November Villager Voice

VILLAGER Voice

ADVANCE • BERMUDA RUN • CLEMMONS • LEWISVILLE • MOCKSVILLE • W-S • YADKIN

F R E E

November 2011

“Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

November 2011

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Feature Articles...

In Every Issue...

8 Foxx Report 16 Tips for Taking Great Family Photos 17 Manage Your Money Carefully 30 The Forgotten Holiday 36 Senior Musings on Comfort

Publisher PK Publishing Editor Brenda Gough Sales Director Pat Dixon Distribution points are at over 600 locations throughout Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, and Yadkin County.

To locate a spot, visit our website or give us a call.

Contact Information: Tele: 336.766.7877 Fax: 336.766.8904 editor@villagervoice.com villagervoice.com

facebook.com/villagervoice

twitter.com/villagervoice PK Publishing 2513 Neudorf Road Clemmons, NC 27012 Copyright 2011 PK Publishing

12 Social Media Maven 13 Going Green 19 Church Directory 23 Restaurant Directory 26 What’s Happening?

34 Carolina Survivalist

This year we celebrate Veterans Day on Friday, November 11. Historically, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations came into effect. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the day should be “filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory.” Let’s take time to honor all military personnel who served and continue to serve our country. If you cannot attend a parade or church service, honor our veterans - past and present - by observing a period of silence lasting two minutes at 11 a.m. on 11/11/11! Thanks for your service, courage and sacrifice.

This issue is also filled with everything Thanksgiving; turkey roasting, time-saving tips for preparing that special dinner, “what” and “what not” to stuff, going green like the pilgrims, taking family photos, and recipes galore! Nancy Hall is officially proclaiming November “Comfort Month” because of the wonderful experience of Thanksgiving! Rev. Christopher Burcham also reminds us to take time to count our many blessings by not overlooking the importance of Thanksgiving.

Guest Columnist Tracy Myers may play outrageous roles on television to sell cars – but this best-selling author, nationally-recognized entrepreneur, and devoted family man is dead serious when it comes to building a business he, his family, and his city can be proud of. We will be attending the world premiere of “Car Men,” a documentary detailing the touching and occasionally hilarious story of how the Myers men created a car business that’s known all across America for its successful out-of-the-box thinking – not to mention its off-kilter TV commercials, featuring such quirky characters as Uncle Frank and Chainsaw Charlie. The film will premiere on Thursday, November 17 at the a/perture Cinema in Winston-Salem.

We are in the midst of preparing our gift packages for the 6th Annual Silver Stocking Project. We need your help to make Christmas brighter for our special elders who do not have family or regular visitors. Please see the flyer on page 9, and join us in spending time delivering gifts to our special friends in assisted living, nursing homes, and retirement homes in our community.

Thanks for supporting our advertisers and remember to shop locally for the Holidays!

Brenda

Happy

Birthday,

Shady—The

Legend

Continues!

November 2011

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Turkey Roasting Chart All turkey roasting charts are basic approximations.

Actual cooking time varies depending on a number of factors, including oven accuracy, temperature of the bird when it is placed in the oven, whether or not your bird is stuffed, oven temperature, the height and thickness of the roasting pan, and how frequently you open the oven door.

Most recipes for whole roasted turkeys will call for an oven temperature between 325° and 375°F. The large size of a whole turkey and the difference in breast and leg meat present a unique challenge to get everything to cook perfectly at once (even more so when the turkey is stuffed!). Using these moderate temperatures will ensure the most even cooking throughout the bird.

Also, since our birds are fresh, lean and contain no additives, your turkey may cook faster than a conventional turkey. Begin to check for doneness approximately 30 minutes before the end of suggested cooking time. Use a meat thermometer—there really

is no substitute for determining when your turkey is done. If you are cooking a stuffed turkey, add an additional 5–7 minutes per pound.

Check the temperature of the stuffing as well as the turkey to determine when it is fully cooked—160°F for the stuffing. When done, all parts of the turkey should register 165°F.

Weight Total

Roasting Time

8-12 pounds

2 to 3.5 hours

12-16 pounds

3 to 4 hours

16-20 pounds

4 to 5 hours

20-25 pounds

5 to 6 hours

25-30 pounds

6+ hours

If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.

Rabbi Harold Kushner

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Five hot fitness tips for cold weather

Find a partner

Exercising with someone else will help keep you committed to physical activity. Studies show people who work out with a friend are more likely to exercise consistently. Walk with a neighbor or join a group bike ride organized by a bike store or local club.

Bundle up

Investing in quality winter gear will keep you ready for many different weather conditions. Dress in layers and remove clothing as you warm up. Look for light, breathable fabric that isn’t too bulky. Also, don’t forget to adequately cover your hands and feet.

Add variety

Finding time for exercise during the hectic holiday months can be challenging. For many people, a fitness regime gets tossed out with the wrapping paper. This makes getting back into a consistent exercise routine for the New Year an essential but difficult battle.

And during dark winter months, fewer daylight hours and cooler temperatures can decrease motivation for even the most dedicated fitness buffs.

Despite discouraging factors during the winter, Americans should continue to strive to get back on track with moderate physical activity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise five days each week to stay healthy. Here are five tips to help you get in gear and stay on the path to good health this winter.

Sneak in fitness activities

Biking is a fun way to get a workout, without feeling like you are working out. Bicycle commuting burns an average of 540 calories per hour. “Half of all trips we make are three miles or less, so biking instead of driving for short trips is a great way to get your daily exercise,” says Tim Blumenthal, director of PeopleForBikes.org.

Mixing exercise activities will keep your body and your brain from getting bored. If you normally run or walk, try alternative cardio workouts. If you live in an area with snow, crosscountry skiing or snowshoeing can effectively burn calories. In mild climates, try riding your bike up a steep hill several times in a row: now that’s a workout.

Embrace nature

Consider trading your indoor treadmill for outdoor recreation. A study conducted by the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry found exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement.

Although it can be hard to get motivated when it’s chilly outside, the fresh air will provide a better workout. Hiking is a great way to enjoy nature and get exercise at the same time. Tune up the bike and pedal around the neighborhood. Walk the dog for an extra 30 minutes each day.

These tips will help you jump common winter exercise barriers. Keeping off those extra pounds during the winter will prepare you well for spring and swimsuit season. And, even more important, staying active during the winter will help you feel your best all year round.

November 2011

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Thanksgiving Dinner Tips Always check the specific recipe, but Thanksgiving recipes in general have plenty of make-ahead possibilities. Little steps taken ahead can really speed up putting a dish together for the big day.

1. Start with a plan. Sketch a countdown chart, noting how long each dish takes, what can be made ahead, and what has to be accomplished simultaneously.

2. Desserts components (such as sauce, crust, pie filling, or topping) can often be made at least a day ahead, if not more.

3. Bread for stuffing can be cut up the day ahead and stored in a paper bag (remember: dried out bread is good for dressings!).

4. Items for most dressings (onions, celery, mushrooms, etc.) can be cooked the day ahead and then tossed with the bread and baked on the big day.

5. Have turkey as prepped as possible (salted, even spiced and rubbed with butter, in its pan) and ready to go in the oven.

6. Most cranberry sauces can be made several days in advance.

7. Salad dressings can often be made a day ahead.

8. Wash, dry, and wrap lettuce in paper towels, and store in a plastic bag in the fridge until ready to toss.

9. Vegetables can be chopped, cheese grated, and spices or seasonings measured out the day before.

10. The roux (fat and flour mixture) for gravy can be done several hours ahead using butter.

Just reheat and add stock and pan drippings.

11. Most soups are better made a day before they’re eaten.

To Stuff or Not To Stuff?

Stuffing is a matter of preference. If you do stuff, we advise baking the stuffing and turkey separately and then placing cooked stuffing in the turkey cavity during the final 30 minutes of roasting time. Here are some additional stuffing tips: Estimate about one cup of stuffing per pound of turkey.

Stuffing your bird increases the cooking time, add about 5 to 7 minutes per pound. If you stuff your turkey, make sure you check the temperature of the stuffing and not

just the bird before serving. The stuffing must register at least 160°F before it is safe to eat.

Never stuff the bird ahead of time. Stuff it just before putting in the oven.

If brining your turkey, we do not recommend stuffing it since the stuffing will absorb too much salt.

If not stuffing, you can place some fresh herbs along with roughly chopped celery, onion and carrots in the cavity for added flavor.

November 2011

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Results or Rhetoric?

President Obama’s Words Don’t Always Match his Actions

By Congresswoman Virginia Foxx “To be, rather than to seem.” – North Carolina State motto

In October President Obama announced a plan to give relief to people with federally backed student loans. Most of the news media reported that this new plan would save college students piles of cash.

Often not reported was the fact that the Obama administration’s ‘plan’ amounted to little more than a proposal to expedite provisions already in the law. The only truly new part of the proposal was an effort to consolidate many privately funded student loans into federally funded loans. The Atlantic magazine calculated this proposal will save the average college grad less than $10 a month.

For the average undergrad with $27,000 in student loan debt this is a far cry from relief. In fact, it masks the real problem: young people are being sold a bill of goods.

Too many young people were told that accumulating $27,000 in debt for a college degree was a good trade off for the high paying job thatwould await them upon graduation from college. Now many of grads find themselves jobless, drowning in government-backed debt and perhaps even ‘Occupying Wall Street’ in sub-freezing temperatures. Their frustration is palpable.

What gives?

High college debt is a problem, but it is a secondary problem, more of a symptom than the actual illness.

The illness is two-fold. First, college

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costs are out of control, and secondly, our economy is stuck in a tepid economic recovery that isn’t creating many new jobs.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s solution to high college debt is to address the symptom and not the illness. Consider this: federal subsidies for higher education like Pell grants have increased 475 percent in the past three decades. At the same time, college costs ballooned 439 percent. The federal government keeps throwing more money at subsidizing college for students. What happens is fairly predictable: college costs spiral out of control.

That’s why the idea of making college debt more affordable is so backwards. Easy money from the feds is driving up costs.

Instead of asking the question that many conservatives are asking—“what is making college so expensive?”—many liberals in Congress too often ask, “how can we subsidize it even more?” As a result, college costs keep going up.

Theoretically, if college grads were able to find work, $27,000 in debt might not even seem so bad. But the stark fact is that many of them remain jobless.

President Obama’s solution to this continued joblessness was his American Jobs Act proposal.

This proposal is a sad imitation of the 2009 stimulus bill that was supposed to keep unemployment

below 8%. Many have dubbed it “son of stimulus” although I prefer the less menacing “stimulus junior.”

It contains many of the same failed policies of the original stimulus and simply won’t do the trick to spur economic growth and private sector job creation. In fact, it languished for more than a month in the House before a single Democrat would even cosponsor it.

At the same time the House has taken a number of steps to spur economic growth and job creation, contrary to the President’s insistence that Congress hasn’t taken action. At this moment, 15 pieces of legislation that address job creation and economic growth are languishing in the Senate. Every last one passed the House with bipartisan support, many with the votes of dozens of Democrats. However, these bills remain stuck in the Senate, which is the do-nothing part of the Congress.

The truth is that young college grads with thousands in debt and the millions of Americans without work need more a new half trilliondollar stimulus bill or a college debt plan that doesn’t begin to address the root problems facing young Americans. They need the kind of solutions like those awaiting a vote in the Senate that encourage private sector job creation.

The North Carolina state motto, “To be, rather than to seem,” has inspired the people of our great state for more than a century to confront the world and its problems with truth and action, rather than smoke and mirrors. For an administration

that appears bound to governing by mirage, this motto is apt. At the end of the day most Americans know—whether they are college students, job creators or unemployed workers— results are more important than rhetoric.

Editor’s Note: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents the Fifth Congressional District of North Carolina.

She is chair of the House Higher Education subcommittee and also serves on the House Rules Committee. You may contact her office toll free at 1-866-677-8968 or e-mail her from her website, www.foxx.house.gov.

2011 Silver Stocking Project “Our Elders are our greatest resource.

They are the culture bearers of our community.”

Many elders in assisted living, nursing, and retirement homes are often forgotten during the holidays. Imagine being alone and without a gift or visit during the holiday season? The Silver Stocking Project is a grassroots, community-based program that delivers gifts to our elders who are without friends and family.

The Silver Stocking Project was started in 2005. With the help of volunteers, generous donors, and the Villager Voice Magazine, we have increased the number of residents and homes served every year. The number of elders served in Forsyth and Davie County increased from 138 the first year to over 600 in 2010.

Volunteers included church groups, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, civic organizations, local businesses, and individuals who adopted elders, bought them gifts from their “Wish Lists,” and spent quality time with the residents when delivering the gifts.

HELP US MAKE CHRISTMAS BRIGHTER FOR OUR SPECIAL ELDERS WHO DO NOT HAVE FAMILY OR REGULAR VISITORS! MOST REQUESTED GIFTS Personal Care Items: Baby Powder, Lotion, Body Wash, Shampoo, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Kleenex, Razors, Shaving Cream, After Shave, etc.

Clothing: Socks, T-Shirts, Slippers, Gloves, Ball Caps, Lap Throws, Knit Scarves, etc.

Food: Candy (Regular & Diabetic), Fruit, Nutritional Drinks, Crackers

If you would like to help, please contact us: TELEPHONE: (336) 766-1211 email: silverstocking@triad.rr.com or editor@villagervoice.com web: honoringelders.wordpress.com and www.villagervoice.com (Click “Honoring Our Elders”)

November 2011

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21 Ways to Help a Fellow Human Being Today

Too often the trend in our society is for people to be separated from either other, to be cut off from the great mass of humanity, and in doing so to be dehumanized a little bit more with each step.

Cubicles have taken away a bit of the humanity in working, as have factories and even computers to some extent. Television has planted us firmly in our living rooms, instead of out with other people. Even movie theaters, where many people get together, cut us off from true conversation because we’re staring at a big screen.

And while I’m not railing against any of these inventions (except perhaps the cubicle), what we must guard against is the tendency of that individuality to have us focused on ourselves to the exclusion of our fellow human beings. The tendency towards selfishness rather than giving, on helping ourselves rather than helping our brothers and sisters in humanity.

I’m not saying we’re all like that, but it can happen, if we’re not careful.

So strike back against the selfishness and greed of our modern world, and help out a fellow human being today. Not next month, but today.

Helping a fellow human being, while it can be inconvenient, has a few humble advantages:

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It makes you feel better about yourself. It connects you with another person, at least for a moment, if not for life.

It improves the life of another, at least a little. It makes the world a better place, one little step at a time; And if that kindness is passed on, it can multiply, and multiply.

So take just a few minutes today, and do a kindness for another person. It can be something small, or the start of something big. Ask them to pay it forward. Put a smile on someone’s face.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s an extremely incomplete list, just to get you thinking — I’m sure you can come up with thousands more if you think about it.

Smile and be friendly. Sometimes a simple little thing like this can put a smile and warm feeling in someone else’s heart, and make their day a little better. They might then do the same for others.

Call a charity to volunteer. You don’t have to go to a soup kitchen today. Just look up the number, make the call, and make an appointment to volunteer sometime in the next month. It can be whatever charity you like.

Volunteering is one of the most amazing things you can do.

Donate something you don’t use. Or a whole box of somethings. Drop them off at a charity — others can put your clutter to good use.

Redirect gifts. Instead of having people give you birthday or Christmas gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a certain charity.

Stop to help. The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or somehow in need of help, stop and ask how you can help.

Sometimes all they need is a push, or the use of your cell phone.

Show appreciation, publicly. Praising someone on a blog, in front of coworkers, in front of family, or in some other public way, is a great way to make them feel better about themselves.

Donate food. Clean out your cup“If you want others to board of canned goods, or buy a be happy, practice compassion. If couple bags of groceries, and donate them to a homeless you want to be happy, practice shelter. compassion.”

Just be there. When someone

- Dalai Lama

Teach. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know. This could be teaching your grandma to use email, teaching your child to ride a bike, teaching your co-worker a valuable computer skill, teaching your spouse how to clean the darn toilet. OK, that last one doesn’t count.

Comfort someone in grief. Often a hug, a helpful hand, a kind word, a listening ear, will go a long way when someone has lost a loved one or suffered some similar loss or tragedy.

Help them take action. If someone in grief seems to be lost and doesn’t know what to do, help them do something. It could be making funeral arrangements, it could be making a doctor’s appointment, it could be making phone calls. Don’t do it all yourself — let them take action too, because it helps in the healing process.

Buy food for a homeless person. Cash is often a bad idea if it’s going to be used for drugs, but buying a sandwich and chips or something like that is a good gesture. Be respectful and friendly.

Lend your ear. Often someone who is sad, depressed, angry, or frustrated just needs someone who will listen. Venting and talking through an issue is a huge help.

Help someone get active. A person in your life who wants to get healthy might need a helping hand — offer to go walking or running together, to join a gym together. Once they get started, it can have profound effects.

Do a chore. Something small or big, like cleaning up or washing a car or doing the dishes or cutting a lawn.

you know is in need, sometimes it’s just good to be there. Sit with them. Talk. Help out if you can.

Be patient. Sometimes people can have difficulty understanding things, or learning to do something right.

Learn to be patient with them.

Tutor a child. This might be difficult to do today, but often parents can’t afford to hire a tutor for their child in need of help. Call a school and volunteer your tutoring services.

Create a care package. Soup, reading material, tea, chocolate … anything you think the person might need or enjoy. Good for someone who is sick or otherwise in need of a pick-me-up.

Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them. You don’t have to take on that cause by yourself, but join others in signing a petition, speaking up at a council meeting, writing letters, and otherwise making a need heard.

Offer to be the babysitter. Sometimes parents need a break. If a friend or other loved one in your life doesn’t get that chance very often, call them and offer to babysit sometime. This would be a good time to also teach something to the children you are caring for. Set up an appointment. It can make a big difference in your life, the parents, and the child.

Love. Simply finding ways to express your love to others, whether it be your child, other family member, friend, co-worker, or a complete stranger … just express your love. A hug, a kind word, spending time, showing little kindnesses, being friendly … it all matters more than you know.

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November 2011

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The community members are highly connected social media professionals, business owners, online marketers, bloggers and entrepreneurs who share each others’ content to their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn networks and also bookmark fellow members’ links. Social Buzz Club is a robust site and innovative social marketing tool which provides members sharing tools and buttons all in one place.

Every time a member shares he/ she earns valuable points. The points system is used to ensure

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that sharing is reciprocated. A member can post his/her content to the community once he/she earns enough points by sharing others’ content.

Once upon a time, two friends and social media marketing colleagues were talking about how they could work together and help one another spread the word about their new clients.

One had a new client she was working with and needed to get some exposure, the other a charity who was running a campaign and also needed exposure to increase donations.

The tools they had weren’t quite doing the job.

They knew that clients were no longer satisfied with the number of fans and followers, it was all about return on investment (ROI). Clients wanted to see their communities in action, sending traffic to their websites, actually converting them to customers or donors.

They needed something new and innovative with a broad reach.

They agreed that this was a challenge and thought that they probably weren’t the only ones with that same challenge.

Then, they said “what if?” What if a marketing collaboration network could be set up comprised of professionals in the social media and online marketing space, with the sole purpose of spreading the word about each others’ businesses or clients in an authentic, positive way? This would extend the reach of the client’s message and encourage the sharing of quality content across the social media platforms.

What if it was set up so that the content can be global or local, thereby increasing the number of targeted prospects — increase ROI for the clients? Even better, what if members can share content of their own, and gain exposure for themselves?

The idea for the social buzz club was born. You are about to access the social marketing tool that is the brainchild of this active collaboration. Viola! success!

GOING GREEN We are heading into what is likely the toughest time on our environment for a number of reasons. Tons more trash; increased electricity use; astronomical fuel consumption etc. The following is tips can help green your Thanksgiving.

FOR THANKSGIVING

Travel Thanksgiving is the most traveled time of the year, so it would follow that two of the significant changes we could make to help the environment is 1) stay home and 2) don’t invite anyone over. Right!

It wouldn’t be the holidays if you didn’t spend it with all of your dysfunctional relatives. Seriously, to preserve this sacred tradition you should travel wisely.

Consider the distance. Do you have family close by you could gather with?

Maybe the long trek could become an every other year thing.

Ensure your car is in efficient travel condition.

Decorating Americans generate tons more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. So think twice before buying more seasonal decorations. Are you the kind of person that uses things over and over again? Great! But if you are like me, someone that feels the need to change things up every year, stop and think. Don’t buy, use natural things instead. Not only will you reduce what is sent to the landfill,

things from nature can be composted and put to good use in your garden next year. Take a walk with your kids and utilize what you find.

Centerpieces: Pumpkins and other winter squashes, Native American corn, acorns, nuts, grapes, pears, pomegranates, and apples overflowing from a wicker cornucopia or heaped in a wooden bowl look abundant and beautiful in the center of your table.

Natural napkin rings: Tie napkins with raffia and tuck in a pretty fallen leaf and an acorn, etc.

Simple arrangements: There is

“Going Green” means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.

a beautiful Zen simplicity in a perfect branch bearing colored leaves set into an earthen vase.

Sometimes that’s all you need for a seasonal and dramatic focal point.

Pumpkin vase: Hollow out a pumpkin and place a cup inside to hold fresh or dried flowers.

Grapevine: Gather grapevines and twist them into garlands or wreaths for table, mantelpiece, doorway, or stairs. Add leaves and berries, if you like.

Setting the Table Don’t use disposable anything.

There are enough people around (and the dishwasher) that doing the dishes will not be a time consuming chore.

If you MUST buy disposable, choose paper products that are biodegradable.

If your tablecloths and cloth napkins are in good shape, don’t by new ones.

If you have enough china, glassware and silverware, don’t by more.

I know us non-traditionalists feel the urge to create something new by using new things, but there are other ways to change things up without increasing consumption.

Just follow the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Shop at thrift or antique stores for tableware to reuse.

If you must buy something new, ensure it is recyclable.

In general, think pilgrim. They made do with very little.

November 2011

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Novel fever takes the world by storm.

Symptoms include flashes of brilliance, questionable plotlines, and blatant use of mixed metaphors.

At midnight on November 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 250,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists.

Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing challenge and nonprofit literary crusade. Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching “The End” by November 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and entries are deleted from the server before anyone even reads them.

So what’s the point? “The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity,” says NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and 12-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. “When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month.”

More than 650 regional volunteers in more than 60 countries will hold writeins, hosting writers in coffee

have since been published, including Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, both #1 New York Times Best Sellers.

shops, bookstores, and libraries. Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. That sense of community even extends beyond the page—so much so that several dozen marriages and at least six babies have resulted from NaNoWriMo over the years.

In a few years, those babies will surely take part in NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program, a version of the event geared toward kids and teens. These budding authors also benefit from a community of their peers, as well as the free resources (including lesson plans, workbooks, and a snazzy classroom kit) used by thousands of educators worldwide.

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, more than 90 novels begun during NaNoWriMo

“Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike,” says NaNoWriMo Program Director Lindsey Grant.

“Completing a draft of the novel they’ve been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves them wondering what else they’re capable of.”

For more information on National Novel Writing Month, or to speak to NaNoWriMo participants in your area, visit www.nanowrimo.org. The Office of Letters and Light is a California-based international non-profit organization. Its programs are the largest literary events in the world.

Learn more at www.lettersandlight.org

November 2011

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Tips for Taking Great Family Photos Everyone loves when a family photo turns out just right, especially during the holidays when families gather together and holiday photos are abundant.

Great photos capture personalities, feelings and emotions, and freeze memories in a time capsule.

But often, the photos you snap (especially photos of little ones and large groups) don’t make the cut, aren’t “holiday card worthy” and last less than five seconds before being deleted. Since most families don’t have a resident professional photographer, here are some useful tips to help any member of the family take wonderful pictures that will be shared and saved for generations to come: Don’t be scared to be the paparazzi. Keep your camera handy at all times and snap lots of photos.

When your camera is always handy and you take lots of pictures, you’ll greatly improve your chances of getting the pictures you’ll love.

Lights, camera, action. If you’re taking photos outdoors, do it either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The light tends to be richer at these times and you won’t get squinted eyes and shadows from the overhead sun. If you’re shooting indoors, see which time of day the room lights up the most and choose that time for the photo shoot.

Make sure the group is happy, comfortable and fed. If you have little ones in your group, it is especially important to make sure they are rested and fed before attempting a photo shoot. Make a conscious effort to schedule family photos earlier in the day or later in the afternoon to avoid mid-day meltdowns.

Give babies a comfortable place to lounge. Newborns can be placed in a comfortable (and photo-

16 VILLAGER VOICE

friendly) place like the Boppy Newborn Lounger. This pillow has a recessed interior so baby can snuggle comfortably in it while you snap away. Cover it with a white sheet for a neutral background. If you are shooting wiggly kids, try placing them in a wagon or basket to contain them in one spot and give them a new perspective.

Be aware of the background. It’s easy to focus on a great smile while forgetting about what might be in the background of a picture. Make sure backgrounds are simple and don’t distract from the main attraction - the people.

Set the sports or child mode.

If you have a large group and/ or children in your group, try using the sports or child mode on your camera instead of the auto setting. These modes are designed to capture clear shots of fast moving subjects and increase your odds of getting a photo where everyone is smiling and has their eyes open.

When shooting little ones, get close and stay low.

When taking photos of children, zoom in on their faces and make their faces fill your entire view finder. Also, it’s important to get down on your knees and shoot pictures of kids from their eye level, so you see facial expressions instead of the tops of their heads.

Enlist the help of a friend. Ask a friend to take photos of your family for you so you don’t have to rely on the camera’s timer. This will help to ensure the photos aren’t too posed since your friend can engage you and your family, tell a few jokes and make funny faces to help you capture more natural photos.

Great photos capture wonderful memories. A little preparation can ensure that you will be able to share amazing photos of those you love. So, don’t be afraid to act like the paparazzi, get creative and try out new ideas.

Manage Your Money Carefully This Holiday Season

As you know, the holiday season can be joyous, hectic, celebratory — and expensive. And while you certainly enjoy hosting family gatherings and giving presents to your loved ones, you’ll find these things even more pleasurable if they don’t add a lot more weight to your debt load. And that’s why you’ll want to follow some smart money-management techniques over the next few weeks.

To begin with, try to establish realistic budgets for both your entertaining and your gift giving. When you host family and friends, don’t go overboard on your expenditures. Your guests will still appreciate your efforts, which, with a little creativity, can create a welcoming and fun experience for everyone.

As a guiding principal, keep in mind these words attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German poet and philosopher: “What you can do without, do without.” Set a budget and stick to it.

And the same rule applies to your gifting. You don’t need to find the most expensive presents, or overwhelm recipients with the sheer volume of your gifts. This is especially true if you, like so many people, have been affected by the tough economy.

Everyone you know will understand that gifts don’t have to be lavish to be meaningful.

Furthermore, by sticking to a budget, you won’t be tempted to dip into your long-term investments to pay for fabulous parties or mountains of gifts. It’s never a good idea to tap long-term investments for short-term needs, but can be especially bad when your investment prices are down, as they may well be this year.

So, if you want to stick to a budget but you don’t want to raid your investments, how can you pay for your holiday season expenses? If you can spread out your purchases, you may be able to pay for them from your normal cash flow. But if that’s not possible, you might want to consider “plastic” — your credit card. Using your credit card does not, by itself, need to amount to a financial setback, especially if you’ve chosen a card that offers favorable terms and you’ve already shown the discipline not to over-use that card. Just try to minimize your credit card usage over the holidays and pay off your card as soon as you can.

Of course, you can make your holiday season much easier, financially speaking, if you’ve set up a holiday fund to cover your various expenses. While it’s too late to set up such a fund this year, why not get an early start on the 2012 holiday season? All you need to do is put away some money each month into an easily accessible account, separate from your everyday accounts. You don’t have to put in a great deal, but you do need to be consistent, which is why you may want to have the money moved automatically, once a month, from your checking or savings account to your holiday fund. When next year’s holiday season rolls around, you might be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ve accumulated.

But for now, following some common-sense money management practices can help you get through the holiday season in financial shape — and that type of result can get your new year off to a positive start.

Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Campbell Thompson, your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax or legal professional regarding your particular situation.

November 2011

17

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Community Church Directory

Clemmons

Agape Faith Church 766-9188 Bible Baptist Church 778-8737 Boyers Chapel Church of Christ 766-6344 Capernaum Church of Christ 766-1516 Centenary United Methodist 766-5987 Center Grove Baptist Church 766-5727 Centerpoint ARP Church 624-9529 Church of Christ Warner’s Chapel 766-6078 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - 766-3607 Clemmons First Baptist Church 766-6486 Clemmons Moravian Church 766-6273 Clemmons Presbyterian Church 766-4631 Clemmons United Methodist Church 766-6375 Crossbound Community Church 336-776-7574 Fraternity Church of Brethren 765-0160 Friends Baptist Church 766-3533 New Hope Presbyterian Church 655-6711 First Christian Church of Clemmons 766-5449 Harmony Grove United Methodist Church - 712-0057 Hickory Grove AME Zion 766-5142 Holy Family Catholic Church 766-8133 Immanuel Baptist Church 766-0082 St Clemont’s Episcopal Church 766-4323 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - 766-3608 River Oaks Community Church 766-0033 Total Victory Out Reach 712-0403 Union Hill Baptist Church 766-8317 Victory Baptist Church- 766-7071 West Haven Baptist -712-1661

Lewisville

Concord United Methodist Church 945-3134 Harmony Grove Methodist Church 712-0057 Family Tabernacle 946-0480 Grace Baptist Church 945-4219 Grapevine Baptist Church 945-6195 Lewisville United Methodist Church 945-3203 Lewisville Baptist Church 945-3706 Lewisville UMC 945-3203 New Hope AME Zion Church 945-9083 Shallowford Presbyterian Church 766-3178 Sharon UMC 945-5386 Shiloh Lutheran Church 945-5255 Sunrise UMC 712-8000 Temple Baptist Church 945-3944 Trinity Friends Church 945-2944 Union UMC 945-3134 Unity Moravian Church 945-3801

Other Calvary Baptist 765-5542 Pine Grove United Methodist Church 765-2569 West Side Baptist Church 768-4073

Advance/Mocksville

Advance First Baptist Church 998-6302 Advance United Methodist Church 998-7750 Bethlehem United Methodist Church 998-5083 Bixby Presbyterian Church - 998-6813 Blaise Baptist Church - 751-3639 Cooleemee First Baptist 284-2626 Cornatzer Baptist Church 998-8403 Cornatzer United Methodist Church 998-0687 Cornerstone Christian - 998-0600 Elbaville United Methodist Church 998-8117 Episcopal Church of the Ascension 998-0857 Eagle Heights Church 751-4442 Fork Baptist Church 998-8306 Freedom Baptist Church 998-5294 Green Meadows Baptist Church 998-3022 Hillsdale Baptist Church 940-6618 Hillsdale UMC 998-4020 Holy Cross Lutheran Church 751-5919 Hope Moravian Church 765-8017 Jerusalem Baptist Church 336-284-2328 Macedonia Moravian Church 998-4394 Mocks United Methodist 998-5518 Piney Grove UMC 998-7313 Redland Church of Christ 998-3918 Redland Holiness 998-4226 St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (336) 751-2973 Turrentine Baptist Church 998-2366 Yadkin Valley Baptist Church 998-4331

November 2011

19

The Very Best in Home Cooked Food!

Duke’s

Restaurant OPEN FOR BREAKFAST & LUNCH Monday-Saturday 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

CLOSED ON SUNDAYS 4875 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem ORDERS TO GO: 768-3108

A Nice Place to Eat

Omega House Family Restaurant

Open

7 AM - 2 PM

Thanksgiving & Christmas

Food Done

o’So good!

299 Jonestown Road Winston-Salem, NC 27104

(336) 293-6371 HOURS Mon-Thur: 11 am-9 pm Friday: 11 am-10 pm Saturday: 4 pm-10 pm

Southern

www.osorestaurantgroup.com

SouthernFamily Restaurant 4689 Yadkinville Road Pfafftown, NC 27040

(336) 922-4784 Family Restaurant

HOURS Mon - Fri: 11 AM - 9 PM 4689 Yadkinville Road Sat: 4 PM - 9 PM Pfafftown, NC 27040 Sun: 11 AM - 2:30 PM

(336) 922-4784 HOURS Mon - Fri: 11 AM - 9 PM Sat: 4 PM - 9 PM Sun: 11 AM - 2:30 PM

1498 Peters Creek Parkway Winston-Salem, NC

(336) 724-5262

20 VILLAGER VOICE

2251 Cloverdale Avenue Winston-Salem, NC www.cloverdalekitchen.com

(336) 725-4701

Serving Our Community Since 1968!

TRY THESE EASY AND DELICIOUS APPETIZERS FOR THANKSGIVING Marinated Cheese Recipe Ingredients 2 blocks (8 ounces each) white cheddar cheese 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons chopped green onions 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil 1 tablespoon sugar 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Toasted sliced French bread or assorted crackers Directions Slice each block of cheddar cheese into twenty 1/4-in. slices. Cut each block of cream cheese into 18 slices; sandwich between cheddar slices, using a knife to spread evenly. Create four 6-in.-long blocks of cheese; place in a 13-in. x 9-in. dish.

In a small bowl, combine the roasted peppers, oil, vinegars, onions, herbs, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over cheese.

Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once.

Drain excess marinade. Serve cheese with bread or crackers. Yield: about 2 pounds.

PETE’S

Family Restaurant

2661 Lewisville-Clemmons Rd.

Clemmons, NC

Festive Feta Cheese Ball Recipe Ingredients 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon 1/2 teaspoon dill weed Assorted crackers Directions In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add feta cheese and dressing mix; mix well. Shape into a ball.

In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, bacon and dill weed; roll cheese ball in Parmesan mixture.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm. Serve with crackers. Yield: 2 cups.

Calico Cheese Dip Recipe Ingredients 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained 4 green onions, sliced 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix Tortilla chips Directions In a large bowl, beat together the cheese, chilies, olives, onions, tomatoes and parsley until blended.

Prepare salad dressing mix according to package directions; pour over cheese mixture and mix well.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips. Yield: 6 cups.

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November 2011

21

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22 VILLAGER VOICE

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RESTAURANT GUIDE

Clemmons

Applebee’s - 712-1063 Bagels & Brew - 766-9688 Big Shotz - 712-1883 Biscuitville - 766-7768 Bojangles - 778-0414 Brick Oven - 766-4440 Burger King - 766-0205 Chang Thai - 778-0388 Cherries Café - 766-4088 CIMARRON - 712-4689 Clemmons Kitchen - 766-4671 Cozumel Mexican - 778-0300 Cracker Barrel - 712-9880 Dominos Pizza - 766-0566 Donatos Pizza - 712-3300 Full Moon Oyster Bar - 723-4224 Grecian House - 766-8444 I Bambini Italian - 778-1838 IHOP - 766-8650 Illianos Italian - 712-1059 Kentucky Fried Chicken - 766-8630 Kimono Japanese - 766-6261 Lees Chinese - 712-0002 Little Richard 's BBQ - 766-0401 Lotus Express - 712-2487 Mario 's Pizza - 778-2002 Mandarin Chinese - 712-1009 Mi Pueblo - 766-7612 McDonalds - 766-6509 Monte De Rey-766-5750 Mossy's Eats - 766-7045 Mountain Fried Chicken - 712-9311 o’So Eats - (336) 293-6371 Panera Bread - 766-3898 Pete 's Family Restaurant - 766-6793 Quizno's Subs - 766-0794 Ronni 's Restaurant - 766-5822 Ruby Tuesdays - 766-3463 Salem Glen CC - 712-0303 Sonic Drive-In - 712-9710 Subway - 766-3016 Time To Eat - 712-1050 Waffle House - 766-9691 Wendy 's - 766-8417 Zaxby’s - 766-6747

Winston-Salem

Lewisville

ALEX”s Grill & Ice Cream - 946-1712 Casanova's - 946-2407 China Wok - 945-6228 Ciccones - 945-46191 Liberty Restaurant - 945-4409 Pizza Hut - 778-2118 Subway - 945-6445 West Town Café - 945-3348

Advance/Mocksville

Ari’s - 751-5428 Captain’s Galley - 940-6868 Ciccones - 998-7731 Dominos (Kinderton) - 998-2000 Dominos (Mocksville) - 751-3232 Jimmy the Greek - 940-2010 La Carreta - 753-1224 Marco’s Pizza - 753-1113 Moe’s Burgers - 753-0333 Miller's Restaurant - 751-2621 Sagebrush - 936-0021 Snooks Bar-B-Que - 998-4305 Subway - Kinderton - 998-3221 Zeko’s Italian - 751-6161

Bernadin’s Fine Dining - 768-9365 Big Shotz Tavern - 727-4490 Bleu Restaurant & Bar - 760-2060 Carriage House - 765-8020 Cloverdale Kitchen - 725-4701 Diamondback Grill - 722-0006 Dukes Restaurant - 768-3108 El Dorado Mexican - 760-3936 Grill-Ville Family - 788-7282 Kimono Japanese - 774-9777 Kotta Japanese - 768-2333 Mario’s Pizza - 768-0057 (Hanes Mall Blvd) 602-1410 (Cloverdale) Olive Tree - 723- 4224 Olde Orchard Diner - 650-1612 Omega House (Peters Creek) - 724-5262 Paul’s Fine Italian Dining - 768-2645 Qdoba Mexican Grill - 724-9873 245-2900 Rotisserie Factory - 725-7071 Sakura - 777-SUSHI Southern Family - 922-4784 Stratford Station Grill - 659-1583 Sushi Thai - 765-7890 Tumeric Indian Restaurant - 794-8282 TJ 's Deli (Country Club)- 760-0488 The Cotton Mill - 725-1112 West End Café - 723-4774

Yadkin

Century Kitchen - 336-699-4455 The German Restaurant - 336-463-3330 Old Stage Grille - 463-5555 Yadkin Plaza Restaurant - 679-3388

Kimono Japanese Restaurant Clemmons 766-6261 Kernersville 996-8863 Winston-Salem774-9777 Welcome 731-7510

Grill-Ville Family Restaurant 902 E Sprague St

788-7282

“Home-Style Cooking”

November 2011

23

DAY TRIPPING

Fur, Fangs and Feathers Fall Festival

Raptors soar gracefully in the wind; vegetation reaches to the sky; sheer vertical cliffs drop 150 feet. Enjoy the spectacle from a front-row seat.

High atop Crowders Mountain, the second highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 25 miles.

Featured this year are live raptors, live music, free games, food, Smokey the Bear, nature arts & crafts, the Smokehouse, educational programs, and much, much more! Come join the fun. You can build a birdhouse, take a hike, make a leaf print & play Buggy Bingo too!

For a closer view of nature’s marvels, walk the park’s many miles of trails. The gently rolling landscape of the North Carolina Piedmont offers a variety of terrain. Dip into the valleys; cross the foothills; climb to the peaks. Quiet woods, trickling streams and melodious birds await. These spectacular surroundings, like the unique habitats in many other state parks, would not exist were it not for the efforts of concerned citizens dedicated to protecting our environment.

There will be free ranger-led programs, live music, and live animals from the Carolina Raptor Center and The Schiele Museum of Natural History! New this year is Catawba Indian dancing! Come rain or shine; the Festival is free and open to all to enjoy a beautiful fall day at the park with family and friends.

Call the office for more information. Don’t miss the fun this year, but arrive early, parking is limited.

The annual Fur, Fangs and Feathers Fall Festival will be November 12 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

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Address: 522 Park Office Lane, Kings Mountain, NC28086 GPS coordinates: 35.213316, -81.293555 Office Phone: (704) 853-5375

How to Be Thankful ... Even in Difficult Times Bring dramatic improvement in your spirit, relationships, creativity, and in your life by trying the practice of thinking thoughts of thankfulness. With record unemployment, home foreclosures, and a financial market meltdown, it may feel like a tough time to be thankful. Yet “practicing thankfulness is one of the most powerful ways of thinking to bring about a change in our circumstances,” says Mary J. Lore, author of the award-winning book Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World?

Founder and President of Managing Thought ( www. managingthought. com ), Lore conducts workshops across North America to help individuals and organizations develop self-awareness and change how they think to attain long-lasting success.

“During difficult times, we may find ourselves struggling with thoughts of fear, self-doubt, anger, frustration, anxiety, depression, and despair.

These kinds of thoughts do not inspire you nor do they move you in a direction that serves your purpose -- in fact, they make matters worse.”

Thankfulness, on the other hand, is one of the quickest and most powerful ways to create a change in our circumstances. Lore says being thankful raises us to a new level of consciousness, giving us the ability to see possibilities, discover what we truly want, receive ideas on what to do next, and realize a vision for the future.

“What we think is a matter of choice. It is up to us to choose powerful thoughts that move us in a direction that serves our purpose,” advocates Lore. “Powerful thoughts bring us peace and inspire us. Thoughts of thankfulness, vision, purpose and possibility are powerful thoughts.”

Lore offers advice to practice thinking thoughts of thankfulness. Lore says that practicing just one of these things brings dramatic improvement in your spirit, relationships, creativity, and in your life.

-- List everything you are thankful for, especially things you are unhappy about. If we hold contempt for anything we wish to change, we block our ability to change it.

-- At the end of each day, think of everything you are thankful for from that day.

Our spirits are lifted when we are appreciative of even the smallest things.

-- Throughout the day, take note of what you are thankful for and be thankful for each experience.

-- When you catch yourself thinking self-defeating thoughts, take a deep breath, first exhaling deeply, and ask yourself “What can I be thankful for in this moment?”

-- See what happens.

November 2011

25

What’ s Happening?

Nov 12 - Furr Ball Unleashed! An Event 70 Years In The Making! You are invited to the Forsyth Humane Society's 70th Anniversary Celebration! Live and Silent Auction /Dinner and Dancing featuring The PLAIDS from 6-12 PM at the The Millenium Center in downtown WinstonSalem. For more information, visit www.forsythhumane.org.

Nov 12 - Mocks Church's Famous Country Ham and Tenderloin Breakfast: Eat in or take out country ham, tenderloin, eggs, grits, sausage gravy, biscuits, and beverage.

The breakfast is sponsored by the United Methodist Men at Mock's UMC in Advance. All proceeds to benefit the ministries and projects of the UMM. Everyone is Welcome!

Nov 12 - 2011 Walk For Wishes at Tanglewood Park: Walk For Wishes is a unique opportunity in which you, along with your friends and family, can put magic in motion by participating in an event that will raise funds and awareness for Make-A-Wish. The fun begins at 2 PM with games and a chance to meet Santa, the actual two-mile walk through the "Festival of Lights" will begin at dark. You have the power to help grant wishes to children with lifethreatening medical conditions. For more information, visit www.2011walkforwishestanglewood.kintera.org.

Nov 12 - Shops At Old Salem Holiday Open House: The shops at Old Salem Museums & Gardens (including Winkler Bakery) are hosting the annual Holiday Open House with special music, food sampling (jams, pickles, wine, and more), craft demonstrations, authors/book signings, storytelling, vendors, shopping and more. The Trinity Moravian Church Bell Choir will perform Christmas music. St. Nicholas will visit, and Mrs. Claus will tell Christmas stories. For more information, visit www.oldsalem.org.

Nov 17 - “Taste Of The South” Returns for it's 3rd Year on Thursday, November 17, 5:30 8:30 PM. This year's Honorary Co-Chairs are Virginia Newell and Mayor Allen Joines. Live Music, Southern Cuisine, and NC Wines are featured at Authoring Action's Fundraising Event at the Milton Rhodes Arts Center in downtown Winston-Salem. Tickets are $25 per person and are currently on sale at Camino Bakery on 4th Street and at www.AuthoringAction.org Reservations are encouraged by calling (336) 749-1317. Tickets include live bands,silent auction, southern cuisine tasting from local restaurants, and one glass of wine or beer. Participating restaurants are: Nobles, Bibbs, Big Mama's, Breakfast of Course, Finnegan's Wake, Dewey's, Sweet Potatoes, and Mozelle's. Beer and wine provided by: Foothills Brewing Co., Cellar 4201, Raffaldini and RayLen Vineyards. Live Entertainment will feature renowned local bands including: Keith Byrd, Charles Burns, and Chris Murrell playing jazz, R&B, and beach music; and the southern folk sounds of The Holly Creek Girls. The event will also include a silent auction featuring an array of local art, entertainment packages, and much more. Proceeds will benefit Authoring Action (A2), a non-profit creative writing and spoken word academic enrichment and outreach organization. A2's teen programs are designed to empower and develop youth, grow new community leaders, redefine learning through the arts and ultimately build social capital and strengthen community.

Every Tuesday-Scrabble at Barns and Noble: You are invited to join us for Scrabble playat Barns and Noble book store on Hanes Mall Blvd. from 5:30-9 PM every Tuesday evening. Scrabble playing has been an on-going event for 7 years. For more information or to join the fun, call Maria Mason at (336) 766-8509.

If you would like to have your event listed, email us at editor@villagervoice.com.

26 VILLAGER VOICE

What’ s Happening?

2011 Holidays for the Troops Care Package Collection Drive

The North Carolina Branch of Give2theTroops announces the 2011 Holidays for the Troops Care Package Collection Drive. Holiday decorations, foods, cards, holiday CDs and DVDs, and gifts for deployed military are being collected and sent in care boxes to troops serving in combat areas. Items will be collected until November 30, 2011 and can be shipped or delivered to us here in Greenville NC. Our branch expects to ship about 800 packages, with each package containing enough items for 12-20 members to share.

Financial contributions are also needed to help with postage costs which will be about $18,000. We need to start receiving donations and shipping soon to ensure our troops, especially in remote areas, receive your holiday boxes before Christmas. This is an excellent opportunity for churches, businesses, schools, and families to show their appreciation for the bravery and sacrifices of our military personnel. For more information, call Barbara Whitehead at (252) 321-8227 or visit www.Give2thetroops.org.

Beginning November 19, 2011 through January 1, 2012, Tanglewood's rolling countryside will be transformed into a winter wonderland of giant snowflakes and whimsical scenes! Entering our 20th season, Tanglewood's Festival of Lights continues to be one of the largest and most spectacular light shows in the entire southeast. This year, we have added more display scenes, as well as change out most of our existing bulbs to brighter LED lights for your enjoyment. We are so excited for you to join us this year in celebration of our 20th anniversary! From storybook scenes to Holiday themes, over one hundred displays and over a million lights fill Tanglewood Park with the entire splendor and joy of the Holiday season.

The NC Branch of Give2theTroops is a part of the national organization that serves all branches of the military serving in combat zones. Since December 2002, we've supported approximately ONE MILLION deployed US troops with loving care packages and letters from all over the nation. This was made possible only with the help of tens of thousands of generous and patriotic friends in the US and abroad. To date, we've sent more than 117,000 enormous boxes and more than 40 million letters and cards from caring citizens. This is the least we can do to show our troops how much we care about them. Our troops need to know that we support and appreciate the sacrifices they make for us, our families, and our future. This is about giving back to those who give all.™

If you would like to have your event listed, email us at editor@villagervoice.com.

November 2011

27

Great Fall Recipes

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Curry

Ingredients 3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded 2 yellow onions 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 to 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 teaspoon curry powder For the Condiments: Scallions trimmed and sliced diagonally Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped Diced banana Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade.

28 VILLAGER VOICE

(Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste

for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Caramel Apple Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/3 cups sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the apples 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice blend

2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 4 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped 3 large eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup sour cream Finely grated zest from 1 orange Juice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup) 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract Caramel Glaze: 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch salt Special equipment: 10 cup bundt pan Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour the bundt pan.

Whisk the flour, 1 1/3 cup of the sugar, 1 teaspoon of the pie spice, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

Toss the apples with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pie spice and set aside.

Whisk the eggs and oil together in another bowl. Whisk in the

sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined but still a bit lumpy. Using a slotted spoon, scatter about 1/2 cup of the apples in the bottom of the bundt pan. Put about 1/3 of the batter on top. Repeat, alternating with the remaining apples and batter, ending with the batter.

Bake the cake until it pulls away for the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and invert onto a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cool. (The cake can be prepared to this point a day ahead.)

To make the caramel: Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is dark amber-colored caramel, about 15 minutes. Pull pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream (take care it will splatter). Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt. Cool until caramel becomes thick and syrupy, then evenly pour over the cake and cool until set.

Cook’s Note: We like to bake this cake the day before we serve it so the flavors and texture ripen. If you bake it a day ahead glaze with the caramel the day you plan to serve it.

Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Vanilla

INGREDIENTS 1 butternut squash, about 2 pounds, peeled, seeds removed, flesh cut into 1-inch cubes (see how to cut and peel a butternut squash) 3 bay leaves (if boiling the squash) Salt 1 heaping cup of walnuts (can substitute pecans or pine nuts) 2-3 Tbsp butter 2 teaspoons grated ginger 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract Lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme Black pepper to taste 1 If roasting Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat the cubed squash with a little vegetable oil and spread out onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and

roast until the cubes begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

2 Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and toast the walnuts. Stir frequently or they will burn. Once they they start to brown, and you can smell the aroma of toasted walnuts, remove from heat.

3 Melt the butter in the pan with the walnuts over mediumhigh heat. Toss the walnuts to coat with butter, then add the squash. Toss them to coat with butter.

4 Add the grated ginger, vanilla extract, black pepper, a little salt and dried thyme and toss once more. Turn off the heat and squeeze some lemon juice over everything. Taste for salt and lemon and add more to taste.

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The Forgotten Holiday

By Rev. Christopher E. Burcham

No one loves the Christmas season any more than I—nor advocates any more strongly for Christians to vigorously embrace Halloween as an opportunity to share the love of Christ by being generous with our candy!

Nevertheless, I am increasingly chagrined by our growing tendency to completely overlook the holiday which falls between these other two: Thanksgiving!

Once a significant part of our national life, in recent years, Thanksgiving has been all-butforgotten—as we scarcely seem to put away the last pumpkin before planting a Christmas tree squarely in its place! The only pilgrims most of us will see this month are the ones already streaming into Wal-Mart and the

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mall, trying to get a jump on the mad rush of the holiday shopping season!

We might pause just long enough to carve a turkey on the fourth Thursday of this month—but the REAL turkeys are those of us who fail to take time to count our many blessings and acknowledge the God Who’s given them!

So concerned am I by our tendency to overlook the Lord’s blessings— and our failure to thank Him for them—that I’ve made it a practice in our own church prayer meetings that we won’t take prayer requests without first pausing to enumerate and share at least a few of the Lord’s many gifts, praising Him for His goodness before deigning to ask Him for anything else!

As such, it seems fitting that I use

this space at least this one month out of the year to reflect on my Father’s many gifts and blessings in my own life—and to thank and praise Him for them in as public a forum as possible. Toward that end, five things spring readily to mind. (In truth, an exhaustive listing of His blessings in my life would require far more pages than this magazine presents— but considerations of time and space confine me to just five that stand out most prominently.)

First of all, I thank and praise God for the circumstances of my birth—in allowing me to be born into this land of unprecedented and unparalleled privilege and prosperity. I, for one, am unspeakably grateful to be the citizen of a nation which places equal emphasis on and stock in both freedom and faith.

It’s easy for us to lose sight of and take for granted the fact that few people in the long history of the world have enjoyed anything close to what we do in this country. The average American enjoys a level of material comfort unknown to all but the wealthiest in many of the world’s societies and even the poorest among us is still subject to a standard of living which would be almost unimaginable to a significant part of the world’s population living in infinitely greater squalor and need. And, while far too few of us exercise the religious freedoms granted us by our founders, neither do we face a firing squad—for choosing either to worship OR to abstain from the same.

Secondly, I thank and praise God for giving me to a family (wise and godly parents, in particular) who loved me and not only gave me every advantage possible in this life, but did all that they could to nurture and instill in me a vibrant faith which would prepare me for the next!

Thirdly, I thank and praise God for allowing me the rare opportunity to do something with my life which I not only enjoy but which has eternal significance. Someone has said that “if you truly love

what you do, then you’ll never work another day in your life.” I am blessed to be one of those rarest of individuals: not only have I never had to dread and endure work simply as a means of securing the paycheck necessary to my continued survival, I experience such great joy and fulfillment in my vocation that I would practically pay for the privilege!

Most of us struggle with the eventual realization that precious little of our work—even that which seems relatively important now—will live on after us, for more than a few years at best. Yet as one entrusted with the privilege of pointing others to Christ, I have the satisfaction of engaging in efforts that will impact eternity!

Fourthly, I would be remiss indeed if I did not take this opportunity to thank and praise God for my dear wife, Amanda—one of His most precious and unexpected gifts to me.

Having spent the first forty years of my life without her, I can attest to what an invaluable help and partner she has become to me in these last four years—but can scarcely even begin to describe the immeasurable joy and sense of fun she brings to my life on a daily basis! I am indeed blessed to be allowed to make this journey with such a delightful

companion, whom I have grown to love even more than life itself.

Finally, I must thank and praise God for the greatest of all possible blessings—and that is, without question, the privilege of knowing JESUS, His only Son! Eternity itself is not long enough for me to express my gratitude for the salvation and eternal life He has so freely shared with me, undeserving as I am. Not only on Thanksgiving, but on each and every day of my very blessed life, I pause to thank Him for this finest of all His gifts—which renders the greatest of all holiday celebrations here in this life only the tiniest glimpse or foretaste of something infinitely greater in the life that is yet-to-come!

How about you? For whom or what are YOU most thankful?

The Bible tells us, after all (in James 1:17), that every good gift is ultimately from above, coming down to us from God our Father.

Have you thanked Him lately for His innumerable gifts and blessings to YOU? Editor’s Note: Rev. Christopher Burcham is Senior Pastor of Union Hill Baptist Churchs. Visit unionhillbaptistchurch.org to learn more.

Make it a habit to tell people thank you.

To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.

Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you.

Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.

Ralph Marston

November 2011

31

Beat The Dealer - How Not To Get Ripped Off When Buying A Used Car-Part 2

By Tracy E. Myers, CMD – The Nation’s Premier Automotive Solutions Provider Last month, I started a new series warning about the most common scams the “bad guys” like to pull so you can be on the look out when car shopping.

Let’s continue with common scam #2.

The Bump and Grind This little gem is a classic “negotiating” tactic used in car dealerships across the country and probably the world. It goes something like this: You finally find the vehicle you’re looking for and you decide to make an offer. In your mind the offer is a little low – but still seems fair. You’re willing to move a little bit, but don’t want to show your cards.

So you present your offer to the salesperson. He shakes is head and explains that he’s on your side, of course, but he thinks he might get fired if he went to his manager with your offer. He goes on to ponder the situation and decides that if you would just increase your offer by a little bit – maybe $200 – he thinks he could take it to his manager.

Being the reasonable person you are you agree to increase your offer by $200. Heck, you were willing to pay a little more anyway!

That’s BUMP #1 Now comes the grind.

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The salesperson disappears for 10 minutes or so. He says he’s going to go talk to his manager. In my experience, this means he’s going to take a coffee break, a restroom break, a TV break, or a smoke break. He may talk to his manager, but it will most likely be to tell a joke or talk about last night. All the while, you’re sitting there believing he’s in the office “grinding” away for your benefit trying to work

out the best price.You may even think to yourself that you’re a great negotiator and really have these guys working for your business.

Think again!

A few minutes go by and he comes back to where you’re waiting. “Ahh shucks,” he says. “I thought $200 would do it, but I guess I was being a little optimistic, it’s gotta be more like $500 or the boss won’t even consider it.”

At this point you have so much invested that you’re no longer willing to walk away. So you agree.

Maybe you even split the difference.

There’s BUMP #2.

This game can continue round after round through the price negotiation, to the trade appraisal, to the credit approval, to the add-ons. In the end, much like a casino, the house always wins. When you spot the bump and grind routine going on, that’s a sure bet that you’ll wind up paying more than you wanted to.

Here’s how you can avoid the bump and grind scam.

For starters, you may want to indicate the fact that you’re wise to typical car dealer games. Explain that you don’t think they’re THAT kind of dealer, but that you’ll be on the look out nevertheless.

Another surefire way to end the bump and grind cycle is to negotiate directly with the sales manager. By doing that, you’ll effectively shut down their negotiating engine and they’ll be forced to deal with old fashioned face-to-face selling. That’s what you deserve!

About The Author: Tracy Myers is a car dealership owner, author, speaker & entrepreneur. He has been featured on NBC, ABC & CBS affiliates across the country & recently released his #1 bestselling book titled “Uncle Frank Sez”, available at www.TracyMyers. com. Contact Tracy at Tracy@ TracyMyers.com

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SURVIVAL TIPS from the Carolina Survivalist

Winter Camping Tips 1. Remember that in the winter you can usually stop and make a fire almost anywhere.

2. Always carry a lighter or matches with you, as well as some tinder (paper or dry shredded bark, etc). The heat of your hand will “activate” the lighter (they don’t work well when cold).

3. Keep in mind natural fire starter material that you can use: birch bark, cedar bark, thin twigs.

4. Non-natural fire starter materials include toilet paper, newspaper, notepaper. Carry some with you at all times.

5. Practice getting a good hot fire going before you have to.

6. Keeping dry and sheltered are two key things to keep in mind.

7. Don’t try to be a survival purist until you have mastered the techniques. Cold weather is no time to fool around and be arrogant or over confident.

8. Don’t rely on following your footprints back out from wherever you are camped. They can get snowed over or blown in.

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9. Take special care of your car keys if you have driven to a trailhead to go winter camping.

Your car is your lifeline back to civilization and safety. And make sure it is in good condition and always starts promptly.

10. Don’t rely on trail markers to find your way - snow on tree trunks may obscure them.

11. Drink enough water. We tend to ignore this in cold weather, as we associate drinking water with heat and cooling down.

12. Fatty foods are important. It is hard to keep warm in the winter on a vegetarian diet.

13. Remember that it gets dark a lot earlier in the winter. Plan accordingly.

14. A side effect of this is that you must deal with boredom due to the long winter nights.

15. Also be sure to have adequate flashlights.

Even if you don’t wish to use them (a useful exercise is to try to do without light as much as possible), they may prove to be critical in an emergency.

16. Don’t rely on building a snow shelter.

Bring a tent in case you can’t get a decent shelter made.

17. If you are new to winter camping take it easy at first. Don’t embark on a weeklong off-trail expedition until you have some experience under your belt.

18. Be aware of the dangers of warm (above freezing) weather while winter camping - everything can get wet, and you can get hypothermic much sooner than you realize - the warmth will fool you.

19. Snowshoes are, generally speaking, more versatile than skis, unless all of your travel will be on frozen lakes.

Info provided by Walter Muma. www.carolinasurvivalist.com

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SENIOR

MUSINGS ON COMFORT

By Nancy M. Hall

These last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about the concept of comfort and comfortable.

And, as is usually the case, the more I muse, the more things about the subject seem to show up.

Here are just a few references. I remember a friend ‘s mother’s old wood stove called “Home Comfort.” There is, for tipplers, “Southern Comfort.” We need comfortable clothing; most of us probably have a favorite sweater, robe, or shoes. When I was working for pay, I could not wait to get out of stockings and into some “sweats.” Yesterday I bought some shoes and it took some adjustments for them to feel comfortable, to fit. We use the term “comfortable as an old shoe.”

When we receive friends and guests, we immediately want to make them comfortable, at ease by offering them a cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine. When I travelled last week one bed was very comfortable, another gave me a

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“crick” in the neck. In work situations, we think of successful people who are comfortable in their roles. They have mastered the requirements of the job. Even in sports, we hear references to players being comfortable at a different position or with a coach’s new system. At the grocery store my eye catches the cover of the newest magazine issue on “Comfort Foods.” I imagine everyone has food items which seem to provide comfort. These may be foods from childhood with pleasant memories.

A trip to the Moravian festival a few weeks ago gave me an opportunity to eat a fried apple pie, a nostalgic treat from my childhood.

What are your favorites? Since I like many foods, it is hard for me to pin down my most comforting foods. I suppose I would say it would be some type soup and peanut butter; some folks would say hot chocolate or cocoa, grilled cheese sandwich, ice cream, chocolate. Since the economy is effecting most all of us, on menus I am seeing more pot

roast and veggies, meat loaf, and chicken and dumplings. Unfortunately, many of us have at one time or another used food to comfort ourselves too long or too often to the detriment of our overall health. More and more I hear people being exhorted to leave their “comfort zone” and to “think outside the box.” Ever since I have been paying special attention to the workings of the brain and how we can maintain good brain health, it seems each day I read something else that is supposed to enhance brain health; the latest thing I read is that learning two, not one new languages will enhance brain health. All the literature reporting brain research I have read indeed recommends that we keep learning, that we try new things, even do the usual tasks in a different way. One wag has called this the need to “break the cognitive egg!” Hey, we are talking discomfort here!

our comfort zone, our way of being, our routines.

Dealing with the illness and/or death of a loved one not only causes us to feel uncomfortable, but uprooted. It causes us to long for what has been comfortable.

So there is a tension between maintaining a comfort level that feels good and having that “cognitive egg” scrambled too much. We have a choice about being comfortable to the extent of being in a rut or taking the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary that might mean excitement, fun, challenge, growth.

How comfortable are you? Oh, I am declaring November the “comfort month,” because of the wonderful experience of Thanksgiving! Have a good one.

I am nancappy@msn.com.

Lastly, we know that life events propel us out of Any nation that thinks more of its ease and comfort than its freedom will soon lose its freedom; and the ironical thing about it is that it will lose its ease and comfort too.

W. Somerset Maugham

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