Hyde County’s Country Magazine Published quarterly or monthly or whenever we feel like it...
Summer 2012
Cover Photo by Debbie Tuma www.SwanQuarterly.net
UPCOMING ART CLASSES ANNOUNCEMENT FRIENDS OF HYDE COUNTY'S HISTORIC 1854 COURTHOUSE Thank you all for your overwhelming support of the Arts Initiative Project conducted by the Friends of Hyde County's Historic 1854 Courthouse! As we, the Friends, continue to await the opportunity to consider the old courthouse as our permanent home, we are proceeding with our first special introductory offerings for art classes at other locations in Hyde County. Based on the response from our recent community polling, we are expecting these classes to fill up quickly so please reserve early to take advantage of these introductory rates. Deposits will be required. WATERCOLOR FOR BEGINNERS will be an 8 hour workshop taught in two 4 hour sessions on Saturday, July 21st (8am-noon), and Sunday July 22nd (1pm to 5 pm) at the Senior Citizens Center on Juniper Rd. behind Mattamuskeet School.
MIKE HELSABECK, a recent new resident of Swan Quarter and four time "artist of the year" with Ducks Unlimited will be instructing. The curriculum will include composition, drawing, definition of brushes, paper and paint, and watercolor painting techniques. At the end of the 2 day workshop, each student will have composed and begun painting a piece of artwork of their own choosing. The total tuition is $50.00 per person plus a one time charge of $15.00 for supplies (paint, brushes, color wheel, paper) which each student shall keep. Please visit www.mikehelsabeck.com/ aboutMike to learn more about Mike and his acclaimed art work. Enrollment deadline is July 14th. INTRODUCTION TO IMPRESSIONIST OIL PAINTING and THE WORLD OF COLOR will be conducted on Saturday, July 21st from 1:30 pm to 5 pm. at the Senior Citizens Center on Juniper Rd. behind the Mattamuskeet School. MARK HIERHOLZER, recently retired to Swan Quarter from Richmond, Va. will be your instructor. For a comprehensive background on this accomplished artist, please visit his web site at www.swanquarterart.com.
This offering assumes no prior experience. Those who are already active oil painters are welcome to bring their own supplies (canvas hardboard, pallet, pallet knives, oil paints). Toward the end of this session, Mark will determine, based on interest and availability, a schedule for a course of workshops in impressionist oil painting, each session building upon the previous. Tuition for this introductory 3 1/2 hour session is $25.00 per person plus $10.00 supply fee for those who do not bring their own supplies. For either session, wear comfortable shoes and clothes that can bear paint getting on them!! To reserve a seat, contact jhmclawhorn@aol.com or call 943-8991 (AC 252) anytime.
Please visit our web site at www.hyde1854courthouse.org
Judy McLawhorn Board, Friends of Hyde County's Historic 1854 Courthouse
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the SWAN QUARTERLY PUBLISHER: INGRID LEMME
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Quote of the Quarter
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Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same. ~ - Flavia Weedn
DEAR READER
Ingrid Lemme
On the road again, with a camera and a clip board always looking for stories to tell about the county that she loves! Hyde!
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Yeah, the Swan Quarterly is back. Some of you might not know that my husband and editor-in-chief passed away in January 2011 and that is when my daughter-inlaw Neli and I stopped publishing the Scuppernong Gazette and the Swan Quarterly. It was foremost due to grief but also because we were missing our
editor. People don’t really want to work when they don’t get paid and we didn’t have the funds to hire one. We still don’t, but after so many people telling me that they are really missing ‘their Swan Quarterly’ I decided to publish the magazine without an editor, . ~ Love Ingrid
clean, cozy and comfortable. The knottslandinginn@gmail.com or owners of this lovely inn are Pat call 252-945-6197 Swan Quarter and Hyde County, and Donna Spencer. Donna did a NC has a beautiful new B & B, fine job in furnishing and the Knotts Landing Inn. Located decorating this beautiful and just within a couple of miles one-of-a-kind B & B - Inn. Their from the ferry and just a short e-mail is walk to the harbor, this inn is
Knotts Landing Inn
Man of the Quarter: Mr. Charles Garrison An honest man and a fine electrician who cares about his family, his work and his community. Boat of the Quarter: Miss Mary
... On the Board Walk ... Kid of the Quarter
Look at this cute little baby we met at Martelle’s Feed House
Lady of the Quarter
Man of the Quarter
Ms. Allice Keeney, Mr. Charles Garrison, thank you for all you did an honest man and a for Hyde County fine electrician.
Artist of the Quarter
Ms. Joan Sears, a gifted wildlife artist and a beautiful woman
www.HydeWaterFowl.com
Book of the Quarter
Boat of the Quarter
by Bob Holt
The Miss Mary
III Islands
Business of the Quarter Village Consignment, Crafts, Custom Mats/ Framing Shop
Organization of the Quarter
The Hyde County Disaster Relief Fund
SUNSHINE G. LEMME 1946 - 2011 He was a gentle giant, standing six foot six even without his signature cowboy hat . . . dozens of friends, family, business associates, and community members gathered at Gurney’s Inn in Montauk, packing the restaurant dining room, to celebrate his life. Sunshine’s brother Chuck from Tucson, Arizona offered a thumbnail description of Sunshine’s youth. He was born Glenn Alan Lemme on August 30, 1946, in Englewood California. The house where he initially lived is no longer there; it has become part of the Los Angeles Airport. In 1948 the family moved to Fontana, another LA suburb. Life on a rural ranch set the lifestyle for the Lemme family. Sunshine and his two brothers Chuck and Tracy rode the bus through a giant pig farm to get to and from school each day. A sensitive ‘tree hugger’, Sunshine would be torn apart emotionally whenever any of the ranch animals were due for slaughter. “He was more interested in the welfare of the farm animals
than the profit”, Chuck Lemme said. An avid reader, Sunshine especially loved history and geography, but according to Paul Monte, Sunshine’s former boss who also spoke that Sunday, “he could talk about any topic”. After graduating high school, Sunshine went to the Maritime Academy in Marin County, Northern California. He and his younger brother Tracy joined the Army and at 20 years old, he was sent to Viet Nam to run supply boats. Following his discharge from the service, Glen embarked on a search for self that led to him taking a name more expressive of his disposition. Living in Marin County in the 70s he opened ‘Soot Yourself ’, a chimney sweeping company. When a move to Tucson in 1985 to work with his brothers making cookware failed to pan out successfully, Sunny was next hired by a wealthy family to manage their estate. That brought him to East Hampton about 22 years ago where he met, the love of his life, Ingrid. The couple was married atop the World Trade Center and celebrate their anniversary each Valentine’s Day. She always says she was drawn to him because,
“he had the kindest eyes”. An organ donor, Sunshine gave his loving blue eyes to the International Eye bank. He could paper the walls of the Gurney’s dining room with the dozens of certificates and degrees he earned, Monte offered. Sunshine not only loved to learn, he loved to teach and would often learn how to train other people as soon as he achieved certification. A master’s degree in Emergency Management from John Jay College was the highlight of his education. He was the director of continuity and compliance at Gurney’s and Monte joked about his enthusiasm for a subject many people found, a real snore fest.
His voice cracking, he speculated Sunny was up in heaven helping God develop an emergency evacuation plan. He planned to retire to Swan Quarter, North Carolina, where he and Ingrid have a home, and pursue a position as the county emergency services coordinator. Monte’s composure wavered as he related that last bit of information. Clearly fond of Sunshine, Monte remarked, “I never saw him angry”. He never had a bad word to say about anybody. “His life devoted to helping and protecting other people, Sunshine had”, Monte said, “a gentle soul in a hulking body” . “Perhaps the reason God made him so big”, he continued, “ It was to accommodate that huge heart of his.” The family received friends at the Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East
Hampton. “I know that Sunny loved the never ending stream of firemen and women, ambulance people, auxiliary people and of course all his friends. We sure did, it was such a comfort to us all.” said Ingrid.
SUNNY LEMME Emergency Manager, Firefighter, EMT, HazMat Tech, Technical Rescue Tech, Project Manager Fire Service Instructor I, Planning Section Chief, Public Information Officer, Incident Safety Officer, ICS-400 and then some
DISCOVERING HYDE COUNTY A NEW YORKER’S FIRST VISIT BY DEBBIE TUMA I had heard so much about Swan Quarter, N.C. from my friend Ingrid Lemme, of Montauk, that when she asked me to accompany her on a road trip to her home there, I immediately accepted. Early Sunday morning of Memorial Day Weekend, we made the long, 13-hour trip across Long Island, down the New Jersey Turnpike, and down Route 95 along the East Coast. We ventured through Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and into North Carolina, and as soon as we approached the Dismal Swamp area, I noticed the terrain start to change. I had been to the mountains of western N.C., where my sister Wendy lives, but not to the “low country,” with the marshes and swamps, and wide open, flat fields of crops. Ingrid told me her late husband, Sunshine Lemme, had loved these beautiful, rich fields, because it reminded him of his parents farm growing up in California. I had also heard so much about
the wonderful Victorian house they had bought and restored, after it was almost destroyed by hurricane Isabel. As we drove closer to Swan Quarter, passing through Lake Mattamuskeet, I noticed how amazing the light was in the late afternoon, flooding the fields with a soft glow. It was similar to the light in the Hamptons, where we live, which is also the reason
so many artists flock to this region, and also to the region of Hyde County, N.C. I was excited to see the sign reading, “Swan Quarter,” at the village entrance, and suddenly we were on Main Street, at an intersection with a gas station with “Pat’s Regular” written on the pumps, and a big, stately courthouse and fire station across the street. I looked for a restaurant or coffee shop, but Ingrid explained that the small diner had burned down, with nothing left but a pile of unsightly debris. She raved about the small thrift shop managed by
“Miss Emily,” and said we had to go there on Wednesday, when it was back open. We passed the Village Consignment, Crafts, Custom Mats/Framing Shop and saw a beautiful Victorian house, set high up and a concrete foundation to protect it from the next hurricane or bad storm flooding. I had never seen such a large, rounded screened-in porch, with a swing and chairs to sit and watch the whole village, Ingrid calls it Sunshine’s house. Ingrid knew her neighbors to either side, and I liked the slower pace of this small, friendly village. She warned me about the mosquitoes, which come out mostly at night, with all the drainage ditches located around the streets, to catch the water in this low-lying area. I went to sleep to the soothing sounds of the swamp creatures, humming and buzzing, from frogs to crickets and other insects. I loved the warm breezes blowing in from the sea nearby.
marks” from former hurricanes. “I can’t believe the water came up this high,” I exclaimed, pointing to one of his hand-written marks. The next day, I couldn’t believe the beautiful views of the harbor, boats, water, and flat fields in every direction from her upstairs windows. I was eager to walk around to explore this new village of Swan Quarter. We walked past Pat’s gas station to see a large white sign in front that read, “Shrimp for sale.” Each day I would walk past and see new bits of news on this sign, like the times and dates of local weddings, and even free kittens. “Wow, I thought—what a cool way to get the local news each day.” And owner Pat Spencer was something of a character himself. He sat outside chatting and laughing with a few of the local guys. When I noticed some black lines written on the walls inside his garage, he explained that they were the “high water
Pat had labeled each line from each hurricane and he had them all - Irene,
Ida, Hugo, Danielle, and more. Ingrid and I took a walk past the sweet little gazebo in the middle of the village, past the dike, and down to the docks, where crabbers, shrimpers and fishermen were hauling in their daily catches. We watched the crabbers sort and cull out the blue claw crabs at Newman’s dock from piles of
crabs on the long tables. All along the docks were huge fishing trawlers and shrimp boats, and the sky in Swan Quarter was one of the prettiest I had ever seen - deep blue with huge, puffy white clouds. We walked all around the boardwalks over the waterfront, to see the crab boats tied at the smaller docks. This place had a serene, peaceful quality and the colors were so beautiful, I could not stop talking pictures. Ingrid told me I had to try the great lunch special at Martelle’s Feed House in Engelhard, about a 20 minute drive from Swan Quarter, so we headed down the serene country road, passing fields of corn and purple flowers. Martelle’s is a favorite dining spot of the locals, and that day it was packed as usual.
We had an amazing buffet lunch, consisting of a hearty homemade chicken soup, salad bar and a hot buffet of traditional southern favorites as fried pork, hush puppies (corn meal dumplings), okra, green beans and chicken ala king, all for $7.50, including the famous Carolina icetea. It was fantastic, with its comfortable booths and friendly, hometown service.
stopped by to visit Chief Jeffrey Stotesberry. ‘Sunny’ was a respected member of the Montauk Volunteer Fire Departmen as well the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department. The Chief told us how his volunteer fire department
One night we got to try Tyrrell County’s famous blue claw crabs at the home of Ingrid’s son and daughter-in-law, Dominic and Neli Lemme, in Columbia, about an hour away. They steamed up a huge pot of crabs, and neighbor Dr. Alan Brickhouse joined us on the porch. I saw how Nick made his own crab pots from colorful wire, in the back yard. Nick and Neli had planted a beautiful magnolia tree in their front yard, in memory of their dad, Sunshine Lemme, who died in January 2011 from cancer. I also got to see Sunshine’s Montauk firemen’s hat, hanging in the Swan Quarter Volunteer Firehouse, when Ingrid and I
holds pot -luck suppers, and events, to raise funds to support the station, which serves Swan Quarter and Hyde County. He explained how Hyde County has the least population of any county in the state, yet it has a large area of land. This farmland and swampland also contains
black bears, deer, bats, and much scenic wildlife. On two occasions during my trip, I got to see huge black bears attempting to cross the road in front of us, as we drove through marshlands to neighboring towns. I learned that Hyde County also encompasses the famous Ocracoke Island, and the drive to the Swan Quarter ferry terminal is only 5 minutes from Ingrid’s house. One day we took the 7 a.m. ferry two and a half hours to this quaint little island, located on the southern part of the Outer Banks. I was really looking forward to seeing all of the Outer Banks, as growing up in the sport-fishing town of Montauk Point, Long Island, I had heard all about the hurricanes here, my whole life. My father, Bob Tuma a life-long Montauk charter boat captain, had always watched the weather in Cape Hatteras, Nags Head, and Ocracoke Island, and all my life I heard about these places in North Carolina. I was excited to finally get here, especially since my Dad, had died four years ago, and I felt I owed it to him to see what he was talking about. continues . . .
I loved the scenic ferry ride to Ocracoke, and pulling into the quaint harbor entrance with all the boats. We walked around the Visitor’s Center, and then walked past numerous little shops and restaurants, to have a relaxing outdoor breakfast at Diago’s Restaurant. After a delicious breakfast, we walked past scenic views of the main harbor, to find the famous Ocracoke Lighthouse, painted all-white against a steelblue sky. We stopped at Ingrid’s favorite ice cream store to cool off on this 86-degree day. We saw many people renting bikes and Mopeds on this 5 by 7 mile island. Then we decided to check out the ocean or bay beaches, and drove along a narrow strip of land, which had the bay on one side, and the ocean on the other. Opting for the ocean, we walked
along one of the public boardwalks to dip our toes into the refreshing sea, which was so much warmer than our ocean up north. We took a nap on the sand before venturing back to town to check out the information on the upcoming arts and music festival, for which this island is known. Now back home in Long Island, I am telling my friends about all the great times I had, finally visiting the small but fascinating town of Swan Quarter in Hyde County, which includes Ocracoke Island. I got to meet Miss Emily and find some treasures in her consignment shop, which included a copy of “Nights in Rodanthe,” by N.C. author Nicholas Sparks. On the way back, we visited more of the Outer Banks, and got to see this famous “Rodanthe” house from the movie, “NIGHTS IN RODANTHE,” and we got to see the black and white-striped lighthouse in Cape Hatteras.
It was interesting for me to compare the fishing towns of Montauk, Swan Quarter, and those in the Outer Banks, which are all special and known for their natural beauty, local characters, and breathtaking scenery. I look forward to my next visit to Swan Quarter, perhaps in the fall for its annual Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival. I’m sure when I pull in then, I can count on the sign outside Pat’s Gas Station to tell me all the latest gossip.
BY DEBBIE TUMA Photos by Debbie Tuma, Ingrid Lemme, Pat Spencer & others.
THE ‘NIGHTS IN RODANTHE’ HOUSE
WILDLIFE ARTIST JOAN SEARS By Debbie Tuma
many of these birds and animals, mounted in her home.
fiberglass technician on boats and duck blinds.
She is married to Joe Cox, a former avid hunter, who caught many of the wildlife now
In a separate barn on her spacious property, she built her own huge studio loft, where she has even more paintings, decoys, sculptures and artwork. She has also designed a beautiful line of hand-painted Christmas ornaments, made from blue claw crab shells, transformed into Santa Clauses.
Growing up in the rich farmlands, woodlands and fishing areas of eastern North Carolina, Joan Sears has been inspired to capture the beautiful light, wildlife and scenery as a prominent local artist here. Sears is really a total “renaissance woman,” being not just a serious painter, but also a wood carver and builder, who designed and constructed her own home and studio in Engelhard, N.C. Her lovely, twostory home is filled with her realistic, detailed paintings of waterfowl, deer, bears and all natural creatures. She has even carved the wood in her stairs and banisters, and she displays
displayed in their home. Sears could be described as not only a multi-talented artist, but as a true, self-reliant “pioneer woman.” In her spare time, she carves decoys, and she even fixes boats. She is also a
“My artwork reflects the natural scenery and wildlife that I grew up with, in Hyde County,” said Sears, wearing a long cape and a broad-brimmed hat on this rainy day, as she gives a tour through her homestead and studio. Sears has won many awards during her art career, for her works in oil, watercolor and acrylics, as well as for her decoy carvings. She had the privilege of studying with one of the
most well-known decoy carvers, Percy Carawan, and she now owns a collection of his decoys. Sears won first place in the Mattamuskeet Decoy Show, and she recently won three awards in the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Show on Harkers Island. She is a member of the International Wildfowl Carvers Association. When not painting or woodworking, she loves to work around her home, doing “all the
traditional crafts,” like making rugs and quilts, decorating gourds, canning food, and working in her garden. “I’m an avid gardener, and we raise lots of our food,” she said. “I also hunt, and I know how to tan hides with natural ingredients.” When asked where she gets her creative talent, Sears, who grew up in Scranton, said her father was a carpenter and a police
officer, and he did maintenance for Hyde County. “Also, my four brothers all knew carpentry, so I followed suit,” said Sears, whose mother was a homemaker. “I get excited when I see all forms of expression, whether it’s painting or decorating a gourd. I’m always trying out some new form of expression, which keeps me going,” she said. Photos and story by Debbie Tuma
BOOK OF THE QUARTER BY BOB HOLT At the first opportunity, Max Howard left the farm he grew up on near Pink Hill, NC. Armed with 2 years of college from LCC in Kinston, NC and his Real Estate Salesman’s license, he moved to Arapahoe, NC wanting to be near the water. It took a year of waiting tables before Ray Brinson gave him a shot at selling real estate and he proved immediately he could sell becoming the top producer as he beat the highways and back roads of Pamlico county searching for FSBO’s (for sale by owner). The locals realized he could be trusted and called him constantly, trusting him to handle their real estate needs. He dated occasionally, living frugally, in a very small rental house on Seafarer Road for 8 or 9 years not wanting to get involved romantically, but enjoying casual relationships
with each year’s new crop of summer waitresses. On one of his forays, he chanced on the house of his dreams and made an offer to the New Jersey
its confluence with the Pamlico Sound, meeting Candi, the girl of his dreams, becoming involved with the Jernigans at Janiero wanting to build a subdivision on their property, and picking up listing after listing in the Oriental, NC area as property values sky-rocketed with Oriental becoming the sailboat capital of the east coast. Now in business for himself, with his marriage to Candi just a few weeks away, tragedy struck knocking him off his heel’s leaving him with an emptiness, wondering if it could ever be overcome…………….
Read more about Bob Holt
couple that had built it to retire in but found it much, much too quiet and tranquil for their lifestyles. They’d posted a FSBO out front and left. He stole it when they accepted his second counter. What followed was like a merry-go-round settling into his new gabled, 4 level home, complete with an elevator, on the banks of the Neuse River at
on his website www.boblholt.com and to purchase this book online you may click on this link.
SUMMERS IN SWAN QUARTER BY DENISE TYSON MILLER
inhaled from those things. Most nights, I remember falling asleep to bull frogs croaking so loud that they seemed to have a rhythm that put you in a daze and I would fall into a deep sleep.
spray and swim suits in hand, just in case we decided to take a dip. At the end of the day we were never empty handed. Aunt Eloise or Uncle Gilbert would readily help us clean them and fry them for dinner.
My memories of summers in Swan Quarter remind me of a time when life was simpler. Imagine a time where there are no cell phones, computers and no texting! Our only connection to the outside world was one home phoneand even then, we may have had a party line, which was a land line we shared with one other family nearby. I still remember my cousin's phone number, 6-5851 - back then we only had to dial five numbers. That one phone call led to the beginning of fun filled summer with my cousins, Deborah, David and Annette Harris. Mainly Annette - my partner in crime.
On arriving to Swan Quarter, a visit to my Grandma Jesse's
Some Saturdays or week days in the summer we would spend walking the miles of field paths between Aunt Eloise's house and my grandma Jesse's house. The talks we would have about life, boyfriends, school , friends.
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I remember those mosquitos! They loved my fair skin. Grandma always sprayed me with Off. And who remembers the mosquito truck? No telling how many carcinogens we
house lasted about a day and the other two days at the Harris's. Before we hung up the phone, our life was planned for either the week or the weekend! Most Saturdays, when we were between the ages of 8 - 13 yrs old, we would awaken early to dig for fishing worms - and if anyone who has ever seen the black soil in SQ knows they were plentiful. After we had a bucket full we would usually find a couple of metal chairs and head to Brownies pond and fished until dark. We always prepared for the day with lunch, bug
Those miles gave us space to grow and learn naturally without all the pressures of the modern world that kids are so bombarded with now. Some days we would just put chairs in the middle of a shallow creek and catch crayfish or minnows. We would make a contest as to who could catch the most. Other days we would head to this place near Mattamuskeet and go crabbing. Chicken necks were a must, they were great at luring in the crabs for us to scoop into our nets. Photo: This is our family getting ready to get on the ferry in Swan Quarter on the way to Ocracoke
Ages 14-18 were also fun years in Hyde County besides our normal fishing adventures, we were finally old enough to hop on the ferry in SQ to Ocracoke Island! About once a month we would hop over to the island. We would usually wake up at 7:30 am, grab some pop tarts, and chug down some milk and either walk onto the ferry or take our bikes. How grown we thought we were! Of course all the necessities we needed were in our back packs, a towel for laying out, a battery operated radio - AM station only, snacks, drinks and sunscreen. What a cultural experience we had! We noticed license plates from all over the US. I think the most fun was one of ferry captains letting Annette and I steer the vessel and of course talking to cute guys! We would usually arrive back from our ferry ride around
6pm and of course ready for the next adventure - a night at Soundside in Engelhard!
not forget dessert - 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake, yummy chocolate cake or heath bar cake!
Soundside had a life all of its own. Local bands would jam until wee hours of the morning and of course, us cousins were there to close down the place properly. A fun time was always had by all!
Some of my most special times in SQ were those times with my Grandma Jesse. She worked as a lunch lady at O'Peay School and delivered newspapers on Sundays. She worked hard. A few times I went with her on those Sunday mornings, waking up at 4 am to be ready for deliveries at 5am. Being with her I learned about order and
And who can forget church services at the Christian church in Swan Quarter! Us kids loved they way the kids were always called up by age to go to their classes. I think the preacher was McInturff. The piano player always played beautifully. And of corse Sunday dinners always after church were the best! Corn, hoe cakes, seafood, green beans and rice or potatoes! And sweet tea of course - and lets
organizing and counting money from customers and how to count change. I remember she always had a ton of change in her big purse and I loved rummaging through out. I realized as I grew older, she had really helped me with math, since it was not one of my favorite subjects. Photo: Here is all of us at a family reunion. All of us cousins, Harris', Cahoon and Smithwick families!
Other great times were spent at my Aunt Hilda's house. All of my aunts and uncles and cousins would turn on her stereo and dance all night! My Aunt Hilda was a great dancer and so is my mom, Audrey Smithwick. I am so thankful that my mom and dad who took us down there constantly, we built close relationships that are still strong in our family today. I learned a lot about the water from my Uncle Gilbert and my cousin David Harris. Who both were also avid hunters. The deer they shot were always used for wonderful meals. Nothing like great venison! Aunt Eloise always had a freezer full, along with fish, shrimp and other awesome food that we spend a fortune for at restaurants. Checking crab pots with David and Uncle Gilbert was an awesome time! I figured out why I loved fishing, checking crab pots so much, it was like going on a treasure hunt, you never knew what you would drag up from under the sea! Of course everything landed in crab pots, crabs of course, oysters even and fish. If you have never tasted an oyster straight out of the water - I suggest if you can one day trying it. I am not one for slimy food but they are delicious!
All in all, I cherish the calm, peaceful summers and laid back lifestyle of Swan Quarter. The people are some of the most kind hearted people you will ever meet. They are no frills - what you see is what you get. I love that about them, and they never meet a stranger. They treat every
In Hyde County, time just seems to stand still. No matter what is going on in the world, it is still the same. The tide flows, the geese fly and the winds on Mattamuskeet Lake still whispers the secrets and stories of carefree summer days gone by.
one the same. Swan Quarter seems to be untouched by the outside world.
Photo: This is me, Denise and my husband, Rick Miller and my mom Audrey Smithwick Tyson, and two of our kids, Robert and Brianna. We were about to go out on the Intercoastal and check crab pots and do a little fishing and sight seeing.
I wish my kids could have experienced this carefree world that I felt so privileged to be a part of. I mean, they did have this in some ways, but not like Swan Quarter. But what i did take from there was to make sure they appreciated nature and God's creatures along the way. Appreciating the simple things and pleasures of life. Which they all three do and we are so proud of them. Hopefully it will be instilled in my grandchildren also.
WRITTEN BY DENISE TYSON MILLER, WOODSTOCK , GA (BUT NORTH CAROLINEAN AT HEART ALWAYS)
NEW HYDE COUNTY ART CENTER IS GOAL OF GROUP BY MARK HIERHOLZER Artists are everywhere in Hyde County. Decoy craftsmen, painters, potters, woodworkers, jewelry makers, stained glass makers, photographers, weavers and the list goes on. According to a recent survey conducted by the Friends of Hyde County’s Historic 1854 Courthouse there are almost 100 artists and craftspersons in Hyde County who have indicated an interest in developing a county-wide Art Center. And they’re not the only ones. Another 95 residents have said they want to take classes from these talented neighbors. There is more. Many of who come from out of the area to enjoy the hospitality, peace and beautiful landscapes of Hyde County think there’s an economic benefit to creating such
an Art Center. People will pay to come here and create visual art. “This is an amazing place,” says Sallie Grant, an oil painter from Richmond, Virginia who has painted scenes of Swan Quarter and Lake Mattamuskeet. “There is a beautiful painting everywhere you look.” “I’d like to rent a place in Swan Quarter and just paint,” Says
Diane Overcash, a painter from China Grove, North Carolina. “It’s worth the six hour ride to be here for a weekend.” Many out of the area artists are convinced people would come from all over the country to attend painting workshops here. On March 17, 2012 the “Friends” conducted a community forum to test interest in an art center concept. Some 64 people
attended, including 40 artists, four of whom were from out of state. Also in attendance was Jerry Jackson, Deputy Director of Penland, a premier art and crafts center located in Ashville, North Carolina. Other regional arts organizations were also represented. It’s all doable, my friends. The “Friends” are convinced we now have a mission to create such a center, ideally in the old courthouse located in Swan Quarter, and are working with the county to secure this space. “In the meantime we are moving ahead with scheduling art and crafts classes in temporary locations around the county,” says Judy MacLawhorn, a member of the “Friends”. “We think this idea is ready to pop.” Please visit our web site at www.hyde1854courthouse.org
Swan Quarter Volunteer Firefighter
# 948 "The Chief did good by him . . ." is what many of Hyde County's bravest say when they are asked why a fire helmet from Montauk, Long Island, NY decorates the wall of the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department. Sunshine G. Lemme had joined the SQVFD 8 month before he died from a cancer. Emergency Manager 'Sunny' Lemme and his wife Ingrid had bought a house in Swan Quarter after hurricane Isabel with the intention to retire there some day and after several years of renovation Sunny was finally able to move 'home' and join the SQVFD. Chief Jeff Stotesberry and his crew sat down one evening after Sunny’s death at the fire house and watched Sunny’s eulogy, and then one day the Chief picked up Sunny’s fire helmet from his widow Ingrid. The Chief hung the helmet on the wall with a little plate that displays Sunny’s name, his volunteer firefighter number #948 and the year when he was born and died. “Hyde County had long been locking for an emergency director who would fit in. Sunny was the one” the chief said. Photo by Debbie Tuma
COUNTY’S VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION GEARS UP FOR HURRICANE SEASON
The Hyde County Disaster Relief Fund (HCDRF) has recently reorganized as a committee of the Hyde County Community Development Corp. (CDC). Organized as a grass-roots effort thirteen years ago following Hurricane Floyd, the purpose of the HCDRF is to assist Hyde County residents with their unmet needs following a disaster. Volunteers from throughout Hyde County serve on the committee and try to find the resources to help its citizens. Hurricanes Floyd in 1999 and Isabel in 2003 devastated portions of the county, and the committee worked many long hours interviewing
storm victims, assessing their needs and reviewing their applications for assistance. Except for Hurricane Alex in 2004, the county had escaped the wrath of other hurricanes – until Irene’s relentless winds in the fall of 2011. However, the committee has revised its guidelines to define a disaster as ‘any natural hazard that causes significant physical damage or destruction to homes and/or personal property.’ The broadening of the scope of work will allow the group to now work to help other victims such as those of house fires. Their mission statement reads: “…to provide a resource for Hyde County citizens who have
un-met needs as the result of a natural disaster. The committee’s members will solicit and oversee both cash and material donations; screen applicants; work with other such organizations as appropriate; and document all actions.”
Currently Margie Brooks serves as the committee chairman and she was quick to point out that their mission was made possible only through the generous contributions of others. continues . . . Photo: A church pew floats down Main Street in Swan Quarter during Hurricane Isabel in September 2003.
“We would not have been able to help our communities without the donations of cash, discounts, food, household items and services that others have been so quick to provide in our times of need.” “We’d like to express our profound gratitude to the many unnamed individuals and organizations who have stepped forward to help us recover from various events that left some in our communities in despair,”
Brooks stated. “I’ve been amazed at times when even complete strangers who have no ties or roots in our county have come to our aid.” With two storms already formed even before the official hurricane season began, the HCDRF is gearing up for the possibility that they will be needed, but hoping that they won’t. Various members of the committee will be attending upcoming training and
informational sessions on emergency preparedness in eastern North Carolina. Other members work throughout the year with local emergency management personnel and support groups such as the American Red Cross and the United Methodist Disaster Relief Team. For more information about the HCDRF email hydecodisasterrelief@centurylink.net .
HYDE COUNTY BIDS ALICE KEENEY A HAPPY RETIREMENT!
It is probably safe to say that when Alice Keeney moved to Hyde County in 1996 she never envisioned the important role that she would later play in the community. Although she was originally from North Carolina (a little community down-east called Lowlands), she had spent the previous twenty years or so in Baltimore, MD. Her husband, Arthur H. Keeney III, became the President and CEO of East Carolina Bank in 1995, and they relocated to Hyde County. Before moving here, Alice had also worked in banking - as a commercial lender - for many years. For a short time she was employed as the headmaster at Pungo Christian Academy in Belhaven. On July 1, 1997, she was hired as the Hyde County
Planner and Economic Developer. Now, some fifteen years later, she is retiring on June 29. In that position, she has had her finger on the pulse of this County and been instrumental in bringing millions of dollars in grant funds into the County. She has helped to attract new businesses and nurtured existing businesses through some tough economic times, thereby expanding our tax base. She has also worked with several nonprofit organizations to improve community and economic development conditions within the County. And she has spent many personal hours volunteering for causes she holds dear and following several disasters that we have suffered all to the benefit of the citizens of Hyde County. There is not enough space here to list all of her accomplishments, but they are many and varied. To say she will be missed in County Government is the
understatement of the century. We just hope that once she rests up and catches her breath, she will find ways to still be involved. Thank you Alice, for your hard work, dedication, and for all you have done for Hyde County! Photo below: Betty Jo Shepheard,
Field Representative for US Senator Richard Burr reads a letter of appreciation that was presented to Alice during her retirement reception on June 18, 2012.
Lunch at Martelle’s Feed House My friend Debbie and I didn’t think it could get any better then that when we sat down for lunch at Martelle's Feed House and tasted the food of this incredibly delicious and well priced lunch buffet! $7.50 was a steal for the hot buffet, soup and salad bar and even included the iced tea, available Tuesday to Friday! Sunday they serve also a buffet but that might have a different price. Martelle's is owned by Martelle and Veronica Marshall, ( photo below on the left ) who run the restaurant with the help of family members and staff. In 1997 Martelle had
the idea to start a small restaurant and catering business. Since then, Martelle's Feed House has evolved into a full-service restaurant and is packed every day. Closed on Mondays. Don’t miss the Feed House when you pass through Engelhard! www.martellesfeedhouse.com
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SWAN Quarterly
SWAN Quarterly 137 NC Highway 45 Swan Quarter, NC 27885 www.SwanQuarterly.net
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