SENC Spring 2018 by Jim Sills

SE SPRING 2018

North Carolina

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Editor’s Note Serendipity in the Southeast

SE North Carolina www.sencmag.com Issue No. 14

Staff / Credits / Contributions PUBLISHER Jim Sills EDITOR Trevor Normile PRODUCTION/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Jillian Smith Content & Photography Jacqueline Hough Abby Cavenaugh Trevor Normile CONTRIBUTING Writers Timmi Toler Andrew Cole Jackson Prebe Advertising Becky Cole Alan Wells CIRCULATION Lauren Guy SUBSCRIBE: Four issues (one year) $19.95 plus tax lguy@ncweeklies.com

Former publisher Gary Scott always hung on his wall two big pieces of art that showed both sides of our work. One was a big, dramatic painting of a pair of hard worked, ink-stained hands resting on a table in front of a printing press. In big letters it read “The Hands of Freedom.” The hands hung in full view of people passing buy his office, probably as a reminder of what we’re supposed to be here for. On the inside wall was a much smaller one that read something to the effect: “Advertising is convincing someone a product they’ve never heard of is the one they’ve been waiting for all their life.” At first blush that seemed a little rascally. In truth it’s not. Consider our feature stories: sometimes we tell people what they want to hear, sometimes we don’t. The goal is to write the stories we didn’t know you were waiting to read. Did you know the story about Henry Lowry? The rogue? The freedom fighter? The murderer-hero? I didn’t know I needed to know him, but his story helps illustrate the greater picture of life in the South during the Civil War. And it reminds us that the outlaws of history weren’t confined to storybooks and foreign lands — they called this place home too. We also get in the habit of viewing

CONTACT senc.ads@nccooke.com senc@nccooke.com 1.910.296.0239 ON THE COVER Turtle release at Topsail Island Photo courtesy of Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

SouthEast North Carolina Magazine is a publication of the Duplin Times and Cooke Communications North Carolina. Contents may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

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North Carolina

things in the context of history. Brad Carter is a pharmacist who is interesting not because he sells cough medicine, but because he makes medicine himself in the proud tradition of small town pharmacists. Ann Deaver runs a Thai restaurant. So? The food is fine, but it’s the tradition she carries in her cooking that her story special. I didn’t know I needed to know about Thai dinner customs, but hearing her describe family dinners — in which everyone pitched in to help cook — sparked something in me too. We could all use a little more time together on Sundays. And then there’s the work of Craig James, who has found a new passion collecting images of his and others’ African American ancestors. Those early photographs, made in the mid-1800s, are proofs — they allowed a people not afforded the equality due them as human beings the chance to show dignity that couldn’t be caricatured or warped by prejudice. So James continues that, transforming from collector to historical interpreter and the messages in the photographs can be passed on. That’s powerful. I’d wager most of us wouldn’t give an old photograph a second thought otherwise, but James and others here convince us to apply their ideas and lessons to our own life structures. Every time we finish another SENC Magazine, I find myself taking away things I didn’t know I needed to know. If only all of life were so serendipitous!

Trevor Normile, Editor

Mystery Photo

Where in SENC is this? Where in southeast North Carolina is this? A quick explanation, in case it’s needed: Every quarter, SE North Carolina plans to include a cropped-down version of a landmark in one of SENC’s many signature communities. Try and guess the subject of this photo. Here’s a hint: It’s a building in the historic district of a town in Pender County which includes examples of Gothic revival and Queen Anne style construction. Turn to page 63 to find out if you guessed correctly.

See page 63 for answer

IN THIS ISSUE!

Are you with us?

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........ GOLDSBORO ........FAYETTEVILLE .......... BEULAVILLE ........ CHINQUAPIN ............. GARLAND ...... JACKSONVILLE .........LUMBERTON ...............BURGAW ............. SURF CITY .... TOPSAIL BEACH ............PEMBROKE ....... WILMINGTON ........... SHALLOTTE SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 5

Feedback: Welcome to our SPRING issue of SE North Carolina. We hope you like it, and check out back issues at sencmag.com.

Now it’s time we heard from you. Like our features and event calendar? Got suggestions for future stories? Let us know. Got any thoughts on how this magazine can be improved? We’re all ears. Tell us what’s on your mind and anything else you’d like to share that would help us provide southeastern North Carolina with a magazine you’ll be excited to look forward to, four times a year!

SHALLOWS 14

Sea Turtles Sea turtles may be cold-blooded, but they bring out the warm-and-fuzzies in people.

Carolina Crud Crusher

Pharmacist Brad Carter mixes his own medicine: The Crud Crusher.

Send us a message at the address at left.

And, if you want to advertise, we provide great service and coverage so your message is most effective over the 15-county region we call home—southeastern North Carolina!

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Contents

BLOODLINES 34

SPECTRES

Ann’s Thai Kitchen

Craig James

Home cooking, straight from Bangkok to Beulaville.

Spring 2018

One man’s hobby becomes a link to our nation’s past. James’ own history comes to light with the help of historical photos.

The Legend of Henry Lowry

Outlaw or freedom fighter? The man behind the legend.

Murmurs

A young man learns to find his place after a tragedy takes everything he once knew.

EXTRAS 10

Play Dates

From upcoming festivals to fine arts and fun in the sun, check out our events calendar.

Folk

Have you ever considered spending a little more time fishing? A ridiculous question, we know.

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SE / Snapshots

SE PICKS: South Eats

North Carolina

Casey’s Buffet

Resurrection in Robeson County Fuller’s Bar-B-Q opens location in Pembroke following 2016 hurricane

Photo/Casey’s Buffet

Larry Casey calls it “memory food.” Most folks around here just call it “food,” mostly because we never had to stop eating it. This highly-rated country and soul food buffet in Wilmington sports family recipes in the Southern tradition. More at www.caseysbuffet.com.

Aaron’s Restaurant

Photo taken prior to Fuller’s Bar-B-Q’s local reopening, which came Feb. 13. Fuller’s opened its new Robeson County location in the town of Pembroke after the landmark restaurant was closed on the eve of its 30th anniversary, due to flooding from Hurricane Matthew.

ust days before what was supposed to be Fuller’s Bar-B-Q’s 30th anniversary, disaster struck. Fuller’s was just one of thousands of businesses affected by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, but on the eve of such an achievement, it was among the most saddening. For locals in the Lumberton area, Fuller’s represented more than just a local buffet — the Roberts Avenue restaurant was a local institution for three decades. Although Fuller’s has opened two other restaurants in the area, the Robeson County site has remained closed since it was flooded with eight feet of water a year and a half ago. The restaurant’s Robeson resurrection came last month in Pembroke, now at the site of another venerated local institution — the former Sheff’s Seafood building near the railroad

tracks on 3rd Street, not far from the town’s UNC campus. “This is the right thing to do while we work to get back in Lumberton,” co-owner Demetrius Hunt told The Robesonian. “The Lumberton project is going slow, but we’re determined to return.” Fuller’s in Pembroke opened Feb. 13. The original restaurant was founded by Fuller and Delora Locklear in 1976. A local woman who approached during the photographing wanted to know not what a photographer was doing on the sidewalk, but when Fuller’s would open again. The Robesonian wrote that Fuller’s was “making a county comeback,” but it seems like they’re making a county hungry, too. Fuller’s told customers in a post to their Facebook page, “We are happy and feeling blessed to be back home in Robeson County!” SE

Remember Aaron Lancaster? Last summer he gave us a great tutorial on grilling... which also became somewhat of a philosophical lesson. Anyway, Lancaster said he hoped to one day open his own restaurant. He was serious; Aaron’s Restaurant opened earlier this month in Goldsboro. Steaks, chops: if you can grill it, he plans to. People are hungry too — the “Aaron’s Restaurant” page on Facebook already had 800 followers, before the restaurant had even opened for business.

Southern Smoke

Photo/Southern Smoke

There’s more than one way to cook a pig. Unless you’re Southern Smoke of Garland. Which is fine, because the succulent smoked pork sold here is among the finest in the Southeast, good with or (I can’t believe I’m writing this) even without sauce. Matthew Register and family don’t take cut corners either, they slow-roast the meat over oak. More at southernsmokebbqnc.com.

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Play Dates

Living History Weekend: The 135th U.S. Colored Troop

apr

6-8

FRI-SUN

Downtown Goldsboro

See and hear history as the 135th United States Colored Troop, a regiment of General Sherman’s Army, forms and comes alive in downtown Goldsboro. There will be a pop-up museum, a Friday night musical drama show and Saturday symposium at the Paramount Theatre and an encampment on Center Street. All events are free. www.135usct.org

SE Pick

N.C. Azalea Festival

Apr

Springtime means the azaleas will be blooming in southeastern North Carolina, and there’s no better way to celebrate these beautiful blossoms than the North Carolina Azalea Festival in Wilmington. This year’s event will include concerts by rock band 38 Special, hip-hop artist Ludacris and country singer Billy Currington. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the annual parade, which will feature colorful floats, marching bands, clowns and horses, and of course, the hoop-skirted Festival Princess and her Court, and Queen Azalea!

apr

SUNDAY

Paramount Movie: ‘The Wizard of Oz’ 3 p.m. Paramount Theatre, Goldsboro • Tickets $5

The classic film, “The Wizard of Oz,” will be shown at 3 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro. It’s a rare opportunity to see this colorful adventure on the big screen. When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away to the magical land of Oz, where they must follow the Yellow Brick Road to find their way back home. Tickets for Movie Nights are $5 each and free for children age 12 and under with a paying adult. www.goldsboroparamount.com/the-wizard-of-oz-2/

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The N.C. Azalea Festival will run from Wednesday, April 11, through Sunday, April 15, and will include a parade, concerts by nationally known music artists, garden tours & much more. Detailed info at ncazaleafestival. org.

Disney Live! Mickey & Minnie’s Doorway to Magic 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. showtimes Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville • Tickets $21.50-46.50

Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the comical duo of Donald and Goofy as 25 of your favorite Disney characters surprise and captivate at every turn! With special appearances by Snow White, Tinker Bell and Aladdin’s Genie, you never know what to expect or who might join in the fun. In Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic you hold the ultimate key to unlocking your imagination. www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/disneylive-mickey-and-minnies-doorway-to-magic-1

SE Pick

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Maks, Val & Peta Live on Tour 7:30 p.m., Wilson Center, Cape Fear Community College • Tickets from $46-$88

Confidential is the all-new dance tour from the stars of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd. Confidential lets the cast draw upon their own family bonds, lives and love stories. Visit cfcc.edu/capefearstage/maks-val-peta/.

Friday, April 27 Show time 7:30 p.m. • Tickets $42.50-$78

27 FRI

Brit Floyd Wilson Center, Cape Fear Community College

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27 FRI

Brit Floyd, the world’s greatest Pink Floyd tribute show, returns to the stage in 2018 for a very special 45th Anniversary retrospective of Pink Floyd’s iconic 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. Brit Floyd will perform classic tracks from The Dark Side of the Moon alongside gems from Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall and The Division Bell plus lots more. Visit cfcc.edu/capefearstage/brit-floyd-2/.

The TinyHouseNC Street Festival Downtown Pink Hill Tickets: $10 per day, $9 for seniors/veterans, $25 for three-day pass

The TinyHouseNC Street Festival will return to Pink Hill in April for second year. The festival drew thousands from all over the country SUN its last year who wanted to get a look at the trendy mini-houses, many of them the size of campers. Tiny houses from a variety of manufacturers will be on display, and there will also be vendors and builders on hand to provide information and answer any questions about the tiny house movement. Special guests include Derek “Deek” Diedricksen, Alex Eaves, Kenny P. and Coles Whalen. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the website at www.tinyhousencstreetfestival.com.

MORE Springtime fun in the east Beach Bacon & Beer Festival April 14 • Carolina Beach

Lake Park

The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce presents this first annual festival. Selected local and regional restaurants will offer creative dishes that must include bacon. This is a friendly, culinary competition. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. with the winners announced at 4:30 p.m. www.pleasureislandnc.org.

plus... Coastal Carolina Community College 2018 Shuck ‘N Shag

• Thursday, March 22 • Courtyard by Marriott, 5046 Henderson Dr., Jacksonville The College Foundation’s annual special event fundraiser, this event features steamed oysters, clam chowder, barbecue, side dishes and beverages. The Band of Oz will perform 6:30-9 p.m. More at www.coastalcarolina.edu.

Yoga With Your Dog

• Saturday, March 31, 11 a.m. • Swansboro Recreation Center, 830 Main St. Ext. Please pre-register, cost is $12 a person until March 30 and will be $15 day of. Dogs will be off leash and participate in poses and exercises. Please one dog per yogi. No yoga experience necessary. swansboro.recdesk.com.

Fayetteville D o g w o o d Festival April 26-29 • Downtown

Fayetteville

Held every fourth weekend in April, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival features entertainment of all genres, arts and craft vendors, street performances, and delicious food and beer. This year’s featured entertainers are Young MC, Coolio and Rob Base, Rodney Atkins and Zoso The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. www.faydogwoodfestival.com.

Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal

• Thursday, April 5, 7:30 p.m. • Thalian Hall, Wilmington. Grammy winning Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and her collaborator, musical director, guitarist and husband John Leventhal present an acoustic evening celebrating her prolific and deeply-rooted catalog of music. www.thalianhall.org.

Earth Day Celebration

• Saturday, April 21 • Hugh MacRae Park, Wilmington The annual Earth Day Celebration at Hugh MacRae Park in Wilmington features more than 45 environmental exhibits, live music, drinks and food for sale, and a Kids’ Eco Zone. www.wilmingtonearthday.com.

BBQ Fest on the Neuse May 4-5 • Downtown

Kinston

There’ll be plenty of barbecue, food competitions, shopping, arts and crafts, a wine garden, children’s activities and lots more at this year’s BBQ Fest on the Neuse. Amusement rides will also be available from 2-11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. www.bbqfestivalontheneuse.com.

MCAS Cherry Point Air Show

•May 4-6 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Admission is free. Gates will open for the Friday, May 4 night show at 5 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6, gates will open at 8 a.m. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will provide the grand finale both days! www.cherrypointairshow.com.

Comedian Jay Leno

• Tuesday, May 15, 7:30 p.m. • Wilson Center, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington. Emmy winner, acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, corporate speaker, lovable voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist Jay Leno is coming to the Wilson Center! Tickets range from $46$136. cfcc.edu/capefearstage/jay-leno/.

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 11

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SE SHALLOWS

North Carolina

Sea 14 Turtle Rescue

Whether it’s from cold shock or from accidentally ingesting garbage left behind from humans, the turtles are in trouble. Jean Beasley and others at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Surf City are doing their best to undo what the rest of us have carelessly done. They work hard to rescue wayward and sick sea turtles with the goal of releasing as many as possible back into the wild.

Carolina Crud Crusher

Reflexotrand. Garojenz. Those are made-up drug names, but they’re just terrible enough to be real (and probably riddled with side-effects). Want a cold medicine with some kick — and one produced locally, not by some faceless pharmaceutical company? Dr. Brad Carter of Shalotte doesn’t want to treat your crud. He wants to crush it.

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDWinter 2018 Fall 2017

S outhEast North Carolina

Sea Turtles:

‘The warm fuzzies of the reptile set’ Story & Photos: Abby Cavenaugh Contributed photos: Karen Beasley Center Even though sea turtles are coldblooded, there’s something about them that warms the hearts of the thousands who visit Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Surf City every spring and summer. “They’re the warm fuzzies of the reptile set,” said Jean Beasley, founder of the sea turtle hospital and a conservation activist. “They look at you and it’s like they’re trying to tell you something. Sometimes there are just certain species that touch your heart and that’s all it takes.” Jean Beasley’s passion for sea turtles goes back more than 40 years. “I think the defining moment was in 1970,” she said. At the time, she and her family were vacationing at Topsail Beach. Her brother called out to her one night, and said she needed to come look. “There was a mother turtle in the moonlight,” Beasley recalled. “She came right up to our deck and dug a hole and laid her eggs, then she went back to the ocean. We stayed out there until onethirty in the morning watching her. I think it affected Karen most of all.” Karen was Beasley’s daughter, who was young at the time, but grew up to be a sea turtle enthusiast, leading programs on Topsail Island to educate the public about these gentle creatures. She died after a battle with leukemia, and Beasley named the sea turtle hospital after her daughter. However, Beasley said, “I didn’t start the hospital. A turtle did.” Following Karen’s death, Jean and her family continued Karen’s work of marking sea turtle nests on the beach and holding public talks to educate people about the animals. “In the mid-

“No federal, state or local tax monies are in this building,” Beasley said. “It’s all privately funded. There are those who pay a small admission fee to tour the hospital, they buy small items from the gift shop, purchase a sea turtle license plate or make a donation.”

Facebook Photo This turtle, named Dobby, is shown being released in June 2017 at Topsail Beach. Many of the larger turtles treated and released by the sea turtle hospital have to be carried by a team of four to six volunteers.

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While at the sea turtle hospital, turtles are kept in these saltwater tanks until they’re ready to be released back to the ocean. The hospital can hold as many as 100 turtles at one time.

Flower, a green turtle, is currently a patient at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Surf City. Green turtles are one of three species usually found on the southeastern North Carolina coast.

1990s, we started seeing injured turtles and also ones that were just sick and suffering,” she explained. They had started keeping injured and sick turtles in kiddie pools on their porch. “There are things that just sometimes intersect,” Beasley said. She soon met Dr. Greg Lawbart from N.C. State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “He told me if I ever needed help with the turtles, to get in touch with him,” she said. A few weeks later, the Beasleys came across a turtle that had a serious head injury. She contacted Dr. Lawbart and he said to bring the turtle to Raleigh for an examination. There, surgery was performed on the turtle, and, Beasley recalled, the anesthesiologist had never done worked on a turtle before. He ended up giving the turtle too much anesthesia, Beasley said, and it took all day for the animal to come to. But once he did, the Beasleys took him home to continue his care. “We named that turtle Lucky,” Beasley said, adding that the head injury had just missed the turtle’s brain case. “And we drove that turtle crazy,” she added with a laugh. “But Lucky is the one who started the sea turtle hospital.” From there, people began to call Beasley when they came upon an injured or sick turtle. For a while, she kept the turtles at her house, but came to realize that she was quickly running out of space. In 1997, the hospital opened in a 900-square-foot facility on Banks Channel. Though there were three “patients” at that time, the hospital quickly grew until the space was

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Abby Cavenaugh Volunteer Caroline Balch, left, and Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation founder Jean Beasley check in on loggerhead, Eclipse. 16 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | SPRING 2018

Three species of turtles can be found at the sea turtle hospital — loggerheads, which are the most common, Kemp’s Ridley, which are the most endangered, and green turtles, whose shells are used for tortoise shell glasses and jewelry. All sea turtle species are endangered, and that’s why Beasley is adamant about conservation.

Facebook Photo Debbie Grady, Jean Beasley and Judy Niemeyer sing to Weasley to relax him before a procedure.

packed with so many tanks, one had to turn sideways and stand on tiptoes to move between them. “No federal, state or local tax monies are in this building,” Beasley said. “It’s all privately funded. There are those who pay a small admission fee to tour the hospital, they buy small items from the gift shop, purchase a sea turtle license plate or make a donation.” Beasley said she worried that when the recession hit in 2008, the sea turtle hospital would “crash,” like many other nonprofits had. However, the donations and community support continued to pour in, and the hospital survived. “We are so blessed,” Beasley said. “We are really grateful for all the support we have.” Many teachers in the surrounding areas teach curriculums centered on sea turtles and marine life conservation. “They make wonderful ambassadors for us,” Beasley said. “Some of the kids will forgo birthday presents to donate to the sea turtle hospital. They become a stakeholder.” The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center desperately needed more space, even with all the local support. “When we were in the old hospital, I felt like something was missing,” Beasley said. After years of fundraising, the sea turtle hospital finally moved into a spacious new building in Surf City in 2013. From 900 square feet and a limit of 40 turtles at a time, the hospital now has more than 13,000 square feet and capacity for

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Though sea turtles are the only marine life treated at the hospital, Beasley said that it still supports other endangered animals and promotes all kinds of conservation. almost 100. “The most we’ve ever had at one time is 95,” Beasley said. “Right now, we have about 40, and there are times where it’s only been 15 or 16.” Once turtles come to the hospital, they undergo an examination and are started on fluids. Thanks to modern technology, Beasley and her staff of volunteers can Skype with veterinarians at N.C. State and the turtles can have a virtual exam. The most seriously ill or injured turtles are transported to Raleigh for treatment by Dr. Craig Harms and his team. “Whatever they need, we’re going to do whatever we can to help the turtle survive,” Beasley said. Some turtles stay for a few days or weeks, while others stay a few years. One turtle, Lennie, who was partially blinded by blunt-force head trauma, will be there for the rest of her life. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center mostly has turtles that were found on southeastern North Carolina beaches. However, over the winter, they received cold-stunned turtles from New England and New Jersey,

Facebook Photo A turtle named Oceana swims toward the ocean upon her release in the summer of 2014. Turtles are released after treatment at the sea turtle hospital.

Facebook photo Seewee is all smiles, despite having blood drawn by veterinarian Dr. Craig Harms with the N.C. State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Seewee was a patient in 2015.

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Loggerhead Snookie is currently the largest patient at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, weighing in at nearly 400 pounds.

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and even occasionally have patients from across the pond in England. “There was one from England named Willie,” Beasley said, “but Willie turned out to be Wilhemena.” Three species of turtles can be found at the sea turtle hospital — loggerheads, which are the most common, Kemp’s Ridley, which are the most endangered, and green turtles, whose shells are used for tortoise shell glasses and jewelry. All sea turtle species are endangered, and that’s why Beasley is adamant about conservation. “I think one of the things I love so much about this place is that part of our plan has always been to make conservation be at the forefront,” she said. In the hospital’s lobby, there’s a sea turtle sculpture made from trash that was picked up on Topsail Beach. There are also displays showing the amount of trash picked up in just 10 minutes on the beach. It’s not a small collection. Balloons and plastic drinking straws are some of the biggest threats to turtles. They think the balloons or plastic bags are jellyfish and try to eat them, often getting the plastic stuck in their bodies. They also can be strangled by plastic straws. “I’ve always felt like the turtles were bringing a message,” Beasley said. “If these animals are in trouble, and they’ve been around since the dinosaurs, we are certainly in trouble.” She said pollution is one of the biggest problems facing marine life. “We once thought the ocean was so vast that we could throw every-

Southport was “snack food for alligators” before she came to the sea turtle hospital in Surf City, said volunteer Caroline Balch. The loggerhead has been cleared for release and will probably be back in the ocean by this summer.

thing into it,” she said. “Now there are dead zones in the ocean where there’s no oxygen left. And even with all the work we’ve done here, we still have not slowed the plunge to extinction. There are species that are dying while we’re having this conversation.” Though sea turtles are the only marine life treated at the hospital, Beasley said that it still supports other endangered animals and promotes all kinds of conservation. “We have a vegetable garden where we grow food for the turtles,” she said. “We have a nesting platform for eagles. We hope to get some osprey or eagles to nest there. We have a rainwater system, where we use rainwater for our flower beds. The whole link is that we need to conserve our

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planet.” But for Beasley and so many others, their hearts lie with the sea turtles. “I think first of all, these are such ancient creatures, and they have survived so long, they’re mysterious,” she said. “Their very benignness ... they pose no danger to us. And I think it’s also the fact that they’re so tough. Whatever happens, they just keep swimming.” The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center is closed for public tours until April. Admission prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and military, and $3 for children. You can like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ seaturtlehospital, visit the website at www.seaturtlehospital.org or call at 910-329-0222. SE

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Crud crushing crusader How Brad Carter’s recipe became a sensation

Story & Photos: Jacqueline Hough Last year, about 5,000 bottles of Carolina Crud Crusher were sold. By January, he’d already sold about that many. Pharmacist Brad Carter is still amazed to see something that started out as a simple idea now in stores and sold online. “It is filling a need to help people,” said Carter, who has been pharmacist at Thomas Drugs in Shallotte for eight years. The idea came to him while pharmacy school at Medical College of Virginia. “I never made a bottle,” Carter said. “It was just something in my head that I was carrying around with me.” The pharmacist-to-be wanted to create a medication to treat symptoms of the crud instead of forcing patients to buy several different ones. The medicine that came to be known as “Crud Crusher” originated, Carter said, from his growing up on a horse farm in West Virginia, where they raised purebred Arabian horses to show. At a young age he learned that for a horse to be fast, it first needed a strong name. “You can have a good idea, but if you don’t have a good name to go with your good idea, you will end up with just a good idea,” Carter said. From the beginning, Carter said the medication was a hit in Brunswick County. The first prescription was filled in the beginning of 2011 at Thomas Drugs in Shallotte and spread like a wildfire to other locations in Calabash, Oak Island and Little River, S.C.

In the beginning, it was just Crud Crusher. But when he got to North Carolina and started making it for patients, it sounded too good not to call Carolina Crud Crusher. “It has been throwing our boots in the stirrups and holding onto the reins,” Carter said. When he received the first bottle here, he shed some tears. “It really was an emotional moment for me,” Carter said. “People don’t realize how much goes into this and now it is tangible in my hand.” More than 100 doctors are now prescribing Carolina Crud Crusher — a medication designed by a local pharmacist, not a multi-billiondollar corporation — on a regular basis. Once the prescription market was under control, Carter started working on an over-the-counter version, which made its debut three and half years ago. The prescription medication is made in the Thomas Drugs pharmacies, though the over-the-coun-

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ter version has become so popular that Carter has contracted an outside company to produce it. Carolina Crud Crusher is now sold in 34 states in a syrup form, which Carter felt would be easier on the elderly and children. “They can take a teaspoon of medicine better than they can swallow a horse pill down,” he said. Carter explained that his formula shares similarities with popular over-the-counter medications like Robitussin or Mucinex; however teetotallers will be happy to know Carolina Crud Crusher has no alcohol in it. “We wanted it to be just our ingredients but we didn’t want alcohol in it,” he said. “It takes a lot of research, finding who can help you make the product the way you want it.” Carter added that the secret is not only in which ingredients are used, but how they’re put together, which makes a difference. “It is no different than you going down the road to the supermarket to buy an apple pie or getting your grandmother’s apple pie,” he said. “They all have apples in it and all have the same main ingredients for the most part. But that extra touch putting it together makes a world of difference.” Carolina Crud Crusher comes in regular and sugar free versions for over-the counter and prescription. At heart, Carter is an inventor, and one who isn’t out of ideas yet. The pharmacist says he keeps ideas percolating in a notebook. The inspiration for those ideas, Carter says, comes from his patients.

“The people who come in here are the driving force,” he said. “I saw a need, wanted to help and did not know how to help. But I truly cared enough, to take it seriously enough, to follow up on it.” But Carter knows it’s one thing to have a good idea and catchy name. It’s another to have a home for it. He says he’s grateful for Ed Thomas and his family, owners of Thomas Drugs. “You can have best thoughts and the best ideas in the world,” Carter said. “This is something that you can’t go out and do anywhere. If you don’t have the pharmacy, in essence you don’t have a place to sell your product to help the people who are coming in.” The pharmacist added that Thomas has helped promote his medications, including making prescriptions more accessible to customers and getting it over the counter. “Ed was the very first person ever to jump on board with full support,” Carter said. Thomas added they were filling a need for some very sick patients who are having severe cough and congestion. “It is really helping them,” he said. “We have seen an increase of people of buying it. It has been a pretty severe flu season.” The prescription Carolina Crud Crusher is covered by North Carolina and federal laws for compounded medication by a prescriber. The governing bodies of overthe-counter products protect the over-the-counter medication. In three to five years, it has been predicted that Carolina Crud Crusher will have 20 percent of the Carolinas’ cough and cold business. But for Carter, whose dream of providing patients with a powerful and comprehensive homemade medication designed to crush their cruddy flu symptoms, those are SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 25

Above, Dr. Brad Carter, a Shallotte pharmacist (foreground), works with Ed Thomas in the Thomas Drugs pharmacy. Carter is the inventor of the Carolina Crud Crusher cold medicine, sold over the counter and in prescription strength. Carter credits Thomas’ willingness to help sell the medicine as part of its success — 5,000 bottles sold in just the first month of 2018. Carter designed the medicine as a comprehensive treatment for cold and flu symptoms, or as we call it in the South, “The Crud.”

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cruddy flu symptoms, those are just numbers. “You can’t worry about what everyone is doing or saying,” he said. “As long as we keep making our product, providing great customer service to our patients, being honest, helping people and being as real as we can with it, the rest will fall in place.” Carter has dreamed at times that they could sell 1,000 bottles a day. “But before I get too far ahead of myself on those, I am always quick to pull it back in,” he laughed. Carter remembered the early days when he was laughed at and doubted. “So now, it is one of those things that I don’t have to say anything. It’s right there,” he said pointing to the bottle. “You can’t argue with it. And that’s a good feeling.” Carolina Crud Crusher can be found at Thomas Drugs in Shallotte. For more, visit www.carolinacrudcrusher.com. SE

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 27

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Because your farm is much more than land and structures.

Your farm is your livelihood, your passion, your purpose and your family’s future. As the nation’s number one farm insurer, we can provide the right coverage to help give you peace of mind and help protect your farm and its assets for generations to come. Ask your agent about Nationwide farm insurance or ﬁnd a farm agent near you at FarmAgentFinder.com. Kim Hatcher J KIM HATCHER INS AGENCIES, INC 1412 N Norwood Street Wallace NC 28466 Phone: (910)285-7948 hatchek@nationwide.com

Source: 2014 SNL Financial Report. Based on statutory data. Products underwritten by Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company, Farmland Mutual Insurance Company, Allied Property and Casualty Insurance Company and AMCO Insurance Company. Home Office: 1100 Locust Street Des Moines, IA 50391. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review and approval. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. We Stand For You is a registered trademark of Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company. © 2016 Nationwide. GPO-0299AO (05/16)

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Gift Shop & Bakery Hours Thursday-Saturday 12:00-8:00

SE Snapshot

SE PICKS: Bookstores

North Carolina

Book End Bookstore

Take your place on the Top Shelf of this literary loft

Atop Wilmington’s Old Books on Front Street you can sleep among the (writing) stars

f you’re the kind of bookworm whose love for the written word has kept you up many nights, muttering to yourself “just one more chapter,” you’ll be happy to know that Wilmington has a bookstore where you can literally... spend the night. The aptly named Top Shelf Literary Loft is on the second floor, above Old Books on Front Street. It’s only accessible by a staircase decorated to look like a stack of books, written by famous authors that hail from the Old North State. Many of them are natives, like Clyde This steep bookish staircase leads to the Top Shelf, a literary loft above Edgerton, and some died here, like Old Books on Front Street. Zelda Fitzgerald. Shedding light on North Caroorange tabby cat sitting atop a stack lina’s authors is a passion of owner of books. Gwenyfar Rohler. “It gives us the One thing you won’t find in the opportunity to really showcase our Top Shelf is a television. With so writers,” she said. “There are so many many books at hand, not to mention talented writers in North Carolina that ginormous Scrabble board, who that no one knows about. The loft needs a TV, anyway? really shines a light on these people.” Family-owned Old Books on The loft includes an enormous Front Street contains more than a Scrabble board painted on the floor, mile of books, and is considered one which Rohler calls “life-sized.” In of the jewels of downtown Wilmingactuality, it’s 256 square feet. ton. The loft opened in October of In addition to the giant board, the 2016, and has had steady bookings loft also features a full bath, kitchen ever since. and bedroom. There’s a Murphy For more information or to reserve bed and a mid-century modern your night at the literary loft, call futon that can fold out to accom910-76-BOOKS (910-762-6657), modate more guests. The rooms are visit www.thetopshelfliteraryloft.com, decorated with custom-made stained or email topshelfloft@gmail.com. glass, featuring, of course, books, The bookstore and loft are located but also a quill and inkwell, and an at 249 N. Front St. SE

This used bookstore has been likened to a treasure hunt. If you search through the towering stacks, you just might find that perfect first edition you’ve been looking for. Prepare to spend some time, though. Thousands of books can take a while to pick through! (119 N. Marine Blvd., Jacksonville)

City Center Gallery & Books Doubling as an art gallery and bookstore, City Center is the only book shop in downtown Fayetteville. And that downtown charm is enhanced by the fact that the store is housed in a renovated and restored 1890 building. City Center also hosts regular book clubs for those who wish to discuss great books with like-minded people. (112 Hay St., Fayetteville)

Quarter Moon Books Inspired by EmmyLou Harris’ “Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town,” this Topsail Island mainstay is a treasure trove not only for books, but as the website says, also “clothing, gifts, stationery, coffee and wine [to] subsidize the book habit!” The store also hosts an annual Author Luncheon, featuring well-known writers from North Carolina. (708 S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach)

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SE BLOODLINES

North Carolina

Ann’s 34 Thai Kitchen

Ann only wants two things: for you to be full and to be happy. Well, and an outdoor garden seating area for guests, but that’s a work in progress. Ann Deaver is bringing flavors from Bangkok to Beulaville at her Thai kitchen. She uses fresh-cut vegetables, spices and recipes from her native Thailand to bring her home cooking to Americans. And who doesn’t love home-cooked country food?

Craig James historical photos

What began as a hobby for attorney Craig James turned into a mission: to bring African Americans’ past to life through photography. James now has an extensive collection from the mid-1800s onward. From historically-significant depictions to images of his own ancestor, James seeks to empower the present by showing the past.

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORD-

‘One of the best Thai restaurants in town’ Story: Jackson Prebe Photos: Trevor Normile On most nights in the small town of Beulaville, a doorway opens to a colorful, vivid culture most of us could hardly dream about. It’s in an old building located no more than a mile away from any point within the town that Ann Deaver spends day in and day out cooking in her eponymous restaurant. The menu reads “Ann’s Thai Kitchen. One of the best Thai restaurants in town!” Of course, it’s the only Thai restaurant in town — the only one within 50 miles anyway. But it’s that welcoming spirit that has endeared Ann to locals in an area more used to potatoes and meat than Pad Thai. Affectionately decorated with statues of elephants and ornate Buddhas (even a Thai Barbie Doll), most of which are gifts brought in by customers, the restaurant is filled most nights with the din of customers and traditional Thai music. Even more interesting than the restaurant is the lady behind it all. A native of Thailand, Ann is a chef, a gardener and the infallibly upbeat force who drives the restaurant, spending each day cooking her own traditional recipes with people from her home country. Before moving to the United States, Ann worked for an accounting firm in Bangkok, although she lived in a rural area nearby. “[The area] I lived in, it looked like here. It’s quiet,” Ann said.

‘[Cooking] kept the family happy ... they didn’t feel alone. In Thailand, you have a big family, everybody stays together,’ Ann remembers. Growing up, every meal was a lesson, her mother, the teacher, as they cooked meals together daily. Ann commuted into Bangkok every day, fighting against the morning rush. On her way to work, leaving at 7 a.m., it was a two-hour drive, while at 6 a.m., it was only a 15-minute drive. It’s a far cry from Beulaville, a small town in Duplin County. Ann met husband Tim Deaver, a North Carolina native with roots in Lenoir County, in Las Vegas, and they married. Ann said family life in Thailand was the greatest influence on her work here. Families cooking together is a powerful method of bonding in Thai culture, she said. “You know, it made everyone happy, we felt good together. My mom and grandfather, my grandmother, we could talk together. It

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kept the family happy ... they don’t feel alone. In Thailand, you have a big family, everybody stays together,” she remembered. The Thai are a cooking people, said Tim, who described food as a central part of the culture. His wife said her family didn’t go out to eat often, but had home-cooked food at each meal. From Tim’s account, it’s easy to see why. “Being full, being happy, that means more to her than anything. That’s the whole thing about people from Thailand. “You come into their house, they want you to leave full and happy. So if you come [to the restaurant] to eat and you’re full, and you express to her how good her food was, that makes her happy,” Tim said. “She knows you’re leaving with a full belly and a happy heart. When I go visit with her to Thailand with her family, I end up eating like six or seven times a day, because everywhere we go, we have to eat. Last time we went, I ended up gaining like 12 pounds.” The cooking day started early in Thailand, Ann remembered. “My mom, she’d get up at 5 a.m. and start cooking. And at night, she’d start cooking. In Thailand, it’s different than here. They cook three times, breakfast, lunch and dinner, they have to cook every day by themselves. Sometimes we’d go out and the whole family would eat at a restaurant, but not too often. On the weekend, many people would come to have com-

Above, Ann Deaver of Beulaville holds up a wok (pan) of cashew chicken in front of an apple tree she planted behind her eponymous restaurant. Below, husband Tim stands at the register.

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pany together, to sit down and eat a cooked meal. Everybody would buy, so we’d cook together.” Ann’s passion for cooking finally became a career path when she told a cousin she was looking for something to do in America. “He said, ‘you want to go work in a Thai restaurant?’ [I said] ‘good, I like to cook.’” This would be Ann’s first experience cooking for others in a restaurant atmosphere, and where she first learned how to combine flavors and recipes to suit American customers. She did not initially intend on owning her own restaurant, “I just cooked for me. I cook and I taste, and when the chef makes sauce and I’m looking for a recipe, he’d tell me what kind of recipe. I’d ask, ‘what’s that, what’s that?’ He’d tell me.” Ann’s cooking experience came from her own time spent in the kitchen, first in Thailand and then working in restaurants in America. “I learn, I remember. I learned from my experience,” she said. Growing up, every meal was a lesson, her mother, the teacher, as they cooked meals together daily. “We learned to cook almost every day when I was young. And I liked to cook, to find a different meat, or learn different flavors, what I liked. “I liked to cook for my family. On the weekend, I’d visit my mom and we’d find something to cook together.” Tim said his wife’s passion for cooking is largely what led to the

restaurant’s success. The building is known locally for having been home to a handful of other restaurants over the years that didn’t make it — a couple of pizza shops, even a place that sold pork barbecue tacos. “I think we’ve stayed open because of the good food. And I’m fixing the building so it’s a place you can come into without getting wet. Or being too hot or cold,” he laughed. What was once (and originally) famed as the Wagon Wheel restaurant is now getting a new lease on life from the Deavers, as Tim renovates it with the help of contractor family members. “People say, your food must be good, because you can stay open five years,” Ann said. “Many people come to open a year, or two years, and are gone. I’m still here. It’s okay, people like my food and the price is not too high. And it’s healthy.” That, even, as the restaurant brought a learning curve to the community. “The first time, I think the people didn’t know about Thai food. They know about Chinese food. I opened in 2013, the first day I opened in June, the people came in, ‘do you have mashed potatoes, do you have beans?’ I said, no, it’s Thai food, it’s not country food,” Ann laughed. Her husband added, “She can make it spicy or not, gluten free if you want. It’s not corn dogs and collards. We get

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people asking, ‘when you gonna serve collards?’ We ain’t never gonna serve collards.” But Ann has won over a large fanbase, including people who drive in from the coast to try it. Even for those hesitant to try her food, Ann usually offers samples. “I tell them, when you come in, you sit down and eat my food, you don’t have to pay. I want you to try. I give them my spring roll, my crab Rangoon, my Thai soup, because they don’t know about my Thai food. They say everything is so different, that’s because everything I make is homemade. No box.” And when Ann says “No box,” she means it. Ann is meticulous about her ingredients, picking her own fresh fruits and vegetables and never using frozen or processed foods in her recipes. “That way, she knows where it came from and whether it’s good or not. She’s picky about her food. Drives me nuts,” Tim laughs. “When we pick tomatoes, she doesn’t just pick every tomato, she checks each for firmness, color. I say, ‘come on woman, grab it and let’s go!’ She’s like, ‘no, no.’ “Even the lettuce. If she opens up a container and it doesn’t look or smell right, even if it’s edible, she’s like, ‘nope.’ She doesn’t compromise.” It’s not just about freshness, Ann added, but preparation as well. “I cut all fresh vegetables, I don’t buy it frozen, because it’s all different flavor. I plant, I grow, like with lemongrass. I bought it from the store, and I know we can use everything, but

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with lemongrass, I learned from my mom, some of the leaves I can’t use,” she explained. “But when you buy from the store, they put everything all together. It smells different. It’s okay, good, but it’s not my [preference]. I cut something so it’s good for me.” When it comes to her recipes, Ann is no different than the average American calling up her mother for her suggestions. “I find a recipe from when I was young and I want to make it, so I call my mom, I tell her I want to make a curry pad. She tells me what to put in the recipe.” While it’s hard not to speculate, Ann insists there is no secret to Thai food and her recipes. Aside from fresh, healthy ingredients, the method of cooking is the closest thing Ann could offer as a “secret” to good Thai food. “It’s not a secret. I tell customers when they come, and you can tease me, sure, I’ll teach

Within an easily overlooked building is a story bursting with flavor and an insight into another culture that could only be understood by its main vessel into others: food. you about it. It’s a trick, not a secret. Thai food is not microwaved food. In microwaved food, you put the food all together and start the timer. But with Thai food, you have steps.” Within an easily overlooked building older than most of Ann’s employees, many of whom are local high school students, is a story bursting with flavor and an insight into another culture that could only be understood by its main vessel into others: food. “I like cooking, it makes me happy. I feel people like my food, because I know it’s a small

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country, but if people like my food, it makes me happy. When they’re happy with my food, I enjoy it.” And beyond the simple need that food satisifies is the cultural need it fills, one that runs strong in Thailand and elsewhere, and shows at Ann’s Thai Kitchen. “If this were another part of this country, I’d say they are so much more friendly [in Thailand], so much more welcoming into their homes, but we’re basically the same way here in the South, in North Carolina,” Tim says. “You’re always welcome, ‘glad to see you,’ ‘I’ll hold the door for you,’ ‘how’s your day going?’ You really can’t make a contrast between their culture and ours. They’re agricultural, church-going people. It’s a different religion, it’s Buddhism over there, but they do like we do here, life is centered [on] the temple and on the fields. “In some parts of the U.S. it’s ‘the almighty dollar.’ And, y’know, ‘stay outta my yard’ (laughs). They’re so friendly, so welcoming, and they want to feed you. They say, ‘come on in and have something to eat. You sure you’re not hungry?’ I say I just ate. They say, ‘No, eat again, because you haven’t eaten at my house.’” SE

Top: Ann’s Thai Kitchen has become unusually successful in an area more used to potatoes and meat than Pad Thai. Above: A woman named Bittiporn, who is an employee at Ann’s and native of Thailand, helps ready the restaurant for the day’s work. Owner Ann Deaver, a native of the Bangkok area, said she tries to employ people with a familiar taste for Thai food. Above right: An apple tree blossoms on the property of Ann’s Thai Kitchen. Deaver said she would like to plant a walk-in garden around the restaurant so patrons could eat outside on nice days, as is common in her native Thailand. At right: An employee named Aoody washes up before a shift. Ann Deaver said there’s no secret to making good Thai food, but growing up with it certainly helps.

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History in his hands

Craig James preserves the past through photography collection

Story: Timmi Toler Photos: Trevor Normile

To today’s eye, the image could be considered endearing; a young white boy is seated in a chair while a young black boy stands beside him with his arm stretched over the white boy’s shoulder — a simple moment of friendship. But in the era the image was captured, a different message was conveyed. The one sitting was the person in authority. The one standing was secondary. The tintype photograph, taken somewhere in the 1880s, is one of hundreds Craig James has collected for nearly two decades. Images of African Americans etched in iron during a time when America was forging a new country and using slavery to do so. It’s a block of history that many would rather forget, or at least not discuss. James believes the images are proof of a heritage that the

James builds his collection by visiting antique shops, thrift stores, online bidding sites and anywhere else he thinks a bit of history might exist.

Craig James addresses Pender County Historical Society.

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nation cannot escape and should not ignore. Talking about them, however painful for some and uncomfortable for others, is critical to connect cultures. “When I first saw the image, I could image these two young boys growing up together, even being friends,” said James. “And that’s how it should be. To me, the photograph is about hope.” Hooked on history His interest in collecting tintype and daguerreotype photographs began in 2002, James said. “I was on a trip with a friend. We’d stop at these antique stores and he’d ask if they had any tintype images for sale,” James said, initially thinking his friend was collecting tin soldiers. “I didn’t know what they were.”

He came to understand more about tintype — the early imaging process of using a thin iron plate that looked similar to tin and daguerreotype, where images were preserved on silver-coated copper plates — and was intrigued. During a break on a business trip in California, he attended a photo and postcard show. There he found an entire photo album with more than 10 tintypes, images of African Americans randomly gathered together as though someone was trying to document the moments and honor their lives. James paid $400 Nursey James, seated. Photo provided by Craig James. for the album and was hooked. “I was holding so much history bit of history might exist. in the palm of my hand,” said James. “It Finding photographs of African was so well preserved. I had this feeling of Americans from centuries ago is rare, validation. I fell in love with collecting.” James said. Most would have been slaves James now has more than 200 who, if they were legally allowed to have photographs, ranging from the 1850s money, would not have been able to to the 1900s, in his collection, which is afford the time-consuming expense of still growing. Most of the images are in having a picture taken. the tintype and daguerreotype format. “The African Americans in these phoJames also has some in ambrotype, a later tographs are usually being presented as format that used glass plates, and cabinet props or property,” said James. “They are cards, photographs produced on heavy almost never the subject.” card stock. As his collection grew, so did his interFinding his heritage est in the stories behind the photos. James A native of Maple Hill, North Carouses several methods to try and find inlina, James grew up in Pender County, formation about the images — birth and always vaguely aware that his family had death records, history books pertaining to ties to the Sycamore Springs Plantation. the region, historical groups and websites He graduated Pender High School in such as ancestry.com. He is also part of 1985, attended N.C. Central Univerhistorical groups such as The Daguerreian sity, served in the Army and returned to Society which help date photographs by NCCU to obtain his law degree. using clothing or furniture to mark the He opened Craig James Law Offices time period. in 1998 in Smithfield. James builds his collection by visiting He has been married for 27 years to antique shops, thrift stores, online bidwife Monya and is father to son Joseph ding sites and anywhere else he thinks a and daughter Sarah. The family resides

in Clayton. While collecting photography, interest in his own family’s ancestry was emerging. About 10 years ago, he learned through a relative that a photo of his maternal great, great, great grandmother existed at Sycamore Springs Plantation. He visited the homestead and while looking through an old album he found the picture he was hoping for — an image of Nursey James at the plantation sitting with a little white girl in her lap. It was a key moment for James — a tangible connection to lineage. “I had always heard our family was from the old James Plantation, but I’d never internalized it. Never given it much thought,” said James. Nursey’s exact last name and date of birth are not known. It is believed she was born around 1842. She took the name James after becoming property of John James who owned Sycamore Springs around the turn of the century. Nursey served as nursemaid. She was smart, strong, bold and caring and knew what it took to make a plantation run efficiently, according to James. She became the matriarch for both the black and white Jameses. The little girl in the photo represented three generations of children Nursey raised – some as a slave, some by her own choice. After seeing Nursey’s image and understanding his connection to Sycamore Springs, James walked the property, visiting old buildings, touching ages-old equipment and seeing everything before him with a

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new perspective. “It was a fascinating experience,” James said. “I would touch a piece of equipment and wonder if my great-grandfather or maybe an uncle had used it.” Sharing the past As his collection grew, James found himself wanting to share it with others – to bring the history into the present. As he studied the photographs, words would come to him. He would capture them in a process he calls “abstract writing.” He gathered photos and words together and formed a pamphlet that would eventually become a booklet called “The Unfolding of Afro-American History Through the Eye of a Lens.” The name came to him after a conversation with his godmother. “She used the term ‘unfolding of history’ and I thought that was a great way to say it. When you think about our history, and especially the time period of slavery, there are so many layers. You cannot just unfold parts of it, or a few layers, and think you know the whole story. You have to unfold each and every layer to see what’s there,” James said. “Even if some of the layers are uglier than others.” He first exhibited his photo collection about a decade ago at the Johnston County Heritage Center during Black History Month. The response was so positive that he was asked to leave the exhibit up for another two months. One event led to another and James now does a

presentation of his collection where he speaks about the images, his own heritage and family. “I found that the photographs became a way to talk about some of the things that can make people uncomfortable,” James said. “It became a way to have a discussion – that we really do need to have – without hostility or aggression or making people feel a certain type of way.” At his presentations, James has copies of his booklet for sale. He remembers at the conclusion of one event, a woman approached him. She was weeping. She had gotten his book and was so touched by the photographs, the presentation and the discussion in the audience afterward that it was overwhelming. “She said it made her think about what it must have been like back in that time -- what it must have been like to live through something like that. She had just never given it much thought but the photographs opened it up for her. It really made her think,” said James. “It’s a chance to talk about the fullness of our history and that’s how we should talk about our history. Don’t strike anything out. Don’t leave anything out. These images capture a particular moment … as long as these photographs exist, that moment in time exists.” Teaching others James recently gave his presentation at the Pender County Library in Burgaw where he exhibited several dozen photographs from his collection. During the presenta-

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tion, he told the story of how he acquired one of his most prized images – an original photograph of renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass. When he saw the image on eSay several years ago, he initially thought it was a fake and decided against an offer. As bidding time headed toward a close, James decided to take a chance. Interest was little to none from other bidders and he wound up winning the item. When he received the image he was shocked to discover an original cabinet card of Douglass. He was also amazed. While being one of the most photographed men of his time, images of Douglass are rare. James had obtained something worth upwards of $7,000 for less than $500 mostly because no one else was bidding. “Other bidders either didn’t see the value or they didn’t understand it,” said James. “Either way, there is a lesson there.” Carolyn Simpson-Whitley was riveted during James’ presentation. A native of Pender County who resides in Long Creek, SimpsonWhitley has spent the last 40 of her 80 years trying to connect the dots in her family tree. Looking through James’ collection, she felt a personal connection. “It was a chance to see photographs depicting African American life during that time,” said Simpson-Whitley, “to see some of our history.” Germaine Mitchell was also fascinated by James’ presentation and ideas. She too is searching for her family roots and has found it to be

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frustrating. “I keep hitting a brick wall,” said Mitchell. “I can go back as far as my great great grandmother and her siblings. I can find her children, but it is difficult to find who they had their children by.” Jimmy Faison, a Wilmington native born in Burgaw, had his calendar marked weeks before in anticipation of James’ presentation. He too was searching for family, for history and for answers. “I can only go back so far,” said Faison. “Only about two generations and then the information runs out,” said Faison. But looking at the photographs opened up a whole new world for Faison. “I had never thought to look for photographs,” Faison said. “But I will do that now that I’ve heard him speak. I think there are images I have at home right now that might tell me something.” The stunted path to family his-

tory is all too common for African Americans, said James. Tracing family histories back more than two or three generations is challenging because information typically does not exist. “From an African American standpoint, births were not recorded,” said James. “The most significant way we recorded births was in the family bible and if you don’t have that, there’s not much of a record to be found.” James suggests starting the hunt for history at home through family documents, bibles, prized books and of course photographs. One note someone may have jotted down with a date or location can be a starting point to other resources that can give additional information and help narrow the search. Finding the history is important, said James. Holding onto it is critical to move forward. “I look at these photographs over and over. They teach us that we can

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live in the same space regardless of who we are, what our background is, what we do in life, our gender, our culture or our color. It doesn’t matter. We can live in harmony,” James said, referencing back to the favorite in his collection. “Those two boys in that picture didn’t care about each other’s skin color. Of course, one day, the white boy was taught that he was to be superior. That’s what the photographs are telling us. You learn what you are taught to learn. If we refrain from teaching the hatred and negativity, we’ll be just fine.” For more information on Craig James, his collection or to purchase a copy of The Unfolding of Afro-American History Through the Eye of a Lens call 919-934-7001 or email craigjameslaw@gmail.com. See examples of his collection on Instagram @History_thru_a_lens. SE

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SE PICKS Special Edition Things We’d Rather Have In Our Water Than GenX:

North Carolina

Hydrogen

State continues to wrangle with Chemours over GenX Chemicals now found to be spreading in air, showing up in rainwater

ersistent questions about the health effects of the GenX chemical process and producer Chemours’ continued release of the substance into the environment seem to be frustrating

the state. They’d better not get in a huff though, because the chemical is now showing up in the air, according to the N.C. Division of Air Quality. The air emissions may be causing the chemical to be present in rainwater, but a state health official said recently that it’s not yet known how much of an effect it actually has. So what does that mean? That’s sort of the problem — no one knows yet. GenX is the name of a chemical process used in Teflon manufacturing. It’s largely untested in the U.S. and unregulated, but is similar to another chemical called “C8,” which is known to cause cancer and birth defects. A few years ago, GenX was proposed in place of C8 in hopes of being a safer alternative. A Dutch study found that GenX doesn’t accumulate in the human body as quickly, but it does seem to be connected to forms of cancer and organ problems in animal studies. It’s unclear what effect, if any, the chemical would have on humans. At first, the concern was mainly leveled at the Cape Fear River, which provides drinking water for much of southeastern North Carolina. The GenX leak into the Cape Fear was concerning to many, though stud-

ies found that the concentration was too low — if the Dutch health studies are to be accepted — to pose a significant health threat. Water studies showed the substance was present in the river, but at a hundredth of what is considered dangerous

GenX, a chemical process used in Teflon manufacturing at the Fayetteville Chemours plant, has recently been showing up in rainwater, the state says.

in Europe currently. But the EPA and the state aren’t so sure, and North Carolina set a goal of 140 parts per trillion last year. In a letter sent to Chemours in February, reports the Raleigh News & Observer, the Department of Environmental Quality instructed the company to “commence immediate interim measures to terminate and control the sources of contamination.” The DEQ said Feb. 23 that the company will install carbon filters at its emission points. If the state doesn’t find the company is complying with its concerns, Chemours could face a fine of up to $25,000. SE

What’s all this talk about GenX? We say the only “gen” we really need in our water is “hydro-gen.” Not only is it non-toxic and useful as a form of fuel, it’s a component of water! We need that for stuff!

Frogs While it’s not advisable to drink water that frogs have been recently living in, at least you can boil out the ...frogginess. Feelin’ froggy? Unfortunately, while amphibian aftereffects can be removed from water by boiling, that won’t work with GenX, since it’s “thermally stable” at water’s boiling temperature. It’s also odorless, colorless and freezes at -67 degrees Fahrenheit! Neat!

Ramen Noodles Here’s a riddle: What’s produced in massive quantities with questionable health effects, is easy to find and is unnaturally present in every local college student’s diet? That’s right, Ramen Noodles! But you’d be forgiven for guessing “GenX.” Ramen noodles are far superior to GenX however, as they come in many flavors, none of which are potentially carcinogenic. GenX on the other hand has no flavor (that we can determine).

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North Carolina

Legend of Henry Lowry

Hoodie Weather

Outlaw? Freedom fighter? Murderous rascal? Lumbee patriot? Henry Berry Lowry was all these things at once, if you believe it all. His actions legendary, his story unfolding during a time of racial subjugation and his disappearance unexplained, Lowryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tale is a vibrant one. He inspired and emboldened a people, and this is his history as we know it.

Hurricanes have ravaged his home for the last time, at least under his motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watch. A young man moves with his family to a strange new place, fishing rod in hand, heart palpitating at the prospect of life in the city. But Akheim finds a great truth in family. And in fishing.

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Blood and Ashes:

The Legend of Henry Berry Lowry Story: Andrew Cole Illustration: Trevor Normile In the morning hours of January 14, 1871, a lone white man was making his way to the store near the vicinity of Moss Neck Station, a train depot just a few miles outside Lumberton. As the man headed down the road, just within sight of federal troops encamped by the train station, a Lumbee man who had been lying in wait emerged from the underbrush, raised his weapon, and fired. The still calm of what was sure to be just another chilly January day was shattered by the loud snap of gunfire, the clear morning air polluted by the sour smell of spent powder. Before the nearby troops realized what had happened, the white man had tumbled dead beside a nearby millpond and his Lumbee assailant had disappeared into the swampy backcountry of Robeson County. The white man, John Taylor, was a rich local planter who had served in the Confederate Home Guard during the Civil War and was known in the community as a racist who harbored animosity towards the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lumbee inhabitants. Taylor had just become the latest casualty in an ongoing guerilla war that had been raging in the swamps, farms and surrounding towns of Robeson County for nearly seven years. The man who laid Taylor in his grave that day was none other than Henry Berry Lowry, a Lumbee native and leader of the now famed Lowry Gang. Revered by some as freedom fighters and loathed by others as a murderous gang of bandits, the Lowry Gang had made a name for themselves during the dark days of

The story of Henry Berry Lowry and the gang which bears his name is comprised of facts with a hint of legend and its origins stem from turbulent days of the Civil War. Henry Berry Lowry

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the reconstruction era. The gang plundered local plantations, took what they needed to survive, exacted revenge on those who abused the local Lumbee population, and shot anyone who stood in their way. Taylor had made the gang’s hit list after it was determined he was responsible for the death of a local Lumbee man accused of aiding Lowry. For this, Taylor was shot dead in broad daylight. The story of Henry Berry Lowry and the gang which bears his name is comprised of facts with a hint of legend and its origins stem from turbulent days of the Civil War. Some 70 miles east from the Lumbee settlement of Scuffletown (now modern-day Pembroke) lies the port city of Wilmington. It was here Confederate blockade runners smuggled in vital supplies from overseas and shipped them north via the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad to Robert E. Lee’s tattered army in Virginia. Recognizing the importance of Wilmington’s port, the rebels constructed Fort Fisher, a massive earthen fortification comprised of sand and dirt near where the Cape Fear River empties into the Atlantic. To undergo this massive undertaking, the Confederates brought in slaves from nearby plantations. However, after an outbreak of yellow fever added immensely to the already climbing mortality rate during the fort’s construction, local slave owners became hesitant about having their property used for such endeavors. To quench their need for manpower, the Confederates now set their sights on the nearby Lumbee popula-

tion. Forced to work as laborers in the hazardous, fever ridden conditions of Fort Fisher, many Lumbee viewed conscription into Confederate service as a prolonged death sentence. To avoid conscription Lumbee men began to hide out in the local swamps and forests situated around Scuffletown. As a result, Home Guard units, which typically consisted of men unable to join the regular army, began seeking out the able-bodied Lumbee men, as well as anyone else they suspected was avoiding Confederate service. The war meant labor shortages as young, fighting-age men went off to war either voluntarily or by conscription. Personal goods and food stores meant for hungry Southern families were confiscated for the war effort. As a means of survival, many Lumbee men simply took what they needed from the farms, fields and smoke houses which dotted the Robeson County countryside. Many Lumbee grew to detest the Confederate government and some began to harbor Union prisoners who had fled their Southern captors from a nearby prison camp in Florence, South Carolina. United by a common enemy, these northern runaways would, at times, sought refuge in the same swamps and thickets as their Lumbee counterparts. Desperation and the threat of rebel tyranny gave rise to the Lowry Gang. However, it was the murder of Henry Berry’s father and brother at the hands of the Home Guard which would cause the young Lumbee to seek reprisal. Thus began a decade long streak of

guerrilla violence which would shake the very foundation of law and order in Robeson County to its core. By 1871, the exploits of the Lowry Gang had made them some of the most wanted men in the state’s history, with thousands of dollars’ worth of bounties placed on their heads. After the closing days of the Civil War, as many Americans made attempts to return to a sense of normalcy, the Lowry Gang continued to raid the farms and nearby plantations surrounding Scuffletown. On the night of January 23, 1869, the Lowry Gang entered the home of Sheriff Reuben King whom, after a brief tussle, they shot dead. In March of 1870, the gang shot and mortally wounded Owen Norment, the Captain of the local police guard who had made great efforts to capture Lowry. On the rare occasions he was captured by the authorities Henry Berry more than once escaped from jail. The Lowry gang shot it out with local militias and then, as if phantoms, faded into the county’s surrounding swamps. According to Lumbee legend, on one occasion Henry Berry singlehandedly held off a contingent of 18 militiamen which had ambushed him as he made his way down the Lumber River in a canoe. With a pistol in one hand and using his canoe as a shield, Lowry poured round after round into his would-be assailants until they were forced to retreat. However considered by many to be both cunning and courageous, it was arguably Henry Berry’s routine of making good on his promises which struck the most fear into his pursuers. In the summer of 1871, in an

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attempt to bring Lowry out of hiding, the police guard arrested a number of the gang’s wives. Instead of being drawn into an immediate confrontation as the guard had hoped, the Lowry Gang simply bided their time, waiting a few days before having a note delivered to the very men who held their women hostage. The note read: “We make a request that our wives who were arrested a few days ago and placed in jail be released to come home to their families by Monday morning, and if not, the Bloodiest times will be here that ever was before — the life of every man will be in jeopardy.” By some accounts the note read that if the women were not returned Lowry would “drench the county in blood and ashes.” The fear-stricken public, concerned that the gang of outlaws would fulfill their menacing promise, put pressure on the author-

ities, who, after a few days released the Lumbee wives. Adding to the mystique of Henry Berry Lowry was his sudden disappearance. In February 1872, the Lowry Gang committed perhaps their most daring and financially successful raid. The gang stole a safe that not only belonged to a successful Lumberton merchant, but stole it from the town’s own sheriff’s office. Struggling to carry the weight of the heavy iron safe, the gang dumped it in the street and made their way out of Lumberton with an estimated $22,000. It was after this robbery that Henry Berry Lowry simply vanished from Scuffletown. By some accounts the legendary Lumbee outlaw made his way out to the deserts, plains, and snowcapped mountains of the American West. Other accounts suggest that Lowry was killed in a tragic firearms accident, inadvertently shot while clean-

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ing his own gun, and buried in secrecy. Though what exactly happened to Lowry is uncertain, the one thing that is known is that the name Henry Berry Lowry will live on. Since the year he disappeared, Lowry’s name has been found on historical markers and in numerous books about Lumbee culture, his name has graced annual award ceremonies, and his story relived in plays. To many, Lowry is viewed as a folk-hero, a freedom fighter who in times of tribulation rose up and defended his people against the injustices of an oppressive society. At times Lowry’s exploits may seem extreme or mythical but his story has helped to inspire and embolden a people. Such was the case in 1958, when a group of around 500 Lumbee Indians chased a group of a hundred Ku Klux Klansmen out of town in an event known to some as the “battle of Hayes Pond.” The legend of Henry Berry Lowry lives on. SE Sources:

-Adolph L. Dial, David K. Eliades, The Only Land I Know: A History of the Lumbee Indians. -Gerald Sider, Living Indian Histories: Lumbee and Tuscarora People in North Carolina. -William Mckee Evans, Lowry, Henry Berry, NCPedia.org

to the Community! Celebrating 60 Years of Service to the Community! Celebrating Years Service Community! Celebrating 6060 Years of of Service to to thethe Community!

Celebrating 60 Years of Service to the Community!

Try our famous Barbecue Sauce

Celebrating the 15th Annual NC Blueberry Festival Farm Fresh Local Blueberries 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk Arts & Craft vendors Food Vendors Car Show Kids Activities & Rides Tour de Blueberry

June 15 & 16, 2018

Southern Style Cooking Since 1957

Years of Service to the Community!

Meeting Rooms Available!

Friday 5 to 10 pm â&#x20AC;˘ Saturday 9 am to 10 pm All day entertainment www.ncblueberryfestival.com

Organized to advance the general education of and the promotion of blueberries and tourism.

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 59

SE / murmurs

North Carolina

Hoodie weather Story and Illustration by Trevor Normile “Akheim!” He stood in the middle of a country highway bridge. No traffic came, just water from the swollen river, gushing across the pavement. “Akheim!” He walked his bicycle to the edge and dipped his hand in the water as it poured over the highway. “It’s time to go, son!” It’s not the first time his street had flooded, but it was the last time it would happen under his mother’s watch. The drab singlewide Akheim’s family had been living in down by the landing was under three feet of water since the river rose. His was the last remaining family on the gravel road; Akheim’s friends had all moved since the last storm. One by one, the kids who spent summer afternoons barefoot by the river disappeared. The Honduran family next door was the last to leave, and Akheim and the twins were left alone. “And get that hood off your head child, it’s 80 degrees out here. We’re in a hurry,” mother said as Akheim secured his one-speed bike to the back of her Jeep and tied his fishing pole to the luggage rack. His young brothers George and

Jeremiah fought over a picture book in the back seat as Akheim climbed in the front and the four left the flooded bridge behind them. Akheim pulled the hood down farther over his face, a quiet, stoic traveler and last gone fisherman, bound for the train station to start anew in Philadelphia with his mother’s brother and his wife. Sitting in the Fayetteville train station, Akheim slid down in a plastic chair that seemed to scoop him up. As his mother ordered train tickets and balanced calls from FEMA, he put on his headphones and drowned out the din of the station. Akheim knew his brothers shouldn’t see the tears in his eyes and again pulled himself into his hoodie, a worn-out thing he’d had since he was a kid. It was still too big and smelled like the river. The name of his father, a laid-back Baptist preacher who went before his time, was still written on the green lining of the hood. Akheim awoke with a tug at his sleeve. He looked up to see his mother in the fluorescent light of the station, now re-dressed with makeup, ready to travel. The four held hands and boarded the train. Taking his seat, Akheim

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watched the conductor walk past the window to load his bike into storage. He thought for a moment about putting up a fight, bolting for the conductor and grabbing his bicycle. All Akheim knew about Philly was what he’d overheard his Aunt Pat telling his mother over the years. It sounded crowded, loud, dangerous — a far cry from home. But Akheim was old enough to know the train wouldn’t stop for him alone. The nine-hour trip began at night and was unnervingly quiet. Akheim watched as the passengers switched their lights on and off — actors in a stationary and silent play, in which the stars under the spotlight were transitory and always faced away from the audience. The train made its way north through country and metro. The group that stepped off to smoke and stretch grew smaller at each stop. Finally, 30th Street Station came. A far cry from his country home, the building was the biggest man-made thing Akheim had ever seen up close. He became transfixed by a bronze statue of a heroic angel hoisting up a tired man who dangled from the angel’s arms.

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His gaze was broken by the waving arms of his Aunt Pat, who waited with Uncle Gerald on the concourse. She showered Akheim with kisses while Gerald patted the twins’ heads and hugged them. Akheim was glad to have his hood now, as a breeze from the nearby river whipped across the parking lot, much cooler than the one back home in North Carolina. That afternoon Akhiem learned that while his Aunt Pat spoke like a Philadelphian, when she cooked, she was from the South — greens, pork loin, even fried fish — she and Uncle Gerald hadn’t forgotten how to eat when they moved north years ago. Akheim finished two bass filets before coming up for air. “You like your Aunt’s cooking, son?” Gerald asked. Akheim nodded and said he did. “Well I caught those myself yesterday. I know where to go. People say they don’t eat fish out the Delaware, but I never had a bad one. If you can get up early, we’ll get some more.” The pair climbed into Gerald’s Lincoln the next morning and set off for the Race Street Pier. “They always say, ‘You’se down South can’t handle the cold!’” Gerald laughed, rolling down the window to let in the chilly morning air. “But you’ve got the right idea,” he went on, his dark, stubbly face and toothy grin switching between the road and Akheim. Akheim cocked an eyebrow and gave Gerald a confused look. His uncle flipped the hood on his own jacket in his fingers.

“Life is a matter of perspective. You can choose to see the good and you can choose to see the bad. As long as you are straight with yourself, you are in control of your own happiness.” “This is hoodie weather!” Akheim cracked a smile. “I ain’t never taking this coat off,” the boy said. “You miss your dad.” “Yeah. And home,” Akheim said. Gerald pulled in at the pier and parked. It wasn’t like fishing on the river back home. The Ben Franklin bridge towered above them and the trees planted down the pier seemed artificial against the big city, artificial anyway, compared to the ones at the river back home. They cast out their lines and began the wait. It had been years since Akheim had seen his uncle; he wasn’t sure what to say. Gerald unpacked the pair’s leftover pork sandwiches

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and sat down. He scanned the local paper in between bites as Akheim watched the bridge above. “Someone held up Samir’s store again,” Gerald said. He took another bite and looked over to his nephew. “I bet your mama cooks like this all the time. You know she loves you, right?” “Yes sir.” “I remember back home, we ate like this all the time, even when we went out,” Gerald reminisced. “Why is it easier to get a meal like Mama cooked in a little town like that? Why can’t you get pork chops and mashed potatoes... chicken-fried steak and collards, things like that in a city diner, where people need Mama the most?” Akheim didn’t know. Since his father died, his mother always found a way to provide. He remembered the impulse to escape the train in Fayetteville and hung his head. “You’re going to be here a while Akheim, so you ought to make the best of it,” Gerald began. He wanted his nephew to speak, but found himself at a loss for words. With the pressure on, Gerald turned to the topic men discuss when they have nothing else to say. “The weather’s good for fishing today,” he said, rapping his fingers on the bench. Akheim didn’t respond. Deliverance came as Gerald spotted the name written in Akheim’s hood lining. “I ever tell you, I got a theory about hoodie weather?” he asked. Akheim playfully cast his gaze from the ground to his uncle. “Back in school, we learned about

Where in SENC is this?

this thing called the Golden Mean. It means that, in between two sides, two extremes, you find a middle ground. And that’s the best way.” The fishing lines were dead but the boy was hooked. “Everyone likes to argue about whether summer or winter is better. I’ve been through summer in the South and winter in the North, and I can tell you this ...” Uncle Gerald closed his eyes, pulled hood to his head, opened his arms and inhaled the river air. “Hoodie Weather. This is the best time of year, even if no one will admit it. Akheim, you’re going to remember that flood for a long time.” Akheim snickered and picked up his sandwich. “Just remember,” Gerald said, thrusting a finger in Akheim’s direction. “Life is a matter of perspective. You can choose to see the good and you can choose to see the bad. As long as you are straight with yourself, you are in control of your own happiness.” Just then, a striped bass pulled Akheim’s line taut. As he learned to do on the banks of a smaller river back home, he raced to snatch the rod back. SE

Photo by Trevor Normile

BURGAW PRESBYTERIAN What would southeastern North Carolina be without its beautiful old churches? There may be two million Presbyterians in America, but just one congregation calls this gallant church home on East Fremont Street in Burgaw. Not far from the Pender County Courthouse, Burgaw Presbyterian brings a warm presence to the historical downtown area of the town. According to a historical file provided by Mike Taylor, director, Pender County Public Libraries, the

church “was organized in early 1879 as the first church in the new town of Burgaw.” The town itself was founded to serve as the new county seat. Next year will be something of an important milestone for the Burgaw Presbyterian as well: “One hundred years ago, the simple frame structure was radically renovated (Between 1917-19) to its current appearance with a wing for Sunday School. The church at Fremont and Walker streets stands across the street from the Pender County Court House Square.”

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North Carolina Our corner of North Carolina offers much more than just scenic beauty... Here are some great places you can appreciate for the good foods, good times, history, and oldfashioned SENC hospitality!

WARSAW

travel

BEULAVILLE

Two Shops One Adventure!

Antique Furniture Mid Century Modern Furniture

“Heirlooms to pass on and pass down”

2481 E Hwy 24 Beulaville 910-298-3911

A marketplace of vendor booths w/ handmade,vintage and upcycled collectibles, furniture and more.

2475 E Hwy 24 Beulaville 910-298-3331 www.uniqueantiquesnc.com

KENANSVILLE

THE SMITHSONIAN IS COMING!!! Your one stop destination for Cakes • Decorations • Catering

"The Way We Worked, an exhibition created by the National Archives, is a part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the North Carolina Humanities Council."

Let our

20 Plus Years

of experience turn your event into a masterpiece your guests will be raving about for years to come!

Ezzell’s, LLC. of Warsaw, North Carolina

(910) 289-4286 Southern. Homemade. Delicious.

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May 5 - June 16, 2018 Boyette Building Room 113 James Sprunt Community College Kenansville North Carolina For details visit www.cowanmuseum.org 910-296-2149

Smithsonian

P lanner GARLAND

There’s a reason why our friends and family call our BBQ the best they’ve ever had. If you’ve never tried it, you must!

Our corner of North Carolina offers much more than just scenic beauty... Join us here for good foods, good times, history, and old-fashioned SENC hospitality! KINSTON

BEULAVILLE

The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center offers state of the art exhibits that invite visitors to larn about the ironclad gunboat. The Confederate Navy launched the Neuse in al ill-fated attempt to gain control of the lower Neuse River and the occupied city of New Bern.

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 326

www.nchistoricsites.org/neuse

1600 Haw Branch Rd. Beulaville

from 11:30 am until the food runs out! Be sure to get there early! Catering is available. Please contact us to design your event menu.

(910) 549-7484 http://southernsmokebbqnc.com

KINSTON

Kinston-Lenoir County

Visitor & Information Center

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

“Make us your first stop in Lenoir County”

See the world’s only full-size replica of a Confederate Ironclad.

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 3 www.cssneuseii.org

No matter how you slice it...

PIZZA VILLAGE Is Still Beulaville’s Favorite Restaurant!

www.mikesfarm.com May 11-12

2018 Wallace North Carolina FRIDAY 7-11pm Johnson Boys • Band of Oz Food • Midway • BBQ Cook-Off

Beer & Wine Garden SATURDAY 8am-10:30pm

Cooking Contest • 5K Race Little Miss Pageant • Vendors Beer & Wine Garden • Midway Helicopter Rides • Water Wars Local Performers- music, dance & more! NC Aquarium Touch Tank

Food Vendors • Helicopter Rides

252-522-0004

Society for Creative Anachronism Barefoot Gypsies Tribal Dance

BANDS

Parks & Recreation Department

Daily Lunch Buffet, Monday ~ Saturday

2602 W. Vernon Ave., Kinston, NC

811 W. Main Street 910-298-3346

252-939-3332

Call for Details 910-324-3422 WALLACE

BEULAVILLE

101 East New Bern Rd., Kinston, NC

Kinston-Lenoir County

We offer multiple venue locations for everything from family cook-outs to elegant weddings. We have a large covered shelter, a large banquet room, and The Barn. The Barn is our newest upscale venue for weddings and other events.

Thursday & Friday 4:30-8 p.m Saturday 4:00-8 p.m.

OPEN Thursdays & Fridays 29 Warren St. Garland, North Carolina

Country Store & Restaurant

Trainwreck 11:30-1:30 Harvey Dalton Arnold & The Polar Bear Blues Band 2-4:30 All My Rowdy Friends 5-7 Chocolate Chip & Co. 7:30-10:30 carolina strawberryfestival.com

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SE / Folk

North Carolina

Casting lines in the sand

Story and photo by Trevor Normile et’s get a hearty “Praise Jesus!” going: the trappings of the season have sprung forth and the sprightly sprouts in my garden sport a verdant, splendid, spring-green. The jury’s still out on whether my sprouts will survive my clumsy spade. I was thinking about my sprouts, then still on the sill, when I ran into cousins Maddie Hall and Clifton Miller, fishing off a country highway near the SENC headquarters. Driving past, I spotted Maddie’s straw hat from the road and pulled in to the pond, a kind of community fishing hole not far from the Northeast Cape Fear. In their wide hats and Dodge sedan, the duo had set out to catch crappies. I asked them for a picture and they obliged. Clifton remained mostly quiet, probably hoping this interloping newspaperman would stop scaring away the fish. Maddie on the other hand had much to say. “Two things children are missing are being in church and enjoying the outdoors,” she told me as Clifton fished quietly. “God put this (nature) here for us to survive. And for us to enjoy.” Maddie said she believed young people might not get in so much trouble if they spent more time fishing. Maddie said she believes a dose of vitamin D and a break from videogames would do the young’uns some good. I can’t say I disagree. Fishing is like photography. Both are mostly passive. Drop a line, carry a camera. Yank the line, snap the shutter. It’s not always like that, but mostly it is. The best part of fishing is the boredom.

Is there anything more precious to waste than time? Is there a better excuse to waste it, maybe with a beer and a book, than to go fishing? Medical science dispatched the theory of humorism long ago, but it does spark something. What if Maddie’s right? What if, and she didn’t state this directly, the humors of our souls are out of balance? Could we use a little purposeful boredom? This age is a good time to feel under-stimulated. Recently, I heard an argument on whether to arm teachers or to let our babies continue to be shot in the schools. The only other option is to give up my guns to the police state. There is no in-between, they said. Tomorrow, who knows what quandary awaits us? I am getting sick of it. Maybe this is a sign of weakness on my part. A strong American is a political operative unto himself, who draws a line on each issue that comes before him. No matter which side, he must have the stomach to fight sunup to sundown. If not, what will happen to the transsexuals? The gun manufacturers? The school children? The silent majority? How can I just stand idly by while travesties are committed? Easy. I can do it with a fishing pole. Cold-hearted, I know. The problem with drawing lines in the sand is you must be willing to act when they’re crossed. So you’d better only have a few, or you will be a busy bee. Still, as Americans, we’d much rather just stay home and argue with people on the computer. All that is achieved is everyone annoying everyone else. Of course, it seems now that if everyone had done their jobs properly in Parkland we wouldn’t be having this conversation now, but I digress.

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A lack of healthy boredom is a problem our ancestors didn’t deal with. When the sun came up a century ago, they went outside. Otherwise they’d get bored and, if they lost your jobs, possibly starve. When the sun went down, they got so bored they fell asleep. That’s the biggest change. But it’s 2018 and our society does and will always have very real problems to solve. Of course, just because every head comes with a mouth attached doesn’t mean they should all talk at once. In the movie “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” the silver-tongued devil Dick Liddil told a man “You can hide things in vocabulary.” That’s not always so bad. Perhaps what we call “boredom” can be considered silent reflection or prayer. When we consider whether “prayer changes things,” even if one is not religious, we can all agree that it causes one to close his mouth and think. Have you considered it? Perhaps an afternoon by a fishing hole, in conversation with God or your self, about what it is that you believe in, and where you are going in life could be therapeutic. I find that people in the “silent majority” are rarely silent, but perhaps they can be a little quieter, lest they scare the fish away. In the coming season, consider spending less time fighting for fighting’s sake and whether the things you are saying really come from your heart, or are only meant to cut the other side down. I don’t mean to suggest folks stop fighting for what they believe in, but take a weekend now and then. Maybe the most important lines you need to draw in the sand this spring are the tire tracks leading down a sandy path to a fishing hole. SE

May 11-12

2018 Wallace North Carolina Strawberry Jam

The Johnson Boys

Join us Friday Night at the Wallace Depot! Food • Music Beer & Wine Garden Wings • Midway Rides BBQ Cook-Off

Friday • May 11

6-11pm

6-7:30

7:30-10:30

Carolina Strawberry Festival

Saturday • May 12 Starting @ 11am • Main Street & Depot Stage

Dare Devil Dog Show • Little Miss Pageant • Helicopter Rides • Craft Vendors Dancers & Singers • BBQ Sandwiches • Fair Food Vendors • Beer & Wine Garden

AND OF COURSE...STRAWBERRIES!!!!

Harvey Dalton Arnold &The Polar Bear Blues Band

11:30-1:30

2:00-4:30

All my rowdy friends ultimate Hank williams jr. Tribute show

5-7

Bands & Beer & Wine Garden at the Depot Stage 7:30-10:30

Great selection of Food VendorPLUS

One Price Midway Bands Friday Night $18

Strawberry Shortcake Strawberry Ice Cream Strawberries 4 Sale

www.CarolinaStrawberryFestival.com

SPRING 2018 | WWW.SENCMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM | 67

Life insurance is more than a policy, it’s a promise. (910)296-1486 www.ncfbins.com Matt McNeill

Teddy Bostic

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Nick Bell

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david.underhill@ncfbins.com

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Elvis Tucker Agent Beulaville elvis.tucker@ncfbins.com

Duplin County Farm Bureau

308 N. Main Street • Kenansville, NC 28349 151 Crossover Road • Beulaville, NC 28518 THIS ARTWORK CANNOT BE ALTERED, REVISED, RESIZED OR REBUILT BEYOND CHANGING THE AGENT PHOTO OR CONTACT INFO. CONTACT MADGENIUS WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT COOP@MADGENIUSINC.COM

(910) 296-1486 (910) 298-8400

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www.ncfbins.com *North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. *Farm Bureau Insurance of North Carolina, Inc.; *Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co., Jackson, MS *An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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