Evince Magazine August 2023

A Story of Skill and Dedication

by Paul Seiple

by Emily Wilkerson

by Josh Lucia

by Linda Lemery

by Dave Slayton

Presented by Showcase Magazine

by Barry Koplen

by Mack Williams

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, Emily Wilkerson

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

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

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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 Tuesday, August 15 at 5:00pm for the September 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.

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On the Cover: John & Cindy Carey. Photo by Laura Mae Photography.

John Carey knows just about everything about the science of welding. He has over 35 years of experience in the trade.

Carey first discovered his love for welding at 13, when he took an agriculture class at Blairs Junior High School under Robert Pollock. “I had grown up working on a small farm. We were always fixing or building something. It was the next logical step in my mechanical career,” he added.

Over the years, Carey has become proficient in several types of welding techniques, including MIG (Gas Metal Arc Welding), TIG (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding), Stick (Shielded Metal Arc Welding), and Brazing. He has worked on countless projects, each one presenting its own unique challenges. But Carey welcomes the obstacles. “I feel a challenge just improves my skills each time.”

One challenge stands out in Carey’s mind. He remembers a coworker who had been trying to weld a crack in a large vertical pipe all day with no success. “It wouldn’t get hot enough,” Carey said. He suspected there was still water in the pipe, but the maintenance crew had said that was not possible. “I traced

the line back and found another drain. It was simple after that.” This experience taught Carey the importance of problem-solving in any trade.

Safety is always a top priority for Carey and his team. “We use gloves, certified welding helmets, guards, screens, and keep the work area clear of flammables. We must make safety a priority so we can come back tomorrow and keep our customers satisfied.”

And speaking of customers, Carey believes client support is directly related to the success of any service-oriented business. “Without it, you probably won’t be in business long. If a customer calls at 3 AM on the weekend, I get on it.” He attributes the company’s longevity to this philosophy. “It’s how we have grown from a oneman shop in the backyard to where we are today.”

To Carey, welding is a mix of art and science. It requires the proper equipment, materials, gases, and heat for every job. But it also requires the ability to make extremely consistent passes, even when welding overhead lying in mud with hot metal and sparks dropping on you. I Knowledge is essential to do it correctly. “Most experienced welders and

machinists are very willing to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Thankfully, I have had many mentors,” Carey added.

When asked about the small business climate in Danville, Carey was very optimistic. “The City of Danville has many meetings and classes to see what they can do to help businesses start and grow. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.”

For anyone interested in pursuing a career in welding, Carey offers this advice (for all trades). “Get started as soon as possible in school or at home. Develop your mechanical aptitude, work with trained people and be willing to accept their advice, but think for yourself. Learn to problem solve. But most of all, nothing beats a good work ethic and attitude.”

The skill and precision required to make intricate and beautiful designs make welding a unique form of art. Carey’s passion and experience using various welding techniques allows him to create finished products that are aesthetically pleasing and functional. He is a true master of his craft and an inspiration to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in welding.

Skill and Dedication

by Paul Seiple

photo by Laura Mae Photography

Because she and I taught together at the Community College in rooms almost across from each other, we shared many thoughts about writers we appreciated as well as issues regarding what she and I wrote. Although Ms. Eichman-Dorr and I discussed writing a book together, we never had a chance to bring that idea to fruition.

After you read her answers, you’ll understand why I regret that we never collaborated…

Barry Koplen: When did you know you wanted to be or happened to be a writer?

Noel Eichman-Dorr: It was out of utilitarian purposes. I was a young mother looking for a creative outlet, a way to enjoy work while making some money. I took a couple of writing classes, correspondence, before there was online. I submitted an article to our local paper and was hired to freelance a weekly column on everything from social justice, politics, to raising kids. I’m a republican, so I grew thick skin quickly.

BK: Was there a story you wanted to tell?

NE-D: Yes. One day I happened to walk past the television when Geraldo Rivera had KKK members on his show; they were railing and popping off biblical scripture to support their stand against interracial marriage. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. They had it all wrong. I joined a great writer’s group run by the late Leonard Bishop, who wrote one of

Another Writer’s Response Noel EichmanDorr

by Barry Koplen

the best writing books, Dare to Be a Great Writer. He just happened to move to Kansas from NYC because his wife inherited some land. One of Leonard’s books Seven Blind, I believe, was ABC’s first Motion Picture of the Week. A big deal back in the 70s. He’d hung out with heavy hitters, like Mario Puzo and Norman Mailer. I began my novel When the Ugly Comes—about a black doctor in the 1950s who came to minister medically in the deep south, Alabama, where my father was from. The black doctor falls in love with a young white woman who he knows he’ll never be able to have, befriends her father who runs the hounds at a local prison, and runs into problems with the KKK. It’s brutish, with lots of twists, but also filled with much grace.

BK: Did anyone inspire you to be a writer?

NE-D: It would have been Leonard. He wrote on my first chapter: “You got a good start. Now finish it.” He was an excellent mentor. I wrote every day, as he taught us to do to stay in touch with our characters. I loved how he always said, “That baloney business about characters telling you what to do is crap. You are the author. You are in control of your characters. You do what you want with your story. And if you rewrite history a little bit, who cares? No one was there.”

BK: When did you know whether you wanted to write prose or poetry?

NE-D: I started out novel writing. Wrote three novels. Then I

switched to poetry as a form of therapy, a working out of life losses. I love writing poetry. It’s a beautiful challenge in skill and linguistic sleight of hand to create something so beautiful that someone would simply enjoy just saying the words aloud. I love gritty poetry that gets to the broken heart of things.

BK: Were you inspired by another writer, perhaps a famous writer?

NE-D: I loved Lisa Zaran’s poetry. I brought her to Danville Community College during Celebration of Arts week. I had a great dean at the time who trusted my judgement; though a colleague at the time complained she wasn’t academic enough. When she presented, it was standing room only. Her poetry is powerful, explosive, and gut- wrenching. Her power tool— she had no ego.

BK: Did you take classes, or did someone train you?

NE-D: Leonard trained me in fiction. I trained myself in poetry by reading lots and lots of poets who I loved.

BK: Once you began to write, what were some of the difficulties you had to overcome?

NE-D: Thinking I wasn’t good at writing poetry. That I didn’t have the erudition to create something brilliantly artful and academic at the same time. Someone once asked me, “What do you write poems about?” And my husband at the time butted in, “She writes about her old boyfriends.” He’s no longer my husband. Also, I had people tell me they couldn’t

believe I could write a book that was so harsh. Guess I didn’t fit the “type.” It’s a story. People don’t want to be bored. Leonard always said, “You gotta hoke it up! Not lie just hoke it up!”

BK: Which famous writers are your favorites?

NE-D: Simon Van Booy who wrote The Secret Lives of People in Love, a collection of short stories. Robert James Waller’s Border Music and Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend. He also wrote Bridges of Madison County turned into a movie. But I didn’t care for it, as it romanticized adultery. Tony Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. Anything by Virginia Wolf. Joseph Heller’s Catch 22, and J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye

BK: Have you published any of your writing?

NE-D: Yes, When the Ugly Comes is published, available through Amazon in print under Carmen Eichman, eBook under Noel Dorr.

BK: Finally, do you have any advice for writers who are just getting started?

NE-D: If you love it, do it. Read a lot. Join a writer’s group. Write every day in a comfortable spot at a comfortable time of day. Don’t give up. Expect rejection. A lot of it. So, what? I got over 150 rejections for When the Ugly Comes. Christian publishers said they liked it, but it was too harsh. Probably wouldn’t say that these days. That did not discourage me. I had it published print-ondemand because I believed in it. Write what you love. Others will love it, too.

August Calendar of Evince

Ongoing

Danville Science Center Exhibits Science Unplugged - Back to basics with hands-on elements demonstrating scientific concepts. 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. www.dsc.smv.org

Ruby B. Archie Public Library Programs. Whodunit Book Club, Adult & Tween Arts & Crafts, Storytellers, Dumbledore’s Army, Maker Mondays, Tree House Tuesday, De-Stress Night, The Write Stuff, Puzzlers Club, Family Storytime, Unrequired Reading –Classics Book Club, Youth Dungeons and Dragons, LEGO Brick Engineers, Mad Scientists - Wooden Car Derby, Little Explorers Storytime, Little Learning Lab - Flying Marvels, Book Babies.

Pittsylvania Co. Farmers Market F 4-6:30pm, Sat 7:30am-12pm. Olde Dominion Ag Complex. 434.432.8026. Danville Farmers Market. W 1-6pm, Sat 7:30am-12pm. Community Market. 434.797.8961.

Through September 17

Exhibit. Robert Marsh Retrospective Sat 12-5pm, Sun 2-5pm, MonTues 10am-5pm. Danville Museum 434.793.5644.

August 1

Free Film Screening. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. 5:30pm. Prizery. 434.572.8339.

August 1 (thru 29)

Beginner Southside Urban Line Dance. Learn to line dance, learn new moves, have fun, make new friends. Tues. 5:30- 6:30pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

August 3 (thru 31)

Southside Urban Line Dance. Learn to line dance, learn new moves, have fun, make new friends. Mon & Thurs. 6-7pm. Ballou Rec. Center. 434.799.5216.

August 4

Suds, Swine, Sippin’ & Song. Tickets on Acceptiva. 5:30-10pm. Motley’s Mill Waterfall Estate. 434.334.8627

Campfire Friday. Enjoy a fun summer campfire under the stars with s’mores, campfire games, and of course ghost stories. Bring your own blanket/chair. Ages 5+, parents required to stay. 8-9pm. Ballou Park. 434.799.5150.

August 4, 5 & 6

Virginia IBRA Barrel Racing. Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex. 434.432.8026.

Davenport Energy Night Race 7pm. South Boston Speedway. 434.572.4947.

August 5 (thru 8)

DMFAH Attic Sale. Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm, Mon-Tues 10am-4pm. Danville Museum 434.793.5644.

August 12

Main Street To Anglers Kayaking. Navigate rapids and paddle around islands in a picturesque portion of the river. Ages 12+. 9-11am.

Cruise-in & Book Bag Giveaway 10am. Barnes Street, Reidsville. Benefit Bike Show - for Easton Coffer. Registration 10-11am. Show 12-6pm. River Oak Church.

Community Day. $10K giveaway, live fire & rescue demonstrations, Touch-a-Truck, new ambulance R344 dedication, children’s bounce houses, food and beverage. 10am-2pm. Blairs Fire & Rescue. 434.836.3065.

August 15

August 5 & 12

Main Street Art Collective Events. 8/5

Clay Jewelry Making Class, 11am; 8/12 Sunflower Painting, 11am. MSAC.

August 6 (thru 27)

Live Music. Hosted by Stuart Jennings. Sundays 2-6pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co.

August 8 (thru 20)

Community Art Month. Opening Reception 8/8. M-F 10am-4pm. Prizery. 434.572.8339.

August 10

Summer of Soul Festival. Attention all Soul Train lovers - Get your groove on. Dance, DJ, Soul Train Scramble to win a prize. Dress your best and come ready for a night of fun with family and friends. Refreshments provided. Ages 50+. Registration required by 8/9. Ballou Park. 4347995216.

Thursday Paddle. Travel on the Dan River in hopes to catch glimpses of river otters, blue herons, and turtles. Registration required. Ages 8+. 434.799.5150.

Music at the Market Concert Series Old 97 Band. Bring a chair, blanket, and picnic basket for a relaxing evening listening to music. 7-9pm. Community Market-Outdoor Stage. 434.857.3384.

Tossing at the Crossing - Cornhole Tournaments. Blind draw for partners, players can bring their own bags, prizes awarded. Registration required. 7-9:30pm. Community Market. 434.857.3384.

August 11

August 4-6, 11-13

The Little Mermaid. Presented by the Prizery Players. 7:30pm, 3pm. Prizery. 434.572.8339.

August 4 (thru 26)

Live Music. 8/4 Wicked Karaoke; 8/5 Cory Leutjen & the Traveling Blues Band; 8/11 Marie Anderson; 8/12 The LoOG ; 8/18 Sleepless Denver; 8/19 Slaughter Ave; 8/25 For A Dollar Trio; 8/26 Blue City Bombers 7-10pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co.

August 5

Frozen Food Giveaway. First come, first served. 8am. Danville Police Department.

Too Broke for Sturgis Party. Food trucks, live radio remotes, beer garden, music by Slaughter Ave. Legion Post 325.

Flip Flop Friday. Bring your lawn chairs and friends to settle in for a fun, relaxing evening. Enjoy music by Papa Thump, food, & wine. 6-10pm. Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463.

Live Music. Performance by Heath Haynes. Tap take-over with Ballad Brewing and Three Roads Brewing. 6:30pm. Crema & Vine.

August 11

PAA Exhibit Enjoy the art of Compulsory Measures and Photographs by Rick Dawson. Piedmont Arts. 276.632.3221.

Cougar Business Festival. A space where local businesses can connect with our students, faculty and staff, and community, as well as market your goods and services.12-3pm. Averett Main Campus, Carrington Recreational Center. tyancey@ averett.edu.

August 19

8 Track Minds. Come dressed in your 70’s attire and dance the night away. Free concert. Bring your chairs. Music and food. 7pm. S Scales Street, Reidsville.

Live Music. Say No More - classic rock. 8pm. Mucho Taqueria Taco and Tequila Bar.

August 25

Dance & Dine Series. Country Western with the Redd Volkaert Trio. 7pm. Prizery. 434.572.8339.

August 25 & 26

VA Livestock Show. Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex. 434.432.8026.

August 26

Volleyball Camp. Train with regional ranked players. Ages 9-11. Mt. Hermon Church. 434.770.0034

Sippin’ Saturdays. Enjoy music, wine and rockin’ on the screened in, wrap around porch. 12-5pm. Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463.

August 26, 26 & 27

IMSA Michelin GT Challenge and Virginia is for Racing Lovers Grand Prix. Virginia International Raceway. 434.822.7700.

August 27

Bikes on Main Cruise-In. All participants are required to leave their vehicles parked once they have entered the event area.

ATV’s welcome. 4-8pm.

UPCOMING:

September 7 (thru 10)

Blue Ridge Rock Festival. Virginia International Raceway. 434.822.7700.

September 11

Bats & Badges. Legion Field, Dan Daniel Park.

September 23

Chris Young Concert. A multiplatinum, global entertainer. 6pm. Danville Harvest Jubilee, Carrington Pavilion. 434.799.5200.

Games Crossword Puzzle 56 Satiate 57 The other half of Jima 58 Arouse from sleep 61 Shopping center 65 Medicine amount 67 Copied 68 Brand of paper cups 69 Skier’s need 70 Italian currency 71 Makes a sweater 72 Cabana 73 Set down 74 Gets up

DOWN 1 At sea 2 Red planet 3 Decorative needle case 4 Keep off 5 Creative work 6 Tree trunks 7 Exploiter 8 Animal insect 9 Fluke 10 Put 11 Grasp 12 Computer characters 13 Neon fish 21 Pallid 22 Terminal abbr. 25 American College of Physicians (abbr.) 27 Sonata 28 Vegetable 29 Detail 30 Group 31 Tuber

Word Search

34 Chessman 35 Ailing 37 Haze 38 Ranch hand 39 Mature 41 Dozes 45 House construction material 46 Ardor 47 Crank 50 Expression of surprise 52 Sign 53 In the middle of 54 Woke up 55 Brittle resin 56 Litter 59 Capital of Western Samoa 60 Lotion brand 62 Center of rotation 63 Diet 64 Fewer 66 Eastern Time 68 Danish krone (abbr.)

Action!

Inside the Method of Acting Josh Lucia

by Emily Wilkerson

Ava Miller’s life was changed forever when she was in the fifth grade. After going to see a touring production of The Phantom of the Opera with her parents at DPAC, she was in awe. Seeing this production made her think to herself, That’s what I’m going to do one day! And the rest was history. Miller may be new to the acting scene, but do not underestimate her. She is currently in her fifth production at Smokestack Theatre Company, with her first being The Entire American Revolution in 40 Minutes or Less! in 2021.

Even though Miller is one of Smokestack’s younger performers and has only been acting for two years, she has already proven herself to be a talented triple threat. Last year, she played her all-time favorite role as Tiblyn in Firebringer. Miller loved the thrill of having to act, sing, and dance all at once for this show. She also has been a part of Smokestack’s annual historical ghost tour, Ghosts and Gravestones, twice now. She claims there are definitely some differences between playing a real person versus a fictional character. When playing a fictional character like Tiblyn, she says, “I try to make up backstories for them. It helps me figure out why they’re here, what they’re feeling, and how they do certain things.” However, for

characters from real-life, Miller does as much research as she can to portray the person as accurately as possible, leaving very little to the imagination.

Miller shared that one of the main qualities she feels is critical for actors to have is the ability to work first and play later. While some may think putting on a play is just that, playing pretend, those who have experienced it know it is a much more serious task. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into creating a character, learning lines, blocking, making choices, and forming stage chemistry with the other actors. The “playing” gets to begin once the hard work has been done.

If she could have any role in the world, Miller said she would love to play Madame Giry in The Phantom of the Opera. She feels this is a good role for her because “Madame Giry is a serious, smart, and witty character.” She also prefers this role because her songs are not quite as challenging as those of the leading lady, Christine Daaé. Miller strongly appreciates the actresses who take on this intense role, specifically Sierra Boggess. Sierra Boggess has played the role of Christine numerous times and was also the original Ariel in The Little

Mermaid on Broadway. Her beautiful voice and incredible acting talent make her one of Miller’s all-time favorite performers, as well as a source of inspiration for her own performances.

Still on the fence about trying acting? Miller says, “If you want to be an actor, go for it! Sign up for an audition. You’ll meet new friends, learn new skills, and

come out of your shell, like I did.” Miller has found her home away from home at Smokestack. Not only is she a performer, but she gets involved in every way she can by helping with their Theatre Explorers Camp, and operating lights for some of the adult shows. Miller was most recently seen in their latest youth production, Channeling Grimm, as Jaime at the end of July.

photo courtesy of Smokestack Theatre Co

At Averett University, we are altogether different.

We know that relationships fuel futures, which explains our unmistakable family atmosphere. On campus or online, Averett students feel a sense of true belonging.

Through relentless support and unwavering dedication, we equip our students with the skills for a lifetime of success.

Knowing that personal growth and community well-being go hand-in-hand, we serve others with confidence and distinction, and with a more than 160-year legacy, our influence is far-reaching in the world around us.

Your Hometown University THIS IS All Averett.

Scene: Plant and Linda converse while Linda sweeps her sun-dappled kitchen floor.)

Plant (curiously): What are you doing?

Linda (tolerantly): Cleaning a living space helps people stay healthy.

P: And organized. Why are you sweeping around those towers of manufactured goods rising up from the floor like staggering geometric islands?

L: The stacks of books, CDs, and DVDs we’ve been meaning to move?

P: To where?

L: You’ve put your best leaf right on the pulse of the problem.

P: Why?

L: These are just some of the unread, unheard, and unviewed stacks in the house.

P: How did they get there?

L: We brought them in.

P: Why unread, unheard, and unviewed?

L: We’re retired so we have copious imaginary time, but in reality, we have none. We’ve structured our time with other tasks.

P: Like what?

L: Like hauling your pot around the block daily in a red wagon for you to have a change of scene.

Plant X:

Broom Therapy

by Linda Lemery

P: We should do that more often.

L: And we’ve been cleaning out a rental house.

P: I cannot imagine renting out a pot to live in.

L: That stretches my brain.

P: And cleaning out a pot should just yield dirt and roots, not stacks.

L: Lots of stuff was left in the rental house. We had to triage decisions into categories: donate, give away, or trash.

P: This takes up all your discretionary time?

L: I exercise several days per week at the YMCA.

P: Primarily for health.

L: Accountability, too: The motivational, social network grills me if I’m absent.

P: That does not help you clean up your spaces.

L: Actually, a YMCA friend helped me locate a handyman to whip that house into shape.

P: This house, I hope?

L: No, the one we’ve been cleaning out. Once the stuff is gone, we can work on the structure.

P: However, you are doing all this yourselves.

L: But as you know, we cannot do everything.

P: She sweeps, but she doth not spin.

L: We don’t have all the skills needed, plus we’re traveling again. The handyman will make progress while we’re gone.

P: You and your husband Steve are going?

L: Yes. We’ll leave you here in the Plant Waterer’s cosseting care.

P: You are leaving me. Again.

L: With other plants to keep you company.

P: What is that thing with which you keep dancing around this kitchen?

L (frowning): The broom?

P: Appears to be made of dried plant branches. Death bound to a stick. Designed to round up dirt and put it somewhere less obvious.

L: We keep the broom in the pantry. In ye olden days, there were broom closets. Reminds me of a story.

P: At least you are still here to tell it to me.

L: A woman entered her pantry to get her broom. She was overobligated and stressed out and wanted to get one simple task out of the way.

P: Sounds familiar.

L: Her broom was badly bent in the middle.

P: Why?

L: The woman asked her husband about it.

P: And?

L: He said she’d been grumpy because of being over-extended and stressed out when she’d asked him to clean the brooms. He’d taken the brooms outside and whacked them against a tree and bent that one.

P: Poor tree. We plants have empathy for each other.

L: Yes. Then he put it back. And he felt better.

P: He’d whacked it against a tree, and he felt better. You danced it around the room, and you felt better.

L: Yes.

P: Because cleaning your space is something you can control when other things are out of control in your life?

L: Uhhh…yes?

P: …Therapy. You’re going away partly to reset yourself.

L: Uhhh…yes. Insightful, Plant. We’ll reconnect with long-time friends, reinforce our friendships that live in the spaces between the times we see them, refill the wells on both sides.

P: Go. I will keep a leaf on the pulse of things here. Broom therapy: I like it.

About the author: Plant and Linda Lemery llemery@gmail.com welcome reader comments and thank Faye Kushner for her help.

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Movies You Missed from 20 years ago

by Josh Lucia

Open Range

(8/10 Rating)

Released August 15, 2003

Streaming on Amazon Prime. For rent/purchase on all major platforms. Genre: Action, Drama, Romance, Western R: Violence

2h 19m

Four cowboys find themselves defending their cattle and their lives when they encounter a corrupt lawman and the kingpin rancher that controls a small town on the outskirts of their path. These men are cowboys in the more literal sense, freely grazing

their livestock across the vast prairies of the West. That does not mean we don’t get some talented gunslingers and exciting shootouts, but it does take us a little longer to get to the action.

Kevin Costner (Yellowstone) stars and directs, this only being his third feature of the latter. His debut as a Director, Dances with Wolves, won 7 academy awards, including Best Actor and Best Director. However, his next film, The Postman, is widely regarded as a failure. Open Range seems to get lost in between somewhere when it comes to appreciating the filmmaking. This is a great movie and better yet, a great Western. Does it have as much action as Tombstone or something similar? No, but it takes the time to build characters and relationships with its audience and the final showdown is well worth the wait. There are some great performances here, including Robert Duvall (The Godfather), who Costner intended the role of Boss Spearman for, so much that had he not accepted it, the film may not have been made. Costner himself plays a

man with a dark past, having served in the Civil War. There are some references to PTSD, which are rarely seen in the Western Genre and more often brought up with more recent wars. The protagonists are good men and easy to cheer for. Likewise, the villains are easy to hate. It is not difficult to pick a side and the ending will leave you satisfied. While a little off pace, there is a bit of romance, making this a good date night movie, especially for fans of Yellowstone looking to see Costner in another Western. Most of the movie goes for accuracy, but keep an eye out for some endless ammo during the shootouts. Supposedly, Costner did this on purpose and had always wanted to fan a six-gun over the realistic amount. If you can be patient with a film, give this one a watch and enjoy the payoff.

Also released in August 2003: American Wedding, Freaky Friday, Freddy vs. Jason, American Splendor, Thirteen, Jeepers Creepers (follow @jlucia85 for these reviews and more)

When someone uses the term “dog days of summer,” it usually refers to the most oppressively hot time of the season. According to almanac.com, this period of sweltering weather coincides with the year’s heliacal (meaning “at sunrise”) rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog”—where Sirius gets its canine nickname and its official name, Alpha Canis Majoris.

Heat and wine: Steve Pitcher wrote an article in 2004 for the San Francisco Chronicle about the care one should take when storing wine, especially during hot summer days. He says high temperature is a common problem for wine. If a hot closet at home can damage a bottle of wine, imagine what can

Preserving Wine

During the Dog Days of Summer

by Dave Slayton

happen in a hot car. Pitcher says that none of the factors affecting wine storage is more critical than temperature. Experts vary in their beliefs of the ideal cellar temperature, collectively suggesting a range from 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Generally speaking, the cooler the temperature, the slower the aging process; warmer temperatures accelerate the process.

Temperature fluctuations are just as significant. Heat spikes and frequent broad changes in temperature may also cause spoilage.

Pitcher says humidity must be kept within a particular range to protect your wines. Too little humidity can cause corks to dry out and shrink, allowing oxygen penetration.

Light, ultraviolet light can cause photochemical reactions in the wine that would not usually occur in darkness, which is why many wines are packaged in protective, dark-colored bottles. The safest course is to keep wines stored in the dark most of the time.

Some wines benefit from aging, as harsh tannins can open up to allow you to appreciate a full, rich, complex flavor. But most wines today are created for consumption at the time of purchase. A few wines, notably vintage port and some fine Bordeaux and Burgundy, lend themselves to a few years of cellar age.

So, chill that Pinot Grigio or Beaujolais and enjoy the dog days of summer, preferably in the shade. Cheers!

photo courtesy of Wanda Shields and “Gracie.”

Bubbles

by Mack Williams

The extreme “fizziness” (carbonation) within a bottle of Cheerwine soft drink recently took me back to my early childhood in my old hometown of Salisbury, N.C. (still the home of Cheerwine).

In the hottest part of summer, the meteorologist warns us of thunderstorms popping up in the sky. But the above-ground, adult immersion pool pops up in the country, while the toddler-size wading pool pops up in suburbia! (the in-ground pool just “is”).

A summertime drone’s view of Danville would likely reveal, in addition to “The River District,” a tiny blue dot here and there, representing those inflated wading pools reminiscent of my childhood!

Our family never vacationed at the beach, but in the mountains, instead. My sole contact with water as a young child (other than bathing, of course) was at

a neighbor’s house with some other kids a couple of doors down in their backyard. Their mother would inflate a small plastic pool and fill it with water, then we would step in (not deep enough for jumping into) and splash about!

In this type of pool, my feet felt the earth through the plastic. And that part of me naturally engineered for sitting felt the earth through the plastic as well, taking all of my fear of water away.”

A translucent plastic hose which had been used to fill the pool was lying nearby. On that hot summer day, we would all take turns turning on the faucet and taking a frequent “dink-a-wawa” (toddler talk).

Nowadays, many people are always drinking water from plastic in a different form: “bottles.” Some scientists say that drinking from such bottles may

pose a health hazard. Our drinking from that hose was probably not safe either, but a hose is not as likely to be used as a regular, portable drinking vessel; since the extent of its portability as a drinking source only equals the extent of its length (provided it’s hooked up to a faucet).

My neighbor’s well pump evidently infused some air into the water; so, inside that transparent hose could be seen a series of bubbles, “at length,” so to speak.

As each of us drank, the bubbles approached.

Today’s multiple, simultaneous, unnumbered explosions of Cheerwine carbonation in my throat contrast with my memory of that childhood summer day when, through a clear garden hose, “bubbly gulps of air” in my “dinka-wawa” advanced towards me, one-by-one!

in a “Straw”