Sheri Wren Haymore

THE GIFT OF MUSIC

Romantic gestures come in many forms. A wonderful gesture that will give you and your recipient the feel goods and bring joy for years to come is giving the gift of music. An instrument, music, tickets to a performance, and music lessons all make great gifts. There are many music stores in the area that can help you find an instrument for that grand gesture. Give a guitar, give a bass, or give a uke. If your love already has an instrument, get them music lessons with a great instructor. Mount Airy has several music stores that are long-time staples in the community. Olde Mill Music, at 236 North Main Street, sells instruments and offers guitar, bass, uke, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, piano, voice, and drum lessons. Mayberry’s Music Center, at 117 North Main, has all your traditional instrument needs. Vip’s Violins is another local shop to find traditional instruments and lessons. Find them at 1600 South Andy Griffith Parkway. In Elkin, Ace Music and Pawn, located at 117 West Main Street, has a great selection of guitars and basses. For lessons in Elkin, check out the Reeves School of Music, at 129 Church Street. In King, Shannock’s Pawn, at 607 South Main Street, has a wide array of both new and used instruments. In Rural Hall, you can purchase instruments at Brothers Music and Trade, at 8096 Broad Street. In Wilkesboro, you can find rare instruments and gear at the Vintage Corner, at 101 West Main Street. In Galax, VA, Barr’s Fiddle shop has an array of traditional instruments and offers lessons. They are located at 105 South Main Street.

Your love may be into music but not playing an instrument. A new turntable and some great vinyl are excellent gifts. Records are popular now, and you get the vinyl plus a digital download of the music. Many of my favorite bands now offer vinyl; I’m sure yours do too! Vinyl is the music collector’s choice. The Comics and Record Shop, at 137 South Bridge Street in Elkin, is a great place to buy vinyl. Antique stores often sell old records, and there is no shortage of antique shops in this area; every town has a couple. Besides these shops, you can go online and search a favorite artist and have a fabulous new album delivered to your home. If you are not in a hurry, consider a custom gift by local luthiers, such as a ukulele by EJ Henderson, a guitar by Wayne Henderson or by Gray Burchette, or a fiddle by world famous luthier Joseph Thrift would be a fabulous and unforgettable present. Another great gift idea is luthier classes with Joseph Thrift at the Foothills Art Council in Elkin or with Wayne Henderson at the Wayne Henderson school of Appalachian Arts, in Marion, VA, which has a two-year waiting list currently. Enjoy shopping for the perfect music gift as you celebrate your Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Trails to you!

LET THE ROMANCE BEGIN

Pull out any photo of my parents, from the time they were first engaged through their sixty-four-year marriage, and you’ll see this: Mama is looking at the camera, and Daddy is looking at Mama. He truly adored that woman! I remember every day Daddy would come through the house whistling the tune to a Doris Day classic titled, “Now That I Need You.” In later years, he frequently quoted from a sermon he’d enjoyed, “When God presented Eve to Adam, all Adam could say was, ‘Wow!’” Let’s try an experiment. Set your mind on someone you adore, someone who lights a spark in your heart. Maybe your partner of many years, or perhaps a new love. Or if you’re not romantically connected at the moment, think of a friend or family member who warms your heart. What would it feel like to have that person look at you with absolute adoration and say, “Wow!” Wouldn’t that make for the best Valentine’s Day ever? Now turn that around. Imagine animated cartoon hearts popping out of your eyes as you look at your person. What could you do to demonstrate how much you adore them? I checked in with long-time experts on all things Valentine, Jo Jo Cockerham and Sherry Jarrell of Jo Jo's Flower & Gift Shop in Dobson (jojosflowerandgiftshop.com). (The current owner of the shop is Tonda Tyndall.) I asked about the process involved in creating Valentine’s bouquets. The ladies described the intense work that goes into preparing roses for Valentine’s – unpacking the cartons from Ecuador, wiring and de-thorning the roses, removing cover petals, cutting and soaking the stems – all to create the perfect bouquet for someone’s sweetheart. Flowers, Jo Jo and Sherry told me, can say what’s in a person’s heart more than words. I asked the ladies to tell me about romantic gestures that they’ve witnessed. They related a time when a thoughtful pastor ordered a basket of carnations to be delivered to the local high school – one flower for every girl who had not received flowers from an admirer. The most remarkable action occurred one Valentine’s Day when seven workers had been stuck inside the shop for two nights and three days due to a 20-inch snowfall. There would be no deliveries made that day, but the ladies looked out Valentine’s morning to see a man on a front-end loader plowing his way to the shop to get his wife’s roses! Whether you choose a quietly thoughtful deed or a grand gesture involving heavy equipment, your purpose is to let your Valentine know that they matter to you. It should show your delight in making them happy. So let’s think. What would please your person more than anything? If you already know they’d love something sparkly or chocolatey or good-smelly, then I’ll leave you to it. If you’re feeling inspired to make the day unique, here’s a scenario that offers gestures both thoughtful and grand: First, weather permitting, invite your sweetheart for a stroll. Specifically, you want the stroll to take you underneath a tree laden with mistletoe. Yes, mistletoe works for Valentine’s as well as Christmas. I recommend strolling around the campus of Surry Community College. Look up; a few of those fifty-year old oak trees are full of mistletoe. I assure you that the corniness of a smooch beneath the mistletoe will be quite endearing. Next, suggest an evening spent by firelight. Make sure in advance that the gas logs will light; or have on hand sufficient firewood; or better yet, create (or purchase) an outdoor firepit. If fire isn’t a possibility, then candlelight will set the mood – try Keswick Candle (keswickcandle.com) – located in downtown Mt. Airy. Soon enough, you’ll want to share sustenance. You might put together tasty nibbles presented on a one-of-a-kind charcuterie board crafted by Jason Easter of J E Woodworx (facebook.com/JEWoodworx-110423730466572) in White Plains. Or let a caterer, such as State of Graze (stateofgraze.com) in Mt. Airy, create a fancy spread. Offer something sweet later, like a slice of Kristin Johnson’s famous cheesecake from Lorene’s Bakery (facebook.com/LorenesBakery) in Dobson. Or a personalized cookie creation by Sweets by Sarah

(facebook.com/sweetsbysarahy) in Mt. Airy. Or a decadent sweet made by Sue Heckman of Prudence McCabe Confections (prudencemccabeconfections.com). Now that you’ve relaxed by firelight (or candlelight), let the romantic atmosphere build through music. A thoughtful gesture might include a playlist of favorite songs and a dance party for two.

For a grand musical gesture, I checked in with resident music expert Gin Denton. You can commission Gin’s husband, George Smith (themusicofgeorgesmith.com), to write and record a song just for your Valentine. Or you can hire George to serenade you by firelight. Gin also suggested Jerry Chapman (jerrychapman. com)of Mt. Airy and Tommy Jackson (facebook.com/tommy. jackson.98) of Elkin. Before the evening ends, show your adoration in a tangible way. How about a piece of original art created by local artist Bonnie Hawks Marion (facebook.com/artworkbybonnie)? You can never go wrong with a handmade Valentine, especially one that includes a poem or prayer that you’ve taken the time to write. Delight your person with a jar filled with slips of paper, each one describing why your person means everything to you. Or the notes can promise fun times spent together in the future. Indeed, the future is what Valentine’s Day is really about. What you do to show your sweetheart how much you adore them on Valentine’s should echo every day of the year.

ANDERSON AUDIOLOGY

Hearing Aid Sales & Service, Inc. Locally Owned and Operated Since 1963

Hear Better Live Better

Open Monday thru Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm 8052 Carrollton Pike, Galax, VA

Four offi ces to serve you including Christiansburg, Dublin, and Wytheville

Tina M. Proffi t Au.D.

Kecia Furrow H.I.S. 276-236-0778 • anderson-audiology.com

Mee t Spirit!

The Shepherd’s House in Mt. Airy is a shelter and comprehensive resource center for the homeless. More than a refuge, The Shepherd’s House is an active part of each individual’s journey toward becoming productive members of the community.

Meet Spirit, the carousel horse created by craftsman Clyde Haymore to be raffl ed at $20 a ticket to benefi t the important work of The Shepherd’s House.

There’s still time to Visit Spirit and purchase your tickets at the fi nal Surry County location (or attend the drawing) at:

★ Brannock and Hiatt Furniture ★ Jan. 18 – Feb. 5, 2022

If you can’t come see Spirit in person, contact Clyde to purchase your tickets by check or Venmo: clyde@woodgenius.com OR at www.facebook.com/Woodgenius