Evince Magazine September 2018

Go or Stay It’s Fun Either Way Page 6

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 9

Marc Muneal

Photo Finish

The Jane Bond Experience Page 20

Cooking Up a Good Story Page 5

Page 2 September 2018

Turn back the signs of aging.

Long days and busy weeks can quickly add up, resulting in unwanted lines and crow’s feet. Be proactive with BOTOX® and Dysport,® which work by relaxing the muscles responsible for wrinkles and smoothing away trouble areas.

Take control today so you can always look your best by calling Dr. Michel Evans at 434.792.0830

159 Executive Drive, Suite C | Danville, VA 24541 SovahPhysicians.com

September Contents

Photo by Michelle Dalton Photography

3 Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

I have a new diversion in my kitchen. Her name is Alexa and her music is serenading me as I write this. She wasn’t around to distract Marc Muneal (on the cover) when he arrived to demonstrate how to cook an omelet. Wow! Not only does he have a good story to tell on page 5, but you are invited to his presentation and demonstration on October 2.

There were other diversions from routine this past month including a trip to Harrisonburg.

If you can’t squeeze an outof-town excursion into your schedule, there is a local alternative included in the story on page 6. Oysters were involved in that departure from routine and “The Wine Spot” describes wines that pair well with those popular mollusks.

See page 18.

What other diversions from stress and humdrum might you want to try? How about reading a book or short story (pages 9, 12, and 16), meditating (page 11), listening to music (page 13), cooking (page 19), or having a Jane Bond Experience (page 20, sorry, women only!).

Why are you still sitting there?

Look at the Calendar (page 14) and “Let the Seasons Begin” on page 10. The clock is ticking.

Oh, there’s a story for that too on page 17.

5 Marc Muneal

Cooking Up a Good Story

by Joyce Wilburn

OICE OF DIVERSIONS

CEO / Publisher Andrew Scott Brooks

Associate Editors Jeanette Taylor • Larry Wilburn Contributing Writers

Diane Adkins, Kim Clifton, Telisha Moore Leigg, Linda Lemery, Casey Molloy, Dave Slayton, Joyce Wilburn, Larry Wilburn, Annelle Williams, and many others who send info for the Calendar

9 Second Thoughts

Come Rain or Come Shine

by Kim Clifton

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

by Linda Lemery

10 Let the Seasons Begin

Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349) Marketing Consultants For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

11 Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy Kim Demont (434.792.0612) demontdesign @verizon.net

12 Inheritance

Fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg 13 Where’s the Music?

Cameron Owen

by Larry Wilburn

Lee Vogler (434.548.5335) lee@evince magazine.com

14 Calendar 16 Book Clubbing / Less

by Andrew Sean Greer

a review by Diane Adkins

Sly Strader Milam (434.728.1291) sly@evince magazine.com

17 Reflecting Forward

Clock: The Voice of Diversion

by Linda Lemery

evince\i-’vin(t)s\ 1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly: reveal syn see SHOW

18 The Wine Spot

The World Is Your Oyster

if Paired With the Right Wine

by Dave Slayton

Deadline for submission of October stories, articles, and ads is Thursday, September 20, at 5:00 p.m.

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

19 Around the Table

Clams with Cannellini Beans and

Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

by Annelle Williams

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.

20 Photo Finish

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.

Got to go. Alexa needs my attention.

Sincerely,

© 2018 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Go or Stay It’s Fun Either Way Page 6

Sponsored by

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Page 9

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.

THE

Editor Joyce Wilburn (434.799.3160) joycewilburn@gmail.com

6 Go or Stay

It’s Fun Either Way

by Joyce Wilburn

Evince Magazine Page 3

Marc Muneal

Photo Finish

The Jane Bond Experience Page 20

www.showcasemagazine.com

| SeptembeR 2018 | ShowcaSe magazine 1

Cooking Up a Good Story Page 5

On the Cover:

Photo of Marc Muneal

by Michelle Dalton Photography

Don’t Forget to Pick Up the September Edition of Showcase Magazine

Page  4 September 2018

Evince Magazine Page 5

W

hat happens when

your grandmother is

a great storyteller and your mother is a whiz in the kitchen? Marc Muneal knows firsthand. You are destined to become an associate professor of English who inspires others to write and tell stories and you become an amateur chef of culinary wonders. He begins his personal story, “I grew up visiting my grandmother who told stories about her childhood with a flair. I’m sure they were embellished. She was also an avid diary keeper and would read her entries to me as she wrote them.” Thinking about his mother, he continues, “She was an incredible teacher who let me cook with her and make mistakes. She’d guide me and know exactly how to explain things so I’d understand.”

Following his grandmother’s example of writing, Marc used his skills as a feature reporter at a daily newspaper in his native Trinidad, a Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela.

Later, he studied English at Morehouse College in Atlanta and intended to return to his island home after graduation.

“I believed I had a job waiting for me at the newspaper. I loved stories and loved the idea of being a part of those stories while writing about them,” he remarks. That changed when he discovered stories in another place—literature—and realized that he enjoyed reading other people’s stories and teaching about them. That explains his choice of specializing in Victorian studies at the Laney Graduate School of Emory University, graduating in 2010 with a Ph.D. Three years ago he accepted his current job at Averett University to teach later British studies for two reasons. He could teach a subject he loved and he knew that AU was a small school with many opportunities for interdisciplinary studies.

Marc occasionally combines his inherited love of language and cooking while teaching.

He elaborates, “One day last fall, I brought in cooking equipment, chopped vegetables, cheese, and eggs and showed them how to make an omelet, making sure they took notes. Then they were divided into teams, had to

Marc Muneal Cooking Up a Good Story

by Joyce Wilburn

select a cook, and reconstruct the process. Finally, the cook had to talk to an audience and teach them.” Learning how to present material that would be appealing to listeners was the goal. Knowing how to make an omelet was a delicious side benefit. Marc continues, “In the AU Language, Literature, and Communication Department, we are all about creating experiences for students. Just as the world is our stage, it is also our classroom. We make sure students can take away a concept from the classroom that can be used in their lives.”

Marc feels equally at home in a newsroom, classroom and kitchen. Looking at a crowded collection of dishes in his kitchen he jokes about the title of his imaginary biography. For the easy-going writer/teacher/cook, he says there is a real possibility it would be Too Many Ramekins: One Home Cook’s Fortune and Curse. Sounds like the beginning of another great story, doesn’t it?

Photos by Michelle Dalton Photography.

• Meet Marc Muneal on Tuesday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Averett Student Center, 204 Woodland Drive, second floor.

He will be talking about the history and cuisine of (SouthAsian) Indians in Trinidad and presenting a cooking demonstration as part of the AU 1859 Coffeehouse Lecture Series.

Page 6 September 2018

S

eptember in Southern Virginia is about raking leaves and preparing for winter.

It’s also an excellent time to take a road trip to Harrisonburg nestled between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains. Here’s what I packed into forty-eight hours on a hot August weekend and you can do it too.

Go or Stay

It’s Fun Either Way

by Joyce Wilburn

Harrisonburg Saturday: 1. Visit the Farmers Market on South Liberty Street for handcrafts, farm-fresh foods, plants, flowers and more. Go hungry and taste the delicious local food.

The aroma of crab cakes cooking on a hot griddle caught my attention. A jar of wildflower honey produced by local bees went into my bag.

2. Take a walking tour of downtown where the streets are lined with history and art.

I found the following on South Main: d. Tour the Virginia Quilt Museum located in an 1855 house. It has three floors of antique and contemporary quilt exhibits surrounded by unique Civil War era architecture.

with Dr. Stanley Jones, Superintendent of Danville Public Schools. Fifteen minutes after meeting, we had become fast friends and were laughing and swapping stories. I invited her to visit Danville.

Harrisonburg Sunday: 3. It seems like there’s always a special event happening in Harrisonburg.

Leaving the new, beautiful Hotel Madison, I shuttled over to the Wine & Oyster Festival on Sunny Slope Farm organized by owner/operator Harry Jarrett. The proceeds from this annual event Bruce Vogt of Vogt Oyster benefited the Company serves another Artisans Center plate of Big Island Pearl of Virginia. Ten Oysters. wineries, three bands, lots of oysters, food trucks, arts, crafts, and socializing with all my new friends—including Mayor Deanna Reed— brought my weekend to a close. Whew!

Time for the three-hour trip home for some rest from this vacation.

If you need a staycation idea, use the same itinerary and do it in Danville.

a. Shop at the Oasis, a cooperative of fifty talented artists who have filled the shelves with tasteful gifts and brilliant bits of beauty. The store is part of the Harrisonburg Rockingham Artisan Trail.

b. Accompany a youngster to Explore More Discovery Museum designed to engage young minds through interactive learning experiences that are fun and family-friendly.

c. Lunch at Clementine in a former vaudeville/silent movie theater. It offers a feast for the palate and an environment inspired by the arts.

e. Meet the Mayor! I had the pleasure of bumping into Deanna Reed, the Mayor of Harrisonburg, and of course, I had questions. She explained that fifteen years ago, downtown Harrisonburg was very quiet—a much different place than it is today. In the short time we chatted, she noted that James Madison University was a leader in moving the city forward because it wanted to keep students in the vicinity after graduation.

Also, the Friendly City of 53,000 is an official Church World Service Refugee Resettlement Community and has become a model of international coexistence. Almost half of the public school students are from forty-six countries and have limited English-speaking skills. Most are Iraqi; others are Hondurans, Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans, Mexicans, Congolese, Ethiopians, Jordanians, Ukrainians and Syrians. They bring a wealth of diversity that enriches the experiences of everyone in the community.

Deanna surprised me when she mentioned that a Danville native, Christopher Jones, serves with her on the five-member City Council. He’s a 2000 JMU graduate and has been on Council since 2015.

She is also friends

Danville Saturday - Sunday: 1. Visit the Farmers Market at 629 Craghead Street.

2. Take a guided or self-guided walking tour of the historic districts. www.danvillehistory.org: a. Shop at Dan River Artisans, 411 Main Street. 434.228.4125 www.thearcofsouthside.org. b. Go with the youngsters to the Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead Street. c. Eat lunch in a former gas station at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main Street.

Art on their walls often promotes the current exhibit at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (DMFAH). d. Tour the DMFAH located in an 1858 house at 975 Main Street and view the current exhibits on three floors. e. Meet and talk with Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones. Find contact information at www.danvilleva.gov.

3. Attend the River District Festival on October 19-20.

More info at www. riverdistrictfestival.org and www.danvilleriverdistrict.com.

Evince Magazine Page  7

Page  8 September 2018

Evince Magazine Page 9

Second Thoughts

by Kim Clifton ©2018

Come Rain or Come Shine “Be still. The Lord is at work,” she had said. I looked at the others seated with me. Is this woman crazy, I thought. “Hush,” she insisted. We did. We were afraid not to.

Even though it was so long ago, I remember it well. I was seven years old and sitting cross-legged on the floor with my cousins. We were at my grandmother’s house. It was in the late summer and the place was stifling hot. The windows were shut tight and the blinds closed. The fans and lights were both off. The room was dark except for the lightning flashes through the cracks. Outside, the thunder boomed and the rain poured. Inside, no one moved.

Everyone was hardly breathing.

We were just too scared.

There are lots of things that terrify me. They did as a kid and many still do as an adult.

While some have changed, some haven’t. I’ve finally accepted that fireworks aren’t going to fall on my head, but I’ll never consider a black snake to be my friend. It’s thunderstorms that scare me the most. One clap and even now I’ll head indoors. Sometimes it’s not that simple, though. When I played golf, finding refuge was hard. I couldn’t go into the trees because that’s a good way to get struck. I couldn’t stay in the fairway because the irrigation’s plumbing running beneath the surface invited a strike. The clubhouse was really the only safe place, if I could make it back in time. Everywhere else meant being outside, but that was only part of the problem. Hauling a bag of lightning rods made it worse.

My scariest storm story was not on a golf course, however,

even though it seems like it’s been a thousand years since it happened. It was at a circus that set up for a few nights in the Danville Plaza on Riverside Drive, not too far from where the Long River Restaurant sits now. The parking lot has been known to quickly flood and that night was no exception. As an unpredicted storm hit, the supporting tent poles began to give way causing us to worry that we wouldn’t just be under the big top, we’d be covered by it. A fierce stampede of two-legged animals, not those performing with four, soon began. It was such a panicked mob that I quickly got separated from my father and my sister.

The rainwater was already to my knees as I made my way out. The crowd repeatedly knocked into me as everyone ran for safety in their cars. I tried and tried, but I couldn’t find ours. The wind howled and the lightning struck. My repeated cries for my daddy and my sister were silenced in the thunder. I was a lost and scared little kid living her worst nightmare. It was a tale of horror that could not have been better scripted by Stephen King himself. That’s the kind of thunderstorms we seem to be having more frequently these days. Not just showers, but destructive one with funnels and tunnels. They’re so bad that I halfway listen for trumpets to sound and Jesus to appear in the clouds.

Which brings me back to my grandmother in her living room where she sat not just quieting four little girls but teaching them about a power greater than their own. Turns out she wasn’t crazy.

She was actually a collegeeducated woman who chose a life of hard work at home not in an office. She married for love,

not money, raising her children on a working farm. Money was only used to buy things they couldn’t make or grow. She first killed the chickens she’d fry for Sunday lunch. She churned the butter her family spread on their biscuits. And she canned every vegetable they spooned on to their plates. Her world wasn’t easy but she was grateful for everything in it. She wasn’t depressed even after living through The Depression. She’d known what real tempests were and Who protected her as she faced each one. She was a woman of faith who walked the talk.

When I have problems, I often feel like that little girl wandering alone in the parking lot. I cry out and my heart races still looking in the darkness for my daddy to rescue me. I’m thankful to have my grandmother’s assurance that my Heavenly Father is always there. She was only trying to quiet silly girls during an awful summer squall. If she only knew how powerful her words have become over time. “Be still. The Lord is at work,” she had said, and with that she gave me the key to weather any storm.

Spotting Exceptional Customer Service

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

Becky Dishman

Amanda Bowman

by Linda Lemery

I would like to nominate Becky Dishman and Amanda Bowman, Front Office Representatives at SOVAH Family Medicine, 125 Executive Drive Danville, for the Spotting Exceptional Customer Service Award.

I have long enjoyed the benefits of being a patient in the SOVAH Family Medicine practice. On a personal level, I have always had trouble controlling how much I eat and finding the motivation to exercise.

I read about a Virginia study on changing dietary and exercise habits to become more physically fit so that in the event cancer strikes, my body would be more prepared to handle treatment and recovery. After applying and being accepted as a study participant, I dropped off a form at my doctor’s office to be signed by my physician. Unfortunately, that first form was misplaced. When I dropped off the second one, my physician was unavailable for signing. I spoke several times with Becky in person about the problem and my leaving for travel shortly. Becky consulted with Amanda and between the two of them, they got the form signed.

Becky called me on the day before she was leaving for vacation and I rushed there to pick up the form so that I could move forward as a study participant. This solved my problem.

I feel strongly that excellent service should be recognized. I’m delighted to nominate Becky and Amanda for this recognition.

Evince and the Danville Pittsylvania County 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.

Page 10 September 2018

Calendar Clips Special Edition

Let the Seasons Begin!

There is so much happening between now and December 31. Save this page for reference and connect with others who are enjoying these wonderful events.

Averett University

434.791.5600 • www.averett.edu • October 18-20 Caesar & Cleo With a hip-hop chorus providing narration, the wily slave Colitus angles to gain his freedom while guiding his master, Julius Caesar, through the intrigues and plots that threaten Caesar’s life. 7pm Pritchett Auditorium, 150 Mountain View Ave. $10/8 • October 26-November 26 Fall Student Art Show Jut’s Café and Blount Library • November 9 AU Cougar Band POPS Concert Pritchett Auditorium 7pm free • November 16-17 Cabaret a collection of Broadway show tunes performed by the AU Theatre Dept. Pritchett Auditorium $10/8 • November 29 Averett Celebrates Christmas 7pm Pritchett Auditorium free • December 11 Dr. Betty Heard Christmas Readings for Children Student Center Multipurpose Room 7pm

Chatham Concert Series

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 66 North Main Street, Chatham.

Admission is by donation for the performing artists.

• October 5 Rainer Trio with Elizabeth Matheson: Vivaldi and Piazzolla Four Seasons 7pm • December 2 Rainer Trio with Leslie Mabe; Christmas Traditions 3pm

Danville Area Veterans’ Council

434.836.0745 • November 11 Veterans Parade begins at 2:30pm at the intersection of Broad and Main Streets.

Danville Art League

facebook.com/DAL • P.O. Box 10202, Danville, VA 24541 • October 28 Opening Reception/Juried Exhibition, Fall’s Back 2:30-4:30pm Danville Museum of Fine Art & History, 975 Main Street, open to the public. To enter the show, contact Jim Jennings for a prospectus, 434.489.1179, email jjennings64@gmail.com, or pick one up at the DMFAH. All genres of art accepted. Amateurs and professionals are encouraged to enter by Saturday, October 20.

Danville Concert Association

434.792.9242 • www.danvilleconcert.org Tickets are $25-30 adults; $10-15 students or $80/35 for season ticket.

• September 21 Morgan State University Concert Choir GWHS 7:30pm • October 26 Russian Renaissance Averett Frith Fine Arts Center, 150 Mountain View Ave. Danville, 7:30pm • November 11 Chinese Warriors of Peking GWHS 7pm

Danville Historical Society

www.danvillehistory.org • 703.656.0025 • September 16 Annual Meeting open to all. Keynote speaker is Paul Liepe, a long-time member of DHS, and the driving force behind citizen and City involvement in the revitalization of the Old West End. The agenda will include the presentation of the Board members and slate of officers, updates on progress at the History Hub of Danville, exciting changes in the DHS archives, and an opportunity to preview

and purchase several items for sale by DHS. Refreshments will be served. DMFAH 2:30pm • December 9 Annual Holiday Tour of Homes 11am-5pm

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History

975 Main Street • 434.793.5644 • www.danvillemuseum.org • October 25, 26 & 27 Historic Halloween, a spirit walk of Grove Street Cemetery. 6:30-9:30pm • October 28, Danville Art League exhibit opening 2:30-4:30pm • November 17 Chimborazo Medical Hospital lecture by Arthur Wingo 10am-noon

Danville Parks & Recreation

434.793.4636 • www.playdanvilleva.com • October 19-20 River District Festival • October 31 Market Monster Mash Community Market 5-8pm • December 2 Riverview Rotary Christmas Parade Main Street 3pm • December 8-25 Community Holiday Light Show Ballou Park

Danville Symphony Orchestra

GW High School Auditorium • 701 Broad Street 434.797.2666 • www.danvillesymphony.net Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Concerts start at 8 p.m. and are free.

• October 20 Fall Classical Concert The French Connection featuring Matvey Lappin, violin soloist • December 8 Christmas Traditional and Pops Concert featuring Suzanne Martin soloist with DACAS

Little Theatre of Danville

facebook.com/LittleTheatreofDanville • 434.724.7961 All plays performed at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street; $15 • October 18, 19 & November 2 Bell, Book, and Candle 7:30pm; October 20, November 4 2:30pm • December 14, 15 It’s a Wonderful Life 7:30pm; December 16 2:30pm

North Star Theatre Project

629 N Main Street, Danville • 434.203.2870 • November 9-11, 16-18 Disney’s Peter Pan Jr. Friday and Saturday performances 7:30pm and Sunday matinees 2:30pm. Auditions are 9/15, North Theatre, 10am. Register on Facebook.

Piedmont Arts

215 Starling Ave., Martinsville • www.PiedmontArts.org • 276.632.3221 • October 11 Art & Happy Hour 5-7pm Artist Bill Rutherfoord will lead a seated gallery talk about his exhibit, Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region. Complimentary drinks and light snacks provided.

• October 12 Blues, Brews and Stews 5-8pm $15

The Prizery

700 Bruce Street, South Boston • www.prizery.com • 434.572.8339 • September 8 Forever Young Local country group brings a mix of classic country and a collection of songs that they have written to the stage. 7:30pm • September 27 Dr. Edward L. Ayers Where Segregation Came From.

This lecture will explore what that separation meant for black and white Southerners in the decades of its creation. No charge for this event, which is supported by a grant from Virginia Humanities. 7pm • October 5 Cashore Marionettes The internationally acclaimed Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. 7:30pm • October 26 & 27 Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre Last Call at Chez Mort! The audience helps solve the murder mystery. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume appropriate to a 1940’s jazz club setting. 6pm • December 8 Konstantin Classics to Cabaret featuring world renowned classical pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski 7:30pm

Evince Magazine Page 11

Meditation Moment

by Casey Molloy, RYT

The poses and breathing practiced in yoga were created to prepare the body and mind to sit for extended periods of time in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis

E

ach season induces a distinct feeling, mood, and energy. Summer (that ends on September 23) brings us warmth, festive gatherings, and a buzz of brightness. There becomes an environmental tug of war between the sun and the clouds that bring rain. Both are necessary for the lives of the flowers, trees, and animals to thrive. We humans also establish a balance in our own lives by adapting to the continuous ebb and flow of the sunshine and clouds of our experiences.

While I was living in Arizona, surviving summers of triple-digit temperatures, I cultivated a deep appreciation for rain. As rain nourishes our soil, plants, and streams, it can also soothe our souls. The therapeutic sound of a thunderstorm as you sleep can bring a natural sense of comfort.

Flowers with rain droplets on their petals appear refreshed as they stand to face the emerging sun. Following a rain, either literal or metaphorical, humans too can emerge anew. How we embrace the seasons varies with each individual, but we all

know what mood or sensation we associate with each.

One of the most coveted activities I enjoy is reading. Sadly, since I have been in school for the last two years, my personal library has been collecting dust. However, if you have time this summer, I encourage you to beat the heat or enjoy a rainy day with a good book. Reading brings you fully into the present moment, allowing all other distractions to fade into the background. Escaping into the magic of a good book can expand the imagination, increase knowledge, and guide us to ponder something we hadn’t previously considered. The beauty of books is that they benefit us year round.

Luckily, in our geographic location the seasonal changes are not too extreme. With a change in seasons we have the opportunity to experience something new.

As the summer highlights of vacation, lake weekends, and the beach begin to fade, we welcome a graceful transition into the romanticism of fall.

Page 12 September 2018

Inheritance a letter from Mean Keisha to her son

fiction by Telisha Moore Leigg Kwon, Maybe it won’t nothing special, but it was ours--that dented old, goldlike ring, that I lost in a Steplard Hills Motel that’s back on a side road off of 58. I was young about fifteen or so; I am now nineteen.

What was I doing there? Well, that’s the underside of the sea.

Anyway, that ring, it had a small, purple stone--that dented, old, golden-colored ring that I lost--no, not what I lost, what got took from me. And, even though you don’t know it, it’s what got taken from you too. We bone, boy. It be my blood that breathes you in.

Sometimes she would let me try it on, my ma, and she used to wear it on Saturdays when she went somewhere where she didn’t take me; her eyes didn’t meet mine.

Maybe it was like when I never took you when we was in the wild that time you don’t and I’d rather not remember. Anyway, I never knew how the mister found it, until at last I saw it on his naked pinky finger tapping on a scarred fakewood night table next to a brass lamp. And beyond that table, lamp, and pinky, there my life was, my hoarded bag of junk that I hid behind the old brown, armchair. He had spread it out like trash on the seat cushion. Before I saw the ring on his finger, I knew it was gone from me then. I told myself that it didn’t matter ‘cause it won’t real gold no how.

But inside I burned. Years later, I would think, and fume, and rage to myself that that ring would have been yours, baby, boy or not. I would have given it to you.

Although now, years later, you at four, I guess you would have not known but put it in your mouth and swallow it whole. I guess I meant to give it to you as a man.

When you were tall, strong, and safe. Even dented and fake, it was pretty; I don’t need nothing that pretty for myself. Anyway, it’s gone now. And I remember that ring like I remember my ma, something bruised on the out, but on the in, gold-like then gone. I think that’s how you going to remember me, Kwon. It’s okay. I was here when I could be.

Today, it’s misty and raining a little, and I watch her, Mandy Blue Eyes, hold you, and remember that she too is a broom that swept and broke, you know. But she hold you

best, reading books I can barely get through. I let it be. But you know, my heart, she ain’t the only one to tell stories. I got them too, stories I’ma tell to you, Kwon, stories that will make the root of you, for shame or better make you a man. Life is a tear you can’t cry, baby, less you want the world to pounce. You got to be ruthless, boy, a rock that they spit out ‘cause it breaks they teeth.

You will not lurk in the light. This is the man you will need to be. That night those years ago, those miles ago, I want you to know…the room was dark but I was not scared.

From almost home to anotherain’t-gonna-be-my-home and then on my own I had kept it--that ring, until I was fifteen or so, until it was took in Steplard Hills Motel that place with its tinted windows, peagreen covers, and water that run lukewarm. All those wasted years, I kept that ring in a plastic bag or maybe in the bottom of an empty drink can, my important things nowhere that important people would look. The mister that took it was not a bad man; he was just easy-taking and not hard-thinking, the waves stealing sand. Shirt sleeves pressed and a starched t-shirt under it, he didn’t need the ring, but he took it, said “Isn’t it pretty?” staring at me. I knew not to ask for it back. And I knew not to cry for it being gone.

Sometimes I think I see that mister in men around the town in they suits, they dreams different from they secrets. I see them with they daughters, the ones they only kiss on the forehead, unlike me. But I don’t be thinking of them misters but of those girls, whose lives not like mine, but I’m human too. It’s then that I remember our ring. I think maybe that some girl got our inheritance, our old, purplestone, dented gold-like ring. It would mean nothing to her other than something her father gave her, something she may have just thrown away. But it wasn’t his to give, hers to take, and she don’t need it like we do. That’s all I got time to write now, Kwon, but... I know in life what’s gone don’t really mean no here nor there; gone is a banner ripped, and that old ring is just as lost as me. But it’s what I had to give you. It won’t much, but it was what I had.

Someday, when you a man I want to be, in your memories, something good; someone who tried to give good to you. I don’t want you to take nothing from no one that ever took from me. Everything has been taken from me and you can’t get it back. I just want you to love me enough to want to. That’s all you can do for your mama. And I’ll make that enough.

Evince Magazine Page 13

Where’s the Music?

Cameron Owen

by Larry Wilburn

C

ameron Owen’s dad started him on a career in music at age seven by teaching him a few guitar chords. That future career developed slowly, second to Cameron’s first love of baseball. The 2004 Dan River High School graduate so enjoyed the game that he played American Legion ball during the summers and thought he might pursue it after high school. The guitar, however, kept calling him back. Somewhere around age sixteen, he realized he could make money playing and singing, so he began learning/ practicing with greater intensity. When asked what really motivated him, a look of sheer enjoyment comes over him and he says, “Three words: Stevie Ray Vaughan.”

For those readers unfamiliar with SRV, he was one of the most influential blues guitarist in the 80s. He died in 1990 but his virtuosity and powerful blues renditions still resonate with guitarists. Cameron spent hours watching video guitar lessons and concerts of Vaughan and others such as B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck.

It was only natural that Owen would begin working with

other musicians, playing in garage bands. Singer and lead guitarist for Radio Narks, a party band, Cameron plays up and down the east coast at venues from New York City to Miami. The groups eclectic playlist covers songs from Johnny Cash to Michael Jackson “and everything in between.” When not on the road, this self-taught musician can be heard during his regular gig at Golden Leaf Bistro in Danville every other Thursday evening. By his own admission, he loves to sing and is pleasantly surprised when listeners compliment the wonderful quality of his voice.

He admits that if he had time to explore other aspects of music, he would like to learn about the production side of recording. Let’s hope he postpones that for some time and continues to develop as a performer, guitar player, singer and songwriter. We will all be the better for it.

Cameron Owen can be heard at Golden Leaf Bistro on Thursdays, September 6 and 20.

If readers would like to recommend a local musician for a future article, email lewilburn46@gmail.com with contact information.

Page 14 September 2018

September 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. See page 19.

DMFAH self-guided audio-visual tours. 434.793.5644.

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. www.halifaxcountylibrary.org 434.5575.4228

September 1-14

Steel Wheels & Rails Along the Streets of Danville, VA: 50 Years of Electric Trolley Service, 1888-1938: a series of posters telling the history of Danville’s streetcar service; Danville Historical Society @ Danville Public Library

September 1-29

Some Enchanted Evening: an exhibit of antique and vintage evening attire from Danville attics Langhorne

House Museum, 117 Broad St. Danville; Saturdays 2-5pm; private tours available by calling 434.793.6472

September 1-October 14

Art La Turque: an exhibit by three contemporary Turkish artists with distinct styles DMFAH Free admission on September 7-8.

See page 12.

September 1-October 13

Bill Rutherfoord: Allegory of No Region Exhibition: Eleven largescale, colorful and densely populated paintings invite the viewer into a complex interweaving of narrative, symbol, and form. PA

September 1-October 13

Works by Chris Frazier: He uses recycled and reclaimed materials to create functional works of art. PA free

September 4 & 6

September 8

Folk Tales Family Day: American folk tales by The Jack Tale Players, themed crafts and complimentary snacks PA free 11am-1pm all ages Registration Deadline for Barn Quilt Painting Class: DMFAH noon-5pm on September 15 $75 Call to register.

Forever Young: local country group brings a mix of classics and songs they have composed Prizery 7:30pm

September 8 & 9

Free admission to the DMFAH

September 9-October 14

Art Exhibit Opening Reception: Prizery 3-5pm Featured artists include: Ev Wesson, Heather Raum, Joan Cowan and Linda Calisto of the Lake Gaston Arts Guild. Hosted

by Parsons-Bruce Art Association.

September 11

Throw Paint at Cancer: DMFAH 8-week session for families open to children ages 10+ accompanied by an adult. 4-6pm Adult session for survivors/ caregivers begins September 6. This peer-to-peer support program is led by artist and cancer survivor Cynthia Hubbard. 3-5pm No charge and all supplies provided. Registration required. 434.421.3060.

Senior Expo: featuring over 30 vendors, agencies, services, and products for maintaining quality of life: bone density testing, balance testing, senior medical IDs, Project Lifesaver, hearing checks, glucose testing, blood pressure checks. 9am1pm Free shredding at AARP Virginia shred truck; Ballou Recreation Center, 760 West Main St. Danville 10am-1pm 434.799.5216

September 6

September 12

Registration Deadline-Falls Prevention Awareness Seminar on September 11: Ballou Nature Center, 760 Main St. Danville 11am-2pm $5 includes lunch; 434.799.5216 VA/NC Piedmont Genealogical Society Meeting: Marie Richardson, Director of the LDS Family History Center will be the guest speaker discussing what’s new at the Family Search website. Danville Public Library Geology Room 5:30pm

September 7

Registration Deadline - Living Well @ the Y: a panel discussion on research studies and clinical trials - what’s the difference? What’s available? Why is it important for those living in more rural parts of Virginia to participate? Light, healthy lunch for those who register by 5pm. Program from noon-1:30pm. Pack walking shoes for a walk on the Riverwalk Trail after the program. Free and open to the public. Y membership not required to attend. YMCA 215 Riverside Dr. Danville; to register 434.421.3060.

The Jane Bond Experience: VIR See page 20-21.

September 13

Meet the Author: Andrea Palmer Woodward author of Oak House: Within Dwells Halifax Public Library reception 5:30pm; talk and book signing 6:30pm.

September 13-15

Pinkalicious: AU Frith Fine Arts Center 150 Mountain View Ave This play is based on the Pinkalicious books by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann. It is designed to encourage children to explore the arts, develop their creativity, and imagine how the world looks through her artful eye. 7pm on Sept 1314; 2pm on Sept. 15. $10/$8

September 14

Caregiver Workshop: keynote speaker Amy Goyer author of Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving; Monica

September 2018

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 Karavanic, Director of Residential at The Arc of Southside, presents “Empowering the Caregiver.”

Dr. Connie Fletcher-Whitlow, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist Specialist will talk about caregiver stress and how to relieve it. Karen Cotta, music therapist, will provide interactive musical activities; also session for attendees to ask questions of a resource panel of specialists. Free on-site and off-site/in home respite care. Free at Danville Community College 9:30am-2:30pm. Continental breakfast and lunch provided. Register at 800.468.4571.

Deadline to Register for “Gut Check”: a Barb Bancroft presentation about colorectal cancer, the impact of lifestyle, screening, how this cancer develops and how it can be prevented and treated. Barb’s humorous and engaging delivery will appeal to all. 434.421.3060 to register for the September 22 event.

Museum Mingle: Happy Hour on the Lawn of the DMFAH; free admission; music by Norm Aquilo, beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, food available for purchase. Dogs welcome. rain (indoors) or shine (on the lawn) 5-7pm See page 13.

September 15

Peter Pan Auditions Register online on the North Star Theatre Project Facebook page. North Theatre 10 am.

Shred Out Hunger with God’s Storehouse & Commonwealth Document Management: 750 Memorial Dr. 9am-noon Bring papers to be shredded. Cost is donation of canned goods and/or toiletry items/cleaning products. Take a tour of the facility and learn how God’s Storehouse serves this community and the volunteer opportunities available. www.godsstorehouse.org 434.793.3663 Bluegrass by the River Festival: 2 Witches, 209 Trade St. Danville $10/15; proceeds benefit Project Lifesaver 4-9pm www.bluegrassbytheriver.com Comedy Night: Clean, professional comedy headliner. 7:30pm. HNT – 434.793.7469.

The deadline for submitting information for the October calendar is Thursday, September 20, at 5:00 p.m. Please send just the basic information following the format on these pages to joycewilburn@gmail.com.

Evince Magazine Page 15

September 16

Danville Historical Society Membership Meeting: Open to the public and potential members DMFAH 2:30-4:30pm www.danvillehistory.org O What A Happy Soul: The Story of Fanny Crosby: Moseley Memorial United Methodist Church, 601 Berryman Ave. This play, with music provided by soloists and the congregation, will celebrate the life of one of Christian music’s most revered lyricists. Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) the author of over 8,000 Christian poems and lyrics. free 4pm 434.334.7411

2,000 years old; Sacred Heart Church, 540 Central Blvd. Danville 7pm www.treasuresofthechurch.com Where Segregation Came From – a lecture by Dr. Edward Ayers that explores what separation meant for both black and white Southerners 7pm Prizery

September 18

Our Civil Rights: A Common Table: film director Jamie S. Ross will discuss and show clips from her newest documentary on Southern food, At the Common Table. Ross is the director of Red Dirt Productions (www.reddirtproductions. org) and has worked for over thirty years, writing, directing, and producing documentary and educational work on American history and culture. 5:307:30pm Attendees are welcome to bring a dish to share. Danville Public Library

September 21

Flute and piano recital by Janet Phillips and Michael Rowland: West Main Baptist Church, 450 West Main St. 7 p.m. free Morgan State University Concert Choir: contemporary classics, gospel, and interpretation of America’s heritage of the spiritual. Danville Concert Association 7:30pm GWHS Auditorium, 701 Broad St. 7:30pm $25/adults, $10/ students www.danvilleconcert.org or Eventbrite 434.792.9242 Savory September-Start Your Engines: a NASCAR-themed fundraiser for the arts, featuring tasty dishes and cocktails by local chefs, raffle for major prizes from regional attractions 7-10pm PA; $35 suggested attire: NASCAR Chic. Tickets at PiedmontArts.org.

September 22

Free DMFAH Admission: 10am5pm This is part of Smithsonian Museum Day. Obtain a ticket for two at www.smithsonianmag.com/ museumday/museum-day-2018.

Houdini Magic Show: Starring world champion illusionist Wayne Alan 7:30pm. HNT – 434.793.7469.

September 22 & 23

15th Annual Old 97 Rail Days: DSC 1,200 square foot display of model trains running and weaving along multi-layer tracks crossing artistic landscapes of mountains, valleys and rivers. Walk through a fully restored Norfolk and Western caboose; view a miniature version of the Old 97 wreck scene 50% off gallery admission on 9/22. 10am-5pm on 9/22; 11am-2pm on 9/23.

September 27

Treasures of the Church: an exposition of sacred relics some are

September 28-30

AU Hometown Homecoming: party, men’s and women’s soccer games, volleyball games, distinguished alumni awards ceremony, Athletics Hall of Fame induction, tours of the newly renovated Main Hall, afternoon tailgate before the football game at night.

Open Heart Women’s Retreat: Villa Cathedral Country Home Bed & Breakfast Alton, VA See ad page 19.

October 7

Danville Area CROP Hunger Walk: Ballou Park 2:30pm www.danvillecropwalk.org Celebrate: 30+ member chorus and full orchestra from 24 different area churches unite for a service of praise, worship and gospel music: First Presbyterian, Abundant Life, Ascension Lutheran, Bethel Grove Baptist, Bibleway Cathedral, Chestnut Level Baptist, Crosspoint Church of God, Dan River, Fairview United Methodist, Kentuck Missionary Baptist, McCanliss Memorial Methodist, Moffett Memorial Baptist, Pentecostal Holiness, Ringgold Baptist, River of Life New Testament, River Oak Church of God, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Shiloh Missionary Baptist, The Tabernacle, The World Church, Tree of Life Ministries, West Main Baptist and White Oak Worship Center. Historic North Theatre, 629 North Main. free 6pm www.facebook. com: south side region celebration

September 29

Beginner Line Dance Workshop: Learn fun, new dances geared for dancers who are already familiar with basic steps and terminology and want to learn fun, new dances ranging from Ultra Beginner to High Beginner levels.

Open dancing between sessions and a short break for lunch. Instructed by Bonnie Mathews, Sue Ann Ehmann and Marianna Timmons. DJ/Instructor Mary Kaye Johnson. Step book included.

Ballou Recreation Center, 760 West Main St. Danville 10am-4pm $20/$25 at the door 434.799.5216.

September 30

Chihuly at Biltmore: Take a bus trip from Piedmont Arts to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina; explore the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly. Noon1:00a.m. $120 per person/$10 optional boxed lunch.

Plan Ahead October 2

1859 Coffeehouse Lecture Series Dr. Marc Muneal See page 5.

October 4

Meet the Author: William Guerrant author of Jim Wrenn; South Boston Public Library Reception at 5:30 pm; talk and book signing at 6:30pm.

October 5

Chatham First Concert: Rainer trio with Elizabeth Matheson playing Vivaldi and Piazzolla Four Seasons Emmanuel Episcopal Church 66 Main St., Chatham

October 8

People, Pets & Pilot Opening Reception & Exhibit: 45 pictures will be displayed until October 21 Vote in cash or check for the favorite.

Proceeds will help children and adults with brain-related disorders, disabilities and intellectual challenges. a fundraiser for the Pilot Club at the Danville YMCA, 215 Riverside Dr. 4:30-6pm 434.709.0695 karma50@ gamewood.net.

October 18 & 19

Preservation Conference Preservation Virginia and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources are hosting Virginia’s annual historic preservation conference in Danville. Register at: preservationvirginia.org/our-work/ virginia-preservation-conference/

Page 16 September 2018

Book Clubbing a review by Diane Adkins

Less

by Andrew Sean Greer

Whether accurate or not, our perception of books that are Pulitzer Prize winners is that they are serious books. If we took a survey and asked people for the three top adjectives they would use to describe Pulitzer books, I doubt diversions-the theme of this month’s Evince— would appear on anyone’s list. And then along comes Less. A quick look at blurbs will turn up words like comic, delightful, hilarious, lighthearted, escapist. We are definitely in diversion’s ballpark. And really, who doesn’t need a few of these qualities to turn up, even unexpectedly, in our current reading lists.

Arthur Less, the main character, is a writer who has received almost no acclaim in his own right. He was for nine years the partner of a world-renowned poet, Robert Brownburn, and because of that he has a measure of reflected fame and desirability as a speaker and teacher. When his most recent partner leaves him for another and then subsequently invites him to the wedding, Less decides to run away. He sifts through all of the many invitations he has received from around the world to do readings, to teach, to be a writer-inresidence—and says yes to all of them. The resulting global travel provides both the structure and the comedic settings for the novel.

But whether he is in Mexico, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco, or Japan, it matters not—Less is a self-deprecating hero put in awkward situations everywhere, and made all too aware of his own mediocrity. In each country, he lives down to his name. And yet, Arthur is strangely endearing in his “out-of-place-ness.” Just as his students in Germany do, we learn to love him.

The language of this book is its greatest strength--Greer’s ability to turn a memorable phrase. For example, when Arthur Less is in Germany, he is under the illusion that he speaks German fluently.

He had learned from a teacher who thought it more important “to be bold instead of perfect.” As Greer puts it, “She was ostensibly German-speaking, just as seventeen-year-old Less was ostensibly gay. Both had the fantasy; neither had carried it out.” The concluding chapter of the book is revelatory. The book is written in the third person, and the realization of who the narrator is becomes the frame for an ending that is both surprising and satisfying. The warmth and humanity of this book and of its main character can prove to be a sweet antidote to the bitterness that seems to be in the air we breathe. Read it and be diverted.

Diane S. Adkins is a retired library director.

Evince Magazine Page 17

Reflecting Forward Clock: The Voice of Diversion

by Linda Lemery

T

ime is our most precious

commodity, especially when

there are stressors that upset a deceptively stable yet very fragile interrelated human ecosystem. Time is needed to find a path away from uncertainty and back toward predictability, stability, and the diversions we pursue. We have a human need to know how much time we have and how we can use it. Clocks help us do that, however, every clock in the Lemery household displays a different time, so I never know the exact time!

Recently, my preoccupation with time sent me to a thrift store (one of my favorite diversions) and down the clock aisle. Buried under all sorts of dead and dying clocks was one that looked well made. On its back was an empty battery compartment, a toggle switch with multiple settings, and a reset button. At home, I showed the clock to my husband. He put batteries in it and pushed the reset button. For a while, nothing happened, but then the minute hand began to spin really fast. The hour hand also sped up.

The hands reached 12:00 and stopped, then the hands resumed their roaming. They eventually went slower, then slower yet, then finally stopped. The clock had set itself for two hours earlier than the time on my watch, give or take a few minutes. The second hand ticked sedately away. Huh, I thought. Courageous man that he is, my husband turned the clock over and noticed the toggle positions – P, M, C, E—indicating the different time zones. I flipped

the toggle from M to E. Nothing happened. He pushed reset again. The clock waited, then the hands whizzed around. When they finally stopped, the time the clock displayed matched the time on my watch, give or take a few minutes.

We did a little research and found that I’d bought an atomic clock. The National Institute of Standards and Technology in Fort Collins, Colorado has an atomic clock that sends out a low frequency radio signal broadcasting the correct time.

When we installed the batteries in our clock, set it to the right time zone, and pushed reset, our clock reset itself to 12:00 and then to the time conveyed by the Colorado signal. Technically our clock is a radio-controlled clock rather than an atomic clock, but readers have the gist of how this clock works. Despite the fact that all thirty of our household clocks show different times, I’ve chosen to go by our new clock’s time because it tells me what time it really is.

Choice matters. How we choose to spend time matters, because stable periods serve as buffers for the periods when life events destabilize us. We need to use time wisely. Everything takes time. Because of my diversion, now I know, atomically, how much time things can really take.

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

Page 18 September 2018

I

’ve heard it said that it doesn’t take a brain sturgeon to pair wine. However, you may be floundering to choose just the right wine for your oysters. You may have other fish to fry, or perhaps you’re just a little green around the gills. Here are some quick thoughts about oyster/wine pairings to get you off the hook.

Raw Oysters: The classic pairing is muscadet, a crisp, dry, white wine from the western edge of France’s Loire Valley. It is uncomplicated and has a briny minerality that goes well with the saline taste in the oyster. Other possibilities include a sauvignon blanc from Sancerre; txakolina, a Spanish Basque country wine; albarino, a wine from northern Spain; or a dry rosé from Provence.

Fried Oysters: You could use the ones mentioned above or a chardonnay from Chablis, France. Another possibility is a bubbly Crémant de Bourgogne

(burgundy). Are red-wine drinkers joining you? Consider a lightly chilled Beaujolais.

The Wine Spot Photo by Dave Slayton

The World Is Your Oyster if Paired With the Right Wine

by Dave Slayton

a member of the Master Court of Sommeliers

Smoked Oysters: This may be the best oyster dish for sparkling wines. In addition to Cremant de Bourgogne consider a Spanish sparkling cava or a sparkling rosé cava. It has been said that East Coast oysters have a briny toughness that goes well with light-bodied wines having a bit of acidity, such as a dry riesling or a slightly sparkling Portuguese Vinho Verde. Don’t want a sparkler for your smoked oysters? How about a dry gewurztraminer from the Alsace region of France? Want red?

Try an Austrian zweigelt that has been cooled to about 60˚ F or a dry, light fino sherry.

At this point you may be saying, “Holy Mackerel, enough already!”

Well we’re not fishing for a compliment; we just want you to know that all is fish that comes to the net. Cheers!

Evince Magazine Page 19

Clams with Cannellini Beans and Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

by Annelle Williams

Growing up in the mountains didn’t give me much exposure to seafood. Now that my husband and I are retired and spend time at the coast, I can ride my bicycle to fresh seafood markets. I don’t hesitate to ask the proprietors how to cook the different fish. At first, they looked at me a little sideways and I could see the thought pattern running through their minds--another “from off” person down here who doesn’t know tuna from sea bass. As time passed and I kept showing up they became friendly and even teased me a little. I always take their advice and have never been disappointed. Last week we had scallops and grouper, this week small quahog clams. They are the best ones to use if you want to serve the whole clam. Native Americans made wampum out of quahog shells. These clams are delicious and very inexpensive considering their shells were once used as a monetary exchange.

Clam Soup

with Cannellini Beans and Roasted Tomatoes (4 servings) 4 dozen fresh clams, cleaned (Discard any clams that have cracked shells or are open and don’t shut.)

1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 sweet onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 cups chardonnay wine 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained 1 can (15 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice 2 tablespoons fresh basil cut into a chiffonade

Clean clams by putting them into a pot of lightly salted water. Scrub the shells and pull out any beards (little stringy things protruding from shell).

Let them stay in water for a few minutes. Water will filter through and this removes any sand still inside shells. You’ll find the sand in the bottom of your pot.

Add butter and olive oil to a wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion; cook until transparent 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring to combine. Add parsley, red pepper flakes, and wine. Heat wine to a simmer. You may need to increase heat a bit. Add clams and cover pot. Steam clams in wine for about 7 minutes, until they open. May take an extra minute or two. Discard any clams that do not open.

Remove clams to four serving bowls. Add beans and tomatoes to wine pot.

Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes. Sprinkle basil over clams.

Spoon hot soup mixture over clams and serve with crusty bread.

Questions or comments?

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

Page 20 September 2018

Photo Finish On July 3, a group of women convened at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to have a Jane Bond Experience.

Their nine-hour day included situational awareness training, tactical mobility driving, and weapon familiarization.

They learned domestic and international travel tips from a female instructor who leads the executive protection team for Boeing. One of the highlights of the morning was the rollover simulator followed by technical driving on the Patriot Course.

The afternoon was led by Tina Martin, owner of Sheildmaiden Defense, a company that specializes in teaching female shooters and understands the biomechanical and mental differences that make women unique to the shooting world.

The women learn safe driving skills on slippery roads.

Tina Martin instructs the group on the shooting range.

Brenda Lacocq, Director of VIR Group Sales, dons a helmet in preparation for the upcoming events.

VIR is located in Alton, Virginia, a 15-minute drive from the Danville city limits. For more information, visit www.virnow. com or call 434.822.7700. The Jane Bond Experience will be offered on September 12, October 6, and November 25. Cost is $395 and includes breakfast and lunch.

Photos provided by VIR, Michael Corbett

Participants practice what to do when a car rolls over.

Skid marks show the intensity of the training.

Joe Scarborough, Consuelo Price, (front) Brenda Lecocq begin the drive.

Ricky Henson and Connie Nyholm share a joke before the training session begins.

Evince Magazine Page 21 Connie Nyholm remains calm while upside down in the rollover event.

Nettie SimonOwens, Kimley Blanks, and Terri Reynolds listen to classroom instruction.

“If there is a heaven on earth, it is VIR.” – Paul Newman

Connie Nyholm, Samantha Steemkamp-Farrell, Kimley Blanks, Nettie Simon-Owens, and Consuelo Price prepare for the adventure.

*Jane Bond Participants: • Kimley Blanks, Agriculture Marketing Director, County of Halifax • Cindi Dietrich, 3Gun Nation shooter • Heidi Harlow, Executive Protection DC Team Leader for Boeing • Cheryl Herrick, Founder of Ponytail Racing Racing for Warriors • Karen Jackson, VIR Director of Facilities • Brenda Lecocq, VIR Director of Group Sales • Tina Martin, owner of Shieldmaiden Defense • Lauren Mathena, Director of Economic Development and Community Engagement with Mid-Atlantic Broadband • Connie Nyholm, CEO/Owner of VIR • Consuelo Price, VIR Food and Beverage Director • Terri Reynolds, Broker, West & Woodall Town Lake & Country Properties, Semora, NC • Nettie Simon-Owens, Chief Workforce Development Officer, Southern VA Higher Education Center • Samantha Steenkamp-Farrell, Senior Security Specialist at World Bank

The class proudly smiles at the completion of the training. front row: Kimley Blanks,* Nettie Simon-Owens,* Karen Jackson,* Brenda Lecocq,* Connie Nyholm,* Consuelo Price* back row: Heidi Harlow,* Samantha Steemkamp-Farrell,* Terri Reynolds,* Lauren Mathena,* Cindi Dietrich,* Tina Martin,* Cheryl Herrick*

Page  22 September 2018

Evince Magazine Page  23

Page  24 September 2018