House Yard Research Articles

Peningkatan Pendapatan Rumah Tangga Petani melalui Pemanfaatan Pekarangan (Studi Kasus di KWT Madu Serati, Desa Mambang, Kecamatan Selemadeg Timur Tabanan)

Increasing household income of farmers through the utilization of yards (Case study of Madu Serati Women Farmer Group, Mambang Village, East Selemadeg District, Tabanan). Food is a basic need and has an important role in life. The government seeks to improve food security through various programs, such as the Sustainable Food House Program that utilizes house yards. This study aims to: (1) calculate the income of female farmers from the sustainable food house program, (2) calculate the contribution of female farmers' income from the sustainable food house program to the total income of farmer households, and (3) determine the motivation of female farmers to manage his yard.This research was conducted in Mambang Village, East Selemadeg District, Tabanan Regency, Bali Province from July to August 2020. The data collected were quantitative and qualitative data with primary and secondary data sources. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods. The determination of 30 samples of members of the women farmer group was conducted using non probability technique with census method. The variables measured in this study were income, contribution of income from yard and the motivation of members of the women farmer group in farming. The result shows that the average income that resulted from yard farming is IDR 2,666,196.67 with a very low contribution to total income, namely 2.75% and the motivation of the women farmer group members in working is to meet physiological needs, security needs, social needs, and appreciation needs. It is necessary to increase the number and types of vegetable crops that have high economic value.

Landscape Plant Management in Pinge Tourism Village

Tourist villages will need infrastructure that supports tourism activities such as places to eat, places to stay, rest areas, galleries, and so on, one of whose goals is to improve the living standards of local people. This causes the number of plant species to decrease. Plant conservation by utilizing local wisdom is one of the efforts to reduce the decline in the number of plant species. Balinese people need many types of plants to support their ceremonial activities. The application of Tri Hita Karana and Tri Mandala in the daily life of the Balinese people is expected to support plant conservation activities and support tourism activities and provide economic benefits in the Pinge traditional village. The concept of Tri Hita Karana derives from the concept of Tri Mandala which consists of the main mandala as a parahyangan or holy place, Madya mandala in the form of a yard which includes residential buildings and natah, while nista mandala yard in the form of the back house (teba) and the yard of the front house (telajakan). Traditional Balinese gardening uses the concept of Tri Mandala. The problems raised in this "community service program" are still unorganized placement of plants in the Tri Mandala area and the lack of availability of plants for landscape management following the Tri Hita Karana concept. To support the management of landscape plants following the tri hita karana concept, Warmadewa University in collaboration with the Unda Anyar Seedling Nursery Center, Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) assisted plant seeds in the form of Cempaka seeds, avocados, sandalwood, majegau, jackfruit, rejasa, sawo, and soursop. Conducting webinars on the topic of landscape plant management following the tri hita karana concept. Inviting the people of Pinge Village to actively participate in planting Tri Mandala following the concept of Tri Hita Karana.

Eksplorasi Jamur Di Desa Kedung Pacul, Klaten dan Potensi Pemanfaatannya

Kedung Pacul, Gondangsari Village is one of the villages in Klaten Regency whose regional vegetation consists of trees, and shrubs. The shaded vegetation conditions are very suitable for overgrown mushroom. However, there is currently no record of macrofungal exploration in the village and its potential utilization. This study aims to explore mushroom in Kedung Pacul, Gondangsari Village and present the characteristics of macrofungi. The study used purposive sampling method covering roadsides, gardens, and around the house yard. Mushroom then performed macroscopic characteristics with some literature. The results of the research have found as many as 27 species including Schizophyllum commune, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Lentinus sp1., Neofavolus sp., Trametes sp., Tyromyces sp., Entoloma sp., Gymnopilus sp., Cyathus sp., Lentinus sajor-caju, Daldinia sp., Parasola sp., Lentinus arcularis, Leucoagaricus sp., Phallus indusiatus, Coprinus sp., Coprinellus sp., Lentinus sp2, Xylaria sp., Tremellodendron sp., Chlorophyllum sp., Leucocoprinus sp1, Leucocoprinus sp2, Termitomyces sp., Agaricus trisulphuratus, Chlorophyllum molybdites, and Agaricus sp. Several species are known to have potential as food, medicine, and cosmetics. This article is the first report on the exploration of mushroom diversity in Kedung Pacul, Gondangsari Village, Klaten Regency. Mushroom exploration efforts are still needed in the Gondangsari Village area and Klaten Regency..

Does prey scarcity increase the risk of wolf attacks on domestic dogs?

Gray wolf Canis lupus predation on domestic dogs Canis familiaris is a considerable wolf–human conflict issue in several regions of Europe and North America but it has not been well documented in the scientific literature. Livestock depredations by wolves may be related to the abundance of wild prey. Regardless of the presumed motivations of wolves for attacking dogs (likely due to interference competition and predation), the abundance of wild prey populations may also influence the risk of wolf attacks on dogs. We examined whether the annual number of fatal attacks by wolves on dogs was related to the abundance of primary prey, including wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Estonia, as well as the abundance of moose Alces alces in Finland. Statistical models resulted in significant negative relationships, thus providing evidence that the risk of attacks in both house yards (Estonia) and hunting situations (Finland) was highest when the density of wild prey was low. Wild ungulates cause damage to agriculture and forestry, but they seem to mitigate conflicts between wolves and humans; therefore, it is necessary to develop a holistic, multispecies management approach in which the importance of wild ungulates for large carnivore conservation is addressed.

PEMBUATAN EMBEDING/BIOPLASTIK HEWAN INVERTEBRATA DI BAKAL SEKOLAH ALAM “ISYO HILLS” KAMPUNG WISATA RHEPANG MUAIF NIMBOKRANG, KABUPATEN JAYAPURA

The high biodiversity in Papua can be used as biology learning material and an educational laboratory model for students in Repang Muaif Village. The diversity of animals, plants and microorganisms can be introduced or shown easily in the classroom to students with a learning medium. Facts in the field show that most teachers still provide biology material verbally without adequate media or teaching aids. This kind of learning model will inhibit the development of reasoning, interest and motivation of children to learn biology. Most biology teachers carry out learning without props because they do not have much time to provide it or do not have adequate tools / materials in school. Teachers at the nature school in the Rhepang Muaif should be able to take advantage of the existence of invertebrates in the forest around the school as learning media or teaching aids for their students. One effort that can be made to develop instructional media in schools is to introduced a technique for making invertebrate bioplastics/embedding. The purpose of this training was to introduce and practice directly the collection techniques and to introduced a technique for making invertebrate bioplastics/embedding to participants in Rhepang Muaif. This training was held on 7-9 September 2020 in Rephang Muaif Village, Nimbokrang, Jayapura-Papua. The target audience involved in this activity are young people who will become prospective teaching staff at this natural school. They come from the Rhepang Muaif and from several communities in Jayapura. The training was held for 3 days, involving 53 participants. The material provided was a technique of collecting invertebrate animals in the environment around the house yards, forests and gardens in Rhepang Muaif Village. Furthermore, making invertebrates bioplastic/embedding media obtained from the field by following the existing procedures to produce bioplastic/embedding media. The training which was conducted for the teaching staff and management of the Nature School in Rephang Muaif Village has been going well. The enthusiasm of the participants in participating in this training was very high. This indicates that the training participants have responded positively to the activities that have been carried out. Keywords: : Training, Embedding/Bioplastics, Invertebrate Animals, Rephang Muaif

PALETASAN SEBAGAI CERMINAN INTERAKSI SOSIAL MASYARAKAT HINDU BALI AGA DI KABUPATEN BANGLI

PALETASAN SEBAGAI CERMINAN INTERAKSI SOSIAL MASYARAKAT HINDU BALI AGA DI KABUPATEN BANGLI

Pelatihan Pembuatan dan Pemanfaatan Eco Enzyme dari Sampah Organik Rumah Tangga Pada Warga Binawidya

Garbage is a household product, which is produced every day. The household garbage becomes a big problem, if it can not be handled properly. Residents of RT 04 RW 09 Binawidya, Tampan district, city of Pekanbaru have experienced problems with waste such as unpleasant odors due to the accumulation of house yard waste before being disposed to a final disposal site. To reduce this problem, there are many solutions that can be done. One of them is to utilize organic waste from household, which is processed into Eco-Enzyme. The eco-enzymes made from household waste such as vegetable residues and fruit peels. It can produce environmentally friendly products such as floor cleaners, plant fertilizers, water purifiers and others. The eco-enzyme is very easy to make. The ingredients are used organic waste (vegetables and fruit peels), sugar and water in a ratio of 3:1:10. This paper explained the eco-enzyme production training that was given to housewives, aiming to use the waste produced by their households into useful products.

Multiple Cerebral infarction Associated with Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a condition of severe heat injury characterized by hyperthermia, multiorgan failure and central nervous system dysfunction. A 79-year-old woman was brought to our hospital in a semicomatose state. She was found lying unconscious on her house yard at a hot summer day. Her body temperature was 40.3°C. Laboratory findings were consistent with multiorgan failure and rhabdomyolysis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multifocal infarctions in the bilateral basal ganglia, cerebellum, and occipital lobe. Despite cooling therapy and supportive treatment, her mentality was not recovered. This case suggests that multiple cerebral infarction may occur as a complication of heat stroke and prompt treatment is crucial.

Sustainability of the Kawasan Rumah Pangan Lestari (A Sustainable Food House Area Program) in Pasuruan Regency

The global demand for food is consistently increasing. However, the agricultural land area tends to decline in size. It would pose serious and strenuous issues in the future. The utilization of the house yard area through the Kawasan Rumah Pangan Lestari Program (KRPL/Sustainable Food House Area Program) offered a resolution for this issue. The objective of this study was to investigate the sustainability of the KRPL program in Pasuruan Regency from its ecological, social, and economic aspects, and most influential attributes. Interviews sessions arranged with 18 participants who funded by the National and Regional Revenues and Expenditures Budget. The data collected were analyzed using the Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) approach and RAPFISH software. Findings revealed that the KRPL program classified into the moderate category, which indicated it could be executed sustainably in Pasuruan Regency. The economic aspect had the lowest sustainability index compared to the ecological and social aspects. The most influential attributes identified were the utilization of kitchen waste, pest control and irrigation (ecological), cooperation between group members, utilization of village nursery house, interests and benefits for other members (social aspect), cost savings, fulfillment of household consumption, user fees and visits, and product sales processed products (economic). To ensure the sustainability of the program, we need to address some issues and work in several areas: 1) community knowledge, attitudes, and skills improvement; 2) consumptive to productive thinking behavior transition; 3) intensive guidance from the creative and innovative workers, and 4) KRPL promotion

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities and microhabitat diversity in a mountain village house yard – a case study from the Western Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria

This study explores the ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity from an uncultivated house yard in a mountain hamlet in the Western Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. The sampling site was located at an altitude of 1340 m. A total of 2512 carabid specimens of 76 species were collected with only six pitfall traps between May 2016 and April 2021. They belong to 31 genera, 13 tribes, 21 zoogeographical categories and 15 life forms. Two species (Olisthopus rotundatus and Ophonus brevicollis) are new for the Rhodope Mountains. The findings reveal new highest altitude records for two species (Ophonus brevicollis and Philorhizus notatus). Along with the typical montane forest fauna, many ecotone and open habitat species were found. Nevertheless, carabid life forms and wing morphology structure indicate a stable environment in comparison with other regions in Bulgaria. Furthermore, this research demonstrates that even small natural habitat patches can keep a remarkable carabid diversity. Over the five-year study period, the carabid fauna in the studied house yard experienced some, both qualitative and quantitative, impoverishment, indicating some ecological “exhaustion”.

Potential of house yard plants as an alternative for dengue vector control in the tsunami area settlement of Banda Aceh City

Potential of house yard plants as an alternative for dengue vector control in the tsunami area settlement of Banda Aceh City

The Utilization of Wuluh Starfruit for Making Facial Cleansing Solid Soap

Belimbing wuluh is one of the species in the family (Averrhoa). It is estimated that this plant comes from tropical America, this plant grows well in its country of origin, while Indonesia is mostly kept in the yard and sometimes grows wild in the fields or forest edges. In general, wuluh starfruit for the people of Aceh is used as a spice called sunti acid. Starfruit can also be used as a raw material for making soap which has properties to inhibit premature aging and overcome acne problems because starfruit contains vitamins A and C.Belimbing wuluh is also known as a plant that grows in the yards of Acehnese houses, which every time it bears fruit it will produce quite a lot of fruit, if it is not used for making processed products, the fruit will rot on the tree or fall on the ground. Based on the abundant raw materials, this research will focus on "Utilization of Starfruit for Making Facial Cleansing Solid Soap". The purpose of this research is to make solid soap with additional ingredients of starfruit, and produce solid facial soap from starfruit in the form of face wash sticks so that it is easy to use. The research method used is an experimental method which produces three samples that meet the 2016 SNI standard with a moisture content of 10% and a degree of acidity (pH) 10. From the three samples, the first sample had a hardness that matches the characteristics of solid soap.

Community Empowerment Through Red Onion Cultivation with Polybags on 1 Ilir Urban Village, Palembang City

1 Ilir Urban Village is a village located on the Musi River edge. These Urban Village is quite broad, however underdeveloped area compared to other places in the city of Palembang. Many people live below the poverty line, lack green open space, and have inadequate educational facilities. Most of the population earns a living as laborers, while the women are ordinary housewives. To increase the income of homemakers in helping to improve the family's economy, we conduct training to increase community knowledge in red onion cultivation in polybags by utilizing a narrow yard of the house. The purpose of the activity is to provide motivation, knowledge, and skills to residents, especially housewives, by using the house's yard for onion cultivation to increase productivity and welfare. The methods used to achieve the objectives are surveys, counseling, and training the community on the use of yard land for onion cultivation in polybags and direct practice of red onion cultivation. Based on the process and results of the service that has been carried out, the training participants are very enthusiastic and understand and can carry out onion cultivation in polybags.

Diversity of Angkul-angkul Forms in Ubud Village, Gianyar - Bali

Angkul-angkul is the entrance to the home yard of the Balinese Hindu community. Ubud Village is one of the areas in Ubud District of Gianyar Regency of Bali Province that use angkul-angkul as the entrance to the house yard, as a neutralizing negative aura from the outside, and is an implementation of Hindu belief by its community. Generally angkul-angkul is used as a way in and out of the occupants of the house and its guests, but along with the progress of culture, the function of angkul-angkul develops as the entrance of motorcycle and other functions. The shape of the angkul-angkul in this current situation are changes following its function. Based on this research of angkul-angkul have a purpose to find out the form of angkul-angkul in this era in Ubud Village. The method used is descriptive with the collecting of observation, documentation and literature. The results of the research obtained there are four forms of angkul-angkul that are diverse and use various materials found in this era. The diversity of the shape of the angkul-angkul is found on the head (roof), body and feet (on the very bottom). The shape of angkul¬-angkul there is no significant changes between one with the other. Some of things that make differentiate is application of material and ornament

Dragon Fruit Cultivation as a Solution to Rice Harvest Dependence in Kuwu Village, Madiun Regency

This article is the result of research that examines the efforts of the Kuwu village community to escape dependence on rice yields through dragon fruit cultivation by utilizing empty house yard assets with a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. This approach provides an opportunity for researchers from the University of the UINSA KKN Team and the Kuwu village community to partner and collaborate to conduct research together to find solutions to problems faced by the community to improve their economic welfare. After conducting the inculturation stage with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the Kuwu village community, and conducting an analysis of the initial assets owned by the local community, the researchers from the UINSA KKN Team group 18 together with the community focused on efforts to solve the problem of the dependence of the Kuwu village community on the results. rice harvesters by looking for additional income alternatives by cultivating dragon fruit by utilizing their empty home yard land. To solve this problem, researchers from the UINSA Team and residents of the Kuwu village community worked together in every stage of the research. There are four stages in the CBPR method, namely: (1) Foundation laying, (2) Research planning, (3) Data collection and analysis, (4) Determination of action on findings. Through these stages, it can be concluded that the results of this study include; first, the planting of dragon fruit seeds carried out by UINSA KKN students and residents of the Kuwu village community, starting with a literacy study and socialization about the benefits of dragon fruit initiated by local community leaders and extension workers from the local Agriculture Service; second, efforts to carry out various joint experiments to make food/snacks from processed dragon fruit carried out by PKK women and UINSA KKN students. This action was also followed up by the village government by initiating a working group (farmer's group) to oversee this program until finally realizing the aspirations of the community members to become a dragon fruit center village in the future.

PENGOLAHAN DAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN PRODUK OLAHAN BURUNG PUYUH SEBAGAI ALTERNATIF PENINGKATAN INCOME SELAMA MASA PANDEMI COVID-19 DI KOTA KENDARI

Kendari City as the provincial capital has the highest incidence of positive covid-19 cases compared to other districts / cities in Southeast Sulawesi, Until April 23, 2020 there were 17 positive patients with Covid-19 who were undergoing treatment. This has implications for decreasing consumption and people's income because they cannot carry out normal activities. The steps taken by the central and local governments to combat the Covid-19 pandemic are by carrying out social distancing or social restrictions by limiting distances between individuals and avoiding crowds. Another government policy is the implementation of work from home (WFH) or activities from home for some employees and school children. This condition adversely affects the economy of Kendari city. One of the solutions offered is raising quail by utilizing the house yard. Quail maintenance is quite easy, does not require a large area and the maintenance system can be completed in a minimalist manner. Quail products consist of eggs and meat. Quail meat is processed into rica-rica quail meat and eggs are processed into quail egg nest tofu. KKN-THEMATIC aims to provide insights and knowledge about processing and marketing of processed quail products to the public. The method used is a persuasive participatory method with direct extension activities and practices. The results that have been achieved in this KKN-TEMATIK activity are an increase in the knowledge and understanding of breeders and the community in developing their business sustainability by making processed quail products, aswell as marketing management of processed quail products.

Design of Portable Coffee Dryer in Kabawetan District, Kepahiang Regency

The statistical data of the Kepahiang Regency in 2018 shows that more than 90% of Kabawetan people worked in the agricultural sector as vegetable and coffee farmers. Due to the hilly morphology of the settlements, the settlement configurations should conform with the land contours. As the majority of the coffee farmers have limited land for drying the harvested coffee, portable architectural technology can then help overcome the problems with the limited house yard. This tool is used as a space for drying their coffee, especially during the rainy season. The method to transfer the portable coffee dryer design to the communities is by training them how to use the technology and introducing it with the help of props (prototypes). This introductory training was conducted for the Permata Sari farmer group in the farmer's house yard in Bukit Sari Village, Kabawetan District. The training activities included coordinating with the involved farmers, making coffee dryer designs, testing simple tools, and introducing the mobile coffee dryer technology to Permata Sari farmer group members in Bukit Sari Village, Kabawetan District Kepahiang Regency. Portable coffee dryers are urgently needed considering the contoured lands, limited space, and the frequency of rainy days in Kabawetan exceeds that of sunny days. However, this tool still requires further development, where it can be used as a sorting tool, particularly for sorting out the red pickled coffee that is dried using this tool.

Vegetation distribution analysis of green open space in Binjai Timur, North Sumatera Province using normalized difference vegetation index

As the city grows, more and more vegetated land is converted to non-vegetated land. This also occurred at Binjai, a city in the North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The aim of this study was to examine the urban vegetation cover and its changes between 2015 and 2019. The research was carried out in Binjai Timur, which is one of Binjai’s sub-districts. The distribution of vegetation density was measured using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) value classification. The decrease in the dense class to 10.08 percent was the most significant change in vegetation density class between 2015 and 2019. This was followed by an 8.87 percent increase in the high-density class. This indicates that there is an area with vegetation density increased from lower density to high density. The district has green open spaces in the form of a neighborhood park, cemetery, sub-district park, greenbelt along the road and river, and house yards, according to the field check. These green open spaces were located in low and medium-density areas. The findings suggest that planting trees in those locations and arrangement of vegetation within parks could improve its quality and function. For good quality of urban environments, it is optimizing the use of house yards as vegetated land and boosting green open space quality is required.

PROSPEK BISNIS TANAMAN HIAS DI MASA PANDEMI COVID-19 (Studi Kasus pada Alhuda Bussiness Community Pekanbaru)

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that hit this country, the public was again shocked by the fever of ornamental plants that began to become epidemic. This time it was not only women who were infected with flower fever or ornamental plants but also Adam. People are getting tired of staying at home or working from home. Day by day the demand for ornamental plants is increasing. In addition to the old traders who were busy fulfilling market demand, impromptu ornamental plant traders began to appear. Many people are starting to switch to the ornamental plant business. As time goes by, the number of traders continues to grow. But lately the group of ornamental plant hunters began to appear less. Both in parks that sell ornamental plants and in markets in Pekanbaru. Turnover of farmers or ornamental plant traders began to decline. However, the number of ornamental plant traders who enter the market is not decreasing but even increasing. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out what the future prospects of this ornamental plant business will be during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The formulation of the problem from this research is how the business prospects of ornamental plants are seen from the perception of Alhuda Business Community. The population in this study were all members of the Alhuda Business Community which amounted to 73 people and all of them were used as samples or respondents with census techniques. The data analysis method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The results of the study found that: a) The ornamental plant business is a business opportunity that is quite promising in the future. b) Ornamental plants are able to green the yards of houses in urban areas and prevent air pollution In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that hit this country, the public was again shocked by the fever of ornamental plants that began to become epidemic. This time it was not only women who were infected with flower fever or ornamental plants but also Adam. People are getting tired of staying at home or working from home. Day by day the demand for ornamental plants is increasing. In addition to the old traders who were busy fulfilling market demand, impromptu ornamental plant traders began to appear. Many people are starting to switch to the ornamental plant business. As time goes by, the number of traders continues to grow. But lately the group of ornamental plant hunters began to appear less. Both in parks that sell ornamental plants and in markets in Pekanbaru. Turnover of farmers or ornamental plant traders began to decline. However, the number of ornamental plant traders who enter the market is not decreasing but even increasing. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out what the future prospects of this ornamental plant business will be during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The formulation of the problem from this research is how the business prospects of ornamental plants are seen from the perception of Alhuda Business Community. The population in this study were all members of the Alhuda Business Community which amounted to 73 people and all of them were used as samples or respondents with census techniques. The data analysis method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The results of the study found that: a) The ornamental plant business is a business opportunity that is quite promising in the future. b) Ornamental plants are able to green the yards of houses in urban areas and prevent air pollution

God Stars

God Stars Cherie Nelson (bio) In one of my first memories, I am lying in my bed in the room adjacent to my parents'. I am waiting for sleep to happen to me, listening to the sound of my mother vacuuming the landing outside my room, shifting my body, propping it up on one side, and then the other, on my stomach, then my back, counting the glow in the dark stars tacked to the popcorn ceiling. For minutes, hours—who could know?—I have watched them leak their brilliant green-yellow light until they diminish to merely plastic, lightless shapes, like the fireflies we would catch and accidentally smash, watching their life flicker less and less until black. In an instant, my eyes open wider, my heart pounds, as my mind begins to spin: I am alive here and did not have to be, I am alive and did not have to be, so why am I here and alive? And I am crying with the weight of this, cannot breathe. I grab two fistfuls of the flannel fitted sheet below me, trying to feel the weight of my body keeping me on the bed. I yell out for my mom, over and over again, but my voice does not make its way past the roar of the vacuum. I close my eyes, hope this thought does not make me float away. At fourteen I experience a similar feeling, lying in the side yard of my house with one of my best childhood neighbor friends. It is November and we can see our breath but not the moon, and the stars are shouting white light. It is clear enough to see the familiar dipper and milky dust, and we take turns guessing which dot is the North Star, always less bright than I imagine it will be. I begin to think about my body lying in the grass on this rock floating in an inky black, and I realize I can't see how much of the dark we are swimming in, so much of the earth is in my line of vision. And the infinite nature of the blackness, the riskiness of being on a vehicle that moves through it, not being able to see any of this fully, makes the yard [End Page 127] spin. I grab two fistfuls of dried and yellowed November grass just to be sure I won't be flung away. ________ Lacy was older than me and had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard live. In the mornings before church and on Wednesday nights when our parents were practicing music for the Sunday service, her two younger sisters and I would hide in one of the upstairs classrooms, the one with the large silver boombox, and run around on the tightly looped commercial carpet in our socks. We'd listen to a demo that Lacy had made and given to her younger sisters, covers of country songs I hadn't ever heard before. Whose bed have your boots been under?, she would ask, her raspy voice filling up the space to the point that I cannot remember any images in the memory, except the carpet and the boombox, her voice blanketed over everything. At thirteen, I hadn't put together what someone's boots under another person's bed meant. Lacy sang very different songs in church. She sang in the middle of services while my father and other balding men would pass around offering plates. Wooden saucers with high ridges, a circle of red velvet in the base. As the plates passed, people looked up at her, fixated. I would forget that we were in church, instead watching my Christian pop icon as her eyes closed at the end of cadences, then opened into some parishioner's when she traveled to another verse. She held the microphone delicately, her fingers nearly outstretched, gripping it only slightly between their tips in a way that made me ever-feel like it might fall. So perfect and precarious. I could only see her as beautiful and nineteen and fixed in light. ________ On a napkin in the dorm dining hall, my friend...