Contents
Contributors
Contents
Contributors
13 COLORING CONTEST 15 HISTORY MYSTERY
SUBSCRIBE
16 Olde Bartley House ~ by Bob Gustin
22 Alice’ s Canine Calling ~ by Chrissy Alspaugh
28 Winter Holiday Proposals ~ by Mark Blackwell
34-35 Photos by Sasha Gerlach * 36-37 CALENDAR / EVENTS
40 The Playhouse Mural ~ by Brian Blair
46 The House Sparrows ~ by Sara Clifford
54 Sampler: Offbeet Bakery
58 Aldo Leopold ~ by Jim Eagleman
60-62 INFO PAGES
Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, and a former regional 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.
Sara Clifford spent the first 20 years of her career as a print journalist and as editor of The Brown County Democrat from 2009 to 2021. She is now managing editor of an earth science research journal. She lives in Brown County with her husband and three sons.
Chrissy Alspaugh is a freelance writer and photographer. View her work at < ChristinaAlspaughPhotography. com >. She lives in Bartholomew County with her husband Matt and three boys.
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.
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.
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. He enjoys expanding his book and record collections.
Brian Blair is a former longtime features writer for The Republic in Columbus. His work has appeared in publications ranging from the Miami Herald to U. S. News and World Report.
Cover: The Brown County Playhouse Mural Photo-Op ~ by Cindy Steele
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.
Sasha Gerlach grew up in Brown County and spent a lot of time at Sweetwater Lake, where she found her love for nature. She creates most of her art using items found in nature or repurposed objects. She loves photographing things that might go unnoticed by most people, such as insects and weeds.
OUR BROWN COUNTY P. O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435
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Thanks, Mom, for making it happen! copyright 2026
Jan./ Feb. 2026 Our Brown County 9