them credit forbeing.

A Good FarmHand

You have enjoyed theflowers and the fruits ofyour garden (and so youshould), but think of howyour garden would lookwithout the honey bee.European honey bees arevery important topollination. Not only dothey collect nectar toturn into honey for thehive to eat, but they alsogather pollen as a foodsource. As they go fromflower to flower they may drop alittle pollen from a plant that theyjust visited and thus pollinate thatplant so it may reproduce in the

future. It is amazing to thinkthat the fruit from your gardenmay not have grown

for you to enjoy if not for a bee. Just thinkthat one third of what

you eat each day is allthanks to thoseindustrious littleinsects. Think not

only in terms of fruits,vegetables and grains,but also think in terms

of what you are wearing.Very probably, you are wearing

cotton but maybe you are wearinganother natural fiber such ashemp or linen. Honeybees alsopollinate these plants and so weowe a huge “thank you” to the beesfor our favorite pairs of jeans.

Ode to the Honey Beeby: Brooke Gilley

[ ] nature


“It is amazing to think thatthe fruit from your gardenmay not have grown foryou to enjoy if not for abee. ”

– Brooke Gilley

Meet Dr. Bee

In addition to their roles aspollinators, bees also provideproducts from the hive that are

used medicinally. The use ofproducts like royal jelly, honey,pollen, propolis, wax, etc. thatcome from the hive and are usedfor medical reasons is calledapitherapy. For example,beeswax is used in healingsalves. Just think about your lipbalm.

If you happen to be an allergysufferer, the digestion of localhoney (not the stuff you buy inthe grocery store), is said to aidin lessening the severity ofallergies. The ancient wisdomof using bee-made products isone of the reasons that theEuropean honey bee wasbrought to the United Statesabout 400 years ago in the1600’s. In many culturesaround the world these littleinsects are revered and so theyshould be. At the very least,they deserve understanding andrespect.

A Little Help for theBee

As you can see, the honey bee isso much more important thanjust producing scrumptioushoney. Sadly, these insects aredeclining in the United Statesand other parts of the world,which has many people worried.They are experiencingsomething called ColonyCollapse Disorder, which causesmany beekeepers to lose 30% to

90% of bees in their hives.There is no direct answer towhat is causing this decline inhoney bees and it is, quiteprobably, a combination offactors. The theories include:Varro mites that are a parasiteof honey bees; viruses; smallhive beetle infestations that willdevastate a hive by tunneling inwax and destroying eggs andlarvae of the honey bees; andthe use of pesticides on crops.

Please think while in yourgarden what it would be likewithout these wonderful insects,the honey bees. Where wouldyour beautiful flowers be, thosedelicious fruits, and even yourfavorite t-shirt or jeans? Howcan you help honey bees? Learnabout them, support your localbeekeeper and, if you must usepesticides, use the minimumamount per application andavoid using mid-day whenhoney bees are most active.

Remember to thank those littlebees for all that they do. If you don’t think theyunderstand human speech, try another form of expression –plant a few more flowers like Joe-pye Weed, Bee Balm, Foxglove Beardtongue, Aster, Goldenrod, AmericanBeautyberry, OakleafHydrangea, fruit trees,blackberries and raspberries.The bees will get the message.s

www.murraylifemagazine.com s murray life magazine [ 17 ]www.murraylifemagazine.com s murray life magazine [ 17 ]

Nectar-bearing Flowersthat AttractBees:• Joe-pye Weed

• Bee Balm

• Foxglove Beardtongue

• Aster

• Goldenrod

• American Beautyberry

• Oakleaf Hydrangea

• Fruit Trees

• Blackberries

• Raspberries

7:The record for the most fum-bles in a single game (QB Len

Dawson of the Chiefs)

14,500 tons:of potato chips are consumedon Super Bowl Sunday (esti-

mated)

20%:Antacid sales increase the

Monday following the SuperBowl

28 inches:The distance around a football

2:The number of players who

can use their foot to move theball (kicker and punter).

$1.5 billion:the Dallas Cowboys are the

most valued sports franchise inthe world

1.5 million:the number of footballs soldthroughout the world each

year

57,600:square feet in a football field

630:NCAA football teams

119:Bowl Championship Series

football teams

16,047:high school football teams in

America

1:star on the Hollywood Walk

of Fame belongs to NFLplayer Terry Bradshaw

Football!by: Caina Lynch

[ ] count on it

With summer’s end comes the beginning of a season that occupies weekends full of tailgates, friends, chillyevenings and stadium lights illuminating the night for a football game. Here are a few numbers concerning thesport that consumes a majority of our cool weather weekends and evenings.



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One thing I have learnedabout gardening overthe years is that there isalways a new facet of

gardening I need to explore. Onespring I had several customers askme about growing fruit trees and Irealized that starting a homeorchard was a subject in which Ireally was not very knowledgeable.Being the inquisitive person I am,I decided to do some research so Iwould be more prepared nextspring when a question arose.

I guess the reason I never pursuedplanting my own home orchardwas that I had assumed that itwould take years and years to reapany benefits from my efforts and itwas just easier to buy the fruitfrom my local orchard or thegrocery store. I had visions ofJohnny Appleseed planting allthose apple starts and never evengetting to eat one of those applesand I am just not that patient! Ididn’t realize that you couldactually harvest fruit from yourvery own trees in as little as 2 to 3years.

Now Is the Time

One of the most important things Ilearned from my research was that

in our area, spring really was notthe best time to plant a homeorchard, anyway. For our area,late October through the end ofDecember is the ideal time forplanting these types of trees.Here’s the science behind it: eventhough the air is cool the groundremains warm enough for a tree toput out roots right up until theground freezes. If you try to plantin the spring, your trees may nothave enough time to root in beforethe stress of heat and drought setsin. This would definitely be thecase for trees planted this pastspring with the kind of heat wehad this summer! An added bonusis this: fruit trees planted in thefall have a “head start” over thoseplanted the following spring sothey could bear their first crop ayear sooner than trees planted thefollowing spring.

Where and What

Along with planning where youare going to have your orchard,you must decide what kind andsize of fruit tree you want to grow.There are a number of wonderfulvarieties that are now available inthree or four sizes, thanks to theprocess of grafting. Most homegardeners prefer the dwarf size asthey only grow 8 to 12 feet tall, soharvesting can be done from theground rather than a ladder. Thisis especially true for “babyboomers” as ladder climbing is notas easy for us as it used to be.Dwarf trees usually begin bearingcrops years earlier than a standardsize tree. A person can easily

incorporate fruit trees into theexisting landscape plan. Not onlycan fruit trees offer all-seasonornamental value to their propertybut of prime importance is thegood-tasting, healthy fruit theyproduce. Fruit trees can offercolorful blossoms in spring,followed by attractive foliage andthe developing fruit year afteryear.

As my daughter and I weredecorating our garden center,Beans to Blossoms, for the comingChristmas season, I had awonderful thought: What awonderful Christmas gift a fruittree would be for someone!Instead of giving some gift thatmay go out of style or may benefitsome overseas economy, why notgive a “home grown” present thatwould keep giving for many yearsto come? We could wrap that treecontainer up in some colorfulpaper, put a nice big red bow on itand, presto! You have that perfectgift you have been searching for atthe very economical price. Likemany plant vendors, we offer a100% guarantee on our fruit treesfor 1 full year. If your tree dieswithin the first year, we willreplace it for you. If you decide ona fruit tree, an ornamental or alarge shrub for a holiday gift, you

“For our area, lateOctober through the endof December is the idealtime for planting”

– Suzanne Cathey

An Apple a Day by: Suzanne Cathey

[ ] gardening

“The best time to plant atree is twenty years ago.The next best time isnow.”

– Chinese Proverb


might want to act soon so yoursupplier can order the perfectplant for the perfect present.Supplies may be limited as the endof fall planting approaches – andChristmas gets nearer, too.

Good Bees-ness

There are some ground rules (nopun intended) you have to followto be successful in your endeavors.Fruit trees are either self-pollinating or require anothervariety for pollination. Peaches,nectarines, tart cherries andapricots are self-pollinating so youcould plant just one of them. Onthe other hand apples, pears,sweet cherries, plums and prunesneed a pollinator although thereare a couple of exceptions to thatrule. Golden Delicious andMcIntosh apples are self-pollinating so they will bear fruiton their own but if you plant themwith at least one more variety theirfruit will be larger and moreabundant. Sweet cherries will notpollinate with tart cherries andOrient Pears need a pollinator

other than Keiffer.Before purchasing any fruit tree be sureand find out what pollinationrequirements it has soyou won’t bedisappointed on downthe road.

A Cut Above

One last requirementfor a successfulorchard is properpruning. If a tree iscarefully pruned whenthe tree is young, onlya minimum of pruningwill be needed as thetree gets older.Pruning of young trees

establishes the shape ofthe tree so limbs will be welldistributed up, down and aroundthe trunk. Also, pruningstimulates new growth of maturetrees for continued productivityand long life. Removing diseased,injured, weak and dead limbsreduces stress on the plant’s

health. Pruning opens thetree to sunlight and air,reducing the incidence of diseaseand insect damage. Apples andpears are pruned to a main trunkwith horizontal limbs every one ortwo feet up the leader, much likehow a pine tree develops naturallyin the woods. Peaches are prunedusing an “open center” style sothat it ends up looking much likean inverted umbrella. Anyknowledgeable nursery shouldhave books or information if youneed help before pruning for thefirst time. If not, there is anabundant amount of informationon the Internet, which is just amouse click away.

So, don’t let short days and fallingtemperatures get your spiritsdown. Fall weather is just nature’sway of reminding you that it’s timeto plant so you can enjoy flowersand fresh fruit for years to come!

Suzanne Cathey prunes her trees at Beans to

Blossoms, just east of Murray on Highway 94,

and dispenses advice, as well through the

website www.beanstoblossoms.com. s

Tree Planting Tips• Dig a hole that is at least 2-3 times bigger than the rootball and deep enough that the top of the root ball is 1"above ground; this allows the roots to easily begin to growoutwards into the soil and prevent rotting.

• Backfill the hole with a mixture of top soil or compost andthe previous soil. When the hole is about half full, water andpack the soil before continuing to fill the hole.

• Spread mulch around your new tree 2-3 inches deep anda few inches from the tree trunk.

• Stake the tree for the first year to provide stability.

• Water daily


Leaves, Leaves and More Leavesby: Caina Lynch

[ ] guess what

As the leaves on trees begin to change colors we dread the idea of all the leaves that will need to be raked in the comingweeks. But the hours spent outside raking just to watch your kids blow up the leaf pile with their bottoms are hours wellspent. There are other leaves to wonder about, like the green, black and oolong teas that are from leaves of the same teaplant, but are simply processed differently. And there are more leaves. What do you know about them? (see the answerson page 19 – but no peeking!)

1. What do the four leaves of aclover stand for?

a. Head, heart, hands and healthb. Passion, prosperity, peace and quietc. Hope, faith, love and luckd. Moe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp

2. Which plants’ leaves are usedto help remove excess waterand toxins from the body – andare often found in organic sal-ads?

a. Bak choyb. Dandelionc. Spinachd. Radicchio

3. The shaking leaves of thistree are said to resemble awoman's gossiping tongue.

a. Banyanb. Willowc. Familyd. Aspen

4. This tree, with its fan-shapedleaves, is the only one left in itsgenus in the world.

a. Avacadob. Sequoiac. Gingko d. Ash

5. The leaves and tips of thisflowering plant were once used

for making ale. (Hint:think Scottish moors)

a. Laurelb. Heather

c. Gingerd. Myrtle

6. When the air tempera-ture in autumn drops,

the production of___ inside theleaves starts to

decrease, turning someleaves orange and yellow.

a. Carbon dioxideb. Calciumc. Cholesterol

d. Chlorophyll

7. Tasseography is the readingof ___ and is said to be a pow-erful meditative tool providinginsights into the reader's sub-conscious.

a. Tea leavesb. Tree barkc. Tree trunksd. Trashy romance novels

8. On average, about how manycalories are burned in eachhour of leaf raking?

a. 25b. Between 50 - 100c. Between 100 - 200d. Between 500 - 1,000

9. Every year we throw away___ of leaves and grass. Leavesalone account for 75% of oursolid waste in the fall.

a. 24 million tonsb. 2 million tonsc. 200 tonsd. 10 trillion pounds

10. The largest plant leafbelongs to ___ whose leavesgrow up to 75 ft long and 9 ftwide.

a. Cannab. Raffia palmsc. Ricciad. Elephant Ears



ayne Bates lives on a hillside of red Kentuckyclay. Born the son of a Baptist minister inWinchester, Tenn., he moved with his family tothe red clay country of Georgia, and then toJackson, Tenn. That explains how he foundhimself eventually, at Jackson’s UnionUniversity. There his childhood skills in carving,woodworking, and simple farm-basedmechanics combined with his studies inpainting. When the art instructor “turned himloose” in a ceramics room, a new passion wasborn.

Today, the work displayed in his “Gallery 121”has avid collectors across America. People areoften surprised to find that the porcelain art theysaw in a shop on New York's Park Avenue or inW


a posh gallery in San Francisco actuallyoriginated not far from the Murray Court Square.His "sgraffito" style creates works of elegance andcolor on translucent clay that seem to gather thelight. Geometric shapes unlike anything you haveever seen entrance the eye and beguile the brain.For the art lover, a visit to his studio is more like atrip to Disneyland.

It was a long and interesting road that took himfrom an east Tennessee student to an artist whosework is selected to commemorate a visit from ahead of state or the retirement of a respectedleader of business or education.

At Union, he met music student Kay Gardner.After graduation, they moved to Athens, Ga.,

where Kay studied music and Wayneconcentrated on pottery and ceramics. At UGA,Wayne studied Native American art, took classesin the history of ceramics and became interestedin functional pottery. In 1969, while working as thekiln supervisor for the Haystack Mountain Schoolfro Crafts, he met William Daley.

Daley brought Bates to the Philadelphia Collegeof Art as a teacher. There he stayed until 1978,becoming co-chair for the Craft Department, andserving as a consultant to the Moravian Tile Worksin nearby Doylestown, Pa. He continues toexamine all forms of functional art in order, as heputs it, "To swim in a very deep and wide river ofexperience."

When Kayaccepted ateaching positionat Murray StateUniversity, heseized theopportunity toopen his one-man studio andentered into lifeas a productionpotter. Now, heworks in “chinaclay,” a mediumthat challengesthe most skilledartist.

The secret forWayne Bates hasless to do with thecreation of apiece of "beauty,"in the aestheticsense, and moreto do with a

useful object. "My best shot is to make things thatare really beautiful and that people are going touse," he says.

He’s even happier now that he is “off the road.”Wayne used to spend hours packing his samplesand shipping or transporting them to art showsacross the country. There he would talk to dealersand galleries and collect orders. When you aretraveling or doing business, you are not makingart – just money.

In 2007, just ahead of the collapse in the artmarket, Wayne “got off the road.” He cut back hisproduction to special orders from existingcustomers (or, “collectors,” if you want to be moreaccurate) and began to concentrate more on artthan on selling. His art did not suffer, butneither did his sales. His t r a d e m a r k

bowls, platters and other practical vessels havebeen supplemented by striking ceramic tiles usedfor such jobs as a kitchen backsplash.

“I’m doing more of what I want to do,” he says.“My work has more variety now because I don’thave to supply shops and galleries. I don’t missit.” Now, only three retail outlets carry his work:The Museum of the American Quilters Society,The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, and TheGallery located in Murray’s University Square.Thanks to his website, however, he continues tohave an international following.

Murray State professor of art, Dale Leys, is anardent fan of Wayne Bates. “The thing I admireabout him is his work ethic. He doesn’t sit aroundand think about it; he doesn’t have to; he juststarts producing.”

“He’s drawing on a three dimensional surface,”says Dale. “I just use two dimensions, but we’reboth drawing. I’m interested in color and tonality,and he does that also. I’m starting to seeinfluences of his work on mine. First and foremost,he is an artist.” The respect must be mutual,because some of Leys’ art hangs in the Bateshousehold.

Sitting in the display room of "Gallery 121," he issurrounded by his work: platters, cups, vases andthe colorful bowls that respectfully reflect withoutimitating the ancient traditions that first intriguedhim. From every window of the Gallery, whichadjoins his studios and kiln spaces located onhilly farmland southeast of Murray, Bates can seenature.

"I'm interested in shapes and textures. I look forpatterns that are pleasing or just interestingto me. I'm not a student ofnature the way


Audubon was, but, yes, this environment is a goodone for me," he says.

“Nothing I do is a total innovation, but puttingSgaffito together with these colors,” he says,referring to the vibrant pastels in some of his work,“that’s something I began before most others. I lovethe subtle changes in tonal qualities.”

Dale Lays disagrees with Wayne’s modesty. “He’s arenaissance man; he helped me redesign myhouse to help preserve and archive my work. Hisinterests are very wide and his skills are just asvaried.” Bates also created and maintains Dale’swebsite of over 1,300 pages. For him, it’s just a newart form with which he can play.

Unlike the Native American potters who inspiredhim, Bates lives in a modern world of technologythat has "freed the craftsman from the slavery ofmaking utilitarian objects." Still, he feels that thefunctional nature of certain objects separates themfrom painting or sculpture. An object that is used inlife gains special qualities: intimacy, a sense ofpurpose, and connection to a ritual. "We shouldcelebrate these things," he observes.

In art and in life, Wayne Bates is celebrating.

Wayne Bates Studio and Gallery 121Just 8.3 miles from the Murray Court Square onHighway 121 South, or about 15 miles north of ParisLanding State Park on Tenn. Hwy 119 (whichbecomes 121 in KY). Call ahead for an appointmentat 270-436-5610. We recommend a visit to thewebsite first for complete information andmaps: www.waynebates.com



Investment Insightby: Ron Arant

[ ] the money pages

When should Social SecurityBenefits Start?

Unfortunately, there isno perfect answer tothis question. Let'stake a look at the

different options to see whichmay best fit your needs andsituation.

If you retire early, youpermanently reduce yourbenefit for life. On the otherhand, you will collect benefitsfor a longer period of time thanif you had waited until fullretirement. Taking a smallerbenefit early can pay off if youdon’t live past your break-evenage. To determine the break-even age you can use the Social

Security Administration'swebsite which has a break-evencalculator at www.ssa.gov.

A Social Security benefit of$1,500 per month at fullretirement age (FRA) wouldequate to approximately $1,250if taken early at age 62 (75% of

FRA). By age 78(77 and 11months) you will have

collected

approximately $216,000 intotal benefits, whether youopted for the early or full retirement age benefits.However, this calculation doesnot take in to account anyinvestment value of the earlybenefits. Even if you don’t savethe early benefits they couldallow your other assets tocontinue to grow which wouldhave some value. Thisinvestment growth could addan additional 3 to 5 years toyour break-even age.However, the decisions don'tstop here. Here are some otherissues to consider:

Additional medicalinsurance expense: If you choose to retire earlyyou may have to pay a lot morefor medical insurance. Manycompanies are required tooffer you your current medicalcoverage through COBRA butthey don’t have to subsidizethe premium payment as they

had when you were working. This could be a significant

expense.

Your finances and yourhealth: Waiting for full retirement ageor later isn’t an option if youare unable to work. Nor is it asmart move to wait if you don’thave substantial savings to liveon in the meantime.

Your tax situation: Those with high total incomesmust include up to 85% of

“If you retire early, youpermanently reduce yourbenefit for life. .”

– Ron Arant


their benefits as income for federalincome tax purposes. If your annual incomein retirement from all sources exceeds$25,000 ($32,000 for joint filers) you willowe income taxes on a portion of yourbenefits. Your benefits may be reduced evenfurther because Medicare premiums (age 65and older), which are paid out of your socialsecurity check, have been rising faster thaninflation.

Your plans to work in retirement: If you take Social Security benefits before fullretirement age and take a job which pays morethan $14,160 a year, your benefits will bereduced by $1 for every $2 earned above thatthreshold unless you are past your fullretirement age. However, once you havereached full retirement age this penalty doesnot apply.

How long have you been in theworkforce: Social Security benefits are calculated basedon your 35 highest years of earnings. So if youhave worked less than that, because of leavingthe workforce to raise children or were out ofwork for several years, you might want to worka few years extra before full retirement age toboost your benefits. If you have not worked thefull 35 years, those years where there was noincome represent a year in the calculation,therefore pulling down your average earnings.

Married couples must consider longevityof spouse: If one member of a married couple dies, thesurviving spouse can continue to receivehis/her own Social Security benefit, or 100% ofthe deceased spouse benefit, whichever ismore. If your spouse earned less over his or herlifetime that you did, and outlives you, he orshe will start receiving your benefits. If you fileat 62, he or she will inherit a reduced amountof benefits for the rest of his or her life. Andremember that, statistically, women live longerthan men.

If you would like more insight into whether youcan afford to retire soon or if it might be moreprudent to wait a few years, contact yourfinancial consultant. Your consultant has thetools and knowledge to create an in-depthanalysis and advise you of your options. s





This year, on October 27,Murray’s Central Park willbe festooned with bannersand tartans in celebration

of the Murray Highland Festival.Murray’s celebration of Scottishheritage is only one of hundreds ofsuch gatherings that take placeacross the U.S. throughout the year.Kilted men, some with bagpipes,are joined by folk singers andharpists, highland “coos” andborder collies, clans and bands.There are dance competitions,family reunions and historic re-enactments; Scotch eggs, trifles andmeatpies.

So, what is all the fuss aboutScottish music, athletics andhistory? Why is it in Murray? Hereare the top 5 reasons why the Scotsare coming to Central Park.

Reason #1: Murray

Murray is a Scottish name. JohnMurray, the 19th Centurymilitary man and politician afterwhom the city is named, couldhave easily traced his roots backto one of the two major seats ofthe Murray family, and probablyto the large “castle” called BlairAthol, just a short drive north

from modern day Perth. Theassumption is that he was not a“first-born son,” and leftScotland to seek his fortune inthe New World.

In fact, this part of Kentucky isfull of Scottish place names, andethnologists tell us that seventypercent of the residentpopulation can trace theirheritage back to the Scots andthe Irish who immigrated hereduring the last two centuries.Place names such as Calloway,McCracken, Buchanan, androads bearing names likeDouglas, McDougal, Scott andCohoon – and, of course, Murray– are reminders of the earliestsettlers to this area.

For instance, local families withnames like Houstons andMcCuistons (and all thespellings and pronunciations inbetween) are descendants ofclan Uisdean (YOOS-den).Names like Robertson, Kennedy,Reagan, McGee, McKinney andMontgomery are as common inthe highlands as they are aroundhere. Scratch most westKentuckians, and much of theblood will be Scottish.

Reason #2: Tom Murray

The first Scottish games in Murraywere held in Central Park nearly 20years ago, in the spring of 1992 or’93, with the help of Tom and ClaireMurray of Baton Rouge, La., andwith the support of MSU presidentRon Kurth and the First Lady,Charlotte.

Tom had stopped in Murray on hisway home to Louisiana from a visitin Canada, and decided to take aninterest in the city and theuniversity which bore his family’sname. He found great interest in thetradition from the Kurths, whodecided to stage a series oftraditional Scottish events tostimulate the “Murray link.” Tomwas the chief consultant as TrudyMorris (now MacFarlane) became

[ ] community

Five Reasons The Man is Wearing a Skirtby: Robert Valentine

“70% of the residentialpopulation can trace theirheritage back to the Scotand Irish who immigratedhere during the last twocenturies. ”

– Robert Valentine


the chief organizer of the “festivalgames.” That day of activityfeatured demonstration athletics,dance, and traditional music fromSmithfield Fair, a group from BatonRouge, Louisiana.

While an active Scottish heritageprogram began in Murray, it wasPaducah that hosted the firstHighland Games, beginning around1996. For several years, Paducah’sCarson Park was the annual site of aone-day festival of music, dance andathletics. Directed by the energeticCharlotte Harris, most of theorganizers were from the Paducaharea, but many Murrayans attendedfaithfully.

Over the years, the games hostedsuch artists as Ian Bruce, ColinGrant-Adams, and Smithfield Fair.National Champion, MSU gradMark Wrinkle, got his start inScottish athletics at one of thegames.

However, a few years ago, thegames moved from Paducah to

Murray. In a sense, the games“came home” to Murray inthe early part of themillennium and they seem tobe growing. Tom Murraywould be pleased at that.

Reason #3: More Scots

The immigrants keepcoming. Jim McFarlanecame to the United Statesless than 20 years ago andmarried Trudy Morris. Boththe McFarlanes have beenvery active in Scottishheritage events for someyears, with Trudyspearheading MSU’s ScottishElderhostel program andpresiding over theCaledonian Society ofMurray on more than one

occasion.

John McConnachie is a recentarrival, as well, and works hard tomake the Murray Games a success.He takes his orders from wifeDebbie, the current president of theWestern Kentucky HighlandSociety.

Mike Smith of Paducah has been anevery games since the very first andshows no sign of slowing down orreducing his involvement. “I don’tthink we could have a westKentucky game without thathandle-bar moustache (Smith’s),”said Pete Lancaster.

Paducah bagpiper Jim Cruikshankhas been at most – if not all – of thefestivals. Wearing his Stuart tartan,he may spend the whole daypassing up and down the mainavenues between tents and eventsplaying pipe favorites and fillingthe air with the great sounds ofScotland. Lately, he’s been joinedby Ed Smith of Paris, Tenn., arecent newcomer to the area – whobrought his bagpipes, too.

Reason #4: We Love aGood Time!

With support from the Conventionand Visitor’s Bureau, and from thevery active and award-winningChamber of Commerce, culturalevents are likely to attract a crowd.This year, the last weekend ofOctober seems to be a great time tocelebrate a heritage from a coolerclimate and the brisk autumn airshould give everyone a welcomeshot of vigor on October 27th whenthe pipes break the silence ofCentral Park around 10 a.m.

Full information on events, times and places in available at the Games website, www.wkyhighlandfestival.com.

Reason #5: We’re Friendlyand We’ve Got the Medal toProve It

This year, as pipers and official clanrepresentatives arrive in Murray,they will be coming, as they alwayshave, to the Friendliest Small Townin the USA. This year, however, thetitle is more than a local opinion: itis official. A study by the Rand-McNally Corporation and USAToday found that Murray is,indeed, the friendliest small townin America.

Where else would you stage anevent that is, in fact, a great bigfamily reunion? When the Scotsgather this fall, you’re welcome tojoin in the fun. Don’t worry aboutchecking your family tree for kilt-wearing warriors or boisterousbagpipers; if you enjoy gettingtogether with folks to make newfriends and have a good time,Debbie McConnichie promises thatyou’ll find a hearty welcome in theFriendliest Central Park in theUSA. As the Murray Scots say,“Y’all come see us, aye?” s


2623 Wayne Sullivan DrivePaducah, KY 42003

Phone: 270-442-9726Fax: 270-442-5058

www.computer-source.com


Sigmas at Seventy

Continued from page 11

That impressive record was onlypart of the reason the MSU VicePresident for Student Development,Dr. Don Robertson, offered aglowing salute to the ladies on theoccasion of their founding.

“Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority has along history of service andleadership at Murray StateUniversity. It is one of our premiereGreek organizations and has alwaysset the tone for the rest of our Greeksystem. The entire community ofMurray, as well as Murray StateUniversity, has benefitted from theservice, leadership, and academicaccomplishments of the chapterand individual members. We takegreat pride in the sorority’saccomplishments and thesignificant role the sorority hasplayed on campus and in the lives ofour students over the past seventyyears.”

More than 1,900 women have beeninitiated into Sigma Sigma Sigmaduring Alpha Chi’s 70 years atMurray State. These women havemade invaluable contributions toMurray State and to theircommunities, “always loving,giving, and sharing, embodying theSigma commitment to developstrong womanly character,” said avery proud Donna Herndon, aformer Murray Chamber ofCommerce Citizen of the Year.

Since 1942, they have been a partof the Murray community, andMurray has been a part of theirlives during these formative years.The next 70 years should be reallysomething. s

Legend has it thatpumpkins weren't theoriginal Jack-O-Lantern. Early Jack-O-

Lanterns were used to ward offStingy-Jack who had tricked thedevil and roamed the darknesswith a coal from the fiery pits ofhell inside a hollow turnip. Butthat's a story we'll save for later;we are hungry for salted seedspulled from the belly of apumpkin, spiced lattes from ourfavorite café shop and whocould forget pumpkin pie.

The fall fruit we love so muchoriginated in the ancientAmericas and was cultivatedwith sunflowers and beans alongthe banks of rivers and creeks.In fact, the ground-huggingpumpkin was critical to theearliest form of agriculture,called “Three SistersGardening.” Sunflowers or cornformed the base, and gave aclimbing pole

for beans. Planted after the cornand bean sprouts, the pumpkinsspread their spiny leaves acrossthe ground, providing mulch tohelp in water for the other two“sisters” and protection againstweeds, some insects, andmarauding nibblers like rabbits.

The early Native Americans didnot waste any part of thepumpkin. It could be roasted,baked, parched, boiled anddried and could be stored for thewinter. Pumpkin blossoms wereadded to stew to increasethickness. Pumpkins containpotassium and Vitamin A andare 90% water. The seeds wereused as a medicine to cleanse

the body and today, accordingto the Natural Medicines

Comprehensive Database,the seeds contain achemical that is effectiveagainst intestinal wormsand for treating healthconditions such asinflammation of the

bladder, kidney infection,and urinary retention.

When the pilgrims came toAmerica they used many of thegrowing and storing techniques

of the Native Americans. Theyalso came up with a few newways to use the melon.Documents show that pumpkinwas served at the secondThanksgiving celebration, butthey also used the melon tomake pumpkin beer. This earlycolonial brew was created byfermenting a combination ofpersimmons, hops, maple sugarand pumpkin.

Pumpkin shells were also usedas a shape for haircuts to ensurea round and even cut. This iswhy New Englanders weresometimes referred to as"pumpkinheads," and it gives awhole new meaning to the term"bowl-cut."

The idea of the Jack-O-Lanternand pumpkin carving is derivedfrom Irish folklore. As folkloregoes an Irishman nicknamedStingy Jack played tricks oneveryone, including the devil.He tricked the devil intoclimbing up a tree where Jackhad carved crosses whichprevented the devil fromclimbing down. In order for thedevil to be freed from Jack'stricks, the Devil had to promisehim that he would never take hissoul.

Eventually Stingy Jack died.Because of his sinful ways, hewas not accepted into heaven.And, true to the devil’s promise,Stingy Jack was not allowed intohell either. The devil gave himan ember with eternal flames

[ ] food

“The idea of the Jack-O-Lantern and pumpkincarving is derived from Irishfolklore.”

– Caina Lynch


I'll Love You ‘til the End of Vineby: Caina Lynch

from hell to walk with. Hecarved a turnip and placed thelight inside of it to help him ashe wandered through darknessfor eternity.

Throughout history as the storycontinued to be told, peoplebegan carving scary faces andcharacters on differentvegetables holding burningcoals for protection against thespirits who wandered thedarkness. After people startedimmigrating to America,pumpkins were discoveredeasier to carve and candlesreplaced coal. The tradition ofthe Jack-O-Lantern continued.

In the late 1800s Halloweenbecame a time to celebrate inthe community andneighborhood with activitiesand parties. This is theHalloween we know andcelebrate today, but it wouldn’tbe the same with the pumpkin –a treat for the eye and thepalate.

....................

Pumpkin Seed Recipe Save your seeds when creatingyour Jack-O-Lantern andcontinue the fun in the kitchenwith this salty snack.

IngredientsOne pumpkinBowlWaterCookie sheetOlive oil or butterHerbal seasonings, such as salt,garlic powder, onion powder andpepper

DirectionsRinse the pumpkin seeds andremove all the pulp. To help get

the pulp off, put the seeds inbowl of water—most shouldcome off that way.

Spread the seeds out on a cookiesheet and let dry. (The seeds tastebest if you soak them in saltedwater the night before.)

Toss the seeds with olive oil, orbutter, and sprinkle with salt,garlic powder, onion powder,pepper, or any other herbs youthink would taste best.

Bake at 300 degrees for 45minutes to 1 hour, continuallytossing the seeds.Cook until golden brown.

.....................

Pumpkin ChocolateChip BrowniesTempt your family andhouseguests with this sweetlyspiced fall treat. One pan of thesebrownies yields about 9 servings,luckily the recipe can be easilydoubled and baked in a largerpan.

IngredientsNonstick cooking spray1/2 cup canned pumpkin1/3 cup brown sugar blend1 large egg2 large egg whites2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon Baking Cocoa1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


"For pottage and puddings and custards and pies

Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies,

We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,

If it were not for pumpkins we should be undoon."

-Pilgrim verse, circa 1633


1/2 teaspoon groundallspice

1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/3 cup Semi-Sweet ChocolateMini Morsels

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350° F. Spray 8-or 9-inch-square baking pan withnonstick cooking spray.

Combine pumpkin, sugar blend,egg, egg whites and oil in largemixer bowl. Beat with an electricmixer on medium speed untilblended.

Add flour, baking powder, cocoa,cinnamon, allspice, salt andnutmeg. Beat on low speed untilbatter is smooth. Stir in morsels.Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or untilwooden pick inserted near centercomes out clean. Cool in pan onwire rack. Cut into 2-inchsquares.

.....................

Baked Stuffed PumpkinFor something different anddecorative, place a pumpkinstuffed and baked with a few of

your fall favorites in the centerof the table. The pumpkincontains six side dish servingsalongside smoked ham orroasted turkey.

Ingredients1 medium sugar pumpkin6 Granny Smith apples - peeled,cored and chopped1 cup chopped walnuts1 (16 ounce) can whole berrycranberry sauce1 (20 ounce) can pineapplechunks, drained3/4 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup golden raisins1/2 cup dark rum (optional)2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot1 tablespoon freshly gratednutmeg1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Position rack inthe center of the oven.Cut out top of pumpkin, and setaside.

Scoop out seeds with a metalspoon.

In a large bowl, stir together theapples, walnuts, cranberry sauce,pineapple, brown sugar, raisins,and rum.

Season with ginger, nutmeg, andcinnamon, and mix well. Spoonthe mixture into the cleanedpumpkin, and replace top.

Set pumpkin directly on a bakingstone or a thick baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheatedoven, or until pumpkin begins tosoften. Remove from heat, andstir, scraping the sides gently, sothat some pieces of pumpkin fallinto the apple mixture. s


[ ] advertiser’s directory

BB&T Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Beans to Blossoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Carey’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Carson Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Computer Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Der Dutch Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Ezell’s Cosmetology School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Froggyland Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29, 50

Gear Up Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Grey's Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Hilliard-Lyons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Humane Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Imes-Miller Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Jarvis Vision Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

K-Squared Designs, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Keller Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Kenny Imes for State Representative . . . . . . .19

Kentucky Farm Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Kopperud Realty . . . . . . . . . . .2, 3, Inside Back

Lee Jewelry Artisans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Loft, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Love Yo Mug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Mattress Guys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 50

MidSouth Vinyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Murray Auto Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Murray Bank, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Murray-Calloway Co. Chamber . . . . . . . . . . .50

Murray-Calloway Co. Hospital . . . . Back Cover

Murray Electric System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Murray Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Murray Insurance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Murray Life Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Murray State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Murray Woman's Clinic . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front

Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery . . . . . . . . . . .39

Playhouse in the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Randy Thornton Heating & Air . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Red Bug on Third . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Rolling Hills Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Roof Brothers Wine & Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

SBG Real Property Professionals . . . . . . .39, 48

Urology Associates, H.S. Jackson, MD . . . . .42

Wall Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

WENK/WTPR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Western Baptist Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

West Wood Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

WKMS FM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

WK&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Advertiser Page # Advertiser Page # Advertiser Page #

Need a phone number or an address to a business but can’t remember the page you saw it on? This is yourguide to Murray Life Magazine’s advertisers. Enjoy!

[ ] coming soon ...

• The doors of a few Murray homes will be opened to offer us a glimpse of how their historic Murrayhome is decorated for the holiday season in our annual Kappa Tour of Homes.

• Murray State University Archivist Dieter Ullrich will delve into the past and give more information on theimpact of the Digital Age in the "Is Our History, "History?'" section.

• More and more women are leading area congregations. We will examine what brought them there andwhat keeps them there as we visit "Women in the Pulpit."

Join the fun: submit your calendar notes or news items to [email protected], or drop us a note at P.O. Box894, Murray, KY 42071. Photos are welcome, but they become property of Murray Life and return cannot beassured.

Our next edition is our "Holiday" issue. When the days are shorter and cozying up in a comfy chair withyour favorite book or magazine is encouraged, count on Murray Life for humor, shopping tips, diningguides, nature stories, trivia and more.


[ ] seen around town


[ ] dining guide

Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill 816 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-5551

Asian Buffet638 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3788

August Moon1550 Lowe’s Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-4653

Baldy’s Grill901 Coldwater Rd. . . . .(270) 762-0441

Big Apple Café 1005 Arcadia Circle . .(270) 759-8866

El Mariachi Loco406 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-9000

Fiesta Grill604 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-8226

Gloria’s World Village Food124 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3233

HRH Dumplin’s305B S. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 753-0000

Jasmine Restaurant - Thai & Asian Cuisine506 N. 12th St. Suite E (270) 761-8424

Magnolia Tea Room306 Gilbert St. . . . . . . .(270) 492-6284Hazel, KY

La Cocina Mexicana501 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 767-1627Murray

La Cocina Mexicana314 Main St. . . . . . . . . . (270) 492-6392Hazel, KY

Latin Lovers716 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 767-0026

Los Portales 506 N. 12th St. . . . . . ...(270) 767-0315

Quarters200 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3406

Olive Pit905 Mineral Wells Ave.(731) 642-5030Paris, TN

Ruby Renee’s Restaurant1196 State Route 121 North(270) 761-7829

Shogun706 N 12th St., Suite 9 (270) 761-7486

The Keg1051 N 16th St. . . . . . .(270) 762-0040

The Olive216 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3663

Tom’s Grille501 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-4521

Tumbleweed Southwest Grill807 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 873-2300

Aurora Landing Restaurant542 Kenlake Rd. . . . . . .(270) 474-2211Aurora, KY

Belew’s Dairy BarUS Highway 62 East . .(270) 354-8549Aurora, KY

Brass Lantern16593 Hwy. 68 E. . . . . . 270-474-2773.Aurora, KY

Cindy’s on the Barge888 Kenlake Marina Ln.(270) 474-2245Hardin, KY

Cypress Springs Resort2740 Cypress Trail . . . .(270) 436-5496New Concord, KY

Eagle Nest Marina & Dockside Bar andGrill

500 Eagle Nest Rd. . . .(731) 642-6192Buchanan, TN

Kentucky Dam Village166 Upper Village Dr. .(270) 362-4271Gilbertsville, KY

Largo Bar & Grill4645 Hwy. 119 . . . . . . . .(731) 232-8323Buchanan, TN

Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant16814 Hwy. 68 E. . . . .(270) 474-2202Aurora, KY

Ann’s Country Kitchen318 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 492-8195Hazel, KY

Bad Bob’s Bar-B-Que806 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0054

Coldwater Bar-B-Que & Catering8284 Hwy. 121 N. . . . .(270) 489-2199

Cracker Barrel650 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0081

Domino’s Pizza117 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-3030

Happiness Restaurant412 Main Street . . . . . .(270) 293-4952

Holmes Family Restaurant1901 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0662

Hungry Bear 1310 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-7641

Laird’s Bar-B-Que 77 W. Main St. . . . . . . .(731) 247-3060Puryear, TN

Martha’s Restaurant 1407 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 759-1648

Mary’s Kitchen11205 Stadium View Dr..(270) 759-2036


[ ] seen around town

[ ] dining guide


Matt B’s Main Street Pizza1411 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-1234

Mr. Gatti’s Pizza804 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-6656

Mugsy’s Hideout410 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 767-0020

Nick’s Family Sports Pub614 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0012

Pagliai’s Pizza970 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-2975

Papa John’s Pizza656 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-6666

Pizza Hut1113 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4646

Pizza Pro1304 Chestnut St . . . . .(270) 767-1199

Renfro’s Hih Burger Inn413 S. 4th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1155

Rudy’s, “On the Square”104 S. 5th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1632

Ryan’s Steakhouse801 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-3809

Sirloin Stockade922 S. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-0440

Snappy Tomato Pizza1550 Lowes Dr. . .(270) 761-7627

Spanky’s9505 Hwy. 641 N. . . .(731) 247-5527Puryear, TN

Tom’s Pizza506-A N. 12th St. . . . . .(270) 753-9411

Backyard Burgers 801 Paramount Dr. . . . .(270) 759-2480

Boulders317 Chestnut St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-9727

Brother’s Barbeque401 Sycamore St. . . . . .(270) 761-7675

Burger King814 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-8266

Burrito Shack214 North 15th St. . . .(270) 761-4444

Captain D’s700 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-9383

Candy Cravings506 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-2010

Culver’s 818 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-2858

Dairy Queen 1303 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-4925

Dinh’s Vietnamese Cuisine1407 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7655

Fidalgo Bay Coffee Shop1201 Payne St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-4800

Hardee’s 505 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3246

KFC205 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7101

Little Caesar’s Pizza500 S 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7777

McDonald’s107 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-5548

Murray Donuts506 B North 12th St. . . .(270) 761-1818

Quizno’s Subs1203 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 753-8880

Sammon’s Bakery974 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-5434

Sonic Drive-In217 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-9885

Subway622 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7827

Taco Bell402 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-8758

Taco John’s1100 Chestnut St. . . . .(270) 753-9697

Victor’s Sandwiches1301 W. Main St. . . . . .(270) 753-7715

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers1111 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4695

Zaxby’s1209 N. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 792-2375


[ ] calendar of events

The Murray Life Calendar ofEvents is graciously provided by

the Murray Convention and VisitorsBureau. The CVB is your source forinformation on everything from dining,shopping, recreation and fun in thecommunity to relocation. Learn moreat www.tourmurray.com.

Downtown SaturdayMarket

may 12 - oct. 27Murray, Kentucky's downtowntransforms itself on the southside of the square on Saturdaymornings in May throughOctober from 7a.m.-12p.m. Itbecomes the site of the Saturdaymorning farmer's market sellingfruits, vegetables, flowers, homemade goods and even fish! This10-plus year tradition gives localfolks a place to come, get somegood fresh produce and visiteveryone.

Proofs PhotographyExhibit

weekdays throughoctober 5This annual exhibit showcasessome of the region's bestphotography. Hosted by theMurray Art Guild, this juriedexhibit fills the Robert O. MillerConference Center with the workof local photographers. Theexhibit is open Monday-Friday 8

a.m.- 5p.m. For more informationon this event contact the MurrayArt Guild at 270-753-4059.

Nature Arts Day

october 6Discover the artist within you atNature Arts Day 10:00 a.m. to4:00 p.m.! The entire family willenjoy seeing local artistsdemonstrate and display theirnature inspired creations. Artsand crafts will be available forpurchase. Nature Station – LandBetween The Lakes

Kentucky Senior Games

october 3-7Come out and watch the SeniorGames. Murray is proud to bethe host of the 2012 KentuckySenior Games. The KentuckySenior Games allow those ages50 and over to enjoy an activelifestyle while meeting othersfrom all over the state andcountry. The games are forserious athletes, those who lovecompetition or those who simplyenjoy staying fit. Moreinformation can be found atwww.tourmurray.com, or bycalling 270.759.2199.

"Little Shop of Horrors"

oct. 18 - nov. 4 A down and out skid row floralassistant becomes an overnightsensation when he discovers anexotic plant with a mysteriouscraving for fresh blood. Soon"Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers himfame and fortune in exchange forfeeding its growing appetite,finally revealing itself to be analien creature poised for globaldomination. See one of thelongest-running Off-Broadwayshows of all time at Playhouse inthe Park. For more informationcall 270-759-1752. Tickets maybe purchased atplayhouseinthepark.net.

A Taste of the Arts

october 11It’s the most delightful donationyou’ll ever enjoy as works of artare auctioned at a gourmetdinner to raise scholarship fundsfor art, music, theatre and fineart students. Some auction itemscome from nationally andinternationally renowned MSU-associated artists andentertainment abounds during anevening of “fun and fine arts.”5:30 p.m. at the Murray Room ofthe CFSB Center, and

reservations are a must. Getreservations and information bycalling 270.809.3250.

Snap Apple Festival

october 20$5 adults/$3 children. Costcovers evening program only.Ticket sales begin at 6 p.m.Experience Pryor Creek as theearly Scots-Irish settlers did byjoining us at the bonfires forwarmth, companionship, andsome of the finest storytellingaround! During intermission,experience the candle lit doublepen house for an old-time snapapple play party, but be preparedfor the unexplained as you followthe lighted trail beyond thesecurity of the fires. The eventwill be held rain or shine, so beprepared for the weather. Chairsand blankets are welcome on thefarm. For information seewww.lbl.org or call270.924.2000.

Howl-O-Ween

october 27At the 18th annual Howl-O-Ween, enjoy the daytime non-scary side of Halloween with thiskid-friendly event. Go for a 1/4mile guided walk on a trailthrough the woods and meetsome special “woodlandneighbors” along the way. Also,make a craft, have your face


Every Day in Murray

The West Kentucky/Wrather MuseumPreserving the visual and emotional traditions of theJackson Purchase Area. Located at North 16th Streetand University Drive on the campus of Murray StateUniversity, the museum is open Monday throughFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1p.m. handicap access. For more information, call270.809.4771.

The Cheri TheaterMurray has a seven-screen movie theater located on Chestnut Street. For a list of current movies and times, please call 270.753.3314 or visitwww.moviesinmurray.com.

Murray State University’s Fine ArtsThe University presents a variety of performancesform dance to plays, from symphonies to choirconcerts. For current information, call 270.809.ARTS.

The Clara M. Eagle Gallery at Murray State UniversityThe gallery offers a variety of exhibitions throughoutthe year, from student artwork to national tours. Artranges from drawing to sculpture, from photographyto multimedia. For more information, please call270.809.6734.

Playhouse in the ParkCalloway County’s 30-year-old community theatre.Playhouse presents a variety of plays throughout theyear. For detailed information, please call270.759.1752

The Murray Art GuildA nonprofit organization that offers workshops andexhibitions for children and adults. Stop by and seesome of the area artists at work. The Guild is locatedin downtown Murray at 500N. 4th Street. Foradditional information, please call 270.753.4059.


[ ] calendar of events

painted, and see a couple of livecreatures up-close. Costumeswelcome! Includes same dayadmission to Nature Station

Murray Highland Games

october 27The West Kentucky HighlandGames have become the MurrayHighland Festival, celebrated inMurray’s Central Park. There willbe the traditional Scottish HeavyAthletic Competition, music byHighland Reign and the BirdsongHarpists, Scottish vendors,bagpipers and more. See thefamous Highland Cattle, andsheep herding demonstrations.Meet your relatives at the clan

tents and take the kids to theWee Bairns games. At the end ofthe day, it’s the Ceilidh at 7 p.m.at the Big Apple. Visitwww.wkyhighlandfestival.com fordetails.

Fall Frolic

november 10Celebrate the fall season with aleisurely hayride, a guided hikethrough the fall foliage, old-timelive music and fun programs forthe whole family. Nature Station -Land Between The Lakes

Holiday Open House

november 9-11Kick-off your holiday shoppingwith discounts, deals and open

houses all over town. Manybusinesses will have extendedhours during the open house.Remember, shop Murray first!Call the Chamber of Commerceat 270-753-5171 for moreinformation.

Holiday Sale

november 16-18Buy local and support the arts bypurchasing a Christmas gift fromthe annual Murray Art GuildHoliday Sale. Local artists set upin the Robert O. MillerConference Center with art,crafts and other handmadegoods. For more information call270-753-4059.

Evelyn Hinds as Corrie Ten BoomSunday September 23, 2012 at 3:00 pmActor, author, speaker, and founder of ArtsTouching Hearts, Inc, Evelyn Hinds will provide amoving presentation portraying Corrie ten Boom.Corrie allowed her faith to lead her to save Jewsin her native Holland during World War II.

West Side StoryMonday November 19, 2012 and TuesdayNovember 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm. More than fiftyyears ago one musical changed theater forever.Now it's back and mesmerizing audiences onceagain. From the first note to the final breath, WestSide Story soars as the greatest love story of alltime and remains as powerful, poignant andtimely as ever.

Luther F Carson Center for the Performing Arts

For more information call 270.450.4444 or visit www.thecarsoncenter.org



Over the summer, Murray learned that the city hadbeen named “Friendliest Small Town in America.”The Murray Convention and Visitor’s Bureau hadtaken the lead in responding to questions andhosting the team that made the final evaluation ofthe five finalist cities, but they would be the first topoint out that any number of organizations,institutions, officials and “just plain folks” joined inthe effort to show the nation what makes Murrayspecial.

Still, most of us may not yet knowwhat is meant by the new title. We’reproud of it, and we’re not toosurprised, but what we may takefor granted may be somethingwell worth noting. We askedErin Carrico, ExecutiveDirector of the CVB, to reflecton this happy quality thatmakes Murray stand outfrom the crowd.

W hat is friendly? For many people inMurray, it is obvious why we wereawarded the distinguishing title,“Friendliest Small Town in America” in

the Best of the Road competition by Rand McNallyand USA Today.

But what does “being friendly” really mean?

Everyone knows people in Murray who say, “I leftafter college, but I just had to come back. Somethingwas pulling at me.” That something goes beyondRacer pride. That “something” is deeply rooted inthe people of this area. That something is Murray’sfriendliness.

Jane Shoemaker is one person who feels thatsomething in Murray. Even though she has been hereall her life, Murray has changed how she lives as anindividual. Currently, she owns a small business onthe court square. Being at Murray State University,she found her place. She found comfort and theability to thrive through the people she met. “My first

semester at Murray State, my whole lifechanged. I found diversity in

so many new

By: Erin Carrico

and exciting areas. I metpeople from all over the

world, and it waswonderful andstimulating,” saidShoemaker. Theexperience provided

by Murray Stateand the communitytaught Shoemaker

about herself.Thriving on

d i v e r s i t y ,different cultures and

life experiences ofother people are what

makes Shoemaker fit soperfectly into Murray.

Murray is just that – amelting pot of people,

cultures and generations all working together tocreate a friendly, safe environment for the people.The interesting mix of a small, southern town with aprogressive state university creates a mix ofpersonalities melding into the warmth of the people.

Shoemaker says, “Being friendly is about reachingout and welcoming someone new, someone differentfrom you. You don’t have to like everything aboutthe person or share all their beliefs but you’re stillsaying, ‘I’m glad you are here.’ It’s about makingsomeone feel at home.” Her roots are in Murray.She belongs. She thrives. She lives and loves thepeople of Murray. When she came into the MurrayCVB after Murray received the award, she touchedmy heart with her overwhelming emotions ofhappiness at our success. With tears in her eyes, shesang the praises of our community and the pride shefelt of being a Murrayan. Shoemaker spoke, bursting

with love for each and every person who helpedmake the award happen.

Much like Jane Shoemaker, Donna Herndonradiates the epitome of friendliness as a pillar of theMurray community. On a daily basis, “Donna Ruth”(as she is known to old friends) offers up pleas onFacebook of needed prayers and cards sent to thosein town who are sick or in troubled situations.Incredibly, within hours, hundreds of people in thetown of Murray have responded, and days later,dozens of cards appear out of nowhere to delightand encourage ailing community members at homeor in the hospital.

Herndon sees Murray as interconnected partsmaking up the whole. “People work together tomake this [Murray] a better place for everyone tolive. Organizations like the Angels CommunityClinic, Angels Attic, Need Line, Gentry House, RedCross, CUBS, and many others, demonstrate howthis community has elevated friendliness wellbeyond superficial characteristics.” According toDonna, one of the greatest examples of friendlinesshappened after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.One hundred sixteen people were relocated toMurray for safety through the efforts of localbusinesses, churches and organizations in Murray.The never-ending compassion given by thecommunity to people who had endured greattragedies defines Murray. Our community cametogether, offering the victims a haven of hope. “To me, 'Friendliness' is real and meaningful when kindness and caring are put into practice in ways that make a real difference in peoples' lives,” Herndon said. The something that Murraycreates has led many of those victims to becomepermanent parts of the community, still living heretoday.


I see Murray from a different perspective. I movedhere from “out of town” five years ago, finding myselfin a small town with strangers. In the beginning itseemed as if I would never fit into the community.That idea quickly and easily faded away. I have foundmyself surprised by small things. For instance, if Iam sick (even if it’s just a cold) everyone will call,text and email to see how I am feeling. People willoffer to bring me food, take me to the doctor or tocome stay with me. The amazing piece of thepuzzle is that anyone who offers a kindness doesit out of the goodness of their heart with nostrings attached. People like that are hard tocome by in the world of today. Wholecommunities of them are even more rare.

A moment of true warmth hit me when the Bestof the Road team was set to arrive. With lessthan twenty-four hours warning, the MurrayConvention & Visitors Bureau was set on thefast-track to make a successful site visit forRand McNally. In a matter of hours, wordspread through town of a community picnicset in the park for a “Welcome to Murray”celebration. As our staff organized the last-minute party, community members willinglychanged their weekend plans, made phonecalls spreading the word and arrived in stylewith pot-lock dishes of southern specialties.No questions were asked; people just didwhat was needed to pull together andsucceed. As we came toward the Playhousein the Park Pavilion, community memberswere lined-up across the large deck. Wavingand smiling to the Best of the Road team, ourpeople were genuinely displaying the specialcharacter of Murray. It was an incredible site,giving me goose bumps even now whilewriting about our friends and neighbors. Atone point I stepped back, just observing. Noone was “putting on a show” or acting falsely.Everyone was eating, sharing and laughingtogether in the natural way that Murray does. Nostrangers are found in Murray. Even the Best ofthe Road team was treated liked family from themoment they arrived. Jokes and laughter filledthe patio as children played and enjoyed thesummer evening.

As the years have passed, I have found it is the smallthings that make Murray friendly. A card or a hugoffered in honest faith, rooted in the foundation ofthe community, creates the something: the unendingcompassion and love offering a life full of joy. Thesomething lives deep in the people, making everydayworthy and special. It is the kind words, simplesmiles and easy gestures that make even a strangerfeel at home. ✮



[ $ ] the last word

The Same Riverby: Robert A. Valentine

Janet Steilman was home,but it wasn’t the same. Itwould never be the same.She fought her way out of

the fluffy pillow and the downcomforter, shoved herself onto anelbow and looked out the windowat a so-familiar, all too foreignstreet.

It was her street, where she hadplayed Kick the Can with neighborkids, and touch football where sheand Chunky Wilkins always won.She had skipped up that sidewalkon the way home from school, andhad been walked to the door fromthat curb during high school dates.Once, when she didn’t have a datefor the prom, good ol’ ChunkyWilkins walked from that curb witha corsage in a clear plastic box.

Except the neighbor kids weregrown and gone. When this was hertown, the houses had all beenwhite. Now colorful vinyl oraluminum had replaced the sturdyclapboards of her youth, and yardsonce worn bare by bike tires andrunning feet were manicured,landscaped, and well-watered.

It was lovely enough from thesecond story of what should havebeen Mrs. Carter’s house, but Mrs.Carter was long gone. Mrs. Piersonand her quiet husband owned itnow, and it had become the town’sfirst Bed and Breakfast. Mrs. Carterhadn’t wanted children in her yard,or making noises near her house,and Mrs. Pierson apparently felt thesame: “Children are not

encouraged,” her brochure hadsaid, and Janet wondered if thatapplied to B&B guests or to humansin general.

“You can never go home again.” -- James Joyce

If Aunt Margaret hadn’t passedaway, Janet would not be in thisonce-foreboding house. She wouldnot have spent a lonely night in atown she no longer recognized, butwhich was hauntingly familiar toher. She would not have come backafter a 20-year absence because sheknew that all those great memorieswould be ruined by reality.

She dressed for Aunt Margaret’sfuneral, packed her bag, and wentdownstairs to breakfast.

“It won’t be the same. It’s never the same.”

– Jared Morris

Her friend Jared had been right.When he drove her to the airport,listening patiently to her rapturousrecollections of girlhood, hewarned her about trying to stepback into the past. If everythinghad been completely different, itwouldn’t be so bad, but there wasthe Diary-O, still serving softdrinks, “foot-longs with cheese,”and the ice cream that marked thebeginning and end of summer.There was the Episcopal Churchwith an only-slightly bigger hollytree in front. And there was theflashing blue light in her rear-viewmirror. Ooops.

She pulled to the curb and rolleddown the window. The trooperstepped out of his car andapproached. She hadn’t beenspeeding; what could be thematter?

“Good morning,” he said. “Could Isee your license, please?” Shehanded the laminated card to himwith a tight smile, “Was Ispeeding?” she asked, timidly?

“Miss Steilman,” he said. It was astatement, not a question.Astonishingly he pronounced herlast name correctly. No one evergot it right on the first time. “MissSteilman, did you know that thereis a stop sign back there by thechurch? Been there for about eightyears.”

“No, I’m sorry.” She said. “I usedto live here, but I’ve been gone fora long time.”

“Yes, I know,” he said. “Well, youwatch for that sign next time, won’tyou? And don’t be gone so long.”

Then she looked at the steelnameplate on his starched uniform.“Wilkins,” it read. Then, even withhis sunglasses on, she could see thehappy eyes on the impossibly thinface, atop the once-heavyset frame.

“Chunky?” she asked.

“Welcome home, Ponytails,” said Captain Leonard M.“Chunky” Wilkins. And that madeit official. s

“A man cannot step in the same river twice.” Herodotus