Evince Magazine July 2019

Keeping the Muses of Stone Alive Page 6

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Deborah Severt Page 7

Zula Patrol: Under the Weather Page 9

Celebrating the Legacy of Camilla Williams with Community Events See Page 5

Page  2 July 2019

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

Editor’s Note

Evince is celebrating! We have been the Voice of the Community for twenty-three years! We are just a baby, however, compared to the woman in the painting on the cover, Camilla Williams, who was born a century ago. The Danvillian’s operatic voice made her an international star.

Read her story on page 5 and celebrate her legacy.

Artist Carson Barnes gives “Muses of Stone” voices using photographic collage. His story is on page 6 and his work is at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History. Do you have a whiny voice when it comes to wine? Compare your wine voice to others in “The Wine Spot” on page 14.

Summer has arrived and it’s time to make plans for fun. Try a summer dessert (page 13); read a good story and book (page 14 and 11); see a movie (page 9); meditate for a moment (page 7); pause for reflection (page 10); renovate your home (page 12) and attend a special event (page 8).

Finally, tell us what you think about Evince or anything else on your mind. Become a part of the “Voice of Readers.” It’s your job, because our readers have been the inspiration for Evince for twenty-three years.

Evince Magazine Page 3

July Contents

Your

3 Editor’s Note

5 Celebrating the Legacy of Camilla Williams

with Community Events

by Joyce Wilburn

Contributing Writers

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Brenda Griffin

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont) Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349)

8 Calendar

Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

9 The Zula Patrol / Under the Weather

by Deb Henderson 10 Where Can I Find Evince?

Reflecting Forward Connection, Contribution, Persistence, Gratitude

by Linda Lemery

11 Book Clubbing / The Enchanted Hour

by Meghan Cox Gurdon

review by Diane Adkins

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

Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net

12 Renovation Reality / Part 34

by Carla Minosh

13 Around the Table

Try This Summer Dessert Named for a Ballerina

by Annelle Williams 14 The Wine Spot

What Does Your Wine Voice Say?

by Dave Slayton

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

Diane Adkins, Sara Davis, Mike Doan, Adam Goebel, Brenda Griffin, Deb Henderson, Elyse Jardine, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Josh Lucia, CB Maddox, Carla Minosh, Casey Molloy, Shelley Paschal, Dave Slayton, Jay Stephens, Cheryl Sutherland, Jennie Watson, Jaci Whitfield, Joyce Wilburn, Annelle Williams

7 Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks

Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn

6 Carson Barnes

Keeping the Muses of Stone Alive

by Joyce Wilburn

oice for 23 Years

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW Deadline for submission of August stories, articles, and ads is Sunday, July 21, at 5:00 p.m.

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

Parker’s Field Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

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.

Cost is $24 a year.

Keeping the Muses of Stone Alive Page 6

Thank you,

joycewilburn@gmail.com 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. Clothing and jewelry: Lizzy Lou Boutique, 310 Main Street, Danville, lizzylouboutique.com

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

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Deborah Severt Page 7

Zula Patrol: Under the Weather Page 9

The Issue of Progress

Celebrating the Legacy of Camilla Williams with Community Events See Page 5

On the Cover:

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Don’t Forget to Pick Up the July edition of

Showcase Magazine

Page  4 July 2019

Evince Magazine Page 5

“S

ometimes laws and obstacles are set in place to keep us apart, only to realize that if we work together, that is when progress and harmony is brought forth,” says Fred Motley in his trademark storyteller’s voice. Ask him for an example of what he means and you will hear about Danvillian Camilla Williams, the first African American to sing with a major American opera company. She became an international star at a time when blacks and whites lived apart in designated communities.

Fred begins: “Miss Williams was born in Danville on October 18, 1919. She recounts in her autobiography that members of both the black and the white communities supported her with encouragement, finance, training and love that helped her navigate through the segregation maze.” Her parents weren’t wealthy and relied on the generosity of the black community. “They rallied to find money for her to attend Virginia State College where she received a degree in public school music education and then later moved to Philadelphia to study voice,” continues Fred.

The connections that gave Williams the opportunities to eventually play the role of Madame Butterfly with the New York City Opera illustrates the value of small-town networks.

Camilla’s father was the chauffeur for a white couple, Dr. and Mrs. Julian Robinson.

Mrs. Robinson and her friend, Mrs. Patterson, asked their mutual friend Mrs. Gilmour in Connecticut (Lady Nancy Langhorne Astor’s niece) to arrange for Camilla to sing for a few retired Metropolitan Opera performers. Afterward, Gilmour’s friend, Geraldine Farrar, known as the world’s greatest Madame Butterfly, recommended Camilla to the director of the New York City Opera. She auditioned and was offered the role, but the selection brewed controversy.

Camilla was forced to audition again and she won again. On the night of May 15, 1946, she stepped onto the stage and sang her way into the history books.

The organizing committee for the Camilla Williams celebrations toast a portrait of the famous international opera star at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History: Gayle H. Breakley, Kristen Barker, Fred Motley, Chelsea Hillas, and Cedric Hairston.

Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.

Celebrating the Legacy of Camilla Williams with Community Events

by Joyce Wilburn Camilla wrote in her autobiography, The Life of Camilla Williams, African American Classical Singer and Opera Diva, “It wasn’t easy

being an opera singer during my time. But in spite of what I went through I refused to let negativity be a part of me. Anger and bitterness cannot be hidden.

Virginia Motley is surrounded by doll divas that will be on display during the Camilla Williams celebrations.

It will show on your face. There is no place for bitterness in singing. It works on the cords and ruins the voice.” Fred agrees and adds, “The life of Camilla Williams is a blueprint for all who have aspirations to turn talent into a vocation that will benefit mankind--and you can do it from Danville!”

In celebration of Camilla Williams’ 100th birthday in October, Fred and a committee have organized monthly events preceding the opening of the Camilla Williams exhibit at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH) in January 2020.

• On Wednesday, July 17, at 11:30 a.m. a free screening of “Aida’s Brothers and Sisters: Black Voices in Opera and Concert” will be shown at the DMFAH, 975 Main Street.

• On Saturday, August 3, Chaotic Art and Music Pop Up will be held at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main Street, from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. featuring local artists, musicians and vendors.

• For more information visi danvillemuseum.org or call 434.793.5644.

Page 6 July 2019

The portrait statue of Lucia Varrese as it appears in Rome.

The photographic collage print of Lucia Varrese created by Carson Barnes

Carson Barnes

Keeping the Muses of Stone Alive

by Joyce Wilburn

A

rtist Carson Barnes was

walking through the

historic Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, a few years ago when Gertrude Wheless silently caught his attention. Gertrude had been a teenager seventy years earlier when she was immortalized in marble with a portrait statue that now stands on the grave of her grandmother.

“Someone had a statue made of her so she wouldn’t be forgotten and I immediately wanted to know her story,” says Carson. He was intrigued.

Since that fateful day, the Georgia resident has traveled to cemeteries and museums on three continents searching for other subjects. The results, a collection of photographic collage prints entitled “Muses of Stone: Women Lost to Time’s Embrace,” can be seen at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History.

Carson isn’t aware of anyone else who is doing this type of art with the attention to detail that is present in his work. “It might take months to get it

right,” he says, referring to the Photoshop transformation of a photograph of a statue into a color photo print, using layers that are reminiscent of the photo silkscreen prints he created for forty-five years. “I bring female portrait statues to life,” he explains.

One of his subjects that was discovered in Rome is sixteenyear-old Lucia Varrese, who died in 1921 of typhus. “I photographed her marble portrait in 2017, added the floral print dress that was cutting edge in the 1920s, included a tile wall from Portugal, and the gardens in Tivoli, Italy became the background,” he remembers.

Keeping the memories of these women alive has become his career and his passion in life. The public is invited to visit the Muses of Stone during their stay in Danville through August 11.

• For more information, visit www.danvillemuseum.org, 975 Main Street, or call 434.793.5644.

Evince Magazine Page 7

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Brenda Griffin

I would like to nominate Deborah Severt of the Danville Real Estate Assessment Department for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

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.

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy, RYT Where does your motivation come from? What are you dedicated to? Why are you determined?

Pondering the answers to these questions allows you to assess your choices honestly.

The decisions you make are influenced by thoughts that are shared through communication and then put into motion by your actions. Thoughts, words, and actions accumulate to create the path that life pursues.

We all have a bright light that shines forth from within. When we are attuned to the warmth and vibrancy of that light, we have the ability to make anything happen.

Each of us has immeasurable potential. However, many of us fail to honor our true greatness.

That is when we must look closely at our sources of motivation and acknowledge whatever encourages us to sustain our hard work toward being the best version of ourselves possible.

It is easy to put forth effort when you are excited about an endeavor or when you are able to see the fruits of your efforts. The trick is to maintain motivation and determination when you fall into inevitable ruts. Those ruts or doldrums are the times when you learn the most about yourself, your dedication, and your path.

It is not difficult to see your light during the good times, but your

true strength shines most vibrantly when you maintain determination during difficult times. Dedication must not waiver.

Sometimes you are more of a curious child on this path of life, wondering what is around the corner. Try not to succumb to the doubt of the rational mind, rather, harness your ability to make decisions and tap into your innate driving force. Be excited about the life you live and your ability to make choices for yourself. Listen to your heart and dig deep to cultivate passion for the process. Your inner light will always illuminate the darkness you encounter.

This year we received notice that there was a problem with the collection of a real estate tax bill. We immediately went to Ms. Severt’s office and she promptly looked up the code and told us what to do. When that did not work, we went back and she called several people and other offices to try to solve our problem. She was very organized and kept excellent notes on what she had done for us. We visited her office several times and every time she remembered us and what she had done in the past. Consequently, we did not need to explain the history of the problem on each visit.

It took several months to resolve our problem. Ms. Severt was very helpful, professional, and customer friendly through the whole process. For these reasons, Deborah Severt definitely deserves the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

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 July 2019

July 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. 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. See story page 9.

The Children of Langhorne House: 117 Broad St. Danville; a retrospective exhibit; free Saturdays 2-5pm

July 1 (through August 11)

Muses of Stone-Women Lost to Time’s Embrace: DMFAH exhibit See page 6.

July 3, 5 & 6

Mary Poppins Prizery Summer Theater. See ad page 9.

July 4 Celebrations

Danville: Carrington Pavilion Craghead St. entertainment, arts, crafts, magic show, Danville Symphony Orchestra concert, fireworks free 6pm 434.793.4636 South Boston: Constitution Square 6pm parade; 7-9pm music, singing, fireworks, free downtownsobo.com

July 6 (through October 26)

Danville Farmers’ Market: Craghead St. Saturdays 7:30am-noon (Wednesdays July through August 3-6pm) 434.797.8961

July 8

How to Recognize a Masterpiece: a combination of science, history, drama, and the arts to give children an idea of the Artios Academy day. Artios Academy partners with homeschooling parents using the most creative and integrative approach to teaching the whole-hearted child. 9am-2pm $25 per child Register at eventbrite.com.

July 9

Medicare Educational Seminar: Learn about coverage options including: supplements, Advantage Plans and Part D prescription drug coverage Ballou Park Center, 760 W. Main Street, Danville 5:30pm Register 434.799.5216

July 11

Music on Main: Cruize Control Band 111 Main Street Danville 6:30pm free 434.793.4636

July 12, 13 & 14

Contempt of Court: Danville Little Theatre at DMFAH 12 & 13 at 7:30pm, 14 at 2:30pm $

July 12 (through 21)

Mamma Mia! Prizery Summer Theater. See ad page 9.

July 13 & 14

DMFAH free admission weekend

July 15

Profiles of Honor Scanning Event: Bring WWI and WWII artifacts to be scanned for the Library of Virginia archives; Halifax County Public Library. 11:30am-6pm; at 3:30pm author Barbara Bass will present “POWs from Halifax County”

July 17

Aida’s Brothers & Sisters: Black Voices in Opera and Concert: DMFAH free 11:30am See story page 5.

July 18

July 2019

S M T 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

W T F S 3 4 5 6 10 11 12 13 17 18 19 20 24 25 26 27 31

July 23

Making Danville Smile Rock Painting Class: Main Street Art Collective, 326 Main St. 5:30-7:00 pm.

Register at Eventbrite.com

July 24

Picnic on the Plaza: Main Street Plaza Danville 11:45am-1:45pm $4 United Way 434.792.3700 Cops & Critters: Danville Area Humane Society + Danville Police Dept. for ages 5-12 1-3pm register 434.799.5036 or dahsinc@yahoo. com Summer Camp Play Day: Crossing at the Dan, Craghead St. Danville 10am-3pm ages 5-12 crafts, water activities, DSC visit.

An adult must accompany children. free lunch. Register by July 19.

434.799.5150

Blood Pressure Readings: St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 3090 N. Main St. Danville 10:30-11:30am free The Health Collaborative 434.836.9345 Healthy Eating Class: St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 3090 N. Main St. Danville 11:30am-12:30pm free The Health Collaborative 434.836.9345

July 25

July 19

July 26, 27 & 28

Tender Loving Christian Sisters: luncheon, speaker, music, prayer $12 Mary’s Diner, 1203 Piney Forest Rd. Danville 11am-1pm Register 434.793.8140

July 20

Smokestack Improv: 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. 209 Trade St. Danville free 7pm mature audience

July 22 (through 26)

Outdoor Adventure Camp: Register by July 12. Hiking, kayaking, zip lining, high ropes, climbing wall, arts, crafts, environmental education, outdoor games ages 8+ Danville Parks & Rec $125 434.799.5150

July 22

Chronic Pain and Illness Support Group Meeting: discussion about the spiritual, physical, and emotional aspects of dealing with daily life while coping with chronic pain and illnesses. St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 3090 N. Main St. Danville 5:30-7pm free The Health Collaborative 434.836.9345

The deadline for submitting information for the August calendar is Sunday, July 21, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Music on Main: Jus’Cauz Band 111 Main Street Danville free 6:30pm

July 26

Virginia Cantaloupe Festival: Berry Hill Resort, 3105 River Rd. South Boston 5-10pm $35 www.valopefest.com Painting Workshop: Paint Your Dessert taught by Donna Campbell Allen $175 for DMFAH & Danville Art League members; $195 for others DMFAH

July 27

Art on the Lawn: DMFAH 10am-3pm

July 29 (through September 9) Forms in Clay: Mondays 6:30-9pm $95 for DMFAH members; $105 for others. Register 434.792.5355

July 30

Ending on a Sweet Note: information about sugary foods and ways to control your intake! College Park Baptist Church, 1104 South Main St. Danville 10-11:30am free The Health Collaborative 434.793.2365

Plan Ahead August 2, 3 & 4

James and the Giant Peach: Smokestack Theatre Co. youth production featuring local children 7pm on Friday & Saturday; 2:30pm on Sunday $15/$12 children under 12 DMFAH www.TheSmokestack.org

Evince Magazine Page 9

The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather now showing at the Danville Science Center Digital Dome Theater a review by Deb Henderson Knock, knock!

Who’s there?

Wendy.

Wendy who?

Wendy today; cloudy tomorrow.

If you’ve already heard that one, then maybe you have a young child who would enjoy the movie, The Zula Patrol: Under the Weather, now playing at the Danville Science Center Digital Dome.

The Zula Patrol is a kids’ cartoon series based on the many space adventures of fictional characters who live on the planet Zula. In this episode, they have a big challenge: find their buddy, apologize to him, and stop the villain from becoming the ruler. I can’t tell you what happens, of course, but I can tell you there is plenty of excitement and action in this show. And, as the drama unfolds, there’s also solid teaching about weather--what it is exactly and how Earth’s weather is different from other planets.

This show is marketed for children ages four to eight years old. That young audience will surely enjoy the story and the singing and dancing while also absorbing the science content, unaware that this is an educational activity. It’s that entertaining. Immediately after this movie, youngsters will observe the night sky-- a second show during which constellations are projected on the dome and explained by very knowledgeable DSC staff members.

July is a great time to leave the hot, humid weather outside and come inside to watch this movie in cool comfort. Also, explore the many, excellent handson exhibits, visit the butterfly garden, and stop in the gift shop.

• For more information, visit 677 Craghead Street, www.dsc.smv.org, or call 434.791.5160.

• Admission to the movie is $6 for ages 13-59; $5 for ages 4-12 and seniors 60+. You do not have to be a DSC member to attend the movies.

Page 10 July 2019

Reflecting Forward

Where Can I Find an Evince?

Ten thousand copies of Evince are distributed each month at over 100 locations. Find your copy at:

Riverside Drive Piedmont Drive Marketplace Area

Checkered Pig Chuck’s Meats & Deli Danview Restaurant El Vallarta Goodwill on Westover Drive Joe & Mimma’s Karen’s Hallmark Los Tres Magueyes Ruben’s 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. URW Community Credit Union Western Sizzlin YMCA

Main & West Main Street River District Area American National Bank Commonwealth Pharmacy Crema & Vine Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History Danville Public Library Danville Science Center Dell’ Anno’s Pizza Kitchen Food Lion @ Ballou Park Links Main Street Coffee Emporium Midtown Market Rippe’s SOVAH

Piney Forest Road Area Holley & Gibson Realty Co. Holy Grounds Mary’s Diner

Memorial Drive

Frank’s Pizza Ginger Bread House

Other

Danville Welcome Center

Franklin Turnpike Area Medo’s PCP Library Ruben’s Too Village Pizza

In Chatham Area

Community Center Carter Bank & Trust Chatham Health Center El Cazador Grill & Pizza PCP Library on Military Drive Reid Street Gallery

Connection, Contribution, Persistence, Gratitude

Keeping the Muses of Stone Alive

Page 6

by Linda Lemery

Spotting Exception Customer Service al Deborah Severt Page 7

Zula Patrol: Under the Weather

Page 9

Celebrating the Leg

acy of

Camilla Williams with Comm unity Even ts See Pag e5

In Tightsqueeze

American National Bank Bojangles Food Lion Frank’s Pizza Goodwill San Marco URW Community Credit Union

In Gretna

American National Bank Carter Bank & Trust Family Healthcare JT’s The Lavette House Mama Rosa

In South Boston

Berry Hill Resort Bistro 1888 Goodwill Halifax County Public Library Mi Caretta O’ Sole Mio Sentara Medical Center South Boston Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts & History Southern Gastroenterology Southern Plenty Southern Virginia Higher Education Springfield Distillery The Prizery Toots Creek Antiques Mall Town of South Boston

In Martinsville

Chopstix Restaurant El Ranchito Elizabeth’s Pizza Frith’s Barbeque Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Martinsville Visitor Center Piedmont Arts The Pacifica Bay Restaurant Virginia Museum of Natural History YMCA

In Yanceyville, NC

American National Bank Caswell Chamber of Commerce Busy Bee Cafe Goodwill Gunn Memorial Public Library Pizza My Heart

T

wenty-three years. Happy birthday, Evince! Reflecting back over those years leads me to question: What have been the most potent themes that have formed a string of continuity in our lives during this time? Connection, contribution, persistence, and gratitude percolate to the surface.

Connection to people is so important, but we have to work at it by engaging in conversation, learning together, and forming a network of support. Sometimes we lose touch with people, but once in a while, the stars align and a reconnection falls out of the sky. We had neighbors years ago with whom we formed a strong connection. We were sad when they moved to Roanoke and after a few years, we lost touch. Then one Saturday afternoon last month, Steve and I were at Weaver Street Market in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Coming from different places in our geographies and in our lives, we ran into each other in the cheese and dairy aisle.

How amazing is that? We had lunch and exchanged contact information. It was good to reconnect and catch up.

Reconnection with our sons was a theme for a while. After years of sporadic communication, our elder son and his fiancée moved back to Danville and went to school at our hometown university. What a wildly positive outcome that was! Jason just graduated and is now job hunting, and Chelsea is

on track to finish next year. The connection among all of us is almost palpable. We’re so grateful for that.

Our connection to Averett University is strong. We try to pay forward our strong educational interests through contributions to our community. For example, I’m involved as a volunteer board member and tutor with Project Literacy, a group that tries to help adults in Danville achieve better reading and math literacy. The adult illiteracy rate in our city is 18% as compared to 14% nationally; the need is clear. I work with a student who’s progressed a lot in a short time. I’ve also learned so much from her about persistence, drive, and the increase in confidence that accompanies success. The learning is bidirectional.

Over the past twenty-three years, Evince has been a constant, persistent, contributing connection to news and events in our area. I read the events pages, circle those I’d like to attend, list them in my planner, and stuff the issue in the back of the planner for reference.

Attending these events contributes to my fit in our community and helps me understand how I can better contribute in the future.

Think about it. We have so much to be grateful for and so many reasons to celebrate. Thank you, Evince.

About the Author: Linda Lemery llemery@ averett.edu works as Circulation Manager at Averett University’s Mary B. Blount Library in Danville. She welcomes reader comments.

Evince Magazine Page 11

Book Clubbing a review by Diane Adkins

The Enchanted Hour

by Meghan Cox Gurdon

Many of us who have children are very familiar with the picture books of childhood--Where the Wild Things Are, Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. But once our children begin to read happily on their own, we often stop reading aloud to them. What a mistake. If you disagree, Meghan Gurdon will convince you that reading aloud can make a big difference. She spends time with researchers who, through functional MRIs, have shown that when someone reads a picture book aloud to a child, all the child’s crucial brain networks are engaged. In the early years of a child’s life, the wiring and firing of neurons lay the groundwork for reasoning and imagination. As children grow, so does their vocabulary and their delight in pictures and words and their ability to sit still for longer periods of time to imagine other places and worlds.

When researchers study what happens in a child’s brain while using a screen, there is very little interactivity. The brain registers the visual, but the neural connections that form the intellectual architecture are not firing. As one researcher puts it, “The lights are on, but no one’s home.” Similarly, studies have shown that children learn very little from what we think of as educational DVDs. It appears that the human connection adults and children create by sitting together and sharing a book “produces a special kind of adhesive. It builds the family, helping to create that secret society…with its common store of words, scenes, and characters.” Reading and being physically close to children requires effort on the part of adults; handing them an iPad does not. What price are we paying for convenience?

How long could we reasonably expect to read to children? When do they finally age out? The answer to that question varies from child to child. Many adults have discovered what fun it is to read to another adult or have someone read to them. The earliest book I remember sharing with my husband in this way was the first in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I can still picture forty-plus years later the mountains of West Virginia we were driving through as we read certain passages. It’s a treasured memory.

Gurdon shares a story of a woman reading to her elderly father in the hospital. At first, she felt odd, but as she saw how it changed his mood, she discovered how important it was to him. Reading aloud can be an antidote to some of our society’s most confounding ills--short attention spans, distraction and separation from each other. If it were a pill, people would line up to buy it. A library book is free; this intervention costs nothing but our time. Why not try it?

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.

Page 12 July 2019 Unlike HGTV shows where home renovations are completed within thirty to sixty minutes, the Victorian house at the corner of Chestnut Place and Main Street in Danville has been under a transformation for nineteen years. This series explores the truth of home renewal from someo www. evincemagazine.com.

Renovation Reality Part 34

by Carla Minosh

A

nother

architectural

goal we had for our house was to remove the awkward beam at the far end of the main hallway. The house had originally been constructed as a foursquare-four rooms over four rooms with a center stair and an A-frame roof and four symmetrical chimneys. When the house was significantly enlarged in the 1880s, the staircase was moved from the center of the main hall and placed to the side. The large support beam for the staircase awkwardly remained across the

main hall ceiling, three-quarters of the way down the hallway.

We arranged for a lower-profile steel beam to replace the large wooden support beam and proceeded to tear open the

plaster ceiling to access the beam. The beam came out easily, the brick was repaired and the new steel beam was set in its place. The true shock of the entire project came when we saw the end of the original

wood beam. The laborers who had installed it did not cut it short enough, therefore, one end protruded through the brick wall in the main hallway and into the interior of the fireplace chimney on the other side of the wall in the rear parlor. For over 130 years, the charred end of the beam was inside the flue of a fully-functional fireplace! For at least thirty years, this fireplace was probably used daily to heat the house with coal.

The charred beam was evidence of just how close this house had come to total destruction. In fact, the house that once stood to the right of our house is gone.

It was lost to fire, as many homes of this age were, when heated with coal or wood and lit by open-flame gas.

(to be continued)

Evince Magazine Page 13

Try This Summer Dessert Named for a Ballerina

by Annelle Williams

I enjoyed this dessert for the first time forty-five years ago. We were at a restaurant in WinstonSalem that served delicious chopped salads, incredible baked potatoes that the waiter fluffed at the table, and these wonderful individual Pavlovas (named for the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova).

Meringues, the base for this awesome dessert, are easy to make. Here are a few tips to follow: use room temperature eggs because they whip better; don’t let any yolk mix with the whites when you separate them; clean beaters and bowl to remove any trace of oil. Yokes and oil keep the whites from expanding. It’s a beautiful dessert with lots of room for your imagination and taste. Make the meringues and keep them in the freezer. They’ll be ready for any special occasion.

Meringues for Individual Pavlova Desserts (Makes 6) 2 large egg whites 1/2 cup caster sugar*

ice cream berries or fruit

chocolate syrup or fruit syrup, optional

Preheat oven to 225ºF. Beat egg whites in large bowl on low until they become foamy. Increase speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoonful at a time while beating until all the sugar is added. Meringue will be stiff and glossy.

Place meringue into a piping bag with a star tip or use a Ziploc bag and snip a corner. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Pipe a dot, then a circle around the dot, then a circle on top of the first circle to form the sides. It needs to be large enough to hold one scoop of ice cream. Repeat for remaining 5 meringues. Place in oven and bake 1 hour 45 minutes. Do not open oven. Turn oven off. Leave pan in the oven for several hours or until meringues have cooled. Freeze if not served immediately.

Fill the meringue with a scoop of ice cream, top with berries and a little berry syrup or chocolate. *Caster sugar is a super-fine form of granulated sugar. It can be purchased or made by briefly processing granulated sugar in a food processor. Don’t over-process because you don’t want powder like confectioners’ sugar.

Questions or comments?

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

Page 14 July 2019

Parker’s Field fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg

Photo by Dave Slayton

The Wine Spot What Does Your Wine Voice Say?

by Dave Slayton

T

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

he comments often heard at wine tastings bring a smile to my face. Allow me to share.

“I don’t drink screw-cap wines.” My guess is this is a carry-over from the seventies when inexpensive sweet wines were in fashion. Today the impression that screw cap means low quality is quickly fading away since

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

more and more winemakers are using the economical and functional metal screw cap. Some people still believe that natural cork is better.

“Rieslings are too sweet.” Rieslings can be very sweet or very dry. I enjoy the dry rieslings so those are the ones I tend to drink. It depends on the winemaker’s goal. Sometimes the sweetness level is printed on the label, otherwise, just ask someone or do a little research.

“Do you have a $10 bottle of Champagne?” We Americans usually call all sparkling wines Champagne.

When I hear someone speak of Champagne, I usually ask, “Oh, like Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon or Mumm?” The answer is usually no because they are speaking of a wonderful sparkling wine such as Cava, Prosecco and Lambrusco.

Legally, if Champagne is on the label, it must be made in the Champagne region of France and will likely cost at least $45 and probably more.

“I don’t like dry wines.” In wine terminology, dry means the opposite of sweet. If you’re experiencing dry mouth after you drink wine, it’s likely the tannin that you don’t like. Tannin is a natural substance from grape skins that is detected on the palate as a cottony astringent sensation (think of the taste of black tea). If you say you don’t like dry wines, you may be saying you don’t like tannic wines.

Regardless of your wine preferences let us give a toast to Evince, the Voice of Our Community for 23 Years. May it continue and prosper. Cheers!

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

Kwon, Yo’ daddy ain’t leave you nothing but your deep black skin and two big front teeth we hope you grow into. Well, that’s okay, he didn’t leave me crap neither. Fact is, we left him. Well, I did. You was just a baby in my arms. But you’d have left him too if you coulda. I did right by you, Kwon. When you a man, you remember that.

Mandy Blue Eyes says it’s okay to cry if I want to, but I did my screaming when I was with him.

Know that. Today, it’s dusk, and I’m walking back from the hill down by Parker’s Field. Mandy Blue Eyes is holding your hand, but she got the car waiting in case we need to go quick. We both see the now torn police tape flag-waving here months later where yo’ daddy got shot and died.

Down here in Parker’s Field, I’m pissed. Naw, he won’t no good man, yo’ daddy. He was just an ex-con-pimp-dealer, and I know personal-like that the backside of his hand feels like a brick wall.

Some would say he deserved little better than what I heard he got, with some boy trying to jack him for that caddie he loved.

That boy who folks say didn’t even know his own name he was so high on meth. Now, as the sun is a ball of gold falling down the hill just behind Parker’s Field, I swallow back some feeling I can’t name.

Mandy Blue Eyes over there behind me mumbles what she call some o-ray-shun, her prayer for the dead. But me, I ain’t no prayer. Me, I throw empty beer bottles at street signs, while I curse yo’ daddy and pull at that damn police tape that should be down. And you, behind me with Mandy Blue, cover your ears.

Mandy Blue done taught you bad words are not to say and I’m too loud. Mandy Blue taught you to be a good little boy. I hope when you a man, you remember that.

Kwon, I ain’t got no pictures of him for you, but you look enough like him that that won’t matter.

You gone remember him, Kwon,

in every mirror you ever see, but you’ll never really know him. You are five now and what you got from him was just a few sad visits outside our weatherboard porch, even then sometimes a screen door between him and you.

Mandy Blue and us, we get in her car to meet up with Fallon who is back home packing, ‘cause we moving from this town into North Carolina. We leave Parker’s Field.

Last month, Big Red, yo’ daddy’s old top woman smiled when she told me it took him a while to die, gut-shot, and that no one came down to old Parker’s Field until the smell. She waiting for me to say “good” or “that’s right it happened that way,” and when I cain’t she shake her head and say, “that ain’t no love like a foollove.” I pardon her. She old now, and she sweeps the front stoop of the convenience store her new old man Frito owns. She a bitter burnt hell about Manhattan, yo’ daddy. She still smiling at me, waiting for my mad, my rough to come out. We can dance on his grave together. All right, I get it what I should feel, but I have this feeling swell up like dirty baking soda and vinegar that she say one wrong thing more and I’ll punch her in the teeth.

Later, we pull away from that weatherboard porch on our broke-down house on our raggedy street; we moving on.

Me, I look into the backseat as you sleep through the change. I tell myself again, yo’ daddy ain’t never loved me. And I ain’t never loved no male but you Kwon, and a mother-love ain’t a man-love, not the same at all. When I was young, he was old salt for shelter, no home really at all. Took my money, gave me you too young.

So why I remember the bad times like old movies now? How he do this last trick, Kwon, make me care some? How, down in Parker’s Field, how come I can’t help but feel yo’ daddy’s soul and how somehow that’s what I was to keep safe for you. How maybe Manhattan looking out his shotthrough windshield, dying he looked for us. Probably not and maybe I ain’t giving you the right words, Kwon. But maybe that’s all we ever get is the looking out toward each other, with a few kind words. So I ain’t got no bad to say for yo’ daddy and his end, a sundown-damn-sad-dying in Parker’s Field. I cry peace. When you a man, Kwon, you remember that.

Evince Magazine Page  15

Page Page 16 16July July 2019 2019