Southern Indiana Living - March / April 2023

Southern 

Indiana 

Mar / Apr 2023 

Living 

Orleans Dogwood Festival 

Celebrates 53 years! 

PLUS: 

Getaway @ White Oak Cabins 

Jasper Artist Myra Schuetter 

Crump-Dunfee Cultural Artifact Collaboration

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Southern Indiana Living • Mar/Apr 2023 • 3

4 • Mar/Apr 2023 • Southern Indiana Living




MAR / APR 2023 

VOL. 16, ISSUE 2 

PUBLISHER | 

Karen Hanger 

karen@silivingmag.com 

LAYOUT & DESIGN | 

Christy Byerly 

christy@silivingmag.com 

COPY EDITOR | 

Jennifer Cash 

COPY EDITOR | 

Sara Combs 

ADVERTISING | 

Take advantage of prime 

advertising space. Call us at 

812-989-8871 or e-mail 

karen@silivingmag.com or 

jeremyflanigan@silivingmag.com 

SUBSCRIPTIONS | 

$25/year, Mail to: Southern 

Indiana Living, P.O. Box 145, 

Marengo, IN 47140 

Contact SIL 

P.O. Box 145 

Marengo, IN 47140 

812.989.8871 

karen@silivingmag.com 

ON THE COVER: 

Beautiful Dogwood blossoms 

// shutterstock.com / 

Susan Fox. 

Check out more 

features and stories 

at www.silivingmag.com 

Southern Indiana Living is 

published bimonthly by SIL 

Publishing Co. LLC, P.O. Box 

145, Marengo, Ind. 47140. 

Any views expressed in any 

advertisement, signed letter, 

article, or photograph are 

those of the author and 

do not necessarily reflect 

the position of Southern 

Indiana Living or its parent 

company. Copyright © 2018 

SIL Publishing Co. LLC. No 

part of this publication may 

be reproduced in any form 

without written permission 

from SIL Publishing Co. LLC. 

12 

18 

13 

Featured Stories 

12 | HOMETOWN CHARM 

Orleans 53rd Annual Dogwood Festival 

18 | A HIDDEN GEM 

White Oak Cabins near Patoka Lake 

22 | THE ART OF LEARNING 

Crump-Dunfee Cultural Artifact Collaboration 

24 | WATERCOLOR BEAUTY 

Jasper artist Myra Schuetter 

Southern Indiana Living 

In Every Issue 

7 | FLASHBACK 

A Day to Celebrate, Corydon, IN, 1955 

8 | IN THE GARDEN WITH BOB HILL 

The writing on the wall 

11 | A NOTE TO BABY BOOMERS 

There’s still time 

27 | REAL LIFE NUTRITION 

Mealtime tips for dementia caregiving 

30 | EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 

Feline Forte 

MARCH / APRIL 2023 

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Flashback Photo 

A Day to Celebrate 

Corydon, IN 

1955 

// Photo courtesy of the Frederick Porter Griffin Center, Harrison County Public Library 

This image from the Harrison County Public Library reveals a glimpse into life in Corydon in 

1955. According to library records, his snapshot of a residents gathering in the streets for a parade 

was taken from above Donahue’s Cafe. 


A Walk in the Garden with Bob Hill 

Ifeel it safe to say we have in our 

house the only indoor, handpainted, 

full-scale “See Rock 

City” barn sign in Southern Indiana, 

if not well north of Bloomington. 

It not only provides us with 

a continual indoor eye chart (S-E-E 

R-O-C-K C-I-T-Y) but has become 

home to a lifetime of nostalgia. 

Those Rock City signs were 

once painted on the sides and 

roofs of wooden barns across the 

South and Midwest – and actually 

spreading out to Texas and Michigan. 

The barn work was started 

in Depression-era 1935 by a man 

named Clark Byers to advertise … 

here ya go … memories up … “See 

Rock City Atop Lookout Mountain 

Tennessee.” 

Who needs Facebook or You- 

Tube? 

Before he hung up his brush 

in 1969, Byers had painted the message 

on more than 900 barn walls 

and roofs in 19 states – about a 

dozen still left. Once tourists were 

lured atop Lookout Mountain – 

and we were – with its gardens, 

railroad and gift shops, the claim 

was you could see seven states 

from up there, including North 

Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. 

Maine, New Hampshire and 

Colorado didn’t make the list. 

Turns out that seven-state 

claim was first made by a homesick 

Civil War nurse in a letter she sent 

back home to one of those states. 

Who can argue with a Civil War 

nurse? 

But home is also our direct 

connection to our Rock City sign. 

Almost 50 years ago, when we first 

headed to Indiana from Northern Illinois, 

among our possessions were 

about 20 perfect pieces of wooden 

barn siding: each about 15 feet long, 

an inch thick and a foot wide and 

painted red. The real deal. Ripped 

off by hand from an old barn being 

torn down. 

Happily for me the very kind 

Bingham family, then owners of the 

Louisville Times and Courier-Journal, 

agreed to ship all our worldly 

possessions in a big semi-truck. So, 

what’s more worldly than 15-foot 

slabs of barn siding? 

I also wanted to ship our very 

unsteady 1953 International pickup 

truck in that semi but was politely 

told that was a wish too far. 

Once settled here in our 

160-year-old old farmhouse, the 

walls of the back room – once a 


“summer kitchen” – were in need 

of siding. Our transplanted barn 

wood made a perfect, very stylish 

fit – and a continual reminder of 

our previous home. A somewhat 

new take on “Back home again in 

Indiana.” 

I forget where and when the 

inspiration came to paint our own 

life-sized “See Rock City” sign on 

that wall, but it stuck. We had good 

friends, she a painter, who agreed to 

help with the project. She climbed 

a big ladder, penciled in all the 

letters on the wall, and began the 

work with white paint. It was the 

spouses’ job to sit back, drink a beer 

and help with the spelling. The final 

result was a perfect Clark Byers 

match with some 3-foot letters. 

The room quickly became a 

rocking party room, and then – yes, 

a complete sacrilege – we hung a 

huge TV on that wall, partly obscuring 

the sign, but adding a needed 

refuge to our lives. 

That large room quickly become 

a place for gathered nostalgia. 

We keep a small, fully decorated, 

artificial Christmas tree back there 

all year around because its decorations 

include pictures of the kids 

when they were small, and Christmas 

should be every day. Next to 

that tree is an empty champagne 

bottle from our 60th wedding anniversary. 

Below it, on the floor, is 

a toy metal farm truck, a somewhat 

reminder of that 1953 International 

that did eventually get here, but 

didn’t last much longer. 

Against the wall is a gathered 

collection of old wooden baseball 

bats, Louisville Sluggers among 

them, reminiscent of my Little 

League coaching days and my unfilled 

wish to play center field for 

the New York Yankees. 

Hanging high off the rafters 

The Writing on the Wall 

above are some old “Chucks” Converse 

high-top basketball shoes, a 

50th birthday gift. Not far away is 

the name tag from a 60-year-Rice 

University basketball uniform. 

The far wall is coated with old 

newspaper stories, a trip to a nudist 

camp among them. Further up is 

a giant metal Pepsi-Cola cap and a 

“Butcher Hollow” bumper sticker 

collected from a memorable trip to 

Loretta Lynn’s home place and a 

walk up Butcher Hollow at night. 

The opposite wall holds a lot 

of family pictures, including the 

four of us in our early years in Indiana; 

the two kids on a bike, Bob 

in very patched pants and Janet in 

bell bottoms. 

There’s a “We Got Billy” beer 

poster back there, along with another 

celebrating red-headed, freckledface 

Alfred E. Neuman of “Mad” 

magazine and a “Honk if you love 

Willie Nelson” sticker. 

Not to forget my college diploma 

and a Chicago Daily Newspaper 

box gathered one night after 

exiting a bar – it just seemed a good 

idea at the time. Two more favorites 

are a picture of Babe Ruth taken at 

old Parkway Field and a huge “ON 

STRIKE” banner proudly worn in 

my union days as a picket captain 

during a newspaper strike. 

It’s all there. Sixty years of 

memories gathered in a roughly 

12-feet-by-20-foot room, hanging 

on or above old barn boards a lot 

older than that. Rock City still rocks 

in our house. • 

Photo credit: JNix / shutterstock.com 

About the Author 

Former Courier-Journal 

columnist Bob Hill enjoys 

gardening, good fun, good 

friends and the life he and 

his wife, Janet.

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YourHealthLink 

Connecting YOU To 

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What is YourHealthLink? 

YourHealthLink gives Harrison County Hospital 

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or night. Whether you’re at work, on the road, or at 

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There’s Still Time 

I 

pitch for the New York Yankees. 

My curve is better than my fastball. 

Hitters fear both. Hall of 

Fame, here I come. 

Then I wake up. I am old and 

I drink my share of coffee and iced 

tea. I wake up a lot. 

The dream inevitably resumes. 

That’s me signing autographs, 

returning to one of Manhattan’s 

most-coveted apartments, donating 

surplus riches to an adoring mankind. 

Fantasy Dale is much, much 

better at baseball than was Reality 

Dale. 

And I wasn’t half bad until I 

needed to be better. 

I have rarely thrown a baseball 

since the good old days you and I 

read a bunch of magazines, not just 

this one. My father repeated to me 

that when the going gets tough, the 

tough get going. Only dads pose 

challenges like that. 

I was a good kid, smart and 

respectful. Indeed, though, I wasn’t 

all that tough. One high school team 

after another managed without me. 

I was never going to be a big league 

star, of course, or so much as the 

king of slow pitch softball. 

When I could have got going, 

I did not. 

You too would like another 

shot at something from way back 

or a week ago Friday or whenever, 

I imagine. Sure, tomorrow benefits 

more from our attention than does 

yesterday. Strolling Memory Lane 

is among the best pastimes but 

among the worst obsessions. Happiness 

springs from new experiences, 

not just old ones. We all make 

mistakes, choose wrong, miss out 

and mess up. We will again. 

As old age creeps up, the 

American average life expectancy 

slides down. If a mere eight years 

from now I still can smell how 

badly the dogs need a bath – and 

perhaps even give them one – I will 

have defied the odds. 

I will be still breathing, that is, 

probably still dreaming as well. Not 

Dad’s definition of toughness but I 

will take it. 

It is early in a new year, yet another 

year in which I resolve to relearn 

to play trombone and to write 

my autobiography. The best way to 

make peace with the past is to give 

it not more attention than it deserves. 

A decent runner-up, I hope, 

is to treat the past more like old pal 

than old pest. 

I enjoyed trombone, made 

better friends in band than I did 

in sports. I was a wholly mediocre 

musician, though if there is a hall of 

fame for marchers, that one I actually 

deserve. 

Giving up the horn made stillless 

sense than giving up the horsehide. 

Writers write. I heard a great 

writer – older and better than me 

– say that. I still know nouns from 

verbs, still find writing jobs like this 

one a treat, not torture. So, while I 

urge anyone and everyone to get 

their life stories on the record, I put 

off heeding my own advice. 

Why? Are “Young Sheldon” 

reruns really that spellbinding? 

While this self-issued challenge lingers, 

Amazon limps without “The 

Dale Moss Story,” delivery the day 

after tomorrow. 

Before I become reacquainted 

with sharps and flats and before I 

relive riveting battles with pimples 

and German verb conjugation, I 

likewise make a visit to the mostnagging 

regrets of all. 

Simply put, I often paid too 

little attention – or I would more 

vividly recall milestones such as 

our children’s first words, first 

steps and first days to school. I do 

remember and I don’t. It’s been 

awhile, I can rationalize. 

Is that an excuse? Is there an 

excuse? 

I recall other firsts, of course, 

achievements that typically made 

days not headlines. I am far more 

proud of my past than I am disappointed 

in it. My life includes both. 

Whose doesn’t? 

I approach the 20th anniversary 

of a heart attack, one that came 

too close to doing me in because I 

idiotically refused to go get help for 

days, not hours. 

Practicing medicine without 

a license tends to be regrettable, at 

A Note to Baby Boomers 

best. Is stubborn, or stupid, an official 

cause of death? I always regret 

learning the hard way. Then I do it 

again. At least now I have Medicare, 

a more valuable card than my 

1959 Mickey Mantle. 

I have not had another attack, 

a tribute to belated self-discipline, 

faith, luck, good doctors and an 

apparently tough-for real desire to 

hoot and holler over one more Indiana 

University basketball championship. 

I regret not doing more to 

help my mother stop smoking. I 

regret not doing more to help my 

father come in out of the sun. Cancer 

killed both, meanly, before they 

could wear out their own Medicare 

cards. 

I wish I would have tried 

harder to be my parents’ parent. 

Happiness springs from new experiences, not just 

old ones. We all make mistakes, choose wrong, 

miss out and mess up. We will again. 

Talk about tough. 

Let my 2023 resolutions lead 

with learning from regrets, not being 

guilt-wracked by them. The 

Yankees found another pitcher and 

I found another successful path 

through life. 

My kids went on to take more 

steps and to learn more words, all 

while finding joy as grown-ups. My 

wife washes my sweaty exercise 

stuff, actually glad her husband still 

feels like working up a stink. 

I regret much of my early love 

life – a term I use loosely. But wow 

did I end up where I need to be. My 

wife stays with me no matter how 

many reasons to go. 

Plus, she lets me sleep on the 

side of the bed nearer the bathroom. 

Now that’s love.• 

After 25 years, Dale Moss 

retired as Indiana columnist 

for The Courier-Journal. He 

now writes weekly for the 

News and Tribune. Dale and 

his wife Jean live in Jeffersonville 

in a house that has been 

in his family since the Civil War. Dale’s e-mail 

is dale.moss@twc.com 


Cover Story 

Hometown Charm 

Celebrating the beauty of spring with Orleans 53rd Annual Dogwood Festival 

The dogwood tree is the 

trademark of little Orleans 

(Pop. 2,107). “Operation 

Dogwood,” launched by 

townspeople in the mid-1960s, has 

succeeded in its goal in having hundreds 

of the pink, red and white 

trees planted along the streets, in 

the historic town park square, in 

yards and around the town’s cemeteries. 

The annual Dogwood Festival 

held spring celebrates Orleans 

as the “Dogwood Capital of Indiana.” 

Lovingly referenced as the 

front porch of Orange County, with 

the slogan to “Come Sit Awhile”, 

the small, quaint town of Orleans 

founded in 1815 is one where you’ll 

feel that hometown charm each and 

every time you visit. 

For the past 52 years, the Orleans 

community has celebrated 

the blooming of the dogwood trees 

with a festival the last full week of 

April. This year’s 53rd annual Dogwood 

Festival will begin April 22 

and run through April 29. 

In the early 1960s, the Village 


Story by Robert Henderston 

Photos by Gretchen Nelson Photography (except where noted)

Improvement Society, under the direction 

of resident Elizabeth “Bill” 

Wheeler, began planting the first of 

the town’s trademark dogwood trees. 

Then in 1965, the town celebrated 

its Sesquicentennial. Following the 

Sesquicentennial, local leaders needed 

to find a new focus of boosting 

local moral and the economy. Kate 

Noblitt envisioned an annual festival 

based on the blooming of the dogwoods. 

Her efforts led to the annual 

festival and Orleans being officially 

proclaimed as “Indiana’s Dogwood 

Capital” by then Governor Edgar 

Whitcomb in 1970. 

Of course, the Dogwood Festival 

has grown throughout the past 50 

plus years. With a full week and 40 

events, there is something for everyone 

to enjoy! 

So, each spring, Orleans residents 

are joined by former residents 

and other area citizens in marking the 

Dogwood Festival. The fickle Southern 

Indiana spring weather sometimes 

plays havoc with events. But 

every year since 1968 there has been 

a festival. • 

For more information about the 2023 

Orleans Dogwood Festival visit www. 

orleansdogwoodfestival.com 

Lovingly referenced as the front porch of Orange 

County, with the slogan to “Come Sit Awhile”, the 

small, quaint town of Orleans founded in 1815 is 

one where you’ll feel that hometown charm each 

and every time you visit. 

Pictured: (left hand page, from top) Dogwood blooms line the town square; The Orleans Dogwood Queen waves 

at parade onlookers; (this page, bottom, from left) Dogwood blossoms peak in April; The festival includes games 

and booths for famillies. (this page, top) The Orleans High School marching in the 2018 festival - Photo Credit for 

marching band: Roberto Galan / shutterstock.com. 


5 Spring Break Activities Your Family Will Love! 

5 Spring Break Activities Crawford County, Your IN Family Will Love 

We are Outdoor Recreation! 

Contact us : cometocrawford.com ~ info@crawfordcountyindiana.com ~ 812-739-2246 

1. Visit Marengo Cave Family Fun Park 

Marengo Cave offers two spectacuar walking cave tours, 

gemstone mining, the Crawl, walking trails, picnic 

grounds, Pedal Karts, Mega Maze, Mini Glow Putt Putt, the 

Sky Climber, and a new candy shop! With so many activities, 

your kids are sure to be entertained for hours! 

Camping & lodging rentals are available on site. 

2.Visit a friendly herd of alpacas 

Red Hill Fiber Mill, located in Taswell, IN, is an exciting spot 

for anyone who loves animals (or knitting!). Make sure to 

add this spot to your list of things to do this spring break! 

Tour the farm and fiber mill and learn how alpaca fiber is 

processed into yarn! Farm Tours by appointment only 

Lodging is available on site. 

4. Throw Axes AND Paint 

Kids ages 6+ can enjoy axe throwing at Buzzin’ Suds’ 

& Bad Axes! Compete as a family to see who will get 

the best score! Grab a bite to eat at The Happy Hive, 

then head over to Bee Splattered for an exciting 

paint splattering experience! 

3. Observe local art in Milltown, IN 

Milltown, IN’s new canoe art walk is the talk of the town! 

The canoes, painted by local artists, are located throughout 

the town, many of which are located at historical sites. 

Make sure to stop by Maxine’s Market for a bite to eat and 

snap a family photo in front of Milltown’s new mural! 

Visit cometocrawford.com for available lodging 

5. Experience Crawford County Wildlife 

Local state parks provide thrilling educational experiences for 

families. Stop by the Nature Center at Patoka Lake State Park 

and meet their resident raptors; ‘Owl’, ‘Eagle’, and ‘Hawk’. 

Lodging is available near Patoka Lake State Park. 

Visit the Crawford County Welcome Center: 5935 S State Road 66, English, IN 47118 


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Embers erupt from 

the fire built from 

wood still too damp 

to burn properly, 

sending pops and 

crackles off in every direction. 

He smiles to himself as he 

imagines nature is putting on a 

fireworks show just for him. His 

wife has been asleep long 

enough his arm tingles all the 

way down to his fingertips, but 

he won’t dare disturb her. As 

his wife breathes the slow, soft 

melody of sleep, her husband 

watches the fire. 

He notices as the embers shoot 

from the heart of the blaze into 

the inky sky, disappearing into 

the fog settling onto the lake, 

and his mind drifts back. He 

looks at the elderly woman 

sleeping so comfortably on his 

shoulder and thinks back to the 

day he met her, then on their 

wedding day three years later. 

He remembers how the two of 

them stood side by side from 

when they met during college to 

when she transitioned from 

young professional to retiree; as 

they became parents, then 

became grandparents. 


The fire, emitting less heat than 

just moments before, is still 

sending embers out from its 

core. He smiles as he watches 

tiny moments of his past become 

miniature comets, momentarily 

becoming the center of his 

attention before disappearing 

from view, or burning out just 

before disappearing into the 

indistinguishable grey curtain 

made up of fog and the serenity 

of the waveless lake. 

His wife wakes up and sees her 

husband lost in thought. She 

decides not to interrupt his 

moment. Beyond the comfort of 

her husband’s shoulder, the fire 

pops and she notices an ember of 

flame and ash disappear into the 

water. She smiles. Here is a 

perfect moment, one of many, 

now written in the story of their 

lives. 

WRITE YOUR STORY 

FFBT.COM 

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Local Spotlight 

St. David’s Hermitage 

A Hidden Gem 

Cabins are ready for a new generation of guests 

Southern Indiana is a marvelous 

part of the state to explore 

most any time of the 

year, as it is filled with destinations 

just perfect for a staycation. 

A beautiful locale in the area 

that is excellent for solo travelers, 

a honeymooning couple, a family 

or a group of friends is the White 

Oaks Cabins, not too far from Patoka 

Lake. 

If you’re a native of the area, 


you no doubt are familiar with 

these 10 rustic cabins located on 86 

acres in Crawford County, which 

were designed and built by the 

original owner, Bob Cadwallader. 

Cadwallader took his time to 

lovingly create these iconic retreats 

in the woods to give travelers a 

place where they could truly get 

away from it all. He had been the 

owner of the cabins for more than 

30 years until he died in September 

Story by Julie Engelhardt 

Photos submitted by White Oak Cabins 

2021. 

In December 2021, realtor and 

property investor Nathan Soliday 

purchased the cabins, and he and 

his family have been working diligently 

to refresh, refurbish and update 

them so that they are available 

for a new generation of explorers 

and campers to enjoy. 

“We had water lines that had 

busted, and hot tubs had frozen 

lines, so we had to get them back

up to standard because those had been empty for a 

long time,” Soliday said. 

Other refurbishment projects included disposing 

of furniture that had been in the cabins for years and 

purchasing new pieces. They also added Wi-Fi in a few 

cabins and DirecTV, bringing in modern touches. 

Soliday has been in the real estate business for 25 

years, and he says that he’d been searching for a property 

where he could have an Airbnb. 

“I hadn’t found anything I liked,” he said, “then 

this popped up, and it was kind of a no-brainer with 

the way the property is. It’s a neat place. Once I looked 

at the potential, I decided to go forward.” 

Soliday says he is happy that he can carry on the 

legacy of Cadwallader’s iconic cabins and campsite. 

“I’d never met him, but Bob had a really good reputation 

with the property, and he was very well-loved 

throughout the community,” Soliday said. “People 

have reached out to me from all over the world once I 

acquired the property.” 

Currently, eight out of the 10 cabins are ready for 

rental. They are all special in their own way with personal 

touches that make them feel quite cozy. 

One cabin is the Hansel and Gretel, named as such 

for the gingerbread trim on the exterior of the building. 

“It’s a neat little cabin,” Soliday said. “It has a 

screened-in front porch downstairs and an outdoor 

deck in the front on the upper floor. There are also two 

decks on the bottom floor. It’s a very private cabin. It 

has new beds, a new TV, new appliances and a small 

two-person hot tub.” 

Nathan Soliday and his dog Kiki at the Castle cabin 

The Never Leaf and the Brina Breeze (named after 

his youngest daughter) cabins are lovely, and similar 

in style, says Soliday. They can each accommodate five 

guests in their two-bedroom structures, and they have 

also had appliance and furniture updates. They are the 

perfect cabins for a small family or group of friends. 

Soliday says that the most unique cabin is Castle 

Genevieve. This two-story structure has two bedrooms, 

both upstairs, with the living area, kitchen and 

bathrooms all on the first floor. It also has a large deck 

off the back where guests will find a large hot tub. One 

of the most impressive features is the tree, 18 to 20 inches 

in diameter, which grows directly through the deck. 

Castle Genevieve gets its name due to the fact that 

there is a three-story lookout tower on the front portion 

of the cabin. 

“The tower is called the Tower of Anthony, after 

Bob’s dad,” Soliday said, “so we left it intact.” 

The cabin was originally decorated with swords 

and castle décor. A majority of the items were removed, 

but a still few adorn the cabin’s walls. 

Acorn House and Pine Cone Point, once referred 

to as the Twin Cabins, are about 75 yards apart from 

each other. Soliday says they are almost identical except 

for their decks, which are a little different, but the 

interior is the same in each building. 

They each work well for four to five people per 

cabin, with two bedrooms in each. They, too, have been 

updated with new appliances, coffee makers and furnishings. 

The Unique Lodge Style Cabin was Cadwallader’s 

personal residence for several years. According to 

Soliday, it has a big screened-in porch with a large hot 

tub. “It has a big family room with a nice dining table, a 


Welcome to 

“Indiana’s Dogwood Capital” 

And The Annual Orleans 

Dogwood Festival 

April 22-29, 2023 

Sponsored by the 

Orleans Chamber of Commerce 

The Dogwood Tree is the 

trademark of little Orleans 

(Pop. 2,107). “Operation 

Dogwood” launched by 

townspeople in the mid-1960s, 

has succeeded in it’s goal of having hundreds 

of treesplanted along roads, in parks, and in the 

yards. The annual Dogwood Festival held in late April 

celebrates Orleans as the “Dogwood Capital of Indiana”. 

• FAMILY FUN 

• Arts & Crafts 

• Carnival Rides 

• Live Entertainment 

• Food 

• Parade 

• Dogwood 

Tree Viewing 

OrleansDogwoodFestival.com 


White Oaks also has a community barn area named Bob’s Barn, with a large fire 

pit, cornhole games and picnic tables where guests can enjoy their meals. Hanging 

inside the barn are the original signs from the cabins when they were first built. 

The property also has trails where guests can hike and see wildlife such as deer, 

squirrels, chipmunks and a variety of birds indigenous to the area. 

master suite, one bathroom, plus it 

has a really large front deck. It’s really 

neat how it’s laid out,” he said. 

Finally, there’s Mary’s Mansion. 

“This one is pretty unique,” 

Soliday said. “It’s a one-room cabin, 

one level, while all of the others 

are two-level. There are three cabins 

that are considered historic, and 

this is one of them. It used to be a 

fisherman’s cabin and we made it 

into a couple’s cabin.” It has queen 

bed, a separate bathroom, a small 

kitchen with a stove and refrigerator, 

and a sitting area, with a TV. 

Besides the unique and quaint 

cabins, guests are offered many 

other amenities on the property. 

Each cabin has its own fire pit that 

campers are able to enjoy. White 

Oaks also has a community barn 

area named Bob’s Barn, with a 

large fire pit, cornhole games and 

picnic tables where guests can enjoy 

their meals. Hanging inside the 

barn are the original signs from the 

cabins when they were first built. 

The property also has trails where 

guests can hike and see wildlife 

such as deer, squirrels, chipmunks 

and a variety of birds indigenous to 

the area. 

The site also offers seven spaces 

that can be rented by RV owners. 

Each space has full hook-ups with 

water and electricity. 

Not far from White Oaks Cabins 

are many attractions that are 

an easy drive for a family day trip. 

The property is about eight minutes 

from the Little Patoka Boat Ramp, 

located on the southeast part of 

the lake. Marengo Cave is about 25 

minutes away, as is the French Lick 

Resort. Amusement park lovers 

will be thrilled to know that Holiday 

World is only a 35-minute drive 

away. 

Since the cabins come with 

kitchens, Soliday advises guests to 

stock up on food and supplies before 

they come to the cabin. If they 

need to replenish their supplies, 

there is a small grocery store about 

20 minutes away in the town of 

English. 

Soliday is excited about the 

future of his cabins, and he is currently 

working on two more that 

will hopefully be ready by next 

spring. They’re the final two of the 

historic cabins, the Retreet and Sadie’s 

Shack. Sadie’s Shack is named 

after his oldest daughter, and once 

complete, it will have an upstairs 

loft bedroom overlooking the open 

downstairs living area. • 

For more information about White 

Oaks Cabins, check out whiteoakscabins.holidayfuture.com. 

Get Organized for for 2023 

2023 

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reserved. 

Call Call Alicia Lutz Lutz for for a a free a free design design consultation and and estimate and estimate today! 

today! 

(812) 267-2490 

or or email me me at at alicia.lutz@closetfactory.com 

at the the art art of organization 

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SM04PF 

SM04PF 


Local Spotlight 

The Art of Learning to Learn 

Learning about cultural artifacts 

from a woman who 

has traveled the world and 

collected them. What more 

could you ask for? Claudia Crump 

not only provides this, but also 

provides an excellent experience 

to learn about learning and how to 

educate yourself using a few key 

acronyms she places around her interactive 

lab. 

The Crump-Dunfee Cultural 

Artifact ColLABoration (CALAB) 

in New Albany provides experiences 

and resources for “Learning 

to Learn,” focused on hands-on collections 

of local and global cultural 

artifacts. The cultural lab is housed 

in Crump’s private residence, encircled 

by Asian-inspired gardens and 

walking paths. 

“What I try to do is collect artifacts 

from here and from around 

the world that have a story to tell, 

and that story is about culture,” 

Crump said. 

The whole house is open as 

part of the lab, complete with a 

reading loft that will eventually be 


Story and Photos by Darian Decker 

turned into a professional library. 

“In the CALAB and in our daily 

lives, through authentic artifacts 

as creations of human cultures, we 

learn with hands-on interactive experiences 

that reflect the past and 

present and perhaps predict and 

shape our futures,” Crump said. 

The main floor has many artifacts, 

with the kitchen available for 

cultural cooking workshops, while 

the lower level is the main artifact 

lab. 

“It all started with Japanese 

gardens,” Crump said. “When we 

moved here in 1976, our determination 

was to keep the nature as it is 

as much as possible.” 

By spring, Crump is going to 

have the gardens open to anyone 

who wants to walk through. 

“Everything is hands-on. We 

are so prone now to just look at 

screens, it’s so vicarious,” Crump 

said. “There are advantages of being 

able to feel and see and know 

that it’s real rather than just visually 

seeing it.” 

Crump’s focus is to help others 

return to gathering knowledge 

for themselves instead of it being 

given to them. This project continues 

her passion of teaching, having 

professionally taught in several capacities 

for 75 years. 

“I hope [visitors] recognize and 

appreciate that nature’s creations 

become artifacts when shaped by 

human hands and minds,” Crump 

said. 

Her passion for collecting artifacts 

began in 1972 when she had 

the unique opportunity to travel to 

Russia. 

In trying to find something to 

take home, Crump thought, “what 

is a feature of this culture that I can 

take back home with me?” 

She ended up choosing a samovar, 

a metal container used to heat 

water for tea. Many Russian households 

keep them ready for guests. 

Crump now has two samovars – 

one from Turkey and one from Russia, 

and both displayed in her dining 

room side by side. 

She considers these the true 

start of her collection.

Having visited more than 

50 countries, many of the artifacts 

throughout the lab are from 

Crump’s personal collection, but 

others are donations that have 

come in by word of mouth. 

The lab is divided into learning 

stations ranging from country 

to country and culture to culture. 

“My goal is to share techniques 

for learning to learn – that’s the 

whole theme,” Crump said. “We 

learn how to learn using artifacts as 

mirrors of cultures of all times, all 

places and all people.” 

At one station, visitors can 

learn about covered wagons and 

decide what they would take with 

them based on what could fit and 

what they deem essential. At another 

station, visitors can view artifacts 

from World War II, including 

service uniforms, letters and flags. 

At yet another, visitors can admire 

a framed Egyptian papyrus. 

At each turn, Crump is there to 

offer knowledge and background, 

but most importantly to encourage 

you to think for yourself and work 

with what you know. 

“We hope [visitors] gain, 

through interaction with varied 

cultural artifacts and strategies, a 

means of recognizing human similarities 

and appreciating cultural 

differences that exist around us every 

day,” she said. 

Visitors have access to kits as 

well that can further their learning 

even more. These kits can be related 

to a specific topic or a specific country 

and can be checked out for further 

study. 

Crump also used to pack up 

a kit in a suitcase and visit nursing 

homes to work with memory care 

patients in a new way by using music 

and artifacts they would recognize. 

One of Crump’s most beautiful 

pieces on display is a wedding 

kimono from a donor who donated 

several pieces to the collection. You 

can view the detail up close as you 

also learn about the significance 

of different footwear in Japan and 

view photos from Crump’s travels. 

After visitors have made 

their way through the lab, they 

can participate in something interactive, 

such as making their 

own zen garden, learning to use 

chopsticks, practicing etiquette or 

studying different seashells. 

Crump said she caters these 

projects to the audience and is always 

up for new ideas. 

“When leaving the CALAB 

and Gardens, we hope you will reflect 

on this motto: When you exit 

the past, you are also entering the 

future,” she said. “Pause before 

departing, look back and leave the 

place better than you found it.” 

Visitor Doug Drake said CAL- 

AB is about so much more than the 

artifacts themselves. 

“It’s not just about the item, 

but also the culture,” he said. “It’s 

so different from other things I’ve 

experienced.” 

Alice Miles was able to 

view the collection as well, telling 

Crump, “We knew of the treasures 

you had collected over the 

“We hope [visitors] 

gain, through 

interaction with 

varied cultural 

artifacts and 

strategies, a means 

of recognizing human 

similarities and 

appreciating cultural 

differences that exist 

around us every day.” 

- Claudia Crump 

years, however it was a first for seeing 

it altogether.” 

Crump gladly accepts volunteers 

willing to maintain the gardens 

or lead a station. 

“The answer is always yes, 

there’s something here you can 

do,” she said. • 

CALAB welcomes anyone and everyone 

ages 5 and older, groups and individuals 

alike, and invites them to visit 

the lab. You can make an appointment 

by emailing claudiadcrump@gmail. 

com or calling 812-948-8123. 


Artist Spotlight 

The Watercolors of Jasper Artist Myra Schuetter 

Story by Judy Cato 

Photos by by B.C. Baggett (except where noted) 


Watercolor artist Myra 

Schuetter grew up in 

Jasper in Dubois County 

deeply connected 

to that county’s German Catholic 

heritage. 

“My parents – the Schillings – 

moved to Jasper in the 1940s, just 

after they were married,” Schuetter 

said. “My late father worked for 

Jasper Table Company as a finisher, 

joining artisans who had made Jasper 

‘the Wood Capital of the World.’ 

My husband’s great-grandfather 

arrived here in the 1840s.” 

Schuetter’s paintings often reflect 

this German heritage and its 

traditions of handcrafted wares. 

Her splendid depictions of fine 

glassware, antique silver, handcrafted 

chocolates, a repertoire of 

elaborate cakes and textured fabrics 

are rooted in her encounters with 

displays of such items in Jasper’s 

downtown shops, the county’s 

craft markets and local weddings. 

“My father was also a photographer 

who photographed weddings 

all over Dubois County,” Schuetter 

said. “All of these sumptuous arrangements 

of delicacies and traditional 

crafted items settled in my 

memory.” 

The multitude of objects in 

Schuetter’s paintings are depicted 

with decisive precision and striking 

color interactions. Her skill at representing 

glass, texture, metal and 

drapery is astonishing. But there is 

more than representation going on 

in her works. She transforms her 

still lifes into stories, usually with a 

bit of humor. 

Her painting “Buying Indulgences” 

portrays three shelves of 

gourmet foods and drinks: fine 

wine, limoncello, plates of lobster, 

a bowl of truffles and imposing 

cakes. 

“The cakes,” Schuetter said, 

“are the same as those that were for 

sale in Jasper’s former Mad Batter 

Bakery, an old-school wonderland 

of pastries.” 

In the background of this 

painting, Schuetter has painted a 

precise copy – faded with time – of 

an 1825 painting by François Marius 

Granet titled “A Peasant Girl 

Buying Indulgences.” 

“Granet’s painting refers to 

the practice of selling indulgences, 

a practice of the late medieval Catholic 

church wherein one could pay 

a sum of money for the forgiveness 

of sin,” Schuetter explained. “Martin 

Luther denounced the practice 

and started the Reformation.” 

The painting sets up a pun, 

or wordplay, on the term “indulgence,” 

and is also educational to 

those unfamiliar with this aspect of 

late medieval German history. 

A charming candy store on the 

square in downtown Jasper called 

Chocolate Bliss was the inspiration 

for Schuetter’s piece “The Chocolate 

Wars.” Tiny green army action 

figures populate this rich mouthwatering 

tableau. They stand atop 

of cakes and on a plate of truffles; 

one lies on the ground, with gun 

pointed, ready to defend a chocolate-covered 

wine bottle from 

would-be invaders. 

“This painting addresses my 

addiction to chocolate,” Schuetter 

said. 

The intense red of the backdrop 

and brocade tablecloth was 

achieved by adding layer after layer 

of transparent watercolor. 

All of Schuetter’s paintings 

are large by any standards. Her 

largest works – 5’ x7’ – have been 

called “heroic” in scale. This size, 

added to what Schuetter calls her 

“obsession” with getting every detail 

perfect, has meant that a single 

painting can take her up to a year. 

But the time spent on each of her 

paintings has paid off: Her works 

are part of permanent collections 

around the country, including the 

Indiana State Museum, and frequently 

featured in publications, 

including the French magazine 

L’Art de l’Aquarelle (The Art of Watercolor). 

She has achieved all of this 

working in a small windowless 

studio in the basement of her and 

her husband Wayne’s home. For 

lighting, she uses old photography 

lamps inherited from her father. 

“This setup suits me,” 

Schuetter said. “I need a light 

source that is constant and predictable. 

The sun is neither.” 

She begins each piece by 

drawing the entire composition. 

“Drawing is the foundation of my 

work,” she said. “I started drawing 

as a child, spending many happy 

hours in a window seat drawing 

my head off.” 

By the time Schuetter comes 

to add color, she noted, “I am just 

having fun.” The dynamic reflections 

of colored glass and metal is 

the subject matter of her painting 

“Marbles,” a still life featuring colored 

glass containers, metal pillars 

and marbles. 

“Reflections on metal are bolder 

than those on glass,” Schuetter 

said, pointing to all of the complexities 

in the painting. “Highly 

polished metal reflects its surroundings, 

but compresses and 

distorts the images as the surface 

of the metal curves. Concave surfaces 

make the image smaller and 

thinner.” The viewer can see this in 

the lower left corner of the painting 

where the wine bottle is reflected in 

the pillar. 

Schuetter continued: “By 

contrast, light passes through glass, 

producing a shimmer, which I create 

with a white spot. I do not use 

white paint, though. All highlights 

are simply the paper itself with no 

paint.” 

Schuetter’s most recent paint-

What is remarkable about the painting is that the artist has managed to play 

into a universal current to capture not only her mother, but the idea of a person 

through the different stages of life. She is not just a vulnerable old person 

during the pandemic, but a glamorous young woman, a child on her bicycle, a 

woman with a family and so much more. 

ing, “Are You in There?,” is a complex 

and intimate portrait of the 

artist’s mother who died shortly 

after the painting was begun. “She 

was living in a nursing home when 

the pandemic broke out,” Schuetter 

said. “My sisters and I had to visit 

her through the window, which 

was so tricky and unusual I titled 

the painting to call attention to the 

situation.” 

After Schuetter’s mother, 

Lucille, died, the artist worked 

through some of her grief by finishing 

the portrait. “An elderly person 

in a nursing home is so much more 

than that – that person is the whole 

of their life,” Schuetter said. To portray 

her mother, Schuetter went 

through old family photographs 

and painted those she cherished 

most. 

What is remarkable about the 

painting is that the artist has managed 

to play into a universal current 

to capture not only her mother, 

but the idea of a person through the 

different stages of life. She is not 

just a vulnerable old person during 

the pandemic, but a glamorous 

young woman, a child on her bicycle, 

a woman with a family and so 

much more. 

It may be difficult for the viewer 

to keep in mind that these individual 

snapshots are paintings, not 

photographs. 

“Painting my mother’s face 

and my parents’ memories created 

an emotional landscape – like some 

of the memory got caught in the 

paint – that was difficult for me to 

leave,” Schuetter said. • 

Pictured: (left hand page) Myra Shuetter, with one of 

her creations // Photo by Wayne Scheutter; (this page) 

Shuetter’s most recent painting, “Are You There?” recreates 

snapshots from her mother’s life. 


Discover What Makes 

Washington County a 

Great Destination! 

April 1 

Beck’s Mill Dessert Party 

Opening Day at Beck’s Mill is April 1st, 

no fooling! A Dessert Party honoring 

Joyce Andersen, whose birthday is 

April 1 and a 7th generation Beck 

family member. 

(She passed away Jan. 17, 2023) 

becksmill.org 

Upcoming Events 


Master Gardners Annual Tulip Walk 

9:00AM-3:00PM 

The Depot Railroad Museum 

206 S. College Avenue, Salem, IN 


Home and Garden Show 

Washington County Fairgrounds 

Contact us at: www.washingtoncountytourism.com or call 812-883-4303 

4.875 

space 

unity 

bou- 

, IN 

m. - 5 

ith us 

our 

y and 

Creative & Imaginatry 

Children’s Playspace 

Everything from a playspace to 

community home to workshops 

and we even have boutique items. 

Located at 111 E. Beaver Street 

Corydon, IN 47112 

Hours: 

Tuesday & Wednesday ................. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Thursday ............................................. 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Friday .................................................... 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday ........................ 11:30-4:30 p.m. 

Monday ................................................. Closed 

Planning a birthday party? 

Booking with us can include setup, clean 

up, working your party and our play area. 

Stop by today and check it out. 


Mealtime Tips for Dementia Caregiving 

Real Life Nutrition 

Are you caring for a loved one 

with dementia? If so, you 

know that the term “caregiver” 

means so much more 

than most people realize. Being a dementia 

caregiver can mean that you’re 

the chauffeur, the medical care manager, 

the accountant, the housekeeper, the 

groundskeeper, the valet, and, maybe 

most dauntingly – the chef! Many folks 

living with dementia struggle with poor 

appetite, changes in sensory processing, 

and self-feeding difficulty. You might 

work hard to plan meals and snacks, yet 

your loved one with dementia doesn’t 

eat well, despite your efforts. 

Don’t give up though – your nutritional 

caregiving yields a lot of benefits! 

Mealtimes create built-in structure 

to the day, helping those with dementia 

feel more oriented and in control with 

their schedule. Additionally, mealtimes 

offer the opportunity for socialization 

with family or friends, enhancing 

quality of life and reducing loneliness. 

Plus, mealtimes can be one of the most 

pleasurable parts of the day, when your 

loved one can enjoy good-tasting food 

and drink. Routines, socialization and 

dietary variety all are associated with 

better quality of life and better overall 

health outcomes for those living with 

dementia. Your caregiving efforts are so 

helpful. 

Because dementia is progressive, 

and different types of dementia present 

different challenges, there isn’t a single 

set of tips guaranteed to help all people 

with dementia eat better. But the following 

set of suggestions may apply at 

various times during the progression of 

dementia and can help your loved one 

have better intake at meals. 

Easy pick-up 

Some people in mid- to late-stage 

dementia have difficulty visualizing 

food items in 3-D. This is especially 

hard with items that might have multiple 

“layers,” like a sandwich or a taco. 

Providing single-layer foods that can be 

picked up with the hands is helpful. For 

example, this breakfast is a meal I served 

my mother when she lost her ability to 

see in 3-D. The egg, hard-cooked inside 

the bread, makes it possible to eat the 

meal without a fork. The pre-peeled 

mandarin orange also allows for easy 

pick-up. 

High contrast 

It can be hard for someone with 

dementia to visualize individual foods 

on a plate. To help your loved one eat 

more, place foods on high-contrast 

dishware. Serve darker-colored food on 

white dishes and light-colored food on 

darker, more colorful dishes. 

No matter what you 

choose to serve, 

providing meals for 

your loved one is a 

wonderful act of care. 

Rotate the plate 

If your loved one has had a stroke 

or brain injury on one side of the brain, 

they may have a harder time seeing food 

items in one half of the visual field. This 

means they may eat well off one side of 

their plate or tray, but leave items behind 

on the other side. Try rotating the 

plate or tray mid-meal, to help them 

see more of what’s available to eat. 

Minimize distractions 

Sensory overload during a meal 

contributes to poor intake. Make sure 

your loved one’s meal environment 

is reasonably uncluttered and not too 

loud. If your loved one eats better in a 

nontraditional space (for example the 

living room), or away from other family 

members, allow it. Sometimes these 

secluded spaces are less distracting and 

help those with dementia stay engaged 

in mealtime. 

Offer a few simple choices 

It’s good to offer options, but too 

many at once can be overwhelming for 

those with dementia. Consider limiting 

options to just two choices at a time, and 

keep food terms simple. For example, 

rather than saying “halibut,” just say 

“fish.” Rather than saying “fusilli,” try 

saying “noodles.” 

Eat with your loved one 

If you are able to coordinate meal 

times, try to have your meal together. 

This allows your loved one to “shadow” 

your behavior, helping them stay 

engaged and eating at the mealtime. 

Include dessert! 

Taste changes are a natural part of 

aging, and sweet flavors are often the 

most appealing in later stages of dementia. 

Consider serving dessert at the 

same time as the rest of the meal, rather 

than waiting until the end. If your loved 

one eats the dessert first, that’s OK; allow 

them to explore all of the available 

foods at their own pace. Studies show 

that providing maximum dietary variety 

and allowing the person to selfselect 

foods generally results in better 

nutritional intake overall. 

And a word about therapeutic 

diets: You may have read about diet 

interventions that could help improve 

brain function or slow down dementia 

progression. Feel free to try these things, 

but remember – a special diet is only 

beneficial if a person is willing and able 

to eat the food! Be careful not to restrict 

a diet too much. 

Finally, remember that no matter 

what you choose to serve, providing 

meals for your loved one is a wonderful 

act of care, and you’re doing a great 

job. • 

About the Author 

Anna Hartman, RDN, LD, 

CD, is the Lead Clinical 

Dietitian at Baptist Health 

Floyd, and has many years 

of experience as a caregiver. 

Anna is passionate about supporting 

family caregivers as they navigate nutritional 

caregiving for those with neurological and 

psychiatric illness. 





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Everyday Adventures 

Everyone in my family plays an 

instrument except for me and 

the dog. My wife and oldestdaughter 

play the violin. My 

youngest daughter plays the flute and 

guitar, and a few months agoour cat 

started playing the piano. 

Actually he learned it from my 

youngest who had taken up piano along 

with her other instruments. When my 

daughter started taking piano lessons, 

we crammed an old upright into her 

bedroom because we didn’t have room 

for it anywhere else in our house. It sat 

there for a year and a half before the cat 

discovered it. 

I should probably also mention he 

only plays at night after everyone has 

gone to bed. You know how temperamental 

musicians can be. 

The first time he did it, I almost 

had a heart attack. I’m always the last 

one up so every night I go into my 

daughter’s room, turn out the lights, 

read her a Bible verse from my phone 

and pray with her before I leave. 

It was during one of these bedtime 

routines the cat decided our prayers 

needed musical accompaniment. The 

room was pitch black. Our eyes were 

closed. Then suddenly BUM,DUM, 

PLUNK, BUM! 

My daughter and I both jumped 

and screamed. You would think this 

would scare the cat away, but apparently, 

once you discover a love for music, 

you just can’t stop. He leapt to the top of 

the piano and a few minutes later came 

back for an encore. 

We thought it was just a fluke until 

a couple of days later when he did it 

again and then the next week again and 

again and again. Sometimes I think he 

practices more than my daughter does. 

My favorite performance was the 

night he sat on the bench just staring 

at the sheet music a couple of minutes 

before he started playing. His fluffy 

head kept turning back and forth like he 

was actually reading it. But then, it was 

BUM, DUM, PLUNK, BUM again. Apparently 

he preferred the classics. 

Not long ago, I was bragging 

about him to my friend Eric, who is a 

gifted pianist. 

“So how is he?” Eric asked. 

I said, “Well, considering he hasn’t 

had a single lesson and doesn’t have 

opposable thumbs, I think he’s pretty 

good.” 

Of course, if I compared his ability 

to Eric’s, he wouldn’t stack up so well, 

but compared to other felines, he’s really 

quite accomplished. In fact, I can 

honestly say I’ve never met a cat who 

plays better than mine. 


Feline Forte 

My favorite performance was the night he sat 

on the bench just staring at the sheet music a 

couple of minutes before he started playing. His 

fluffy head kept turning back and forth like he 

was actually reading it. 

At the end of the day, however, no 

one’s going to come see him in concert. 

It doesn’t really matter that he’s better 

than other cats. His “music” is still just a 

bunch of noise. 

That’s how the comparison game 

works, though. If I want to feel good 

about myself, or about my cat, all I have 

to do is find someone who looks worse. 

Sure, I’m not perfect, but, hey, at 

least I’m not as bad as THAT person. 

No matter how low our self esteem is 

we can always find someone to feel superior 

to if we look hard enough. 

Unfortunately, that cuts both 

ways. No matter how much we grow 

or progress in life, we can always find 

someone who seems to have it more together 

than us. 

Maybe that’s why the Bible warns 

us against comparing ourselves with 

others. It’s a subjective standard that 

leads us to either pride or despair. 

It’s much wiser to invite God to 

evaluate our lives, show us where we 

need to grow and encourage us along 

the way. 

Compared to his perfect standard 

we all fall about as short as a piano 

playing cat auditioning as a concert pianist. 

Yet God loves us and gives us the 

grace to have a relationship with him 

we could never earn and grow in ways 

we could never imagine on our own. 

So when your best efforts seem as 

clumsy as furry paws on a keyboard, 

don’t settle for the comparison game. 

Instead, put yourself in the hands of 

the master musician and get ready to 

be amazed at the beautiful music he can 

make through you.• 

Photo credit: Giancarlo Polacchini / shutterstock.com 

Jason Byerly is a writer, pastor, husband and 

dad who loves the quirky surprises God 

sends his way every day. You can read more 

from Jason in his books Tales from the Leaf Pile 

and Holiday Road. You can catch up with Jason 

on his blog at www.jasonbyerly.com.

SET TRENDS 

WHEREVER YOU GO 

2023 CHEVY BLAZER 

johnjonesautogroup.com • (800) 473 - 5546 


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Southern Indiana Living - March / April 2023

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