Denise Shepherd Barratt

800 miles

can't think of someplace that I would love more

rdbarratt@french.toast.net

I live minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail so hiking is a big part of my life. I also paint, garden and cook. I also recently learned how to knit and am in a knitting group that meets at a local champagne bar. Bruce and I live in the resort town, Asheville which has a great music scene, a ton of art galleries, great restaurants and was recently voted Beer City USA so there is always a lot of fun things to do.

most of the time about 12 but sometimes much older

Travel all over Europe perhaps on a bike.
Hike the entire Appalachian Trail.
Hang out in the Pacific Northwest.
Become a full time artist (well paid of course).
Have a good time, stay happy and healthy.

It depends on what you think of as cool. I have been to a lot of great rock concerts and one time was mistaken for a groupie at a David Bowie concert. I think just hanging around downtown Asheville is pretty cool or going on a hike. This winter I was contacted by Barbara Kingsolver's daughter (who is one of my favorite authors and a New York Best Seller) and asked if she could be my student. I thought that was really cool! Giving birth to my son was probably the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

Going to the roller rink in Neosho was always a lot of fun. Being in girl scouts and 4-H was also a good time. I can't say being in class was my favorite memory. It was also fun going to the junior high basketball games.

I have several memories that were very special in high school, twirling with Sharon Brewer and Carri Carter was so much fun. I also had a great time driving around "town" with Carri, Bridget, Kitty, Terri and Sheila. I had a good time going to state music contest my freshman and senior years. My fondest memory was going on my first date with my husband, Bruce which was senior prom. It was the most enchanting first date that I had ever had. Little did I know that it would lead to 26 years of marriage and a great life.

It is difficult to pick just one because there were several who were great. Mr. McCleary was the greatest math teacher, Mrs. Reynolds was the greatest English teacher, Mrs. Hickman sparked my interest in science which has been a big part of my career and Miss Norman encouraged my interest in nutrition.

I have been vegetarian for about 10 years with the exception of fish from time to time.

I think the biggest words of wisdom that I can share is to live every moment to the fullest because some of us (not me of course) are almost 50 and we don't want the rest of our life to pass us by! Stay as happy and healthy as you can so you can enjoy life also.

"To love what you do and feel that it matters-how can anything be more fun! Katherine Graham

What have I been up to since 1980?
I graduated from University of Missouri in 1984 with a BS in Food and Nutrition, after graduation Bruce (an antenna engineer, BS Electrical Engineering) and I lived in St. Louis for 10 years. In 1998, I completed my MS in Nutrition and Dietetics at Saint Louis University. Bruce, Noah and I lived in Raleigh, NC for 10 years and I worked in research with the Women's Health Initiative at University of North Carolina. During that time, we were just around the corner from the beach. In 2006, Bruce got the high tech job of his dreams in the resort town of Asheville. I started a private nutrition practice and in 2007, I also began teaching nutrition courses at Western Carolina University.