Evince Magazine April 2023

by Linda Lemery

by Barry Koplen

Josh Lucia

Presented by Showcase Magazine

CEO / Publisher / Andrew Scott Brooks Editorial Director / Paul Seiple editor@evincemagazine.com

Contributing Writers

Barry Koplen, Linda Lemery, Josh Lucia, Paul Seiple, Dave Slayton, Mack Williams

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) cindy@showcasemagazine.com

Paul Seiple

Paul Seiple

Mack Williams

Advertising

For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler

Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@showcasemagazine.com

Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net

evince\i-’vin(t)s\

1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly; reveal syn see SHOW

Deadline for this and all other stories, articles, and calendar items is Saturday, April 15 at 5:00pm for the April issue. Please send calendar info to demontdesign@verizon.net.

Editorial Policies Evince is a free monthly magazine about Arts and Culture in Danville and the surrounding area. 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 434.709.7349

© 2023 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

On the Cover: “Of All Her Virtues, Patience was the One She Liked the Least” is by Linda Starr.

in the Millennial Age, detail

Located in the heart of Martinsville’s Arts and Cultural District, Piedmont Arts was founded in 1961. Today, the museum offers performing arts, from concerts to plays to children’s performances, and art classes of all mediums for all ages. Lauren Ellis, Programs and Public Relations Coordinator, added, “Piedmont Arts is dedicated to inspiring and engaging the diverse MartinsvilleHenry County community and surrounding areas through visual arts, performing arts and arts education.” It does this by curating “thought-provoking exhibitions by international, national, and regional artists.”

Piedmont Arts hosts over 20 exhibits in six galleries each year. Director of Exhibitions and Marketing, Bernadette Moore curates major exhibits. She works with artists to develop exhibits that are unique to the museum’s space and that bring new, interesting ideas to the community.

Currently through May 13, Piedmont Arts is displaying the works of artists Susan Lenz, Linda

Piedmont Arts

Curating for the Community

by Paul Seiple photo courtesy of Piedmont Arts

Starr, and Lisa Garrett. “These powerful and creative women work in textiles, found objects, and paint to create pieces that embody the female experience,” Moore said.

The museum has many resources that provide the most complete experience for visitors. Moore continued, “At the start of each exhibit, Piedmont Arts provides cards and educational materials that explain the historical context of the artist, their philosophies, and their goals with the exhibit. This can be a great glimpse into the history of the artist and the questions they are exploring through the creation of art.”

Piedmont Arts houses the Discovery Room with the purpose of allowing young students artistic exploration. “The Discovery Room also provides curated crafts and activities that are related to the exhibits. These can include anything from instructions for painting techniques to scavenger hunts,” Ellis said. There is the Reference Library, which is free and open during museum hours.

“It is a curated, quiet space full of books about artists, art periods,

and movements. This is an excellent resource for educators and students alike,” Ellis added.

Community engagement is vital, and a driving force, for the museum. “Piedmont Arts always offers free admission to all galleries and exhibits. In addition to ensuring the community has economic access to the museum, Piedmont Arts hosts a wide variety of educational programming in the gallery and in local schools,” Ellis said. The museum also curates two outdoor public spaces, The Gravely-Lester Art Garden and the recently created Pollinator Path. Ellis continued, “These spaces add to the beautification of Martinsville by devoting public outdoor space to the arts. The Art Garden hosts events every year that feature local musicians, local restaurants, and food trucks, and encourages the community to spend time together in the fresh air. The Pollinator Path is based on a community garden model with opportunities for individuals and organizations to adopt garden beds and learn to plant flowers and plants that support and benefit our local pollinators.

Grow Where You’re Planted

The goal is to always make sure the arts remain accessible, attainable, and for and by everyone.”

Piedmont Arts recently announced the public phase of its $1 million Growth and Restoration Campaign, which will raise much-needed funds to secure the museum’s future as an arts and cultural leader in the region. “The Growth and Restoration Campaign is integral to the continued success of Piedmont Arts,” said Executive Director Heidi Pinkston. “With these vital funds, many projects that allow us to better serve our community will be completed.”

Pinkston said this will make Piedmont Arts a stronger organization, ready to serve and grow the community. “Martinsville is in the midst of a revitalization effort. There are many projects being completed that will enhance the city for residents and visitors. As part of Uptown and as a major tourism anchor, Piedmont Arts wants to be ready to serve a larger, more diverse community for years to come,” Pinkston concluded.

onsider this: if you know what you want to write regarding a particular feeling, thought, or event, how do you put it on paper to make it most clear and meaningful? Of course, the words you choose are critical; you must choose them carefully.

But the question remains: how do you best use them to convey what you want your readers to think and to feel?

That’s why your sentence structure matters. If you think of each sentence as providing a path to your meaning, then each sentence must provide adequate direction for your readers to follow. One sentence must lead to the next just as one idea must lead readers to the next idea.

By using appropriate sentence structure, your story line will be easy to comprehend. Also, your readers will want to read each line that follows.

In that regard, some writers challenge their readers with sentences that are so lengthy and complex that you may marvel at their construction. James Joyce and William Faulkner were masters when it came to writing sentences that took pages to complete.

Often, such unique sentences were regarded as examples of a ‘stream of conscious’ method that was meant to mimic patterns of thoughts put into words. It’s worth satisfying your curiosity to read excerpts from those authors just to experience their unique sentence patterns.

However, when it comes to writing in a more conventional

Choosing Your Sentences Simple, Compound, Or Complex?

by Barry Koplen

style, choose from the three that I mentioned in the title.

The first of those is a ‘simple sentence’, always useful when you want to direct your readers’ attention to an idea or a theme or a certain action. It’s simple because it has a subject, a verb, and a period. Here’s one:

The detective caught the criminal.

But a compound sentence connects two simple sentences:

The detective caught the criminal, and the stolen car was returned. or

The detective caught the criminal; the stolen car was returned.

A complex sentence contains one dependent clause and one independent clause. It’s important to note that the dependent clause is not a complete idea. It depends on the independent clause to complete its thought:

Because the detective caught the criminal, the stolen car was returned.

In the example above, it’s obvious that because the detective caught the criminal, is not a complete thought. It ‘depends’ on the independent clause, the stolen car was returned., to make the dependent clause a valid and useful part of the sentence.

Another acceptable written expression is an interjection. An interjection is interesting because it’s not a complete sentence. But it is a complete thought that often ends with an exclamation point.

Halleluiah! or Well done!

Just two more things to remember regarding acceptable sentences. NEVER use run-on sentences!

Here’s one example:

The detective caught the criminal, and the stolen car was returned and I shouted Halleluiah and the car that was stolen was mine!

It’s a run-on sentence because it doesn’t fit any of the acceptable sentence categories. It doesn’t

stop when it completes an idea. Because it continues long after the point where it should have ended with a period, it’s regarded as a run-on sentence.

There is one more thing to remember: don’t use sentence fragments.

What Are Sentence Fragments? Examples & Fixes.

https://www.thesaurus.com › Home › Writing

Apr 7, 2021 — A sentence fragment is a phrase or clause written as a sentence but lacking an element, as a subject or verb, that would enable it to ...

It may be interesting to ask to read an article or a letter that someone else has written. As you read that article or letter, be aware of the writer’s sentence structure. By doing that, you’ll become more aware of your own sentences and how they might be improved.

For questions or comments, please email Barry at barry@ evincemagazine.com.

April Calendar of Evince

Abbreviation Key

• DSC = Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead Street, 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org

• HNT = The Historic North Theatre 629 North Main Street, 434.793.SHOW (7469)

• IMPotters, 406 Lynn Street. 434.448.4677. www. impottersclayworx.com

• RBA = Ruby B. Archie Public Library, 511 Patton Street, 434.799.5195 www.readdanvilleva.org

• WC = Wednesday Club, 1002 Main Street in Danville.

Ongoing

Danville Science Center Exhibits

Hands-On Harley-Davidson - Explore the history and mechanics behind one of America’s most iconic motorcycle brands. Ages 3-12. Go! - Highlights the intersection between the physics of machines and biology of the human body. Water - Discover history trapped in ice, experience clouds first hand, uncover life found in a droplet, plunge to the depths of the ocean, learn about water usage from a towering wall of 2,000+ water bottles, enter a room of rain and don’t get wet, and more.

Crescent Crossing - Train-themed exhibit introduces families to important science, technology, engineering, and math fundamentals, such as creativity, problem solving, and cause and effect.

Butterfly Station & Garden – Find out which type of caterpillar certain plants attract, learn the best methods to attract butterflies, and get inspired to create your own butterfly garden.

Ruby B. Archie Public Library

Programs - Don’t miss the programs offered at the Library. Whodunit Book Club, The Write Stuff - Writer’s Group, Puzzlers Club, Unrequired Reading –Classics Book Club, Adult Arts and Crafts, Storytellers: Creative Writing

101, Overbooked: Teen Book Club - “If You Could See the Sun” by Ann Liang, Tween Craft Night - Paper Mache Creations, Teen Advisory Board, Teen Takeover, Youth Dungeons and Dragons, Tiny Library Craft, LEGO Brick Engineers, Mad Scientists - Intro to Environmental Science, Little Explorers Storytime, Little Learning Lab - Springtime Senses, Book Babies, Maker Mondays, Little Explorers Storytime, Tree House Tuesday, Family Storytime.

April 1

Adventure Hike Series – McAfee’s Knob. Gradually build hiking skills by starting at beginner level hike and then ending on a challenging hike. Bring lunch & water. Ages 12+. Reg. required. 7:30am - 3pm. Meet at City Auditorium. 434.799.5150.

Goodyear 5K Run/Walk. 9am. Goodyear Golf Course. Danville Running & Fitness Club - FB.

Spring Egg-stravaganza - Pictures with the Bunny, a take home egg hunt for the first 100 children, cookie decorating station, crafts, and more. 10am-12pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.857.3384.

Gospel in Person – Gospel musical entertainers, The Mighty Harmonaires and The Spiritual Lights perform. Ages 50+. 4- 9pm. Kirby Theater, Roxboro, NC. 434.799.5216.

Karaoke Night - 6pm. The Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463.

April 1 & 2

Matilda – The story of a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. 4/1 - 7:30pm; 4/2 - 3pm. The Prizery. Halifax County Little Theatre. hclt.org.

April 1 (thru 14)

Danville Art League’s Spring Show –Seeing Things in a New Light judged exhibit. IALR. 434.489.5075.

April 2 (thru 30)

Board Games at the Brewery - Enjoy our games or bring your own. Sundays 12-8pm. Ballad Brewing.

April 3

BINGO. 2-3pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

April 5

Puzzle Swap. 11am. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective. com.

Spring Flings & Easter Things – An Easter worship service. After service enjoy a light lunch followed by crafts and an egg hunt. Registration is required. 11am–2pm Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

April 6

National Tartan Day Learn about Scottish clans, tartans, cap badges, coats of arms, locations of clans in Scotland of old, and Scottish history and heritage and possible family connections. Members of the VirginiaCarolina Scottish Society will be there to talk with visitors. RBA. 434.793.7432.

April 7

DPD Easterific Event - Register for a free Easter basket, food, music, fun with the police. 3-6pm. Danville Police Department. 434-797-8898 x4.

April 7, 8 & 9

Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour

- Multiple weekends at premier tracks across the United States. Each event includes two races for each Runoffseligible car class. virnow.com.

April 7 (thru 28)

Friday Night Wheel Try-it - Try pottery wheel throwing in this very intimate workshop with just two participants. Get a demonstration and instructions, then it’s just you, the wheel, and the clay to make one or two pots. 4:305:30 & 5:30-6:30pm. IMPotters.

April 11 (thru 14)

Spring Break Camp II – Fun-filled

week of friendship building, arts and crafts, fitness activities, healthy eating, a local field trip, and more. Bring lunch and snack. Registration required. Grades K-6. 7:30am-6pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.799.5150.

April 12 & 13

Kids Spring Break Class. 4/12 - Button trees on canvas and paint flower pots. 4/13 - Pom Pom rainbow picture and paint wooden statue. Ages 6+. 11am-2pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com.

April 13

6 Guitars – Live Music, Comedy, and More. 7:30pm. The Prizery. 434.572.8339. prizery.org.

April 14

Game Night. Bring dinner and play a game. 6-8pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com.

April 14 & 15

Sweet Violet’s Vintage Spring Market –Vintage vendors, food. 10am-4pm. Hurt, VA.

April 15

Bridge2Bridge Race – Support Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association. Run, walk, bike, and kid-friendly options from 5k-60 mile. Prices and registration at bridge2bridgedanville.com. 8am12pm. Danville Community Market. Horseback Riding – Join a guide on horseback then enjoy petting zoo. Bring lunch. Shuttle and trail ride/equipment included in cost. Registration required. Spring Valley Farm located in Moneta, VA. 434.799.5150.

Mandala Painting - Paint a mandala design on a record. Ages 12+. 11am. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com.

April 15

MGDA Cornhole Tournament & After Party. 1st-3rd place trophies, party includes BBQ, hot dogs, burgers, adult beverages for purchase, DJ & dancing. Tournament entry fee & tickets. 2-11pm. mgdc5678@gmail.com.

April 16

Tribute to Levi Burke - Fundraiser. Paint class “Rest High Levi,” yard sale, bake sale, BBQ sandwiches for sale. 1pm. Pelham Community Center. 434.688.1317.

April 17

Talk Like Shakespeare – Learn more about the bard’s lasting legacy with a fun discussion, games, and more. Ages 18+. Registration required. 5:306:30pm. RBA Auditorium.

April 19

Fairy Tale Bash – Dress in fairy tale costumes and enjoy an evening of enchanted games, a jousting tournament, inflatable castle, and a real unicorn. Ages 12 & under. Registration required. 5-6:30pm. RBA.

April 20

Earth Day Celebration – Learn how to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, make recycled art, participate in “Recycling Our Reads” book swap. Ages 7+. Registration is required. RBA. Historic VA Garden Week - DanvilleChatham. Tour headquarters DMFAH. 10am-5pm. Danville-Chatham@ VAGardenWeek.org.

Danville Lifesaving Crew Gala –Exhibits, dinner & program. Individual tickets & tables available. RSVP 4/10. 5:30pm. IALR. 434.792.2739.

April 21

The Color Purple - Roxboro Little Theater production. Limited spots available. Registration required. Ages 50+. 6-10:30pm. Departs from Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216. Movies at the Crossing - The Lorax Gates 7pm; Movie 8pm. Community Market. 434.857.3384.

Triumphant Quartet – Triumphant offers a wide variety of musical styles, which is enjoyed by church audiences and music lovers. 7:30pm. The Prizery. 434.572.8339. prizery.org.

April 21 & 22

VMNH Reptile Festival - See extraordinary live animals, interact with reptile experts, participate in reptilethemed games and crafts. Balloon animals, face painting, and food trucks will be available throughout both days. Admission. 10am-4pm. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville. 276.634.4141.

April 22

Spring River Clean-Up – Parks & Rec. is partnering with the Danville Science Center to clean the Dan River. Walking along the banks and the Riverwalk to collect trash. Litter getters, gloves, and trash bags available. 9am-12pm. 434.799.5150.

Take Back Drugs Day – Keep them safe. Clean them out. Take them back. Centra Danville Medical Center. 10am-2pm. dea.gov/takebackday.

April 27

Spring Foraging – Learn the different types of edible food located in your backyard. Local expert explores how to identify common edible food on the trails in our parks. Ages 8+. Registration required. 6-7:30pm. Anglers Park Shelter No. 21. 434.799.5150.

JeopardBee Spelling Competition Fundraiser for Project Literacy, which provides free one-on-one tutoring for adults. Up to 15 pre-registered teams will compete for titles of Spelling Bee Winner, Most Creative Spellers, and Most Enthusiastic Team. Also Silent Auction and 50/50 Raffle. 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Co. 6-8:30pm. Spelling Competition starts at 6pm. 434.483.7994.

April 28

Beacon Credit Union Golf Tournament – to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area. 8:00am1:30pm. Goodyear Golf Club. 434.792.6617

April 29

Young Eagles Rally and Airport Open House – Free airplane rides for children 8-17, airport tours, flight simulator, refreshments. Registration required. 10am-3pm. Danville Regional Airport. 434.799.5110. SoBo Spring Fling - Handmade crafts, home decor, jewelry, personal care items, candles, art, food trucks, the Slushee Cart, cupcakes, ice cream and more. 10am-3pm. Downtown South Boston. downtownsobo.com.

Archery 101 Workshop – Learn basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment, and essential safety skills. Ages 5-17. Registration required. 10:30am12:30pm. Coates Rec. Center. 434.799.5150.

Danville Wine Festival. Limited seating. Music by The Pizazz Band. 11am-6pm. Community Market. FB.

Even at fifteen, Connor McAllister has lived in more places than many people. He added, “I’ve lived in four states, including Washington, Minnesota, New York and now Virginia.” He has an older sister and two younger sisters. “Sadly, no brothers.” Along with his sisters, an array of animals keeps McAllister busy. “My house is like a zoo with 3 dogs, 7 cats, one bird, one leopard gecko, and two snakes, but I enjoy it.”

He began acting around five years ago and is already a seasoned vet. “I have been in 13 shows. I’ve done 5 shows with Smokestack so far, but hope to continue with the group for many years.” A fondness for entertaining people led McAllister down the acting path. “In 5th grade (while in Minnesota) I was old enough to audition for Mulan through school as one of the soldiers. From there, my passion for acting grew and I’ve kept up with it.”

McAllister approaches roles differently based on if the character he is portraying fictional or non-fictional. But with either chose there is a great deal of studying involved. “I have had several roles where I researched the lives of those characters, such as Samuel Adams, William Dawes, General Burgoyne, and Middleton Page Lapham, to learn a little more about them and how to properly represent them.” For a fictional role, he turns to movies and plays to learn more about his character.

Action!

Inside the Method of Acting Connor McAllister

by Paul Seiple photo courtesy of Smokestack Theatre Co

Once McAllister gets to know his character, controlling his emotions to fit the scene becomes the focus. “Whether the scene is serious or funny, having control of those emotions can help guide the way,” he said. Dedication is another quality actors must have to play a convincing role. McAllister added, “If this is truly your passion, then you have to give your role and cast team everything you have.” In order for a production to truly resonate with an audience, McAllister feels it comes down to the show running smoothly and everyone being on point.

McAllister noted his portrayal of Grunt in Firebringer as a favorite role in his young career. “It was one of the biggest roles I had been cast for, as it had the most lines, and I also had multiple signing solos. Grunt’s character was amusing as he was goofy, charming, spirited and awkward, which, to be honest, fit my personality well.” His dream role would be DC Universe’s Beast Boy.

“I think a live-action movie with his unique personality and ability to change into animals would be very entertaining.”

McAllister is looking forward to a summer performance of Channeling Grimm. “I always enjoy doing shows with Smokestack and the people who typically audition.” He is also counting the days until October for this year’s performance of Ghosts and Gravestones. “It’s interesting to tell the stories

of people laid to rest here in Danville.”

In the future, McAllister hopes to expand on his acting career to include movies and big

productions. “I would also hope to strive as an entrepreneur in 3D printing and graphic design… a few more reptiles wouldn’t be so bad either,” he concluded.

The Art of

Planting Something Beautiful

by Paul Seiple

Spring brings out the green thumbs. And gardens are in bloom.

In Growing with the Seasons: A Sharing of Insights Into the Creative Aspects of Organic Gardening, Alfred Austin wrote, “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”

Gardens are much more than bountiful vegetables and flowers. Much love and time go into nurturing a garden. Simply, gardens are art. Just like a painting or sculpture, a garden is a creative expression that is crafted. It is a living canvas, where plants, flowers, and other natural elements are skillfully placed and arranged to create a visually stunning and harmonious space.

There is no better place to view these works of art than during Virginia’s 90th Historic Garden Week. See the creativity in Danville on April 20. Gabriella Garden Club, HGW Tour Chair 2023, Karan Johnson said, “People can expect a greater appreciation of Danville’s history and hopefully get a sense of our hopes and vision for the future. It is not simply a house and garden tour; although we’ve included those.”

Proceeds from the Garden Tour fund the restorations of Virginia’s historic gardens and a research fellowship program.

Revitalization is a buzzword in Danville. The homes and businesses on this tour reflect the city’s initiative to reimagine Danville. Johnson added, “I hope that seeing these restored and transformed properties and the work in progress throughout the city will bring people hope for the future of Danville and perhaps the desire to share it.”

A great deal of design is involved in this art form. A garden is not just a random collection of plants thrown together. It’s a carefully planned and executed arrangement. The layout of a garden can be thought of as a composition, with each individual element contributing to the overall aesthetic. Creativity and skill are must haves to achieve a cohesive and visually appealing design.

Like other art, gardens evoke emotions and connect with people on a deeper level. Just like a piece of music or a painting, a garden can elicit feelings of joy, tranquility, and even sadness. The colors, textures, and scents of a garden can all influence our moods, making it a powerful medium for artistic expression.

Gardens are also a reflection of culture and history. Different cultures have their unique gardening styles, which reflect their traditions and values. For example, Japanese gardens are known for their simplicity and use of natural materials, while English gardens are known for their formal designs and use of colorful flowers. Through gardening, we can learn about different cultures and their artistic traditions.

Gardens are not static and are never truly finished. They grow and develop, just like a painting that may be touched up or reworked. This evolution over time is what makes gardening an ongoing creative process, where the artist must continually adapt and adjust their design as the garden grows and changes. The continuing nurturing and attention make a garden a fluid work of art.

Whether it’s a small backyard garden, one of the breathtaking locations on this year’s garden tour, or a sprawling botanical garden, gardening is a dynamic and rewarding form of artistic expression.

For more information on Virginia’s 90th Historic Garden Week, visit www.vagardenweek.org/tours/ danville-chatham.

photo courtesy of The Gabriella and Chatham Garden Clubs and Garden Club of Danville

Scene: Plant and Linda are talking in the late morning. Linda is still struggling conceptually with conversing with a sentient plant.)

Plant (cheerily): Good morning. You are up later than usual..

Linda (yawning): I was dead to the world.

P: My cousin plant died and came back as a carnation.

L:… What?

P: Cuz was reincarnated.

L:… Is this a plant joke?

P: That brings on another interesting question. What is it like to be dead?

L:… How would I know? I’m not dead.

P: You said you were dead to the world.

L: “Dead to the world” means sleeping heavily.

P: My question is still hanging heavily.

L: Plant, why are you asking about death?

P: I am curious.

L: Popular saying: “You can’t avoid death or taxes.”

Plant VI:

Not Dead to the World

by Linda Lemery

we can classify them. If we think they can hurt us, we will do more testing.

P: …You think I am here to hurt you?

L (consideringly):… I think you’re here to test me in a way that teaches me...

P:… That means…?

P: Many people have children. Old people who die live on through their children.

L: Plants live on, too.

P: We do not procreate like you.

L: But some of you produce seeds which are planted. New plants grow.

P: I do not pay taxes.

L: Let’s tackle this another way. Death is the opposite of life.

P (snarkily):… Here we go…

L: If you’re dead, your consciousness is gone.

P: What about your body?

L: Your body’s toast.

P: Toast? Like breakfast?

L (irritably): Plant, you’re such a blend of knowing unexpected stuff and not knowing expected stuff.

P: Expected for a plant?

L (huffily):… I stand corrected. As usual. With death, a body stops growing. It’s dying, decomposing. But humans have rituals.

P: Rituals?

L: Let’s go outside.

P: I am going, too? Do not drop me. I might die.

L: I’m not going to drop you. You’re too much of an unknown.

P: Unknown?

L: Example: In microbiology, we culture bacteria to see whether they are the kind that hurt humans. They’re unknown until

L: Socrates thought all knowledge was present, waiting to be uncovered through questioning. He questioned others relentlessly. So, we keep talking to resurrect knowledge.

P: Good spin, Linda. We are out in the road. You are in your nightie. We should not stay here long enough to get dead by car-strike. I would rather learn by metaphor than the real thing.

L: Good point, Plant. …I’m holding you up. See that plot of land down the hill?

P: The cemetery?

L: Yup.

P: Where dead people are buried.

L: Right. Those stones down there mark the graves of loved ones.

P: Rituals. So living people can visit the deceased.

L: To remain connected…

P:… with memories of the dead.

L: Sometimes people are cremated.

P: They are still remembered.

L: For their contributions during life.

P: What about when plants die?

L: They go back into the earth.

P: The cycle of life.

L: Right.

P: Not many plants converse like this.

L: Sometimes we take a sample and try to root a new “you.”

P: …I could continue in a younger form?

L: Sure.

P: Would I speak? Like this?

L: I don’t know.

P: Living on would be better than dying.

L: Yes.

P: Okay. Do it.

L: If we start another “you,” you won’t be dead to the world if you die. And you’ll never be dead to me.

P: We both learn from these dialogues. Get us out of the road.

L (bringing plant back into the house): I need to buy plant food and drop off my taxes, so we need to stop talking.

P: So, this conversation is dead?

L: If it stops, we’ll still remember the gist. Plus, you’ll have new food for thinking, I mean questioning; I mean grilling me.

P: Looking forward to discovering more.

About the author: Plant and Linda Lemery (llemery@gmail.com) wish everyone good luck with their taxes and Happy Easter. Both welcome reader comments.

ago

Movies You Missed from 20 years

by Josh Lucia

A Mighty Wind (7/10 Rating)

Released April 16, 2003

For rent/purchase on all major platforms.

Genre: Comedy, Music

PG-13: Sex-Related Humor 1h 31m

This is the fourth film from Christopher Guest, following This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show. If you are familiar with those films, you will certainly recognize most of the cast in this one. Even those not familiar with Guest’s

mockumentaries will notice quite a few character actors. Guest’s style is not for everyone, and you can likely decide to watch this one based on your enjoyment of the aforementioned titles. After about 10 or 15 minutes, you will have an idea if this movie will work for you or not. It is not quite as silly as the Monty Python or Scary Movie series, but it certainly has a lot of fun with the subject matter. Here, Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy take on fictional folk singers from the 1960s as they prepare for a reunion memorializing a deceased concert promoter. There’s the Folksmen, a trio made up of Guest, Michael McKean (Better Call Saul), and Harry Shearer, which was originally a sketch performed on SNL in the mid-80s and later the opening act during Spinal Tap tours. The fictional trio is loosely based on The Kingston Trio. Another fictional band, The New Main Street Singers, is a parody of the New Christy Minstrels. Finally, Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) and Eugene Levy play Mitch & Mickey, a former couple that released multiple hit

albums but have since had a dramatic breakup, making for an awkward reunion. Majority of the comedy relies on the improvised acting and the realness each actor brings to their role. The film edges just close enough to absurdity while maintaining the fact that we could be watching a documentary about real people. It reminds us that these characters and situations are not far off from reality and that realization almost leads to embarrassed laughter at ourselves for feeding the popularity of some very cringy things, especially in our more youthful years. It’s easy to watch this film and judge our parents or grandparents for the things they enjoyed in the 60s, but no matter what your age, look back in thirty or forty years or so and you are sure to question many of the interests we as a society obsessed over, especially our music choices.

Also check out: House of 1000 Corpses (6/10), Identity (7/10), X2: X-Men United (7/10), Beyond Re-Animator (4/10), A Man Apart (4/10), Phone Booth (5/10) (follow @ jlucia85 for these reviews and more)

When we hear the word Burgundy here in the US, most will think of a deep shade of red. Sometimes confused with maroon, it has a red-purplish hue, whereas maroon has, as I understand, a reddish-brown hue. But in the wine world, Burgundy refers to the French wine region in central eastern France. Red Burgundy is understood to be Pinot Noir, and white Burgundy is understood to be Chardonnay.

I am finally getting around to doing that. A friend suggested I read the book, Shadows in the Vineyard by Maximillian Potter. It is a non-fiction story that recounts an extortionist’s 2010 attempt to extract €1 million from a French wine proprietor in Burgundy. What captured my interest was the author’s description of the area’s rolling green hills, narrow roads, and vineyards. Enamored with his descriptions, I downloaded an audio edition to simultaneously hear and read the text. I attribute this book to renewing my interest in the region’s wines and the Kir cocktail.

The drink gets its name from Félix Kir, who in the early 20th

Burgundy

The Color and the Region

century was mayor of Dijon (the capital city of Burgundy. Some believe Kir offered the cocktail to foreign visitors, who brought the recipe home. Traditionally made with Aligoté, the “other” white wine from Burgundy (not Chardonnay) and Crème de Cassis (a sweet, dark red liqueur made from blackcurrants). There are variations.

• Kir Imperial – Chambord (French liqueur based on raspberries) and Champagne (not any other sparkling wine)

• Kir Royale – substitutes Champagne for Aligoté but uses Crème de Cassis instead of Chambord.

• Kir Cardinal – substitutes red wine for white wine and uses Crème de Cassis.

• Kir Mocktail (nonalcoholic) –Use grenadine instead of Crème de Cassis or Chambord and sparkling water.

• My favorite is 4½ ounces of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and ¾ ounces of Chambord served in a Champagne flute.

Experiment and find your favorite variation. Cheers!

by Dave Slayton

photo by Dave Slayton

Old Demolished House

by Mack Williams

The other day I was driving down Danville’s Central Boulevard, when I suddenly saw something different, actually, it was something different from what it used to be. What once was an old house was now a newly formed pile of rubble (same house, different “shape”).

Thinking it might be something interesting about which to write, I pulled off onto the short side road upon which that house rubble is located and walked up to it. Sometimes, a “drive-by story” is all that’s needed. But sometimes you have to pull over, get out of your car, and put your feet on the ground!

In a city like Danville, looking towards new beginnings, sometimes old dilapidated houses, unless they’re of historical importance, have to go.

Near that demolished house, another old house still stands, as yet “un-collapsed” by wrecking machinery.

In front of that old house stands a large, vine-enwrapped magnolia tree whose un-crushed, cone-like seed pods fill the section of road in front of it, advertising the road as little used.

In the yard of the pile of rubble, which once was a house, sat a bulldozer. This great piece of machinery had made some deep ruts in the yard, but there were no residents left to care; and even the ground seemed past caring as well.

The mass of broken walls and lumber in the rubble pile made me suddenly remember the retro childhood game “Pickup-Sticks” which I played in the 1950s (but the inspiration for that game is

even more “retro” than I am, going back to ancient China).

As of now (but not for long), a closed-in, windowed back porch is the only part of the demolished old house which remains intact. If someone suffering from stove-pipe myopia were to look straight in the back window (and nowhere else), he would notice nothing wrong, providing the house door leading to that porch still existed and had been left closed.

In addition to the rubble “mountain,” there was a little hill of set-aside, twisted sections of a tin roof to presumably be taken somewhere for recycling or to the scrap metal buyers.

There were plenteous scraps of siding and pieces of foam insulation. The insulation now laid bare to the chilly March wind.

Here and there were a few pieces of polished hardwood floor, “looking their best” for their trip to the dump.

Some large bricks lay about, others forming part of the mostly still-standing chimney, with wonder of wonders a complete hearth and mantel. But if you were

looking for some knickknacks to be still sitting on that mantel, you would have been very disappointed.

Rising above the jumble of “lumber sticks” was a piece of sheetrock of bright blue color. Since the day was cloudy, that piece of sheetrock seemed to do its best to mimic the sky’s blue, since that blue, itself, could not be present.

Just before I left the site, and after my eyes had seen all that was to be seen there, my sense of smell picked up something that still infuses my memories of the things seen.

Ghost hunters sometimes talk about ghostly smells, and standing there, I smelled the strong smell of freshly hewn wood.

The best I can figure is that the old wood was, in a way, “rehewn” by the rough instrument of destruction.

And from that “hewing,” something “fresh” and “alive” was released from where it had been hiding pristine in the heart and knots of the old house’s timber for all these years.

photo by Mack Williams