Evince Magazine January 2018

Evince Magazine Page  1

Wee Paws Give Pause Page 19

Ellen Davis

Photo Finish Page 22

Telling the Rest of the Story See Page 3

Page 2 January 2018

January Contents Photo by Lona Kolinda

2 Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

Ellen Davis, pictured on the cover, has experienced all the major transitions in life. One of the most satisfying changes she’s witnessed has been the morphing of a run-down part of Danville into one of its most exciting. Read “Telling the Rest of the Story” on page 3 and learn about the history behind the renaissance of the Historic Tobacco Warehouse District.

We are all in a constant state of transition. The past is gone, the future is ahead, and the present moment is fleeting.

Evince writers address the uncertainty of transition in humorous and serious ways.

“Are You Ready for Parenthood?” on page 5 is an eye-opener.

“Managing Transitions” on page 20 contains nuggets of wisdom from many sources.

“Meditation Moment” focuses on what’s really important every day; read page 11. To see how a fictional character manages drastic lifestyle changes with no hint of anger or revenge, read A Gentleman in Moscow. The review is on page 16.

Change your meal plans with a new recipe for Coquilles-SaintJacques on page 21. Maybe you are ready to switch from white wine to red. First read “The Wine Spot” on page 18 for a suggestion of where to start.

Those are the highlights, but there is so much more to read, see, and do. The year is young.

The past is gone. The future isn’t here. Now is the only time to begin. You are a masterpiece and a work in progress.

Have a Happy 2018!

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.

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

4 Renovation Reality / Part 20

by Carla Minosh

Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor Larry Wilburn Lanie Davis, Intern

5 Are You Ready for Parenthood?

by Carollyn Peerman 6 Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Dr. F. Neal Howard, Jr.

Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Mary Lee Black, Kim Clifton, Lanie Davis, Adam Goebel, Judith Holt-Tillman, F. Neal Howard, Jr., Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Casey Malloy, Carla Minosh, Carollyn Peerman, Danielle Pritchett, Dave Slayton, Danielle Staub, Jay Stephens, Lisa Tuite, Joyce Wilburn, Isla Wiles, Annelle Williams, Mack Williams

9 Second Thoughts / Can’t Touch This

by Kim Clifton 10 Butterfly Origami

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

Business Manager Paul Seiple (1.434.709.7349) paul@evincemagazine.com

11 Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy

Marketing Consultants Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com Sly Milam sly@showcasemagazine.com

12 Calendar Clips 14 Calendar 16 Book Clubbing

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

a review by Diane Adkins 17 What’s Happening in the Local Public Libraries

19 Wee Paws Give Pause

by Mack Williams

Deadline for submission of February stories, articles, and ads is January 22, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Impressions / Poetry

by Judith Holt-Tillman

For ad information contact a marketing consultant or the Director of Sales & Marketing listed above.

20 Reflecting Forward

Managing Transitions

by Linda Lemery

Editorial Policies:

Where Can I Find Evince

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.

21 Around the Table

Something New for 2018

by Annelle Williams 22 Photo Finish

On the Cover:

Photo of Ellen Davis by Michelle Dalton Photography

Don’t Forget to Pick Up the January Edition of Showcase Magazine

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com www.showcasemagazine.com

| January 2018 | ShowcaSe Magazine 1

Meet Some of Our Contributors

Telisha Moore Leigg is a wife, and a mother of twin boys, who teaches magazine journalism, English, and Japanese in Danville. Currently, she is working on a collection of interconnected short stories set in the South.

Danielle Pritchett is the Adult Library Services Specialist for the Danville Public Library.

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

18 The Wine Spot / Are You in a Wine Transition?

by Dave Slayton

OICE OF TRANSITION

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks

3 Ellen Davis / Telling the Rest of the Story

by Joyce Wilburn

THE

Carla Minosh is a nurse practitioner and an avid antiques collector. See page 4.

© 2018 All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

We now accept Visa, MC, and Discover for ad payments

For subscriptions to Evince, email cindy@showcasemagazine.com

Evince Magazine Page 3

W

ith a twinkle in her eye

and a mischievous smile

on her face, Ellen Davis admits, “My husband wouldn’t want me to do this.” Describing herself as someone who always does what is expected, the matriarch of the George Davis Jr. family breaks her self-imposed principle and begins telling the story of her husband’s role in the revitalization of Danville’s Tobacco Warehouse District.

it was worth it. The only person who ever commended him on doing that was Mrs. Stuart James Grant (the former publisher of the Register & Bee). She said some day he would be glad.”

In 2006, developers started arriving and the area’s transition from a desolate district into a vibrant community began. “When I heard or read about them, I’d say to myself give George some credit for saving them,” she remarks. George knew some day their sons would own something important. “The Continental on Craghead Street was my building. I love to go into Brewed Awakening (on the ground level of the Continental) and the other buildings. It’s almost feels like I gave birth to them,” she says with satisfaction.

“My late husband never receives the credit he deserves for saving those warehouses,” she says, referring to the buildings whose transformations are helping to renew the entire area.

Conversely, she acknowledges that he was an introvert who didn’t like attention.

Ellen believes that George’s vision decades ago is one of the reasons Danville has a thriving historic district today. “The only thing he loved more than me was his business,” adds the Danville native who was married to the love of her life for sixty years.

Ellen remembers the Saturday morning when she and George met. She was preparing to go roller skating with a neighborhood friend when the doorbell rang. Fourteenyear-old Ellen opened the door and saw her girlfriend with a “precious boy in knickers and pork pie hat standing there.” It was love at first sight for Ellen but she laughs and says it took George a little longer. Looking at a picture of her sweetheart, she describes him: “He was a short guy and a fabulous trumpet player in local bands. He went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill because he wanted to play in Johnny Satterfield’s Band.” After taking a couple of years off for service in the Navy, George returned to school and graduated from UNC the same year that Ellen graduated from Mary Washington College.

Continuing the story, she says, “After graduation, I planned to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to teach, but my advisor told me to go home for a year, get a job, and give romance a chance first.”

She did as she was told, taught arithmetic at Berkeley School on Grove Street and dated George.

After several months, George approached his future father-in-

In recent years, Davis Storage has moved to other locations throughout the city and is run by Ellen’s three sons: George III, Jeff, and John. Daughter Len lives in Richmond. “I’ve

Top: Ellen Davis poses at the entrance to the ladies room at Ballad Brewing in front of the door that has her name on it. Ballad Brewing is in the Continental—a former Davis Storage building.

Left: At the entrance to the men’s room at Ballad Brewing is the door from George Davis’ office in the building now known as Pemberton Lofts.

Right: The Continental, 600 Craghead Street, is home to Ballad Brewing (entrance on the side), Cottontail, a wedding and special event venue, and fifty-six apartments.

Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Ellen Davis Telling the Rest of the Story

by Joyce Wilburn law, Gus Dyer, Sr., in his Managing Director’s office at the Imperial Tobacco Company and asked permission to marry Ellen. Receiving consent, George proposed to Ellen and the wedding took place on September 10, 1949.

In the ensuing years, Ellen became a stay-at-home mom to four children while George worked in his dad’s warehouses-- buildings that have morphed in the last twelve years into Pemberton Lofts, Dan River Crossing Senior Apartments, and The Burton. One structure was demolished. “In 1963, my father-in-law owned

four buildings. In 2010, when my husband died, Davis Storage owned twelve warehouses,” she says with a hint of pride. She credits the business success to George Jr. “He was the epitome of a workaholic. He loved it so much he couldn’t stay away. He would check every building, every lock, every night,” she remembers.

Whenever an old building became available for sale, George bought it. “People thought he was crazy,” Ellen exclaims, “but he couldn’t wait to get his hands on them!

George would maintain the property and buildings because he thought

had a wonderful life.

My childhood was very happy. I married the love of my life. We had a good, happy marriage,” she reflects while sitting in the warm, cozy house where she grew up and years later lived with George Jr. and the children. Now that the vivacious grandmother of nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren has told her husband’s story, she excuses herself and walks to the kitchen.

Returning a few minutes later with homemade chocolate chip cookies she shares them with a visitor and resumes her role of always doing what is expected.

For upcoming community events at Ballad Brewing, 600 Craghead Street, see calendar on page 14.

Page 4 January 2018

Renovation Reality Part 20

by Carla Minosh

Unlike HGTV shows where home renovations are completed within 30 to 60 minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut Place and Main Street in Danville has been under a transformation for 16 years.

This series that began in April 2016 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.

A

transformation was

occurring in the main

hallways of the house.

Our talented faux-graining artist, Andy Compton, was putting back what the horrible 1970’s paint job had destroyed.

He looked at the remnants of the faux-graining uncovered by the paint removal process and documented as much as could be deciphered.

He began with an orangeand-yellow base over the entire wainscoting; the result looked comical in the grand spaces. However, when he began applying his glazes and brushes, it was magical to see the emergence of the rich mahogany, the deep dark rosewood, and the playful birdseye maple. I watched as he played the glazes like a musician, tapping his fingers, twisting his wrist, and letting the movements of his fingers, knuckles, and even the heel of his hand lay down the patterns, leaving behind a surface that so resembled actual wood grain that, had I not seen the process, I would have been hard to convince that it wasn’t wood.

He even worked the ravages of time into the process, painting in knots where doors had been badly dented by careless workers, creating natural splits in the wood where a sharp object had gouged, and completely disguising nail holes from some misguided soul. The pace at which he worked was astounding.

He appeared to effortlessly cover large swaths with convincinglooking wood grain.

The effect was so beautiful that we allowed him to move into the double parlors and re-create the lost rosewood faux-grain documented in the old photos, as well as the dining room, where he matched the quarter-sawn oak of the antique furniture. I often have to explain the process multiple times to confused guests who don’t understand, convinced they are looking at actual wood grain, having no idea why I am telling them it is painted, when clearly, to their eyes, it is unpainted.

To date, the faux-graining is still ongoing, as the Mount Vernon Ladies Association stole my fauxgrainer/master plaster restorer/ paint restoration artist out from under me. Yes, that Mount Vernon. We almost got him back, but then he was captured by the U.S. Capitol for their restoration efforts of the old Senate chambers. We are lucky enough to catch him whenever he has a break from such high-profile work, and we will be patient and finish the faux-painting whenever Andy can do it.

(to be continued)

Evince Magazine Page 5

Are You Ready for Parenthood?

by Carollyn Lee Peerman You will never do anything more important in your life than nurturing and raising the next generation of children. Are you ready for parenthood? Are you ready for your life to change?

If you think marriage is an adjustment, try parenthood!

Your children will redirect your inherent selfishness in ways you never thought possible. It’s an enormous time commitment.

Nothing in your marriage competes with the screams of hunger and the smell of dirty diapers. Dr. Laura Schlessinger writes in her book, Stop Whining and Start Living: “Becoming a parent is quite probably the single most dramatic lesson in giving up looking at yourself as the center of the universe. It is amazing how something that small, that cannot walk, talk, scratch its nose, or feed himself or herself, rules the home and your life on a minute-to-minute basis. You can no longer decide on a moment’s notice to do this or that, even shower when you’d like, because the child’s needs are relentless and important. Parenthood is the most serious foray into the philosophically elevated concept of living for someone or something outside of yourself.”

If you are currently a parent, create a home that is a quiet sanctuary not only for your spouse and children, but most of

all for yourself. Let your children know that your love for them is eternal and unshakeable.

Your children will follow your example. Support their souls by praising them openly. If you must reprove them, do it by secretly sandwiching every bit of criticism between two layers of praise. Injustice, inequity, and inconsistency crush their spirits.

In addition, author Bruce Barton suggests, “If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.” Then, love your children for what they are, not for what they do. Your children are like mirrors that reflect back on you the kind of image you cast on them. They are watching everything you do and everything you say. Give them a few minutes of your undivided attention each and every day. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. You can train a child until he is ten. After that, behavior patterns are set and you can only influence him or her. “It’s always been my feeling that God lends you your children until they’re about eighteen years old. If you haven’t made your points with them by then, it’s too late,” noted former First Lady Betty Ford. Treat your children with love, teach them enthusiasm for life, give them your time and praise. With a little luck, they will become our next generation of heroes.

Page 6 January 2018

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Dr. F. Neal Howard, Jr.

It is unusual in these times to receive much help when shopping for clothing. This is particularly true where shoes are concerned. Frequently, the routine is: pick a style, find the right size, try it, and then look for someone to take my money. So, when a friend recommended I shop for shoes at The Brick, we checked it out.

A young man named Alfredo Garcia met us as we entered the store. The next half hour shopping was a genuine pleasure. He gave his full attention to helping us select the proper shoes, explaining the features and offering suggestions. He really knows all the features of every brand we tried and was very patient with us. Alfredo is a very pleasant young man who gets our thanks for a good shopping experience.

My daughter and I both bought shoes that day, in fact, I bought two pairs.

After several days of wear, we are really pleased with our purchases. The Brick at 410 Main Street is a very nice store with a very fine employee.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional 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.

Evince Magazine Page  7

Page  8 January 2018

Evince Magazine Page 9

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2018

Can’t Touch This It’s bad when you can’t keep your hands to yourself. It’s also bad when you do. Seems the news always involves a celebrity accused of indecent liberties. That’s definitely upsetting but I’d like to weigh in on a different kind of touching. While the rich and the infamous will have their cases aired in a judicial court, mine is better suited in a food court.

Some of you are eating right now, so you might want to flip to another article and come back to this one later. For all who read this, I apologize if what I’m about to describe is either offensive or indelicate as neither is intended. Rest easy, I’m not going to discuss handling any area of the body covered by fabric, although sometimes it can’t be avoided. Lord knows, ladies, we’ve had our share of lingerie malfunctions to attest to that. When your elastic fails, your arms feel strapped to your sides tighter than a straightjacket in solitary. There are worse predicaments, especially when it comes to unmentionables that I won’t mention. Just suffice it to say that at least we have the decency to make our adjustments in private.

Besides, it’s not contact below the waist that bothers me; it’s

above the neck. What makes it worse is when it’s also behind a serving counter. Let me explain.

I eat more than I dine. Most restaurants I visit have value menus and a drive-thru lane.

Simply stated, this old bag eats her dinner out of one most evenings. Fast food definitely isn’t good for you, especially when it’s combined with poor hygiene. I stood in line the other night scratching my head wondering why the cashier was scratching hers. Another time I watched in horror as the fry cook salted potatoes with one hand while digging in his ears for some more with his other.

The worst infraction happened last summer at the beach. As I waited for my lunch, the employee at the register must have felt a little stuffy because he remedied it by taking matters into his own hands... right there in front of God and everybody. “Number 82,” he called out as he lifted the Styrofoam lid to check my food inside. I gave him my ticket, took the tray, walked straight to the bin and trashed it. It was a total waste of money but worth it. Even if I hadn’t been sick on my stomach after what I witnessed, I couldn’t have eaten it. I only wanted chicken fingers in my box, not his.

I know it’s hard to feed people who are often short on time and patience. As a teenager, I spent my weekends chopping more heads than a French guillotine.

The worst part was wearing the company-issued double-knit jumper with matching scarf while doing it. Neither was my look, but I had no choice in the matter.

Both the health department and customers only wanted to see me toss the salads, not my hair.

We’re

If you work with food, let’s face it: there’s no reason to ever touch yours. The only thing that should go into your mouth is your foot and the only things into your ears are words. So, when things get messy, wipe the countertop…but never your brow.

on Danville!

Janet Donna Holley • Gibson Owner Owner

I don’t know what’s going to happen with all these celebrities and their sordid affairs.

Thankfully, my experience with inappropriate touching has only been with a few meals. With that, I promise to remain a loyal customer and to stay out of this food business… if the folks who serve it promise to keep their noses (and fingers) out of mine.

HOLLEY & GIBSON REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.eraholleyandgibson.com WE’RE SELLING HOUSESSM

A Faithful Friend to Fetch Your Balance Piedmont Credit Union’s Mobile App!

We’re Your Community Credit Union www.piedmontcu.org | (434) 797-1954

Page 10 January 2018

W

hen I was about

eighteen, my father was

in Japan briefly. He sent me a letter with a gift. I may have the letter somewhere; I guess I still might. It’s hard to hold on to things.

It was my stepfather, Harold, who came and got me all those years ago when my papa left me. I was fifteen almost sixteen when he left me in the Raleigh-Durham Airport terminal terrified. I was left and lost. At first, I would not go with Harold. I pretended not to see him. I gripped tighter the blue, vinyl-cushioned airport seat until the inside of my fingers had blood-red creases. I grimaced ahead into the crowds searching for Papa.

It was Osaka I think, or maybe it was Tokyo where Papa was giving a “talk” at a small university about “the influence of Greco-Roman mythology in a Post-Modernist Western Society in comparison to Eastern Philosophy.”

“Anna-Margaret?” Harold began.

He turned toward me, but didn’t put his hand on my shoulder, just spoke softly. If Harold had tried to comfort me, I would have broken more. I think he knew this. So he didn’t. He sat beside me and prayed. “Lord,” he began….“bless her…”

“He’s coming back…” I angrywhispered, but kept looking ahead. I wanted him to keep his prayers to himself. “No, he won’t, Anna-Margaret,” Harold said, but still wouldn’t touch me, just looked ahead with me, moving lips silently. Praying, I guess he was still praying.

Papa had a translator to help him. Without apology, he said his sessions were well-received.

I believed Papa.

In the two or three years since Mother and Harold’s marriage, it was no longer any surprise that Harold prayed. He did it often, over every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He stubbed his finger, he prayed. He watched the Steelers win, he shouted a sincere Hallelujah! Harold was a hulking man, although affable, and owned both a new and a usedcar lot in the middle of Boris, North Carolina. We were quite... comfortable in Boris, North Carolina, because people liked doing business with Harold. He smiled with big teeth and sad eyes, like the world was bad but

Butterfly Origami fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg you had a friend in him, like you could trust Harold to be fair, even kind. He was.

But, here in Boris, North Carolina, as I received two unlined sheets of paper and a package of origami paper I wasn’t as impressed. At the bottom of the second sheet of that letter were two sentences, things untranslated. That was Papa for me, always leaving me to find the meaning in what he sent.

I guess I secretly believed in Harold too, so when he said, “AnnaMargaret, come on now. You’ll hear from him again,” I didn’t notice then that Harold didn’t say I would see Papa again. I let him take me past security to the car where Mother sat. I never asked her why she sent Harold and didn’t come herself, how she knew to come at all. I let it be enough that Mother sat in the back seat and held me all the way back to Boris, smoothing my pretty blonde hair in August, while Harold moved the car swiftly into the North Carolina dusk.

Maybe there was no meaning, just those small English printed instructions on the back of pretty foreign packages that had the instructions for making butterfly origami.

My father’s pagan gods were my gods, but I guess I can admit it was Papa I worshipped. And Papa gave me away when I went to the bathroom in that airport terminal so he could go on to academic glory

without me. I could never say that loss aloud, didn’t say much aloud for weeks; for weeks I made those butterflies over and over. I knew Papa had thought Harold simple; maybe he was, less evolved, maybe so—but it was Harold who picked them up, all my origami butterflies.

The origami paper Papa sent was beautiful, some plain, some patterned, some gold, other sheets sunset-red, sky-foil-blue, gold and glorious. I knew that I could never go to Papa and that he would always have some reason, some quest, not to come back to me. I made thousands of them. I left them outside the house in the garden, their paper colors streaking as it rained. I left paper butterflies in my favorite romance novels. I left them by the sink, on the window sills. I put them in the pockets of my favorite jeans, and Mother pulled them out before she washed.

I still would not speak. I made them in blue, and red, and purple, these origami butterflies, faster and faster. I could make them any color that came pouring out in squares from the cellophane packets. After a month and a half I had made over three thousand, maybe more.

My fingers knew the pattern by heart, and my fingers even without paper traced the motions to form them. Mother wouldn’t let me buy more paper. I made them out of notebook paper, then torn pieces of newspaper. I had long since finished Papa’s pack. She said it wasn’t healthy. Harold would wink with his sad eyes and slip me

another pack.

They say in Japanese folklore the butterfly carries the souls of the dead.

Harold gave me away. When I was eighteen, almost nineteen, pregnant by my older boyfriend, Michael, and about to come down the stairs to shotgun-marry him, I could feel the sadness and regret of everyone like old oatmeal in a wine jar. But Harold smiled, chucked me under the chin. I wanted my Papa. But there was only Harold. In a black suit Harold held out his arm and we descended the stairs. But Papa didn’t write or tell me about what the butterflies signified. No,that I figured out on my own.

The nursing home near the Farthington Country Club where Harold stays is nice, but he does not remember my name.

They bring him out in a blue bathrobe to see me. I remind the nurses gently so they shave him like he used to like. Harold shakes when he holds my hand.

There is no Mother now. Cancer, years ago. There is only Harold, and sometimes he calls me by Mother’s name. There is only Harold, his fingers making shapes on his pajama pants. Most times he prays his mumbling, sweet, prayers. And even though I do not believe, sometimes when he cries.

I pray too.

Evince Magazine Page  11

A

s we transition into 2018, we welcome the sense of possibility that comes with each new year. Once the chaos of the holidays subsides, we can then shift our focus onto ourselves and set our intentions for the year ahead.

Many times we mark the importance and excitement of our lives based on monumental events such as graduating, landing a new job, getting married, and so on. Although these achievements hold great merit, these are only a few select days out of the nearly 29,200 days of our lifespan. What I am suggesting is that we apply the zest and vigor we feel for these major events to all of the days in between. The days between birthdays, holidays, and travel are what our everyday lives consist of. If we can bring the butterflies in our bellies that accompany the exciting times into our random Wednesdays or mundane Mondays, we will appreciate the experience of being alive that much more.

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy, RYT

The poses and breathing practiced in yoga were created to prepare the body and mind to sit for extended periods of time in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis

It takes significant time and effort to transition from who we are now to who we will be next year. If

we can appreciate each day that we are given along our journey, the experience will prove to be

that much sweeter. As we cultivate awareness within our daily lives, we can also allow the mind to quiet down momentarily and consider our physical presence.

Our health is of utmost importance. Our physical bodies are what transport us from place to place, event to event, year to year. However, we often fail to pay attention to what is going on within until it acts up. Once we have an ache, a pain, or a problem, we start to listen. So this year, perhaps we can listen to our bodies and appreciate their ability to simply get up each morning. When we have gratitude for our bodies, we are more in tune with what they need and when. The next time you exercise or ​ take a walk, really honor the marvel of your movement.

The importance is not always about where you are going but how you get there.

Page 12 January 2018

Calendar Clips Clip it. Post it. Do it.

For more activities, see the calendar on page 14.

Chatham First 2018 Calendars “County Memories

by Preston Moses” is the title of this 2018 calendar sponsored by Chatham First, a non-profit group that raises money for special projects in Chatham. Moses (1908-1996) was the editor of the the StarTribune and began painting after he retired in 1987. These calendar pictures represent only a small portion of a greater canon of work. Cost is $10. Calendars are available at Karen’s Hallmark in Danville Mall; Commonwealth Pharmacy, M & W Flower Shop, and Reid Street Gallery in Chatham and Gretna Elementary School in Gretna. (submitted by Mary Lee Black)

Saturday, January 6 VISION 2035 Unveiling From noon until 5:00 p.m., join Middle Border Forward as they unveil their plans for the future of the area at the Community Market, 629 Craghead Street, Danville. After gathering feedback from the region, they have created their VISION 2035 goals and are ready to share them with the community. The event will include a Tastes of the Region food court, live entertainment, community resource fair, and a project idea pitch competition. The Middle Border Bash is open to the public, and no registration is required for this family-friendly fun. For more information, visit www.middleborderforward.org. (submitted by Lanie Davis)

Friday, January 12 Corks & Forks This Danville Science Center’s annual fundraiser will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Tour the world by tasting fine wines from Spain, Germany, Argentina and Chile. Enjoy a wonderful selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres and an exciting silent auction featuring many exotic vacation spots like Cabo San Lucas, Cortona, Italy and more. Dressy casual attire is appropriate. Tickets are $50 and available at eventbrite.com, Rippe’s, Vintages by the Dan or at DSC, 677 Craghead Street. Wines and beers will be available by the glass for $5. Wine and beer may be purchased by the bottle or case that evening or later at Vintages by the Dan. All proceeds benefit the DSC educational programs. (submitted by Adam Goebel)

Thursday, January 25 Opera on the James: Cinderella This fast-paced, 75-minute family version of Cinderella, sung in English, uses the beautiful music of composer Gioachino Rossini to tell the familiar story – with a few interesting twists.

Tyler Artists, five young professional opera singers, will present an evening of fun as they bring characters to life through song. Following Cinderella, the singers will also perform a few opera and Broadway favorites to complete the musical evening. It’s appropriate for all ages but enjoyed primarily by adults and youth ages six and older. Performance starts at 7:00 p.m. in Averett University’s Pritchett Auditorium, 150 Mountain View Avenue. Cost is $5. (submitted by Danielle Staub)

Friday, January 26

Early Registration for Spring to Green Gardening Danville Master Gardeners & Virginia Cooperative Extension present this eighth annual event from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, at The Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Avenue.

James Gargliarde, The Smithsonian’s Lead Horticulturist, will speak on creating gardens/yards that attract pollinators and wildlife. Joe Murray, Utility Arborist, and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Instructor, will speak on the antagonistic relationship between trees and turf. Murray’s second presentation will focus on how horticultural practices of our ancestors can be useful.

Participants can buy gardening-related items, receive advice and information from exhibitors, purchase books, gardening tools, and rain barrels. Also bid on baskets loaded with fun and useful items in the silent auction and buy a chance to win a 3-Tier Sunlite® Garden from Gardener’s Supply. Register by January 26 to receive included refreshments and buffet lunch. Registration forms are available at www. danvillemastergardeners.org or call Debra Bailey at 336.340.1981. (submitted by Isla Wiles)

Upcoming

Tuesday, February 6 Landscaping through Propagation and Free Plans Pat Morgan, a master gardener, will share some of the ways she and her husband, Don Ethington, transformed their yard from a blank slate into an inviting, attractive yard, using inexpensive techniques. Morgan will share propagation methods that even a novice can use. If you have a plant you want to propagate, bring the name of the plant and look up the specific recommendation for propagating it. Program will be held in the Averett University Student Center Multipurpose Room, 204 Woodland Drive, second floor, starting at 7:00 p.m. (submitted by Danielle Staub)

Evince Magazine Page  13

Hello, Healthy Heart Maintaining a strong heart means getting to know your heart and staying on top of factors that play into its health, like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, family history and exercise. And when you act early to check your heart health, we’re in a better position to catch any potential issues and work with you to keep you healthy for the long run.

Say hello to a healthy heart. Say hello to Sovah Health.

How healthy is your heart?

Visit SovahHeart.com to take our free heart health assessment and learn about any risk you may have for heart-related conditions.

To find a doctor to take care of your heart, call 844.GO.SOVAH

Decorators from Goodyear stand in front of their award-winning tree.

Page 14 January 2018

January Calendar Abbreviation Key

• AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • HNT=Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main St. Danville 434.793.7469 www.TheNorthTheatre.com • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • RSG=Reid Street Gallery, 24 Reid St. Chatham 434.203.8062 reidstreetgallery.com • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com

Ongoing

DSC Exhibit – From Here to There! explores how things move by land, sea, air.

Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District.

Danville Historical Society. www. danvillehistory.org. 434.770.1974.

DMFAH self-guided audiovisual tours. 434.793.5644.

Public Library Events. See page 17.

Pickleball. River Oak gym 120 River Oak Dr Danville MWF 9am, Mon & Tues 5pm $2 434.793.9648

Upcoming Community Events at Ballad Brewing 600 Craghead Street

(enter on Colquhoun Street)

• January 3: yoga class 6pm and pizza party; $5. Order delivery from Dell’Anno’s Pizza Kitchen at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.

• January 6: B​ob and the Regrets 6-9pm ​• January 13: Shiloh Hill 6-9pm • January 14: B​randon Lewis Design and Art-a-Palooza Paint Class 1pm Tickets at www.square. com/brandon-lewis-design $35 • January 19: K​ieth Darling performing 6-9pm Wake and Bacon Food Truck on site.

• January 20: Landon Spradlin performing 6-9pm Wake and Bacon Food Truck on site.

• January 24: Hot Asana yoga class 6pm $5 Dell’Anno’s Pizza Kitchen will deliver pizza.

• January 25: Boys and Girls Club Benefit 4-9pm.

Pickleball. Chatham Rec Center 115 S Main St. Wed 9am, Thurs 6pm $3 434.793.9648.

Tai Chi with Wyona – A slowmoving exercise to enhance breathing, calm the mind, relieve stress $6. Ballou Rec. Center Mondays 11:15am-12:15pm & 5:45-6:45 p.m. Wednesdays 3:30pm-4:30pm 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 – Lowimpact aerobics workout with a mix of various dance steps. Tu/Th 9.30-11am. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

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 9.30-11.30am.

Glenwood Community Center; 6-8pm, Ballou Annex.

434.799.5216.

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. Ages 50+. F 7.3010.30pm. Ballou Rec. Center.

434.799.5216.

Cascade Express Variety Band – Every Friday and every first & third Saturday; Cascade Community Center 3561 Huntington Trail 7pm 336.552.3703

January 5

Opening Reception for Art by

January 2018

S M T 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

W T F S 3 4 5 6 10 11 12 13 17 18 19 20 24 25 26 27 31

John Maggio: DMFAH 5:30-7pm The exhibit continues through February 25.

Science After Dark: DSC 5:309pm $5 free for college students

1967 decision. The film will be followed by a discussion with the audience. Prizery, 700 Bruce St. South Boston,VA free 6:30-9pm 434.572.8339

January 6

January 20

Middle Border Bash: 434.483.2894 See page 12.

January 8-February 12

Pottery Class: held Monday evenings every week for 6 weeks.

DMFAH 6-9pm $95 for members, $105 for others Call Jonathan Scollo 434.792.5355 to register.

January 12

Corks and Forks: See page 12.

January 14

Winter Plunge: zip line for ages 8+ 3-4:30pm $12 Register by January 15. 434.799.5150

January 25

Cinderella: Arts@Averett Opera on the James. See page 12.

January 26

Canvas & Cabernet: a social painting class. Pre-registration and payment required. Cash bar/ concession. DMFAH 6:30-9pm

America’s Sunday Supper: Let’s Be Color Brave hosted by Dr. Monica Motley. Cottontail Weddings and Events 600 Craghead St Danville 4-6pm no cost RSVP on www.serve365.org

January 28

January 15

Trip to Virginia Museum of Natural History: Danville Parks and Recreation sponsored trip Register by January 26. Departs from Ballou Recreation Center.

9:30am-1pm $24 434.799.5216

MLK Day of Service: God’s Storehouse 740 Memorial Dr. 9:30am-12:30pm Sign up to volunteer on www.serve365.org African American Voices Author Talk: Danville Public Library, 511 Patton St. 4-5pm www. playdanville.com Open Mic Night at Averett: Dining Hall in Averett Student Center, 351 Townes St. Danville 7-9pm free

January 16

Book Chat at Averett: “The Literary, Artistic, and Sociohistorical Legacy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Revisiting a Nineteenth-Century Classic” Averett University’s Blount Library 344 W Main St Danville free MLK Jr. in Danville: A History Harvest: Danville Public Library & History United, 511 Patton St. 5-6:30pm www.playdanvilleva.com

January 19

From Vienna to Paris - Matvey & Katya Lapin: Travel to different times and places through music.

The Prizery 3pm prizery.com

January 31

Upcoming February 2

Heisingborg Symphony Orchestra of Sweden: Danville Concert Association. GWHS 701 Broad St. 7:30pm $25/10 434.792.9242 Trip to International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro: Register by January 19.

9:45am-3pm 434.799.5216

February 3

The 17th Annual Storytelling Festival: DMFAH 10am-2pm Spring to Green Gardening: See page 12. Early registration January 26.

February 6

International Civil Rights Landscaping through Propagation Center & Museum Trip - Reg. and Free Plans: See page 12. deadline. See February 2.

February 9 (thru 18) Loving: This award-winning and Cafe Noir: The Little Theatre of highly acclaimed film tells the story Danville presents an interactive of Richard and Mildred Loving, a audience participation murder couple whose arrest for interracial mystery set in the 1940s at marriage in 1960s Virginia began 7:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays a legal battle that would end with and 2:30pm on Sundays DMFAH. the Supreme Court’s historic For more events see Calendar Clips on pages 12.

The deadline for submitting information for the February calendar is Monday, January 22, at 5:00 p.m.

Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Evince Magazine Page 15

A Day in the Life!

Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care Suites Available At Commonwealth Senior Living, every day is filled with promise and possibilities. How might your loved one spend their time? Whether they live in our beautifully appointed assisted living or award-winning Sweet Memories™ neighborhood, they’ll start the day with breakfast surrounded by friends in our dining room. Later, join the Discover USA program where we explore the food, music and history of the States.

Enjoy a Farm-to-Table lunch from our award-winning dining program. In the afternoon, perhaps they’ll take part in a painting class, join a book club or get moving in an exercise class. Your loved one’s full day winds down with dinner and a movie.

At Commonwealth, seniors enjoy an enriching lifestyle and a personalized approach to their care that is as unique as they are!

Discover the difference of Commonwealth Senior Living.

Call Today for Your FREE Caregiver Support Kit!

434-688-0882

1111 Main Street • Danville, VA 24541 • www.CommonwealthSL.com

Page 16 January 2018

Book Clubbing A Review by Diane Adkins

A Gentleman in Moscow

by Amor Towles

Early on in this beautiful and elegantly written novel, Count Alexander Rostov, the protagonist, remembers advice from his godfather, that “adversity presents itself in many forms; and that if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them.”

Condemned by the Emergency Committee of the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs in June, 1922, for writing a poem that is deemed not to be friendly to the revolution, Count Rostov is confined to house arrest, forced to live out his days within the confines of his home, the Metropol Hotel in Moscow (a real hotel that still exists today).

After the tribunal, he arrives back at his suite only to discover he is to be moved to a hundred-square-foot room in the attic, formerly the quarters of servants. Thus, adversity has reared its head, but Rostov is the very embodiment of how to master circumstance. Forced into cramped quarters, he finds ways to adapt and even to expand them to fit his needs. In fact, the whole novel shows Rostov managing every downturn in fortune with no spirit of revenge. Rather, he takes Robinson Crusoe as a role model: “Like Crusoe, the Count would maintain his resolve by committing to the business of practicalities.”

Rostov maintains his schedule as it had been before, only with the necessary restraint of never leaving the hotel. It is the genius of this endearing story that we are made to see that it is not necessary to live a life of acclaim and fame to live a life of meaning. As author Jan Karon has said, “We don’t have to do great things to make a difference. We can make a great difference by doing small things graciously.”

His life may be a constrained life, but it is not a simple one: an actress who becomes his lover; a young child, who is first his friend and then grows up and becomes a revolutionary, yet returns to him in her hour of need; a best friend who loses his life in the resistance; employees at the hotel’s restaurant who become his best friends; and without a doubt most importantly, a young girl who becomes his own child. The memorable, well-drawn characters who cross the Count’s path are changed for the better for knowing him, just as they shape him into more than just an aristocratic man of leisure.

This book transcends the simple, albeit amusing story of life in a hotel, a la the Eloise books. In fact, the interspersed reflections on the political life of Russia in the early part of the twentieth century have a ring of the contemporary. And best of all, the ending provides an unanticipated surprise. One could view an existence within a relatively small space as circumscribed and narrowed, but the Count would undoubtedly argue that it is a focused life and one that has repercussions far beyond those walls. Give yourself a postChristmas gift; read this book.

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.

Evince Magazine Page 17

Pittsylvania County

What’s Happening in the Local Public Libraries

Submitted by Lisa Tuite

The PCP Library is closed January 1 & 2. All branches will close on Friday, January 12, for LeeJackson Day, through Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Brosville/Cascade • Tuesdays: Needlework 10am Work on your project or a group project.

• Wednesdays and Fridays: Activate 9am very easy exercises • Wednesdays for Wees: 10am Stories and more for ages 0-5 Begins January 10.

• January 18: Book Bingo 6pm Play to win books and other prizes. all ages Chatham • Wednesdays: Computer 1-on-1 Help 6-7pm • January 5: Crochet 3-4:30pm Learn or work on your own projects.

• January 10: Brown Bag Book Review 12noon Glenn Giles reviews West of Phoebe by Lawrence Judson Reynolds.

• January 11: 2nd Thursday Discussion Group 4-5:45pm Thoughtful discussion on big topics.

• January 17: Nutrition Program 10-11am Learn about healthy foods and eating.

Danville Public Library

Submitted by Rachel Shaw

• Mondays: Story Time: ages 0-18 months 11-11:30am Afterschool Computer Lab: 3-5pm • Tuesdays: Story Time: for preschoolers 11-11:30am Afterschool Computer Lab: 3-5pm Crafter’s Club: 4-6pm • Wednesdays: Family Story Time: Westover 11-11:30am Afterschool Computer Lab: 3-5pm First Lego League Jr. for Grades K-4: 4pm • Thursdays: Intermediate Computer Class: 3:30pm • Fridays: Large Group Story Time: 11-11:30am Game Geeks: grades 5-12; 2:304:30pm Afterschool Computer Lab: 3-5pm • January 2: Genealogy 101: Getting Started 11am • January 2: Lego Engineers for Grades K-5: 4pm • January 3: Crafter-School Special: Lord of the Rings 5:30pm • January 4: Intermediate Genealogy: Preserving Your Research 11am • January 4: It’s Elementary, STEAM activities for grades 1-5: 6pm • January 8: Monday Matinee: Read It, See it. Before I Fall (PG-13) 11am • January 8: Computer Basics: Meet the Computer 11am • January 8: Maker Mondays: Lego Stop Motion Video 5pm • January 9: Book Club @ Westover Branch: 11am • January 9: Genealogy 101: Navigating Ancestry.com 11am • January 10: Computer Basics: Introduction to the Internet 11am

• January 10: Sugar & Sodium: Family Nutrition with Morgan Farmer 4:30pm • January 11: Intermediate Genealogy: Findagrave.com 11am • January 16: Genealogy 101: Familysearch.org 11am • January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. in Danville: A History Harvest 5pm • January 17: Crafternoon @ Westover Branch 4pm • January 17: Be Fit 4 Life 4:30pm • January 18: Intermediate Genealogy: AncestryDNA 11am • January 22: Computer Basics: Introduction to Email 11am • January 22: Maker Mondays: Coding in Python-Ping Pong Games 5pm • January 23: Genealogy 101: African-American Ancestry 11am • January 24: Computer Basics: Introduction to Microsoft Word 2016 11am • January 24: Healthy Relationships for Mental & Physical Health: 4pm • January 24: Hyperthyroidism with Bobbie Bennett: 5pm • January 29: Computer Basics: Introduction to Social Media 11am • January 31: Computer Basics: Review 11am All programs are free but require registration at ww.playdanvilleva. com. For more information visit DPL, 511 Patton Street, www.readdanvilleva.org or call 434.799.5195. For the Westover Branch, visit 94 Clifton Street or 434.799.5152.

Story Time: 10am Stories and more for ages 3-5 Brown Bag Book Reviews: 12noon Mary Tallent reviews Yearning to Breathe Free by Andrew Billingsley.

• January 18: Crochet 3-4:30pm Learn or work on your own projects.

• January 22: Mother Goose on the Loose 11am stories and songs for ages 0-3 • January 24: Nutrition Program 11am Learn about healthy eating.

Brown Bag Book Reviews: 12noon Katie Whitehead reviews.

• January 29: Mother Goose on the Loose 11am stories and songs for ages 0-3 • January 30: Critique Book Group 4-5pm Share your views on new or soon-to-be-published books.

• January 31: Nutrition Program 11am Learn about healthy eating.

Brown Bag Book Reviews: 12noon Joan Shelton reviews.

Gretna • Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Group Fitness 10am Exercise with DVDs from the library’s collection. adults • Tuesdays: Mother Goose on the Loose 10am stories, rhymes and songs for ages 0-3 • Wednesdays: Preschool Read & Rhyme 10am stories, songs and crafts for ages 0-5 • Thursdays: Learn to Crochet 5pm Learn or work on your own project.

• January 16: Homeschool Connection 2pm Take a virtual trip around the world through stories and crafts.

• January 30: Homeschool Connection 2pm Take a virtual trip around the world through stories and crafts.

Mt. Hermon The Mt. Hermon library will be closing temporarily for three to four weeks sometime in January to move to a new location 4058 Franklin Turnpike. The Bookmobile will visit the old location every Monday afternoon while it is closed.

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.

South Boston Public Library Submitted by Jay Stephens

• Mondays: Makerspace: 1-5pm ages 8-adult • Tuesdays: Itsy Bitsy PALS: 12:301:30pm ages birth-2 years PALS: 2:30-4:30pm ages 2-7 Tweens and Teens: 4:30-5:30pm ages 8-17 • January 9: Adult Crafts 1 pm • January 12: Art @ the Library 4-5pm ages 5-17

• January 19: Art for Adults 3-5pm ages 18+ • January 26: Art @ the Library 4-5 pm ages 5-17 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: 12:30-1:30pm ages birth-2 years PALS: 2:30-4:30pm ages 2-7 Tweens and Teens: 4:30-5:30pm ages 8-17 • Thursdays: Art @ the Library: 4-5 pm ages 5 -17 • January 10: Adult Crafts: 1pm • January 12: Easy Exercise for Adults 10am

• January 16: Tea & Book Discussion 2:30-3:30pm • January 18: Art for Adults 4-5pm ages 18+ • January 26: Easy Exercise for Adults 10am For more information, visit Halifax Public Library, 177 South Main St. in Halifax or www.halifaxlibrary.org or call 434.476.3357.

Page 18 January 2018

P

eople often say that when they started drinking wine they only enjoyed sweet, white wine, but of late, they have been drinking drier whites and want to try a red wine. I then suggest a transitional red wine that is lightbodied, meaning it is light on the palate as opposed to heavy.

Think of the lightness of skim milk compared to the heaviness of cream.

Also, a transitional red wine should have soft tannins. Tannin is a naturally occurring substance found in seeds and fruit skins, a textural element that makes wine taste dry. It adds a bit of bitterness and astringency as well as complexity. Complexity is a vague term that often means a wine that will keep revealing new flavors and aromas as you drink it. But for our transitional purpose, let’s keep it simple and opt for a soft or low tannin red wine such as pinot noir.

Among pinot noir styles, I’d select a style that is not only light-bodied with soft tannins but has some acidity and floral scents and tastes--Heron Pinot

The Wine Spot Are You in a Wine Transition?

by Dave Slayton a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

Noir. It is not expensive; it is a light, elegant wine with tastes of strawberries and cherries. This wine will provide a non-threatening, pleasurable taste experience to the white-wine drinker, especially if served between 55° and 60°F.

Photo

by Dave Slayton

There are other wines that will serve this transitional purpose, such as a French Beaujolais or an Italian frappato, but pinot noir will be the easiest to find at an inexpensive price. Who knows, our white-wine drinker may then move

onto a rich French Burgundy Pinot or a lush California Russian River Pinot. Here’s a toast to transition: may your wine journey always be fun, interesting and pleasurable.

Cheers!

Evince Magazine Page 19

Impressions

by Judith Holt-Tillman Trials and tribulations fall fast and furious like pelting rain forming puddles of despair.

Wee Paws Give Pause

by Mack Williams

T

he day the first snow of

winter fell, I was sitting

near a window. The slats in the blinds were half open and I detected an almost vibrant movement between them, but the vibration was going in only one direction: down. It seemed to me that my vision was being attacked by albino floaters! If, as Carl Sandburg said: “The fog comes in on little cat feet,” then this snow was coming in on cat’s feet too--tiny, fluffy, white feline paws being softly planted.

Looking out the glass doors on one side of my apartment, I saw a neighbor’s white pickup truck parked in the grass— grass that was being tinged with white, but nothing to yet match the more solid white of the truck. A later, brief sideways glance out the glass doors gave the impression that my neighbor’s single white pick-up truck had multiplied into a huge sales lot of white pick-up trucks, as far as the eye could see.

(Remember, I said just a brief sideways glance.)

A couple of days later, on the way to my car I saw what looked like singular strange footprints next to mine from the day before. From their size, I thought: “A one-legged cat?” I remembered about the snow seemingly coming in on cat paws but thinking just a bit further, I realized these prints had been made by my cane.

Blessings and encouragement float softly and quietly as drifting snow covering puddles with beauty.

Page 20 January 2018 Evince

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Magazin

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Evince Mag

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Reflecting Forward Managing Transitions

by Linda Lemery

T Wee Paws Give Paus

Page 19

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Second Thoughts

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Page 22

9

Ellen Davis

Telling the Rest of the Story See Page 3

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 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 Crema & Vine Brewed Awakening Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library Danville Regional Medical Center Danville Science Center Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen 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

In Chatham Area

Community Center Chatham Health Center Chatham Public House 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

Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House

El Ranchito Elizabeth’s Pizza Martinsville Visitor Center The Pacifica Bay Restaurant

Other

In Yanceyville, NC

Memorial Drive

Danville Welcome Center Food Lion Southwyck Plaza

Gunn Memorial Public Library The Drug Store

ransition is hard. It’s the

journey between the time

before a change and the time after a change: marrying, divorcing, losing loved ones or a job, retiring, moving, becoming a parent or student, developing an illness, or experiencing a lifealtering, unexpected act.

How do we manage change? Dr. Sharon Kolakowski says that when an established sense of identity is shaken by a change, anxiety rises.

Rebuilding a new sense of identity, which will eventually reduce anxiety, takes time, patience, and persistence. Reflecting on the paths to past successes reassures us that we will eventually experience future successes. Reminding ourselves of the reasons for the change, recognizing that transition means growth, focusing on helping others, and having a network of support also help.

Social worker Robert Taibbi adds that depression and anxiety often accompany a sudden change and navigating the uncertainty that follows. Viewing the change as a fresh start can prompt the using of skills and experience to smooth the way forward. Thinking of the change as an opportunity, hitting the ground running, being realistic about time frames and

expectations, and having liberal doses of positivity, patience, and proactivity can ease the transition.

Tim Maurer, financial planner, says flexibility, margin, and grace are key to handling major life transitions. One of his ideas – that life guarantees change and that flexibility is its only counteragent – is thought-provoking. He suggests using a margin – a buffer of time and money, both of which should be allocated at levels of at least 20% more than expected – to plan for and manage the stress of transition. His comment about grace being “unmerited favor in the face of failure” seems to mean that sometimes we have to forgive our own limitations or those of others in order to make progress.

I find treasure in the ideas of others.

Reading quotations about life’s transitions led me to this column.

As we begin this year of new and unexpected transitions, I wish us all the gifts of positivity, patience, proactivity, flexibility, margin, and grace.

About the author: When she’s not reading her way out of befuddlement, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu serves as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes reader comments.

Transitions

• Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of thinking and living but a full-on metamorphosis. Martha N. Beck.

• Life is one big transition.

Willie Stargell • All life transitions have a pattern, which if acknowledged will make tough times more comprehensible.

Thoughtsnlife.com • Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome. Isaac Asimov • Sometimes you need to step outside, get some air, and remind yourself of who you are and where you want to be.

Gossip Girl • Our lives really change for the better when we put our efforts into changing ourselves and our circumstances rather than trying to change other people.

Doe Zantamata

• Times of transition are strenuous, but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge … rethink priorities … be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want.

Kristin Armstrong • It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive. William Bridges • Honor the space between no longer and not yet. Nancy Levin • If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.

Andrew Carnegie • You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

John Kabat-Zin • Dogma is invariably wrong, as knowledge is always in a state of transition. Louis L’Amour • Strength shows, not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Evince Magazine Page 21

Something New for 2018

by Annelle Williams

Who wants to join me?

Here’s my fantasy evening for 2018. I am sitting comfortably by the fireplace, sharing a cocktail with good friends. My guests have interesting personalities with positive outlooks. Dinner is prepared and the kitchen is clean. The food is special, something a little different that I’ll remember for a long time as one of my favorite new dishes. The cocktail and light appetizers are a perfect lead-in to dinner and the dessert is worthy of the peacefulness and pleasure of the evening.

If this sounds like your kind of evening, I have the perfect recipe for dinner. It’s new to me, but an old classic: Coquilles-Staint-Jacque. It’s Ina Garten’s recipe, reprinted recently in the New York Times, so I know I can trust it. Not only is it eloquent and easy to prepare, it can be made ahead and popped into the oven while you enjoy a cocktail. Plus, it only requires a nice green salad to accompany it and a loaf of crusty bread. That’s it.

Add a dessert wine and you’re finished. Give it a try. I hope you enjoy.

Wishing you peace and positivity for 2018!

Coquilles-Saint-Jacques (Adapted from Ina Garten) Serves 6.

4 T butter 1/4 cup flour 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 tsp. curry 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 3 T butter 3 large shallots, diced 12 oz. sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/4 cup Cognac 2 lbs. large sea scallops (cut each scallop into fourths) 1 T butter 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (pulse about 6 slices bread, crust removed, in food processor) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 5 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated ~1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble and foam, add flour, and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes, allowing flour to cook. Add chicken stock and whisk until combined.

Then add cream, curry, salt and pepper. Let sauce come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Set aside.

Add 3 tablespoons butter to large pan over medium heat. Add shallots and stir while cooking just until shallots begin to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms begin to give off their liquid and brown. Add Cognac and stir. Cognac will quickly evaporate. Add scallops, stirring to combine and remove from heat.

Grease six individual 1 1/2 cup ramekins or one 9-inch square casserole dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Add scallop and mushroom mixture to prepared dishes. Cover with cream sauce.

Combine bread crumbs, parsley, and Gruyere. Add olive oil just to moisten mixture. Divide bread crumb mixture evenly between ramekins or spread evenly over casserole.

Place ramekins/casserole dish on sheet pan, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before baking. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400°. Remove cover and bake for 20 minutes. If bread crumbs become too brown, tent with foil and finish baking.

Questions or comments?

Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!

Page  22 January 2018

Photo Finish On December 10, The Danville Historical Society 45th Annual Holiday Tour of historic homes and buildings in the River District and the Old West End was held on a beautiful sunny day. With a record-breaking number of tour participants and sponsors, there was a lot to celebrate afterwards at the home of Paul and Marjory Liepe. A highlight of the evening was the introduction of the Lady Astor Martini.

Captions by Lanie Davis.

All photos by Von Wellington.

For more info visit www.vonwellington photography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.

Ana Ruidiaz and Mike Spangler mingle with friends and enjoy the refreshments.

CB Maddox, Marjory Liepe, and Kara Lee Rocker socialize at the start of the thank-you party for docents of the DHS Holiday Tour.

Paula Smith, Brenda Pinchback, and Michael McNeely relax in the ballroom of the Victorian mansion.

Ann Sylves thanks everyone who made the 45th Annual DHS Holiday Tour a reality.

Beverly Richardson, Marilyn P. Gunter, and Susan Stilwell stop the conversation to pose for a picture.

Marilyn Booth and Jeanette Taylor enjoy the party after volunteering during the tour.

Donald Pippin, Threllis Hall, and Jackie Bethel converse in front of the Christmas tree.

Jane Reid, pretending to be a friend of Lady Astor, introduces the Lady Astor Martini to Dave Corp, Secretary of the Danville Historical Society.

Paul Liepe enjoys playing host.

Evince Magazine Page 23 Danville native Nancy Langhorne Astor (1879-1964) is famous internationally for being the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons (1919-1945). The Lady Astor

Martini pays tribute to her. Restaurants in the area’s historic districts are now serving it. Ironically, she probably wouldn’t order one because she was a teetotaler.

Can you identify these restaurants from the pictures? Send your guesses to joycewilburn@gmail.com. There might be a prize waiting for you.

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Page  24 January 2018