By Jessica Paholsky

Love is in the air this month. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your sweetie, daughters, furry friend, or taking the day off to pamper yourself, let’s not forget that love is a journey – learning more about yourself and on the other person over months, years, decades. For couples, there is no one better to experience the world than the one you love. From romantic getaways and a honeymoon to the tradition of family vacations, every long-term relationship seems to have elements of travel.

But Valentine’s Day seems a little less traditional this year. As travel restrictions continue and the holidays fall on a Monday, how can you show your other half that they are the light of your world? How can you create memories from the comfort of your (or their) home while still feeling the lure of travel?

Once upon a time there was a pesto. No, I’m not reciting a fairy tale. I want to share eight unique Valentine’s Day ideas for you and the person you’ll be spending the holiday with. Every idea stems from my food and travel content on onceuponapesto.com.

I created Once upon a time there was a pesto in 2016 with a mission to teach others about the many foods and cultures of the world. To shed light on the internationality of pesto, a sauce that is not limited to basil and pine nuts. Pesto comes from the Italian verb meaning “to crush” or “to crush”. This means pesto is a process, not specific ingredients. You can make pesto with almost any ingredient by simply blending it with a few other ingredients in a food processor or blender. Then you can use each pesto in a variety of dishes, from breakfast and drinks to dinner and desserts. Once upon a time there was a pesto offers it all (40 different pesto recipes, to be exact), plus ways to use each pesto, cultural stories, fascinating history, and fun food facts.

Here are eight ways to use Once upon a time there was a pesto to create your own romantic foodie journey this Valentine’s Day:

1. Treat yourself to breakfast in bed.

Like you, I never thought of using pesto for breakfast until I discovered that pesto doesn’t go well with pasta. If you’re aware of the latest TikTok food trends, you know pesto eggs. Beyond eggs, pesto pairs perfectly with other breakfast or brunch dishes. At www.onceuponapesto.com, I share breakfast ideas ranging from sweet to savory, inspired by different countries around the world. You can enjoy one or all of them while lying in your own bed. Here are a few:

– Bacon monkey bread made with maple syrup pesto, inspired by Canada
– Spanish tortilla (similar to a frittata) with red cabbage pesto, inspired by Spain
– Oat bars with cherry pesto, inspired by Russia
– Plantain Bread with Yam Pesto, inspired by Nigeria

2. Enjoy a passport-free stay.

Having traveled extensively during my university studies and at the start of my professional career, I discovered both the advantages and disadvantages of exploring the world. While there is so much to learn and learn from visiting other countries, traveling can be exhausting. As technology advances and the global pandemic has inspired new ways to experience other places (like virtual museum tours), it’s easier than ever to book a stay. Once upon a time a pesto is only a resource. At www.onceuponapesto.com, I offer 40 different places to choose from – choose one or choose several. If you and your boo have always wanted to visit Europe, head over to the Europe section of my website, and there you’ll find 10 countries to explore, taste and learn more about.

3. Taste the city of love with a French-inspired pesto.

If you’re like me, traveling from country to country sounds cool, but it’s more rewarding to immerse yourself in a country and get to know it well. That’s exactly what I did during my four months of study abroad in Italy. While my classmates traveled to Prague, Barcelona, ​​London, etc., I took trains and planes to discover the 20 regions of Italy. And if there is one place to dive into on Valentine’s Day, it’s the city of love: Paris. One of the 40 countries I focus on www.onceuponapesto.com is France. Put on your beret and mix up a batch of broccoli pesto to use in traditional French dishes like crepes. Or find out if French toast really comes from France. Either way, you and your date can savor all that this stylish European gem has to offer with just a few steps from your kitchen to your dining room.

4. Go classic with dinner and a movie.

Once upon a time there was a pesto is something I do on the side. I’m a full-time Video Marketing Coordinator at Milton Hershey School. And while my upbringing and professional career has been video-focused, watching movies is something I’ve only recently gotten into. If I had to choose one genre as my favorite, it would probably be romance or romantic comedies. This Valentine’s Day, you and your date can pair a pesto featured on www.onceuponapesto.com with a romance film set in the same location that the pesto was inspired by. Here are some options for you:

– Green Bean Pesto, inspired by New York with “When Harry Met Sally”, which takes place in Brooklyn and Manhattan
– Zucchini Pesto, inspired by Italy with “Under the Tuscan Sun” or “Romeo and Juliet”
– Any Asian-inspired pesto recipe, with “Crazy Rich Asians”
– Pickle Pesto, inspired by Fiji with “A Summer to Remember”, which takes place in Fiji

5. Learn about each other’s heritage and cook a cultural dish together.

I’m no love expert, but one of the keys to a successful relationship is getting to really know the other person. This may involve learning more about your partner’s culture. Thanks to DNA testing products like 23andMe, many people are discovering more information about their family history and heritage. This means that you can take these discoveries and learn more about the countries related to your ancestry. So, let’s say your Valentine’s Day date is part Puerto Rican. You can make this holiday memorable by using the passion fruit pesto recipe on the Puerto Rico page of www.onceuponapesto.com to make something delicious for both of you. This sets the stage for a conversation about each other’s traditions and cultural values.

6. Create a couples to-do list, then kick it off with a meal.

Everyone has their own approach when it comes to making a to-do list. Life circumstances and personal goals influence when and how this happens. If you’re in a serious relationship, why not create a bucket list together? It’s probably less daunting than opening a joint bank account, isn’t it? Once upon a time there was a pesto is the perfect, low-risk, low-cost way to create and execute a to-do list together. You don’t commit to paying hundreds of dollars for international flights or expensive hotels. The adventure is yours and among the six continents to explore on www.onceuponapesto.com, your list of things to do as a couple can take you far. If snorkeling in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is high on your to-do list, my Aussie-inspired macadamia pesto would be the most natural way to celebrate turning dreams into reality.

7. Savor four dishes (and pestos) inspired by four different countries.

While developing and testing recipes for Once upon a time there was a pesto, my goal was to make a collection of dishes that could satisfy all palettes and preferences. Some pesto recipes are dairy-free, others nut-free. Some dishes are simple as “one, two, three”, while others require a little more culinary prowess. There are breakfast dishes, snacks, salads, appetizers, side dishes, gluten-free options, vegan ideas, drinks and desserts. That of each individual www.onceuponapesto.com the experience is personal, customizable and always rewarding. If you and your Valentine’s Day partner want to have fun with a four-course meal, each prepared with a different pesto, Once upon a time there was a pesto is here to help. Here is an example of a menu I made:

– First course: Feta Dip made with Caper Pesto, inspired by Cyprus
– Second course: kale salad with pecan pesto, inspired by the Midwest of the United States
– Third course: Mac ‘N Cheese made with olive pesto, inspired by Egypt
– Fourth course: Tapioca pudding with lemon pesto, inspired by Myanmar

8. Host a food and culture quiz night.

Whether you’re watching Jeopardy or browsing quizzes on Buzzfeed, we all love the challenge of quizzes. On every page of www.onceuponapesto.com, I found the most fascinating culinary and cultural information that applies to each of the 40 countries or cultures highlighted on the website. For example, when you go to the Brazil page, you will learn how pineapple plays an important role in this South American nation, what traditional Brazilian steakhouses really look like, and how to prepare the dessert called pudim. When you look at the sum of these global treats, you have an adventurous night of trivia at your fingertips. The best part is that you can pair the fun with the food and recipes you’ll also find throughout the game. Once upon a time there was a pesto experience.

There you have it, a list of food and travel-based ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year while staying safe at home. But don’t limit these ideas to one day when there are 364 other days to explore food and culture from around the world. Once upon a time there was a pesto can take you, your loved one, friends and family on international experiences any time of the year, whenever someone catches the “travel bug”.

Jessica Paholsky is the creator of Once Upon a Pesto. As the Video Marketing Coordinator at the Milton Hershey School and having traveled to over a dozen different countries, she is a storyteller and visual creator with a passion for having a global perspective.

Georgian novelist Philip Lee Williams A distant flame (2004) chronicles the struggle of an old man, Charlie Merrill, to make sense of his memories and his life. Williams’ most ambitious and successful novel to date, A distant flame received the 2004 Michael Shaara Award for Civil War Fiction and in 2005 was listed among the Georgia Center for the Book’s Top Twenty-Five Outstanding Books by Georgian Authors.

A Civil War veteran (1861-1865) and editor of a small town newspaper, Charlie Merrill is nationally known for his columns and books. Through alternating chapters set in 1861-1863, 1864, and 1914, the novel tells a story of love, a story of war, and Charlie’s struggles to come to terms with his life. The last chapter of the novel takes place in 1918.

The chapters covering 1861-1863 follow the relationship between Charlie, who lives in the fictional Branton, Georgia, and Sarah, a girl from Boston, Massachusetts, who came to live with her uncle in Branton while her parents divorced. The relationship ended in 1864, when Sarah moved to England to live with her father. Chapters set in 1864 chronicle Charlie’s experiences as a soldier and sharpshooter with the Confederate Army as it retreated before the forces of Union General William T. Sherman, during the Atlanta Campaign . (contemporary novel by EL Doctorow walking [2005] continues the story of Sherman’s march to the sea, from a mostly Norse perspective.) From an old man’s perspective in 1914, Charlie prepares to deliver a speech commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of ‘Atlanta. In doing so, he remembers his wartime experiences and his relationship with Sarah.

Williams’ research for A distant flame was prodigious, and his detailed knowledge of the Civil War provides rich historical context. In his afterword, Williams describes how he prepared to write the novel by reading letters, journals, diaries, and other accounts from the time. From these first-hand sources, he learned much about the way the men and women of that time spoke and thought, and there is good reason to trust the novel’s depiction of life at home and on the battlefronts during the Civil War. (The town of Branton is based on Madison, where Williams grew up).

The novel focuses primarily on the white residents of a small town in Georgia, but Williams is careful to document the social realities of the times in which they lived, including the reality of slaves and slavery. Although it shows a close relationship between the Merrill family and some of their slaves, it clarifies that the slaves had no choice in their condition, that their lives were coerced, and that they sometimes expressed their displeasure with their condition. . As an old man, Charlie is convinced that slavery was wrong.

A distant flame does not glorify the Civil War or the Old South, but rather offers intense and compelling descriptions of the combat, and conveys an understanding of the unpleasant and supernatural horrors of battle – not only the violence and carnage, but also the unhealthy conditions in which soldiers lived and often died. Charlie doesn’t go to war out of Southern patriotism but rather for personal reasons – out of grief at losing Sarah and the deaths of family members. Although he sympathizes with the Confederate cause, Charlie never embraces it, and his sense of distance, indifference, and ability to see the conflict between North and South on both sides allow him to see the war more fully. than a biased observer could not. .

Ultimately A distant flame talks about Charlie’s efforts to understand and come to terms with the realities of his life, including his lost love, the fate of his family members, his experiences during the retreat to Atlanta, his feelings about the war, and his perception of himself- even as a journalist and public citizen. It is similar in this respect to Williams’ first novel, In the heart of a distant forest (1984), which is also about an elderly man assessing his life’s progress. Ultimately, Charlie achieves some sense of accomplishment for his life, but he also feels disappointed and bitter. Her disappointment illuminates a major theme of the novel: as we grow older and look back, life rarely seems as full as we would like.

The weeklong festive holiday known as the Kwanzaa takes place from December 26 to New Years Day. When Christmas Day ends, Kwanzaa begins. Kwanzaa was introduced in 1966 to affirm the dignity and heritage of African Americans in the United States. Leah Asmelash explained, “Kwanzaa became popular in the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with the black power movement – making up the winter holiday trio with Hanukkah and Christmas.

Compared to the more familiar long-standing traditional holiday gift seasons related to Hanukkah and Christmas, Kwanzaa is a relatively new celebration. It is smaller and differs from the other two giants on the calendar in that it is a secular holiday. Kwanzaa is not the “black Christmas”. It is also not anti-religious in nature. Many African Americans who observe Kwanzaa are active members of different faith groups. Many of those who worship at Christmas also choose to honor their African roots during Kwanzaa. The reasons for each season are complementary in nature and not conflicting. It is racist and offensive to refer to it as a pagan ritual.

Although the holiday is not religious in nature, it has deep spiritual and cultural significance for those who celebrate it. The holiday was not founded by a religious fanatic, a prophetic movement, or a holy man. It was designed by an Afro-centric scholar who responded attentively to the racial violence surrounding the Los Angeles Watts riots in August 1965. He proposed a non-violent, principled pan-African party he called Kwanzaa.

Professor Maulana Karenga built the Kwanzaa celebratory rituals around the universal appeal of the number seven. We know the Seven Wonders of the World, the triple seven jackpot winner in slots. The book of Revelation speaks of seven seals. The Seven Hills of Rome are legendary. Aligned with this human fascination with the number seven, celebrants can more easily remember the Seven Days, Seven Candles, and Seven Kwanzaa Principles leading up to the feast’s mission. Shenna Foster said of Karenga’s vision: “Her goal was to create a sense of pride and unity among African Americans in their cultural background.

The seven days of the Kwanzaa celebration are intentional. From the ancient African belief systems emerges the framework for this modern American holiday. Kwanzaa was created to teach seven principles associated with a rich African cultural heritage. Each night, starting on December 26, a child is invited to light a candle in their kinara holder, to emphasize one of the Kwanzaa principles. The principle, its origins and how to apply it in our time are then discussed by family members or a community group of observers.

Kwanza is a Swahili word which means “first fruits”. It relates to the agricultural abundance harvested from the land through the collective efforts of a wise and ancient people. One observer called it a metaphor for a prosperous life. African Americans are the descendants of one of the 55 countries in Africa today. First fruit festivals are numerous and significant in agricultural economies. Professor Karenga added an extra “a” to Kwanza so that it has seven letters to further emphasize the seven principles. Each principle begins with a Swahili word:

1. Omoja – means striving for unity in family, community and beyond.

2. Kujichagulia – means striving for self-determination, speaking for oneself and for others.

3. Ujima – means to strive in collective work to solve the problems of the community together.

4. Ujamaa – means striving to promote the collective economy for self-sufficiency in enterprises.

5. Nia – means to engage with the goal of uplifting the dignity and worth of people.

6. Kuumba – means striving for creativity to improve the community and enhance its beauty.

7. Imani – means having faith in causes that strengthen family and influential talents that courageously lead to uplifting community.

Kwanzaa has a gift component. Books promoting a better understanding of African American heritage and heritage are recommended for all ages. Handmade gifts are also strongly encouraged. The documentary “The Black Candle”, narrated by Maya Angelou and directed by MK Asante, is inspiring and informative. Watching it will cheer you up. The holiday is also recognized in Canada, Jamaica and Brazil. He has been recognized by the last four US presidents. The US Postal Service commemorated him with a stamp. Hallmark sold their first Kwanzaa greeting card in 1992. Happy Kwanzaa!

ZANESVILLE – The holiday season is back in Muskingum County with activities for all ages starting in December as part of Storybook Christmas.

In Zanesville, downtown visitors can get in the mood for the annual Christmas Parade and Courthouse Lighting Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on December 1.

During the parade, Santa Claus makes his big arrival and plans to stay a little longer this year.

A Santa Claus house is presented to the community in front of the Secrest Auditorium, sponsored by the Muskingum County Community Foundation and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Children can meet Santa Claus on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until December 23, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.

The rest of downtown will be illuminated with lights, decorations and giant snowmen.

So earlier this year, the Naperville, Illinois native, who was the 2008 WNBA No. 1 draft pick and played his first 12 seasons in the league with the Sparks, signed as a free agent with the hometown team: the Chicago Sky. Now she is two wins away from winning another WNBA title.

On Sunday, Parker had 16 points and eight rebounds in the Sky’s 99-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the Finals. The Sky trailed early in the game, but Parker set up his teammates and sparked a 17-0 run in the second quarter.

“I think everyone was nervous in the first game besides Candace,” Kahleah Copper said after the win. “She was this calm for us.”

Game 2 of the best-of-five series takes place on Wednesday.

The Sky had finished the 2020 season as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in a first-round knockout playoff. Sky head coach James Wade felt last year’s squad lacked a top player who could open up shots for sharp shooting guards Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley.

Adding the 6-foot-4 Parker was just what the Sky needed. It was also exactly what Parker needed.

“It means so much. Look into the stands and see some familiar faces. I grew up playing in front of these people. Parker said Last week.

It hasn’t been an easy season for Parker, however.

She injured her ankle in the season opener and Sky lost seven of the eight games she missed during that streak. After Parker returned to action, the team rebounded to finish the regular season with a 16-16 record. They qualified for the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, but had to survive playoff games against the Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx, before knocking out the No. 1 seed Connecticut Sun 3- 1 to qualify for the final.

“We were missing one piece, and that was Candace Parker,” Vandersloot said after the series-deciding win over the Sun. “She changed this franchise.”

In the Game 4 win over Connecticut in the semifinals, Parker flashed his all-around game, compiling 17 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. During one streak, she grabbed a rebound and led the Sky in transition forward throw a blind pass to her teammate Azura Stevens for an easy lay-up.

“I sent Allie [Quigley] and slot [Vandersloot] a text message in January when I decided to go home, I said “We are here”. Like, we have it right there. We can make our dreams come true. And it’s been special,” Parker said.

Wade credits Parker for handling the pressure of coming home and being a player the team can lean on in the big moments.

“She accomplished everything. It’s funny to say, but she’s probably one of the most underrated basketball players of all time,” Wade said. “We finished the season 16-16. If Candace isn’t in this locker room, is [the players] have believed as they believe? She certainly carried us.

Write to Jim Chairusmi at jim.chairusmi@wsj.com

The presence of Union General William T. Sherman in Georgia during the Civil War (1861-1865) has inspired many novels. These fictional tales, some obscure and others quite significant, focused on figures taken from the Atlanta countryside, in the spring and summer of 1864, or in the March to the Sea that followed, at the end. of the fall of that year.

Perhaps one of the reasons why these events attracted so many novelists is that the campaign and the march involved interactions between many types of people, including soldiers and civilians, northerners and southerners, Blacks and whites, rich and poor. Such interactions provide ample food for dramatic situations and fascinating characters, as the work discussed here demonstrates. Both individually and collectively, these novels reflect the tensions, traumas and social complexities of an invading force whose presence has caused enormous upheaval in the lives of southerners, both urban and rural, on his way.

Probably the first fictional account of Sherman’s march appears in the Joel chandler harris job On the Plantation: A Story of a Georgian Boy’s Wartime Adventures (1892). Harris’ semi-autobiographical account, taken from his experiences as a boy on Turnwold Plantation in Putnam County, includes a dramatic description of Union forces attacking the county and plantation at the start of the March to Sea. Perhaps the most curious novel dealing with the war in Georgia in 1864 is Goldie’s Legacy: A History of the Siege of Atlanta (1903), by Vermont writer Louisa Bailey Whitney. For the novel, Whitney was strongly inspired by that of her sister Cyrena Bailey Stone logbook years of war in Atlanta. The diary was revealed after historian Thomas G. Dyer at the University of Georgia discovered that this was a key part of the source of the history of the Atlanta community of “secret Yankees”, or Trade unionists, of which Stone was a part.

The most popular account of the siege of Atlanta and its aftermath is certainly found in Margaret Mitchell’s book Blown away by the wind (1936). The Atlanta Fire and protagonist Scarlett O’Hara’s efforts to flee the city make up some of the most dramatic sequences in the novel and its 1939 film adaptation. (Kentucky writer Caroline Gordon made battle of Chickamauga, fought in Walker County in 1863, the centerpiece of his novel No one will look back. Published in 1937 and so eclipsed by Blown away by the wind published a year earlier, it remains a critically acclaimed work that focuses on the plight of two families in Kentucky and Georgia.)

In in recent years, several writers have constructed novels based on the events of 1864 in Georgia. Cynthia Bass’s short novel Sherman’s March (1994) chronicles the Union Army’s journey through the state through the voices of three protagonists: a Union captain from Illinois, a young Confederate widow on a plantation near Milledgeville, and Sherman himself. Each character tells a third of the book.

Two novels, the much appreciated by Daniel R. Burow The Sound of the Bugle: The Adventures of Hans Schmidt (1973) and John Jakes Savannah; or A gift for Mr. Lincoln (2004), take place in Savannah. Both novels recreate the turmoil in and around the city as the Union Army approached and eventually occupied it, and both focus on the experiences of local residents, black and white, who are forced to interact with the invaders from the North under various circumstances, some more hostile than others.

Two novels published at the beginning of the 21st century were particularly well received and are recognized as among the most successful and historically accurate treatments of the subject. Athens novelist Philip Lee Williams A distant flame (2004) is told from the point of view of native Georgians, many of whom experience conflict on their own land. EL Doctorow Walking (2005), told primarily from a Nordic perspective, focuses on the countryside in the southern half of Georgia and beyond. Very different in terms of character and plot, these novels complement each other. While both offer graphic and powerful battle scenes, Williams effectively portrays the battle from an individual soldier’s perspective, while Doctorow gives a deeper and broader sense of war as a phenomenon.

A distant flame

that of Philip Lee Williams A distant flame is about the struggle of an old man, Charlie Merrill, to make sense of his memories and his life. The novel received the Michael Shaara Award in 2004 for Civil War Fiction, and in 2005 was named one of the Georgia Center’s twenty-five best books by Georgian authors.

A Confederate veteran and small-town newspaper editor, Charlie is known nationally for his columns and books. Through alternate chapters set in 1861-63, 1864, and 1914, Williams’ novel tells a love story, a war story, and Charlie’s subsequent reflections on these events. The last chapter of the novel takes place in 1918.

The chapters covering 1861-63 follow the relationship between Charlie, who lives in the fictional town of Branton, Georgia, and Sarah, a girl from Boston, Massachusetts, who came to live with her uncle in Branton while her parents divorced. . (Branton is loosely based on Madison, where Williams grew up.) Their romance ends in 1864, when Sarah leaves for England to live with her father. Chapters set in 1864 recount Charlie’s experiences as a soldier and sniper with the Confederate Army as it retreated to Sherman’s forces during the Atlanta campaign. The remaining chapters, which take place in 1914, are told from the perspective of Charlie, now an old man, as he prepares to deliver a speech commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta. In doing so, he remembers his war experiences and his affair with Sarah.

Although the novel focuses primarily on the white inhabitants of a small town in Georgia, it also documents the social realities of the era in which they lived, including the institution of slavery. Williams shows a close relationship between the Merrill family and some of their enslaved workers, but he also points out that the lives of those enslaved were severely limited. As an old man, Charlie is convinced that slavery was evil.

Williams’ Civil War research never overwhelms the novel but provides a rich historical context. In an afterword, Williams describes how he studied the way the men and women of this era spoke and thought as they read letters, journals, diaries, and other accounts from those years.

A distant flame, with its believable, intense and realistic depictions of battle, conveys an understanding of the unpleasant and supernatural horrors of war, not only the violence and bloodshed, but also the conditions of disease in which soldiers often lived and died.

Walking

One America’s most acclaimed historical novelists, EL Doctorow offers Walking as his first work at the time of the Civil War. Focusing on Sherman’s march to the sea and his subsequent foray into the Carolinas, Walking won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2005 and the Pen / Faulkner Award in 2006. (Only the first third of the novel is set in Georgia.)

The narrative method in Walking recalls Doctorow’s most famous novel, Ragtime (1975), in that it combines historical details gleaned from meticulous research with an array of fictional and non-fictional figures, both soldiers and civilians. The stories of the various march participants are interwoven, demonstrating the varied impact of Sherman’s forces as they passed through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Although no protagonist guides the novel, several important characters emerge: the slave Pearl, who follows the northern troops as they leave Macon; Emily Thompson, the daughter of a southern patriarch who dies as northern soldiers occupy their home; Dr Sartorius, a brilliant field surgeon from the North devoid of sensitivity; a British journalist; a photographer; and Arly and Will, two confederate soldiers without counting who switch allegiance from north to south and back again as the need arises. And, of course, there is Sherman himself.

Some characters are present in Walking From beginning to end; others enter for a while and are killed or simply fall out of sight. All of them engage in a continuous process of personal redefinition as their situation changes, especially following the war. For the characters in the South, the change often requires an adjustment to the destruction of their familiar world; they often become entirely different people, adopting behaviors they never would have envisioned before Sherman’s arrival. For the characters in the North, change often means facing personal successes and failures as the war progresses.

Doctorow describes the march as a loosely organized anarchy. Sherman has some control over the direction in which his troops move, but little control over their individual actions. (This is especially evident when the troops ignore his orders and burn down Columbia, South Carolina.) Sherman is the most fascinating character in the book. He desires greatness, wants recognition for his accomplishments, and feels neglected, especially when commanders blame him for a disastrous battle over which he had little control. While Doctorow could have paid more attention to Sherman in this novel, it would have violated his essential premise and narrative structure, which does not make any of his characters stand out from the rest.

The basic theme of Doctorow in Walking is that war is evil. It alters or destroys lives. It is a naturalistic force that destroys landscapes and nations. It rolls in chaos and discredit, and people, willingly or not, rush into it. Although the novel sometimes recognizes political and historical causes of civil war such as slavery, more often than not it portrays war as an event with little connection to historical causes and political movements.

Raised in Connecticut, Leonard O’Neill eventually found his way to San Francisco, where a friend suggested he take a scenic drive to the Monterey Peninsula. He got off on a Sunday and drove to Lovers Point, where the ice plant was in bloom, a fuchsia riot framing a blue bay. Like wandering the poppies of Oz, O’Neill fell prey to seduction. He gave notice at work and moved to Pacific Grove.

No one ever told her that the ice cream maker had a very short flowering cycle.

Nonetheless, O’Neill remained in his adopted hometown, having worked for the Hotels, Restaurants and Bartenders Union for 40 years, on behalf of Monterey and Santa Cruz, from whom he retired two years ago. year.

Completely immersed in the culture of the community, O’Neill and his wife, Melanie, live on “Candy Cane Lane”.

Earlier this year, he was outside, picking flowers to place in a vase, when he swallowed a bumblebee. It turned out to be a non-event for him, except it gave him the idea for a children’s book. This is how it goes in these regions, particularly in Pacific Grove, which is home to a prolific community of authors.

O’Neill poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, set the dog at his feet, sat down at his computer, and watched the story take shape as he began to develop the characters.

“Kelly and the Bee” is a 34 page hardcover book published by O’Neill on June 1, with children and their caregivers in mind. He modeled the young protagonist after a girl who grew up opposite him in Pacific Grove and is now a nurse at the community hospital.

Imagine the riddle. Kelly is outside one spring morning, picking flowers to surprise her mother, when a bumblebee – dare we say it – walks towards her gaping mouth. What should she do? Spoiler alert: Kelly has a much more dramatic experience with her bee than her author has with hers. Yet everything is resolved within a day.

Illustrated by O’Neill’s former neighbor, artist Kevin Cromartie, and designed by Pacific Grove graphic designer Tessa Avila, “Kelly and the Bee” is based on a turbulent storyline with a problem to solve, supported by art illustrations that bring the character to life. O’Neill and Cromartie sought to engage their young audiences more by hiding a drone to discover on every page.

“I have submitted articles to magazines over the years, which have never been published. It has always seemed to me, “said O’Neill,” that I have more affinity for telling stories to children. I used to visit local schools around St. Patrick’s Day and read to kids, using Irish brogue.

O’Neill decided, since he has a knack for conversing with children, he might as well play with his strengths. In fact, the strength of the book, in his eyes, lies in the details and designs of Cromartie’s art. But that wouldn’t exist without his script.

Portrait of an artist

For six years, Kevin Cromartie lived in a Mediterranean-style house on the corner of Morse and Forest, on Candy Cane Lane. The renowned artist is responsible for the illustrations for many of the characters that show up in the neighborhood’s Platt Park – Fred Flintstone, Buzz Lightyear, The Lion King – during the holiday season.

“If I had always lived in the neighborhood, I would have had so much more wonderful material to work with over the years, to create more characters,” he said, from his home in Oregon. “I have fond memories of Candy Cane Lane.”

Cromartie, who majored in illustration at the Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, emigrated to Ohio, then to Southern California, before settling on the Monterey Peninsula where, at one time, he had five art galleries.

“To illustrate ‘Kelly and the Bee,’ I imagined a storyboard,” he said, “and opted for digital art on a graphics tablet. I wanted the artwork to be more realistic than cute and straightforward, giving it a higher artistic level while also complementing the storyline and readership profile.

Cromartie also introduced subtle references to O’Neill and his family, via product names and design elements, including the author’s kitchen and other local imagery.

“I really enjoyed working with Tessa and Kevin to create this new book,” O’Neill said. “I have another book in me, which takes place in Africa. It is also a children’s book with a moral statement. I think I have found my niche and my design team.

“Kelly and the Bee” is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online sources.

New playground for all children

A “block party for adults”

Upcoming Events on Storybook Island

About Storybook Island

legend of mana opens with a story about the burning of the Mana Tree over 900 years ago, which resulted in the entire world being compacted tightly into artifacts that preserved the last vestiges of the tree’s power. When you wake up, you’re home – a serene but otherwise empty cabin transformed into a tree front. There’s a Sproutling outside (something like a little grass fairy, but if fairies all shared a hive mind and wandered the land mumbling cryptic things about the world being an illusion) that gives you your first artifact, a set of children’s blocks that hold the memories of a trading outpost named Domina.

The Sproutlings firmly believe that the world is “fake” and that places and people only exist because we imagine them. The game’s artifact placement system seems to support this Cartesian view of Fa’Diel, unlike other Mana games, legend of mana is a completely non-linear experience where you wander from place to place looking for artifacts to place on the map. These artifacts are ancient items like forged lockets and tattered old dolls. When placed on the map, they twist and contort, sometimes summoning large splashes of flame or a legion of bubbles. It certainly implies that something magical is happening, that a great source of mana is released when you restore the world through this system.

However, everyone in the world seems to believe the Sproutlings are liars. For them, the world exists because they have explored it – they are people with rich histories and many stories to tell. They are also people who have bigger problems than wondering if the world is real or imaginary. Game progression usually takes you to place an artifact and then immediately become involved in a fairytale-like event that involves one or more players in the game. This is the main source of childlike wonder. legend of mana is famous for. For a moment, you are in a dump of abandoned toys, where you learn that they are actually former soldiers used in a proxy war hundreds of years ago by humans. The toys have grown bitter and cling to their pride as soldiers, but are slowly rotting from their lack of willpower. Right next to the junkyard, you can place Lake Kilma, where a legion of penguin pirates search for treasure but are slowly petrified by invisible fairies, which only you can see.

For most of the game, you act as a silent observer like this. You play the role of a recorder and can return home after each event ends to have your cactus write it down in a diary. Unlike many RPGs, the main character is decentralized and there is no real overarching story that allows the game to move around in a streamlined way. This is the type of game in which, without a guide, you can easily get lost. There are many different mechanics that are under-explained, such as blacksmithing, monster breeding, magic, and even leveling. Despite its sweet presentation, legend of mana is quite inaccessible by modern standards, and was even quite controversial when it was first released in 2000. play area referred to the game’s biggest downfall as an “overriding sense of fragmentation and isolation” fostered by the Artifact system, while GamePro derided the game as being “obscured by [an] overabundance of subplots.

I never played legend of mana when I was a kid, but the game strongly reminds me of some of my favorite gaming experiences. I immediately made comparisons with Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles because of the deep loneliness highlighted in Gamespot’s review, but that was more of an “in” for me than a turnoff. Crystal Chronicles has an equally sketchy plot that eventually comes to a true ending. The path to get there, however, is likely different for everyone. You experience moments and events at seemingly random intervals instead of a set timeline like with most mainstream RPGs, which is key to the storybook feel of both games. Yoko Shimomura’s score for legend of mana also tangentially reminded me how much I love Kumi Tanioka’s work on Crystal Chronicles; there’s a unique blend of fantasy, medieval influence, and darkness that both lends a delightful allure that makes the world feel lush and lively even when working on otherwise tedious tasks.

legend of mana also has echoes of SaGa border, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and even Moon: Adventure RPG Remixed, with the open structure and occasional reliance on guides (or serious wanderlust) to find your next destination or find the solution to otherwise mercurial quests. These are all games that could probably never have a watershed moment in popular thought. There’s something about these unstructured narratives that fails to appeal to a large following, even among dedicated RPG fans. I partially understand it; I’ve been a lifelong fan of RPGs because they serve as an escape into another world, and I fell in love with the genre as a kid because I was on my own and viewed the characters in those games as my friends. But in legend of mana, you are mostly detached from the people around you. It’s not really your friends, apart from the twin wizards who decide to hang out with you. You are an almost invisible hero who, for all the inhabitants of Fa’Diel, has done nothing so heroic. They have no idea that you are recreating the world around them.

In a 1999 interview with Koichi Ishii and Hiroshi Takai, legend of manadirector and battle boss respectively, the two joke about being “contrarians” who “just [wanted] to make weapons all day. Their nonchalant approach to the sandbox ended up filling all of the CD-ROM’s memory, meaning it’s bigger in size and scale than even the following year. Wandering story. In the same interview, Ishii remarks on the large number of NPCs in the game, as well as the only restriction on character design: no one can just be a human. Simultaneously, the design eschews the polygonal character models that were in vogue at the time. The team opted for hand-drawn sprites, saying they remain the best way to elicit player “empathy”.

It all adds up to a rather beautiful game where the player and their actions are devalued outside of the path they choose to take to move from event to event. There can be a lot of menial stuff to do in the game, but you’re allowed to do it at your own pace (or not at all, if you’re not interested in monster farming or crafting) while absorbing all the stories around you. The artifact placement system feels like a world in stasis until you’re ready to dive into it; it reminds of volumes of short stories, which slept until you opened them. Your contribution is simply to be there for the ride. This is further underscored by the entirely missable Cactus Diaries, where the little cactus in your room records a chronicle of your adventures while embellishing its own thoughts about them. Going out of your way to get Li’l Cactus to write these entries makes them feel like more than just a recap – you see the game as a collection of little adventures with their own little themes and moralizing qualities.

Talk with Siliconera, the producer of legend of mana Remaster Masaru Oyamada noted that when the game was released, the internet was not as widespread as it is today. Fans have turned to flawed user-created strategy guides or friends in their immediate circle for answers on how to proceed. We’re losing some of that now that the solution to any roadblock is readily available, and the remaster further removes those invisible walls with a mode that partially or completely cancels combat encounters. Something is lost when one game becomes a brief pit stop on the way to the next one; we don’t have time to bask in its world as much as when we were younger and when the gaming industry wasn’t as bustling as it is now. legend of mana is ultimately a game about creativity, and solving its many little puzzles allows its players to adapt their own. I’d love to see more non-linear RPGs like this in the future, and I’d love to find the time and patience to really get it all figured out.

Austin Jones is a writer with eclectic media interests. You can chat with him about horror games, electronic music, Joanna Newsom and 80s-90s anime on Twitter @belfryfire

Can you imagine one of the most special times of your life taking place on top of a magnificent mountain overlooking breathtaking views, or next to a pristine mountain lake, surrounded by those you love the most? more while the music is playing and the stars are shining from above? It sounds like a fairy tale, but this time it’s real! And, even if the top of the mountain rises to thousands of feet, the dream is within your reach. In Rabun County, the wedding of your dreams awaits, just minutes away. Just two hours from downtown Atlanta, Rabun County has wedding venues to fulfill any storybook ending. From mountain and lakeside hideaways to elegant resorts, from boutique bed and breakfasts to enchanting farms and vineyards ideal for celebrating, there’s just the right place to create those treasured memories that will last a lifetime.

Mountain and Lake Retreats: With your perfect wedding in mind, these facilities help make planning your event as easy as it is beautiful. The Rabun Lake Pavilion offers a charming open-air facility made of native rock and wood, surrounded by old hemlocks and laurels with a breathtaking view of Lake Rabun. Mountain Splendor, winner of WeddingWire’s The 2020 Couples Choice award is ideal for your woodland wedding. With cabins available in the field for up to 26 people, convenience and excellence go hand in hand. For true elegance and all-inclusive facilities, Chota Falls Estate, also a WeddingWire winner of the award, will amaze you with its selection of ceremony locations, including a stunning waterfall backdrop, a picturesque chapel, vineyard views, or a mountain meadow. The separate reception areas on-site are equally charming, and the guest rooms are both plentiful and gracious. the Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center in Ramah Darom is a 185 acre kosher facility with a beautiful waterfall and serene lake, creating the perfect setting for your special moment. Exceptional health and safety protocols, a wonderful kosher menu prepared by an award-winning chef, and a variety of accommodation options complete a comprehensive service package to ensure a first-class experience.

Elegant Resorts: Top-notch golf, pools and spas, fine dining, top-notch rooms and services, spectacular views and facilities… Rabun County’s resorts have it all! Flying over Lake Burton, The waterfall club is the most exquisite resort imaginable. Extremely well appointed with everything you could want, including the most magnificent views, your event will be beyond your highest expectations. Kingwood Resort & Winery’s a variety of charming ceremony and reception venues, coupled with custom services and packages to suit every budget, make this a premier wedding venue in the mountains of North Georgia. Guests can enjoy on-site golf, spa treatments, or the outdoor pool and tennis courts during their stay. At 4200 feet altitude, Sky Valley Country Club is about as close to heaven as a wedding venue can get. You will be delighted by its gracious setting, its amazing cuisine and the personalized service provided by the staff who can accommodate up to 200 guests. At Dillard House, they understand that it’s the little things that help make your occasion even more special, which is why they specialize in attention to detail. From the perfect setting and extensive menu selections to a romantic carriage ride, you’ll find the quality and care that sets them apart and understand why they’ve been around for over 200 years.

Charming guest rooms: If intimate and unique is how you envision your special day, then perhaps one of Rabun County’s historic bed and breakfasts is right up your alley. Rabun Manor is a 175 year old mansion that has been converted into a world class restaurant and inn, while retaining all of its original charm. With in-house planners, cake designers, decoration specialists, bartenders, a chef, massage specialists, and more, your wedding is sure to be as spectacular as the mountain backdrop against which it takes place. An original mountain lodge from 1920, Rabun lake hotel offers a rustic, nostalgic old-world appeal. In 2008, the hotel was carefully restored by conservators to retain its historic character, while adding modern amenities and an award-winning restaurant and bar. The Beechwood Inn, named one of the most charming hostels in the South by southern life and specializing in small weddings of up to 30 people, is the very definition of classic and intimate. Two America’s Best Chefs, owners Gayle and David Darrugh will delight you and your guests in every way. The Parker Ranch was built in 1907 as a summer residence and has a peaceful, old-fashioned feeling of relaxation. Nestled on 14 acres of sheltering trees, it’s the perfect place for friends and family to gather to celebrate the most important moment of your life.

Farms and wine estates: Wineries and farms in Rabun County offer a wonderful way to make your wedding memorable. Located on top of a mountain above Rabun Lake with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you will find Terra Incognita Vineyard. The 1,800 square foot pavilion with adjoining catering kitchen, fireplace, bar and upstairs suite surrounded by vineyards, sunsets and stars will make for the most enchanting wedding experience you can to imagine. The Red Barn at Tiger Mountain Vineyard is a beautifully renovated 80 year old dairy barn converted into an event venue to celebrate and enjoy every moment. The barn has a full kitchen, washroom, dining room, stone patio with fire pit, and spectacular vineyard and mountain views. It is ideal for weddings of 50 to 125 people. Julep Farms, a modern resort and an event facility, sits on 22 acres of the most scenic pastures in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here, star-filled nights light up with the help of fireflies, magic fills the air, and your dreams can come true.

With all these amazing places to host your wedding just minutes away, your dream is not only within reach but waiting for you to come and live it. We hope you will visit Rabun County when planning your special day, because we think every day in our mountains is special and we’re sure you will be too. Learn more about ExploreRabun.com.