Evince Magazine Page  1
Wes Hardin
Painting Public Art in Danville Page 14
Meet Hal Craddock
A Southern Virginia Shoe-In See Page 3
Page 2 January 2017
January Contents
2 Editor’s Note
Photo by Lona Kolinda
3 Meet Hal Craddock / A Southern Virginia Shoe-In by Stephanie Ferrugia
Editor’s Note
Have you ever noticed how one person can change the dynamics of a gathering? Just a word, a gesture, a look and suddenly everyone is affected for better or worse. That’s why I like to be in the company of energetic, positive, smiling people, like Hal Craddock and Wes Hardin both pictured on the cover. Hal is standing in front of his new Danville restaurant. Read page 3, A Southern Virginia Shoe-In, for details. Then turn to page 14, and learn about muralist Wes Hardin in Painting Public Art in Danville. These men are creating a synergy in the River District that is exciting and uplifting. On page 29, Annelle Williams has a delicious recipe for shrimp cakes and a formula for creating positive synergy. It comes from the lyrics of an old song. Linda Lemery’s Reflecting Forward on page 26 tells how the synergy of family and friends helped them play and win a challenge-room game. Casey Molloy talks about being more aware of the energy you project into the world on page 22 in Meditation Moment. For more inspiration, turn to page 23 and read Greet the New Year with Optimism and Enthusiasm by Carollyn Peerman. A different type of synergy can be found in blended wine as suggested in The Wine Spot by Dave Slayton on page 24. Evince is the product of the excellent synergy produced by talented people who work together to make it happen each month. That includes our advertisers who pay the bills so that Evince can be given to our readers without charge. My hope is that every issue of Evince sends affirmative energy into the community and together we’ll create a positive, uplifting synergy that will make 2017 the best ever.
4 She Said He Said / Driving Miss Daisy by Dena Hill & Larry Oldham
OICE OF SYNERGY
CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks President Director of Sales & Marketing Larry Oldham (434.728.3713) larry@evincemagazine.com
5 The Voice of Readers 6 Where Can I Find an Evince? 7 Renovation Reality / Part 10 by Carla Minosh 8 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Emma Rich 9 Second Thoughts / Mug Shot by Kim Clifton 10 The Icarus Girl / Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 13 DIY: Do or Don’t? / 2017 Memory Jar by Kristi Hall 14 Wes Hardin / Painting Public Art in Danville by Joyce Wilburn 15 Understanding Danville’s Tobacco Heritage Mural 16 Calendar Clips 18 Calendar
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Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers
Diane Adkins, Kim Clifton, Rachel Covington, Kimberly Eaton, Stephanie Ferrugia, Adam Goebel, Kristi Hall, Dena Hill, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Erica Lowdermilk, C.B. Maddox, Archer McIntire, Carla Minosh, Casey Molloy, Larry Oldham, Aadil Palkhivala, Carollyn Lee Peerman, Emma Rich, Rachel Shaw, Dave Slayton, Jay Stephens, Lisa Tuite, Melanie Vaughan, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams
Business Manager Paul Seiple(1.877.638.8685) paul@evincemagazine.com
MLK Day in the Dan River Region by Rachel Covington
21 Seven Ways to Have a Better Morning by Aadil Palkhivala
Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com
22 Meditation Moment / The Voice of Synergy by Casey Molloy
Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)
20 Book Clubbing / Truevine by Beth Macy a review by Diane Adkins
23 Greet the New Year with Optimism & Enthusiasm by Carollyn Lee Peerman 24 Wine Spot / Enjoying the Synergy of Grapes by Dave Slayton 25 What’s Happening in the Public Libraries 26 Reflecting Forward Using Synergy to Solve Puzzling Problems by Linda Lemery 27 Gardening Like It’s 1770 / Monticello - A Lasting Legacy by Archer McIntire 28 Was That a Worm Farmer at McDonald’s? by Mack Williams 29 Around the Table Something Old, Something New by Annelle Williams 30 Photo Finish
On the Cover:
Photo of Hal Craddock by Michelle Dalton Photography. Photo of Wes Hardin by Von Wellington Photography.
Don’t Forget to Pick Up the January Edition of Showcase Magazine
evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of February stories, articles, and ads for The Voice of Generosity, is Monday, January 23, at 5:00 p.m. Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com. For ad information contact a marketing consultant or the Director of Sales & Marketing listed above.
Editorial Policies:
eVince is a monthly news magazine covering the arts, entertainment, education, economic development, and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding areas. We print and distribute eVince free of charge due entirely to the generosity of our advertisers. In our pages appear views from across the social spectrum. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.
EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com
Meet Some of Our Contributors
© 2017 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Sincerely,
Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville. Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville.
Emma Rich is a retired draftsman who lives with her husband and three dogs on White Oak Mountain.
Telisha Moore Leigg is a wife, a mother of twin boys, and teacher of magazine journalism, English, and Japanese.
Adam Goebel is the Acting Director of the Danville Science Center. See page 16.
Erica Lowdermilk is the Young Adult Coordinator at Gunn Memorial Library in Yanceyville, NC. See page 25.
We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments
For subscriptions to Evince, email cindy@showcasemagazine.com
Evince Magazine Page 3
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ruffle Parmesan fries, charcuterie pizza, brisket tacos, and zinfandelbraised short ribs…do I have your attention yet? For the fun of it, let’s carry on a little longer—how about alfresco dining along the banks of the mighty Dan River while viewing revitalization at its finest? Did I mention the spectacular riverfront view? Believe me, it deserves an encore. Between the view and the fare, you will feel like you are living right. Or, as we say in the South, living in high cotton. Evince friends, we can experience all of these impressive features rolled into one in mere months when the restaurant, Cotton, opens its doors for business in May as part of the River District Tower at 109 Bridge Street in Danville. The building that Cotton occupies is the former Dan River Mills Picker House and part of the full-scale and unprecedented restoration of the former Riverside Cotton Mill #1 into Spectrum Medical Center in the oldest part of our great community. The man responsible for transforming this vacant space into a soonto-be-popular restaurant is no stranger to the business. Meet Hal Craddock: architect, visionary, boutique hotel and hospitality entrepreneur (Lynchburg’s Craddock Terry Hotel), and savior of historic buildings. Hal and veteran Virginia restaurateur, Stephan Parry, operate several successful joint ventures in Lynchburg, namely the awardwinning Waterstone Pizza and Shoemaker’s American Grille at the Bluffwalk Center. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hal during one of his recent visits to Danville to check-in on Cotton’s progress. It is clear Hal never met a stranger -- his unassuming, warm nature is a perfect fit in our neck of the woods. His resume, however, goes toe-totoe with any urban developer. Hal is a true paradox in the best kind of way. A direct descendant of the Craddock Terry Shoe Company family in Lynchburg, Hal hangs his hat in Richmond. However, do not let the city address fool you -- his Lynchburg roots still pull his heart strings, hence his interest in multiple and highly successful projects revitalizing
Hal Craddock stands inside Cotton and looks over the plans for the new restaurant.
Meet Hal Craddock
A Southern Virginia Shoe-In by Stephanie Ferrugia
downtown areas much like Danville’s River District. And his secret sauce on the restaurant’s menu is encouraging locals to go in with him on the investment. Hal elaborates, “Have you ever dreamed of owning your own restaurant? Many people do, but restaurants can be risky operations if not managed well. Cotton seeks to divide and minimize the risk under the management skills of one of the most successful restaurateurs in Virginia. Parry’s background includes executive positions with Morton’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. His company, Parry Restaurant Group, has planned and operated more than 20 exceptional restaurants during his 30 years in the business.” Hal describes Cotton as a cousin to Waterstone Pizza in Lynchburg -- casual ambiance with a culinary flair. One thing is for sure: this is a great opportunity for local investors who are ready to join the Cotton team. If you are thinking of trying something new this year and dipping your toe into the restaurant business with the pros while also investing in your community with a possible financial return, Cotton could be for you. At a minimum, you can count on enjoying excellent meals with the best view in Danville!
Waitstaff will pass through this archway from the kitchen to the dining area. Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.
• For more information, email craddock.hal@gmail.com.
Page 4 January 2017
SHE SAID
HE SAID
by Dena Hill
by Larry Oldham
Driving Miss Daisy Your middle name should be Let’s Go. No matter what or where, you’re always ready to jump in the car and go! When we planned a trip to Atlanta a few weeks ago and it fell through, you had a gastronomical breakdown. Your stomach was set (most people have their hearts set on things) on the food in Buckhead and various restaurants that we don’t have access to in this area. You probably also included several trips to Krystal Burger and a Krispy Kreme for lunch. Well, just to appease you, I agreed to drive to Myrtle Beach, eat at our favorite seafood restaurant, and then immediately return home. I felt like I had wheels on my backside after that round trip. Plus, you know how sleepy I become when I drive long distances and I had to help during those nine hours. But I didn’t complain, did I? It’s easier to give in to your whims than to listen to your whining and look at the pout on your face. Honestly, though, it was a delicious dinner. I heard you tell some friends that you use to drive thousands of miles a year in your previous line of work and you loved it. When I ask why I have to help drive if that is true, you say, “Because I like to read while I’m in the car.” You like to read and I like to sleep so maybe we need a driver. I’ll even change my name to Miss Daisy, if that will help.
Well, someone is on a rant this month. Not naming names, Miss Daisy, but there is a clear explanation and rationale for my actions. In a recent column, we both talked about changing our lives, getting out of our doldrums and making life exciting again. I think that the spontaneous decision on a Friday morning to jump in the car, drive to Myrtle Beach, eat a delicious meal and drive back home in one day is making a change. Now let me break it down for you from my perspective. It was a ninehour drive. You drove approximately two of those nine hours. The rest of the time you talked on the phone to your brother for an hour, caught up reading two HGTV magazines for an hour, Facebooked on your phone for four hours and slept an hour. You accomplished a lot in those nine hours. If you had been at home that Friday, you would have been in your normal routine when you have a day off--cleaning the house. I really helped you break your monotonous habit of cleaning every hour you are home. Plus, you had the pleasure of my company, a great meal, and beautiful views of the beach from the highway. What more could a woman want in life with her man?
She said He Said
As far as my driving thousands of miles in my previous life, I was paid ten cents a mile and twenty-two cents a gallon for gas. I came out pretty good financially. Now, if we can work out a deal where you pay me ten cents a mile, I will be more than happy to drive you anywhere and I will even call you Miss Daisy.
He Said / She Said can be found in Showcase Magazine.
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The Voice of Readers To the editor: Kim Clifton’s column “Joy to the World” in the December Evince (page 9) was spot on. She wrote it from her heart and I was in the Amen corner. Donna Agee You and many other readers expressed the same thought. Thanks for writing. Her column this month, “Mug Shot,” is funny and another spot-on submission. It’s on page 9.
To the editor: Thank you so much for the front-page article on the exhibit (November, page 3 “Emma Edmunds: Uniting History at the Danvillian Gallery”) and the wonderful spread of photos of the opening (page 30-31). It generated new interest and visitors and there are new groups of young people coming for tours. You did a great job with the information and the photographers were excellent— Michelle Dalton for the cover and inside shot, Von Wellington
for the “Photo Finish” shots. I enjoyed meeting and talking with you. Thanks for all you do for Danville with your excellent publication. All the best, Emma Edmunds Thank you for the compliment and kind words. We are happy that the story and pictures got the word out about the wonderful exhibit. Just a reminder to readers. The exhibit, The 1963 Danville Civil Rights Movement: The Protests, the People, the Stories, continues through September 2017 at 210 North Union Street.
To the editor: I enjoy all the articles in Evince, especially those written by Mack Williams. Cynthia Jones Mack has a way of seeing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. I think you’ll enjoy this month’s submission “Was That a Worm Farmer at McDonald’s?” on page 28.
Letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for space or style. Submission constitutes permission to use.
Tell us what you think.
Email your comments to joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541. If you missed any of the stories mentioned above, they are still available at www.evincemagazine.com.
Page 6 January 2017
24 Reid Street Chatham, VA 434.203.8062
Evince
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reidstreetgallery.com FB Reid Street Gallery
January Calendar of events
Weekly In January Mondays Gentle Yoga with Lorrie Laming 5:30
Begin your week with a gentle yoga practice designed to relax and restore.
Tuesdays Tai Chi with Wyona Witcher 10:00 $10 per person Tuesdays Urban Line Dancing with Bryan Price 5:30 Super fun dance moves will give you a fun workout! Thursdays Multi-Level Yoga with Lorrie Laming 5:30 Build your yoga practice and learn variations of each pose (for all levels). Bring your own mat. $10 per session Thursdays Art After School will begin Wednesday, January 18 3:45 Session will be 12 weeks, payable in three installments. Please call to reserve your child’s space in advance. Students will learn the fundamental elements and principles of art, and use various medium to create their own artwork.
JANUARY January 14 Fused Glass Bowl or Vase 11:00 with Aleen Wilson of Gallery 22 in Martinsville.
$45 includes all supplies and instruction. Please register for this class by Jan. 8. Minimum number of students required.
January 20 6:00
Book Discussion Group with Local Author Henry Hurt— Join us as we host local author
Henry Hurt in a discussion of his most recent book, Stories from the Road Not Taken. Free and open to the public, refreshments will be served.
January 20 6:00
Student Art Show — Opening reception 6 to 8 p.m.
January 28 11:00
Winter Art with Sweet Southern Design Heather Bray— Paint a sweet snowman on recycled barn wood for a festive addition to your winter decor! Just $45 includes all supplies, instruction, and tasty refreshments! Please reserve your seat in advance.
Featured Artist:
Elizabeth Sauder
I am a full-time professional artist. I live with my husband Lee, who is a blacksmith and sculptor, on a working homestead on the sunny south slope of Big House Mountain in Rockbridge County, Virginia. I consider myself a plein air painter. I paint outdoors, in front of and in emotional response to the landscape. I visit a site often, at various times of the day and in various weather conditions and work quickly, usually completing one small “alla prima” painting per session. I paint as a way to explore and become intimate with a place and to better understand the visual and environmental phenomena surrounding it. Through the act of painting I’m trying to understand the fundamental characteristics, the very essence, of the land that I call home. In the summer, between landscape sessions, I load my painting gear into an old Econoline camper van and head out to paint rural carnivals. I camp in the parking lot with the carnival folks and spend the days - and the nights – painting. These paintings straddle the line between landscape and still life and are the very essence of how I view and enjoy the visual world. Color, shape and value, in their exquisite subtleties, are tightly and geometrically related to each other in found, unarranged objects. Plus, it’s just plain fun to paint in the midst of all that colorful chaos, surrounded by happy crowds and the smell of popcorn and cotton candy.
Follow us on Facebook and check out our website for more events and information…..www.ReidStreetGallery.com
Meet Hal
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-In
Shoe rginia hern Vi ge 3 A Sout See Pa rdin Art in Danville Wes Ha blic ng Pu Painti Page
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Stephen Staats
Wearing His Heart on His Sleev e
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Decorating the Tre
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Institute for Advanced Lea rning & Res Calendar earch Clips Page
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Where Can I Find an Evince? Ten thousand copies of Evince are distributed each month at over 100 locations. Find your copy at:
Riverside Drive/Piedmont Drive/Marketplace Area Buffalo Wild Wings Checkered Pig Danview Restaurant El Vallarta Goodwill on Westover Drive IHOP on Piedmont Drive Joe & Mimma’s Karen’s Hallmark Los Tres Magueyes Ruben’s 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. URW Community Credit Union Western Sizzlin YMCA
Main & West Main Street River District Area A La Carte Home Decor American National Bank Brewed Awakening Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library on Patton Street Danville Regional Medical Center Danville Science Center Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen on Main Street Food Lion @ Ballou Park Main Street Coffee Emporium Midtown Market Rippe’s
Piney Forest Road Area
ERA Holley & Gibson Realty Co. Mary’s Diner Piedmont Credit Union
Franklin Turnpike Area Food Lion Medo’s PCP Library @ Mt. Hermon Ruben’s Too Village Pizza
Memorial Drive
Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House
Other
Danville Welcome Center
In Chatham Area
Community Center Chatham Health Center ChathaMooCa Frank’s Pizza PCP Library on Military Drive In Tightsqueeze Food Lion Frank’s American National Bank URW Community Credit Union
In Gretna
American National Bank Carter Bank & Trust Food Lion Hickerbilly’s Kitchen
In South Boston
Bistro 1888 Halifax County Public Library O’ Sole Mio South Boston Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts & History Southern Virginia Higher Education The Prizery Toots Creek Antiques Mall
In Martinsville
China Buffett El Ranchito Elizabeth’s Pizza Martinsville Visitor Center The Pacifica Bay Restaurant
In Yanceyville, NC
Gunn Memorial Public Library The Drug Store
Evince Magazine Page 7
Renovation Reality Part 10 by Carla Minosh Unlike shows on HGTV where home renovations are completed within 30-60 minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut and Main Streets in Danville has been under a transformation for 15 years. This series that began in April explores the truth of home renewal from someone who has been there and done that. If you missed any of the installments, visit www. evincemagazine.com.
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he second contractor we hired was the most expensive one, but the company had a long history and crews working on job sites all over town. We could be assured that they would do a good job, given that they had a reputation to uphold. At this point, we didn’t see renovation lesson number two coming; we had an airtight contract with detailed specifications about every aspect of the job. Considering that this was only a simple front porch, the vast amount of data, drawings, and documents made it look like a renovation of the Vatican. The workers seemed competent and set about pouring the footers, laying the steel base and I-beams that would make this porch last another 100+ years. They were installing the forms for the concrete when the delays started. First, it was the fault of the concrete
contractor and then the weather. By this time, the nighttime temperatures dropped too low to pour concrete, so we waited until spring. It was at this point we realized our porch was this big contractor’s “little” job to be completed when the big jobs had delays, or when the secondstring, quality laborers were not busy doing other things. We recognized that they had no intention of wasting their top-quality contractors on this petty little job on the day the concrete truck finally showed up. It was clear we were working with the “B” Team. The project manager was an unsmiling little man who was not impressed that I had to take an unanticipated day off from work with only 24 hours notice so I’d be present for the pour. I was tired from rising at 3:00 a.m. to make the four-hour drive in order to be in Danville by 7:00 a.m. I was not looking forward to another four-hour drive back the next day. As the concrete issued forth from the hose attached to the roaring rotating truck parked in the front yard, the workers prodded it into all of the crevices and spaces within the cradle of the forms. They began shaping and smoothing the surface into a seemingly-level plane, but nowhere did I see a level being used. I mentioned this to the project manager, who was supervising by spitting tobacco on my azaleas, and he told me it would be level when they were done. They worked studiously and as I saw signs of their being close to finishing and still no level being brought out, I went inside and grabbed a four-foot level, and handed it to the project manager. He took it from me, wordlessly, locking eyes with mine, and without breaking eye contact, set it down leaning against the forms. He then turned and walked off, leaving the crews to finish without him. The inner pour done, the crew now completed the outer section
without supervision, quickly packed up and left. There were no plans to keep the freshly-poured cement moist to allow it to cure better, no plastic placed on top to keep the moisture in. I went outside multiple times during the night to spray water on the newly-poured porch in order to keep the material moist enough to cure properly. The next morning, cold and exhausted, I woke at 2:30 a.m. to drive back to Northern Virginia in order to be at work by 7:00 a.m. The following week we were back in Danville and the forms still had not been removed. We were reassured that would happen soon. Two weeks later we were back and the forms were still in place. Another phone call and still no one showed up. It was over a month later before the crew finally returned to remove the forms and reveal the mess that had been created. The outer section had not been poured properly after the supervisor left. It was a narrow section and the concrete was supposed to have been vibrated in order to shake out any pockets of air. That is a time-consuming process, and apparently wasn’t done, as cavernous voids remained around the perimeter of the deck. In addition, the center that had never been leveled, started at the correct height, but rose to a discernible hump in the center. It was so disappointing. The outer sections were hacked off with a jackhammer with plans for them to be repoured, and the center section was chiseled down with self-leveling cement poured on top. It was a viable plan until we walked on it a few weeks later and the echoes from our footsteps made it clear that the self-leveling cement was already laminating, or separating, from the solid substrate below. In time, the thin superficial layer would crack and pop off. After much debate, an engineer was brought in; it was clear that this porch needed to be taken back down to the rebar and the entire thing poured again. As we were running over six months behind schedule, and they were now clearly losing money on this project, they stalled for as long as they could, then set their “C” Team on the project. Some of these guys weren’t even old enough to sprout facial hair and the ones that could didn’t realize that it could be tended. The tobacco spit on the job increased exponentially, and I had to ban the crew from using the bathroom
due to the ridiculous number of occasions when the tobacco spit missed the toilet and was left where it landed. This time, however, when the concrete was poured, it was done right. My guess is that the higher-ups saw to that one, to ensure that they didn’t lose too much money on the job. When the time came to put together the cast iron elements of the railing, the pieces seemed to go up pretty quickly. With the frame in place, there was some debate about how to fasten the parts together. The antique pieces of iron were cast with anticipation of this problem, and each post is hollow with a metal rod, threaded at the top, attached to a special bolt poured into the concrete at the bottom. Each piece had a slot or collar to fit into the adjacent piece, so that it fit together nicely like a puzzle, all clamped down from the top, and connected to each other at the top and at the rail; no welding would be required. We explained the genius of this system to the job supervisor, who looked skeptically at the ancient cast iron. He wanted to just tack weld it all together. We patiently explained that antique cast iron was fragile, and tack welding with an arc welder would likely cause the iron to crack, like an ice cube in a glass of warm water. Antique cast iron is full of impurities, unlike its modern counterpart, and the sudden drastic shift in temperature from welding could destroy it. We’ve seen it done before, and had to clean up the mess afterward. After explaining all of this, he listened silently, nodded in acquiescence, and that was that. Minutes after walking back into the house, I saw the reflection of a flashing light that could be only one thing. They were tack welding our iron with an arc welder after we had said they couldn’t. Furious, I rushed outside and lost it with the welder, screaming at him to stop. I looked around for the supervisor, but his truck was already halfway down the hill. The welder looked sad and conflicted, and told me that as soon as we went back inside, the supervisor told him to “tack it” and took off. He was just a subcontractor and had to do what he was told. We sent the welding crew home and went down to the main office of the general contractor to have some words with the top manager. They were not nice words...
(to be continued)
Page 8 January 2017
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Emma Rich
I’d like to nominate Chelsea Wann who works in the Framing Department at Hobby Lobby, 135 Collins Drive, for exceptional customer service. I had broken the glass in a large shadow box and needed it replaced. I also had a portrait for framing. Knowing that we were in the middle of the Christmas rush, I assured her both items weren’t needed until after the holidays. While I stopped to chat with the store manager, she replaced the glass, framed my grandson’s portrait and had both items ready within 15 minutes of arriving. I applaud her outstanding work ethic but also recognize what a friendly, outgoing young lady she is with all who come into her department. She is one of the reasons it is such a delight to shop at Hobby Lobby and most certainly deserves to be recognized for her outstanding customer service! Thanks so very much, Chelsea. Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exception customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@gmail.com or chamber@dpchamber.org. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.
Evince Magazine Page 9 dining room hutch and you’ll only find stacks of paper plates for cookouts. I’m probably the only person around who can boast a formal Chinet cabinet. I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. The only things that receive full Resolve from me are the stains on my carpet. Until now. Life is short. Every day is a gift. I plan to unwrap each one to see what it holds with the same excitement as I gave to my Christmas presents. I’m going to take the trip even if it means travelling to Athens, Georgia, instead of Athens, Greece. I will eat the cake. I’ll just be careful that the slices are getting smaller so my slacks aren’t getting bigger. But mainly I’ll buy the shoes. And this time I’ll actually wear them.
Second Thoughts by Kim Clifton ©2017
Mug Shot Life is short. Take the trip. Eat the cake. Buy the shoes. I’ve resolved a lot over the years. Or at least I’ve tried. I was going to exercise more. I was going to lose weight. Clean closets. Visit friends. I’ve paved more roads with good intentions than VDOT has with asphalt. Not this January. The best plan I’ve found comes from this cute mug. Usually what I pour into it starts my day. What’s painted outside of it will start my year. Life is short: Begin with the end in mind. My father always did. “Do you have a good retirement plan?” he’d asked when I told him I’d found a fulltime job in my college major. I was 21 and the ink was still wet on my diploma. There I was launching my career and he was already finishing it. He was right, though. I had no idea how fast the time would fly. Thirty years got here quicker than milk and bread disappear off the shelves during a snow forecast. Take the trip: There’s no “my way or the highway” for me. My way is always the highway. Time
off doesn’t feel like a vacation unless I pack a suitcase. I need to lather up with those little hard hotel soaps shaped like an oversized piece of Pez candy. I need to eat a free breakfast in the lobby. I need to open new doors when my own walls start closing in. Eat the cake: Mealtime has gone to kale, unfortunately. I’m not promoting poor choices but it’s ironic that the Big Mac’s creator lived to be 98 and Colonel Sanders made it to 90. The only things greater than their combined net worth are the fat grams in their menus. What really makes you shake your head is to know that Jim Fixx, the fitness guru who literally got the world up and running, passed away at 52 while jogging! So eat the cake now and then, especially when it’s a birthday party and not a pity party. Buy the shoes: Buying things is never a problem for me. Using them is. That’s where I deprive myself the enjoyment of any indulgences. I save the good stuff for special occasions that
never happen. I’ve stored sealed boxes for 36 years that hold a beautiful place setting for eight. It’s not that we don’t entertain. It’s just that we’re afraid we’ll break a piece of our wedding china when we do. Open my
Ready or not, the ball in Times Square has dropped and making 2017 official. I’m starting the new year inspired from the wisdom I found painted on a mug. So, here’s to trying my hand again at resolutions, even if it isn’t my cup of tea.
Page 10 January 2017
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f Fate is right, Icarus did not go too close to the sun; instead he didn’t fly close enough. He wasn’t going to soar straight anyway, right? I’ve walked the narrow line between joy and judgment. If you aren’t going to make it… if you really aren’t going to get well… then isn’t it better to burn than to fall? --Mandy Blue Eyes “But Icarus was a boy,” fifteenyear-old Fallon says to me. It’s night on the last Friday this December has, a Friday in our living room just before the new year, about 11:45 p.m. Kwon, his mouth open, is splayed on the lumpy couch long past aware. Mean Keisha cradles her pillow in front of her lap; she wants the tale. Only Fallon is fighting it, has gotten up from the first line of the tale and has just come stomping back. “Look, right here, look,” Fallon points a goldish-brown accusing finger at either me or the Elements of Literature textbook she holds, almost trembling and glaring at me with equal parts accusation and betrayal. “You don’t know nothing,…he was a boy and…..” I flip the book closed in her hand, and she stumbles trying to hold onto it and her right-knowing. “Be quiet, Fallon,” I say and stare her down until she does and sits on the couch. She’s still angry. I can’t say I blame her. “Fortis Fortuna adiuvat,” I say and that is what settles her, that Little-Miss-Know-It-All doesn’t know what it means. She quiets in complacent misery that she must humble down to her ignorance. There once was this girl, such a pretty girl…. I lie to them, Fallon and Mean Keisha, every Friday night. Especially at night. Especially Mean Keisha. She needs the lies the most. Fallon just gets the leftover lore. Myths, it’s all just myths. I forgot where they were, but there was this maze… “Crete,” Fallon says in a very superior tone. She’s been more like that lately since her part-time position at Ms. Marva’s (that I got for her) has been seeing where I suspect she thinks I used to live, and sees my quiet fragility as weakness. “That’s where they were,” she continues defiantly. Then she looks to Mean Keisha for solidarity. Mean Keisha gives her the finger. So Fallon, alone, tightly grips the book open, reading
The Icarus Girl fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg along as I go on with the tale. She’s afraid I will take her bookknowledge from her. I won’t. I have no need to do that. But she couldn’t get out until her father says he will build her some wings… “Why don’t you tell it right?” Fallon mumbles as she sits, lightly banging her head once against the living room wall. But she doesn’t get up. And she’s right, I’m not telling it true. I never do. I lie when they ask me is that how the story really goes. And I never tell any story the same. I mix demigods for fun. From my tale of Persephone to Jason and the golden fleece, I think Fallon suspected my fabrication. She would. Mean Keisha just smiles and doesn’t care, tells Fallon to shush or shut the hell up because she wants to hear. Fallon in the tenth grade has read her myths a little, but she only knows them as grade-school characters and minor plot-lines, not the themes, the triumph of tragedy, but I mean for her to know sorrow. So, she’s on to me, but that won’t help her. But…those wings….were man’s invention, not the gods’. So she fell. I know they call me Mandy Blue Eyes. I know what I was, little poor
white girl who didn’t start that poor, down in the projects drunk, projecting my pain in the swallows of wine. I had cause, but don’t we all? I was 26 when my babies were taken. I couldn’t think of them and be sober, so I didn’t think of them. That old life just the feathers and wax of my fall. Mean Keisha is rocking her neck to and fro like she’s listening to her favorite song, and I haven’t really gotten into the meat of the sandwich yet. “Go-on,” she says. So I change the myth. So I do that. So what. Mean Keisha doesn’t know the difference anyway. And Kwon is too little to remember. It’s just Fallon who questions. “I’ma look it up,” Fallon says, and she does. She goes to the 1973 Encyclopedia Britannica we got at a yard sale. It was never the wings… Fortis Fortuna adiuvat. And Fallon doesn’t know, and there is no one to ask, no way to go to the library this night, and she wants to know now. She won’t trust what I’ll tell her. I wait as she’s pouring over that encyclopedia, turning pages, and trying to run reference to my ruin. She shouldn’t. I could just tell her; I mean it’s simple enough, but isn’t it always better to find your own truth, not that it or a quarter will buy you a bottle of pop.
It was all in the warnings that she couldn’t hear… “I’ma look it that ‘Fort Tuna’ up,” Fallon says again, this pretty girl, pissed and precarious, still turning into woman. Finally, she finds it on a page, dog ears it, and by reflex jerks her hand in the air like this is some class, only to put it down slowly. I start to speak again. She looks at me then, like I’m something smarter than she thought. Her eyes show fear, a little awe, and the edge of something wild like hope. She gives me this who-are-you look, and when I smile, it just makes her lean further back. Mean Keisha keeps bobbing her head as I start to speak again, making her own rhythm and rhyme of my telling tale. The machine is the mind of the man…no one said it was easy to fly… Because when Fallon finds the quote, she knows how I mean to go on. She settles. And that’s when I begin to tell my own truth…. My father was a classical literature major at a small college in Georgia before we moved to Boris; on Sundays he would putter in his garage, and I would be with him….
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DIY: Do or Don’t? 2017 Memory Jar by Kristi Hall Do-It-Yourself projects always look easy when someone else is doing it. Kristi Hall will test them for you and give her opinion about whether it’s worth your time and effort.
2017 is here and it’s time to create special moments. You can save all your good memories easily by creating a DIY Memory Jar. Then on December 31, 2017, this Memory Jar will jar your memory and you can reflect on all the moments that have brought you joy during the year. Supplies: • A jar of your choice. I encourage you to go green and use an old pickle or jam jar. • Decorative items: ribbons, stickers, scrapbook paper. • Cardstock or other paper on which to write each memory • Scissors, glue and tape depending on how you decide to decorate the jar Directions: 1. Wash the jar and decorate it. Include the year 2017 on
it by either cutting out and attaching the numbers or using sticker numbers. 2. Cut small strips of colorful paper to put in the jar. Write at least one good memory each week on a strip of paper and put it into the jar. You can also throw in ticket stubs, pictures, and other small objects. I like to push myself and include a list of short/long-term goals.
I rate this DIY project 5 out of 5 stars because it can be created with supplies in your house!
Page 14 January 2017
Photos by Von Wellington Photography.
A typical person would complain about driving a truck and pulling a trailer 500 miles in two days to work in bonechilling, windy weather, but artist Wes Hardin isn’t average and he isn’t grousing. In fact, the self-employed professional who spent the coldest days of December painting Danville’s newest mural loved all aspects of creating a 20x30 foot historical picture in the River District—including the weather. Wes doesn’t mind the cold temperatures even though he’s spent most of his life in Florida’s warm climate. The former student of advertising design at the Art Institute in Fort Lauderdale talks about his experiences in Danville, “In December 2005, when I was here painting the Old 97 mural, it snowed and the sidewalks were icy. No one was outside, but being a Southern boy, I took any excuse to be in the snow. I walked the whole area and fell in love with Danville.” It must be mutual admiration because all three of the city’s murals, including the latest at the corner of Craghead and Loyal Streets, were created and
Wes Hardin
Painting Public Art in Danville by Joyce Wilburn painted by this father of two adult sons and grandfather to one-yearold Riley. Months of planning and conversation preceded his arrival in mid-December. He explains, “I received a narrative about the history of the tobacco industry from the River District Association (RDA). I thought of iconic imagery that would communicate the story and then I created sketches. My goal is to always draw attention to some event or time in history that residents and visitors might not notice and make them want to know more.” After a preliminary drawing was approved by the RDA, line art akin to a coloring book was created, so he’d know the placement of things in the mural. (See drawing on page 15.) Using a grid where one inch equaled two feet, Wes was able to transfer the picture from paper to the blank brick wall that had been freshly painted and sealed by the owner of Gentry Lofts on Craghead Street. Wes elaborates on two guiding principles he holds while creating, “My work
must pull people in from blocks away and the acrylic paint I use must withstand the worst weather.” Forty years of experience in the art business has given him the knowledge to be successful at both. Envisioning a completed product, Wes remarks, “In a perfect world, it usually only takes about two weeks to finish a mural.” Thinking about the latest mural at the entrance to the historic Tobacco Warehouse District, he adds, “Murals are community projects, a celebration of Danville’s history. The thing I enjoy the most in creating public art is meeting the people who pass by while I’m working and who share personal stories about what I’m painting.” Wes jokes that one day when he grows up and no longer wants to be painting in all kinds of weather, he might return to a climatecontrolled studio. “Right now, I enjoy painting murals and it’s
an opportunity I’ve been very fortunate to be involved in,” he reflects and then adds praise for Danville. “There are towns where I have worked that I won’t return to because I didn’t enjoy the experience. I love Danville and its people. Being here has always been a good experience for me.” And he could have added, “…no matter what the weather may be.” • To see more of Wes Hardin’s work, visit Instagram. • To learn more about the RDA, visit www.danvilleriverdistrict. com. • The other murals in Danville created by Wes Hardin are: the Old 97 train wreck at the Memorial Drive/Main Street/ Craghead Street intersection on the exterior wall of Lizzy Lou Boutique completed in December 2005; the transportation mural on North Union Street facing Spring Street that shows downtown Danville in the 1920s completed in August 2006. Amy Eanes completed a mural in 2007 at Sacred Heart School, 540 Central Boulevard, displaying the history of the Catholic school founded in 1953.
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Photo by Von Wellington Photography.
Understanding Danville’s Tobacco Heritage Mural Flue-cured tobacco barns: By the latter decades of the 19th century, Bright Leaf Tobacco harvested across Southern Virginia was typically flue-cured in tobacco barns outfitted with wood-burning stoves. Inside these barns, tobacco leaves were hung from sticks that rested on horizontal tier-poles. Flues (or ducts) distributed heat, which cured the leaves while protecting them from smoke. Then the leaves were stored in pack barns, graded for quality, and sent to auction. Flue-cured tobacco barns were retrofitted with oil or gas burners after World War II and fell into disuse with the increasingly popularity of bulkcuring barns by the 1970s. Batteaux on the Dan River: These long, narrow, flatbottomed boats brought tobacco to Danville. For example, Richard Louis Dibrell purchased tobacco in Madison,
North Carolina, and shipped it down the Dan River by batteaux to Danville where it was loaded onto trains. Dibrell Brothers and other post-Civil War brokers put Danville on the map as the source for premium quality, flue-cured Virginia Bright Leaf. Danville System of selling tobacco: The sale of loose leaf tobacco by auction on a warehouse floor originated in Danville at Neal’s Warehouse just prior to the Civil War. The practice proved very popular and was quickly adopted everywhere as the Danville System. While living in Danville, Col. Chiswell Langhorne, the father of Lady Nancy Langhorne Astor, is said to have set the rhythmic pattern of the tobacco auctioneer’s chant that was quickly used in other places. The auction market together with production of the popular Bright Leaf Tobacco brought recovery from wartime devastation more quickly to Pittsylvania County and
Danville than was possible in many sections of the state.
tobacco quickly, leaving it a vivid yellow color.
Bright Leaf Tobacco: In the 1850s on a farm in Caswell County, North Carolina, Abisha Slade perfected a process for curing yellow tobacco. Tobacco had long been a major crop for the region, but not until the accidental development of Bright Leaf did the market for the product start booming. Abisha’s slave, Stephen, discovered the process in 1839. Working as a blacksmith on the Slade farm, Stephen was overseer of the curing process for the tobacco crop. On one occasion, lulled by the warmth of the fire, Stephen fell asleep. A few hours later, he woke to find the fire almost extinguished. To keep it burning, he rushed to a charcoal pit (part of his blacksmithing operation), gathered some hot coals and threw them onto the dying embers, creating a sudden, intense heat. The heat cured the
The flue-cured tobacco became known as Bright Leaf Tobacco and the variety became popular with smokers. Although the discovery took place on a Piedmont plantation, farmers along the Coastal Plain soon adopted the process and constructed hundreds of curing barns. By 1857, Abisha Slade was harvesting 20,000 pounds annually yielding some of his highest profits ever. Bright Leaf Tobacco led North Carolina to a dominant position in the tobacco industry and made Danville, Virginia, the buckle of the Old Belt and the World’s Best Tobacco Market (WBTM). • Information was gathered from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and local historian Gary Grant. Visit www.dhr.virginia.gov. Search under highway markers.
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Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.
For more activities, see the calendar on page 18.
Friday, January 6 Russian Revolutionary Poster Exhibit Opening Reception
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street, presents this exhibit at a free, open-to-thepublic reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Propaganda has always been an important political tool in the Soviet Union and poster art was one of the most viable means to spread information. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the stormy 12-year period from 1917 to 1929 that ushered in the October Revolution. The images represent a period that spanned a decade of unrest, counterrevolution, famine, foreign military intervention, and economic turmoil. The exhibit will run through March 12. For more information, call 434.793.5644. (submitted by C.B. Maddox)
Tuesday, January 10 Health for All – How You Can Make a Difference
instruments, starting at 7:00 p.m. From Williamsburg, Virginia, Shostak presents a multimedia concert using a glass armonica invented by Benjamin Franklin and new instruments created by glass artists from around the world including a glass violin and crystal handbells. Tickets are $15/12/5 and will be available at the door or by contacting the museum at 434.793.5644. (submitted by C. B. Maddox)
Opening Saturday, January 21 Eat Well, Play Well
The Danville Science Center’s newest traveling exhibit brings nutrition and fitness education together to encourage all-around healthy living for visitors of all ages. Children and their families learn the science of making healthy food choices while exploring fun and interesting ways to be active. Can you stay balanced for more than a second? Are you as flexible as you could be? How much is an appropriate serving size? How long will it take you to burn off those calories? Find out the answers to these questions and more as you discover that healthy choices are all around us. (submitted by Adam Goebel)
Tuesday, January 31 Step by Step
Annie Martinie, Senior Program Officer, Community Health and Wellness, Danville Regional Foundation, will present this free program from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Ballou Recreation Center, lower level, 760 West Main St. Bring a lunch and a friend. Drinks and dessert are provided. Boxed lunches can be ordered in advance for $6.50. Call the Cancer Resource Center to make a reservation, 434.421.3060, or email cllitzenberg@vcu.edu. The Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia is funded by Massey and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)
This peer-to-peer group learns ways to reduce the risk for cancer and live a healthy lifestyle. It meets at the Danville Mall in front of Karen’s Hallmark Shop at 9:00 a.m. for a walk and then at 10:30 a.m. at Nature’s Essentials, 413 Mt. Cross Road, to talk, learn and have a delicious, healthy snack. Gingy Blakely will share information about staying healthy in a world laden with toxicity, from the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the foods we eat that might be full of unwanted chemicals. Dianne Whittle, the group’s founder and a Coordinator at the Cancer Research and Resource Center of Southern Virginia, will provide educational materials and lead the discussion. Gingy studied with Paula Diana at the Diet for Living School of Natural Nutrition and is a certified Reformer Pilates/yoga instructor. This program is for men and women of all fitness levels. For more information, call 434.421.3060 or email dwhittle@vcu.edu. (submitted by Melanie Vaughan)
Friday, January 13
Upcoming
Corks & Forks
Danville Science Center’s annual fundraiser will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at 677 Craghead Street. Taste wines from France and Italy, specialty beers, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Participate in an auction that includes trips to Tuscany, Cabo San Lucas, Charleston, San Francisco/ Sonoma, Key West, Wrigley Field and Punta Cana. Tasting wines and beers will be available by the glass/bottle for $5.00 each. Tickets are $60 per person. All proceeds benefit DSC’s educational programs. For tickets and more information, call 434.791.5160 or visit www.dsc.smv.org. (submitted by Adam Goebel)
Thursday, January 19 Science After Dark
Join the Danville Science Center at 677 Craghead Street between 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Check out Asteroid: Mission Extreme in the digital dome followed by an astronomer-led discussion on asteroids, comets and meteors. At nightfall, step outside with DSC staff for stargazing and viewing of the Geminid meteor shower--weather permitting. Discounted general admission $5; free for DSC members and college students with ID. Visit www.dsc.smv.org or Facebook for more information. (submitted by Adam Goebel)
Friday, January 20 Crystal Concert
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street, presents guest artist Dean Shostak, a master of making music with historical glass
Saturday, February 4 Spring to Green Gardening for Southside
Presented by Virginia Cooperative Extension and Danville Master Gardeners, this seventh annual event will be held at The Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Michael Hylton (top) will present Natural & Organic Gardening and Composting & Edibles. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Hylton was a horticulture/agriculture agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension. He will introduce healthy, sustainable methods of gardening through his presentations. Other speakers include Pat Brodowski, (middle), Monticello’s vegetable gardener, and Peggy Cornett, (bottom), Monticello’s Curator of Plants. Spring to Green will feature a Learning Center that offers practical learning opportunities, a silent auction, vendor marketplace with a variety of gardening products, and a gardening book sale. Registration fee of $50 must be postmarked by January 27. Information and registration forms are available at www.danvillemastergardeners.org or call 434.799.6558. (submitted by Kimberly Eaton)
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January Calendar Ongoing
Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District. Danville Historical Society. www.danvillehistory. org. 434.770.1974. The 1963 Danville Civil Rights Movement – The Protests, the People, the Stories. The Danvillian Gallery. 434.466.7981. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) self-guided audio-visual tours. 434.793.5644. Public Library Events. See page 25. Reid Street Gallery Events. See ad page 20. Tai Chi with Wyona – Enhance breathing, calm the mind, reduce stress. Mondays 11:15am-12:15pm & 5:45pm-6:45pm; Wednesdays 3:30pm4:30pm $6. Ballou Nature Center 434.799.5216. Let’s Dance – Learn new dances, make new friends. Donna Robbins teaches a variety of dances in
a fun atmosphere. A partner is not necessary. Adults 18+. Tues 7-8.30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Art with Judie – Learn how to paint with acrylic, oil, or water color. M/ TU – Times vary. Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216. Kuumba African Dance – a great workout with live drumming and energetic dancing. Kids M/W 5.30pm; Adults M 6-7.30pm. 434.799.5150. Prime Time Fitness – Low-impact aerobics workout with a mix of various dance steps. Tu/Th 9.30-11am. Coates Rec. Center. 434.799.5150. Zumba Classes – Hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves create a one-of-a-kind interval training fitness program with fun routines that tone and sculpt the body while burning fat. 434.797.8848. Art with Flo – Wet-on-wet technique of oil painting. Ages 18+. W 9.3011.30am. Glenwood Community Center; 6-8pm, Ballou Annex. 434.799.5216.
What Will You Stand For? by Rachel Covington
The Center for Community Engagement & Career Competitiveness (CCECC) at Averett University is partnering with Omega Psi Phi, Riverview Rotary, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to honor Dr. King’s legacy. A common thread throughout the 2017 events is our region’s rich history in the Civil Rights Movement. Many of the events will celebrate the stories and the people who demonstrated a true commitment to their beliefs and stood up in the face of injustice. Although we live in a time that is more equitable than it was 50 years ago, there still is much to be done as we work towards racial, social and economic justice. So, we ask you, “What will you stand for?”
January 13 & 14
The 1963 Danville Civil Rights Movement: The Protests, the People, the Stories. 1-5pm Danvillian Gallery, 210 N. Union Street
January 13
SCLC Youth Celebration: 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. Free. 6pm Cherrystone Missionary Baptist Center, 5551 Tom Fork Rd., Ringgold.
January 14
SCLC Stop the Killing Banquet: Guest Speaker: Dr. George Bates 6pm. Stratford Conference Center, 149 Piney Forest Rd. $300/table; $30/individual. Tickets at Abe Koplen Clothing Co., 214 N. Union St. 434.489.3114.
January 15
AU & Riverview Rotary America’s Sunday Supper: 3:30pm. River District Event Center, 136 S. Ridge St. Free. RSVP required. 434.791.7214. Danville By Choice and History United’s Sunday Supper: 2 Witches Brewing Co., 209 Trade St, 3:30-5pm. Join in the conversation about MLK’s legacy, Danville’s local Civil Rights history, the current state
of Danville relations and the strength of our community today. Snacks will be available; you are encouraged to bring a dish to share. RSVP www. facebook.com/danvillebychoice or by emailing inadixon@virginia.edu. SCLC Stop the Killing March: Meet at the MLK Bridge at 5pm; march at 5:30pm. Free. The march ends with a service at Loyal Baptist Church on Holbrook St. featuring Bishop Lorenzo Hall.
January 16
16th Annual Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Scholarship Breakfast: Guest Speaker: Bishop Lawrence G. Campbell 8-10:30am Stratford Conference Center, 149 Piney Forest Rd. $20. 434.799.5444. MLK Day of Service: 11am-3pm Drop-in at E. Stuart James Grant Center, AU North Campus, 707 Mt. Cross Road. Free. Recognition ceremony for the MLK Art Contest, MLK Story Contest and MLK Photography Contest at noon. What Will You Stand For? Candlelight Vigil: 5pm Blount Chapel, AU, 420 West Main St. Free.
S M T 1 2 3 8 9 10 15 16 17 22 23 24 29 30 31
W T F S 4 5 6 7 11 12 13 14 18 19 20 21 25 26 27 28
African Rhythms by Nguzo Saba – West African dance to live drumming. W 6-7pm. Pepsi Building. 434.797.8848. Ballou Jammers – Acoustic musical jamboree. Bring a stringed instrument or listen. TH 3-5pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Friday Night Fun and Dance – Live music provided by the City Limits Band on the first, third, and fifth Friday. The Country Pride Band plays on the second and fourth Friday of the month. Ages 50+. F 7.30-10.30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.
about inexperience. You will be taught how to act, sing and dance. Ages 8-18. Spring performances are March 31, April 1, 2, 7, 8, & 9. Performance for schools is April 5. 1pm. The Historic North Theatre 434.203.2870 or mjgrubb@comcast. net.
January 2
January 19
Danville by Choice & Meet Up Monday Quizzo – Four rounds of trivia. Teams consist of up to four people. 5:30 assemble team; 6pm game time. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co.
January 2, 9, 19, 23, 30 & Feb. 6
Pottery Class. Ages 8th gradeadult. Instructor Jonathan Scollo. $95 museum members/$105 nonmembers. 6-9pm. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. 434.792.5355.
January 5, 12 & 19
MLK Day in the Dan River Region
January 2017
Throw Paint at Cancer – A peerto-peer support group for cancer patients and survivors. No experience necessary. 4-6pm. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. 434.421-3060 or cllitzenberg@vcu.edu.
January 6
Russian Revolutionary Poster Exhibit Opening Reception. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. See page 16.
January 7 (thru March 18)
Winter Farmers Market. 9am-1pm Community Market, Craghead St. 434.797.8961.
January 8 (thru March 26)
Pickleball Play. Sundays 2-4:30pm, Danville City Auditorium Gym; Mondays (except January 16), 5:307:30pm, Glenwood Rec Center. $3. 434.799.5216.
January 10
Health for All. See page 16. What is Compounding? Light refreshments and door prize. No fee. Preregister. 1-2:30pm. Ballou Nature Center. 434.799.5216.
January 11 (thru February 23)
Tai Chi with Paul – Increase strength, balance and flexibility. Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm; Thursdays 11:15am12:45pm. Ballou Nature Center. 434.799.5216.
January 13
Corks & Forks. See page 16.
January 14
North Star Theatre Project Auditions – Performers should prepare a monologue no longer than 45 seconds and a vocal selection no longer than 45 seconds. Don’t worry
January 17
Pets and Compounding. Light refreshments, “treats” served and pet-friendly door prizes. No fee. Preregister. 1-2:30pm. Ballou Nature Center. 434.799.5216. Science After Dark. See page 16.
January 20
Tender Loving Christian Sisters – Celebrating 15th years. Speaker Diane Nevells, music Anna Adams “Come see what our God can do”. RSVP. 11am-1pm. Mary’s Diner. 434.793.8140. Zipline and S’mores Roast. 6-8pm. Skate Park at Dan Daniel Park. $12. 434.799.5150. Crystal Concert. See page 16.
January 21
Winter Plunge – Zipline for ages 8+. $12. Register by January 16. 3-4:30pm. 434.799.5150. Eat Well, Play Well. See page 16.
January 24
Pain Relief and Compounding – Oh my aching back! Light refreshments and door prize. Free. Pre-register. Ballou Nature Center. 434.799.5216.
January 27
Canvas & Cabernet. 6:30-9:00pm. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History – 434.793.5644.
January 27 & 28
The 23rd Annual Twin Rivers International Media and Film Festival. 10am-5pm. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History – 434.793.5644.
January 31
Help! I Can’t Swallow Pills! Light refreshments and door prize. Free. Pre-register. 1-2:30pm. 760 West Main St, Danville. 434.799.5216. Step by Step. See page 16.
Upcoming February 3
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. George Washington High School Auditorium, 701 Broad St., Danville Concert Assoc. $25/10 www.eventbrite.com 434.792.924.
February 4
Spring to Green. See page 16. 16th Annual Storytelling Festival. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 10am-2pm. 434.793.5644.
For more events see Calendar Clips on page 16. The deadline for submitting information for the February calendar is Monday, January 23, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
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Book Clubbing A Review by Diane Adkins
Truevine
Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother’s Quest – A True Story of the Jim Crow South by Beth Macy
“It’s a novel, right?” Every time I try to state the basics of Macy’s new book, unfailingly someone will ask that question. They think the story of George and Willie Muse of Truevine, Virginia, a crossroads in Franklin County, could not be true. I can’t blame them. What are the chances that two albino African-American brothers growing up in the tobacco fields of rural Virginia in 1899 would be found by a circus, stolen from their family, and impressed into the life of freak show attractions, a life that they neither chose nor for which they were compensated years after slavery supposedly had ended? And if you can believe that part, then what chance was there that their mother, Harriett Muse, an illiterate maid living in Roanoke, one of the most segregated towns in Virginia, would find them 28 years later, free them from their unwilling servitude and receive a settlement for their back wages? Come to think of it, it does sound like fiction. Sideshow acts in circuses throughout the United States, the brothers had been billed as everything from Ecuadoran savages to sheep-headed cannibals to Eko and Iko, ambassadors from Mars. Their albinism and dreadlocks allowed their handlers to change their backstory at the service of profits. But how they got into this business remained shrouded in mystery. When Macy was a new reporter at The Roanoke Times more than 20 years ago, she was told that the story of the Muse brothers was the best story that had never been told. Through all these years, Macy cultivated her sources in her own way---which means she got to know them as people, not just folks who could help her write a book and advance her career. It took that long to build up enough trust for family members of these men, and especially their grandniece and caregiver Nancy Saunders, to let Macy in on family lore. The research she did led to some uncomfortable discoveries. It also revealed the courage of George and Willie’s mother, Harriett, who fought every racist power that stood in her way as she sought first to see her sons again, and then to obtain the compensation they deserved. In history, it’s usually the winners who tell the story, and Saunders is rightfully suspicious that no white person will get this story right. But Macy gives George and Willie the voices to tell their own stories, something that is frequently denied African Americans. The story of Willie Muse’s later years is the most moving section of the book. The facts of the story may be disputed, but the truth of the story is the one Nancy Saunders voices to Macy: “The Muse boys always came out on top.” Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director; Beth Macy will be making appearances in Fincastle, Abingdon, and Roanoke in January. For information, visit www.intrepidpapergirl.com.
Evince Magazine Page 21 proteins that are more difficult to digest. 5. Stretch. Just like you would warm your car on a cold winter day, you need to warm up the body. Do some simple stretches that focus on the neck, shoulders, hips and spine. 6. Take a warm shower. It’s as common as the chickenand-egg debate. Should you shower in the morning or at night? The answer is actually both but especially in the morning, because a warmto-hot shower will increase
circulation in the skin and help awaken the nervous system. 7. Sleep with clean air. When you sleep in a room that has clean air, you’re going to wake up feeling refreshed. Use an air ionizer and purifier with a HEPA filter that removes odors and fumes from cleaners, aerosols, carpet and paint. HEPA filters remove more than 99 percent of airborne irritants. • For more information, visit www.aadil.com.
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by Aadil Palkhivala
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Yoga legend Aadil Palkhivala, known across the world as the Godfather of Yoga in the West, offers these tips that will make it easier to get going in the morning. Most people dread the moment the alarm clock goes off having to fight their way out of bed to start the day. But what if you could turn morning into your favorite time of the day and waking up was easy and enjoyable? Try this: 1. Wake up to something pleasant. The first things most people think about when they wake up are all the things they have to do that day. It quickly makes them feel overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed. Instead, start your day thinking about the things you are grateful for and the fun activities you have planned for the day. Do some heartfelt meditation that focuses on deep breathing that will wake you up peacefully and put you in the mood to create. 2. Lose the traditional alarm
clock. Jarring the body from a deep sleep is unhealthy for the nervous system. Waking up to a softer noise that gradually increases in volume is a much better choice. Sounds from nature are soothing and naturally awake the body. 3. Drink a glass of warm water. Before you head for the coffee, drink a glass of warm water. It will open up the circulation in the throat and stomach. Warm water helps the body naturally hydrate and feel awake and alive. It also helps enhance circulation and removes toxins from the previous night and day. People who drink water immediately before going to bed and when waking are also less prone to heart attacks. 4. Drink an organic smoothie. They say garbage in equals garbage out, so start your day with a powerful organic smoothie. Anything that contains fresh fruits/ veggies is a good choice along with plant-based proteins. Avoid animal-based
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Page  22 January 2017
Photo by Rachel Garrison
Meditation Moment The Voice of Synergy by Casey Molloy, RYT Synergy, the synchronicity of energy. The energetic forces that constantly surround and create our existence are indicative of our personal health and wellness. Becoming aware of this constant energy around and within us allows us to become more comfortable in our world. Energy seems to be a word that has found its way into everyday lingo. Its definition may be debated but in terms of yoga and meditation, energy often refers to Prana, the life force or simply, the breath. Without breath we fail to exist. For most of us, the body is expected to continually breathe for us, without much regard. When we are relaxed, our breath flows slowly and naturally, when stressed, it becomes short and shallow. With this shortened breath, the body is seriously affected. During stress, the sympathetic nervous system takes over in a flight or fight response and body systems that are not required for survival shut down. To remain in this state for an extended period of time becomes detrimental to our health. Take time today to observe your breath. Without controlling it, feel how it flows in and out of
your body. You may notice that throughout your day there are times when you unconsciously hold your breath, or suck in your belly and breathe into your chest. When we establish a conscious connection between breath and body, we experience a heightened level of functioning throughout our entire beings. By nourishing your cells, tissues, and organs with a fresh inhale you are sure to feel revitalized and replenished. The exhale on the other hand, allows us to cleanse and remove any stagnant or stale energy that may be stuck, causing blockages in the body or the mind. The next time you are in a situation where your breath has become more rapid, make time to calm down and take a few slow breaths. The idea is that by bringing an awareness to the breath, it encourages us to slow down physically and mentally, and enables positive actions over impulsive reactions. When a heightened awareness of breath is cultivated, we understand its important relationship with the body and the mind. When you acknowledge the power of the breath, and practice conscious breathing, its immense benefits will become apparent.
Evince Magazine Page 23
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Greet the New Year with Optimism & Enthusiasm by Carollyn Peerman An optimist is a person who makes the best of it when he receives the worst of it. An optimist is a hope addict. Are you an optimist? Although you may be wrong, do you bear your mistakes with fortitude? Optimism is a cheerful frame of mind that enables a teakettle to sing although it’s in hot water up to its neck. While a pessimist sees a hole, the optimist sees a doughnut. When the pessimist sees the glass as half-empty, the optimist sees it as half-full. A pessimist invented the life preserver; the optimist invented the boat. A pessimist has no motor, the optimist has no brakes. The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Get the picture? It pays to be an optimist. If you will habitually think optimistically and hopefully, your positive thinking will set in motion creative forces. Success, instead of eluding you, will flow towards you. Colin Powell in his leadership primer wrote, “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” He explained his principle this way: “The ripple effect of a leader’s enthusiasm and optimism is awesome. So is the impact of cynicism and pessimism. Leaders who whine and blame engender those same behaviors among their colleagues. I am not talking about stoically accepting organizational stupidity and performance incompetence with a “What, me worry?” smile. I am talking about a gung ho attitude that says, “We can change things
here, we can achieve awesome goals, we can be the best.” Spare me the grim litany of the realist; give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day. Your attitude has an influence on the behavior of those around you. Like attracts like. It is a basic law. Negative thinking attracts negative results. Change your thoughts from negative to positive and from pessimistic to optimistic and you will change your world. You are creating your own life by the thoughts that flow through your mind. Your worst enemy and your best friend are your thoughts. The spirit of the optimist is illustrated in the following: The optimist fell ten stories. At each floor he shouted to his friend, “All right so far!” “The world is a great mirror. It reflects back what you are,” noted writer Thomas Dreier. Therefore, a loving person lives in a loving world. A happy positive person lives in a happy positive world. A negative pessimistic person lives in a negative pessimistic world. Everyone you meet is your mirror. Give a cheerful uplifting greeting to a stranger you meet and more than likely you will receive a cheerful uplifting greeting in return. Why not grasp the attitude that this is the best day the world has ever seen and that tomorrow will be even better? Remember the wonderful pianist Arthur Rubinstein? He said, “I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.” Let your life be a journey in jubilance. Celebrate your existence with optimism and enthusiasm.
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Page 24 January 2017 Synergy is a combined effect or outcome greater than the sum of separate parts. What comes to my mind when I hear the word, synergy, is blended wine. Recently, I tasted a good Merlot from a well-known California producer and learned that its 2014 vintage was made with more than 75% Merlot grape varieties but also included Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is legal in the United States to blend up to 25% of other grapes with the variety printed on the label. A skilled winemaker will create a blend to maintain a flavor consistency from year to year or to create a flavor recipe. The wine makers of Bordeaux, France have been doing this for years and with great success using mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. In Bordeaux, the area known as the Right Bank of the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers produces wines primarily with Merlot as the main blending grape. Wines from the Right Bank are known
for their bold style, but because of the ratio of Merlot to other grapes, they tend to be slightly smoother with more subtle tannins. The Globe and Mail newspaper in Canada, reports, “Tannins enhance flavor by imparting a sense of structure to the wine. Think of frozen lemon slush versus watery lemonade, or the pulp in orange juice versus the pulp-free stuff you can now buy. Depending on winemaking practices, tannins can have either a raspy texture or a more polished, creamy feel.” The Left Bank of Bordeaux contains two main regions, Médoc and Graves, and Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary blending grape giving the wines a peppery flavor and bolder tannins.
The Wine Spot
Enjoying the Synergy of Grapes by Dave Slayton
a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers
So, just as you would not judge a book by its cover, don’t decide to like or dislike a blend until you taste it. It may just be a winning combination that exceeds your expectations. Cheers!
Evince Magazine Page 25
Pittsylvania County Submitted by Lisa Tuite
Special Events • January 5: Family Bingo 2-4pm, Chatham. • January 6: Music & Movement 10-10:30 am, Chatham. ages 0-5, movie 2pm Brosville. What are our furry friends up to now? • January 12: Essential Oils Workshop 6pm Brosville. Learn natural ways to help fight colds and the flu. • January 14: Snowy Day @ the Library 11am Mt. Hermon featuring Ezra Jack Keats’ A Snowy Day. • January 17: DIY Craft 5pm Gretna. Make a pinecone wreath. $4 • January 28: Winter Craft, 10am-1:30pm, Chatham. Lunar New Year Celebration @ Mt. Hermon. A special story and craft adventure. • January 31: Inspire Your Heart with Art, 3-4:30pm Chatham. Paint with Miss Angie. DIY Craft 5pm Gretna. Make a yarn wall hanging. $2 Brosville/Cascade • Needlework Tuesdays 10am January 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. On January 17, learn to crochet a snail. Bring cotton yarn and a size G hook. • Dancercise Wednesdays 9am January 4, 18, and 25. Line dance for fitness! • Wednesdays for Wees 1010:30am, January 11, 18, and 25. Story time for ages 0-5. • Walk Fit Fridays 9am, January 6, 13, 20, and 27. Walk while listening to library DVDs. • Book Bingo 6-7:30pm January 19. Win books and other prizes.
What’s Happening in the Public Libraries • Try It Thursday 6pm January 26. Bring a sock. Make sock snowmen. Chatham • Mother Goose on the Loose Mondays 11-11:30 am January 9, 23, and 30. ages 0-3. • Story Time with Miss Angie & Friends Wednesdays 10-10:30 am, January 11, 18, and 25. ages 3-5. • Brown Bag Book Reviews Wednesdays noon-1pm, January 4, 11, 18, and 25. Adults. • Computer One-on-One Help Wednesdays 6-7pm, January 4, 11, 18, and 25. • 2nd Thursday Discussion Group 4-5:45 pm, January 12. Adults. • Coloring Program 4-6pm January 19. Relaxation for all ages. • LEGO Play 3-4:45pm January 26. Gretna • Group Fitness, 10-10:30am, Mondays and Thursdays, January 5, 9, 12, 19, 23, 26, and 30. Get fit with DVDs from the library. Adults. • 2nd Tuesday Recipe Club, 5:30pm, January 10. Casseroles and Cobblers Cook something using a recipe from a library cookbook. Bring it and the recipe to share. • Wednesdays for Wees 10-10:30am January 11, 18, and 25. Ages 3-5. • Homeschool Connection 2-3pm, Tuesdays, January 3, 17, and 31. • Bingo for Books, 5pm January 24 Family fun.
South Boston Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens
Tuesdays • Itsy Bitsy PALS, 12:30-1:30 birth to age 2 • PALS 2:30-4:30 ages 2-7 • Tweens 4:30-5:30 ages 8-12 • January 5: Computer class 6pm Introduction to Tablets • January 10: Adult crafts 1-2pm
• January 20 2pm Throw Paint at Cancer. Contact the Halifax County Cancer Association to register, 434.476.2714. For more information, visit South Boston Public Library, 509 Broad Street, or www.halifaxlibrary.org, or call 434.575.4228.
Halifax County Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens
Wednesdays • Itsy Bitsy PALS, 12:30-1:30 birth to age 2 • PALS 2:30-4:30 ages 2-7 • Tweens 4:30-5:30 ages 8-12 • January 4: Computer class 10:30am Introduction to Tablets • January 11: Adult Crafts 1-2 pm
• January 12 & 26: Art @ the Library 4-5pm ages 5-17 • January 17: Tea and Book Discussion Group 2:30-3:30pm • January 19: Art for Adults 10am-noon ages 18+ For more information, visit Halifax Public Library, 177 South Main St. in Halifax or www.halifaxlibrary. org or call 434.476.3357.
Mt. Hermon • Mother Goose on the Loose Wednesdays 10am, January 11, 18, and 15. Ages 0-3. • Preschool Pals Fridays 10am, January 13, 20, and 27. Stories and more for ages 3-5. • Family Movie 10:30am January 21. What are our furry friends up to now?
• Hooks & Books Amigurumi 6-7:30pm January 26. Basic crochet experience required-how to chain, slip stitch, and double crochet. Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free. For more information, contact Gretna Library, 207 A Coffey Street, 434.656.2579; Mt. Hermon Library, 2725 Franklin Turnpike, 434.835.0326; History Research Center and Library, 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham; 434.432.8931; PCP Main Library, 24 Military Drive, Chatham, 434.432.3271; Brosville Library, 11948 Martinsville Highway 434.685.1285 or www.pcplib.org.
Danville Public Library
Submitted by Rachel Shaw
Mondays • Move It! Move It! Music and movement program 11-11:45am ages 2-5 • Computer Basics, 11am-noon
Saturdays • Saturday Dadurday –January 14 10-11am. Bring your dad and play with our toys and games. ages 0-5.
Tuesdays • Genealogy Classes 11am2pm, Learn how to use Ancestry.com, FindAGrave.com, etc. • Book Club @ WestoverJanuary 10, 11am-1pm • Crafters’ Corner 4-6pm • Minute to Win It, 3:304:30pm, Do mini challenges each week and win prizes. Ages 13-18
• January 9: African American Voices Author Talk: Melanie Roberts 4-5pm • January 12: Movie Matinee: Ghostbusters (PG-13), 11am-1pm • Teen Movie Night: Yoga Hosers (PG-13), 4-6pm • January 13: Trash to Treasure, 3:30-4:30pm, crafting for teens • January 17: Winter Reading Kick-Off 5-6pm - Snuggle up for a good read with some cuddly bunnies. Ages 0-5 • January 21: Family Movie Matinee: Kubo and the Two Strings (PG) 10:30am-12:30pm • January 27: Trash to Treasure 3:30-4:30pm, crafting for teens
Wednesdays • Mother Goose on the Loose Storytime 10-10:45am ages 0-2 • Computer Basics 11am-noon • Stitch by Stitch @ Westover – January 11 3-4pm • Children’s Programs @ Westover – January 18, 4-5pm Thursdays • Genealogy Classes 11am2pm, Learn to use Ancestry. com, FindAGrave.com, etc. • Mad Science, January 19 4-5pm, ages 6-12 Fridays • Preschool Storytime 11-11:45am ages 3-5
All programs are free but require registration at www.playdanvilleva.com. For more information visit DPL, 511 Patton Street or the Westover Branch, 94 Clifton Street, www.readdanvilleva.org or www.facebook.com or call 434.799.5195.
Caswell County, North Carolina
Submitted by Erica Lowdermilk
• Mondays: Tutoring for K-12 students 3:15-4:30pm Space is limited. Registration is required. • Tuesdays: Book Baggers 3:304:15pm Ages 5-12 • Wednesdays: Story time1011am Ages 0-5 • Thursdays: Teen Thursdays 3:30-4:15pm games, crafts, reading. Ages 12-18. Snacks served.
• January 9: The Book Club will discuss The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Adults • January 17: Martin Luther King Jr Program for adults 10:00am For more information, visit 161 Main Street East, Yanceyville, NC or www.caswellcounty.gov/library or call 336.694.6241.
Page 26 January 2017
Reflecting Forward
Using Synergy to Solve Puzzling Problems by Linda Lemery
W
hen I think of synergy, I think of our son, David, and his wife, Jill, and their close college friends in gaming and roleplaying scenarios. Here’s an example. My husband Steve and I spent Thanksgiving in Chicago with Dave and Jill and their friends Luke, Adin, and Antonio. Because it was Steve’s birthday weekend, Jill made reservations for all of us at Lock Chicago, a challenge room experience. The scenario: The Mayans had hidden a treasure in an area protected by lifeincinerating lasers as the first barrier to access. However, the Mayans failed to predict an eclipse that would allow access to this room on one day for a period of one hour. People could enter the room and solve the puzzles and unlock the treasure if they could do it in less than 60 minutes. We entered the room. The door closed. The digital clock mounted above the doorframe started counting down. In seconds.
We’re
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A bit of background: Outside of work, these young people are serious collaborative video gamers and role-players. They play video games as part of a group, sometimes physically in the same room or out in the community (Pokémon GO) and sometimes as an on-line team. I grew up playing games like Monopoly and cribbage. These required different skills. The pace was slower; the games more linear, and the thinking patterns more independent. The pace of these younger people is faster; the games, less linear; and the thinking patterns still independent but more collaborative. They’re learning at a much faster rate because they’re learning from each other and from a dynamic, changing scenario rather than a static, set one. They float between tasks and don’t worry if they can’t figure something out because they’re used to coping with problems simultaneously in a parallel rather than serial processing mentality. Group members flow toward whatever has to be solved. This seems to represent a wiring change related to and even driven
Lock Chicago can’t show too much of the challenge room to preserve its mystery. Photos by Brian Lee.
by the increasing use of continually improving technology. An attendant had visual and audio of the room in case someone had a panic attack or otherwise needed intervention. The participants went once around the room exploring the locked boxes, symbols on walls, placards with clues, but no directions for how to start. We selfdivided into pairs or threes, moving from puzzle to puzzle, touching things in silence or muttering disjointed phrases, building on each other’s comments. Groups behaved like a hive colony with independent tasks. The purpose of the room’s dim lighting became clear when a particular puzzle was solved. Voice levels ramped up. During an occasional silence, someone would say, “What about this?” and then they would buzz
off into that matrix thinking. Another puzzle would unlock. They’d sweep toward a different problem. Finally, they had four numbers. The last lock clicked open, the clock stopped, the smiling face of the attendant appeared in the doorway. There was a deep, collective sigh. The participants marched out to have their picture taken. They – no, we – had solved the challenge-room puzzle with 10 minutes to spare. Now, that’s synergy. Something to think about. On that note, Happy New Year! About the author: When she’s not standing outside a challenge room wondering what just happened, Linda Lemery llemery@ averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes reader comments.
Evince Magazine Page 27
When I think of historic gardens and especially those in Virginia, I am reminded of Monticello and the legacy of Thomas Jefferson. I think Jefferson was Virginia’s first master gardener! His research and implementation of fine horticulture practices set the stage for gardening as we know it today. Crops were first cultivated at Monticello in 1770 along the sloping contours of the land and terracing was introduced in 1806. The fact that the house and the historic gardens have been so beautifully maintained enables us to step back in time and experience Jefferson’s Virginia at its finest. Thomas Jefferson was a note-taker and an avid keeper of journals. Many of these notes and drawings reside with the Jefferson Papers at the University of Virginia. Because of the documentation of his experiments, we are the beneficiaries of his successes and are spared the frustrations of his failures. For example, we know that Jefferson transplanted cabbage plants to get a jumpstart on the season and to assure proper and perfect spacing. He frequently gambled with what modern gardeners call frost dates and constructed warming beds--what we consider a hotbed frame or cold-frame. His 1,000-foot long terrace, or garden plateau, was literally hewn from the side of the mountain with slave
Gardening Like It’s 1770 Monticello - A Lasting Legacy by Archer McIntire, Master Gardener labor. Visitors can see the extraordinary vegetable garden– plants that exhibit the very best of fine horticultural practices. This garden plateau site was chosen not only because of its southeast exposure but also for the dramatic 40-mile view to the south and the east, an expansive panorama over the rolling Virginia Piedmont. It’s there that visitors also see the garden pavilion with its doublesash windows and Chinese railing used by Jefferson as a quiet retreat. The pavilion
overlooks an eight-acre orchard of 300 trees and a vineyard. As I walked through this seemingly sacred place, I could feel Jefferson’s presence and was reminded of one of his quotations, “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden” (from a conversation with the portrait painter Charles Wilson Peale 1811). That was the year that President Jefferson retired from the presidency to his lifelong
home, Monticello. It was there that he again communicated with Peale. He wrote: “I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been to a rich spot of earth, well-watered, and near a good market for the productions of the garden ... But tho’ an old man, I am but a young gardener.” As a Danville Master Gardener, I feel so fortunate to have walked where Thomas Jefferson walked and to benefit from his legacy. Monticello is a national treasure. What a wonderful destination for a day trip--just two hours and 16 minutes (135.6 miles) from Danville via US 29North. • Learn more about Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Spring to Green when Pat Brodowski, Monticello’s Vegetable Gardener, and Peggy Cornett, Monticello’s Curator of Plants, will speak. Presented by Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) and Danville Master Gardeners, Spring to Green will be a day of outstanding horticultural presentations and practical learning opportunities on February 4 at The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Avenue. Spring to Green registration forms and information are available at www. danvillemastergardeners.org or call 434.799.6558.
Page 28 January 2017
Was That a Worm Farmer at McDonald’s?
Your therapy shouldn’t take the day off.
Call us for a tour and to discuss a plan of care to fit your individual needs.
by Mack Williams
I
stopped by the Ballou Park McDonald’s the other day for breakfast. The man in front of me was interested in something other than a meal. I was expecting him to be handed the McDonald’s brown McLogo bag, but instead, he received two folded clear plastic bags with very black contents. These cylindrically folded bags resembled loaves of pumpernickel bread--closer inspection revealed them to be coffee grounds! There were printed messages on them about McDonald’s helping the garden and the environment. On his way out the door, the man cradled those bags as if he had been entrusted with a precious New Testament talent. ®
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Seeing those dark, rich coffee grounds took me back to childhood. My parent’s drank coffee every morning, black, without sugar or cream, and ate eggs. (The latest egg studies support them in this.) After breakfast, I took the coffee grounds and eggshells to my father’s little compost
heap in the backyard, poured them in and mixed it. While stirring deeply, I uncovered worm life from below, then pushed them back down. The worms seemed highly animated in their wriggling, so I wondered if they might have been caffeinated. For many years, that backyard spot of worm genesis provided my father with many years of fishing fodder. He loved fishing, whether with cane pole or rod and reel, and grew his own fishing bait instead of spending money repeatedly on red wigglers sold at rural service stations. McDonald’s breakfast includes many things incorporating eggs: Egg McMuffin, sausage egg and cheese, and wraps. If on my next visit for a McDonald’s breakfast, I encounter that same man carrying bags of coffee grounds and sacks of eggshells, I just might consider the possibility of his being a fisherman, by way of being a worm farmer.
Evince Magazine Page 29
Something Old, Something New
by Annelle Williams
It’s that time of year—our annual chance for a new beginning. We could choose to remedy some past mistakes or give new ideas a try. The possibilities are limitless. It sounds good and positive, but it’s a tricky thing to do, and it doesn’t just happen. It requires real energy and determination. My theme for 2017 comes from a Bing Crosby song: You’ve got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don’t mess with Mister In-Between You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene How do I translate that into cooking? One of my first cookbooks suggested I find two go-to recipes that people always like, and not to branch out until I had perfected them. Eliminate any bad ones and don’t mess with any I didn’t understand. Sounds just like the song! Here is a new recipe that may not be perfected, but I really like it. It’s versatile, most of the work can be done ahead, and it’s easy. It can be served as small, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres, a little larger as sliders or you could go full bun size. Hope you enjoy!
Shrimp Cakes (Adapted from Serious Eats)
Paula Deen’s
DOGWOOD C
olleCtion
For sliders or full-sized sandwiches, serve with dipping sauce and guacamole as condiments with chopped scallions and cilantro. 1 pound medium or large shrimp, shelled and deveined 3 scallions, thinly sliced 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or grated 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced large handful of fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (plus extra for garnish)
zest of 1 lime, finely grated Kosher salt 1 T mayonnaise 2 T cornstarch 1 large egg white 1/4 to 1/2 cup panko-style breadcrumbs peanut or canola oil, for frying a jar of cocktail sauce for dipping (I used 1/3 cup.)
Coarsely chop shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside. Reserve a few tablespoons of sliced scallion greens for serving. Combine garlic, jalapeño, remaining scallions, cilantro, lime zest, and a large pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely minced. Add half of the shrimp, all the mayo, cornstarch, and egg white. Pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture forms a coarse paste. Add the remaining shrimp and pulse two or three times to combine everything. Some of the shrimp will be chunky. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add 1/4 cup of the panko bread crumbs. Fold in with a spatula or your hands. The mixture should be soft and hold its shape when you form a ball. If it’s too soft, add more bread crumbs a little at a time until a ball just holds together. It will stiffen up more when it is cold. Chill mixture for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
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Once chilled, use wet hands and a tablespoon (or portioning scoop) to form the mixture into bite-sized patties. Transfer to a large plate. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Fry patties in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, scattered with cilantro and finely sliced scallions along with dipping sauce. Questions or comments? Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!
Page 30 January 2017
Photo Finish
Angela Fowler is in a happy, dancing mood backstage. Stage Manager Laura Henderson checks over her pre-production notes.
The Little Theatre of Danville (LTD) entertained a full house with an interactive comic mystery, The Altos: Like the Sopranos, Only Lower, on a recent December evening. Von Wellington took pictures of those who provided the entertainment and the audience participants who tried to guess the identity of the murderer. LTD’s next production, Savannah Sipping Society, is scheduled for February 24-26. LTD traces its roots to the late 1930s and its formal birth to 1948 when the group was incorporated. For more information and/or to become more involved, visit www.danvillelittletheatre.org. Lisa and Joe Kowalski from Michigan look over the playbill. They were in Danville visiting their son, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jason Kowalski.
All photos by Von Wellington except where noted. For more info visit www.vonwellington photography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.
Minutes before the play begins, Beth Warren wipes a pretend tear from her eye during her birthday celebration with friends: Linda Palmer, Barbara Lucia, Kendra Moser, Tamara Lucia, and Jacki Osborne.
Larry Oldham, C.B. Maddox, and Dena Hill stand ready to greet guests. Keeping with the theme of the play, Dena uses a cremation urn to hold tickets.
Producer Shirley Spalding (Nona) converses with Josh Lucia. (Tony Alto dressed in disguise.)
Michael Henderson prepares for his role as Uncle Senior.
Evince Magazine Page  31 Josh Lucia (Tony Alto) and sound technician Brad Goad relax a moment before the play begins.
Rodney Resse hopes to solve the who-done-it mystery.
Dolores Tate and David Pope look forward to the interactive comic mystery. Sue and Darrel Shelton take notes to solve the murder mystery
Ina Dodson enters the auditorium at the Danville Museum for an evening of fun. Jean Vernon, Donna Comper, and J. B. Tate come into the warm lobby of the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. The cast of The Altos gathers for a quick photo before the play begins: Rikki English, Steve DelGiorno, Angela Fowler, Josh Lucia, David Useche, Michael Henderson, Shirley Spalding (seated)
Rich Loveland, Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Director, welcomes Lillian Adams and Vera Ware from Reidsville and Shirley Dunston from Greensboro.
Pradeep and Dora Pradhan enjoy socializing before the audienceparticipation play begins.
Walter Gunn (right) correctly identifies the murderer, Dr. Malaise, played by Angela Fowler. Tony Alto played by Josh Lucia provides security. (photo by Gail Gunn)
Page  32 Janaury 2017