Body& Soul

It all began with a John Wayne movie.
While she herself has an exotic background—born in Kirkuk, Iraq, to a British father and a Lebanese mother, Madeleine Pickens grew up in various locales around the world—it was America’s Wild West heritage that captured her imagination. After going to the then-British Bahamas in 1966, she arrived in the United States in 1969 on a green card, later becoming an American citizen and eventually a resident of Dallas.
When asked what attracted her to America, she is effusive. “Oh, gosh! Watching all the American movies—John Wayne and cowboys—oh, it was so exciting! I mean, what a sexy history you guys have—and I’m part of it now!” she says gleefully.
“Remember the show Bonanza [and] the Ponderosa?” she continues, caught up in the nostalgia. “I used to watch that show and I hated it when it came to an end and then you had wait until the next week. I absolutely loved it. I used to envy [actress] Linda Evans, having all those brothers, living that life on the range. It was so, so beautiful. I was certainly going to run off with John Wayne; there was no question. All that was so dreamy,” she says, laughing at the memory.

Lakota Sioux artist, Dennis Eagle Horse of Bandera, Texas (featured in Diane Comer’s artist profile at http://countrylifestyle.net/node/385) and his wife, Diane, are part of a proud Lakota Sioux tradition that they have passed on to their three sons. 20-year old twins, Tacha and TaTanka, and their 15-year old brother, Sunkmanitu, are carrying on their Native traditions, particularly through dance.

It feels slightly ironic to meet Susan Wittig Albert at a busy book store coffee shop.

Shorter days and less sunlight in winter may cause feelings of depression or lethargy, but fitness experts say it’s possible to exercise yourself into a happier state of mind.  Physical activity improves mood by lessening tension and fatigue. Plus, exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones.

For centuries, humans have relied upon essential oils like lavender, bergamot, chamomile, rose and juniper to lift spirits. These days with a wide assortment of heavenly oils available at every natural foods store, it’s easy to incorporate these scents into your daily routine.