Page 2 August 2021
Editor’s Note Discovery
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Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography
Evince Magazine Page 3
ith kids going back to in-person school and families moving in and out of new homes, August has become a month of discoveries for a lot of us.
sure to read the book review on page 12, Downsizing the Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go. Also, Linda Lemery writes that discovery and decluttering can go hand-in-hand on page 8.
Musician Brandon Adams pictured on the cover has toured the United States and Europe but only recently realized that Danville is an ideal place to live. His story is on page 5. Debating whether or not you should work with a Realtor? Find the answer of page 7. Even if you aren’t moving but want to have less mess in your surroundings, be
Photographer Jody Adams walked around Danville’s River District with his camera and focused on details of things we might see every day but overlook. Turn to Photo Finish on page 14 and discover new ways of viewing common places and things. Dave Slayton writes that discovering a wine you’ll like is easy. See his tips on page 9.
Each page of Evince has info on discoveries about yourself and your community. I challenge you to make August thirty-one days of discovery. Have fun! Sincerely, Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville. Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville. Clothing: Lizzy Lou Boutique, 310 Main Street, Danville, lizzylouboutique.com
Content
3 Editor’s Note
Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.
8
Calendar
Kenny Thornton Jr, Account Executive (434.250.3581) kenny@showcasemagazine.com
Discovering Your
Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net
Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evincemagazine.com
Wine Preference
12 Book Clubbing Downsizing the Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go
by Mami Jameson review by Diane Adkins
Making Music and a Home in Danville by Larry Wilburn
5 House Sing Colors Make a by Carla Minosh
Contributing Writers Diane Adkins, Hannah Barker, Michael Doan, Lewis Dumont, Helen Earle, Scott Jones, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Josh Lucia, C.B. Maddox, Carla Minosh, Bernadette Moore, Alice Saunders, Dave Slayton, Cheryl Sutherlin, Joyce Wilburn, Larry Wilburn, Annelle Williams
Why Hire a Realtor?
by Dave Slayton
4
Copy Editors Jeanette Taylor, Larry Wilburn
7 9
Brandon Lee Adams
Editor / Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com
Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)
On the Cover: Photo of Brandon Lee Adams by Michelle Dalton Photography
August 2021
CEO / Publisher / Andrew Scott Brooks
evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly; reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of September stories, articles, and ads is Saturday, August 21, at 5:00 p.m. Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com. Editorial Policies
This Recipe 10 Discovery and 13 Has Party Decluttering Written All The Duality of
by Linda Lemery
Lindy at 11 Beginning Martine’s
Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
Over It
Grilled Seafood and Chicken Paella for a Crowd by Annelle Williams
14 Photo Finish
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. © 2021 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Page 4 August 2021
Brandon Lee Adams
Making Music and a Home in Danville by Larry Wilburn
Brandon serenades his wife Mindy. Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.
I
f you want to know why an internationally-known musician, Brandon Lee Adams, resides in a restored Victorian home in Danville, Virginia, you must return to his West Virginia-Kentucky roots and track his musical journey. When asked how he started playing music, Brandon does not hesitate to give full credit to his grandfather and his family’s love of music. His first gig was at church where his grandfather gave him a guitar, showed him three chords and told him to learn them by Sunday’s service. Music was also heard at family gatherings each weekend with uncles, aunts, cousins and siblings playing different instruments, singing and listening to old eight-track bluegrass recordings. According to Brandon, playing music was as “easy as making biscuits and gravy, it was just what you did.” He never considered music as a career path, however, until he heard the recordings of Tony Rice, a 2013 inductee into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame known for his elegant flatpicking style. “My discovery of his music turned the switch. I told myself, ‘I want to play like that,’” he says. What was it about Tony’s music? “It was the songs, the melodies, the way they were put together,” Brandon adds. Brandon certainly learned from Rice’s playing, not trying to imitate him but “creating my own style of songwriting and playing.” At first, critics tried to pigeon-hole
Brandon as imitating Rice. “But I have my own style influenced by Tony Rice,” he clarifies. Brandon composed I Long for Seventeen with Tony in mind and thought how “cool it would be to have Tony play on that track.” After listening to the song, Tony agreed. “I will never ever do anything cooler than that,” beamed Brandon, saying, “I’m not good enough to sound like Tony Rice, but I use a lot I learned from him.” This talented songwriter/musician could live anywhere, so why move to Danville? He explains that the West Virginia-Kentucky area where he spent his younger years is very rural and opportunities to be noticed are limited. “I love the Danville scene, the River District, the houses, the feeling that there is a spark in Danville that is going to expand my music. I’ve lived all over the United States and toured in Europe but there’s an energy around this town that draws me,” he exclaims. How is his musical career progressing since the pandemic canceled a tour with over fifty play dates and a thirty-day tour of Europe? “It was a scary moment to lose all that with everything under contract,” he says, but plans are being made to tour Europe in 2022 while playing locally and in Northern Virginia. Recently, Brandon was one of the featured singer/songwriters on PBS/WBRA television Songs at the Center and he has filmed a video for Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
Despite the international recognition, Brandon remains humble and wise, “Nobody’s going to care about my work as much as I do. This work is very, very hard and you have to be your own greatest cheerleader.” Looking around the beautiful, 1885 Queen-Anne style home where he and his wife Mindy are doing minor repairs, he jokes,
“Restoring an old home is a lot less stressful.” • For more information, visit facebook.com and www. brandonleeadamsmusic.org. • For information about Songs at the Center and Brandon’s appearance on Saturday, August 28, visit www.blueridgepbs.org.
Evince Magazine Page 5
Colors Make a
House Sing by Carla Minosh
Tom Belles paints a ceiling medallion in the music room.
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e are now twenty-one years into our ambitious five-year house renovation project on Main Street. One of the biggest challenges we faced was the immense stretch of wall and ceiling surfaces, blank slates waiting for ornamentation. I recall after finishing the plaster repair in the music room, when everything was painted “primer white” and a long-time friend complimented us on finally finishing a room. Perplexed, I looked around and marveled at how they would think that this giant expanse of white walls, white trim and white ceiling could ever be considered finished and think about the current trend in modern homes toward all-white
everything. This Victorian Gothic house is no modern home! We finished the walls with a nice thick batting covered with a honeysuckle-pattern fabric and matching gimp around the edges like a finely-upholstered piece of furniture. Pulling the colors from the fabric, we painted trim in hues such as Indian Ocean and Miami Spice along with the predominant green from the fabric. The ceiling medallion with its dancing cherubs was painted the same; the colors flowed from the fabric into every corner of the room. The plaster frieze was gilded to reflect the burnished gold finish of the grand 1880s overmantel mirror and the crystals
of the chandelier reflected the colors infused throughout. The only thing left in the room that was white was the original Carrara marble mantelpiece. If it had been appropriate to paint the marble, we certainly would have. The treatment of every room has been the same. Vast cavernous expanses of blank canvas now are covered in textured wallpapers, stenciled, or painted with multiple layers of ceiling borders. Where we can add borders and colors, texture and decorative painted elements, we do. The thing you will never see in the house when we are done will be a white ceiling or a white wall. With 12 ½ foot high ceilings, this is no easy task as the rooms consume wall coverings at a ravenous clip. The colors are carefully coordinated to a focal item in the room. For the double parlors, they were all crafted around the 1880’s carpeting. For the master bedroom, the
colors were designed to carefully disguise the fact that the hardwood flooring is half white oak and half red oak. Each half was stained to a slightly greenish color to match each other and that color echoing throughout the walls and ceiling, tricking the eye into seeing it as only a reflection of the hues in the room. The beauty of color is its ability to blend and coordinate, bringing elements together that make them seem so natural that they are just right. This symphony of color takes time and attention, trial and error. We aren’t afraid to lay down our best option only to cover it over when we realize that it is a sour note in the overall performance. We single out solos, colors that catch the eye and dance, bringing a mood and a brilliance to the room. While the home is the foundation, the stage, and the setting, the colors, textures, and designs really make it sing.
Page 6 August 2021
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Evince Magazine Page 7
Why Hire a Realtor? (Information garnered from realtorsmakeitright.com)
I
n most cases, buying and/or selling a house isn’t a DIY project. Why? Here is a short list of reasons. For buyers, a Realtor will: 1. analyze your needs and wants, discuss down payment, monthly bills, and being pre-approved for a loan. 2. schedule appointments to see houses based on your criteria and budget. 3. connect you with the appropriate lender, attorney, home inspector, and other professionals who can make it a pleasant experience. 4. know how a house fits into the current market based on price, resale value, and potential pitfalls. 5. provide you with property
disclosures, Home Owners Association covenants and restrictions, deed restrictions and other things to consider. 6. determine what inspections you need and help you negotiate any repairs that may arise. 7. prepare for closing by coordinating the work of the lender, attorney and the seller’s agent to limit unexpected surprises. 8. schedule a pre-closing walk through to make certain the property is ready for your arrival. 9. help you understand the final funds due to complete the purchase. You will be advised on how to transfer the funds to the closing attorney, receive a copy of all important documentation and, of course, the keys! For sellers, a Realtor will: 1. give you an overview of the current market conditions. 2. research all comparable properties and the sales activity for the past six months to a year from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and public records databases to prepare Continued to Page 10
We’re on Danville! Donna Gibson 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
Page 8 August 2021
August
Calendar of Evince 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 • PA = Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave., Martinsville 276.632.3221 PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery = 700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339 www.prizery. com • LHM = Langhorne House Museum, 117 Broad St. Danville, open by appointment for fully vaccinated visitors 434.793.6472
Ongoing
Guided Walking Tours: Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District. 434.770.1974 www.danvillehistory.org DMFAH: self-guided audio tours Camilla Williams Exhibit: Exhibit features her opera costumes including Madame Butterfly. DMFAH Danville Civil Rights Exhibition: The Movement on permanent display. DMFAH DSC: Learn about “Water”--its chemical makeup, the power it can generate, and the ecology of the Dan River. “Go!” highlights the intersection between the physics of machines and the biology of the human body. The J.T.-Minnie Maude Charitable Trust Creativity Lab is a makerspace offering hands-on access to craft and design tools.
donated fabric are suspended from the lobby ceiling into the galleries and surround a large wooden tree trunk form. free PA
August 2 & 16
Trivia Night: Zoom in to Trivia Nights at 7:00 p.m. For more information, email scott.jones@richmond.edu.
August 6
Puzzle Swap: Bring puzzles to swap with others. 11am Main Street Art Collective 326 Main St. 434.602.2017
Leaves of the Tree exhibit. Piedmont Arts.
August 7 Thru 21
Attic Sale: Bargains and treasurers abound. DMFAH M-F 10am-4pm; Sat 12-4pm; Sun 2-4pm & online furniture sale 305.766.2979
August 7 thru 28
Firefly Yoga on the Lawn: Saturdays DMFAH Register at www.fireflydanville. com
August 7
Larnell Starkey & the Spiritual Seven Gospel Singers of Virginia: 7 p.m. The Prizery Matt Boswell & Hillbilly Blues Band: fundraiser for DanvillePittsylvania County Cancer Society @ Fraternal Order of Eagles 7pm-midnight 434.251.0994
August 9
Danville Public Schools Open: danvillepublicschools.org
August 10
Pittsylvania County Public Schools Open: www.pcs.k12.va.us
August 11
Yoga at the Urban Farm: donation-based yoga classes for all levels 6:00pm. God’s Storehouse, 760 Memorial Drive. Bring a yoga mat. No registration needed. 434.793.3663 or email urbanfarm@godsstorehouse.org.
August 13
Game Night: All ages are welcome to play board games, cards or ping pong. Main Street Art Collective, 326 Main St. Danville 6-8pm 434.602.2017
August 14 & 15
DMFAH Free Admission
August 21
Cars & Coffee: hosted by Old Dominion Classic Sports Car Club. See classic cars, sports cars, muscle cars, and more in the parking lot at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. Danville 9-10:30am 434.548.9862 Tracy Lawrence & Tracy Byrd Concert: Carrington Pavilion 6pm danvilleharvestjubilee.org 434.793.4536
August 27, 28 & 29
August 1 thru September 26 Wanderlove: A Stitch in Time Exhibition: Riverwalk in Danville; DMFAH
August 1 thru October 9
Leaves of the Tree: exhibit featuring father-and-daughter artists Charlie Brouwer and Jennifer Hand showing humanity’s relationship with nature. Hundreds of life-size leaves sewn from
August 10 & 24
Chix with Stix: Knitters are self-guided. Bring your own supplies. 10:30am12:30pm free for PA members/$5 others 276.632.3221 to reserve a spot.
August 10, 24, 31
Kreate with Kolinski: Explore the world of alcohol inks created by mixing alcohol and color pigments. ages 18+ $30 members/$35 others PA
The Magic of Broadway: The Little Theatre of Danville 7pm on Friday and Saturday, 2pm on Sunday First Presbyterian Church social hall, 937 Main St. Danville. Donation-suggested $10 434.792.5796
August 27
41st Annual Virginia Cantaloupe Festival: Berry Hill Resort, South Boston 5-10pm www.valopefest.org
August 28
60th Anniversary Family Day: Enjoy free crafts, face painting, caricatures, magic workshops and a performance
by acrobat/juggler/magician Geoff Marsh. complimentary refreshments, food trucks 10am-3pm PA Art Garden Musician Brandon Adams: Watch “Songs at the Circle” on PBS WBRA. www.blueridgepbs.org. See page 4. Smokestack Improv: live music, standup comedy, improv sketches 6pm 2 Witches Winery & Brewing, 209 Trade St. Danville 21+ Tickets at eventbrite.com
August 29
Auditions for Ghosts & Gravestones Historical Tours: Smokestack Theatre Company at DMFAH 2-4pm. No experience needed.
August 30 thru October 4
Forms in Clay: Mondays 6:30-9pm $95 for DMFAH members/$105 for others. Call 434.792.5355 to register.
September 7
Eat Out to Help Out: God’s Storehouse annual fundraiser. Participating restaurants will donate 10% of their total sales from that day to God’s Storehouse. www.godsstorehouse.org God’s Pit Crew Golf Tournament: Goodyear Golf Club Register by September 1. 434.836.4472
Evince Magazine Page 9
Do you like grapefruit juice, lemon sorbet, black coffee, blackberry compote, vanilla ice cream, apple juice, or lattes? If so, that might be a clue to the type of wine you’d enjoy. Photo by Dave Slayton.
Discovering Your
Wine Preference by Dave Slayton
a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers
N
eed a little help in finding a wine you like? Wine expert Madeline Puckette wrote an article entitled, “Find Your Wine Preference”. In it, she describes how to discover what wines you are likely to enjoy by using the flavors you like in foods and drinks to identify your wine preferences. To start, look at what is in your coffee cup. Is it a lush and smooth latte? If so, you may want to try a New World merlot, syrah, shiraz, petite sirah, or malbec. In wine circles, New World generally refers to wine production in North America, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and China. Usually, New World wines tend to have a fuller body, high alcohol, lower acidity, and pronounced fruit flavors. Old World or European wines are likely to have a lighter body, lower alcohol, higher acidity, and less fruity flavor. Like your coffee black? If so, Puckette says to try nebbiolo, sangiovese (Italy), Bordeaux red wines, mourvèdre (France) or tempranillo (Spain). If you like apple juice, try a moscato, a
sweet riesling (they can be dry or sweet or in between), chenin blanc (again, it can be sweet or dry), and white zinfandel (not a dry rosé). If you like grapefruit juice and lean towards tart and bitterness, consider a dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc, vermentino (Italy), vinho verde (Portugal), grüner veltliner (Austria), albariño, verdejo (Spain). If you really enjoy vanilla ice cream, try an oaked aged chardonnay or viognier or pinot blanc. Is lemon sorbet with its tingle of acidity more to your liking? If so, look for wines with higher acidity like dry German riesling, pinot grigio, chablis, grüner veltliner, albarino, or sauvignon blanc. If blackberry compote is a favorite, try an Australian shiraz. The article ends with an excellent point to remember. As you explore the world of wine, your taste preferences will evolve and that’s all right. After all, isn’t the discovery of new flavors part of the fun? Of course it is! Carry on, you fearless explorers of tastes. Cheers!
Page 10 August 2021
The Duality of
Discovery and Decluttering
by Linda Lemery
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y life is one long journey of discovery that currently centers on storage bags, plastic and other wraps, groundhogs, soup, and French Vanilla Creamer. Decluttering is about organizing into what is used and not used. Okay, I thought, I can organize. Let me at it. I started with an old flour bin where I keep boxes of storage bags and wraps, the same bin that was so full its lid wouldn’t close. After I’d dragged everything out of the bin, I remembered I had a plastic tub in the basement hallway for overflow where I discovered more new bags and wraps, leftovers from my mother and my motherin-law (both of whom ascended
years ago), and some I’d bought at a yard sale because after all, I use plastic bags and wraps. Being thrifty, I reuse bags by washing them. Sorting and rolling up all those washed bags that were scattered everywhere took hours. I’m now all set for holiday gift-giving with assorted cookie trays in plastic bags for likely the rest of my life. Before you die laughing, I ask you this: How many of you are in the same situation? We’ve also been decluttering our small city lot of one stubborn, garden-vegetable-eating, vegetable-enclosure-climbing, under-the-deck-squatting groundhog. We’ve repeatedly set humane traps and have
Sorting and rolling up all those washed bags that were scattered everywhere took hours. Photo by Linda Lemery.
caught five squirrels, one bird, one raccoon, and finally one groundhog. Several days later, I discovered there was a second groundhog rambling around the yard. Unbelievable, I thought. Time to play hardball. I pulled out the roll of hardwire I’d retained when I gave away the other fencing and stakes last month. Over the next two days, husband Steve customdesigned hardwire inserts to keep the second groundhog from squatting under the deck. We finished the openings under the deck stairs and next will put a backing on the wooden lattice
Why Hire a Realtor?
Demont Design
a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) and establish a fair market value. 3. show your house to potential buyers eliminating the need for you to always be available. 4. schedule your pre-closing walk through and help you negotiate repairs. 5. ensure everything is prepared for closing by coordinating with the lender, title company and attorney.
Continued from Page 7
6. help you understand the various closing documents. A Realtor is a trained professional who can help with the most expensive purchase or sale you will probably ever make. Work with one who is a member of the National Association of Realtors, because members must adhere to a strict code of ethics. With the right Realtor, going from sale to sold can be an enjoyable event.
on the side of the deck. This falls under “decluttering” because we actually used the hardwire netting I had stashed away. Returning to organizing my bags and wraps bin, I kept bumping into my overflow pantry so I reorganized that, too, and discovered eleven cans of dairy-free mushroom soup. After thoughtlessly buying a gargantuan bag of French-fried onion rings, I decided to make green bean casserole using a gigantic can of green beans so big we couldn’t use the electric can opener on it. Partway into adapting and mixing the casserole, I realized I was making green bean casserole for about fifty-four people! I made several casseroles: one each for our son in Durham, for an acquaintance’s birthday dinner, for another dinner with friends, for us, and some extras. I’m now down to six cans of mushroom soup, a net can reduction (decluttering) of 45.4%. I also discovered boxes of individuallysized French Vanilla Creamer stuffed behind the soup cans and am actively using that up in my daily coffee (only forty-eight servings left to use, so I’ve made a dent in the stock). I’ve started gathering stuff for a yard sale. Every time I find something I don’t need anymore, I ask myself: Is it a gift? Is it edible? Is it unexpired? Is it saleable? If it’s saleable, I price it, and stash it in a yard sale box. When it’s full, I shove the box into the shed. I’m getting better at this decluttering thing, but we may need to buy another shed. By golly, I’ve certainly discovered how to organize for my next yard sale! About the Author: Linda Lemery llemery@ averett.edu retired at the end of July, so she’s hoping to declutter faster, if she’s not traveling, writing, or trying to otherwise figure out retirement. She welcomes reader comments.
Evince Magazine Page 11
Beginning Lindy at Martine’s fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg
A
llan, You take my hand at Martine’s Dance Studio on Vine, your fingers rough, a callus on your right thumb. You put your hands forward and position them like reading a book far away just like you were told. People stop by the billboard at Creighton’s Farm when they see it getting changed. And by the fifth or sixth change, that billboard had slowly become a thing for a town with one movie theatre, two dry cleaners, and the big grocery store just outside of town. I mean the county fair came twice a year in the old cow pasture, but the
billboard by Creighton’s farm beat that. Folks bet on just what that quiet-crazy Allan Ross was going to put up next. There is a gold and black calico sitting in the window at Martine’s licking her paws. I told you: you didn’t have to bring me here. I said it was just a silly thought, us taking dance. But that Tuesday evening long after your work boots sat on old newspaper by the front door catching the mud, you stilled from eating the sausage and fried apples and looked at me. Two weeks later and here we are. You never were a good dancer; I know you are courting me, your remarried wife. I try to know how to feel about that as I put my hands in yours like inserting a key in a lock. Sometimes, on the sly, folks asked me what you were going to put up, but I never knew. Honest. ‘Cause I never asked you, did I Allan? I was clueless like all the rest. I guess folks asked you too, but you as far as I know never told them either. You just kept the signs coming as much as we could afford, made sure your messages got out even though neither I nor anyone else was exactly sure
what the whole of it was. But you knew, didn’t you, Allan? I could tell folks that you never put up the signs yourself, just supervised that they got done and you mowed the grass. But as time went on, any question by me about the billboard seemed a violation. You keep tending to the forget-menots at the bottom of the thick post holding it up. Sometimes, now, you let me help. That’s where I come in today; I help tend those flowers, tipping down the galvanized old metal water can. Martine is really Carl-Michael who owns the dance studio and two Fast and Plenty gas stations / convenience marts on opposite ends of town, but he’s got the fever for the dance. Tonight he’s beginning Lindy. With a hairy hand on both our shoulders, he lisps, “Clozer, you two.” We shuffle a bit forward like he says. I’ll give you credit last time the sign changed, Allan, you never even looked up when Agustus Reming started shouting. The third section of the latest vinyl panel was not completely up before he said with a loud belch, “Would ya look the hell at that?” standing in
the ground below the billboard chewing a meatball and onion sub, while tilting his head, and elbowing his wife Carrie June. “Zactly what the hell is it?” and he kept at it. Too many hells later, and his wife, Carrie June, smacked him across the head and said, “It’s feet, you fool! Cain’t you see?” And they began to argue about the significance of feet on the billboard, Augustus seeing none and Carrie June telling him he was a fool not to see the romance. Vine intersects with Main Street in our town, yes the lower end, but it’s still prime real estate, with this big picture window at Martine’s Dance Studio facing the evening light. It is almost time to go. I look out that dusty window. The sun seems to pull fire around its shoulders; we move for an eight-count as our session ends. Together, we hear tonight’s final chords of music; it’s some old song, about being somewhere beyond the sea. The music fills the room that’s warm despite our stumbling steps. Our past, and our now, rising and falling lifting, in a held, beating note. Fallen
Page 12 August 2021
Book Clubbing
Downsizing the Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go by Mami Jameson review by Diane Adkins
D
ownsizing can be a scary word. Often the process is triggered by an unhappy life event, whether it is the inability of aging parents to live on their own or their deaths. We may also recognize we have more space in our homes than we need or our possessions are weighing us down and we choose to downsize. Assets need to be tended, and that becomes harder the older we are. There are many books about managing clutter. I’ve read them; I’ve even reviewed a couple in these pages. But what sets Jameson’s book apart is that it is not just another paean to getting
organized. It is a boots-on-theground manual for those soon to be in the downsizing trenches. She speaks from experience, having lived through the task of cleaning out her parents’ home and putting it on the market, hoping to generate enough income to help with their move to assisted living. Because she has done it, she is able to share hard-won insights as well as tips from experts she consulted during her own project. Most importantly, she understands and speaks clearly about the emotions this task elicits, a job that so many of us avoid precisely because it is so emotional.
Jameson asks her reader to begin with three questions when evaluating objects: Do I love it? Do I need it? Will I use it? This helps when doing the first sorting of possessions. She also recommends unpacking the stories behind objects. Once you grasp the stories, then it is easier to understand your emotions and make practical decisions regarding what to let go. One of the most useful parts of the book is the advice on where the best places are to dispose of different categories of things. Should this blanket go to a
charity reseller? Should this set of crystal be sold at a garage sale? What about eBay or Craigslist for this watch? The book is a good guide for determining the value of objects. It also provides help on taking care of the things you choose to keep, including how to store paper so it will last. The final section of the book has a clear plan for how to sell the house you just emptied, making this a comprehensive guide. Although it is published in collaboration with AARP, it is a helpful book for all ages. My brother and I cleaned out our parents’ home and sold it a few years ago. Several years later my husband and I moved too many possessions to a smaller house. I wish, before that move, I had read this book, and especially this sentence: “How you love someone lives in your heart, not in your home. Your heart can never be too full, but your home can be.” Diane S. Adkins is a retired Director of Pittsylvania County Library System.
Evince Magazine Page 13
This Recipe Has Party Written All Over It Grilled Seafood and Chicken Paella for a Crowd by Annelle Williams winner of the national 2002 Sutter Home Recipe Contest
M
y husband and I have been expanding our collection of grilling recipes. It makes everything easier and more fun when we’re both working on dinner. Grilled Paella is a recipe for a crowd, and it’s all you need for a full meal. It reminds me of a Lowcountry boil and a seafood risotto with a nice smoky flavor. You’ll be surprised at how quickly
this comes together. The final cook time is only twenty to twenty-five minutes. I browned the chicken and sausage and heated the broth inside the house before cooking outside. After that, it’s all outdoors and festive with a voilà reveal moment at the end. I served cornbread, but a crusty French loaf heated in foil on the grill while the paella is cooking would also be good. Enjoy your summer grilling!
Grilled Seafood & Chicken Paella 12 servings
8 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs 2 lbs. smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1/2 inch rounds 3 T extra virgin olive oil 2 medium-sized sweet onions, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 tomatoes, diced 3 tsp. smoked paprika
pinch of saffron (optional) salt and pepper 3 quarts chicken broth 5 cups Arborio rice 2 pounds large shrimp (I do not peel, but you can if you want.) 4 dozen little neck clams
INTRODUCING THE BEE HOTEL With its buzzworthy backstory and unique urban style, The Bee made a headline-making hotel debut in Danville’s bustling River District.
420 Patton Street Danville, Virginia 24541
Before going to the grill: Add 2 T oil to large skillet. Salt and pepper chicken thighs along with a sprinkling of smoked paprika. Add to skillet over medium-high heat and brown on one side about 3 minutes. Turn and brown on other side. Remove chicken from pan. Add sausage to pan and begin to brown while stirring to turn. Add sausage to plate with chicken. Cut chicken pieces in half.
T: 434-234-9440 Email: gm@danvillebeehotel.com
www.danvillebeehotel.com
The 47-room newcomer is located in what was once home to the city’s iconic broadsheet, The Danville Register & Bee, now freshly reimagined as a warm and welcoming home base for business travelers and Virginia vacationers offering the largest rooms for the value in addition to apartment suites ideal for extended stay. Located in the heart of Southern Virginia on the banks of the Dan River, Danville blends small-town charm with rich history and outdoor activities for the adventure-seekers. A one-time textile and tobacco epicenter, it offers easy access to the Virginia International Raceway and the future Caesars Virginia casino.
Where Contemporary and Historic Meet in The River District
In a large pan, heat to a simmer 3 quarts chicken broth and all the drippings from the pan used to cook chicken and sausage. Add saffron and any remaining smoked paprika to broth. Taste for seasoning. At the grill: Place a large flat bottomed pan on grill (325°). Add one T olive oil and onions. Cook until onions are tender. Add garlic, stirring until fragrant and then the tomatoes. Cook and stir until tomatoes begin to break down. Add rice, stirring to coat all the rice grains. Add chicken, sausage and broth. Stir to combine everything and close grill. In 15 minutes, open grill and add shrimp and clams. Close grill and cook another 7-8 minutes, until rice is cooked, shrimp are pink, and clams are open. Discard any clams that don’t open. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread and add tomato/onion garnish* after serving.
*Tomato/Onion Garnish 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 bunch green onions, chopped
olive oil to coat salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients.
SUITES One and Two Bedroom Suites Ideal for extended stays, nearly half of the hotel’s guest rooms are light filled loft-style retreats featuring full kitchens, lightening fast wi-fi and smart TVs.
FEATURES & AMENITIES:
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS • Danville’s River Walk Trail
• Free high-speed WiFi
• Averett University
• 43 or 55-inch HDTV with cable
• Danville Museum of Fine Arts
streaming services
& History
• Work desk with ergonomic chair
• Virginia International Raceway
• Mini-fridge and Microwave
• Angeler’s Ridge Mountain Bike Trail
• Keurig coffee maker
• Danville Braves
• Premium bath amenities
• Danville Science Center
• Hair dryer
• Dan Daniel Memorial Park
• Iron and ironing board
• Tank Museum
• Pet-friendly
• Wreck of the Old 97
• Smoke-free
• Local Craft Brewing Companies
• Fitness Center • Rooftop Veranda (seasonal) • Free Parking
Staycation With Us!
When you look at a piece of delicately spun glass you think of two things: how beautiful it is and how easily it can be broken.
Page 14 August 2021
Photo Finish
Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie
P
hotographer Jody Adams grew up in Danville and moved to Richmond after high school where he did custom woodwork for fifteen years. He recently moved back to his native town and captured its beauty with his camera. Jody elaborates, “Photography has been my passion going on five years now and I have decided to follow it to something bigger. I like
focusing on details, composition and color. My camera is always around; I never leave home without it.” Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar.
There are things you experience growing up in a small town that create memories that last a lifetime. Carlos Wallace
And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all. Maurice Sendak Where the Wild Things Are I tried to put things in perspective but sometimes you’re just too close to it. Cormac McCarthy No Country for Old Men
Look for the bare necessities. The simple bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife. Baloo The Jungle Book
I must not reflect on what I’m doing. Rather, I must do one of the most difficult things imaginable and reflect on why I’m doing it. Craig D. Lounsbrough
“There’s a difference between fear and paralysis. And I’ve learned that I don’t have to “grow up” to be open to opportunity, to be willing to step through doors without being pushed. I just have to be brave. I just have to be slightly braver than I am scared. Victoria Schwab
Evince Magazine Page 15
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Page 16 August 2021