Where’s the Music? Bruce Scism Page 7
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Gayle Wyatt Page 7
Meditation Moment Casey Molley Page 14
Celia Spillmann & Annie Martinie
Growing Flowers and a Business See Page 5
Page  2 May 2019
Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
Evince Magazine Page 3
Editor’s Note
Increased heart rate, appetite loss, restlessness, daydreaming. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you might have spring fever! The cure? Go outside. The more time you spend in the sunshine the better you will feel. Celia Spillmann and Annie Martinie are always happy and smiling because they spend most daylight hours in their flower gardens (cover picture, story page 5). Annelle Williams likes to eat outside and she has a great suggestion for an easy meal on page 13. Linda Lemery thinks “Spring Fever Is for the Birds” (page 11). She isn’t disgruntled, just realistic. Casey Molloy has a few inspirational words on page 14 for you to read while basking in the sun. Barry Koplen can’t sit that still when a special project calls. Read “Making Danville Shine” on page 14. At the end of the day, watch the sun set and relax with a glass of white wine suggested in “The Wine Spot” on page 12. This is also the month to renovate, clean, read, attend special events, listen to music and more. There is an article for each of these topics. With all this in mind, shuck off cabin fever and embrace spring fever. I agree with performer Travis Tritt: “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive.”
May Contents
3 Editor’s Note
5 Celia Spillmann & Annie Martinie Growing Flowers and a Business by Joyce Wilburn 6 Renovation Reality / Part 33 by Carla Minosh
Big Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
7 Where’s the Music? / Bruce Scism by Larry Wilburn
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service by Alice Roberts
The
oice of Spring Fever
CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers
Diane Adkins, Karen Harris, Ann W. Heath, Barry Koplen, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, CB Maddox, Carla Minosh, Casey Molloy, Bernadette Moore, Rachel Reynolds, Alice Roberts, Lisa Tuite, Dave Slayton, Danielle Staub, Joyce Wilburn, Larry Wilburn, Annelle Williams, Liz Whittaker, Cynthia Wright
Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.
8 Calendar 10 The Voice of Readers 11 Book Clubbing / Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island by Earl Swift review by Diane Adkins
Reflecting Forward / Spring Fever Is for the Birds by Linda Lemery
12 The Wine Spot Is There a Wine That Pairs with Spring? by Dave Slayton
13 Around the Table / Smoked Salmon Salad Board by Annelle Williams
Kim Demont (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 submission of June stories, articles, and ads is Sunday, May 19, at 5:00 p.m. Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
14 Meditation Moment by Casey Molloy
Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com
Making Danville Shine by Barry Koplen
Editorial Policies:
Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle 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 For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com. Cost is $24 a year. Where’s the Music? Bruce Scism Page 7
Sincerely, © 2019 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Gayle Wyatt Page 7
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. Clothes and accessories: Rippe’s100 Years of Fashion, 559 Main St. Danville.
Meditation Moment Casey Molley Page 14
Celia Spillmann & Annie Martinie
Growing Flowers and a Business
Congratulations Class of 2019
See Page 5
On the Cover:
Photo of Celia Spillmann & Annie Martinie by Michelle Dalton Photography.
Don’t Forget to Pick Up the May Edition of
Showcase Magazine
Page  4 May 2019
Evince Magazine Page 5
I
f there is a Murphy’s Law for growing flowers, what happened with Annie Martinie’s plans to provide blossoms for her sister’s wedding would apply. Months before the September 22, 2018 wedding, Annie, a Senior Program Officer at the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF), and Celia Spillmann, former DRF Fellow, developed a well thought-out game plan. Celia recalls how it evolved: “I’d walk by her office and say, ‘Hey, you want to talk about flowers?’ Often we’d discuss flowers at lunch and send each other flower pictures.” Annie had a great advisor in her co-worker who had years of experience growing flowers and a master’s degree in sustainability studies from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville, North Carolina. “Celia mentored me and my husband Ryan, and we had a great growing season,” Annie remembers. Everything was proceeding according to plan until the unprecedented rainy season occurred and the remnants of Hurricane Florence hit two weeks before the wedding. “The flowers had no rain protection!” laments Celia thinking about the flowers that died. “It was a hard time for all farmers, but we received great advice and help from other local flower farmers.” Despite the stress and uncertainty, the wedding flowers were beautiful and they both have fond memories of the bouquets and table arrangements. “We really enjoyed the experience,” recalls Annie. Shortly after the wedding, the friends were talking at Celia’s Caswell Flower Company in Yanceyville when Annie made an announcement: “I told Celia that Ryan and I wanted to continue growing and selling flowers as Hummingbird Flower Farm. Celia could have seen us as competition, but she immediately asked how we could collaborate.” Annie decided to grow several varieties of dahlias in sixteen, fifty-foot rows in Semora. Celia’s attention would be on growing over 3,000 sunflowers at her flower farm in Yanceyville. They also created the Caswell Flower Share—a form of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA), a system that connects a producer with consumers and allows the
Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.
Celia Spillmann & Annie Martinie Growing Flowers and a Business by Joyce Wilburn consumer to subscribe to the harvest of a farm. Most CSAs focus on food. “In a Flower Share, however, we offer locally grown flower bouquets. By pre-selling bouquets, we have funds early in the year to buy needed supplies and materials,” says Celia. It’s a win-win situation. “Consumers know that they will have flowers on a regular basis and will receive the best flowers from our farms,” she explains, adding, “There’s no waiting in line at a store or market or missing out on the cream of the crop because you arrive late.” Not only will customers have gorgeous locally-grown flowers for their homes, there are other benefits for participating in Flower Share. Celia continues: “Eighty percent of the flowers in the stores come from other countries. It’s better for the environment to buy locally because of the smaller carbon footprint. Also, because we cut flowers close to the time of delivery, they will be more fragrant, more vibrantly colored, and will last longer.” Foreign growers are constantly creating varieties of flowers that ship better, but a side effect is the blossoms aren’t as fragrant and often look dull. Also, chemicals are usually applied to flowers
being shipped to help them live longer. Annie chimes in, “We don’t use chemical sprays, therefore, our flowers are safer if a pet or child tries to eat them.” Looking at the months ahead, Annie Martinie and Celia Spillmann are hopeful that all the planning, planting, and nurturing will have beautiful results. They also have their fingers crossed that Murphy’s Law is a thing of the past.
• For more information about Flower Share, visit Caswell Flower Company or Hummingbird Flower Farm on Facebook or call 336.337.3306. Deliveries and pickups are on Mondays in Danville, Virginia, and in Yanceyville, North Carolina. • Want to become a Master Gardener and grow flowers? Attend their 7:00 p.m. meeting on May 6 at West Main Baptist Church, 450 West Main Street, Danville. More info at 434.548.3825.
Page 6 May 2019 Unlike HGTV shows where home renovations are completed within thirty to sixty minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut Place and Main Street in Danville has been under a transformation for eighteen years. This series explores the truth of home renewal from someone who has been there and done that. If you missed any of the articles, visit www. evincemagazine.com.
W
e regularly explore old cities and towns up and down the East Coast. Buffalo, New York, is a favorite. The wealth of architecture, wonderful Italian food, and super nice people make this an appealing place to visit. We scour the myriad antique shops and architectural warehouses, looking for elements to work into the house: lighting fixtures, original faucets, and anything else that caught our fancy. On one occasion, Tom had to talk me down from a zinc bathtub with its original wood-paneled casework. I was still pouting over the loss when he left the shop to answer a phone call. I continued to browse, lazily opening random
Renovation Reality Part 33
by Carla Minosh boxes and peeking at the contents, when I flipped back the cardboard flaps of one and froze in my tracks. My fingers quickly walked the edges of the tiles inside. The count was perfect: seventeen tiles. Anyone restoring an old Victorian house knows that a typical fireplace surround is five on each side, five across the top, and two corner tiles. I waited patiently for Tom to finish his call and told him to look inside the box but not to get excited. His eyes got big when he pulled back the flaps and he asked the obvious question. Seventeen? I nodded in confirmation. We took the box to the counter to negotiate a fair price, not knowing whether we could use them. On the flight home, we checked our baggage, but I hand-carried the box into the cabin and stowed it under my seat. This box was a true treasure. It’s not every day that we find a complete set of antique fireplace tiles that is an exact match to the 1880s tile surround of an
existing fireplace in our double parlor! The sad fact, however, was that the existing fireplace surround in the rear parlor was not complete. One of the tiles on the side had been there at the day of the house auction but had since disappeared. Perhaps it was taken as a souvenir by an auction
Big fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg Manhattan ain’t never had no wife, but he did have a top girl, Cecily. But her street name, what men hollered or moaned, what angry women called her was Big Red. The cause for this was her red hair (a dyed, bright wig) and her light skin. She was a redbone, pretty girl. Guess she was a woman and not a girl when I knew her. She was thirty-eight, maybe forty-five. I was fifteen. She was old for the life, and I guess I was too young. Either way, she lived with us in the nice apartment over there on Light Avenue with the real black leather couches, she, me, and Manhattan (don’t never forget Manhattan). Anyway, she died Thursday. Her life was less than an inch in the paper, but I don’t read the paper so I didn’t know. Today, Manhattan told me like he was telling the weather, like picking lint and a by-the-way off his shirt that Big gone. I’m breathing like fire, while yo daddy, Kwon, sit on our porch in early May. He was unraveling the rows of braids me and Mandy Blue Eyes put in your hair. Manhattan, yo daddy, won’t come inside what he say is my shabby home. I’m thankful. You are four, Kwon, and you are wincing at the pull on your scalp but don’t say nothing. Even though it hurts, you love this daddy you have. And I hate him. The paper didn’t put in that Big was an alcoholic, didn’t mention the scar on her side, or the limp she strutted through. The paper certainly didn’t mention how Manhattan kicked her out in winter and how she begged. It didn’t mention how she held her side, a rib broke from some john he found for her. I watched behind those black leather couches even though I won’t no child then.
attendee. We had searched for an artist who could re-create the missing tile with a facsimile but were unable to find someone with the imagination to do the job. The problem solved itself, however, upon removing the mantelpiece to repair the cracking plaster behind it. The missing tile clattered to the floor! It had slipped back and behind the wooden mantel into a void created by the crumbling plaster. We celebrated two complete sets of tile in the double parlors that night.
(to be continued)
“I been with you more’n seventeen years, Manhattan. Boo, what this? What you doing?” Big swallowed shame and spit. “I be with Frito if you want me…” But Manhattan just closed the door on her face, and she limped across the lawn. After two years, I ran away from Manhattan when I was fifteen, in May. Now, finally, spring after hard winter, I thought it would be warm enough to make it, so I left and hid, three months pregnant, with one red shoe and one blue sandal on my feet behind a four-bay carwash on Eagle Street for five days. But I couldn’t make it. I was throwing up, hiding, washing up and drinking the dripping water from the long metal car-wash hoses. Manhattan went to Frito’s and sent Big Red to find me. “You coming back?” I ask Big Red, sitting on the broken air vacuum that cost a dollar in quarters. She took off her wig, scratched at the long, thick black plaits underneath. “Naw, I cain’t.” “You going back?” Big Red asked me, treating me like the grown-up I wasn’t. “Hell, naw,” I say, but I was scared. “Sure,” Big smiled sadly and put the red wig back on. She whistled loud, waved an arm. I ducked my head. I knew she was calling him. I went back when I said I wouldn’t, so grateful, didn’t even ask if she could come too. The Caddie was dark and warm. I didn’t look back. Manhattan never came for her again, and I never knew why he threw her away. She loved him and no one seemed to love her back. The paper won’t tell you Big made me hot sauce spaghetti on good china plates before she got kicked out. The paper won’t say later even when I was away from Manhattan, when he was upstate that I saw Big sometimes on her own, holding up borrowed time and bad corners, and how that didn’t go too well for her. Frito won’t kind. The world ain’t kind. But Big was never unkind to me. Paper gave no next of kin.
Evince Magazine Page 7
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service
by Alice Roberts
I would like to nominate Gayle Wyatt of Carter Craig Attorneys at Law, 126 South Union Street in Danville, for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.
Where’s the Music?
Bruce Scism by Larry Wilburn
Did you ever have to make up your mind? To pick up on one and leave the other behind It’s not often easy, and not often kind Did you ever have to make up your mind?
T
hese lyrics from the 1965 Lovin’ Spoonful hit describe life decisions that may set a future course. In the case of Bruce Scism, however, he did not “leave one behind.” Two very different but parallel currents have run through his life: his career in higher education and his unwavering dedication to music. While fully engaged in duties as the past president of Danville Community College, Bruce pursued his musical avocation and passion as a composer, songwriter and performer. He grew up in the ‘60s when American folk music was a growing and evolving genre. As a young boy he recalls being awed by the vocal harmonies of Peter, Paul and Mary and the Kingston Trio. In third or fourth grade, he began to learn guitar and to explore the different stylings of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and the group America. Of course, like many other budding artists of this era, he came under the spell of The Beatles. This eclectic mix
led him to explore other genres such as blues, country, rock and bluegrass. New influences, such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Tom Waits began to shape his music. He took classical piano lessons for a couple of years and started to major in music, taking theory courses at Sangamon State University in Springfield, Illinois. When Bruce chose a career path in higher education administration, he did not walk away from music. A song writer and composer, he has collaborated with wife Beth and others and recorded with stellar instrumentalists. His latest CD, “Send Down One Angel,” is a compilation of songs that blend beautiful harmonies, comprehensible lyrics and outstanding instrumental support from incredible performing and studio musicians. What I most appreciate while listening to Bruce sing is the exquisite pairing of lyrics and melodies. His are not simply words imposed on a melody but an intimate collaboration in which the lyrics inform the music and the music informs the lyrics. I don’t think you can ask anything more of a composer. • When not composing, recording or traveling, Bruce performs in Danville at 2 Witches Winery & Brewery, 209 Trade Street and at The 616 Restaurant, 616 North Main Street. If readers would like to recommend a local musician for a future article, email lewilburn46@gmail.com with contact information.
In January, my cousin, Shirley Motley, who lives in Maryland called and asked me if I knew a lawyer who could help with the sale of her house in Danville. My husband looked through the Yellow Pages and found the law office of Carter Craig. When he called, he spoke to Gayle Wyatt. She was very kind in helping him. Later, my cousin called Ms. Wyatt who gave her detailed information about what she needed to do. My cousin was impressed with her professionalism, honesty and knowledge during their phone conversation. For these reasons, she deserves the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award. PS: My cousin, Shirley Motley, thanks Ms. Wyatt for her kindness and wishes her success in the future. Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania Co. 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. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.
Page 8 May 2019
May 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 • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com
pet from being used by interplanetary villain Dark Truder to steal weather from planets. Learn about weather on Earth and other planets. DSC Wed/Fri 2pm; Sat/Sun 3pm The Children of Langhorne House: 117 Broad St. Danville; a retrospective exhibit; free Saturdays 2-5pm
Ongoing
Guided Walking Tours – Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District. Danville Historical Society. www. danvillehistory.org. 434.770.1974. DMFAH self-guided audio-visual tours. Brosville Library: 11948 Martinsville Highway www.pcplib.org 434.685.1285 Danville Public Library: 511 Patton St. www.readdanvilleva. org 434.799.5195 DPL Westover Branch: 94 Clifton St. www.readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5152 Gretna Library: 207 A Coffey Street, www.pcplib.org 434.656.2579 Gunn Memorial, Caswell County Public Library: 118 Main St, Yanceyville, NC www.caswellcounty.gov/library 336.694.6241 Halifax County Public Library: 177 South Main St. www.halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.476.3357 History Research Center and Library: 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.8931 Mt. Hermon Library: 4058 Franklin Turnpike www.pcplib.org 434.835.0326 Pittsylvania County Public Main Library: 24 Military Drive, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.3271 South Boston Public Library: 509 Broad St. 434.5575.4228 www.halifaxcountylibrary.org Zula Patrol: Under the Weather: After inadvertently hurting Gorga’s feelings, the stalwart heroes of the Zula Patrol must rescue their beloved
May 4
Open Studio Time: Main St. Art Collective,326 Main St. Danville 11am-5pm free 434.602.2017 Make Danville Shine Home Expo: Community Market, 629 Craghead St. 8am-noon Derby Day: DMFAH lawn 4-8pm live music by Norm and Sarah; photo booth photography by Von Wellington; Southern BBQ with all the fixin’s, cash bar: wine, beer, mint juleps, non-alcoholic options; Derby race “betting” based on a 50/50 raffle; caricature drawings; hat contest with prizes, live broadcast of the 145th Kentucky Derby $40 advance/$45 door includes food and a drink ticket. Danville Symphony Orchestra Concert: “Shall We Dance?” free GWHS Auditorium 8pm www. danvillesymphony.net 434.797.2666
May 4 (thru October 26) May 1 (thru May 21)
Robert Zirillo Exhibit: an equestrian and landscape themed art exhibition by American Impressionist artist DMFAH zirilloart.com. Prints and notecards are available in the gift shop.
Danville Farmers’ Market: 629 Craghead St. 7:30am-noon; tomato plant giveaway on May 4 while supplies last; vegetables, honey, beef, chicken, pork, wine, coffee, crafts, baked goods, donation station for God’s Storehouse, Master Gardeners table 434.797.8961
May 6
Master Gardeners Meeting: West Main Baptist Church, 450 West Main St. Danville 7pm honoree Stuart Sutphin 434.548.3825 public invited
May 3
Historic Garden Week Tour: self-driving tour of three areas straddling the VA-NC border: VIR villa, two historic private homes, several churches, the Milton Renaissance Museum, and a home in a gated community on nearby Hyco Lake. 10am-5pm $20 advance at Reid St. Gallery (Chatham) and DMFAH; $30 on tour day at VIR and 431 Estate Road, Semora, NC on Hyco Lake Wayside Garden Club 85th Anniversary Celebration: a Downton Abbey style tea and professional design program featuring Dueling Designers David Pippin and Al Brockwell who will interpret four unrelated themes to create four designs using the same flowers resulting in eight distinct designs. $25 Institute for Advance Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Ave. 1-4pm 434.251.5884.
May 7
Eat Out to Help Out: Local restaurants donate 10% of their total proceeds for one day to help God’s Storehouse. Look for signs at the participating businesses with the logo. For a list of restaurants visit Facebook. www. godsstorehouse.org 434.793.3663.
May 9
Painting with Ed Gowen: Quoddy Head Lighthouse; adults 9am-3:30pm PA $75 member $85 non-member
May 9, 10 & 11
Moon Over Buffalo: TheatreWorks Community Players 44 Franklin St. Martinsville 7pm $16 276.632.2800
The deadline for submitting information for the June calendar is Sunday, May 19, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.
May 2019
S M T 5 6 7 12 13 14 19 20 21 26 27 28
W T F S 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 29 30 31
May 10
Toast to the Tatas: wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres, raffle, wine pull Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. Danville 6:30-9pm $30 to benefit Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test 336.286.6620 earlier.org
May 11
DMFAH: free admission day 10am-5pm Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive: Leave non-perishable food items (no glass please) at your mailbox before your carrier arrives. Volunteers or postal workers will collect. Donations may be dropped off at God’s Storehouse 750 Memorial Drive. Food collected in and around Danville benefits God’s Storehouse and food collected in Chatham and north benefits the Northern Pittsylvania County Food Pantry. SoBo Brew Fest: Downtown South Boston 2-8pm
May 12
Mothers’ Day DMFAH: free admission 2-5pm
May 14
5th Annual Solo Festival: DMFAH 5pm
May 16
Southern Piedmont Technology Council Speaker Series: Smart Cities. Cities and communities are deploying innovative new technologies and urban planning models that rely on sensors, AI, and IoT, to improve transportation, public safety, energy infrastructure, and environmental management. Dave Ihrie, CTO, Center for Innovative Technology, will share what is a Smart City, why it is important, the benefits, and how we move our communities forward. A panel of local government officials from Danville, Martinsville, and Franklin County will speak about Smart City technologies that are currently in place and future plans. www.sptc-va.org $20 SPTC
Evince Magazine Page 9 members/$30 non-members 12 noon Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Ave., Danville
Painting: Main St. Art Collective, 326 Main St. Danville 11:30am free 434.602.2017
May 17
May 27 (thru 31)
Opening Reception: Expressions 2019: 6-8 pm free PA
YMCA Basketball Camp: ages 9-13 7:30am-5pm $75 members/$125 non-members 434.792.0621
May 28
May 17, 18 & 19
Festival in the Park: 4-8pm (17th) 10am-8pm (18th) 1-6pm (19th) 760 West Main St. Danville www.DanvilleFestivalinthePark.com Moon Over Buffalo: TheatreWorks Community Players 44 Franklin St. Martinsville 7pm $16 276.632.2800
May 22
Picnic on the Plaza: Main Street Plaza Danville 11:45am-1:45pm $4 United Way fundraiser PA Bus to Broadway: Hello, Dolly! 4pm departure/7:30pm performance at Durham Performing Arts Center $110
May 25
Making Danville Smile Rock
Pittsylvania County Public Library Summer Film & Discussion Kickoff: a potluck supper at the History Research Center & Library, 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham; moderated by Averett Assistant Professor of History, Andrew Canady, sponsored by the library, History United, Chatham First, Pittsylvania Together, and the Rosebud Baptist Church. Meetings are the last Tuesday of each month from May through September. 6:30pm
May 30
Yoga in the Galleries: noon-1pm PA free for members/$10 others
Plan Ahead June 3 to July 8
Forms in Clay: pottery class on Mondays for 6 weeks DMFAH 6:30-9:00pm register $95 for DMFAH members/$105 for others.434.792.5355
Page 10 May 2019
We’re
on Danville! Janet Donna • Holley Gibson Owner Owner
HOLLEY & GibsOn REALTY COMPANY
339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540
Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at
www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com
The Voice of Readers To the editor: Thank you so much for the delivery of April Evince to the dance studio. Everyone was buzzing and the girls were so excited! It was a great day thanks to you. Brittany Francis
Spotting Except Customer Servicional e
Page 6
Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 6
Throw Out the & Organize the Mess Rest
Page 9
ic?
Where’stonthe Mus Jay Shel Page 7
Jerry Wilson
Making Music & History5
Photo Finish
Page 12
Page
Thank you so much for this opportunity! I’ve been getting great messages all day about people seeing it (April Evince “Brittany Francis & Ashley Forbis Cheering for Healthy Women” page 5). Ashley Forbis The April Evince cover picture and story have been among our most popular. In fact, it became difficult to find a copy after a few weeks. Keep up the good work, River City Belles.
To the editor: It was mighty thoughtful of Linda Lemery to nominate me for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award (March page 6). I would like to let you and the editorial staff of Evince know how much I appreciate receiving that recognition. It was fun to be featured on the cover along with Jerry Wilson (“Making Music & History” page 5). I continue to find Evince a thoroughly interesting and informative community resource. Any opportunity to highlight the work of Massey Cancer Center in the area is always appreciated. Happy spring! Charlotte Litzenburg, Coordinator It’s always a pleasure to highlight someone who does a great job. Thank you!
To the editor: Kim Clifton (“Second Thoughts”) is a very talented writer who can turn everyday life into laughable moments. Every time I read one of her pieces, her craft of using words and phrases to capture the topic amazes me. Sarracia Dalton The Evince mailbox was overflowing with compliments for Kim Clifton and “Second Thoughts” after Kim announced that she was taking a break from writing. Here is a sample: To Kim Clifton: You deserve a break but I will also be pleased when you return. Ava Barrett Yes, refresh and relax but please return! Your writing needs to be shared! Deborah Stowe
Brittany & AshleyFrancis Forbis Cheering
for Healthy Wom See Page
5
en
Love your columns. Enjoy a welldeserved break! Every time I get in mom’s car she has about five Evince papers and says, “You have to read Kim’s column.” We love reading your columns. You have a gift for writing for sure! Enjoy the break and know we will all be glad when you return! Maile Takata I’m truly touched by this response! Thank you. Kim Clifton
To the editor: I would like to thank you and Evince magazine for the story that featured me in the March issue (“Jerry Williams Making Music & History” page 5). I have been getting a lot of positive feedback from the story and am truly grateful for the opportunity that was afforded me. Thank you, Jerry Wilson It was a pleasure interviewing you and dancing to your music. We look forward to your upcoming concerts at Homeplace Vineyard, 568 Rigney Circle Chatham, on May 10 starting at 6:00 p.m. and at the Festival in the Park on May 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for space or style. Submission constitutes permission to use.
Tell us what you think. Email your comments to joycewilburn@gmail.com or send mail to Evince Editor, 753 Main Sreet, Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541.
If you missed any of the stories mentioned, they are still available at www.evincemagazine.com.
Evince Magazine Page 11
Book Clubbing
Reflecting Forward Spring Fever Is for the Birds
a review by Diane Adkins
Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island by Earl Swift
Most Virginians know of Tangier Island, a storied place where residents have their own distinct brogue and where most of the Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are caught and shipped daily to restaurants in New York City. It’s a tiny speck in the Bay which is getting tinier by the day, disappearing under the encroaching water--it gives up sixteen feet of coastline a year to rising seas. Tangier Island’s residents, fewer than 500, could be the first climatechange refugees in the United States. Earl Swift first went to Tangier in 1999 as a reporter and recently returned to live on the island for a year. Chesapeake Requiem is an admiring portrait of Tangier’s people as well as a clear-eyed look at the challenges their plight presents for public policy. The residents are memorable. Ooker Eskridge is the mayor and chief spokesman. He’s on the water daily, pulling in crab most months, and oysters the others. His wife runs a restaurant with her cousin; they serve the crabs their husbands catch. Then there are the men who gather every day in a derelict building they call the Situation Room to talk about politics, the weather, and crabbing. Interdependent by necessity, Tangiermen will, without question, risk their lives for each other. The most moving part of the book tells the story of the sinking of the Henrietta C and the courage of those who attempt to rescue the crew, their neighbors, their family. Tangier Island voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in the belief that he would cut the red tape and see to it that a protective barrier is built around their vulnerable island. Most residents do not believe in man-made climate change and attribute the inexorable loss of their island to erosion alone. What will we lose if we abandon people and places as unique as Tangier Island and its residents? Swift’s book puts this question to us. How do we decide what is saved and what we give back to the sea? From Nantucket to New York City, from Norfolk to New Orleans, our country faces a choice. Do we engineer solutions to the problem of sea level rise or do we retreat? The choice may be obvious in the case of larger cities. But what about places like Tangier or the Outer Banks? As Swift says, “This is a place where the concept of home is alive and well and far stronger than in the vast majority of places on the mainland. They feel a deep, personal connection to that little dome of mud.” If policy decisions are made simply on cost per person, Tangier Island has no chance. The question of what happens to those on the margins may shape us for years to come. Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.
by Linda Lemery
W
hen I have spring fever, I contemplate gardening, having my hands in the dirt and enjoying beautiful plantings along the periphery of the lawn with a clean-looking, feng shui layout. Then I wake up and smell the chickens. When the chickens came into our lives, I thought the height of chicken care was having a coop. Unfortunately, no matter what the endeavor, we seem to learn that in life a beginning is just the beginning. When I let the chickens out, they rushed over to my carefully tended garden and started scratching. Mulch flew backward like it was being ejected from a snow blower. Within ten minutes, the cement block weed barrier was covered. Within twenty minutes, the mulch was outta there and the whirling feet were starting on the plants. Within thirty minutes, most of the plants were shredded and plant remains were littering the landscape. I tried shooing the chickens back into the coop. Chickens don’t shoo unless they sense danger. They thought me harmless and ignored me as they sought to render this new, landscaped territory into an untamed wilderness. I retaliated by calling my husband to help me shoo; chickens shoo better with two people shooing. Into the coop they went. The upper garden was lovely that year. Landscaping timbers drilled with holes for anchoring rebar held the garden wall firmly in place both upright and in the ground. This wall held the now-level upper garden soil in place all the way from the back of the garage to the back fence. I’d converted the whole upper garden into perennials some years back, so everything grew together like a wild English garden and I just weeded and
thinned as needed. Steve built a short ramp so we could push the garden cart up there. Guess where the chickens went the next time they were out. I think they had been planning a raid. They looked like they’d been shot out of a cannon, rushing up the ramp like a little feathered express train. Once at the top, they scattered and started digging. Divide and conquer: That’s their theme. Like drill sergeants, each picked a stand of flora -- lavender, day lilies, lamb’s ear, Stella del Oro, daffodils -- and then, in unison, started scratching like synchronized swimmers. Mulch and plants were flying everywhere. I just stood there, aghast. Now I garden with fencing at least three feet high and held in place by tall garden stakes. Plant care is a distant second. In order to raise tomatoes for my feathered ladies, the tomatoes have to be fenced. I raise parsley, cilantro, and peppers in a raised, fenced bin. Planting lettuce would take more fencing. No garden area goes unfenced. This summer, I have plans to encase the available yard grazing space in PVC pipe and screening to provide free range turf for the ladies and protect them from hawks. So sure, I garden – I’m raising fences and chickens – it just depends on how readers define gardening. At our house, spring fever is literally for the birds. About the Author: When she’s not shooing chickens, Linda Lemery (llemery@averett.edu) works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes your comments.
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Photo by Dave Slayton
The Wine Spot Is There a Wine That Pairs with Spring? by Dave Slayton
a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers
P
lease say it is spring. I want to put the snow shovel away! This past winter, after shoveling snow from a very long driveway, I usually wanted a hearty beef dish with a robust red wine to take my mind off my aches and pains. Warmer weather means lighter fare and lighter wines, so I turn to crisp and refreshing white wines. How about you? If so, I suggest a white wine from Spain. Yes, Spain! The Spanish are known for boldly flavored red wines, but they also have wonderful white wines: verdejo, viura or godello, and my go-to Spanish white, albariño (ahl-buh-REENyoh). It comes from a region in the northwestern coast of Spain called Rias Baixas (REE-ahs BI-shas).
Albariño is a grape variety that is a bit more acidic than many wine grapes. That acidity plays an important part in providing the tart, refreshing flavor many of us enjoy. Acidity, like sweetness and tannin, is a basic characteristic of a wine’s flavor. Albariño, vibrant yet not too tart with a bit of salinity, pairs well with oysters, clams, shrimp or seafood in general. My favorite brand of albariño is Peitan with its label showing the blue outlines of fish against a white background. You don’t have to be a seafood lover to enjoy this wine because it will also complement chicken and pork dishes (especially Spanish dishes). So, the next time you work up a thirst from dancing the flamenco and you’re not in the mood for cooled sangria, have a glass of albariño. Salud! (Cheers!)
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Smoked Salmon Salad Board by Annelle Williams
Spring decorates itself from top to bottom with every shade of green you can imagine plus a kaleidoscope of colors dotting the landscape. It’s also one of the most celebratory times of year: parties for the end-of-school, graduation, weddings, Mother’s Day—so many reasons to celebrate. Why not take advantage of the natural beauty and have a garden party, brunch, picnic, or day in the park? Make it as simple as possible so you can enjoy it too. No cooking involved, just some slicing and dicing and a little mixing. Smoked salmon is the star with fresh spring vegetables and herbs as the supporting cast. This is one of my favorite ways to entertain, and this recipe can be used from brunch to cocktail party.
Smoked Salmon Salad Board Filling 8 oz. smoked salmon 10 mini-bagels, cut in half 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 1/4 cup sour cream 1/3 cup drained capers zest of one lemon and thin slices for garnish 2 T fresh dill, chopped, and more for garnish 1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. onion powder 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced half a small red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar 10-12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in thirds
In a small mixing bowl mix together cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, chopped dill, garlic salt and onion powder. Stir in capers. Add radishes and onions to vinegar and let marinate while you arrange the platter, about 20 minutes. Drain well. Arrange salmon, bagels, cream-cheese spread, and vegetables. Garnish and serve. Questions or comments? Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!
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The poses and breathing practiced in yoga are intended to prepare the body to sit comfortably for extended periods of time in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis.
Meditation Moment by Casey Molloy, RYT Sunshine, glorious sunshine! As our southern city welcomes the warmth of springtime, we begin to emerge from our dwellings and once again to appreciate the environment and energy that surrounds us. Despite the serious volume of rain that has swollen rivers and saturated lawns, we have managed to stay afloat this winter. On those dreary days, we may have indulged in another round of the snooze button, or desperately prayed for the rain to hold off as we sprinted into work without an umbrella. Hopefully, those days are now tapering as our prayers for spring
are answered. So far we have been blessed with some incredible days of lush greenery contrasted against the vibrant blue-bird sky. Yes, most of our cars may be plagued by pollen, but the good news is spring is finally here! On these gorgeous days we catch a glimpse of how seasons impact our attitude. Sunshine brings smiles and those smiles are shared. Lightness from the sun shines upon our skin, but our own inner light also shines forth from within. As you venture out, take a moment to pause and appreciate the freshness of springtime and the different emotions it elicits.
Lots of litter was found near the river.
Making Danville Shine by Barry Koplen
May has been declared Make Danville Shine Month. How will you participate? When a good-hearted man like John Wilt asked a simple favor that would benefit everyone but him, I wasn’t surprised. He was involved with doing yet another good deed. As an educator, he is inspirational; under his tutelage, his students do remarkably well. I’ve known that since I taught with him at Danville Community College. “Barry, will you join me to pick up trash on the roadsides near Goodyear?” he asked. I’d answered yes and we met at the entrance to Goodyear’s golf course at 8:45 a.m.
Minutes later, I was wearing an orange vest and protective hygienic gloves. Each of us had a golf cart, four or five huge orange plastic trash bags, neatly folded, and a four-foot long device used to pick up almost anything. “Follow me,” said John, as we turned left onto Jenny Lane. At the end of that road, we turned right and rode for at least a mile until we reached Highway 86. That’s where Jon pulled to the side of the road. So did I. John took one side of the road; I was across from him. At first, I wondered how much trash we would collect; I didn’t see much as our carts headed to 86. That changed when we began picking up and collecting the discarded refuse. Empty beer and soda cans along with other debris filled at least six of those large bags by the time we reached Jenny Lane. My shift had ended, but John continued. It was 11:15 a.m. As I drove back toward my apartment along our just-cleaned route, I was surprised to see that our clean-up had made a real difference in one small part of our city. I realized the scope of the problem that thoughtless littering causes. Sadly, it’s hard to catch the people who litter, but it’s easy to help people, like John, who want to combat it. Maybe you’ll join me the next time I say yes.
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