Surry Living Magazine - December 2020

And introducing ...

A lifestyle magazine highlighting Surry County and the surrounding area

Martha Bassett

DECEMBER 2020

CHRISTMAS small town style

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Advertiser Index a publication of vivid graphics SURRY LIVING MAGAZINE PO Box 6548 Mount Airy, NC 27030 surryliving.com • info@surryliving.com for editorial content submissions send to larry@surryliving.com

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LARRY VANHOOSE executive editor

TRINA VANHOOSE

VIE STALLINGS HERLOCKER associate editor

SALES

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Our advertisers make it possible to provide Surry Living FREE of charge. Please join us in thanking and supporting these outstanding merchants in our area: Anderson Audiology, Page 9 Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, Page 23 Charis Christian Books and Gifts, Page 23 Cook Insurance Group, Page 29 Countryside RV, Page 7 Creek Bottom Brewing Co., Page 19 Farmers Mulch & Rock, Page 29 Farmhouse Spits & Spoons, Page 23 Friendly Heating & Cooling, Inc., Page 5 City of Galax Tourism, Page 9 & 27 George Smith Piano Tuning, Page 18 Hicks Water Stoves / Mechanical, Page 23 Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, Pages 2, 14 Johnson's Xtreme Softwash, Page 15 Keswick Candle Company, Page 23 Kristin Clickett, Health & Wellness Coach, Page 13 Lesia Cockerham, KellerWilliams Realty, Page 19 Main Street Market, Page 23 Mount Airy Equipment, Page 3 Mullins Pawn Shop & Jewelers, Page 19 NC Cooperative Extension, Pages 21, 22 Northern Hospital of Surry County, Pages 17, 32 Plaza Del Sol Mexican Cuisine, Page 23 Ridgecrest Retirement, Page 31 Roy's Diamonds, Page 9 Royster & Royster Attorneys at Law, Page 9 Spotted Moon, Page 23 Surry Communications, Page 26 The Derby, Page 7 The Nest & Hive, Page 8 The Vineyard Camp & Retreat Center, Page 10 WIFM Radio, Page 30 Yadkin Valley Quilts, Page 21 Zen Massage and Bodywork, Page 7

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION AND RATES, CONTACT US TODAY at (336) 648-3555 or by email at sales@surryliving.com • surryliving.com

www.facebook.com/SurryLiving Surry Living reserves the right to deny any advertisement or listing. Submissions are welcome, but unsolicited materials are not guaranteed to be returned. Surry Living assumes no responsibility or liability for the information, services, products, claims, statements, accuracy, or intended or unintended results of any advertiser, editorial contributors, company, professional corporation, business or service provider herein this publication. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

4 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

Not just at Christmas, but all year long, we celebrate the greatest gift, the gift of God’s one and only son.

(336) 648-3555 • sales@surryliving.com

FEATURED SECTIONS

Friendly Heating & Cooling, Inc. SERVICE IS OUR BUSINESS!

HOME, FARM, & GARDEN p.8 * OUT & ABOUT p.16 * 8 The Vintage Southern

Homemaker: Gloria Brown shares memories and helpful tips

18 Gin Denton: Sharing the

"Feel Goods"

SIMPLY DELICIOUS p.20 * 20 The Sweet & Savory Life

with Rynn Hennings: Orange Rolls 22 Carmen Long: Oh,

Christmas Tree

11 This Little Light of Mine:

Small Town 12 Joanna Radford: ’Tis the

Season for Poinsettias

ALL THE REST p.25 25 A Deeper Cut: A Novel,

Continues as we near the suspenseful conclusion 28 Area Event Schedules:

We have compiled a list of events for this month that are accurate as ofthe press time.

Don’t be left out in Go to visitmayberry.com cold – Call us today! for the most current event schedule information.

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A Pig for Christmas

16 Martha Bassett: New

Feature Contributor Good Music. Good People

Friendly

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 5

CONTRIBUTORS

Martha Bassett

Gloria Brown

Gin Denton

Sheri Wren Haymore

Martha is a singer/songwriter/guitarist living and working in the Piedmont. She hosts The Martha Bassett Show, a twicemonthly musical variety show at Elkin’s Reeves Theater. Past shows are featured Saturday evenings on NPR station, 88.5 WFDD. On Wednesday nights she leads music at Roots Revival, an Americana worship service at Winston’s Centenary UMC that explores the intersection of faith and secular music. She's also a longtime scholar of the music of the Shakers.

Martha has released 11 records and plays throughout the region and nation. Get more info at marthabassettshow.com.

Gloria is co-owner of The Nest & Hive Shoppe, a home décor business in Fancy Gap, VA, as well as the former host of The Vintage Southern Homemaker television show. Her musings on life growing up and living in the South have appeared in publications and on TV throughout the region. She is an expert antiques collector who grew up in the business and worked many years as a dealer in the Yadkin Valley area, where she currently resides.

Gin is the owner of Ginger Horse Studio. Her focus is lifestyle photography, covering horse shows, weddings, concerts, and doing on location portraits. Gin graduated from the University of Findlay with an Equine Business Management degree, where she also studied music and photography. She is a member of the Mount Airy Ukulele Invasion (MAUI) and the Granite City Rock Orchestra (GRO).

Gin resides in Lowgap, NC with her family on their small horse farm.

Sheri grew up in Mt. Airy, NC, and lives thereabouts with her husband. Together they run a couple of small businesses and plan their next vacation. A graduate of High Point University, her first job was as a writer at a marketing firm—and she’s been scribbling ever since. Sheri has several suspense novels in publication and Surry Living is proud to include sequential excerpts from one of her books in each issue.

Rynn Hennings

Carmen Long

Joanna Radford

Sarah Southard

Rynn is a writer and designer based in the Yadkin Valley region of North Carolina. She loves to share her ideas for adding simple beauty into hectic lifestyles. More than mere recipes, her mission is to offer practical shortcuts for food preparation along with visual tips for presentation. Rynn began her career in Aiken, SC, as a newspaper reporter writing feature articles about food, living, and the arts. For more about Rynn, even more recipes, decorating tips, and much more, visit thehouseofelynryn.com

Carmen is an NC Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences. Making quick, easy, healthy food that tastes great on a budget is a challenge.

Carmen and her husband have two grown children, both of whom were involved in sports from grade school thru college. With busy careers and lots of time at sporting events, coming up with quick, healthy meals was a necessity.

Carmen shares ideas and recipes to make this tough job a bit easier.

Joanna Radford is the Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent for the NC Cooperative Extension in Surry County with expertise in entomology, gardening, and pesticide education. She began her career with NC Cooperative Extension in Stokes County in 1995 as a 4-H Agent, later switching to Field Crops and Pesticide Education in Surry County. In 2012, she assumed the role of Horticulture Agent for Surry County. She lives on a farm with her husband and two teenage daughters.

Sarah grew up at Crooked Oak in the Pine Ridge community of Surry County. Raised in the agriculture world, she went on to earn degrees in animal science and veterinary medicine from North Carolina State University. She and her husband, Adam, currently live in Statesville with Oliver the house rabbit, a few cats, Blossom the donkey, and a flock of Katahdin hair sheep.

6 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

CONTRIBUTORS contd.

Larry VanHoose

Gary York

“Celebrating 83 YEARS OF SERVICE in the Area!”

Larry is the Executive Editor of Surry Living Magazine and Creative Director at Vivid Graphics in Galax, VA. He has 30+ years experience as a writer, graphic designer, and commercial photographer.

Larry and wife, Trina, have four wonderful, grown children, one awesome grandson, and they reside on a small farm just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Grayson County, VA.

The November issue was Gary York's final article with Surry Living Magazine. We want to take this opportunity to thank Gary for the three and a half years he poured into our magazine with his informative articles about the men, women and the history of Surry County. In gratitude for his words and his photographs, we salute — Gary York.

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home, farm, & garden

We Need A Little Never a Christmas morning. Never an old year ends.

But someone thinks of someone. Old days. Old times. Old friends.

– attributed to Elizabeth Rebecca DuBridge, 1874-1952 I’ve had the Christmas spirit for a while now. At the shoppe, we started decorating and stocking for Christmas weeks and weeks ahead of the holiday. That brought on those warm, nostalgic feelings with every box we emptied and every display that went into place.

I decided on a vintage theme for decorating this year, which meant digging out some treasures like the aluminum tree and color wheel. I’d been stashing it back for several years because I knew it would be so hard to put a price tag on and part with. When we opened the box, there was a newspaper stuffed inside dated early 1963. Oh my! I figure Christmas 1962 was the last year the tree was used. After 58 seasons it was high time it came out of the box and took its rightful place front and center. The best part was when we plugged in the color wheel. It worked like a charm. Hearing that little motor humming along was music to my ears.

And as the wheel turned, so did my recollections of a Christmas long ago.

I was instantly taken back to the mid-sixties when my friends Beverly Ann and Connie got their aluminum tree and color wheel.

As soon as they got it put up, they called and insisted we must come over to see the magic tree. It changed colors and was a sight to behold. As soon as supper was over, here we went. I remember sitting in the driveway and staring at the tree through the window as it changed from red to blue to green then gold. I was in awe. It was amazing, but it got even better. The best part was lying on the floor with Beverly and Connie and looking up through the wire branches as the motor hummed and the color bounced off the shiny ornaments and silver tinsel of the tree. We lay there and talked and giggled as Christmas music played softly on the stereo. I would suppose it was Elvis’s Christmas Album. The one with him in the foreground and snow-covered slopes in the background. Beverly loved Elvis and played him all the time. I guess we really only lay there watching for a few minutes. However, those few minutes remain suspended in time as clear as yesterday and come to mind every Christmas as one of my fondest recollections. My family shared many Christmases with the Legains family. I have so much to look back on with Beverly and Connie, and their parents, Luke and Margaret. I don’t remember not knowing that family. They are my family.

Maybe not by blood but certainly by love.

Of our two-family little troupe of seven, only Momma, Beverly, and I are left. Momma and I love to get out the old black and white photographs of Christmases past and reminisce. Especially at Christmas, the Browns and the Legains are together again sharing the holidays. So now that I’ve thought about it, maybe I can’t sell that tree and wheel at all. Maybe I want to keep it and have proof positive that such a special tree and time did exist.

8 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

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Because Childhood Happens Only Once

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home, farm, & garden

small town I lived in a city of three million people for five years and literally knew a half-dozen people – coworkers – and none of them very well. My wife and I finally made the decision that if we were not able to make friends in the following six months, we were going to move back home, work or no work. You see, life can be intolerable when you’re invisible, and in a city of millions, you could disappear, and no one would even know.

So, what did we do? Well, we found a church and we went every time the doors were open. Three times a week and the next thing you know our relationships exploded. Within a few short months we were hanging around with dozens of likeminded folks who shared our traditional values and faith, and it made all the difference. What had we done? We had reduced the three million people down to a more manageable 800 on Sunday mornings, only 250 or so on Sunday nights. Then we joined a small group and reduced that down to about 20 adults, plus their children.

That decision changed our world and made the intolerable place tolerable; that megacity finally became something of a home. We lived there another nine years before we moved to the southeast to be closer to several family members who were struggling with severe illness. It was then, and only then, that I realized how much I had missed by moving to the big city out west. Family get-togethers, baseball and football games, parades, summer vacations together, Christmas and birthday parties, and working on cars and yards and projects – together.

by Larry VanHoose

I will never regret moving from the big city back to a small county town. My children were able to grow up in even a smaller town than I, and they were never invisible. Our family connected on a level not possible in a booming metropolis, one where the world is speeding by you with flashing lights and crowded schools, crowded stores, crowded restaurants, crowded streets, and crowded neighborhoods. In the city, we had all retreated behind our privacy fences and cinder-block walls and hid from each other. In our small town, we came out and we lived life – together.

When we in our teens, my sister and I listened to our music loud, really loud. Running errands around town in our ‘72 Ford Mercury, mom was accommodating most times. But when she got in traffic or was not quite sure where she was going or just having a bad day, she’d punch the radio power button and blurt out, “Sorry, but I can’t think where I’m going with all that noise.” My sister and I would make fun of her back then, but the older I get, the more I realize that I too, “can’t think where I’m going with all that noise.” Not unlike John Mellencamp's hit song, "Small Town," a small town is where I was born — and where I can breathe.

... life can be intolerable when you’re invisible, and in a city of millions, you could disappear, and no one would even know.

Photo Credit: Larry Thompson, Galax, Virginia

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 11

home, farm, & garden

by Joanna Radford

’Tis the Season for Poinsettias

And, did you know, poinsettia’s beautiful petals or flowers are not really petals at all. They are specialized leaves called bracts. Its true flowers or cyathia are the beads (small, round, and yellow) found in the center of the bracts. The presence or absence of the cyathia has been a measurement of freshness. As the plant ages, the cyathia typically drop. However, many of the newer cultivars have improved cyathia retention or there are few cyathia present, which limits the use of cyathia as an indicator of age.

Poinsettias are tropical plants. If temperatures dip below 50°F, there may be injury to the plant. Retailers may add a sleeve or cover the plant to prevent cold exposure. During transportation, keep them warm inside the vehicle, but not placed in the trunk (where it may be too cool). Cold injury causes the bracts to have a blue or white discoloration and could possibly result in leaf drop.

For many people, the holiday season begins when they bring home a poinsettia. The United States can thank our first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett, for the plant becoming popular in the United States.

Poinsett had an interest in botany and always looked for new plant species wherever he roamed. While in Mexico, sometime in the mid-1820s, he found a beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to a road. He was so fond of the specimen that he took cuttings and brought them back to his greenhouse. Most of us gardeners can relate to swiping seeds or cuttings from plants that catch our eye. This plant not only caught Poinsett’s eye, but it was favored by many. Eventually, the plant was named after Poinsett.

In honor of his death in 1851, December 12 was designated as National Poinsettia Day. Red poinsettias are beautiful and the most common, but there are numerous color options available. With so many choices, how does one choose the right one? NC State University specialists have a few tips: •

Select plants that have brightly colored bracts.

•

Choose plants with dark green foliage, covering most of the stem.

•

Avoid plants that have dropped their leaves.

•

Pass over plants that are wilted, or have faded, torn, or discolored bracts.

You want plants that have been cared for. Ideally, plants should be watered properly, disease-free, and have limited time boxed or sleeved (in a store). Healthy plants increase the length of enjoyment you will receive from the plant.

Poison control centers document that poinsettias are not poisonous, contrary to popular belief. The leaves and bracts may, however, cause a stomachache and vomiting (in rare cases), and they certainly do not taste good. One potential issue with this gorgeous plant is the latex found in the sap secreted when a leaf or stem is cut. Some people may be sensitive to the plant latex, especially those with a latex allergy. Most people will have no reaction to poinsettia latex. If you get latex on your skin, just wash it off. You will want to do so anyway, as it will get messy and sticky otherwise.

Many of us may be concerned for our pets as well. Poinsettias are not toxic to our pets. However, according to Pet Poison Hotline, “when ingested, mild signs of vomiting, drooling, or rarely, diarrhea may be seen. If the milky sap is exposed to skin, dermal irritation (including redness, swelling, and itchiness) may develop. And, rarely, eye exposure can result in mild irritation.”

Are you ready for your poinsettia now? Look around. There are many businesses that sell them. And in our area, we are fortunate to have a nursery specializing in poinsettias. Mitchell’s Nursery and Greenhouse in King, North Carolina, has over 103 poinsettia varieties and more colors than imaginable. Gardeners who visit can join in some poinsettia fun. You get to vote for your favorite poinsettia from the available cultivars. And, who knows, it may not be a red one! It is a trip worth taking.

Enjoy!

In these uncertain times, let us help you promote your business.

Rates start as low as $25 per month! Call (336) 648-3555 or email sales@surryliving.com

12 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

FOUR (POTENTIALLY) LIFE CHANGING QUESTIONS

For Y

1. What habits are keeping you from achieving your greatest health?

2. Did you know that our habits, both positive and negative, have an impact on our health and well-being?

3. Did you know that ALL of the following diseases are impacted by our habits?

Diabetes • Cancer • COPD • Heart Disease • High Blood Pressure • High Cholesterol • Obesity • Stroke 4. Are you trying to create positive habits, like exercising and eating healthy, but find it difficult to maintain momentum?

Star tin g in J anu join m y 12-w ar y, eek group c o a ch Detox Progra ing m fo Weigh t Loss! r

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As an Advanced Practice Nurse and National Board Certified Integrative Health and Wellness Coach trained

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The road to lasting change is never easy, but it’s especially difficult when traveled alone.

INTEGRATIVE HEALTH COACHING empowers you to make lasting health behavior changes, bridging the gap between medical recommendations — and your ability to successfully implement them into your busy life. Change doesn’t happen overnight.

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Text or Call: 336-429-0874 • • • For more info, visit kristinclickett.com • • •

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 13

home, farm, & garden

by Sarah Southard, DVM

A Pig for Christmas?

never forget the elderly lady, probably in her 80s, who began to cry when she found out that part of what she would receive that day would be meat. It had been several months since her family of nine had been able to afford to purchase any meat. Situations like hers are far too common, especially this year. And when we stop to consider the world’s total population, 46% of people live on less than $5.50 per day (worldbank.org).

Thank you for joining me this year on my meanderings through the various national and international animal-related day and month observations. I hope that you’ve learned a bit along the way and had fun as well. There are few animal-related observations in December, and to be honest I wasn’t at all excited about any of them. If you will indulge me one last hurrah for 2020, I’m going to bring this series to a close with a somewhat round-about tale.

Christian Veterinary Mission (cvm.org) is a national organization with both local and international impact that “exists to share the love of Christ through veterinary medicine.� CVM has more than 49 missionary families commissioned to locations throughout the United States and around the world. These veterinary missionaries build relationships with animal owners through caring for their pets and livestock and educating them about proper husbandry. These relationships open doors for CVM missionaries to share the gospel. CVM also has a relatively new Animal Impact program that, through donations, provides livestock and necessary veterinary care to families and villages as a means of sustenance and income.

As it turns out, there are two different days in December devoted to “celebrating� pigs and the foods they provide that we take such delight in eating. According to Foodimentary.com, December 18 is National Roast Suckling Pig Day and December 30 is National Bacon Day. I can only imagine that they both involve eating lots of cooked pork.

Many of us can purchase and prepare whatever cut of pork (or other meat) suits our fancy. We may prefer to pay less for it, or we may choose a different option for frugality or other reasons, but if we’re honest, we are making those choices because we want to, not because we are forced to by our circumstances. There are many in the world, however, both near and far, that do not enjoy the luxury of being able to purchase and serve any type of meat on a regular basis.

For a time, I volunteered and later worked at a local-to-me food pantry. One task I performed was escorting our clients through the facility to “shop� for food and household essentials. I will

As we ponder how we will celebrate the birth of our Savior this year, I encourage you to consider how you may help to “provide a pig� for someone else’s Christmas. There are many options for charitable giving locally and globally. In addition to donating to food pantries and meal kitchens, there is another gift of food to consider. Livestock. Though it may seem an odd gift, livestock gifts through organizations like NC based Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) can be quite life-changing for many people, particularly when they are equipped with the knowledge and resources to be able to provide proper care. What better Christmas gift than food for the soul alongside food for the body?

Jump start the New Year!

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Wishing all our customers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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out & about

by Martha Bassett

Ladies & Gentlemen, meet ...

Martha Bassett

Hello new friends! It’s a pleasure to meet you. In 2021 I’ll be contributing monthly to Surry Living, and I’d like to start by telling you a little bit about myself and what I do.

Although I’ve lived most of my life in North Carolina, I’m a West Virginia native. I grew up in the very small town of Mount Nebo, which is just outside of the larger small town of Summersville. Mount Nebo is the home of the West Virginia State Gospel Song Convention. Every summer tour buses would be backed up 5 or 6 miles coming down our one lane road to spend a week at our campground. The tinny sound system from a half mile away blared Southern Gospel quartets late into the night. It was endlessly exciting having strangers in our midst, and everyone came to hear music, eat cotton candy and snow cones, and buy trinkets from the makeshift stands.

I always sang in church, but not solo. I stood beside my grandmother in the alto section. If our choir lacked anything in musicality, we made up for it with volume. I loved the powerful feeling of being in the middle of a choir, each voice adding to the whole glorious sound.

I came to Greensboro for graduate school in music at UNCG and have never left the area. I’ve always pieced together my living by teaching voice, singing in church, and playing in various bands. I knew a lot of bluegrass from back home, but it was in North Carolina that I fell in love with old time music.

And it was here that I learned about jazz and swing. One after another, musicians that I knew moved off to New York or Nashville or Los Angeles or Austin. The longer I stayed, the more I realized that I was already living in a region just as artistically rich and diverse as those cities. And the artists I’ve known form a tight-knit community helping and influencing each other, cross-pollinating genres, and forming unique ensembles based on friendships as much as musical ideas.

16 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

It was in this environment that I was given an amazing opportunity. Several years ago, Debbie Carson reached out to say that she and her husband, Chris Groner, had bought the Reeves Theater in Elkin, and wanted to know if I was interested in starting some sort of regular show. With the help of artist Erik Dahlager, they restored the old Art Deco theater from many years of disrepair. The Reeves Theater and Cafe opened its doors in January of 2017 and is once again the centerpiece of downtown Elkin, bringing folks from all around the state and region to enjoy music in a beautiful mountain setting.

The Martha Bassett Show began simultaneously and has been quite a labor of love. I envisioned an old time radio show format programing a variety of artists. Each month I host national, regional, and local artists, and everyone collaborates with my band and often with each other. There have been many shows in which all of the artists met for the first time during sound check, and we spent the afternoon rehearsing for that night. It’s an act of trust to step outside of our own musical parameters to create something new, and then to do it in front of a live audience. But the excitement is undeniable between the artists and the audience.

We started our 2020 season as usual. When the Reeves was forced to close its doors due to the pandemic, we ended our season after only two shows. In July, our local NPR station, 88.5 WFDD, expressed interest in adding our show to their weekly programing. The Reeves graciously allowed us to resume the show via livestream with no live audience, and we were able to finish our season. You can hear past shows on WFDD at 7 p.m, on Saturday nights.

I’m on a little break until The Martha Bassett Show begins Season 4 in February. For Christmas I’ll be singing (virtually) with the Winston-Salem Symphony and also for a Service of Lessons and Carols at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital on Christmas Eve (also virtually). Each month I plan to share with you my experiences about the good people with whom I’m so lucky to work making good music. My article Good Music, Good People begins in January. See you in 2021!

Northern Urgent Care

Open 7 days/week 365 days/year Save your spot online Walk-ins welcome

NOW OPEN Northern Regional Hospital announces the opening of its first urgent care clinic on November 2, 2020. Northern Urgent Care is located just a few blocks from the hospital at 119 Welch Road, at the corner of Highway 52 South and Snowhill Drive, in the same shopping center as T-Mobile.

Dr. Nelson Gardner serves as the Medical Director for Northern Urgent Care and will work closely with three full-time providers at the clinic, April Croston, FNP-C, Craig E. Howell, PA-C, and Mathew M. Reynolds, PA-C. Northern Regional providers

Jason Cucchiara, ONP-C (Northern Orthopaedics) and Kelley Manuel, FNP-C (Northern Family Medicine) will also serve patients on an as needed basis. Kitty Tate, Director, Physician Practice Operations will provide daily oversight of Northern Urgent Care.

Northern Urgent Care offers a multitude of services for our patients including, but not limited to, minor procedures, sports physicals, labs including Covid-19 testing, treatment for minor injuries, sore throat and flu, x-rays and vaccines. Patients may reserve their spot in line through the clinic’s website.

This is a paid advertorial for Northern Regional Hospital, Mount Airy, NC.

HOURS: Monday – Friday 8am – 7pm Saturday 8am – 5pm Sunday 11am – 5pm Holiday hours may vary.

Call 336.719.7200 119 Welch Road, Suite A Mount Airy, NC 27030

For more information visit www.NorthernUrgentCare.com

out & about

by Gin Denton

Sharing the “Feel Goods”

You can make someone’s day bright and wonderful. You hold the key to making someone smile. You can cause a ripple of happiness. You can cause a person to feel loved, and in turn you get “the feel goods” too. How? By giving to others.

Giving makes you feel good. Professionals call this feeling a “helper’s high.” Like its better-known friend, the runner’s high, the helper’s high results from an endorphin rush from planning and giving a gift from the heart. The feeling you get when you give your time to someone, the warm fuzzies, the feel goods – these feelings come from endorphins popping around your body. Not only do you experience elation as the giver, but the receiver experiences a similar elation. But that’s not all – the third person in this equation is an entrepreneur. Yes, the entrepreneur from whom you purchase a gift experiences elation as well. And since my articles are about music, let’s consider music entrepreneurs specifically. When you give a gift of music, you also support a music teacher, a songwriter, a band, a luthier, or a music store owner.

How do you decide what music gift is appropriate? Get to know the person you are shopping for. Spend time with the recipient of your gift. Ask questions like: What is your favorite song? Why? Is it an instrument that draws you in? Do you have a favorite instrument? Do you have a special local musician you would like to take a lesson with? Getting to know the person is just as much part of the fun in finding a cool present – and the recipient will likely consider your time together a gift itself.

18 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

Now, the hunt for something special begins. Find a tee shirt from their favorite local band, find a vinyl from their favorite rock band. Yes, that’s a thing, new musicians are pressing vinyl records. Collecting vinyl is back!

One of the best gifts is a gift of a shared experience, buy tickets to a concert. Make your own coupon good to redeem for one music festival experience. Redeemable with you of course.

Was it a special instrument your recipient needs? A guitar, a ukulele, a harmonica, a slide to go with their new guitar. All these gifts can be purchased in local shops like Ace Music & Pawn on Main in Elkin, Mayberry Music on Main Street in Mount Airy, Olde Mill Music on Main Street in Mount

out & about Airy, Mullins Pawn Shop on Caudle Drive in Mount Airy, Shannock’s Pawn on Main Street in King. And just up the mountain in Galax, VA, you’ll find Barr’s Fiddle Shop.

A custom-made guitar or ukulele is a great idea for a gift too, we live in the magical foothills where a popular father and daughter –Wayne and EJ Henderson – make guitars and ukuleles. And there are many other accomplished luthiers in our area, including Larry Dumas, Arnold Mooneyham, Bill Anderson, Mark Richards, and Gray Burchette.

You can give the gift of an experience. Musical gift experiences can range from getting a new guitar, to taking bass lessons with a loved musician, vocal lessons with a local singer, to taking group lessons.

And if you really want that unforgettable gift, consider a song. Some artists offer songwriting with your story in mind.

Another way to add joy to your holiday celebrations is to hire a musician or band to play. A party is a lovely gift for your family, coworkers, and you to enjoy – while taking Covid restrictions into consideration, of course.

All the musicians I have written about over the past two years are for hire. Let’s make 2020 shine! Go downtown to Main Street and support all those small businesses! Remember YOU can make you and two other people feel good!

Happy Trails to you!

MULLINS PAWN SHOP & JEWELERS

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Adjusted Regular Store Hours: Mullins Pawn Shop & Jewelers Mon–Fri: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm 336-786-6417 • 336-789-7109 Saturday/Sunday: Closed 1911 Caudle Dr, Mount Airy, NC SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 19

simply delicious • • • •

with Rynn Hennings

www.thehouseofelynryn.com

O

ver the last few years I have had many people tell me that they love orange rolls for the holidays. Whether served as a dessert or for breakfast on Christmas morning, these rolls are a tradition for many families. This recipe makes very soft rolls that are best eaten freshly made but are also delicious the next day when they are warmed in the microwave. The directions call for rolling up the rectangular-sized dough by the long edge which will make about 15 medium-sized rolls. However, you can also roll up the dough with the short edge to make about 9 large rolls. The icing is an orange cream cheese.

ORANGE ROLLS Servings: 15 Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 minutes Passive Time: 2 hours, 15 mins

Ingredients for Rolls • ¾ cup warm whole milk • 1 packet instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons) • ¼ cup granulated sugar • 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature 20 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

¼ cup salted butter, melted 3 cups bread flour, carefully measured ¾ teaspoon salt Extra bread flour

Ingredients for Filling • ½ cup butter, softened • 1 cup granulated sugar • 2 teaspoons flour • Zest of 1 medium-sized orange Ingredients for Icing • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • 2 tablespoons butter, softened • Zest of 1 medium-sized orange • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice • 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar Directions for Rolls and Filling 1. In a microwave bowl heat the milk for 45 seconds on high to 105° - 110°F. A drop of milk at this temperature will feel warm on the inside of your wrist or check with a food thermometer. Pour the milk into a mixing bowl and sprinkle on the yeast.

2. Then add the sugar, eggs, and butter. Whisk together. Then add the flour and salt and stir until a stiff dough forms.

3. Using a dough hook, knead for 7 to 8 minutes. The dough should pull away from the bowl as it kneads. If the dough is too sticky and sticks to the bowl, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and continue kneading.

4. After kneading, move dough to a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic. Let rise for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.

5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll into a rectangular size approximately 16 x 10 inches.

6. Spread the butter onto the dough.

7. Whisk together the sugar, flour, and orange zest and sprinkle over the butter.

8. Carefully roll up the 16-inch side of the dough into a tight roll. Then use a string or dental floss to cut off the uneven ends of the roll. Then cut 15 evenly-sized pieces and place them in an 11-inch round pan or equivalent size. Do not tightly pack the rolls so they have room to rise.

9. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

10. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake uncovered buns for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the rolls cool for a few minutes before adding the icing.

Directions for Icing 1. In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and butter together.

Add the orange zest, extracts, and orange juice. Mix together.

2. Then add the sugar and beat well. Spread icing onto rolls.

outdelicious & about simply Savory Tips

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Dough can be kneaded by hand for 8 minutes in place of a mixer.

SHIIP can help find the best Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for you!

Place a towel in the dryer and heat for about 5 minutes, then place the warm towel over the covered dough to help it rise.

The quickest and easiest way to grate the orange skin (zest) is with a microplane.

To make rolls the day before: Cut the rolls and place them in a pan but do not let them rise. Cover and place them in the refrigerator. The next day remove them from the refrigerator and let them sit out for 1½ - 3 hours to come to room temperature and double in size. Then uncover and bake.

It’s time to evaluate your plan and see what’s new for 2021. The Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) offers free, unbiased information about Medicare and can assist with enrollment and subsidy applications that could save you money.

For more information, photos, and even more recipes, go to Houseofelynryn.com

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period October 15 ‒ December 7

Changes will be effective Jan. 1, 2021

Call to schedule an appointment with a trained SHIIP counselor today.

Toll Free: 1-855-408-1212

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SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 21

simply delicious

Oh, Christmas Tree!

Tall, short, full, thin, no matter your preference or tradition, nothing says Christmas more than a Christmas tree. Each year I experience joy and excitement when getting out our Christmas decorations.

Growing up, we had an artificial tree we brought up from the basement after Thanksgiving each year. From the sparkling lights to the decorations, our Christmas tree was magical in my eyes! The tree displayed a collection of memories. There were ornaments we made, souvenir ornaments from family vacations, photo ornaments, and ornaments from significant events.

Every year, my brother and I received an ornament as part of our Christmas presents. This is a tradition that my husband, Brent, and I have continued with our children. Once I grew up and moved away from home, my parents gave me my collection of ornaments to decorate my own first Christmas tree. I still look forward to hanging some of those childhood favorite ornaments on our tree each year.

N.C. Department of Insurance • Mike Causey, Commissioner 855-408-1212 (toll free) • www.ncdoi.com

DECEMBER 6th-12th IS

NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION WEEK National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance that highlights the importance of continuing influenza vaccination through the holiday season and beyond.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual influenza vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older to reduce the risk of illness and hospitalization. Now is a great time to vaccinate – to protect your family, friends and yourself.

Medicare Part B covers one influenza vaccination and its administration each influenza season for Medicare beneficiaries.

If medically necessary, Medicare may cover additional seasonal influenza vaccinations.

Ask a SHIIP counselor for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: NC COOPERATIVE EXT, SURRY CO @ 336-401-8025

22 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

Living in Alleghany County for many Christmases now, we have enjoyed the holiday tradition of going to a local Christmas tree farm and choosing our own live tree. We love the experience, the wonderful smell of fresh cut trees and the sound of excited families when they find the “perfect” one.

I will admit that finding the perfect tree for me is a little challenging. Each tree is beautiful in its own way. Just like people, they all have positive characteristics. I also like to see all my options, which is a little overwhelming in a field of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of trees. Our choose and cut experiences tend to last a little bit longer than the rest of my family think is necessary.

Brent’s favorite tree story is the year we had an extra-large tree in the corner of our living room. From the beginning, we had difficulty getting the tree straight in the stand and should have known it was going to cause problems. Early one Sunday morning, I got up before anyone else and decided to water the tree. As I touched it to pour water into the stand, it tipped. I grabbed the tree and held on. I couldn’t let it fall to the floor and risk breaking the decorations. I yelled for help as loud as I could, but my family upstairs slept on and on and on. It seemed like hours before Brent came to my rescue. I am sure I was quite the picture, frantically trying to steady the large tree to keep it from tipping over. We ended up anchoring the tree securely to the wall. Thankfully, the "tying the tree to the wall" experience has not turned into an annual tradition!

For a fun Christmas experience the whole family can enjoy, make a Christmas tree from fruit. Wash and peel a kiwi. Slice thinly and arrange pieces on a plate in a tree shape. Make a star for the top from cheese. Decorate your tree with blueberries, small pieces of cheese, or other kinds of fruit. Use a piece of the brown kiwi peel as the trunk. This simple and delicious holiday fruit salad is perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert.

Merry Christmas!

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Mail Order Available SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 23

all the rest Find out how a harmless prank entangles two college kids with a serial killer in the next installment of A DEEPER CUT, a novel of suspense and forgiveness by Mt. Airy author Sheri Wren Haymore.

“I haven’t killed anybody lately, kid,” Rob drawled slowly, his voice more Southern than it had been. He looked at his son sardonically over the cigarette, pleased with himself.

“The name’s Hunter.” Hunter stood up. “Hunter Kittrell. My mom wanted to change it to Barton, and I wouldn’t let her, damn it.” He kicked the side of the sofa.

“Good for you,” Rob said calmly. “Keep your name, if it means something to you. Myself, I’ve changed names so many times I have a hard time keeping up with who I am.”

His father’s eyes were hard and shrewd, and Hunter turned his back and walked to the kitchen. Something inside him was shaking loose, hurting his chest, and he needed a break. Hunter pulled a carton of juice from the fridge and turned and stared at the back of Rob’s head, the hair a little darker than his own, just touched with gray.

Forgive, his grandmother had said. Forgive what? Forgive the man for not being who Hunter wanted him to be? Maybe he needed to forgive himself for caring so much all these years about a father who didn’t care at all.

Hunter poured orange juice into a paper cup and returned to the sofa. This time he shoved the crate from beneath Rob’s foot with his own foot and sat down once again. He drank from the carton and offered the cup to his father.

Rob took the juice, stubbed out the cigarette in a dish, and looked, in amusement, at Hunter sitting on the crate. “What happened to all the crap that was in here?” he asked.

Suddenly, Hunter was furious, so intensely furious that his hand shook and he had to set the carton down. This man had been gone for eighteen years, and he had not asked about his mother, his son, his sister, his former wife, where his father was buried, how his brother had died. The only thing he was curious about was the furniture.

Hunter struggled to keep his voice from shaking. “You’ve been gone a long time. And now you show up in the middle of a blood bath. I want to know why.” Hunter leaned forward, hands on his knees, his body tense.

Rob didn’t even twitch. He looked his son over. “You know, you’re not at all like I pictured you. You’ve got this tension thing going on around you.” He made a circle with one hand. “I thought you’d be more like me and less high-strung like your mom—” “You leave my mom out of this!” Hunter sprang to his feet. He stood over his father, fists clenched, swallowing sobs of anger and hatred

that sliced his heart. “What do you want?” he shouted.

Rob squinted up at him.

“I’ve waited a lifetime to talk to you.” Hunter’s voice was loud and shaky, but he didn’t care. “If you don’t have anything important to say now, just leave.”

“I can’t do that,” Rob said. “I’m supposed to be here until eight o’clock. It’s all part of the script.” He smiled at the puzzled frown on Hunter’s face, a slow, careless smile. “Did you read the letter I left in that chest?”

“No, I didn’t read it,” said Hunter, deriving some satisfaction from being able to say that. “I burned it.”

If Rob was shocked or disappointed, he did not show it. He leaned his head on the back of the sofa and laughed, a flat, unnatural sound that sent a chill down Hunter’s spine. The laughter stopped abruptly.

“Maybe I left some of myself in you after all,” he said.

Rob stood up, walked to the dining chest, and pulled out the drawer.

“Always have a contingency plan, kid,” he said. He removed the drawer and set it aside. Beneath the drawer space was a dust panel that Jack Franklin had removed the first time he searched Hunter’s apartment. There was no secret compartment beneath that panel, Hunter knew. Hunter watched in fascination as Rob reached inside the drawer space, pushed against the underside of the cabinet’s top, and slid back a panel Hunter never knew existed. A piece of paper fell out.

Rob grinned at Hunter’s dumbfounded expression. “This is the business end of that letter. You missed the part about how your beloved granny threw me out and forbid me to come back.” Rob laughed again. “All this time, you thought I was the bad guy.”

Hunter stood his ground. “Let’s hear it. Let’s hear your story. Or aren’t you man enough to tell it to me face to face?”

“I’m not looking for a fight,” Rob said. He waved the paper. “I’m just here to make a deal.”

“Story first.” Hunter rubbed his chest which was aching more by the minute. Granny Jen would be wondering where he was by now.

Knowing she was thinking of him gave Hunter strength and a feeling of control he had never felt before.

“Short version then,” Rob said, his eyes narrow. “She caught me selling and grabbed you away from me. Said she’d turn me in if I ever came back. She would have, too, stubborn old—” The fire in Hunter’s eyes stopped Rob’s tongue. “Anyway, you didn’t have to grow up a poor fatherless kid. It was her choice.”

Hunter rubbed his chest again. No longer was he at a loss for words.

He had plenty of words ready to say to this man, but his new-found control told him to wait.

“Want to hear my deal?” asked Rob. Hunter didn’t blink. “You’re twenty-one today—happy birthday, by the way. According to the terms of my father’s will, unless I got my ass back here by today, you would get my portion of his estate. And I couldn’t get it unless I turned myself in. My inheritance. What a crock. Like it was going to

all the rest do me a whole hell of a lot of good in jail. So you see what’s kept me away all these years.”

“It’s nearly eight o’clock,” said Hunter. He felt strengthened by forgiveness and a strong dose of growing up.

Hunter waited.

“Are you trying to get rid of me, kid?”

“But who should call me this summer but old Grayson Tucker offering me a sweet, sweet deal. Seems he can get me a reduced sentence if I’ll just play a little game with him. I can have my inheritance after all and still have some life left after prison.”

“No, sir. I’m just ready for breakfast. You’re welcome to come.”

Hunter continued to wait. Things were shifting around in his chest.

With every breath, anger and hatred seemed to be leaving his body, and the stronger forces of love and power were pumping in his heart.

His mind, disciplined by hours of working out precise architectural details, was sharp and ready.

Rob waved the paper again. He smiled a charming, cocky smile that Hunter recognized as his own. “Here’s my deal for you. I’ll give you a fourth of this money today if you’ll turn over the deed to this apartment.” When Hunter didn’t respond, Rob added, “I know it’s yours. Donald told me before he died that Mama was going to give it to you this summer. It’s a good deal. Enough money to get you through school and started on your big career. A chance to get rid of this dump.” Rob looked around. “You’ll never use it to its full potential, anyway.”

Hunter didn’t ask what Rob wanted with the apartment. He didn’t care. He closed his eyes, breathed out the last hard chunk of hatred, and smiled, tears rolling down his cheeks. Forgiveness wielded a sharp blade, and his heart had taken a deeper cut today than he could have anticipated. But the blade had struck a healing blow and left no wound.

His Uncle Donald had been a smart man. He had known that this moment would come for Hunter. There was no doubt now in Hunter’s mind that Donald had left him a sizable inheritance.

Donald had seen to it that Hunter could keep the things Rob would try to take away from him: a home, self-respect, even money. Hunter may have grown up longing for a father, but Rob Kittrell would have never been the daddy he wanted. Everybody who loved him knew that. Granny Jen had known it when she sent Rob away.

Hunter wiped the tears with the back of his hand, not caring what his father thought. Donald had asked Hunter whether he knew what his uncle valued most. As a matter of fact, Hunter did. It wasn’t money. It was trust in God. It was belief that life was worthwhile. It was having people around who loved him and stuck by him no matter what.

Those were the things that made him rich. Without them, a person groveled in poverty no matter how much money he inherited.

Hunter opened his eyes and squinted at his father. “You keep the money,” he said. “I’ll figure out what to do with this dump.” He stepped back and looked at the words on his blue window. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in. The words no longer mocked him. His father had gone out the wrong door and had never come back. He was still gone as far as Hunter was concerned. It wasn’t God’s fault, and there wasn’t anything Hunter could do to change it. He just had to make sure he stepped through the right door himself.

Rob looked at his son curiously. “No hard feelings?”

“No way.” Hunter stuck out his hand for a handshake and smiled an easy, generous smile when Rob took his hand. “I wish you the best. I honestly do.”

A car pulled into the driveway. Rob turned to go. “That’s my ride.”

Just before he dashed down the steps, he said over his shoulder, “Get down to the waterfront in an hour. Grayson has a show planned. A regular Broadway musical.”

Hunter started down his steps with a lot on his mind. His father said Grayson Tucker had called him this summer. Jack Franklin was in Beaufort waiting for Rob Kittrell. People had died all summer while Jack waited for Rob. Jack may have known about the terms of his grandfather’s will and the likelihood that Rob would show up

by Hunter’s birthday, but Hunter’s gut told him Jack did not know Grayson had called Rob. A sweet, sweet deal. What had Rob meant?

A reporter jumped out of his car and started firing questions about the gun. Hunter stopped in his tracks and shut his eyes, thinking hard. Rob had put the letter in Hunter’s apartment. Had he come back later and planted the gun? If so, that would make him the killer.

But how could he have gotten it from Miki, and why would he have gone on a rampage of murder in Beaufort Harbor? Hunter shook his head. Rob seemed intent only on grabbing his inheritance. And Rob might have slipped by the federal agents watching Hunter’s apartment this morning, but he never would have gotten by the officer guarding Granny Jen’s door unless Grayson allowed it.

A sweet, sweet deal. Maybe the big question was, what connected Jack Franklin to Rob Kittrell? There had to be something Hunter was missing, some secret that went beyond a drug agent waiting for a dealer to return to his hometown. Hunter’s eyes opened, and he jumped in place with a yell, startling the reporter and the officer guarding Granny Jen’s back door.

Miki was in danger. His heart had told him so all summer, but now his head caught up. Jack Franklin wasn’t just a federal agent looking for the harbor killer; he was the killer. He had to be. Who else could have taken the gun from Miki, killed Doug Sanders, and planted it in Hunter’s apartment? And then he had gone after Hunter—why?

Why had he done that? Shaking, Hunter started at a run toward his boat. He had to try once more to get Miki away from Jack. Whatever Grayson was planning, Miki would be caught in the middle.

Sheri Wren Haymore lives near Mt. Airy with her husband, Clyde, and has been scribbling her entire life. A DEEPER CUT is her second novel. To read the next installment in the book, pick up the latest issue of Surry Living Magazine. You can find A DEEPER CUT at Pages in Mt. Airy, Chapters in Galax or at your favorite online bookseller.

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 25

Make M WIT

erry Me

mories

H V IDE O C ALL S

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area calendars & info

SURRY COUNTY UPCOMING AREA EVENTS EDITORS NOTE: The following events are subject to cancellation or postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic or other factors. While outside of our control, this information was current as of press time.

NOV. 20 – JAN. 3 (GALAX): HIGH COUNTRY LIGHTS 6:00 pm nightly, Felts Park, Galax, VA. An animated light show featuring over one hundred thousand Christmas lights choreographed to your favorite sounds of the season on a low-power radio transmitter - 95.9FM. The show can be seen nightly starting at 6:00 p.m, November 20, 2020 - January 3, 2021. It ends at 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday. Admission is free. Visit www.highcountrylights.com for more information.

DEC. 5 (PILOT MOUNTAIN): CHRISTMAS PARADE & TREE LIGHTING 5:30 PM. Special carols will be performed by NC Honors Chorus members and alumni. The Tree Lighting Ceremony will begin at 5:30 PM. Immediately following we invite you to stay and enjoy our 49th Annual Christmas Parade where you can see dancing, horses, cheerleaders, marching band, traditional favorites like floats, tractors, cars, public safety vehicles and more! Parade occurs on Main Street between East Surry High School and Academy Street. For more details & ways to participate in the Christmas Parade, visit https://www.facebook.com/ PilotMountainChristmasParade/ DEC. 5 (MOUNT AIRY): WPAQ MERRY-GO-ROUND LIVE RADIO BROADCAST 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM, at the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. Call 800.286.6193 or visit www.surrycountymusic.com for more information.

DEC. 12 (MOUNT AIRY): WPAQ MERRY-GO-ROUND LIVE RADIO BROADCAST 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM, at the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. Call 800.286.6193 or visit www.surrycountymusic.com for more information.

DEC. 12 (PILOT MOUNTAIN): MISTLETOE MARKET 10 AM – 5:00 PM, Merry Christmas Shoppers! The perfect opportunity to find that one of a kind gift. 50+ vendors offering antique, vintage, handcrafted and unique pieces. Food Trucks will be on hand.

DEC 12 (GALAX/WOODLAWN): FREE LIVE NATIVITY DRIVE-THRU Saturday, December 12, 2020, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, 813 Joy Ranch Rd, Woodlawn, VA. The Annual Joy Ranch Live Nativity. Plan to drive through our FREE, family-oriented event at Joy Ranch (813 Joy Ranch Rd, Woodlawn, VA, just up the road from Galax, VA). We are so excited and can't wait to see you there.

Fun, Christmas festivities for all!

DEC. 17 (MOUNT AIRY): CHRISTMAS WITH THE EMBERS FEATURING CRAIG WOOLARD 7:30 PM, at the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. Visit www. surryarts.com for more info or to purchase tickets.

DEC. 19 (MOUNT AIRY): WPAQ MERRY-GO-ROUND LIVE RADIO BROADCAST 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM, at the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. Call 800.286.6193 or visit www.surrycountymusic.com for more information.

JAN. 2, 2021 (MOUNT AIRY): BREAKING UP CHRISTMAS 7:30 PM, at the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. A holiday tradition of Old-Time music and dance. Tickets are $10 at the door.

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 27

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!

From our home to yours ...

SURRY LIVING SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE! You or your family live outside our distribution area but still

want a physical copy of SLM? We've added yearly Subscriptions/Gift Subscriptions as an option for those wanting to enjoy the monthly publication delivered to your door! Twelve months/issues subscription by US Mail anywhere in the continental US is only $25.00/year. Give the gift of Surry Living to your loved ones this Christmas! Send your check and mailing address to SLM Subscription, PO BOX 6548, Mount Airy, NC 27030 or call (336) 648-3555 to pay by phone with your credit card.

28 • SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue

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Hardware, Decorative Stone & Gravel, Feed, Seed, Fertilizer, Mulch, Pine Needles, Propane

Antiques & Collectibles, Farm Toys, Gift Certificates, and Outdoor Fireplace and Hardscape Kits

Merry Christmas from all of us at Farmer’s Mulch & Rock 7802 NC 268, DOBSON, NC 27017 • www.facebook.com/FarmersMulchRock • 336.386.0883

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year COOK INSURANCE GROUP LLC and Erie Insurance wish you a safe and joyful New Year.

Timothy Cook COOK INSURANCE GROUP LLC 119 VALLEY DR JONESVILLE, NC 28642-2620 Fax: 336-526-2664

336-526-2665

Auto • Home • Business • Life www.erieinsurance.com S1092c Not all companies are licensed or operate in all states. Not all products are offered in all states. Go to erieinsurance.com for company licensure and territory information.

SURRY LIVING Dec. 2020 Issue • 29

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

We can know love because He first loved us.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Mt. Airy’s Premier Retirement Community

INDEPENDENT & ASSISTED LIVING 1000 RidgeCrest Lane • Mt. Airy, NC 27030 • (336) 443-6953 • Ridge-Crest.com

choosenorthern.org

May the spirit of the season bring you and your family

hope, love, and happiness.

Our comprehensive hospital services provide expert care.

Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center Broad Network of Physician Specialists State-of-the-Art Surgery Center Medicare Five-Star Quality Rating

Choose Well. Choose Northern.