The Magnolia House Listening Room Experience

If you are a repeat visitor to the blog, you know by now that I love to read and I have a crazy little thing called Alpha Gal Syndrome that greatly impacts my life. With those two factors, it is probably not a surprise that I don’t get out much. Evenings are one of my favorite times to cuddle up with the pups and a good book. Eating away from home is always a risk; I don’t deign to micromanage another cook’s kitchen and failing to do so could result in accidental allergen consumption, which is never a good time for my family or me. So when my dear friend Rachel at Magnolia House Listening Room informed me the menu for a particular dinner concert would be vegan and totally safe for me, I set aside my book for an evening and enjoyed a night out. Sit back and get cozy, and I will tell you the tale of a girl who had a magical experience practically in her own backyard.

Magnolia House is a darling little coffee shop in an historic building in the heart of downtown Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Just down from Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, you will find Magnolia House lining the street alongside a handful of fascinating little shops in beautiful old storefronts. The front porch is inviting on a balmy day, but step through the doors to meet some of the sweetest people you will ever meet. During the daytime and Thursday evening open mic nights, you can sample their handcrafted coffees, house blended teas and homemade pastries. Their brunch and lunch menus will delight even the soggiest curmudgeon. I could go on for days about how their food is made from scratch in a cozy little kitchen just like my grandmothers did, or how blissful it is to sit and soak up the nostalgia as you enjoy your culinary delights. But a very different kind of magic happens on Saturday nights, when Magnolia House dons her exclusive elevated identity and shines as Magnolia House Listening Room.

The light outside was fading and the streets of small town America were tucking themselves in for the night on this particular evening. Patrons stood with bated breath, waiting for the doors to open and allow us to find a table in preparation for the carefully curated three course meal. Homemade hummus anchored the appetizer with a glorious pour of olive oil, accented by fresh cut vegetables and freshly made flatbread. This hummus sang with vibrant, fresh flavors, and enough garlic to make the body feel joyful for having consumed it. I could have made a very satisfying meal on the appetizer alone, but then the entree was discreetly swept into place and I found myself looking at the very portrait of a perfectly crafted baked sweet potato. Well seasoned, perfectly cooked black beans, slivered fresh red onions, a delicately portioned mound of perky little sprouts, and a well balanced sprinkle of scallion weighed perfectly on the fork and satisfyingly on the tongue. Closing my eyes and savoring each bite, my body thrummed with energy, good health, and great happiness as life leapt from fork to tongue. To be honest, one half of this masterpiece could have sufficed as supper, the second as dessert. But the creative genius behind this meal left no such opportunity, as a moist and flavorful spiced apple cake was set before me. My heart and body were so very blissful. And then the music began.

The delightful fare provided by MHLR.

Looking at the venue area of Magnolia House does not evoke thoughts of great acoustics or a particularly special listening experience. But do not be fooled. The music in the Magnolia House Listening Room is unamplified, so it is not overwhelming, but it will take someone more familiar with sound engineering than I to explain how the particular shape of the room manages to take that sound and channel it directly to the soul. And the musical magicians of this evening are storytellers who speak directly to the soul, haunting and delighting and tickling the spirit with musical Ozark folklore that evokes a visceral reaction. Still On The Hill delights like no one I have heard before, and I noticed several times that I was holding my breath, leaning forward in my chair or settling relaxed in my seat, depending on the lyrical story they were telling. With quilted slideshows and instruments that tell their own stories, the duo carried me away like pixies in the night, and slipped me home none the wiser by morning. And when the show ended, I was surprised to find that any time at all had passed. The only appropriate response I could give was to sit in my seat, eyes closed, cells humming joyfully through my body, and savor the experience. I might have actually been to enthralled  to applaud, but in the intimacy of the setting, I’m sure they felt the extent of my gratitude.

Woman By Grace and Magnolia Rachel with Kelly & Donna of Still On The Hill

My Partner In Dine for the evening was my heart’s sister and Magnolia House bakery genius, Rachel.

Still On The Hill is one of the phenomenal artists who have graced the patrons of the Magnolia House Listening Room, and the schedule is packed past and future with more acts that are not to be missed. Each one specifically curated by the musical genius of owner and outstanding musical artist, Rachel Fields. You can find the lineup and purchase tickets online: https://www.magnoliahousepg.com/events and I recommend doing just that. For less than the cost of a night on the town, we were immersed in a magical experience that is simply a shame to miss. 

Book Review - The Lost Melody

Certain books are felt physically even as they are read. Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights are two of my favorite examples, and I would add The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano to that list. I dare suggest that I would rank it right there with my two favorite Gothic romances of all time. Politano threads music through the atmosphere of a Victorian pauper asylum to express the sheer determination and subtle delicacies of Vivienne Mordant’s character. The great mystery of the lost melody and the beautiful woman who played it carry the reader and our beloved concert pianist into the bowels of darkness, through seething depravity, into the mind of madness. And yet, are we not all just a bit mad? And it is so terribly dreadful to be just a tad mad? And can one be the kind of light in the darkness who uses their God given gifts to reach those lost in the depths of that hopeless existence? Politano explores themes of value with a most deliciously troubling romance in her latest release.

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online:

Baker Book House        Christian Book        Barnes & Noble        Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Healing of Natalie Curtis

Natalie Curtis was preparing for her debut with the New York Philharmonic, a classically trained musician with exceptional talent, when a breakdown derailed her present and her future. Lost in her identity and her feeble with poor health, Natalie is struggling to find her way forward. Her brother George’s urging to travel to his beloved western frontier spurs Natalie to explore new places, people, passions that give Natalie purpose. She discovers the beauty of the indigenous people of the west and their music. She also discovers the trials they face and the injustice of the system that seeks to assimilate them into the white man’s culture and eradicate the traditions that shape their identity. Natalie’s work to preserve their culture becomes her purpose and her passion.

Jane Kirkpatrick preserves the story of Natalie Curtis and therefore the work done to save Native American music and other cultural traditions in The Healing of Natalie Curtis. She reminds us of the treasure that is a person’s cultural identity and to embrace the beauty found in one another.

The Healing of Natalie Curtis is available now from your favorite local bookseller or online.

Christian Book        Barnes & Noble        Amazon

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

Interview with Kimberly Brook Williamson, Coloring Book Artist

In case y'all haven't noticed, I love my people. That's why I felt a bit chagrined when I realized I have failed to introduce one who a) has been there for me forever and ever amen, and b) happens to be published! She has been my sidekick and instigator, my editor, my study partner, my co-worker, my roommate, and always my friend. This phenomenal woman is fiercely faithful, legit full of grit, and super talented. On that note, I introduce you to my dear friend Kimberly Brook Williamson.

Woman by Grace Interviews Kimberly Brook Williamson

WBG: Biography points I shouldn’t miss:

KBW: Lifelong resident of Arkansas, almost life-long friend of yours! I come from a long line of creative and musical people, and drawing makes me feel connected to them.

WBG: I have enjoyed your artwork for years. When did you decide to publish your doodles as a coloring book?

KBW: Thank you! I started publishing my doodles about 4 years ago, though I have been drawing for ages. I began drawing pretty regularly in around 2014. I have always doodled, and suddenly it became ‘my medium’ through an interesting series of events.

WBG: Where did you get the idea to compile your doodles into a coloring book?

KBW: I started posting my doodles to my Facebook page, and a lot of people said they were good.   The drawings kept coming, and I hated for them to just sit on a shelf in a book, when they could be shared with others who might appreciate the option of adding their own color. I love to color too, but I can draw a lot more places than I can color. Drawing is just a more portable and compact art form for me. 

WBG: Where do you find inspiration for your doodles?

KBW: Sometimes I just start drawing lines. Sometimes I fold the paper in random ways; sometimes measured and symmetrical. I might have an interestingly shaped item on my desk that I could trace that gives me a jumping-off point. I might get a prompt from a friend!  Some of my best work came about by request. :D

WBG: Are there hidden gems or themes in your doodles?

KBW: There are generally little gems that you might catch, and as far as themes, yes. I like to work with the elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Air. Sometimes North, South, East and West. Sometimes sun and moon. Sometimes I just put on an audio book and start drawing. I always have really interesting outcomes when I do that. For example: While listening to Harry Potter, I was just sort-of mindlessly drawing and suddenly realized that there were owl shapes in my piece. 

WBG: Do you color your doodles?

KBW: Yes. But I never color one before I scan a picture of it in black and white for a future book. It seems rude not to share :)

WBG: How many designs are featured in your coloring books?

KBW: There are usually around 40 drawings in each book, but I don’t have a set number.

WBG: What do you hope others get from your coloring books?

KBW: I want people to relax. This world is chaotic. It needs peace and color. Drawing is my therapy. If someone else finds a benefit to adding color, then it can be their Color Therapy.

WBG: Are there other places people can find your art?

KBW: Actually yes :) I painted a couple of quilt squares during this year for the Arkansas Quilt Trail.  You can find a link to it online if you would like to drive around and see these squares in person (I think I saw some in Goshen on my last visit to your house!) And they will also be on the AQT website eventually. :) I love a good project, and anything I earn goes to support future artistic endeavors, basic needs, whatever happens to be most pressing at the time. :) 

Find this gem along the Arkansas Quilt Trail.

Arkansas Quilt Trail square by Kimberly Brook Williamson.

WBG: Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

KBW: I have some pretty significant mobility issues, and drawing is one of the things I can do when I can’t do much else. It helps keep my mind sharp and my heart soft; my troubles dull and my purpose clear.

WBG: Do you like to drink coffee or tea while you create?

KBW: I do like a good cuppa. Either will do! Coffee with cream and Tea with honey!

WBG: What other creative outlets do you enjoy?

KBW: I play the piano. I sing. I hum some sort of tune almost constantly. (sorry to those who tire of that! :p)I paint. I crochet. I write. My current writing project is a piece about my son Riley, who has some special needs of his own. I am up to his tenth year in the book, and he is currently 15. Every time I make a little progress in the book, he gets older! I imagine 10 is as good a place as any to stop. The entire book is a poem. I have been rhyming since I could write! If I ever wrap that up and get it published, maybe you can ask me about it. 

For now, it will have to suffice to say-that’s a tale for another day!

Thank you, Emily, for taking the time to do this. It means a lot to me to be able to share joy, especially in a world so easily darkened with fear and worry. I appreciate the opportunity to increase my reach. I just want to be a blessing, and want you to know that you are one! :)

Kimberly's coloring books make great gifts and are currently available on Amazon. Visit her author page here ✎ or click the images of her coloring books below to link directly to them. You can also find Kimberly online at the following social media links:

Blog * Facebook * Instagram * YouTube

Volume 1

 

Volume 2

Volume 3

Thank you, Kimberly, for taking the time to share your talents with my readers. And for the many years of friendship, both behind us and before us. May God continue to bless you and yours!