Contents
Contributors
Contents
12 HISTORY MYSTERY 13 SUBSCRIBE
16 Holly Salo’ s Pottery ~ by Bob Gustin
22 The Wild Olive ~ by Paige Langenderfer
26 The Nashville House ~ by Julia Pearson
32 Musings: Traditions ~ by Mark Blackwell
34-35 Photos by Jeff Danielson *
36-37 CALENDAR 38 Christkindl Market 39 Children’ s Fund Auction
40 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ~ by Ryan Stacy
46 Champion Kara Barnard ~ by Chrissy Alspaugh
52 Field Notes: The Willow Oak ~ by Jim Eagleman
58 Hard Truth Hills ~ Sampler
62 Playhouse Productions ~ by Evan Markley
64-66 INFO PAGES
Cover: My Big Singing Pines ~ by Cindy Steele
ourbrowncounty. com ourbrown @ bluemarble. net
Also online at issuu. com / ourbrowncounty OR search in the mobile app ISSUU and on Facebook for OUR BROWN COUNTY
P. O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435( 812) 988-8807
copyright 2022
Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, and a former region reporter for The Republic. Born and raised in Brown County, he currently lives with his wife, Sue, in a log cabin on the edge of Brown County State Park. He is a
Baptist minister.
Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of Forgiveness: The Eva Kor Story, The History of Clowns for Beginners, and Dante for Beginners. He is an editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer.
Jim Eagleman is a 40-year veteran naturalist with the IN DNR. In retirement, he is now a consultant. His program“ Nature Ramblings” can be heard on WFHB radio, the Brown County Hour. He serves on the Sycamore Land Trust board. He enjoys reading, hiking, music, and birding. Jim and his wife Kay have lived here for more than 40 years.
Contributors
Chrissy Alspaugh is a freelance writer and owner of Christina Alspaugh Photography. View her work at < ChristinaAlspaughPhotography. com >. She lives in Bartholomew County with her husband, Matt and three boys.
Evan Markley was raised in Brown County. He has been a zipline guide at eXplore Brown County and a lifeguard at area pools. He graduated from Indiana University in 2019. He ushers for Pacers Sports and Marketing at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He enjoys hiking and following NBA basketball. He plans to start his own podcast.
Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine. She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout. For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing.
Mark Blackwell no longer makes his home in Brown County where“ the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines” He now resides within sight of the sixth green of an undisclosed golf course. He was born in the middle of the last century and still spends considerable time there.
Julia Pearson wrote for a Franciscan magazine for ten years and served as its human interest editor. She now resides in Lake Woebegone Country for life’ s continuing adventures. Julia enjoys traveling and visiting museums of all types and sizes, with her children and grandchildren.
Paige Langenderfer is a freelance writer and consultant. She earned her Bachelor’ s degree in journalism from Indiana University and her Master’ s degree in public relations management from IUPUI. Paige lives in Columbus with her husband and daughters.
Ryan Stacy and his wife recently moved to Pennsylvania and continues to stay connected with our Brown County. He appreciates good movies, good food, and enjoys cultural events. His other interests include reading, photography, and playing music.
Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio. She does the weaving while he gives studio tours, builds small looms, and expands his book and record collections.
* Jeff Danielson spent most of his childhood in Wales, Britain, and Scotland after his family moved there from Philadelphia. He attended IU in Bloomington then owned and operated the Runcible Spoon Café for 25 years until he sold it in 2001. He has since become immersed in nature photography. He and his wife D’ Arcy live on the Brown County / Monroe County line.
10 Our Brown County Nov./ Dec. 2022
Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!