Farm Family, Ky State Fair, St. Joe’s Orphans Picnic And More
Quote by White House National Science and Technology Council
Becoming a reunion planning expert
Jarrod Stephens grew up farming his family�s eastern Kentucky land where he still lives today. He is raising his own family to appreciate farm work and the rewards it brings, and hopes to preserve the lifestyle that seems to be slowly fading away. His fiction stories of the Merry family, first introduced in Family Field Days (OakTara, $16.95), reflect a large, happy family that makes its living off the land. They work together, play together, and watch out for their neighbors all the while.
Stephens says, �Ask anyone who knows me and they�ll swear that the Merry family is a depiction of mine. Sure, there are similarities, but I never intended it to be an exact picture of my family.�
Many Kentuckians will relate to the stories Stephens tells, through his fictional characters, of raising tobacco.
�My favorite childhood memory of life on the farm was the togetherness that the tobacco crop created on our farm and in our community. We always worked together and the work wasn�t optional,� he recalls.
In his latest novel, The Road Less Graveled (OakTara, $16.95), Sean Merry, a soon-to-be eighth-grader, is learning to wait. His best friend Ian�s temporary move is stretching out longer and longer, leaving Sean lonely and impatient for his return. The chores don�t wait, though, and Sean must keep working, building not only his stamina, but his faith and trust in God�s timing as well. Stephens hopes Sean�s example will encourage today�s youth.
�Kids have so many disappointments in life and I hope that they�ll see that they can find solace in a simple godly life,� Stephens says.
When not working on the farm, Stephens enjoys the outdoors in other ways.
�My family is very important to me,� he says, �so I spend most of my time playing with my boys and working around the house. I love to hunt and fish, and I do freelance writing for hunting and outdoors magazines.�
As for more novel writing, he hopes to continue his rural stories. In the meantime, readers can visit www.jarrodestephens.com to learn more about his books and to see tobacco farming photos.
�Penny Woods
Consider using solar lights for outdoor lighting. Solar cells convert sunlight into electricity that can be stored in a battery and tapped at night to make light. Check manufacturers� instructions to make sure your solar lights are situated to receive sufficient sunlight to recharge each day.
Winners of the annual ugly lamp contest, and an August 18 concert by Lady Antebellum, will be among the varied attractions at this year�s Kentucky State Fair in Louisville, August 18-28. Exhibit buildings open at 9 a.m. for the celebration of activities, programs, food, animals, entertainment, and culture. Features this year will include professional songwriting workshops and recognition of Kentucky�s winemaking tradition. Other concerts will include Ted Nugent, Boyz II Men, The Oak Ridge Boys, and John Michael Montgomery. More info at www.kystatefair.org or (502) 367-5002.
Quote by White House National Science and Technology Council
…using smart (electricity power line) grid technologies to better manage energy use during the highest demand periods, such as a very hot day in the middle of summer, could save consumers billions of dollars a year.
�A Policy Framework for the 21st Century Grid: Enabling Our Secure Energy Future, by the White House National Science and Technology Council
All-ages dancing at Friday Night Live will be among the activities at the 162nd Orphans Picnic fund-raising weekend August 12-13 at 2823 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville. Booths this year will offer raffles, food, and games of chance. Raffles include a Smoky Mountain getaway and a 46-inch flat-screen TV, and the Capital Prize of a car or $15,000 cash. Friday activities run from 5-10 p.m., Saturday�s picnic opens at noon and ends at midnight. The picnic supports three of St. Joseph�s programs: the Residential Treatment Program, the Therapeutic Foster Care & Adoption Program, and the Child Development Center. The St. Joseph Children�s Home and Child Development Center is a nonprofit child-care facility governed by the St. Joseph Catholic Orphan Society. More info is available at www.sjkids.org or (502) 893-0241.
Tell Your Neighbor
The first non-stick skillet made in the USA is now on the market. Since December, we have been seeing these so-called �greaseless� skillets as made by manufacturers in France, Italy, and England. Now a Kansas City firm is marketing such a frypan. They use iron skillets, coated with a new solid fluorocarbon resin which behaves in an almost startling way. Nothing sticks to its surface…It looks like a regular skillet, only the inside surface is slippery to the touch. It is possible to pan fry foods without any fat at all, and this fact will probably appeal strongly to all weight-conscious and cholesterol-conscious people…It will be interesting to see how these new skillets hold up in actual use.
What a thrill it must be for an adult to discover long-hidden talent. Such is the case for Darrell Ishmael.
Ishmael, a graduate of the University of Kentucky and manager of corporate security and continuity at East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winchester for more than 32 years, found his passion for painting 13 years ago when his wife wanted artwork for their home in Lexington.
Ishmael�s contemporary/abstract art depicts Kentucky subjects and his love of Kentucky resources. He mixes bright pigments set in glossy resin with various natural materials, including coal, limestone, salt, sand, and copper.
�The interesting texture�colors flow through and change with the light as it bounces off the paintings. It�s dynamic and highly energetic. The contrasting elements give the pieces an energy that is a parallel with the energy of coal,� he explains. �I�m not making any sociopolitical statements with the art. That is not the purpose of my creative process. I think people should be interested in it because it is a natural resource.�
His artwork can be viewed at Main Cross Gallery in Lexington, Art on the Levee in Newport, and in Frankfort at the Governor�s reception area, the Rotunda, and Chamber of Commerce. His painting BREW can be seen in Alltech�s Corporate Headquarters in Nicholasville. Two new exhibits are being scheduled for the fall. Check out his artwork at www.iamishmael.com/portfolio_darrell.html.
Via Colori, a street painting festival in Elizabethtown, will host its fourth annual event on Saturday, September 10, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Local and out-of-state artists will create works of art with chalk on the streets. The festival also features numerous art vendors, live entertainment, a children�s educational art area, car show, free evening concert, and more. Proceeds go to the Advocacy & Support Center, which benefits victims of sexual violence in eight counties. More info available at www.kyviacolori.com.
Becoming a reunion planning expert
If you or someone you know is planning a family reunion, the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau is offering free workshops with take-home planning kits. Seating is limited to two guests per reunion and reservations are required. There are two remaining 2011 seminars, both in Louisville: August 13, 9-11 a.m. at Holiday Inn Hurstbourne, and November 12, 9-11 a.m. at Ramada Plaza. Four additional dates and locations are scheduled for 2012. For more info or to order a kit, go to www.lou.ly/famreunion. For reservations, contact Saundra Robertson at (502) 379-6110 or srobertson@gotolouisville.com.
A few pointers from EcoDriving and the Alliance to Save Energy�s Living Efficiently program can save drivers money at the pump.
� Avoid rapid starts and stops
� Air-condition only at higher speeds (over 40 mph)
� Use cruise control
� Keep tires properly inflated
� Get �junk� out of the trunk/don�t load roof rack
These and other subtle changes produce significant gas mileage improvements and reduce carbon emissions. �The average U.S. household will spend about $3,500 to power its vehicles this year�$800 more than last year,� says Alliance President Kateri Callahan. �This means almost 7 percent of an average household�s income is used paying for gasoline.� Find more tips at www.fueleconomy.gov and www.livingefficiently.org/topic/on-the-go.
Finding local farm-fresh products may be easier with Kentucky Farm Bureau�s new Web site. As part of its Certified Roadside Farm Market program, consumers can locate nearby markets online. Users can go to www.kyfb.com/roadside, then enter either a zip code or county name to find the nearest roadside market. A map then provides individual contact information and additional details offering a summary of products, hours of operation, a link to the market�s Web site, and driving directions.
Kentucky State Parks are offering free admission to museums and historic sites for children 12 and under with every adult admission at regular price through October. There are 16 sites across the state. To obtain a coupon, hours of operation, and phone number, go to www.parks.ky.gov/coupons.
The Arboretum on the campus of University of Kentucky, Lexington, has opened a Children�s Garden. More than 1.8 acres is devoted to child-scaled theme gardens, including an area planted and tended by children, a Native American Encampment, and interactive educational exhibits with interconnecting paths. An additional highlighted feature is a butterfly-shaped garden designed by Lexington landscape designer Richard Weber. �We want to inspire children, parents, and teachers to learn about the importance of plants and how they affect the world,� says Marcia Farris, director. For hours and admission fees, go to www.ca.uky.edu/arboretum.
If you have advertising, media sales, and/or marketing experience, you could be the person we�re looking for to market Kentucky Living magazine throughout the Commonwealth.
We are looking for Advertising Sales Agents to serve in eastern and western Kentucky and the Bowling Green area.
To find out more go to: www.KentuckyLiving.com. No phone calls please.
