The holiday season is upon us and it is time to start shopping for gifts for our friends and loved ones. While shopping online might be more convenient than getting outside, the direct impact shopping local goes way beyond helping to spread the holiday cheer. Small businesses play a large role in the strength of our economy.
Top five reasons why it is important to shop locally.
Job Creation – Local business owners hire local people. In fact, according to a 2016 study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, compared to Amazon, independent retailers create 2x as many jobs for the same amount of revenue.
Keep Money Local – Sales tax is a vital part of funding services in our community. When you shop local, you are increasing the sales tax revenue to fund core services. Also, local business owners are more likely to spend their money locally, which continues to add money to the community. Research by Civic Economics has shown that, on average, 48% of the money spent at local businesses re-circulates locally.
Better Customer Service – No one likes being put on hold or waiting for customer service. Local business owners are passionate about growing their business, and they work hard to provide quality products and services.
Small Businesses support Nonprofits & Organizations – Whether it is a local nonprofit, youth sports team, school group, or another group raising funds, many time key sponsors are our local businesses. Small business owners are involved in the community and look for a variety of ways to give back.
Growing Enid – Spending your money in Enid increases the demand for products and services which in turn will drive new business growth. Local businesses create a unique culture and vibrancy in the community which attracts more people who want to live, work, and shop in Enid.
Enid has a wide variety of locally-owned shops and you can find a few of them on www.shopinenid.com. When you shop local in Enid you are bound to find everything you need for your holiday gift list.
Some of us have used quarantine to get into tip-top shape, while others have allowed our running shoes to acquire a not-so-thin layer of dust. If you’re looking to ease back into exercise without burning out too quickly—or hurting yourself—follow these suggestions courtesy of Kallie Gower, YMCA Health and Wellness Director.
1. Try the 30-3-3 Method
If you haven’t worked out for the past few months, that’s OK. What matters is that you’re getting back into it. But before you go from zero to 60 in one session, remember that fitness is a marathon, not a sprint (unless you’re sprinting, but you get the gist). “Don’t try and over-perform, and set a goal to be persistent,” Gower tells us. She advises against jumping back into the same workout regimen that you had before the quarantine started (since your body won’t be in the same shape if you stopped working out completely). Instead, she recommends starting with 30 minutes, three times a week for three weeks, and then increasing the frequency and duration from there. Baby steps, people.
2. Don’t Skip Your Warm-Up
A proper warm-up is important whenever you’re exercising, but even more so if your body isn’t used to intense physical activity. Gower tells us, “A proper warm-up and cool-down are vital to the longevity of your fitness routine.” Before you work out, she recommends dynamic stretching or stretching through movements that can improve your ability to react. Post-workout, try static stretches, which are done while standing or sitting in one place.
3. Listen to Your Body
You know that saying, “No pain, no gain?” Yeah, don’t live by that. Gower stresses that you should never work out through the pain. “If you try to increase your workout (whether that’s mileage or weights) too soon, you can end up with injuries including shin splints, tendinitis, and others,” she tells us. If your body is telling you it’s had enough, listen to it, go back and read the first point on this list and take things slow.
4. Stay Hydrated
“Drinking fluids not only energizes the body and fights off fatigue but it also regulates your body temperature and prevents your muscles from cramping,” Gower says. Make sure you’re drinking lots of water regardless of any workouts you have planned, but especially if you’re going to be sweating a lot.
5. Build in Rest Days
Simply put, working out every day is not sustainable for the average person. Gower tells us, “A rest day is an important part of working out and is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing injuries or burn-out.” This one also comes down to listening to your body; it will normally tell you when it needs a break. Gower recommends taking two days off each week to allow your body to recover and repair. She also tells us that there are ways to make the most of our days off. “You can make a rest day more effective by eating healthy, staying hydrated, stretching, or using a foam roller…Taking a rest day doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be completely inactive; you can still keep the body moving.” Got it.
Showing new residents and prospective businesses around Enid is one of the highlights of being a Realtor. Enid is alive with exciting experiences for families and individuals of all ages.
I am constantly surprised and excited about the number of residents that move to Enid expecting to move away but end up staying to retire. The features in this article are just the tip of the iceberg of what Enid has to offer.
Enid’s Cultural Heritage: Enid’s past can be explored through visits to the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Leona Mitchell Southern Heights Heritage Center and Museum, Simpsons Old Time Museum, and Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park, just to name a few. You can also drive through the Chisholm Trail in Enid by following the hoofprints on the streets where the trail passed through.
Family Fun: Get exploring with your kids at Leonardo’s Children’s Museum and Adventure Quest Outdoor Park and Meadowlake Park which features the Kiwanatrain, carousel, miniature golf, and Ferris wheel. Educational excursions include the NOC Observatory and Mackie Planetarium, Vance Air Force Base, and the Railroad Museum. The Enid Trail system has miles of space to walk, skate or bike and see the town. Crosslin and Meadowlake Dog Parks have climbing toys and watering posts as well as separate areas for small and large dogs. The city also has numerous city parks, splash pads, and recreational athletic leagues for all ages.
Shopping and Dining: Enid is brimming with shopping options ranging from large chain stores to small individual boutiques and gift shops. Strip malls and Downtown Enid are sprinkled throughout the city with a wide variety of shops, boutiques, and restaurants. Restaurants range from food trucks to fine dining. Check out locally owned l favorites that your Realtor will be happy to recommend. The craft beer industry is alive and well at Settlers Brewing Co. and Enid Brewing Co. & Eatery plus a large variety of food and drinks at Callahan’s Pub, just to name a few.
Arts and Entertainment: The arts are nurtured and showcased through amazing community organizations such as Gaslight Theatre and Enid Symphony Center. Public Art is on the rise with numerous murals including the Butterfly Project, Bright Future, and Feeding our Neighbors. The list is growing quickly and new murals are popping up all over, it seems like weekly. Bronze statues include “The Tri-State Statue”, “Sparky the Fire Dog”, “Pioneers Past, Present, and Future”, “Vision Seeker”, and “Keeper of the Plains”. Other “must-see” attractions are “Lazy Circles in the Sky” and “Under Her Wings was the Universe” and so many other attractions too numerous to mention.
Main Street Enid: In partnership with the City of Enid and Park Avenue Thrift, Main Street Enid provides many activities and projects for the community. First Friday hosts a variety of live music, food trucks, art shows, and shopping at downtown merchants. Downtown Enid, at the heart of the city, is the perfect place to “Shop, Dine, and Be Entertained”.
Take some time to explore our city, with everything Enid has to offer, and you too will be SOLD ON ENID!
I remember a few years ago there was a trend on social media to post something each day that you were thankful for in the month of November. I, and many others, quickly ran out of steam before the end of the month. Whether it was out of laziness, or lack of realization of all that I had to thankful for, I look back and am kind of sad I didn’t finish. Don’t worry, I am not going to list 30 things I am thankful for here, but I am going to say that I am extremely thankful for my renewed faith in Christ, the friends that have stood by me, my family that loves me no matter what, and all the wonderful thing this community offers. I hope you will stop and consider all the things you have to be thankful for this season. I’ll bet its more than you realize.
I love to cook for Thanksgiving! I often tell people that cooking for Thanksgiving is as much about timing and organization as it is about the cooking. I think of this gracious holiday like a trip to bountiful with a bit of a practice run for those of us who cook as we move full steam ahead into the holiday season with all of its family traditions. Thanksgiving in our family is all about the BIRD and of course PIE! Pie is as much of a requirement as the turkey.
Like all those bountiful Thanksgiving traditions we have come to expect, it is hard to imagine just one pie—so we have to include pecan and apple along with the pumpkin. Sometimes I take the time to cut little pastry leaves to decorate the top of the pie crust or to Brulee’ the top of the pumpkin pie! (It was a good reason to purchase a culinary torch so I could do that without burning the pastry itself under the broiler in the oven.)
Despite all this planning for turkey day and all the pumpkin pies I’ve made over the years, my husband insists I need more practice. Just let the leaves start to turn and he starts reminding me that I need to brush up on my pumpkin pie making skills! You would think by now he would have a little more confidence in my pie baking skills. (The truth is pumpkin pie is his favorite.) The filling is so easy and if you made the crust ahead and kept it in the freezer baking the pie can be baked fresh on Thanksgiving morning.
Of course, you can bake apple or pecan pies the day before, but in my kitchen, it would be necessary to find a special hiding place to avoid certain pie lovers deciding to “test” whether any or all of the pies worthy of Thanksgiving. When it comes to the pecan pie, I’ve been making Pecan Tassies or tiny Pecan Cups for years. You can make these several days ahead and they are just a little less rich than eating a whole piece of pecan pie. They are perfect to enjoy with a turkey sandwich later in the day. Again, I have to keep them hidden away.
I love cranberry season and especially cranberry-orange relish like my grandmother made. It is so simple with a navel orange and cranberries sweetened to taste. It is much easier, and certainly less sticky, these days using a food processor than back in grandmother’s day with the crank-by hand grinder that was attached to her kitchen table. Over time I have modified the simple mixture in different ways to stretch the basic mixture. Chopped pecans, or even a bit of crushed pineapple, can expand the mixture if needed.
I’ve simplified the candied sweet potato recipe over time: Peel then cut inch-thick slices of the potatoes. Place the slices in a plastic bag, toss with a little olive oil, and chopped fresh rosemary. Sprinkle with a little Kosher salt the roast on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes until softened.
Thanksgiving just calls for homemade rolls, but your favorite grocery will be stocking up on plenty of alternatives if your time is limited. Speaking of time—be sure and check game times unless you don’t mind guests jumping up to see if their team caught that winning pass. You will also want to have different types of bread on hand for sandwiches and make sure you have a sufficient supply of mayo and mustard as well. Maybe it’s time to start a running list to get ready for the big day?
Depending on the size and variety of turkey you want, give some thought to ordering ahead or making sure you allow enough thawing time. I like to brine the turkey and keep a small ice chest on hand to accomplish this task. You can find plenty of methods online. I use a combination of water, salt, and sugar. It just seems to make for a juicier, more flavorful turkey. On occasion, I have put the frozen turkey in the ice chest and covered it with the brine. It thaws overnight and is ready to bake the next day.
So, if you are the chief cook this year my best advice is to plan, plan, and plan some more and start that grocery list. Depending on how many folks are showing up and how many ovens you can manage on Thanksgiving day, you may want to ENLIST some of those guests to bring a dish to the dinner. The folks at Corks would be happy to help you pick out a bottle of wine or just pick up some non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider for something special. I’m HUNGRY already!
Recipe: Pecan Cups “Tassies”
These tiny miniature pecan tarts are just the right amount to satisfy a pecan pie craving post-Thanksgiving feast! These Pecan Cups have been a “Stir-Ups” favorite for almost 40 years. In the South, they are affectionately known as “Pecan Tassies.”
This recipe makes 48 to 60 Tassies depending on the size of dough balls and muffin baking pans.
Shell:
1 cup unsalted butter 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups sifted flour
Filling:
2 eggs, beaten 1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar 2 Tablespoons melted butter 1 and 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Shells: Beat butter and cream cheese together with salt until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix just until well incorporated. (Not too long after the flour has been added as this can cause a loss of tenderness in the shell.) Place the dough in the refrigerator until it is firm enough to handle. Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to portion the dough. Dust your hands with a bit of flour and roll each ball in your hands then press into small buttered muffin or tart pans.
For Filling: Beat eggs and incorporate remaining ingredients. Mix well to coat pecans and spoon into formed shells. Careful not to overfill. Place in the middle of a preheated 350-degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack before removing from pan. They are a great make ahead treat for the holidays or just as a little sweet after lunch or dinner.
Cooking note: This filling recipe works well with only 1 cup of sugar if desired. It is adapted from the Pecan Cups recipe in the Stir-Ups Cookbook.
It’s Mallie and Sophia back at it again writing Tween Scene! We hope you guys enjoyed our first article last month in Enid Buzz Monthly! This month we are going to talk about the awesome holiday Thanksgiving and what we are thankful for. Let’s get to it!
What Are We Thankful For?
We are thankful for our dogs, family, friends, being able to have a roof over our heads, being able to eat, and having a nice wardrobe. We are very lucky!
What is Our Favorite Thanksgiving Meal?
I love street corn, turkey, steak, and green bean casserole-Mallie
I love MASHED POTATOES, turkey, and bread with butter-Sophia
Do you have a favorite?
What Is Our Favorite Thanksgiving/Fall Decoration?
Mallies favorite decorations are the fun and colorful wreaths. Sophia’s likes the fun, crazy, and weird pumpkins.
What Is Our Favorite Family Tradition for Thanksgiving?
Mallie loves going to her grandparent’s house to eat Thanksgiving dinner with her family. Sophia’s favorite tradition is going out to her grandparent’s farm and having a big feast with her family. She also loves the Friendsgiving cookout at her dads with his friends and their kids.
Do We Think It’s Mean to Eat the Turkey?
I don’t think it’s mean because the turkey should’ve run faster – Mallie
I think it’s a little mean because it’s not their fault they should be getting killed by the hundreds, but they are pretty delicious! -Sophia
What Is Our Favorite Kind of Pumpkin?
Mallie likes the fat and round orange pumpkins. Sophia likes the little mini white ones because you can paint them.
Our Opinion On Raking And Playing In Leaves:
We don’t really like raking them but playing in them and jumping in the big piles are really fun!
What’s the Best Thanksgiving Dessert?
ICE CREAM! Sophia personally hates pie so she will only eat ice cream at Thanksgiving
What Does Thanksgiving Mean to Us?
Sophia: I think it means that you get together with your family to show thanks for the blessings of the past year and to show how much you love being together.
Mallie: Thanksgiving means getting to get with your friends and family to have a great time together.
Why Do We Thank People?
We thank people so we can show appreciation for what they did for us. Thanking people can also help cheer them up if they feel like they aren’t appreciated for how they help people.
Well I hope you guys that are reading this appreciate the people that do things for you. Email us at tweensceneenid@gmail.com if you have anything you want us to write about! See you next month!!!
Bobwhite quail and Oklahoma’s early history go almost hand in hand. The little brown and gray speedster is mentioned frequently in chronicles of the pre-statehood era and of the historic Cherokee Strip, Chisholm Trail, and Indian Territory. In spite of heavy market hunting during the early 1900s, the bobwhite prevailed, and the rolling wheatlands and cattle country of Northwest Oklahoma continued to offer some of the finest quail hunting available anywhere in the United States.
What had been the place of unique opportunity and the favorite sport of Oklahomans soon became a mecca for “hunters in the know” throughout the country. An ever-increasing number of avid quail hunters traveled long distances to be on hand opening day. Enid, located in the heart of this vast area, became a favorite destination and was referred to by many as the “Bobwhite Capital of America.” Field trial competition flourished, and the seeds of a national championship quail hunt had been sown long before the Grand National was conceived.
The idea itself emerged from a most unlikely setting in the fall of 1966. Around a campfire on a cold fall night high in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, more than 1,000 miles from Enid, United States Senator (then Governor) Henry Bellmon sat chatting with Dr. E.E. Chambers of Enid and Wendell Bever, Director of the Oklahoma Wildlife Commission, about the famed One Shot Antelope Hunt in which they had just participated. Dr. Chambers observed that Wyoming’s antelope were almost as plentiful as Oklahoma’s quail, and he wondered, “Why couldn’t Oklahoma have a celebrity-type quail hunt?”
Those few words, spoken half in thought, gave birth to an idea that soon would be established as an annual event and tradition in its own right. Back in Enid, Dr. Chambers and Chuck Palmer picked up the idea and worked through the winter developing ideas, objectives, and a basic framework. In April 1967, Dr. Chambers called a meeting of a dozen prominent Northwest Oklahoma ranchers and sportsmen where they laid out their ambitious plan to hold a national championship quail hunt beginning in November of that year. The idea received quick endorsement, and the Grand National Quail Club was formed, initially with less than 20 members. Dr. Chambers was named the first President, and Chuck Palmer was elected Hunt Director. The Grand National Quail Club continues this tradition by bringing hunters from across the United States to participate in this unique event.
Column and Story by Diane Ford, Garfield County Master Gardener
If you are old enough to remember a song by Carly Simon entitled “Anticipation,” you will start to understand a gardener’s feelings in spring, months after planting tulip bulbs. You wait and wait until the magic moment arrives when waking one morning you look out the window to see glorious shouts of color swaying on graceful stems. If you are fortunate, the tulips arrive for a short period of time to indicate the end of winter and a renewal of life. If you are not fortunate, you may get just a few spindly pops of color that leave your garden with hardly any notice. I have experienced both over the past few years and have learned a few lessons for success to share with you.
But first a little history about the tulip that may help explain its growing success and popularity which started not in Holland, as I had believed, but in Turkey. While families in most of Western Europe in the early 1600s planted gardens for food, the Turks were planting gardens for beauty as well. Among the flowers they enjoyed, was the tulip, which grew naturally in their mountainous gardens. A Dutch trader, named Carolus Clusius, was fascinated by the simple shape yet bold colors of the tulips. He returned to the Netherlands with bulbs that he planted in the gardens of the wealthy. When friends left his home, they left with 200-300 tulip bulbs as a gift, thus spreading the idea of flower gardens. The cool winter climate and the sandy soil of Holland created an ideal location to cultivate these bright bits of color after a dark winter season. At the same time, the Dutch were experiencing their Golden Age of trade and wealth. They had a particular genius for creating desire and need for their products, including tulips.
Fast forward to the United States in 2020. Most of our yards now are devoted to flower gardens. We can purchase what seems like an unlimited variety of plants to match our growing conditions. We can buy bulbs locally or purchase at wholesale prices if we choose to plant in quantity. I dove into tulips a few years ago after hearing about a wholesaler, Colorblends. The blooms were astounding the first year after I planted. But the following year very few came up, which was quite a disappointment. Since then, I have researched and use the following tips in my garden:
Plant bulbs in late October or November. Tulip bulbs require consistent cool weather to put down their roots. As they grow, they will need 6 hours of sun each day.
Bulbs do best in well-drained soil with sand and compost to allow that drainage. Check to ensure your soil is Ph neutral. If the soil is dry when you plant, water moderately. Bulbs will rot if they get too much water. Irrigation systems that water regularly for other plants and grass may have a detrimental effect on tulip bulbs.
Plant your bulbs at a depth of 4X the height of the bulb.
Tulips can be classified as early, medium, or late bloomers. (Colorblends makes this classification.) To extend the blooming season, I plant early and late bloomers mixed in with each other. As the early flowers are wilting the late bloomers pop up, extending their color for up to a month. Sometimes I have a totally different color of tulip popping up with the second round.
My observation is that squirrels and other rodents may dig up the bulbs for a mid-winter snack. I now plant daffodils with the tulips. It adds to the beauty and rodents and deer stay away because of the daffodils.
This last tip may be hard to digest. To get truly large and brilliant colored blooms each year you may need to plant new bulbs each year. The new hybrids give all their glory the first year after planting instead of reproducing themselves into new, hardy offspring. You can try perennial tulips or Giant Darwinian varieties.
Whether you plant a small cluster of tulips, or a large array, the best feeling during the grey days of winter is the anticipation for all the gloriously colored blooms come spring.
Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese practice designed to exercise the mind and body through a series of gentle, flowing postures. Tai Chi for Better Balance is an evidence-based fall prevention program developed for older adults. This program is delivered in two 1-hour sessions each week for 12 weeks. Each session consists of warm-up exercises, core practices which include a mix of the practice of forms, and mini therapeutic movement followed by a brief cool-down routine. The Tai Chi for Better Balance program was derived from a contemporary routine know as the Simplified 24-Form Tai Ju Quan. This program transforms martial arts movements into a therapeutic regimen aimed at improving postural stability, awareness, and mindful control of body positioning in space, functional walking, movement symmetry and coordination, range of motion around the ankle and hip joints, and lower-extremity muscle strength.
Every year, one out to three adults aged 65 or older will experience a fall, but less than half will tell their healthcare provider, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2016, the United Health Foundation, America’s Health Rankings Senior Report, ranked Oklahoma as 38th in the nation for falls in adults aged 65 and over. Unintentional falls result in death for 92.3 per 100,000 Oklahoma adults in 2015, compared to 86.5 per 100,000 in 2014. (OK State Department of Health).
The Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative (OHAI) in coordination with the National Council on Aging and the Long-Term Care Authority Area Agency on Aging in Enid to provide the Tai Chi for Better Balance classes in Northwest Oklahoma. According to the CDC, Tai Chi for Better Balance, if practiced regularly is proven to reduce the risk of falls by 55%.
OHAI is a sponsored program of the Section of Geriatric Medicine created to enhance the health and quality of life for older Oklahomans and their caregivers. The program was established in 2012 and has five offices throughout the state reaching all 77 counties of Oklahoma.
OHAI’s Northwest Center of Healthy Aging in Enid was established in 2015 and covers the 16 counties in Northwestern Oklahoma. The Northwest Center of Healthy Aging is staffed by education specialists Christopher Anderson and Tina Ruding and education director Devon Murray.
OHAI’s work is supported by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, along with other federal, state, and local grants. The Northwest Center of Healthy Aging also receives funding for these services from the Title III Older Americans Act through Rural Health Projects and the Long-Term Care Authority Area Agency of Aging and Aging Services Division.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, Tai Chi classes are currently being offered on the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative’s Facebook page as well as on the ZOOM virtual platform. To find a schedule of all of the OHAI classes, you can go to OHAI’s website at www.ohai.org or you can email devon-murray@ouhsc.edu or call our Northwest Center of Healthy Aging at (580) 297-5137. All of OHAI’s classes are available to everyone, at no charge.
At the Y, a supportive community is a big part of wellness. At every age and every level of activity, you’ll find people just like you looking to live a little bit healthier. Members and program participants often cite the support and enthusiasm of fellow participants and staff as some of the key factors in their achievement of greater well-being. One member sums up her favorite class this way: “This is a great program, I’ve learned so much about how to eat healthier and I love the classes. I’m here 3 – 4 times a week now to work out and I love the new me!”
The YMCA is the nation’s largest provider of group exercise classes for all ages, all levels, and all interests. From low-impact exercise and chair classes, stretching and strength training, to indoor cycling, water exercise, and yoga, with 25 classes per week, you will find a group class that’s fun, supportive and keeps you moving.
The YMCA Group Exercise Programs include 14 different group exercise formats that are professionally designed and tested to deliver a fun and effective social exercise experience for everyone. These programs include highly trained instructors and motivating music to ensure a one of a kind exercise experience that will have you coming back for more.
About the Denny Price Family YMCA
Established in 1947, the Denny Price Family YMCA is a charitable organization serving Enid and Garfield County. From exercise to education, from training teens to strengthening our bodies, the Y strengthens our community.
The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. For more information about the Denny Price Family YMCA, visit www.enidymca.orgor call (580)237-4645.
