CHRISTMAS ISSUE December 2010 Published quarterly, or monthly or whenever we feel like it!
December 2010
Hyde County, NC
www.SwanQuarterly.net
Cover Photo By Jessica Swindell
Boat of the Quarter “Once Again” December Issue 2010
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Photo by Ingrid Lemme
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PUBLISHERS: INGRID & NELI LEMME / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: SUNNY LEMME
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Quote of the Quarter
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There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child." ~ Erma Bombeck (1927-1996), American author and humorist.
DEAR READERS
Thank You to our Editor in Chief Sunny Lemme
for trying to cover all the holiday events in Hyde and Tyrrell County (while taking care of his puppy ;) Photo: Sunny with Ray Stotesberry
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Cover Photo by Jessica Swindell of Daft Photography
and Photo Editing
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We sure got us a Christmas gift that keeps on giving. Actually we got him just before Thanksgiving and he ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog! Our son Dom almost ran over the puppy that was infested with fleas, had an ear infection and other problems which we found out later at the vet’s office. I never owned a dog, Engelhard, NC 252-542-0818 Please contact Jess if you are interested in getting portraits or family photos taken or visit her on her Facebook website
my husband did. I never thought that I would ever own a dog that would actually live in my house. We do now. We love lil’ Banjo and he seems to like us. He is one cute fellow, but needs a lot of walking and walking - or we clean up the mess. Merry Christmas to ya’ll! xox Love Ingrid, Neli and Sunny Lemme “Daft Photography and photo editing” Left> another cover photo by Jessica Swindell. www.SwanQuarterly.net
... On the Board Walk... Lady of the Quarter
Man & Artist of the Quarter
Wonderful and caring Almost a local legend, Ms. Mazie Smith who gifted local artist Charles has a great love for her Reber of Engelhard. family, Hyde County and her fellow man. Website of the Quarter:
Family of the Quarter
“Once again” as seen This nice looking family here docked at the Swan visited the Decoy & Quarter Harbor. Waterfowl festival and all seemed to have a ball.
The Octagon House
Book of the Quarter
www.octagonhousenc.com
Kid of the Quarter
Born on a Buzzard’s STUMP. Reviewed by Judi Raburn of Ponzer
A fine young man is Allen Mason
Baby of the Quarter
We don’t even know the name of this cute little boy or girl, but he/she attended the Sole Church event with her family.
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Boat of the Quarter
Business of the Quarter
The Pamlico Animal Hospital at 3005 John Small Ave, Washington, NC and their excellent Vet. Dr. Inken Van Cura Dr. Van Cura is a graduate of Purdue University College www.SwanQuarterly.net
Kid of the Quarter Allen Mason Annual Waterfowl Banquet January 14th, 2011 ~~~ Happy Hour - Supper Auction - Live Music Door Prizes ~~~ www.HydeWaterfowl.com The Hyde County Waterfowl Association holds an Annual Banquet during waterfowl season. There is live music, a silent auction, home cooked food and a live auction of one of a kind pieces. - 2009 marks the first year for the Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival. This will be an annual event. Community ties are strong in Hyde County and the Waterfowl Association envelopes the school, local businesses, fire departments and families in the making of this event. Proceeds go to support the school and local groups. Telephone Numbers: (252) 944-5636 - Brad Gurganus, President (252) 944-3090 - Gregory Berry, Vice President (252) 943-8754 - Brett Mason, Treasurer (252) 714-1635 - Natalie Wayne, Secretary December Issue 2010
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
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CHRISTMAS
to decorate and wrap gifts and just wait for Santa to come. Did he really come down the chimney? I still wonder!!
IN HYDE COUNTY 1930'S - 1950’S
Christmas morning was exciting. Most of the time we got what we asked for; that is, doll babies, skates, bicycles and
Christmas in Hyde County was a beautiful time of the year, and a time for the celebration of our Savior's Birthday. I do believe that truly was the foremost thought throughout the community. Our spirits were so moved that happiness was more abundant, so we spread it around in different ways. Most people were "church-goers".
Being together on this holiday was important, family and friends would always drop in. Consideration for others was apparent. We were blessed with a bounty of gifts.
Occasionally we would have a white Christmas, which put our creative minds to work, building snowmen, and some snow sliding. Children could always find a hill to slide down, even in flat-land country.
scooters. Christmas dinner was always the best! This consisted of delicious dishes, baked hens stuffed with dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes baked with skin on, butter beans, corn, potato salad, creamed potatoes, baked
A fun thing was to look for the Christmas tree to decorate. Most would go in the woods and cut a pine tree, take it home
December Issue 2010
corn bread, biscuits, and good "ole" collards! Added to all of this were the lemon and chocolate pies, fruit cakes, chocolate cake and also fudge candy to munch on into the week. Also, oranges galore,and pecans.
People who grew up in Hyde County and then left, knew they were taking precious gifts to others, wherever they decided to live.
Written by Audrey Smithwick Tyson, who grew up in Swan Quarter, and now resides in Kinston , NC.
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December Issue 2010
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CHRISTMAS IN SWAN QUARTER 1970'S-1990'S LET THE PARTY BEGIN! I will never forget the Christmas's I spent in Swan Quarter. My grandaddy Bruce and Grandma Jesse had an old two story home on Quarter Rd. We would arrive after a 2 hour drive from Kinston. Walking into Grandma's house was so comforting and warm. I always loved the fresh cut tree in the corner of her living room. Seeing what seemed like hundreds of gifts made my heart pound! She always had an ENORMOUS amount of food; turkey, fish, shrimp, sweet potatoes, every vegetable imaginable and every dessert on the planet! All the aunts and uncles, brother and sisters and cousins (about 50 or 60 of us) would be a Grandma's house, catch up on the latest gossip, catch each other up on all of
December Issue 2010
our interesting lives and then eat, laugh and talk!
were 18; how we all dreaded turning 18! lol
After resting an hour (my dad always fell asleep in the recliner for a couple of hours. i always wondered how he did it with all the chaos around him, lol) we would usually all end up in a dance contest at my Aunt Hilda's house, who lived behind
My Grandma Jesse, on her meager lunchroom lady and delivering newspapers budget, and my grandfather's NC state salary always made sure every single person had a gift, even unexpected boyfriends or girlfriends! I later found out her secret. All throughout the year she would order gifts out of the Sears catalog. This way with each paycheck, she spent a little at the time, instead of at one big time! My cousins and I always got pajamas, socks or underwear! We always took pictures of us with these items on for Christmas pictures. It was so much fun!
Grandma Jesse. We would dance for hours to Elvis! I think my aunt Hilda was the best dancer, but my cousin Annette and I ran a close second! She and I were known for our dirty dancing! After that we would all go back to Grandma's house and open gifts. Back then all the kids received gifts until they
We usually would spend a weekend in Swan Quarter during Christmas. After all the festivities, we would watch wrestling (big back then), ride in one of my uncles boats and FREEZE, or head down to Soundside and dance some more! I will never forget all the smells of Grandma's house, the smell of the kerosene heaters, the gas stove and sitting in her big living room with the enormous
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amount of chairs. She was not much into decor, but she had every picture imaginable of us kids and grandkids on her walls hung up with scotch tape! Always thought that was funny but now I realize she did not have money for a luxury like picture frames. The bathroom had a kerosene heater in it and the bedrooms all had pots for us to use the bathroom in at night. (That was interesting, haha.) Most nights the house was so cold, you just wanted to stay under the warm covers and blankets!
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During our times in the early mornings, I use to love having a cup of coffee with Grandma and listening to her stories. My favorite thing to do was to count all her change in her huge purse. She always had lot of it because of the paper route. I am convinced that today I learned my math skills from her. On some visits I would go on the paper route with her, if I was willing to wake up at 4 a.m. I was amazed at how she would always be back at 7 a.m. and cook a good breakfast for her
family. She was truly a selfless person. I miss those Christmas times in Swan Quarter when we were all together, but they are in my memories and I share them with my kids. We are all still close and thanks to technologies we have today like email, Facebook and cell phones, we are in touch regularly. Written by Denise Tyson Miller, who resides in Atlanta, GA 1969 SEARS Christmas catalogue
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COLLARD GREENS RECIPE BY: AUDREY SMITHWICK TYSON
Collards 6 pounds
Salt
Clean each ham hock and boil in water 45 minutes,then put in pot with uncooked collards along with the ham liquid.
Note: remove any small bones that may have broken off from the ham hocks.
Let them soak in their broth if they are done in a short while. some have withstood several frosts. if so they will be done in about 20 minutes from boiling
Ham Hocks 6 (fat back may be substituted )
point. Then remove collards and slice.
Add enough water to cover collards, salt to taste, bring to a boiling point and cook until collards are done.
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Clean each collard leaf by hand until clean ( 3-4 washings ).
ENJOY!! (And these are the best! Mom cooks them every year at my house at Thanksgiving!~ Denise :)
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Photo by Ingrid Lemme
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Photos are from the Octagon Facebook page, photo above is by Sunny Lemme.
December Issue 2010
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These photos by Elsie Anne Blanchard
Octagon House "War Reenactment" The Friends of the Octagon House had invited everyone to a Civil War Re-enactment and demonstration on the third Saturday of November. We were able to see encampments set up as they would have been during the Civil War period. There were canon and other black powder demonstrations. The group is in the planning stages of a Christmas open house and is seeking musicians and or groups that might be interested in playing Christmas music and / or Carolers to entertain visitors.
The Octagon House is open on Saturdays from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon. Board of Directors: Anita Fletcher, Bryon Schmitt, John Shaffer, Donna Credle, Cathy Ireland, Joseph Pugh, Judith Tomlinson, Al Schmitt and Sarah Homes. The Octagon House is on Facebook and has a website www.octagonhousenc.com - Photos are from the Octagon Facebook page, above photo is by Sunny Lemme.
December Issue 2010
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HOW OUR CALLING CONTEST WORKS
his head to the MC to notify the MC that he’s ready for competition. The MC will then say: “ Judges, this is for competition". The caller has up to 90 seconds to do his calling routine but can’t go over. The MC usually has a time keeper to keep up with the time on a stop watch. There is a red timing light that will come on after 80 seconds to let the caller know that he has 10 seconds to finish his routine. Once the caller finishes his routine he walks off stage and caller #2 walks up the stage and the same process starts over with caller #2 that caller #1 went through. As soon as each caller ends his routine the judges score how well they think the caller did. The judges scores will have the highest and lowest score eliminated and the other 3 scores added up will be the callers score. When all callers have completed their routine the
First of all we’ll give ya’ll a rundown of the rules so all can understand how the judging works. There are 2 divisions, junior (16 yrs old and younger) and adult. Each contest has 5 judges that are put in a closed-in area so they can’t see who is calling in the competition. They can only hear the callers call so they can judge his/her calling skill. At the start of the contest, once the judges are in the "tent", all the callers in the upcoming competition will draw numbers. This will be the calling order. The person running the contest (MC) will call contestant #1 up. He will be asked if he wants a warmup call. If contestant does/doesn’t he will nod his yes or no. The caller can’t speak or he will be disqualified. this is to keep the judges from hearing his voice. If the caller nods his head yes, he is given approximately 10 seconds to warm up and the MC will say: “Judges this is a warmup”. Once finished with his warmup, the caller will nod
MC will draw the numbers again and the contestants will blow another round with the judges scoring each caller again. Most major contest will go 3 rounds of competition with smaller contest going only 2 rounds of competition. At the end of that particular contest the scores for each caller are added up and the caller with the most points wins the competition. Thank You Brett Mason (photo below with girlfriend Ashley Swain) for putting this together for us all to understand!
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
December Issue 2010
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AT OUR FESTIVAL WE HAD 7 DIFFERENT
COMPETITIONS AND BELOW ARE LISTED THE COMPETITION AND THE TOP 3 FINISHERS OF EACH COMPETITION:
Junior Swan
Adult Goose
Cody Hardison
Reed Sharpe
Trent Langley
Nathan Garrett
Nathan Garrett
Richard Foley Adult Swan Brett Mason
Junior Duck 1st-3rd place
Adult Duck
Cody Hardison
Hunter Toler
Richard Foley
Cody Hardison
2 Man Adult Duck Calling
Allen Bliven
Richard Foley & Hunter Toler Allen Bliven & Hunter Toler
Nathan Garrett
Allen Bliven & Cody Hardison
Reed Sharpe Cody Hardison
Junior Goose Reed Sharpe Nathan Garrett Austin Shackleford
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
December Issue 2010
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Down East Fall Arts & Craft Show: “Something for Everyone “ By Barbara Snell Krebs It must be fall. The air is crisp, the leaves are falling, the geese are landing on Lake Mattamuskeet … and arts and crafts fairs are cropping up across the countryside. For example, on Saturday and Sunday, November 6 and 7, the Hyde County Arts Group held its 2010 Down East Fall Arts and Craft Show in the O. A. Peay School Gym in Swan Quarter. For many folks, fall signals the time of year that one gets serious about holiday shopping. And what better way to find a one-of-a-kind gift for family, friends and loved ones than at a crafts fair? Luckily, the Down East show was a good way to kick off the season. It offered a wide variety of arts and crafts in just as many price ranges. Upon entering the gym, we noticed colorful, hand-painted Christmas ornaments and decorations on our right. To our left, artist Mark Hierholzer, was not only selling his Swan Quarterthemed artwork, but was also creating a piece as we watched. Straight ahead was a booth with a wide variety of pocketbooks and other sewn items. Photo Caption: Colette Krebs shows off the John Deere purse her grandfather bought for her. She plans to take it to the mall, where it will be “unique,” she says.
But of course, the wise shopper knows he/she must browse first before making the perfect selection. So continuing on, we discovered booths that offered handwoven baskets, more Christmas decorations, scented candles, wickless candles, scented soaps, jewelry, blankets and much, much more. Of course, the next best thing to being surrounded by lovely handcrafted objects is the opportunity to talk to the people who created the items you’re considering. At one booth, Elizabeth Gurganus showed us her microwave potato cookers.
December Issue 2010
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Down East Fall Arts & Craft Show: “Something for Everyone “
Photos by Sunny Lemme
December Issue 2010
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The cloth bags are large enough to accommodate several potatoes, and using them means you don’t have to prick the potatoes. Put ‘em in the bags, nuke ‘em and eat ‘em. Can’t get much simpler than that.
are as interesting as the item. It was bought to give to a city granddaughter so that she could enjoy the country even when she couldn’t be there. Next stop was back at Elizabeth Gurganus’ booth. But as tempting as the microwave potato cookers were, the Simple Down East Cooking cookbook that she had written with the help of friends and family was even more alluring. This gift will go to a cousin who lives in California, helping her to enjoy a taste of the East Coast while living on the West. We did note that she might have to make a few substitutions along the way, as one recipe called for sweet Mattamuskeet onions, which will probably not be available at her corner store.
Another crafter we spoke to was Pearley Moore of Engelhard, whose booth was full of baskets in all shapes and sizes. If you wanted to carry or store something fashionably, you couldn’t go wrong here. Now if all this shopping made you hungry, there was a booth where you could purchase beverages, cookies, brownies and even homemade pimento cheese sandwiches. The gentleman who was manning this booth also was selling raffle tickets and explained that “with the purchase of a raffle ticket, we’d be helping to raise funds to renovate the county courthouse.” We purchased six … and three brownies and two cookies. After all, we needed to fortify ourselves for the difficult decisions ahead. What to take home with us?
Our final stop was back at Pearley Moore’s booth to round out the cousin’s package. Certainly the cookbook needed to have a lovely carrying case, right? We selected a slender basket with a Christmas tree on the front. The cookbook fits beautifully inside it. When telling Moore that the basket would be shipped to California, she smiled and replied
Our first purchase was at the pocketbook area, where a purse with John Deere tractors on it was bought. Why a John Deere purse? Sometimes the reasons
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that she was “happy that one of my baskets will be welltraveled.” Finally content that we had made excellent choices, we loaded our newfound treasures in the car for the trip home to Columbia, agreeing that the drive had been worth it. After all, what’s autumn without a crafts fair to visit to get your holiday season started off right?
The writer, Barbara Snell Krebs, visited the Down East Arts and Craft Show with her father, Collon Snell, who lives in Columbia. Though she currently resides in Annapolis, she grew up in Columbia, and comes home as often as possible. While here, she enjoys visiting the various festivals, crafts fairs, art shows and other activities in and around northeastern North Carolina. Most photos in this story by Barbara Snell Krebs
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BORN ON A BUZZARD’S STUMP, THE MEMOIRS OF A DARWINIAN’S QUEST BY ALVA HARRIS
outlined in the book. Those who hunt will enjoy this chapter. About: Alva Harris was the first student to receive a PhD in animal ecology from North Carolina State University. As a lifelong
Reviewed by Judi Raburn of Ponzer and Florida Alva Harris, a Ponzer, North Carolina native writes his memoirs in great detail, outlining events as he remembers them from childhood growing up in Eastern North Carolina, his expedition and travels to Alaska as a young man, earning his educational degrees and his working experiences, to present day. I’m only halfway through the book and cannot put it down. A very interesting book to me because I grew up in the area and know of the places he mentions in his book. His father was the bridge tender at Wilkerson Creek Bridge (also known as the Walter B. Jones Bridge) on US 264 East when it was a draw bridge and Alva learned to swim there. An interesting story of how his father taught him to swim! Alva learned to hunt early in life and how to dress out his kill, also December Issue 2010
naturalist, he taught university courses and consulted for oil and commercial fishing interests. While conducting marine research in the Gulf of Mexico, he was the first to discover and report anoxic waters off the Louisiana coast in 1972. He served on state and federal commissions regulating coastal and marine resources. Dr. Harris lives with his wife in New Bern, N.C.
At a young age, Alva Harris became enthralled with the question of where he came from. His father’s answer stretched credulity: “A buzzard laid you on a stump and the sun came out and hatched you,” he said. But for all of his life Harris never forgot his father’s explanation--and continued seeking answers about our wondrous world and the dynamic forces that control us all. Born on a Buzzard’s Stump chronicles the first eight decades of Harris’s singular story. From a penniless Depression-era child, he has called himself a plow-boy, hunter, trapper, taxidermist, commercial fisherman, biological collector, gold miner, military serviceman, ecologist, and professor. Not to mention outlaw--as when he was arrested in his high school English class for bringing a dead eagle to school. But beyond these intensely personal experiences, Harris’s account dazzles as he records the remarkable natural world that surrounds him and inspires his lifelong passion for the environment. Born on a Buzzard’s Stump will ring true for anyone who has ever marveled at a forest trail, a dragonfly’s wings, or an eagle’s soaring flight. His quest adds awareness that we share a oneness with all life forms from ancestral microbes to the next species of man. Order online
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Ponzer Volunteer Fire Department’s BBQ Chicken Dinner was served at Rose Bay’s on Saturday, November 13th. Ponzer Volunteer Fire & Rescue: “Thank You to all who came out and helped with our fundraiser. And Thank You to all who showed your support for the department”.
Photos by Sunny Lemme
December Issue 2010
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The 2nd annual Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival’s Barbecue Dinner was sponsored by the Swan Quarter Fire Department!
Photos by Sunny Lemme
Everyone liked the food, many people were eating at the Mattamuskeet High-school Cafeteria or taking out!
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
December Issue 2010
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“Three Teens of the Quarter� are here volunteering at the Mattamuskeet Waterfowl and Decoy Festival
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
Photo by Ingrid Lemme
December Issue 2010
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Man of the Quarter and Artist of the Quarter: Carver Charles Reber of Engelhard
Photos by Ingrid Lemme
December Issue 2010
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Meet the Berrys
Gregory Berry of Engelhard, NC (here featured with his charming daughter) is showing his handcarved waterfowl decoys.
Photos by Ingrid Lemme
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Ferrell A. Berry 1946 - 2006 Ferrell was president of the Hyde County Waterfowl Association for many years. He was instrumental in the creation of programs that support the health and vibrancy of Hyde’s waterfowl population. ~~~ Ferrell’s daughter is the current secretary of HCWA and brother Gregory is Vice President.
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Photos by Ingrid Lemme
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Meet Mark Terry ( in the middle, left James Freeman, right Charly Reber ), Mark is a collector of Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina hunting decoys who attended last year’s as well. Don’t miss James Freeman’s Christmas swan on the backcover !
December Issue 2010
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Hammerhead Metalworks Inc. is a family owned and operated business, established in Bath. With over 20 years experience in the metal fabrication and welding industry, and completion of two apprenticeship programs, Aaron Halsey has taken his metal working skills to the next level by creating custom pieces of art that portray his passion for life in eastern North Carolina. www.hammerheadmetalworks.com
Jack Dudley’s book ‘Down East: Portraits of the Past’ is a photographic history of Down East from the early 1900s through the 1960s. Order now online @
www.ncmaritimemuseum.com /doeabyjadu.html
Meet US Marine Tony Murray of Newport, NC who found his calling in his amazing art!
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I think someone will be very happy when he unwraps his Christmas gift this year... Thank You!
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Hyde County artist Joey Simmons (here featured with his sister) works with bog wood. Bog-wood, also known as morta is wood from trees that have been buried in peat bogs and preserved from decay by the acidic and anaerobic bog conditions, sometimes for hundreds or even thousands of years. The wood is usually stained brown by tannins dissolved in the acidic water and looks amazing as decorations for the foyer of to display Swarovski Crystal and other collectibles. Bog-wood represents the early stages in the fossilisation of wood, with further stages ultimately forming lignite and coal over a period of many millions of years.
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Meet the artist Charles Reid of Carolina Covers who rediscovered his love for Hyde County through the Swan Quarterly and can’t wait for the next issue in his e-mail box and forwards it to all his friends. Meet carver Rick Smith of Tyrrell County and Pocosin Arts who also showed his wonderful creations at the Down East Arts and Crafts Fall Show in Swan Quarter.
Meet Murray Fulcher and his wife. They came from Hertford, NC to share with us his terrific decoys and crafts.
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December Issue 2010
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Soule Methodist Church Bazaar
Photos are from Soule Methodist Church’s Facebook page December Issue 2010
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Soule Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar 2010
If you would like to purchase a printed copy of this issue, please visit www.MagCloud.com and search for ‘Swan Quarterly’! The amount you are paying goes entirely to MagCloud, this is only a service we are providing. The magazines arrive normally in 7 days, are of excellent quality and are worth collecting.. - Ingrid Lemme
SWAN Quarterly 137 NC Highway 45 Swan Quarter, NC 27885 Hyde County www.SwanQuarter.net www.SwanQuarterly.net ilemme@mac.com 252-565-2098
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December Issue 2010
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