Resident´s Birthdays
James Michaels 2/1Jane Bostic 2/7Ila Hartsell 2/11Martha Murphree 2/12Brenda Blackwell 2/21LC Smith 2/24Bryte Horne 2/24Dorthy Rivers 2/24
Celebrating February
Mammoth Cave National ParkMardi Gras 2/13Valentines Day 2/14Presidents Day 2/19
Community Events
The Great Bake-Off at Oakview Park 2/21 2-4 PM
The Magic of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is the exhilarating Carnival season celebrated in various parts of the world, is a spectacle of merriment, color, and culture. It typically involves parades, masquerade balls, and the donning of elaborate costumes, offering a unique blend of tradition and modern revelry. Each year, it is a time for people to indulge in festivities and enjoy the spirit of community. In 2024, the celebration begins on January 6. It leads up to Fat Tuesday on February 13—the culmination of the Carnival season.
In 2024, Mardi Gras promises to be an exceptional experience. While the details of the celebrations vary from place to place,
grand parades with intricate floats, live music, and colorful Mardi Gras beads are common features. The heart of Mardi Gras lies in its diverse cultural influences, blending elements of French, Spanish, African, and Creole heritage, which contribute to the rich tapestry
of this celebration.
A tasty aspect of Mardi Gras is the king cake, a traditional pastry with a hidden figurine or token inside that brings good luck to the person who discovers it. Vivid, intricate masks and costumes add to the visual spectacle of Mardi Gras, as participants embrace anonymity and the freedom to be anyone they choose for a day.
Whether you’re in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, or any of the other cities that celebrate Mardi Gras, the joyous atmosphere and sense of unity are universal. Partygoers let loose, enjoy the parades, savor delicious cuisine, and partake in a global festival
Unique underground formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and gypsum formations.
What's for Breakfast
February is a month that brings with it an array of breakfast-themed celebrations, making it a time for food enthusiasts to indulge in their morning cravings. Let’s take a quick tour of some of these scrumptious occasions.
Hot Breakfast Month in February reminds us of the warmth and comfort that a steaming bowl of oatmeal, a plate of scrambled eggs, or a hearty breakfast burrito can bring to a chilly winter morning. It’s a time to appreciatethe heartiness of hot breakfast options, even if they take a bit longer to prepare.
Bagel and Lox Day (Feb. 9) caters to lovers of this classic combination. With a bagel as the sturdy base and lox (smoked salmon) as the star, this day is all about the savory and satisfying flavors that have become a breakfast staple for many.
Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday,” marks the culmination of the festive Carnival season on February 13. While the day is famous for its lively parades and vibrant masks, it’s also an opportunity to savor some delicious breakfast treats. Traditional dishes like beignets and king cakes take center stage, offering a sweet and hearty start to the day.
Fat Tuesday is also Pancake Day, an event celebrated worldwide with fluffy stacks of pancakes drizzled with syrup or piled high with fresh fruits and whipped cream. Observers relish the simple pleasure of this beloved breakfast food.
Finally, Muffin Day (Feb. 20) rounds off the month with a celebration of these handheld treats. Whether you prefer blueber
Mammoth Cave
National Park
The longest know cave system in the World, more than a cave.
Associate of the Month
Elisha Cruell
Our February Associate of the Month is Elisha Cruell. She has been a med tech and caregiver since 2019. Elisha has been at Oakview Park for six months and is currently the first shift supervisor. She is an amazing team player and spearheads each day. Elisha is so determined each day to make a difference in our residents’ lives. When she was in highs-school she knew that working in the medical field would be her career path. Outside of work Elisha enjoys spending time with her two children (8 & 12), boyfriend, and her best friend. She also enjoys binge watching her favorite T.V. shows and doing puzzles.
Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world’s longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.
For the Love of Reading
While couples are courting each other with the perfect valentines on February 14, local libraries are wooing their local communities on Library Lovers’ Day. Citizens have always appreciated their local libraries, but on this day, libraries show that the feeling is mutual. Library patrons, how do your libraries love thee? Let us count the ways. One library hosted a couple that renewed their wedding vows after 40 years of marriage.
Another library held a “blind date with a book” party, where borrowers were hooked up with mystery books. The staff of another library dressed up as characters from Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, held a tea party for borrowers, and read excerpts from the book.
Why do we develop such emotional connections with books? Is it because we love learning new things? Books can teach us anything and everything, from cooking to space travel to acroeconomics. Do we love the way they inspire our imagination to take flight? We think we have only one life to live, but through books we inhabit other lives and even other worlds. Reading allows us to explore an infinite variety of paths in life. Reading is not a passive act but an intensely challenging mental act. It is as good for our brains as exercise is for our bodies. Regardless of your reason for loving books, instead of taking your loved one out to a restaurant this Valentine’s Day, consider taking them to a library.
Looking for more reasons to indulge your love of literature? February 9
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Pucker Up
Valentine’s Day always falls on February 14, and many may be happy to see it pass. But in the south of France, people still plant kisses until the Saturday after Valentine’s Day.
The residents of Roquemaure call it the Festival of the Kiss, and kiss they do. They smooch from sunup to sundown in honor of their favorite saint, Saint Valentine. Valentine became the patron saint of love when, according to legend, on February 14 around the year 270, he was caught performing illegal marriage ceremonies for Roman soldiers and was martyred by Roman emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
In 1868, the supposed remains of Saint Valentine were purchased in Rome and transferred to Roquemaure. The French village was renowned for its winemaking, but in 1868, its vines were diseased. Villagers and winemakers believed that the arrival of Saint Valentine’s remains would cure their ailing vines. Miraculously, within four years, the vineyards had recovered.
And so, during the Festival of the Kiss, Roquemaure returns to the year 1868. Residents wear costumes from that era, with some even dressing up like monks, nuns, or saints. Horses and carriages clop down the streets. Storefronts boast 19th-century decorations. A market sells traditionally fashioned items. Even the street names are rewritten, bearing the names of France’s most lovesick poets and artists.
Everyone drinks wine and kisses until they can’t feel their lips. The local winery is named Cave Saint Valentine and produces specialty wines for.
Resident of the Month
Francis Armitage
Our resident of the month for February is Fran Armitage. Fran is 97 years old and has been at Oakview Park since October 2021. Fran, an only child, was born in Biscoe, NC and was raised in Selma, NC by her loving parents Newton and Ethel Branch. Upon graduation from high school Fran attended the Rex Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh, NC and graduated. In 1949 she married Stanley Armitage, who had just graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Textiles. Stan had a long successful career with JP Stevens and his job took them to Whitmire, SC, then to Roanoke Rapids, NC, and eventually back to Clemson SC. Stan was forced into early retirement by illness and passed away at the age of 67. Stan and Fran were able to enjoy 45 years of marriage. They loved spending fall weekends attending college football games at either NC State or Clemson. Fran’s passion for all college sports continues. You will often find her TV tuned to sports channels. She especially enjoys watching anything on the ACC Network. In recent years Fran has grown fond of watching professional golf. She shares many a Sunday afternoon watching the final round of a tournament with her son Jim. A fond memory of Fran’s was spending summer vacations on the beaches of North Carolina. Upon retirement Stan and Fran returned to NC to spend considerable time enjoying their extended family’s home in Emerald Isle. Fran spent several years in nursing, but her favorite job was being an instructor to LPNs at the local community college in Roanoke Rapids, NC. Upon relocation to SC in the 70s, Fran took on lots of volunteer work, but she became especially active in her church, St. Andrew Catholic in Clemson. Although she is currently unable to attend services, she keeps up with the church virtually. She has become technically savvy in her later years. She loves her Apple iPhone and iPad. Fran also enjoys reading. She is thankful for still being able to see well enough to read the fine print! Fran is the mother of four children (David, Carol, Jim, and Jane), grandmother of six, and great grandmother of ten. She is blessed to have three of her four children nearby and has frequent visitors.
Historical Significance:
Evidence suggests that Mammoth Cave has been used by humans for thousands of years. Native American artifacts discovered in the cave date back to around 4,000 years ago, highlighting its historical importance.
Collaborators
Jennifer Klein
