Tyrrell County’s Country Magazine Winter 2014 - 15
www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photo by Ingrid Lemme
www.facebook.com/ScuppernongGazette
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PUBLISHER: INGRID LEMME ~ EDITOR: MARGIE BROOKS
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Quote of the Quarter
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“Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.” ― Bill Mollison
DEAR READER
Happy 51st Wedding Anniversary Mary Beth & Brad Gibbs were married in her home in the Creeks Community of Columbia on December 5, 1963. Congratulations guys!
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Pocosin Arts Workshops & Classes
2015 Workshops & Classes
Registration is Open! Gift Certificates Available
It has been a fabulous fall for me. I was able to do a lot of traveling with my new partner and really am enjoying life, but I was able to make it back home just in time for The Scuppernong River Christmas weekend! - This issue would have never have been possible if it weren’t for the Now available on their website http://www.pocosinarts.org . Whether it's a weekend escape, a week long intensive, or art educational activities for youth, we are sure to have something for everyone!
diligent efforts of our wonderful editor Margie Brooks - and of course all the writers and photographers amongst you! The Scuppernong Gazette is a labor of love, a love for Tyrrell County that we all share. Thank You! I wish ya’ll a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year! - Love, Ingrid
Columbia &#% &Consignment Shop
Tue - Sat: 10:! am - 5:! pm On H"to#c Main Street, Columbia, NC 252-766-8!1 www.facebook.com/columbia$#%
OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL... BY DEAN ROUGHTON
Hey, you! Yes, you young whipper-snapper sitting there reading this Winter issue on your fancy Internetamabob with your new-fangled central heat and your highfalutin’
thermostat that cranks up the temperature with just the touch of a button. You don't know how good you have it, sonny (or missy - hey, whatever works). In my day, we didn't have none of that there online Scuppernong Gazette. We had to share our stories on a rotary dial telephone with a forty-two foot cord that tangled itself up into more knots than you would see at a National Boy Scout Jamboree. And you had to wait
your turn too! No sharing links or posts. If you weren't fast enough on the dial, you got a busy signal, and you liked it! Ok, so maybe I'm not as old and crotchety as I'm making out, but I can tell you in all honesty that we had to work for our heat growing up. Our house like many in Tyrrell and surrounding counties still relied on wood heat in the 1970s and 80s.
My dad used to say that wood gives you heat three different times: when you log the trees in the woods, when you chop the wood, and when you actually burn the wood. And he was absolutely correct. I remember one winter we had a bad cold snap that exhausted our wood supply before the weather cleared. We spent most of a day in the woods cutting down trees, which my dad then pulled out to the truck path with his Popping Johnny tractor, named for its distinctive exhaust noise. Everything was covered in snow, and the flakes were still falling, yet we were all sweating in our thermal underwear and insulated jumpsuits. Logs would be sawed up into wood heater lengths and then transported home on the back of a truck to be tossed into a big pile in the back yard. We would always keep a big chopping block next to the pile. Wood would need to be set on top of the chopping block when it was time for the axe work because the ground provided too much give to chop wood directly on it. There was an art to chopping wood too. Smaller
diameter pieces could usually be split in half or possibly thirds by strategically placed axe blows aimed at existing cracks. Larger pieces had to be slabbed, which means to chop off sections around the outside and work towards the middle. A misplaced blow could mean lodging the axe tightly in the middle of a chunk of wood, resulting in an inordinate amount of time and energy working to free the axe without breaking the handle. I can promise you, nobody wanted to be the person to have to tell my father we had broken yet another axe! In winter months, an everyday chore was to tote wood in the house and fill up the woodbox beside the stove. And if you didn't round that box all the way up, you would find yourself trudging back out in the dead of night to get more. That's something you tried to avoid at all costs because when you were a kid growing up in Tyrrell County, you would hear stories about black panther screams. Trust me, at 11 years old, every creaking tree or screech owl in the dark is a black panther waiting to devour you whole.
Don't get me wrong. Heating with wood was not all about hard work or fearing for my young life. I have some rather fond memories as well. Many mornings my mom would wake to find me snuggled up in my blankets in front of the wood stove because my room had gotten chilly and because I liked the comforting hum of the air blower on the heater. (To this day, I have to sleep with the sound of a fan running.) Probably my all-time favorite thing about wood heat though was walking in the door from school some days and having delectable smells wash over me. In winter, my mother would often make a pot of homemade venison burger and vegetable soup, which she would leave slow simmering on top of the wood stove all day long. By the time we got off the bus, the pot would be just right, and you can believe we were not waiting for dinner time, especially if there was a stack of peanut butter and syrup sandwiches to be dipped in the soup. (Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.) Some people in Tyrrell still use wood as a primary heat
source, but more often than not these days, people use wood only as supplement to their central heat. It's seen as nostalgic to fire up the old wood stove or even romantic to snuggle up with one's sugar plum next to the fireplace while sharing a glass of wine. And that's fine and dandy for you young whippersnappers, but while you see wood heat as a way to steal some kisses, back in my day, it
was a source of non-stop blisters from chopping and toting wood 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. Blisters on both hands. Front and back. Uphill both ways! (Wait, what?) See now you have me all confused, probably because I'm cold. Guess I will use my phone app to tell the thermostat to bump it up a degree or two in here. Much better. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
DEAN ROUGHTON http://deanroughton.com
SANTA, SKIPPER AND THE SIREN SONG BY BARBARA SNELL KREBS
Spoiler alert – this article may contain information about a certain fat, jolly man, dressed in red, that is unsuitable for small children. That being said – Merry Christmas! Ho, ho, ho! So when was it that you realized your parents were pulling a fast one on you? I mean, we all loved this pulling of the wool over our eyes because who doesn’t want to believe in a big dude who somehow managed to slide down slender chimneys? (Or maybe he came in the back door because you didn’t have a chimney?) And man, is he faaast. I’m not sure how speedy those flying reindeer are, but they’ve gotta be booking to make it around the world in one night. Not only that, but they make
about a gazillion stops so Saint Nick can offload about a trillion tons of toys. And speaking of that – how does he manage to get enough lift with all that weight on the back of his sleigh? I mean, the guy’s center of gravity is seriously off – I wanna know what he’s feeding those reindeer. It’s gotta be high test! So physics aside, we all enjoyed this little myth as kids, and as adults we’ve enjoyed perpetuating this fantasy with our kids and grandkids. But stil… there’s the inevitable point in time when doubt begins to creep in with the bigger ones – you see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices – and as much as you want to hold on to the magic of Christmas, this one piece of it is going to change irrevocably. I don’t remember my exact age when this process occurred, but I suspect it was a little later than the norm because I was sure that the moment I stopped believing, well, of course, the toy source would dry up. And who wanted to wake up Christmas morning with no Santa presents under the tree? So, I looked the other way as long as I could and mustered as much enthusiasm as my doubtful little self could manage when the holiday
season arrived. I dutifully told Santa want I wanted even when I felt a little too old to sit on some stranger’s lap, who looked and sounded suspiciously like Mr. Soand-So down the road. For me, the inevitable end came the year that I asked for a Skipper doll. I had a couple of Barbies, which I liked and played with a lot, but this new doll had been introduced. And since I didn’t have a little sister – only an annoying little brother – I definitely wanted a little sister doll. I’m not sure what led me to find the hiding place of the Skipper, but several weeks before Christmas, I found her. Of course, she was in a shopping bag shoved behind some stuff, but there she was. I took her out of the bag, and looked at her, safely encased in her shiny plastic box. She stared back at me, as if to say, “Gotcha! Now what you gonna do?” So I did what any kid would do. I stuffed her back in the bag and shoved her back into the closet, and pretended she didn’t exist. After all, it was only a few weeks until Christmas. I could hold out. But what a siren call that Skipper had! Any time I was sure Mom was busy in the kitchen, I
would sneak back to that closet and take her out of the bag and simply stare at her. I was probably a little annoyed with her for taunting me like that, but just wait until I could take her out her plastic box. I’d show her! Now I don’t know if my parents heard me one time sneaking away from the closet or whether they noticed that the paper bag was getting more and more worn or what gave me away. But at some point, I discovered the gig was up. I can’t remember what exactly my parents said, but they somehow let me know that my illicit trips to the closet had not gone unnoticed. I do remember being cautioned, however, not to let my little brother know what I now knew. Crestfallen and dejected, I realized I would now celebrate my last Santa Christmas. And I wished dozens of times that I hadn’t unearthed Skipper, and that she hadn’t made me visit her again and again. Because I knew that if I hadn’t gone back time after time to that closet, all would have been well still.
Nevertheless, the deed was done. So with a heavy heart, I went to bed on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, I came downstairs, determined to play my part bravely and not spoil anything for my brother. And then … there under the tree was Skipper … and her amazing new outfits! Those hadn’t been in the bag with her! How did they get here? Had Santa made one last extra stop? I know I was grinning like a Cheshire cat because this was just so unexpected. And so wonderful! I looked at my dad,
and he was smiling. The kind of smile that says, “You’re smart, but not as smart as you think you are!” So, yes, Santa made one last stop that year to surprise me. And though a certain cat was out of the bag, I found out that somehow Santa continued to put presents for me every year under the tree until I was finally out of the house and living on my own. I still have those Barbies and Skipper. And when my daughter Colette was young, we would occasionally take them out and play with them. And whenever we played, I knew that someday she would uncover the true facts about Santa. That he exists for as long as we want him to, for as long as parents want to “surprise” their kids with a little something extra on Christmas morning. Now where did I hide that reindeer chow? Photo: Skipper, her sister, Barbie (and her other sister, Barbie) party like it’s 1967 as they survey the new outfits that Santa left for Skipper.
Mr Bobby
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www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photo by Ingrid Lemme at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church.
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75 YEARS AND COUNTING...
Reverend Larry Chandler of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church performed a beautiful 2nd Advent Service and the congregation celebrated the 75th Wedding Anniversary of Bobby and Myrtle Mitchell. The Mitchells are Wesley’s oldest married couple and are renowned in Columbia.
Everyone was invited to join them in the parsonage gathering room following the service where a scrumptious celebration lunch of fried chicken, salads, and many desserts was served. They were surrounded by close family and friends as they cut the wedding cake on this special day. - IL
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MARRIED LIFE IN COLUMBIA BY CYNTHIA MITCHELL Bob was born in Bertie County in the small community of Askewville. Myrtle was born and raised in Tyrrell County. They were introduced in 1937 by her father, James Davenport, when she rode into town with him to get a haircut. Bob was a
young, new barber who was working in Columbia. After Myrtle graduated from Columbia High School, she attended Norfolk Business College. She returned to Columbia after college and began working at East Carolina Bank. Soon thereafter, Myrtle and Bob began dating and they married on December 7, 1939. Â On their anniversary in 1941, Pearl Harbor was
bombed. Bob joined the US Navy in 1942 and served until 1945. When he returned to Columbia, he built his barbershop at its current location. They have lived their entire married life in Columbia. Â They have one son, Fred, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
4-H EXPLORERS BY MIRIAM FAUTH
The name “Explorers” for our 4-H group came about as we realized that is exactly what we were doing every month! Exploring! Our club
meets on the 3rd Monday of every month, and is for children ages 9 and over. At our first meeting, I asked the group to think about what we could call ourselves. As the next couple of meetings went by, we had visited our local antique store here in the town of Columbia, the local Elements coffee shop, and Pettigrew State Park. We knew we were the Explorers! Since then we continue to be out and about. The furthest place we have traveled to is Elizabeth City. It is hard to believe that it was almost a year ago when we went to the United States Air Force
Orchestra’s excellent Christmas show there. Our last outing, this past October, was quite special when we met with a very important man – Mr. Michael Griffin, the Mayor of Columbia. Mr. Griffin kindly hosted us in the Town of Columbia offices. Our group of roughly 10 children sat in the very same room where the Mayor presides over meetings every month. We all listened to some general information that he shared about himself and the position he holds. After that, the children were invited to ask
questions. And that is exactly what they did! Question after question! Our group was very curious, and very much involved with the meeting. I was very proud of them all. Mr. Griffin then handed each child a card stamped with the seal of North Carolina, and to make it extra special, he called each child up to the “bench” to sign the card with their own name on it. I felt the meeting was a great success, and our children left being more informed about the position of Town Mayor. And Mr. Griffin got to meet some of our very special young 4-H people. Thank you Mr. Griffin, for welcoming
us. For our November meeting, we actually stayed at the Extension office. We talked about upcoming 4-H events and how we all need to start working on our 4-H project books. The second half of our meeting was a drama workshop. We acted out scenarios, using different emotions and characters. It really was a lot of fun. This part of the meeting was really led by the children themselves, and they came up with some interesting ideas. Drama seems to bring out a side of the children that helps them express themselves. And in addition to the fun have, it builds
character and confidence. A little extra note while we are talking about drama. Four Tyrrell County residents will be appearing in The Christmas Carol at The College of the Albemarle, in Elizabeth City. Bradley Brickhouse, Layah Fauth, Jacob Fauth, and Ruthie Fauth. Bradley will be playing Jacob Marley and Jacob will play young Scrooge. Layah will be singing in the Ensemble and will be playing Marie at Fred’s Tea Party. She will also be dancing at Fezziwig’s party. Ruthie will be in town scenes, and a surprise new scene just before Fezziwig’s party. Continues ...
C O L L E G E O F T H E A L B E M A R L E Ȉ ͲͰͻ 4 ǧ ͲͰͱ͵ S E A S O N
SHOWTIMES December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14
10 2 10 7 2 7 2
am pm am pm pm pm pm
Join in the fun when the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future take Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey that will change his life forever! The beautiful songs and music make this a holiday classic and tradition not to be missed! By Charles Dickens Adapted for the stage by Gloria Emmerich
ADVANCED PRICES $21.50 Adult
$19.50 Senior/Military $18.50 Groups of 10 or more SPECIAL RATES FOR K-12 GROUPS. CALL FOR DETAILS.
$16.50 Student
TICKET PRICES INCLUDE TAX.
ALL TICKETS ARE $2 MORE AT THE DOOR
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE, BY PHONE, OR AT THE BOX OFFICE
Albemarle.edu/pac | 1.800.335.9050 | 252.335.9050 | 1208 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909
This is the second Christmas that the show will presented. Dr. Emmerich, the director of the show, and also the drama instructor at the college, will play Scrooge. The show boasts a cast of 60 people
and the talent is wonderful. They will be sharing dancing, singing, drama, comedy, and a whole lot more as the story of Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge unwinds. Of course you remember that this is the story of a man whose course of life has turned him into a very bitter man. But by the end of the show, Charles Dicken’s writing talents will take the audience along as Ebenezer Scrooge’s whole life is turned around with a life changing
experience with the help of some very interesting late night visitors! The location of the show is The College of The Albemarle in Elizabeth City. It will be showing from Thursday, December, 11th until Sunday December 14th. Please call the box office 252-335-9050 for reservations. www.albemarle.edu/pac
Photo featuring Bradley Brickhouse, Layah, Jacob and Ruthie Fauth.
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Ch#'mas
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Ev'rywhere you go; Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again With candy canes and silver lanes aglow. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Toys in ev'ry store, But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be On your own front door. A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots Is the wish of Barney and Ben; Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk Is the hope of Janice and Jen; And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again...
www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photo by Ingrid Lemme
RIVER TOWN CHRISTMAS
BY MIRIAM FAUTH River Town Christmas in Columbia is truly a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season. It has become a tradition here in Columbia. The whole community has an opportunity to greet each other, and spend a little time together, and share the holiday spirit. It is a time to shop for gifts, but not any usual gift you make pick up at one of the popular large stores, but a very unique gift. One that has been hand crafted by one of Columbia's many talented residents, like a handcrocheted scarf, or handcrafted jewelry. It is a time to find fresh baked goods. It’s also a time to support local groups like the Girl Scouts who sell special items made to raise funds for their troop. Or a time
to buy a delicious lunch to support Columbia's marching band.
However, the shop-ping experience is only one part of River Town Christmas. The Christmas Parade, a huge favorite, is another big part of the weekend. Santa is the last person in the parade greeting spectators. Later lines of eager children wait to meet him and have a photo taken with him in the old museum. The young Extension Office girls help set up a den for Santa the night before in the Old Annual Ch!"mas Bazaar At # Columbia $eater Museum
Museum. They also help prepare the little goody bag that Santa gives each child. Another very much enjoyed part of the event is the annual Extension Office Cooking Competition. All ages are welcome to participate. At 10 am on Saturday morning, all "chefs" congregate in the Old Museum awaiting announcements of the winning entries. Breads, cookies, holiday treats , cakes, and pies are just some of the entries the excited winners prepare! From morning until evening, the Town of Columbia buzzes with people, walking to and fro, from Pocosin Arts to the Old Museum, to the two main shopping areas, and all around town. The weekend concludes on Sunday at the Madge Van Horne Theater with Mr. Edwards, our music and chorus director proudly sharing the talents of his students. School bands and the chorus share some lovely holiday songs. Â These are just a few thoughts shared about River Town Christmas, and they come with a very big thank you to all the people involved in making this event possible.
2015
Ma#amuskeet Decoy &
Waterfowl Festival
The 2015 Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival will begin with the annual Hyde County Waterfowl Association Banquet on Friday night, January 16. The doors open at 6 pm with Happy Hour, followed by dinner at 7 pm and the auction at 8 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, the festival will take place at Mattamuskeet High School, 20392 US 264, Swan Quarter. One day admission is $5 per person, or $8 for a 2-day pass. To learn more about the Festival and see a schedule of events, or if you’d like to be an exhibitor/vendor, visit www.hydewaterfowl.com or call Brad Gurganus at 252-944-5636.
&e River To( Ch#'mas Parade 2014
www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photos by Ingrid Lemme
A River To( Ch#'mas Parade 2014
www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photos by Ingrid Lemme
Face Painting wi$ )Barb At *r H"to#c Columbia &eater www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photo by Ingrid Lemme
THE HISTORY OF POCOSIN ARTS & ‘CABIN FEVER RELIEVER’ In the fall of 1972 Feather Phillips made landfall. It was here among the cypress and juniper lined inlets with its beautiful wildlife that a Pennsylvania girl found a new home in Eastern North Carolina. In June of 1994 Feather and others got together to file articles of incorporation and created the Pocosin Arts Folk school as a private, non-profit, educational center whose mission was to connect culture to the environment through the arts. Pocosin Arts has operated a teaching studio and gallery on Main Street in Columbia since 1995. Pocosin Arts has a diverse offering of programs, including: public school enrichment; after school children’s programming; weekend
workshops; week long workshops; weekly adult and youth classes; artist’s residencies; clubs and guild programming; contract work with schools both private and public, Albemarle Ecological Field Site; and participation in festivals and fairs. Since its inception Pocosin Arts continues to be a critical cultural resource to Tyrrell county and the surrounding area. With the recent completion of our new Riverside Studios and Lodge, we welcome program participants to come, stay, and take one of our extended workshops such as our annual retreat–Cabin Fever Reliever February 19-22, 2015.
Cabin Fever Reliever is a four-day, three-night residential creative arts retreat hosted and led by Pocosin Arts in the heart of downtown Columbia, NC. Choose from one of our 4 workshops and immerse yourself in 4 days of throwing, sculpting, fine metals, and mixed media. We are located on the banks of the Scuppernong River in Columbia, North Carolina, surrounded by water, wildlife, and natural beauty. Pocosin Arts is the perfect place to learn, relax, get away, get inspired and have some fun! Click on any of the links below to learn about our Cabin Fever Reliever XV workshops. For more informations on classes and events, please visit www.pocosinarts.org or www.pocosinarts.org/cabin-fever-reliever-15
Local a,"ans featured
$eir creations at Pocosin A,s
du#ng - Ch#'mas weekend
BOOK SIGNING AT BUDDY’S
an R. C. Cola and a pack of Nabs there, too!
“WHEN WAR WAS HECK.” BY MARGIE BROOKS
Christmas is fast approaching! If you missed this opportunity to get a book, you still have a little time left. If you want it autographed, you’ll have to contact Phil at 252-940-4525. The price is $11.00 and includes postage. Otherwise, you may purchase a hardcopy of the book online at http://www.thewordverve.com/war-heck/ . The e-Book versions are available at any of the following sites: http://www.amazon.com/When-War-HeckPhil-Emmert-ebook/dp/B00OQOWB2Q https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ id932039313 http://www.inktera.com/store/title/ af5b5923-98ed-4409-bd11-1c8bbe8f2190 https://www.scribd.com/book/243856300/ When-War-Was-Heck
Phil Emmert was at Buddy Brickhouse’s Store in Gum Neck on December 9 autographing copies of his first ever book “When War Was Heck.” For those of you who are familiar with that part of Tyrrell County, you know that Buddy’s Store is the best little country store in the U. S. A.! You can find fun, fellowship, and even a “liar’s bench” (that must be a story for another issue) along with staples such a Campbell’s Soup and Corn Flakes. I bet you can even get
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-warwas-heck-phil-emmert/1120619389
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/whenwar-was-heck
Maggie Wants
Maggie Duke Antiques always is seeking to purchase your fine antiques and collectibles and will pay top prices for better items. Free verbal appraisals are available, and discretion is guaranteed. 210 Main Street, Columbia, NC ***** (252) 706-0534
Tyrrell County’s Country Magazine Winter 2014 - 15
www.ScuppernongGazette.com Photo by Ingrid Lemme