Evince Magazine June 2019

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Ethan Brown Page 7

Throw Out the Mess & Organize the Rest Page 9

Jennifer Smith

Photo Finish Page 14

Serving the Community‌and Lunch!

See Page 5

Page  2 June 2019

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Editor’s Note

“I want patience and I want it now!” If that sounds like something you’d say, take a deep breath and read “Meditation Moment” on page 7 for a lesson on being calm. Summer’s hot weather arrives this month with another reminder to slow down and practice patience.

Having the ability to wait without frustration is a virtue Jennifer Smith cultivated when she lived in a camper for six months on the outskirts of Danville. Read her story on page 5. Decluttering your home or office may be a long process, but be patient and it will happen. “Throw Out the Mess and Organize the Rest” on page 9 will guide you. Looking for a lazy game for the lethargic days of June? Read page 11 for a suggestion. “Reflecting Forward” on page 10 wraps all these ideas into a meaningful lesson on the value of patience.

At the end of the day, reflect on how you practiced patience while sipping a glass of wine.

There’s an article about how to do that on page 12.

Patience will reduce your stress, help you make better decisions and enable you to appreciate the process of growth. Make being patient a goal for today.

Sincerely,

Credits: Amber Wilson: hair; Catherine Saunders: skin care and makeup; Genesis Day Spa & Salon, 695 Park Avenue, Danville.

Janelle Gammon: nails; Salon One 11, 111 Sandy Court, Danville. Clothes and accessories: Rippe’s100 Years of Fashion, 559 Main St. Danville.

June Contents

3 Editor’s Note

5 Jennifer Smith

Serving the Community…and Lunch!

by Joyce Wilburn 6 Bricks

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 7 Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Laura Powell

8 Calendar 9 Throw Out the Mess & Organize the Rest

The 360 De-cluttering Project

by Ann W. Heath

Book Clubbing / The American Agent

by Jacqueline Winspear review by Diane Adkins

Evince Magazine Page 3

The

oice of Patience

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Mike Doan, Adam Goebel, Ann W. Heath, Elyse Jardine, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, CB Maddox, Casey Molloy, Laura Powell, Dave Slayton, Cheryl Sutherlin, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com

10 Reflecting Forward / Patience

by Linda Lemery 11 Visiting Virginia’s #1 Tourist Destination

by Joyce Wilburn

Playing Extreme Croquet on Danville’s Front Lawn

by Joyce Wilburn

12 The Wine Spot

by Dave Slayton

13 Around the Table

Crab Pasta with Asparagus Tips

by Annelle Williams 14 Photo Finish On the Cover:

Photo of Jennifer Smith by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of July stories, articles, and ads is Monday, June 17, at 5:00 p.m.

Submit stories, articles, and calendar items to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Editorial Policies:

Evince is a free monthly magazine with news about entertainment and lifestyle in Danville and the surrounding area. We reserve the right to accept, reject, and edit all submissions and advertisements.

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3, Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com For subscriptions to Evince, email info@evincemagazine.com.

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© 2019 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Page  4 June 2019

Evince Magazine Page 5

The United Way staff has fun dishing out lunch: Traci Petty, Jennifer Smith, Vicki Robinson.

Jennifer Smith Serving the Community… and Lunch!

by Joyce Wilburn

O

ver the past few decades, Jennifer Smith has crisscrossed the nation gathering valuable experiences and skills that eventually brought her to the President and CEO office of Danville and Pittsylvania County United Way. The Boston native and Colorado State University graduate began her long career journey being “a professional Girl Scout.” She laughs at the self-bestowed title and explains, “I worked for the Girl Scouts for nineteen years in New Hampshire, Colorado, Massachusetts, and finally the Virginia Skyline Girl Scout Council.”

The Virginia job led Jennifer to settle in Chatham with her two young children and to volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters where she eventually became its Executive Director.

There was another major career change in 1991 when she became the Director of Prevention & Quality Assurance for Danville Pittsylvania Community Services, a position she held for eighteen years.

Retirement gave her new options. “In 2011, I decided

to move to Tennessee because I’ve always owned horses and thought I should go to where people ride. I googled equestrian communities and found a wonderful gated community at Long Branch Lakes,” explains Jennifer. Although she loved it there, Danville kept calling her back. “As a single woman I was free to go anywhere,” she says.

Remembering the friendships she’d left in Virginia, Jennifer packed her bags and moved again. With a smile on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she tells what happened next: “I lived in a 35-foot camper for six months in Blairs while waiting for the house I designed to be finished.” A St. Bernard dog and two horses were her only company. (The horses are retired from the Texas prison system, but that’s a story for another day.) “My Girl Scout training got me through it. I cooked outside and got water from one outside spigot,” she says, allowing herself a moment of pride.

Within a few months Jennifer had the urge to work again and accepted the full-time position of President and CEO of the local United Way. It was an easy

decision. “I’ve worked for nonprofits all my life and believe in what they do. The United Way builds partnerships with the community to raise money for other non-profits so they don’t have to spend their time doing it,” she says, referring to the fifteen local agencies and seventeen programs that are funded with United Way money.

To develop more awareness of United Way and their goals, Jennifer and the staff of three have planned a Picnic on the Plaza for every month from now until October. “We want people to come together outside with nice food so they can network and enjoy themselves,” she explains. An average of 200 people enjoyed each of the first four picnics. “We at United Way are good people who want to help others,” she says. “Come and get to know us!” The invitation is for any weekday at the 308 Craghead Street headquarters and for the fourth Wednesday of each month between 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. near the JTI Fountain on Main Street. Look for Jennifer Smith, CEO and President of United Way. She will be serving the food—just

another skill she’s added to her long list of accomplishments.

• Cost of the June 26 Picnic on the Plaza is $4. There is a new menu each month.

• Volunteers are being recruited for the United Way Ambassador program. When help is needed by a local non-profit for a special event, the agency contacts United Way who sends out a call to the United Way Ambassadors.

There is no long-term commitment. To be added to the email list of volunteers, call 434.792.3700 or attend a Picnic on the Plaza and talk to the United Way staff.

• Personal hygiene items for low-income families in Danville and Pittsylvania County are being collected until June 20. Toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, feminine products, dish detergent, and laundry detergent can be left at the United Way office, 308 Craghead Street. Call for other collection locations.

Page 6 June 2019

Bricks

an old blanket down to me. I wrapped up in it as much as I could; it almost made it across my belly.

fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg Kwon, Once, five or six years ago, late in the time when I was carrying you, I had a fever of a dream about Manhattan, and I was scared.

Today, when January “Manhattan” Marshall pulled up in front of our house in his ‘02 black Caddie, I put a 2019 red brick through his windshield ‘cause, hell, strike first is what I say. Last two times he come he was death’s messenger, and I didn’t think this visit was gone be no better. Manhattan gets out slow, and he don’t even seem mad, but screw that, I know him. He mad, all right. Manhattan always mad--not angry, but crazy.

Well, I got crazy too.

One time back then, like I was some child, I carried my dumb self into the living room where I found Manhattan watching something bright and fastmoving on the screen, and with the volume off. Big Red, his old girl, was kicked out

by Manhattan to Frito’s then, and yo daddy and I was alone.

And there won’t no love, but he was all I had. It was always wrong, me and Manhattan, him a veteran pimp and me a tooyoung runaway, nothing good, us just a rusty anchor in the swamp, but before I ran away from him, he was all I had. You, Kwon, were what I was going to have, but I didn’t have you yet, and I needed to hold to land to make it.

Lately, I been thinking something bad, and that ain’t too good for Manhattan. That’s why I threw the damn brick; he need to get away.

Death comes in threes they say.

And Mandy Blue Eyes ain’t here; she off with Fallon and Kwon at the grocery. I was alone when he Caddied up. It won’t no damn accident Manhattan here with me alone. I know it. He know it.

The question was what he want.

“Can’t live forever,” Manhattan said and shrugged. He was picking glass and brick-grit from his windshield; then he held his hands up like he was in surrender to me, but I picked up another brick.

He never held me. We won’t never like that. Most I got was to sit at his feet and he dropped

“What, you ain’t got no more dying ol’ black women to tell me about?” I say to Manhattan meaning my ma, Ol’ Rutina, and his former top girl Big Red. “Every time you show up nowadays somebody dead or ‘bout to.”

Yo daddy didn’t ask me why I came in there to him, and he didn’t ask me what I dreamed, and I wanted him to. ‘Cause the dream was bad. But he let me stay by him, long enough till I got myself together.

Manhattan bowed like I’m giving a concert. Then he comes up the steps to our porch.

“You gone tell my boy ‘bout me, right, ain’t you, Keisha?” he said.

I pick up a second brick from a pile Mandy had put around some flowers.

I ran away about two months after you were born, for good this time. Moved to a shelter Big Red sent someone to tell me about. Once, yo daddy came looking for me, but I hid in a duffel bag.

“Tell him your damn self!” I yelled.

Manhattan’s jaw flexed but he don’t say nothing. Manhattan picked up a brick himself, weighing it, holding it like he’s going to mold it into something else without breaking it. I sat on the top step as he sat higher in the lawn chair on the porch. I had got another brick in my left hand.

I never forgot that dream. In it Manhattan is small, real small, and he dies, drowns.

Manhattan just looked ahead.

An hour before dark, he left and Mandy Blue Eyes, Kwon, and Fallon came home. Mandy looked at the yard and the porch, her bricks not in place. I shrugged at her unasked question. If I could talk about the truth of the bricks, I would lie. I would tell her that he took the brick from me, that life is fair and kind, and makes sense.

But that ain’t true, and I won’t lie. So, I don’t say how I handed him the second brick knowing he wasn’t coming back, how we sat on that porch waiting for the sun to go down. And there won’t no love, but looking back like an anchor drug to shore, Kwon and I, was all he had.

Evince Magazine Page 7

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy, RYT Take a moment to be fully present with yourself and your surroundings. Sit in stillness.

Inhale three long, slow, deliberate breaths. Allow the air to fill you fully, feeling the expansion of the breath within your heart, ribcage, and belly.

Exhale gradually until completely empty, mindfully releasing physical or mental tension, stress, and worry.

Cultivating this sense of calm awareness is one of the primary intentions of practicing yoga and meditation. By heightening a mindful awareness of our presence, we are better equipped to practice patience.

The pressure associated with daily accomplishments fails to promote patience. Often we succumb to these pressures, moving rapidly through interactions, conversations, and assignments only to be bombarded by the next task or encounter. This spin cycle continues until our plates become so full that we barely have time to sit and enjoy a meal. The result of this frantic form of existence is a lack of patience. We have become accustomed to accessing answers instantly through our devices, and we have come to expect speed in most other aspects of our lives. This learned sense of urgency overcomes an innate pace of patience.

What is more powerful than daily productivity is an ability to trust in patience with the confidence that things will always work out.

We all have coveted desires that we wish would materialize instantly but it is not (and should not) be that easy. It is only through the journey that we can learn, grow, and live. Learning lessons along the way is often more valuable than the actual outcome.

A perfect complement to patience is perseverance.

The poses and breathing practiced in yoga are intended to prepare the body to sit comfortably for extended periods of time in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis.

Perseverance provides the strength to be tenacious in pursuits, regardless of setbacks. It is the undying ability to maintain motivation and grit with patience and gratitude. Being grateful for the process is a beautiful experience. Each present moment accumulates to create the story of our individual journeys. When we are patient, we are present, and our memory of each moment will be magnified. Living in the moment is often difficult, yet it is always important. Feeling our breath and being grateful for each sequential one allows us to be alive, both literally and figuratively.

Patience equals peace, and honoring our own internal peace is a way of life worth practicing.

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Laura Powell, Director of Project Literacy

Project Literacy held its 25th annual fundraiser, JeopardBee, at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company, 209 Trade Street in Danville. This was the first time it was held at a public venue, and Ethan Brown went above and beyond to help make it a success. He and his son rearranged furniture and obliged our every request. He even had window tinting installed so the afternoon sun would not interfere with the projected scoring shown on the opposite wall. We are most appreciative that we had the support of someone as cheerful and accommodating as Ethan and feel he most certainly demonstrated exceptional service. Thank you, Ethan.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania Co. Chamber of Commerce want to encourage and recognize exceptional customer service. When someone gives you exceptional service, please let us know. In 300 words or less, tell us what happened. Email your story to joycewilburn@ gmail.com or chamber@dpchamber.org. It’s a nice way to show appreciation for a job well done. We look forward to hearing from you.

Page 8 June 2019

June Calendar Abbreviation Key

• AU=Averett University, 434.791.5600 www.averett.edu • DMFAH=Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main St. 434.793.5644 www.danvillemuseum.org • DSC=Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St. 434.791.5160 www.dsc.smv.org • HNT=Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main St. Danville 434.793.7469 www.TheNorthTheatre.com • PA=Piedmont Arts, 215 Starling Ave, Martinsville 276.632.3221 www.PiedmontArts.org • The Prizery=700 Bruce St., South Boston, 434.572.8339, www.prizery.com

Ongoing

Guided Walking Tours: Millionaires Row, Holbrook Street and Tobacco Warehouse District.

Danville Historical Society. www. danvillehistory.org. 434.770.1974.

DMFAH: self-guided audio-visual tours.

Brosville Library: 11948 Martinsville Highway www.pcplib.org 434.685.1285 Danville Public Library: 511 Patton St. www.readdanvilleva. org 434.799.5195 DPL Westover Branch: 94 Clifton St. www.readdanvilleva.org 434.799.5152 Gretna Library: 207 A Coffey Street, www.pcplib.org 434.656.2579 Gunn Memorial, Caswell County Public Library: 118 Main St, Yanceyville, NC www.caswellcounty.gov/library 336.694.6241 Halifax County Public Library: 177 South Main St. www.halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.476.3357 History Research Center and Library: 340 Whitehead Street, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.8931 Mt. Hermon Library: 4058 Franklin Turnpike www.pcplib.org 434.835.0326 Pittsylvania County Public Main Library: 24 Military Drive, Chatham www.pcplib.org 434.432.3271 South Boston Public Library: 509 Broad St. 434.5575.4228 www.halifaxcountylibrary.org Crescent Crossing: This exhibit helps build confidence in young learners as they develop new skills and empowers caregivers

to engage curious children. It encourages children ages five and under to learn through play. $7 DSC Zula Patrol: Under the Weather: Learn about weather on Earth and other planets. DSC Wed/Fri 2pm; Sat/ Sun 3pm The Children of Langhorne House: 117 Broad St. Danville; a retrospective exhibit; free Saturdays 2-5pm

June 1 & 2

Big Band Sound: and Songs of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett & Dean Martin.

One-man show starring John Wilt. A benefit for the Salvation Army. HNT. 6/17:30pm; 6/2-2pm. Tickets $15 & $20.

June 3 (through July 8)

Forms in Clay: pottery class on Mondays $95 DMFAH members/$105 others; 434.792.5355

June 4

Healthy Cooking for One or Two: Health Collaborative; College Park Baptist Church 1104 S Main St. Danville free 10-11:30am 434.793.2365

June 7

Muses of StoneWomen Lost to Time’s Embrace: Opening Reception DMFAH 5:30pm limited edition prints by Georgian artist Carson Barnes Danville River District First Friday: Visit merchants, local artisans, musicians. 6-8pm Chain Art Pour Paintings: demonstration; Danville Art Collective 6-8pm 326 Main St. Danville Houdini Magic: Starring World Champion Illusionist Wayne Alan. HNT. 7:30pm. Tickets $10 & $15.

June 7 (through August 11)

Muses of Stone-Women Lost to Time’s Embrace: DMFAH exhibit

June 8

Art on the Lawn: familyfriendly; 20+ artists and artisans music by Will Harold, Christian Hall, Big Bump, Stun Gunz food for purchase DMFAH 10am-4pm Comedy Club Night: Headliner David Beck. HNT. 7:30pm.

Tickets $15.

June 8 & 9

Free admission: DMFAH

June 9

In the Footsteps of Lady Astor Tour: This is a kick-off for the delegation traveling to England to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Danville woman’s election to the House of Commons. Langhorne House 117 Broad St. Nutrition and Exercise: Putting It All Together: College Park Baptist Church 1104 S Main St. Danville Health Collaborative 6-7pm free 434.793.2365 Educational Welcome to Medicare Seminar: Information provided to help you make decisions about options regarding your budget and health. seminar, food, drinks Ballou Park, 760 West Main St. 5:30pm 434.770.4770

June 15

Danville Children’s Festival: Carrington Pavilion Craghead St. free 10am-4pm www.PlayDanvilleVA.com Richard Ruffalo: Master Motivator.

Free copy of Rich’s “PEP” book & autographed photo with $20 ticket purchase. HNT. 7:30pm.

Tickets $10-$20.

The deadline for submitting information for the July calendar is Monday, June 17, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

June 2019

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

June 18 (through 21)

Summer Art Camp: PA ages 5-7 9:30am- noon $65member/$75others

June 18 & 25

Exercising through Dance: College Park Baptist Church 1104 S Main St. Danville Health Collaborative 6-7pm free 434.793.2365

June 20

Yoga in the Galleries: PA 12-1pm free for members/$10 others

June 21 (through July 6)

Mary Poppins: musical adventure, irresistible story, unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance numbers, astonishing stagecraft. Prizery See ad page 15.

June 24

Chronic Pain and Illness Support Group: College Park Baptist Church 1104 S Main St. Danville; Health Collaborative 5:30-7pm free 434.793.2365

June 25 (through 28)

Summer Art Camp: PA ages 8-12 9:30am-noon $65 members/$75 others

June 27

Music on Main: Wayne Euliss, Elvis Tribute Main St. Plaza, 111 Main St. 6:30-8pm www.PlayDanvilleVA.com

June 28

God’s Storehouse Golf Tournament: Rain date July 10. 4 person captain’s choice. Registration Deadline June 14. Goodyear Golf Club. 10am shotgun start. Info: Carrol Walker 434.822.6919.

June 30

Let’s Talk about Camilla Williams & Danville: a mix & mingle event, story sharing, music, food; New Hope Baptist Church Praise Dance Team free open to all DMFAH 3-4:30pm

Plan Ahead July 4

July 4th Celebration: entertainment, arts, crafts, magic show, Danville Symphony Orchestra concert, fireworks free Carrington Pavilion, Craghead St. 434.793.463

Evince Magazine Page 9

Book Clubbing a review by Diane Adkins

The American Agent

by Jacqueline Winspear

Throw Out the Mess & Organize the Rest

The 360 De-Cluttering Project

by Ann W. Heath

The Goal: Every day for 360 days, spend fifteen minutes organizing one small space.

I

have always considered myself organized. Even the K-cup coffee pods are sorted by regular and decaf flavor.

When my son-in-law visits, he loves to mix them up either to keep me on my toes or to aggravate me.

After the kids left home, we decided to move from a twostory house with lots of steps to a new place on one level.

That meant going through thirty years of stuff--memories, pictures, clothes, toys, school papers, books, favorite shells and rocks (“Granny found those for me!” our son would say, and yes at age forty-two, he can still tell you where and when she found them), G.I. Joes, Castle Grayskull with all its tiny parts and creatures, Hot Wheels, Transformers. Our daughter would exclaim, “Oh! That’s my favorite Barbie, the one with the lopsided haircut and missing clothes.” There was also a Barbie car, horse, and shoes (more pairs than I own).

This was all in the attic in bins.

“Come and get your treasures,” I warned, “We are moving!”

I organized a little each day, box by box. If items didn’t fit into the new house, they were given away, sold, or discarded

(chipped mugs, faded glasses, cracked wooden spoons). We had too many dishes that hadn’t been used for years. There are only two of us. Why keep so many faded, ugly dishes? Out they went to a resale shop.

Someone may need them or use them for target practice. We had too many Christmas, Easter and Halloween decorations, curtains, sheets, blankets and towels. I offered them to the kids and what they didn’t want was donated.

A year later we are settled into our new home, but I’m not finished. I’m still getting rid of things I thought I might need in the new home but now realize I don’t. Each month I organize a drawer, closet, or, God forbid, the garage. (Just wait until I get my hands on his golf bag.) And yes, my son-in-law still mixes up the K-cups, but now I realize it keeps me on my toes and a smile on my face.

Send Evince your organizing success story. Email 300350 words and a picture to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Include your name. It you want to remain anonymous because everyone thinks your house is perfect and it’s not, your name will not be published.

One of the most engaging sessions I attended at the 2014 Tucson Festival of Books featured Jacqueline Winspear, the author of a series of mysteries featuring Maisie Dobbs, a psychologist and investigator.

She conceived of the strong female lead character while waiting in London traffic. Thank goodness for red lights!

The Dobbs books are set in England at a time period between the Great War and the London Blitz in World War II. In the beginning, Maisie is a nurse who sees firsthand the horrors of war and pays a deep personal price as a result. The way she grows as a character, the wounds she sustains, the strengths and wisdom she develops keep me returning to each new installment in the series. This newest, the fifteenth in the series, does not disappoint.

Winspear frames the story by interspersing quotations from Edward R. Murrow’s broadcasts to America from London during September 1940, a time when Churchill is asking for assistance from the U.S. in England’s fight against Hitler. Powerful forces in the U.S.—Charles Lindbergh being just one of the loudest voices— are calling for isolationism and an “America first” stance. There is great reluctance to interfere and many in Britain think that the United States is pro-Hitler.

Maisie meets a young woman reporter who is the daughter of an isolationist U.S. senator. Catherine Saxon hopes to work for Murrow but instead is found dead after successfully broadcasting her first story from the Blitz. Scotland Yard asks for Maisie’s assistance and she soon finds that there are many layers of nuance to the case, including political intrigue. She is asked to work with Mark Scott at the U.S. Embassy, a man who has crossed her path before. The cast of characters surrounding Maisie Dobbs always adds to the story. Her lifelong friend, the flamboyant Priscilla Partridge, takes center stage this time. There is also a subplot that involves Maisie’s efforts to adopt a young evacuee.

If you enjoy mysteries that involve a strong, intelligent main character, psychological twists, in an early twentieth century setting, I cannot recommend a better series.

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.

Page 10 June 2019

Reflecting Forward Patience

I

by Linda Lemery

’ve learned to cultivate patience. I’ve tried to give our boys experiences they can build on. I plant the seeds then wait for growth. In that vein, when Dave’s girlfriend Jill was visiting, I signed us all up for zip-lining in Dan Daniel Park.

In early evening on the appointed day, we learned about carabiners, straps, and harnesses that could hold thousands of pounds. After training, we walked up the steep hillside wearing our gear. Electric lanterns marked the path. In single file, Dave, Steve, Jill, and I inched up the rope ladder toward the small platform.

Jill had grown increasingly restive.

“Wait,” she finally said. “It’s dark.”

“True statement,” I said.

“We’re going zip-lining in the dark?”

“Isn’t this exciting? We’ve never been zip-lining in the dark.”

“But I can’t see,” said Jill.

“We climb up, then we ride the zipline down.”

“Once we’re on that little platform up there, we step off into the dark?”

“The ropes hold thousands of pounds,” I said.

“That’s not comforting.

You’re asking me to step off into inky blackness.”

“Do you want me to go first?”

“There’s no other way to get off this platform, is there,” said Jill.

“Close your eyes,” I said. “You won’t see the darkness from behind your eyelids.”

“Good point,” said Jill. “Close eyes, then step off into terrifying, empty blackness. I’m all about it.”

“Ready to go?” asked the trainer.

“Tell Mom I loved her,” said Jill.

With her eyes screwed shut and clutching the straps, she stepped into the blackness, her shriek sounding peculiarly like the Doppler effect. My turn came. It was truly unnerving to step off that platform into nothing. I stopped screaming at the bottom of the zip-line. “Now I know what my mother meant when she said to us kids, ‘I just want to enjoy watching you from down here,’” said Jill. Dave took her hand. “It’s not over. Let’s go again.” “Really, Dave? Really?”

Jill’s voice rose.

Dave didn’t answer. He yelled “Cowabunga!” and zoomed away.

The spotter on the ground hollered when Dave was safely off the line.

The trainer gave Steve a thumbs up, then Steve stepped off the platform. “Ma-hoot!” floated back at us. By that time, Jill and I were on the platform.

Fast forward a few years, Dave and Jill married. At a Comic-Con, Jill sent me a picture of herself with a friend, high above the crowds, ziplining in an indoor mall. Her friend, looking terrified, was clutching the chest straps in a death grip. And there was Jill, a broad smile on her face, her arms reaching out like angel wings as she soared through the air. We talked about the picture on our next phone call. “He kept asking me if I was sure I wanted to do this,” said Jill. “I said, ‘What’s the problem? It’s daylight. We can see. Imagine doing this in the dark.’” How she’s grown, I thought.

Life is all about growth. Plant the seeds. Be patient. All things bloom in their own way and time.

“Beyond the platform,” said Jill, “there’s a great big pit of nothing.

You want me to step off solid ground into that?”

About the Author: When she’s not terrified, Linda Lemery llemery@averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes reader comments.

“The trainer up top checks everything. The one down below will help us down. Who’s first?”

“Not me,” said Jill. “Dave is, but Dave, how can you just step off into the dark when you can’t see where you’re going?”

Evince Magazine Page 11

Danvillian Janet Laughlin wins the croquet game on the lawn of the Mark-Addy Inn.

Mark-Addy Inn, Nellysford, Virginia.

Quick. Name Virginia’s #1 Vacation Destination. Need some clues? It has no chain hotels and only one traffic light.

Still need help?

The answer according to MarkAddy Innkeeper, Leslie Tal, is Nelson 151 aka Route 151 in Nelson County. OK, she might be a little prejudiced. Leslie and her husband, Rafael, have lived and worked for the past fourteen years at the historic farmhouse/ B&B that is within walking distance of the scenic byway located on the sunrise side of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Sitting on the front porch of their 1830ish eleven-bedroom farmhouse, she explains how

Visiting Virginia’s #1 Vacation Destination

by Joyce Wilburn

the couple came to be innkeepers: “In 2005, we were both in our fifties with four kids and had lost our jobs. So we bought ourselves a job here!” After a pause, she admits with a chuckle, “We had no idea what we were doing.” The former information technology professional and the former Israeli Air Force pilot learned quickly however, and business soon quadrupled. “In the beginning, we did everything: maintenance,

Playing Extreme Croquet on Danville’s Front Lawn

by Joyce Wilburn Competitive croquet is experiencing a dramatic revival.

Please don’t confuse that with the “extreme” croquet that locals are playing. Extreme croquet is played by friendly competitors in three-inch tall grass on bumpy ground while snow is falling or some variation of that crazy scenario. In other words, it’s an excuse for friends to socialize and pretend to be serious about a game.

For the past several years, one area group has played at different venues that are within an hour or two of Danville— preferably a location that serves good food and fine wine. When not playing in their backyards, they have enjoyed games on the front lawn of a golf club, the front and back lawns of Berry Hill Resort in South Boston, a side yard at Cooper’s Landing in

Clarksville, and most recently in a grassy spot at the Mark Addy Inn in Nellysford.

Want to be a part of this new craze? Create your own group of six and start playing. (Six is the magic number because there are six mallets and six balls in a set.) Glance at the set-up instructions and rules. Choose a name for your group. You are ready to go. It’s that simple.

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, 975 Main Street, is offering their front lawn for anyone who wants to play on the second weekend of every month. Bring your croquet set, play a game, eat a picnic lunch, and tour the Museum for free on Sunday, June 9. (The playing field is occupied on Saturday, June 8, for Art on the Lawn.) For cheap, extreme fun, you can’t beat it.

gardening, cooking, housekeeping, marketing, accounting and I was the queen dead-header and rose trimmer,” she reminisces and continues, “In addition to adding Wi-Fi, tvs in most rooms, and marketing to a younger crowd, we started serving dinner.” (Chef Andrew Ntenda is a graduate of J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College with a degree in culinary arts.)

Guests at the inn are following in the footsteps of Thomas Jefferson who visited his buddy, personal physician, and hunting partner, Charles Everett, the owner of a small cottage on this 1,000 acre property. Today that cottage has been incorporated into the MarkAddy Inn and is known as the Schloss Room. Between 1890 and 1910, seven more bedrooms were added each time a baby was born to the new owners, Nelly and John Everett Jr. Eventually, Nelly became the area’s first postmistress, had bridges built, and brought businessmen to the

area. She was memorialized in the naming of the small community, Nellysford.

As a vacation destination that is a two-hour drive from Danville, Nellysford and Route 151 have a lot to offer: lots of history and spectacular mountain views, six wineries, four breweries, two cideries, two distilleries, and cozy B&Bs. If that doesn’t appeal to you or you’re looking for a chain hotel and traffic lights, make a U-turn and head in a different direction.

• To learn more visit www.nelson151.com and www.mark-addy.com.

We’re

on Danville!

Janet Donna Holley • Gibson Owner Owner

HOLLEY & GibsOn REALTY COMPANY

339 Piney Forest Rd., Danville, VA 24540

Office: (434) 791-2400 Fax: (434) 791-2122 Visit our website at

www.holleyandgibsonrealty.com

Page 12 June 2019

The Wine Spot

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

I

f you are attending a wine tasting, don’t be in a hurry, be patient.

Lloyd Davis, Sonoma winemaker of Corner 103 wines, offers some good advice on savoring wine. He says: “The intentional exercise of wine tasting encourages us to slow down, pay more attention to what’s in the glass and eventually learn to describe what we smell and taste more accurately. In short, it not only helps you learn about wine but also helps you enjoy wine more because you are paying closer attention to it.

We all know how to taste wine--sip, savor, swallow, repeat. But as you begin your wine journey, we invite you to slow down a bit. Spend some

Photo by Dave Slayton

time with your wine. Get to know it a little better. Like any relationship, a little time and attention make a big difference.”

Make time to appreciate and enjoy what Mother Nature and hardworking individuals have provided for us. Cheers!

Meet Dave at free wine tastings most Saturday afternoons at Vintages by the Dan, 312 Main Street, Danville.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Crab Pasta with Asparagus Tips

by Annelle Williams

I will never share an easier recipe that has this much “curb” and taste appeal. No one wants to spend too much time working in the kitchen.

This is a good recipe to use for a brunch or lunch or as a side dish for a dinner. I fell in love the first time I tasted it and have been working to reproduce it ever since.

Crab Pasta with Asparagus Tips (6 servings)

8 oz. small elbow pasta, cooked as directed. Save 1 cup of the pasta water.

1 cup asparagus tips, parboiled 2 minutes in salted water 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cut into small pieces 1 1/2 cups ricotta 2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped

3 green onions, only the white part, finely chopped 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 16 oz. crab meat (I used backfin.)

6 T butter, melted 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup panko

Use two pie plates, individual ramekins, or medium-sized casserole.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Mix mozzarella, ricotta, parsley, onion, salt and pepper in large bowl.

Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. If it needs loosening up, add some pasta water. (I needed about half a cup.) Gently fold in crabmeat and asparagus. Brush pie plates, ramekins, or casserole dish with melted butter. Pour pasta mixture into prepared dish. Combine remaining butter, Parmesan cheese and panko. Sprinkle butter mixture on top of casserole. Bake for 15 minutes or until baked through and topping is melted and browning.

Questions or comments?

Email me: AnnelleWilliams@comcast.net I look forward to hearing from you!

Page  14 June 2019

Photo Finish

Carrie Reaves and Cory Williams pause for the camera.

Derby Day, May 4, at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History

Balloons greet guests at the entrance to the Derby Day festivities.

Photo by Liz Russell.

Photos by Von Wellington (unless otherwise indicated).

For more info visit www.vonwellington photography.com or call 434.770.3553. See more pictures on Facebook.

Casey Johnson (middle) enjoys the afternoon with Sophia Bolakas and Amy Jenness.

Connie Fletcher, Van Whitlow, Ann Sylves, and Dave Corp pose for Von Wellington.

Smokestack Theatre mingles with the Danville Police: Matt Doss, Leon Zimmermann, Corporal S.S. Brooks, Corporal S. G. Wiles-Lipscomb, Josh Lucia, Tamara Lucia, Travis Williams (hidden), Kris Williams.

Norm Aquilo and Sarah Moss provide delightful music for the afternoon.

Chinique Clark laughs at a funny remark along with Khalilah Walters, Jessica Reaves, baby Aria Reaves, and Beth Bauman.

Lee Herndon (center) is surrounded by women in the hat competition.

The winners of the hat contest are all smiles: Elizabeth Turner Rosenblum, Charlene Muro Ahmed, Melissa Breaux, and Sade Fountain. Photo by Liz Russell.

Evince Magazine Page 15

etheince Magazine is presenting V 5th Annual Spirit Awards.

These awards recognize exceptional businesses and individuals in our region.

Nominate your favorites in the following categories: • Exceptional Customer Service_ ___________________________ • Exceptional Products_____________________________________ • Exceptional Service_ _____________________________________ • Exceptional Community Spirit_____________________________ • Exceptional Community Involvement______________________ Mail this ballot to: Evince Magazine 753 Main Street, Danville, VA 24541 Or vote online at evincemagazine.com

Voting Ends July 1

Page Page 16 16June June 2019 2019