Calhoun's Rock Garden is a feast for the eyes — and Sunday it lights up with hundreds of candles

Old Dog and Lady Joyce Boyd

Dewitt “Old Dog” and Lady Joyce Boyd had eight children and gave each one a little porcelain person to play with. Naturally, they needed a place for the porcelain people to live, so the couple began building little castles, roads, houses — even a church. At the end of their “game,” the couple would light up the village with candles.

I know what you’re thinking. Gee, that’s sweet but how is this news?

When you walk through the archway of the whimsical Rock Garden in Calhoun, the acre of the couple’s artistry will blow you away, because there are 50 buildings created behind the Calhoun Seventh-day Adventist Church, including a miniature replica of Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral complete with stained glass windows. There's also Cinderella’s castle, a lighthouse, monastery, a recreation of Bethlehem, places where people can even fit into and much, much more. It’s all created from cement and wire and accented by broken glass and china, ceramic tiles, pebbles and shells and odd pieces of found materials.

It's one of those places you have to see to believe. It's that special. It's that incredible!

In addition to kids young and old visiting to enjoy this fantasy land, the couple got a grant to build a gazebo and people come here to be married (including the Boyds). For those who choose the site for a wedding, their name goes on the memory wall inside a walled space that's as spiritual as it's fantastical.

And all around and above the sweet little buildings are whispering trees, endless blooms, visiting birds and there’s a brook at the back of the property. Sometimes the water flows over into the village and that's okay, Old Dog Boyd said. It's all part of the fun, for he wants children to visit and play. His grandchildren, he says, love to splash in the creek and look for creatures such as baby snapping turtles. 

  

“This is my Ph.D.,” Boyd said of his creations with art and nature. “I love flowers. I love being outside. And I love trees, especially the redbud tree. It (his folk art) is very compatible with nature."

Now, here's where it gets even better. Beginning at 7:10 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, the couple will light up the garden with hundreds of candles for the annual Lighting of the Rock Garden. It's so popular, the event attracted 1,100 people last year.

The Rock Garden is open from dawn to dusk daily without charge. Donations accepted.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves a fun Southern story, especially the artistic people who live here. She could have spent hours at the Rock Garden.

Celebrate World Tourism Day by pledging sustainability

Submitted photo by TTC

Today is World Tourism Day, a time to foster awareness of the importance of tourism and its social, political and economic values to communities worldwide. This year, the United Nations has dubbed 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

In honor of both, I recently received a press release by The Travel Corporation's (TTC) family of brands, showcasing what they are doing to promote sustainable tourism, from the recycling program at Red Carnation Hotels to the ME to WE immersive volunteer trips, which allow guests to contribute to sustainable development work. And TTC’s not-for-profit foundation, TreadRight, has supported more than 40 sustainable tourism initiatives worldwide over the last 10 years, according to the press release, programs such as WildAid’s efforts to end the illegal wildlife trade and the Village Weavers Project in Laos.

It’s all pretty exciting. And even though I have not had the opportunity to experience these wonderful programs, I’m impressed with the effort by TTC to make the world a better place.

“The international travel sector has the opportunity to play a lead role in shaping the future of sustainability,” said Brett Tollman, chief executive of TTC. “As one of the world’s largest sectors, supporting over 284 million jobs and generating 9.8% of global GDP, we can help to increase public appreciation of the environment and help to spread the word on the value of connecting with the unique cultures and communities of the world in a sustainable, respectful way, and keeping our respective footprints as small as possible.

“The industry needs to come together as a whole to do more, to make the economic case for sustainable tourism, and follow the example set by the Paris Agreement, which aligns myriad competing entities under a shared goal of sustainability,” he continued. 

Well said!

For more information about The Travel Corporation (TTC) and its portfolio of award-winning brands, visit www.ttc.com. 

You can also celebrate the day by taking the pledge to #TravelEnjoyRespect.

Chere Coen is a travel and food writer who is all about sustainability.

It's nuts! Squirrel Cook Off this Saturday in Bentonville

I’m a city girl, having grown up in New Orleans. When I moved to Louisville, Kentucky, in the fifth grade we lived on the outskirts of the city in a quaint suburb called Middletown. My best friend, Valerie Brown, introduced me to many things — and I won’t admit most of them here — but one was her father hunting squirrel. I’ll never forget visiting her home one afternoon with a delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen and what looked like a plate piled high with fried chicken on the kitchen table. My mouth watered at the sight and smell — until I found out what it was.

 

Squirrel.

Now that I’m a food and travel writer I regret never sampling her father’s fried squirrel, but I was a shy pre-teen entering the culinary world. I have since sampled some pretty unusual things traveling the world but squirrel has never been one of them.

Don’t you be shy this weekend. The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off takes place in Bentonville, Ark., and includes more than tree rodents being fried up and served (I couldn’t help myself because yes, technically, that’s what they are.) There will be all kinds of dishes prepared with squirrel, including gumbo, tamales, pizza, sushi, empanadas, tacos and burgers. Take about creativity!

The fun happens from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, at the new 8th Street Market south of the square. It’s free and, according to event organizers, offers other food items, live music and Habit Outdoors apparel selling samples starting at 8 a.m. 

Here’s the 4-1-1: Joe Wilson founded the event in 2012, a strong supporter of natural, sustainable food such as squirrel, as well as hunting traditions. According to organizers, “although it’s built for fun and squirrel humor runs rampant, the event has a few simple rules.” They require two- and three-person teams to prepare their squirrel and a side dish — everything cooked on-site— for the judges, with all entries containing 80 percent squirrel. Presentation, taste, tenderness and texture are important aspects of judging.

As organizers say, “That’s it in a nutshell.”

Chere Coen is a travel and food writer who loves unusual places to visit and all kinds of great things to eat — even squirrel.